Homemade Salsa

I have a couple other recipes for homemade salsa, but decided I better save this one too when I saw it on facebook today.  It looks really easy and good.

Homemade Salsa

Chop 5-6 Roma tomatoes,1 small onion and 1/2 cup fresh Cilantro. Mince 2 seeded Serrano or Jalapeño peppers and 1 clove of garlic. Add 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together and let sit overnight for flavors to meld.

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Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and some sweet potatoes in the pantry, so I went looking for a recipe.  I found this one which also included cabbage - and I had some of that in the fridge, too!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew
adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 2 tsp cooking oil
• 1 lb. boneless skinless breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper 
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 5 cups cabbage, chopped
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1⁄4-inch chunks
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 T cornstarch

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until beginning to brown.
2. Add the cabbage, onion, garlic and seasonings. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage and onion are just tender. Stir in the sweet potatoes, broth, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes, longer if you want your sweet potatoes really soft. Stir in the peas and heat through.
3. Combine the cornstarch with about 1⁄4 cup water in a small bowl until smooth. Add the mixture to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 3 minutes.

Notes

If you like, substitute a teaspoon of dried thyme, or use 1 T chopped fresh oregano or thyme.  If you use fresh herbs, add them when you add the peas.

I made this a day early and then added 1/2 cup of water when I reheated it, because it was really thick.  I'm not entirely convinced the cornstarch is needed for thickening because I cooked mine long enough that the sweet potatoes got really soft and thickened the stew on their own.  I will probably leave that step out next time.  I also may have used more than just the 1 cup of peas, too - their green color against the orange of the sweet potatoes is really pretty.

This was a really easy and tasty soup recipe, great for a potluck.  Everybody really seemed to like it and there wasn't much left, so I'm sure I'll be making it again.  A nice slice of wholegrain sourdough bread is the perfect complement.

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Beef Noodle Bowl

I found this recipe in one of my old Food & Family magazines from Kraft.  My biggest question is - "Why haven't I made this before?"  Since I found the recipe, I've made it twice with beef and once with chicken.  This is going to be a regular recipe around here. 

Beef Noodle Bowl
adapted from Kraft Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 8 oz. beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
• 8 oz. fettuccine or linguine, uncooked
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, sliced

Directions:

1. Mix salad dressing, soy sauce, brown sugar and ginger.  Add sliced steak and marinate 30 minutes or longer.
2. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding vegetables to the boiling water for the last 2 min.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet. Remove meat from marinade and add to skillet. Begin cooking and then add onions; cook until meat is browned on all sides and onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining marinade; cook 2 min. or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. When pasta is cooked, add a ladle or two of pasta water to the meat mixture. Drain pasta mixture and add to meat mixture in skillet; toss to coat. 
5. Serve with garnish of red pepper flakes and/or cilantro, if desired.

Makes 4 servings, 2 cups each

This is really easy and tastes really good. It is best with steak and fresh vegetables, but I used boneless chicken thighs and frozen broccoli once, and that was pretty good, too.  You could probably adapt the recipe to use whatever vegetables you have or want to use - though carrots and broccoli are pretty much perfect. 

with chicken

I always set a bit of the pasta water aside to add to any leftovers - whatever looks good - because pasta tends to absorb liquid when it sits, and a little extra is welcome when it's time to heat it back up.  Of course, last time I made it, my husband was here, and there weren't any leftovers.  I guess he likes it too!

I really like to sprinkle a few red pepper flakes on top and cilantro if I have it.  The Kraft recipe says to sprinkle with dry roasted peanuts, which I haven't tried, but it does sound good - so maybe next time.

Chicken Apple & Cheese Muffins

My  Secret Recipe Club (Secret Recipe Club) assignment this month was to choose a recipe from Aly's blog Cooking in Stilettos.  Why is it that everybody but me can come up with such creative blog names?  Don't you love that one?  There are plenty of great-looking and creative recipes on her blog, and I had a very hard time picking just one!

I thought about Bourbon Molasses Baked Chicken (except that I don't have any of that Bourbon Molasses Mustard - wonder if I could make something similar?)  Update: I found this recipe in my local paper for a Honey Bourbon Jalapeno Mustard, which might work.

Honey Bourbon Jalapeno Mustard

• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup whole yellow mustard seeds
• 3/4 cup whole brown mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup honey (range depends on your desire for a sweeter mustard)
• 1-1/4 tsp. fine salt
• 1 to 2 jalapenos, chopped (leave in seeds and ribs for a spicier mustard)

1. In a medium bowl, combine bourbon, water and mustard seeds. Let soak at least 4 hours up to overnight.
2. In a food processor or powerful blender, add mustard seed mixture, vinegar, honey, salt and jalapenos. Blend until very smooth (you will still see seed hulls). You may add more water or vinegar to thin, if needed.
3. Pack into a clean glass jar. Leave at room temperature for several days if you want mustard to mellow, otherwise store in the refrigerator 3 to 4 weeks.
Makes about 3-1/2 cups

And next time I have apple cider in the house, somebody remind me to make this Bourbon Cider Twist!  I am also actually going to make tortillas next time I need some.  Yes, I've been planning to do that for ages, but this recipe for the Easiest Ever Homemade Tortillas has me convinced.  And there are more, but I had to choose, didn't I?  Well, at least for this post.  I can always go back....

I ended up modifying the recipe for Apple Cheddar Chicken Muffins, not because it didn't look perfect the way it was, but because I had to substitute some of the ingredients.  I substituted 1/2 cup of white wheat flour for part of the white flour, used broccoli instead of arugula, a Braeburn apple instead of Granny Smith, and used a 3-cheese mix instead of Cheddar.  Of course, Aly did say to think of this muffin recipe as your “Leftover Muffin Canvas” - so I just did what I was supposed to do!
 

Chicken Apple & Cheese Muffins  
from Cooking in Stilettos Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I used Hot Hungarian Paprika)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup oil
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese, divided
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 cup apple, peeled and chopped (I used Braeburn)
• 1 cup broccoli, finely chopped (frozen is ok)
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped

Directions

1. Set aside 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs, then mix in oil and milk.
3. Measure flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, thyme and paprika into bowl on top of wet ingredients.  Mix dry ingredients together and then stir into wet ingredients, just until combined.
4. Fold in the chicken, apple, onions, broccoli and remaining cheese.
5. Heat the oven to 350º F.
6. Lightly spray the muffin pans with a non-stick coating spray or lightly grease with butter.
7. Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full; top each muffin with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
8. Bake until golden, about 25 to 35 minutes, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin is clean.
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and enjoy! 

18 muffins

These muffins are great!  They make a really nice change from sandwiches. You get your meat, cheese, bread and veggies all in one easy-to-grab package. My husband really enjoyed having them in his lunches.  I also sent some to college with my son because he has some long days when he has no time to get anything to eat.  He can throw some of these into his bag in the morning and have a handy snack to tide him over until the day is over and he has time to get to the dining hall or back to his dorm. I'm already thinking of variations - because I will be making these again.  I'm thinking something with cornmeal and zucchini would be good.