Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3 tablespoons canola oil
10 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
SAUCE RANCHEROS
Diced avocado, sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Sauce Rancheros: In a blender, puree:
1 can whole tomatoes with juice
1 chopped jalapeno chile, (seeds and ribs removed for less heat)
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium heat.Add puree; cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tortillas on both sides with 2 tablespoons canola oil; lay on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp and brown around edges, 7 to 10 minutes.


In bowl, beat eggs with salt and pepper. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook eggs, stirring, until set but still moist, 6 to 8 minutes.


Place tortillas on plates; top with eggs, sauce rancheros, and Monterey Jack. Garnish with avocado, sour cream, and cilantro.


***From Everyday Food, October 2003.

~We halved the recipe, but it was just as good!
Lynn

Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Pork

Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Pork

2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips (I used green instead)

4 (8 ounce) boneless pork loin chops (I used 3 pork butt steaks instead)

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
2 limes, cut into wedges

Coat a slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the bell pepper strips and pork chops into the slow cooker. Pour the teriyaki sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic over the pork chops.

Cover and cook on Low until the pork is very tender, 8 to 9 hours. Once tender, remove the pork from the slow cooker, and whisk in the peanut butter until smooth. Return the pork to the slow cooker, and cook 10 minutes more.

Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with green onions and peanuts to garnish. Decorate with lime wedges to serve.

 

 

~This was really tasty, even if the picture looks sloppy.  Michael loved the sauce! I love slow cooker meals because I start them before work and they're done when I get home!

Lynn

***From Allrecipes.com

Stovetop Macaroni with Edamame

I know I said my previous post would be the last for a while, but this one was so easy I decided to just go ahead and post it.

Ingredients

-1 Box stovetop macaroni of your choice

-butter/sour cream/ milk - whatever you normally put in you mac and cheese

-frozen shelled edamame

Preparation

Prepare macaroni following box instructions, but add the edamame to the water at the same time as adding the noodles.  That's it!  Easy, yummy, healthier!

*From the creative mind of Rachel*

- Sarah

Nectarine Upside-Down Cake

This will probably be my last post for a while.  Back to work next week!  Maybe some other people can post recipes (hint, hint).

Ingredients

10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

4 cups frozen (I used fresh) nectarines, thawed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place 4 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep at least) and melt in oven.  Remove pan from oven and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter.

2. With two double-thick layers of paper towels, press as much liquid as possible out of nectarines.  Arrange fruit in an even layer in pan.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 6 tablespoons butter on high until light and fluffy.  Add granulated sugar and beat until well combined.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed.  Beat in vanilla.  With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions yogurt, and beat to combine.

4. With a spatula, spread batter over nectarines.  Bake until cake is dark golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (I recommend putting a pan underneath to catch drippings; mine dripped all over my oven!), 1 hour 10 minutes (it took mine 55 minutes to be done, so watch it).  Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack, 15 minutes.  Run a knife around edge of pan and invert cake onto a serving plate.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Notes added by recipe writer: 

1. Key to Success - Pressing excess liquid from the thawed fruit makes all the difference in the texture of this cake, so don't rush that step.

2. Try other frozen stone fruit like peaches or plums instead.

3. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Foodie Friend 1

Foodie Friend 3

*Recipe from Everyday Food Issue 75*

- Sarah

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

Okay, before I give you this recipe, I must tell you that I changed a LOT to turn it from an appetizer to an entree.  But I will give you the original recipe and then let you know the changes that I made later on.

