Cuppycakes

I made cupcakes! Everyone knows the recipe, but I just wanted to share my picture. I thought they were pretty! I made them for Joe's Easter party at work this month.

Almond Danish Swirls

Ingredients:

 

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup slivered almonds, chopped fine

2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 egg white

1 teaspoon water

Glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

4 teaspoons milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, almond extract, and sugar until fluffy. Fold half of the chopped almonds into the cream cheese mixture. Separate 1 can of dough and assemble into 4 rectangles. Firmly press the perforations to seal. Press or roll each piece of dough to form a 7 by 4-inch rectangle, and spread each with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling to within 1/4-inch of the edges. Starting at the short end, roll each rectangle tightly into a cylinder. Repeat with the other can of dough and remaining filling.

Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while the rolls are chilling.

Remove from the refrigerator and cut each roll into 4 slices. Place 1/2-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. In a small bowl, combine the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Brush over the swirls. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped almonds. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light brown.

While the swirls are baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Cool the swirls for 3 minutes on wire racks placed over a sheet of waxed paper. Drizzle the icing over the warm swirls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruit Dip

Mix all these ingredients together for a wonderful fruit dip! I used apple slices, purple grapes and strawberries.

1 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp of vanilla
1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

World's EASIEST Enchiladas

Ingredients 
1 box of frozen flour taquitos (about 12) or corn works just as well.
1 8oz can of red enchilada sauce
1 can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice


Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray your baking dish with pam then put your frozen flour taquitos in it laying side by side. Mix together the red sauce and cream of mushroom soup in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture over the taquitos and place in the heated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle grated cheese on top, let it melt and serve.

Of course there are a TON of different variations it is what ever your personal preference is. For examples, you can do green enchilada sauce or substitute the cream of mushroom with a can of white blanco queso or sour cream. This is so easy and delicious! There is no way to screw up this recipe!

Crawfish Etoufee

Crawfish Etoufee 

** Now, I don't use crawfish. I usually use the pre-seasoned chicken legs (with skin and bone) from HEB, that are like $3.00 for 5lbs of chicken, and they are so delicious. I just throw them on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with Pam. Cook on 350 for about 30-45 minutes or until till juice runs clear. I have used shrimp once and liked it just as well. It's all about your preference. 

Ingredients 

1 stick butter
1/2 cup green bell peppers or celery ( I use both)
1 cup of chopped onions
salt (if needed)
pepper
chopped green onions (about 5 cut up)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 tsp. garlic
3 1/2 tablespoons flour
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 lb crawfish tails with fat, or what ever you choose to use.
2 cups water
1 tsp. Creole seasoning (any Cajun seasoning is good)

Directions

Melt butter in pot (medium/high heat). Add onions, garlic, bell peppers. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top. Sauté these until transparent and soft.
Stir in flour for only one minute. Add crawfish, stir for 1 minute. Add water, stir for a little while. Let come to boil. Stir in chicken bullion cubes, salt, pepper, and creole seasoning. Let cook 5 minutes. Add chopped green onions.
Constantly stir this recipe, and add water if it sticks. Serve with white rice.



I actually took a picture of this meal, because it looked sooooo good and it was! But I don't think I still have the picture.  I'll look for it.

Tortilla Soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons -- 2 turns of the pot in a slow stream
• 1 can of kernel corn
• 1 red bell pepper, split and seeded
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/3 palm full
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/3 palm full
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small to medium zucchini, small dice
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (medium to hot heat level), chopped -- available in small cans in Mexican and Spanish food section of market
• 1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken stock 

(I do not put the next 3 items in the soup, I make those optional)

• 4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar or pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Garnishes:

• 1/4 red raw onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
• 1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

Heat a grill pan to high and a soup pot to medium-high. Add red pepper. Char peppers 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper.

While peppers cook, dice chicken. Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown the chicken. Add zucchini, onions, corn, garlic and chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.

Chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in. (I skip this step) Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes.

This recipe is a HUGE hit with my husband's family. Every time the first cold front comes threw after summer time is over they are calling me to make this soup. It is even a family joke that I say I am going to make it when one of his family members is going to be out of town and they tell me they will NOT speak to me for a month if I were to do so.

Oven "Fried" Chicken

6 Chicken legs, skinned.
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. crushed corn flakes
1/3 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes, crumbled
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil spray
 * I added 2tsp of Cayenne Pepper, to make mine spicy.

Put the chicken legs in a shallow bowl or pan and rub the olive oil covering the legs.

Combine the crushed corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, pepper and any other added seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake the chicken pieces individually in the corn flake and cheese mixture, coating the chicken on all sides.

Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Put the coated chicken breasts on the baking sheet. Bake the chicken in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Juicy Tangy Pulled Pork Sandwiches with a Mustardy Broccoli Slaw

This tender and juicy pulled pork starts with a surprising choice: pork tenderloin. By simmering large pieces of pork tenderloin in a tangy sauce and then shredding it with two forks the result is tender pork tossed with lots of rich flavorful sauce. The final touch is a crunchy broccoli slaw with a mustardy dressing.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 3 cups (6 ounces) broccoli slaw
• 6 whole wheat hamburger rolls, split

In a large Dutch oven heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne and cook until toasted, 1 minute more. Stir in the broth, ketchup, 1/3 cup vinegar, and molasses. Bring to a simmer and add the pork. Simmer, covered, until the pork is just cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar and the mustard. Add the broccoli slaw and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Remove the pork to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Increase the heat on the remaining sauce in the pot to medium-high and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Shred the pork with two forks into large chunks and add back into the thickened sauce. Toss well to coat. Let stand 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, to let the pork absorb the sauce. Serve on a bun with the slaw on the sandwich or on the side.

This was soooooo good. One of my very favorites! 

Lemon Basil Shrimp Pasta

Lemon Basil Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

1/2lb linguine

1lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

3-4 Tbsp butter or olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

zest and juice of 1 lemon

3-4 Tbsp basil leaves

1/4c fresh parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta about 9-10 minutes. Add shrimp to pasta pot for 30 seconds (it will almost instantly turn pink and opaque) and drain. In a large pot, melt 3 Tbsp butter and add garlic, lemon juice, and zest. Heat through. Return pasta to pot. Stir to combine. If mixture seems a little dry, add a tad more butter or olive oil.

Stir in basil and parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. 

 

Chicken Chorizo Burgers with Avocado Lime Mayo

Chicken Chorizo Burgers with Avocado Lime Mayo

1 lb chicken, chopped
1/2 lb chorizo
1 jalapeno, chopped

Stick the chicken into a food blender and whizz it until it's nice and ground up. Add the chorizo and jalapeno and mix well.

Shape into burger patties.
While they are cooking on your grill, blend together:

1/3 cup light or fat free mayonnaise
1/2 avocado
2 tbs lime juice

Serve the burgers, topped with the mayo and any other extras you like, on a wholewheat bun.