Coffee Frappes

About 6 ounces of strong coffee
Ice( about 2 cups)
Milk or half and half( about a cup)
Powdered flavored coffee. I used Vanilla Caramel( 2-3 tablespoons)
Whipped cream and caramel ice cream topping (optional)

Put Ice, Milk and Coffee in blender. Start blending. Through the hole on the top of the blender slowly add the flavored powder.  Blend until well mixed.

pour into a chilled glass, add a touch of whipped cream and drizzle with caramel.

Mango Lime Grilled Chicken

Juice of 4 limes
one large Mango. or two small ones
chicken.  About a pound total. I am using 8 legs today.
1 tablespoon of Steak seasoning
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
2 large mixing bowls
potato masher or a food processor

Peel and cut the Mango up

. Using a food processor, blend until smooth. I used a Potato masher today,was faster. Add the lime juice, mix well. Add the last two ingredients. mix well.

Get a gallon sized ziploc or a extra produce bag( I used the produce bag the limes came in) Put your chicken in the bag, and set inside a clean mixing bowl

Pour the marinade over top.

Close the bag, making sure its sealed. If using a produce bag, just knot it real tight.  Flip bag over inside the bowl.

Put in fridge and flip bag every 20 minutes. Marinate about an hour.  Grilling time varies for chicken type.  Id grill at 350 for 45 minutes for thighs, 35 for legs, and 30 for half breasts and wings.

***NOTE***

We just made these, they were so very tasty.  Grilling presented a slight challenge, because we made legs. They take longer too cook than breasts.  Be sure to turn the meat often and spray the grill with oil before cooking. Also, you can baste with the mango sauce as its cooking. On the last baste be sure to turn and cook on each side once more, so you kill any bacteria from the marinate.

 

Chicken Enchiladas for Shelby :)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3-4 cups of water
1 large a Herdez Red Salsa
one can of Mexican stewed tomatoes (chopped, juices saved)
1/2 onion, largely sliced
1 large can or 3 small of Herdez green salsa
2 packages of taco seasonings
1 can of green chili peppers
1 can of chopped jalapeno or a large jar for more spice.
1/2 onion, chopped
3-6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.
one brightly colored sweet pepper, chopped( I usually use a red one)
1/2 can of corn
burrito sized tortillas, about 8
shredded mixed cheeses
olive oil
one tomato, chopped
can of olives, sliced


Enchilada Sauce:
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tsp flour
2 T cup chili powder
1/2 cups chicken stock
one small can of ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped ground cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt



In a large pot,place  one package of the taco seasoning ,the sliced onion( not the chopped) the stewed tomatoes(WITH THE JUICES) and about a 1/3 cup of the red salsa. Add the breasts, and add water until the breasts are just barely covered( you don't want to water down the flavor too much)  For spicier, add the water from the Jalapenos. Bring down to a simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes,( adding more water as needed.....the water will cook out, and you can burn the filling) or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.and the water has mostly dissipated.

Meanwhile make the Sauce to top them off with:
In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a whisk.  Cook for about 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano,cilantro and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.Whisking occasionally to help  The sauce will thicken and smooth out.  If not spicy enough. Add more chili powder. If too spicy add a small amount of Brown sugar to smooth out the flavor.

Now Back to the Breasts:


Remove the onion, and toss out.  Shred the chicken once its cool. Place back into the liquid.  Using one fork, hold the breast in place and use the other to 'shred' the meat apart. Continue until all the meat is shredded.  Add another 1/3 cup of salsa.  Add green salsa, about 3/4s of the olives, jalapenos, corn and green chiles.  Take the last taco seasoning, and dump into a bowl, add about a half cup of warm water and mix well. Add to your chicken mix. Bring the mix to a simmer.

Cool mix. Get out your baking pan. you can use any square pan. I usually use a 13 x 8 for my family. But for a smaller family, use the 8 x 8 or 9x 9 and cut the enchiladas in half.  Grease well with Olive oil.

Tortillas are easier to roll if they are warm. Open the bag at the top carefully, with just a open seam running across it. Dab about 10 drops of water into the bag, roll the open seam under the tortillas( to create a resemblance of a seal)and nuke for about 20 seconds. or until they are soft and pliable. Warm but not hot

Place about 3-4 heaping tablespoons on the lower third of your tortilla.  Fold up the bottom, over the mix, and roll them up. Takes practice, but anyone can do it.

Make and cut ONE at a time. So when u roll it, either place the whole thing in a large pan, or cut as u go along and place in the smaller pan. Immediately.  You don't want to be handling them over and over, because the filling will fall out. Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas.


Top with as much cheese as you want. Bake at 350 for about 25/35 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and light brown.  Sprinkle the top with some Cilantro, chopped tomatoes and sliced olives.  :) Serve with Sour cream and my creamy Guacamole. :)

Fat Free Frozen Yogurt.

1 quart fat free  yogurt. We will use peach today. Adjust fruit according to flavor of yogurt. For strawberry yogurt add about a cup and a half cups chopped strawberries. For blueberries, I  smash some up and leave some blueberries whole.  Be Creative. Make a mixed berry yogurt.  The possibilities are endless.

If using Fresh Peaches U will have to blanch them.  Big word, easy to do!!  Blanching peaches loosens their skins and makes them super easy to peel. Put the peaches in the boiling water, making sure they are entirely submerged. Blanch them for 40 seconds. If peaches are slightly under-ripe, allow them to remain in the hot water a little longer – up to a full minute – to loosen the peel, it will also improve their flavor.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer blanched peaches to the bowl of ice water. Leave them to cool, about 1 minute. Drain the peaches and pat them dry. Using a small paring knif, cut a small cross into the top of the peach, using your fingers tear downward, the skin should peel right off.