Ingredients

all-purpose flour, for rolling

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 T sour cream

1 t. grainy mustard

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 large leeks, white and light-green parts only

1 T unsalted butter

3/4 lb. grape tomatoes, halved, or plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick, or a combination

2 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled

2 t. fresh thyme or basil leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry to a 12-inch square; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.  In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and mustard and season with salt and pepper.  Spread sour cream mixture evenly over pastry.  Fold over 1/2-inch border on all sides and press edges to seal.  Refrigerate 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, halve leeks lengthwise; rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and slice 1/4 inch thick.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high.  Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 5 minutes.  Arrange leeks evenly over sour cream mixture on pastry.  Top with tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Bake until pastry is golden brown and crisp, 25 minutes.  Let cool slightly.  Top with goat cheese and herbs before cutting into squares.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Okay, here are the things I changed:

1. I used feta instead of goat cheese.

2. I used 8 oz. of feta instead of 2 oz. of goat cheese (I love cheese!  2 ounces is not enough!).

3. I put the cheese on before putting it in the oven so that it would be melted in.

4. I added salami slices to make it more substantial and entree-like.

It was delicious!  I'm sure the original recipe is good too, but the changes I made were quite good.  The leeks add a tangy flavor, plus lots of greens to the "pizza".  It was really good.

*Recipe adapted from Everyday Food Issue 75*

- Sarah

Pommes Anna

YUM!

Ingredients

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

1-1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch -thick slices

1 cup reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Preparation

1. Combine salt, thyme and pepper. Reserve. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Remove from skillet, reserve.

2. In same skillet, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Remove from heat. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes, overlapping slightly, in circles. Sprinkle with salt mix. Top with half of onions, and 1/2 cup cheese.

3. Repeat layering, ending with potatoes sprinkled with remaining salt. Mix. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover during last 5 minutes. Run spatula around edge of skillet and under potatoes to loosen.

4. Place serving plate over skillet, invert potatoes onto plate. Remove skillet. Garnish with fresh chives.

*Recipe from www.cooks.com

- Sarah

Eggplant Parmesan

This is a different (and healthier) recipe for eggplant Parmesan.  It is very delicious.

Ingredients

2 T olive oil

1 garlic glove, minced

1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 T minced fresh basil

1 T grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium tomato, thinly sliced

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Combine oil and garlic; brush evenly over both sides of eggplant slices.  Place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes; turn.  Bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

2. Spread half the eggplant in a greased 1 qt. baking dish.  Sprinkle with half the basil and Parmesan cheese.  Arrange tomato slices over top; sprinkle with remaining basil and Parmesan.  Layer with half of the mozzarella cheese and the remaining eggplant; top with the remaining mozzarella.  Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes; uncover and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

3.  Serve over pasta with some fresh crusty bread.

Side Note - I love cheese! and basically I used a lot more Parmesan and mozzarella than the recipe calls for - just a heads up! 

*Recipe from Howard of Dominion Harvest - the company that delivers our fresh produce every other week.

-Sarah

Bulgur Wheat with Dried Cranberries

Easy, yummy, healthy side dish.

Ingredients

1 cup water

1/2 cup dry bulgur wheat

1 1/2 T chicken bouillon granules

1 t. butter

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil in a pot, and mix in bulgur, bouillon granules, and butter. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes.

2. Fluff cooked bulgur with a fork, and gently mix in the dried cranberries. 

I didn't have chicken granules so I used beef granules.  It was still good, but I would go with chicken if you have it.

*Recipe from www.allrecipes.com*

-Sarah

Strawberry Banana Bread

I know, I know; I just did blueberry banana bread.  But hey, I love bread with fruit in it, what can I say?

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1.2 tsp. baking powder

1 stick unsalted butter softened
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 over ripe bananas mashed (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup strawberries, pureed

1 cup fresh chopped strawberries, chopped

1/2 c. chopped pecans (or any other nut you prefer) (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375, and grease a loaf pan.

In a small bowl add the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk together.

In a larger bowl (or stand-up mixer bowl) add butter, sugars, and eggs. Cream together until smooth and well combined, then add the vanilla. Add mashed bananas, and strawberry puree and blend until combined.  Add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time blending until no white is visible. Add chopped strawberries and pecans and gently fold into batter.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a thin knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to continue cooling.

I always like to eat my fruit breads with cream cheese, but butter or nothing at all is good too!

*Recipe adapted from 

http://culinaryinfatuation.blogspot.com/2009/02/strawberry-banana-bread-with-pecans.html

- Sarah