Cut the canned or fresh peaches into small bite size pieces. Can use a food processor and process once or twice.  You don't want puree, u want bite sized chunks in the yogurt.

2 cups non fat milk.  We like to use fat free soy milk.  Can use almond milk too.
Optional: 1/2 cup sugar.  Ive never added the sugar, and it comes out just fine.

lots of ice
bag of rock salt


Mix milk, yogurt and sugar( if using) MIX THOROUGHLY.Add peaches.

Add to ice cream machine and make according to manufactures directions.  Eat while soft serve.

If u freeze the leftovers,( if there is any)let stand on counter for 10-15 minutes and stir it every few minutes as its thawing. U will break up the ice crystals and it will be creamier and smoother.

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread

I have never made Monkey Bread before today and it came out very nice. Was asked by a few to please share my version of this sweet bread.

There are couple of methods, since I am no good with dough, I generally make dough in bulk and freeze loaves and rolls.  Or  I buy the pre-made frozen dough. Ive included three ways to make dough.   But this time I made a sweet dough in my bread machine.  Any of these methods with work.

Dough:  About a  dozen frozen rolls.  Put in a greased pie pan let rise until double. I cover with a dark colored cloth and put into a warmed oven.  Warmed oven: turn oven on the 170 degrees, until preheat light goes off. Open the oven door let cool for about 5 minutes. put prepared dough into the oven, then close oven. Check every 30 mins to see how much they've risen.  Takes about an hour to an hour and half.

Dough: Bread Machine  Homemade sweet dough :
2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar( I actually used half this amount of sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour (Can use regular flour or white whole wheat.)

I use my bread machine at this point and  add the dry ingredients, then the wet and make a hole in the dry part of the concoction and add the yeast all by itself. Set machine on 'dough" and pull the dough out after the first rise.

Handmade Sweet Dough:

Same Ingredients as Bread machine dough. Method is different.

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. I have never been able to get this part right. Its why i use the machine!
Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.  

Now u want a bundt type pan.  Grease well, I use Butter Pam Spray.  Set aside. Preheat oven to350.


Filling:

Can be a combination of any flavors u like., My Mom has used Mince meat pie filling. Was surprisingly very good. Can use canned pie fillings, like peach or cherry.   For todays I am using:

 2 Tart Apples
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup cran raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 T all purpose flour.
1/2 packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of butter ( I used I cant believe its not butter, worked fine)


Core apples and chop into small pieces, about the same size as the raisins.  Put in a mixing bowl add the raisins, walnuts and cran raisins. Toss with the cinnamon and nutmeg, brown sugar and flour.  Melt the butter until very soft, but not liquid. and drizzle over the apple mixture, take a rubber spatula and toss well to coat.

Put 1/3 of the mixture in the prepared bundt pan. Spread around evenly on the bottom.

You want to slightly layer the dough and the apple mixture. So that some of the mix gets between the balls while baking. Repeat until you run out of both.


Tear dough into 1  inch pieces roll into a ball.  Set on top of mixture all haphazardly. Add some more mixture, then another layer of the dough balls, ending with some of the mixture on top. Return to a warm oven and let rise until double, about an hour to an hour and half.

It will resemble something like this:

Bake at 350 until medium brown on the top.

Invert onto a large plate, let cool a little bit. Can drizzle with an icing, but we just eat it still slightly warm without it!

 Chocolate Chip Cookies

We have experimented with Chocolate chip cookies for years. This is one of our favorite recipes.

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup salted butter, softened ( can use margarine, but butter is better)

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 tsp espresso powder

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts( optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, add flour, salt and baking soda, mix together and set aside. 

In a large mixer bowl add butter and beat with an electric mixer until butter is smooth. Add sugars beating until mixed well. Add vanilla, espresso, and eggs one at a time continue beating until combined. Add flour mixture about 1/3 at at time just until combined. 

Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Scoop dough( use a small ice cream scoop if you have one) into rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased or lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Let cookies cool about a minute on cookies sheet and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Homemade Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

2-4 drops of vegetable oil

1/2 cup peanut butter

About a cup of powdered sugar. ( the amounts are estimated, I didn't actually measure anything)

Candy Molds.

Spay molds with oil.

Melt chocolate in a zip lock sandwich baggie.  Fill the baggie with about a cup of chips, drizzle a cpl of drops of oil, to keep them from being tooth breaking hard! Put the bag in a wide flat bowl, do not seal bag.   Microwave 20 seconds at a time until melted.  I like to knead the bag in between nukes.  Helps the chocolate become smooth, without lumps.  When its melted, seal bag and snip off one corner. Use like a pastry bag and fill bottom half of candy molds. Shake the molds gently to distribute evenly.  Put in freezer until set.

Take peanut butter and add the powder sugar. Beat until well mixed. The more sugar u add, the thicker it gets. seems easier to handle when its thick.

press in some peanut mixture on the chocolate.......... be sure not to go all the way to the edge so the next layer of chocolate can cover the peanut butter. Place in fridge.

Nuke more chocolate. Use a new sandwich bag if needed.   Take chocolate peanut butter molds out of the fridge and pipe in another layer of chocolate. Shake molds gently to distribute.  Return to freezer until chocolate sets.

  YUM!