Smokey Poblano Chicken Corn Chowder

Smokey Poblano Chicken Corn Chowder
Cathy Dunford


1/4 c olive oil
3 lg carrots, peeled and diced
2 lg onions, diced
5 stalks celery, diced
1/8 c. minced garlic
2-3 poblano (pasilla) chilies, seeded and cut into small pieces
1 t salt
1/2 t white pepper
1/4 t cumin, or more to taste (I add another 1t. making 2 total)
1 t liquid smoke (I find this near the bbq sauces and this is really worth finding because it adds great smokey flavor to your soups and home made bbq sauces)
1/4 t thyme
1 T chicken bouillon granules
3 qts chicken broth
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1/2 c butter
1/2 c. flour
1/2 t bottled hot sauce, or more to taste
1 c. heavy cream ( I use half and half to cut calories/fat)
6 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 c frozen corn

This feeds my family dinner and then some.....I double it and take some to a friend.

In a lg stockpot cook chicken until no longer pink. Remove from stockpot and set aside. Add olive oil and heat then add carrots, onions, celery, garlic, poblanos, salt, white pepper, cumin, and thyme. Saute for 7-8 minutes until veges soften. Stir in bouillon and the broth,cilantro, chicken and corn and cook for 10-12 minutes. Stir in the chicken and heat until chowder becomes thicker and heated through. Melt butter in a lg skillet add flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. Ladle 1-2 c of the hot liquid from the soup into the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Add another 1-2 cups of liquid and repeat. Pour the mixture into the stockpot and whisk it until smooth into the soup mixture. Stir in heavy cream and return to a boiling. Add hot sauce. Thicken and serve.

This is great with tortilla chips, avocado, some Mexican cheese, even a bit of sour cream on top....whatever you want to top it with.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

From BlogChef

Ingredients:
2 1/2lbs boneless-skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” cubes)

Marinade-
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Batter-
2 large eggs
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch white pepper
oil (for frying)

Sauce-
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup chicken broth
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
3 slices of lemon (peeled)
2 tablespoons oil
yellow food coloring (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Place cut chicken breast pieces into a bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step 2: To make the batter – beat 2 large eggs with ¼ cup of cornstarch, a pinch of white pepper and baking powder. Coat the chicken with the batter.

Step 3: Heat deep fryer to 350 degrees and deep-fry in batches until chicken is fully cooked. Drain on paper towels and set aside. You can also cook the chicken using a wok if you don’t have a deep fryer.

Step 4: Now, to make the lemon sauce – combine 1/3 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and ¾ teaspoon salt (if using food coloring you can add it now). Mix until well combined and add 3 slices of lemon to the sauce mixture.

Step 5: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your wok and stir in the lemon sauce mixture and heat until well mixed and sauce becomes clear. Remove lemon slices and pour the sauce over the chicken and mix. Best served with rice and broccoli.

Artichoke Chicken with Roasted Potatoes

From Taste and Tell

6 small red potatoes
3 cups water
2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 teaspoons rosemary herb seasoning mix, divided*
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

*Rosemary Herb Seasoning Mix
2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Artichoke Topping
2 cups chopped artichoke hearts (about 8 hearts)
6 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, divided
8 teaspoons mayonnaise

Preheat the broiler to high. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into quarters. Place the potatoes, water and salt into a covered, microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 6-8 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the artichoke topping. Chop the artichokes and parsley, place in a small bowl. Grate the cheese; set aside 8 teaspoons for later use. Add remaining cheese and mayonnaise to the artichoke mixture and mix well.

Cut each chicken breast in half to make 8 thin portions. Sprinkle both sides of each piece with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix.

Add 2 teaspoon of oil to a large oven-safe skillet. (Do not use non-stick cookware.) Heat the oil over medium high heat for 1-3 minutes. Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 teaspoon oil and remaining 2 teaspoons seasoning mix to the potatoes. Stir to coat.

Place the chicken and potatoes, cut side down, into the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Turn both the chicken and potatoes over; cook an additional 3-4 minutes until the chicken is golden brown.

Remove potatoes from the skillet; set aside to keep warm. Spread the artichoke topping evenly over the chicken breasts; sprinkle with reserved cheese. Place the skillet as close as possible to the heating element; broil 4-6 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the chicken registers an internal temperature of 170F. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, adjust it in your oven. Carefully remove the skillet from the broiler.

Serve the chicken with the potatoes

Yield: 4 servings

Rebi's Pasta Primavera with Alfredo

Cook Angel Hair Pasta al dente. Drain, toss with olive oil and set aside.

Alfredo Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1-2garlic clove, minced

1 cup milk

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

On the stove, heat skillet on low, and melt the cream cheese and the butter together, with garlic.
Stir in milk slowly until thickened. Add the parm and stir it until cheese is melted and no longer stringy. Toss over pasta.

Stir in:

3 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

1-2 chopped roma tomatoes

1 can sliced olives

1 cup artichoke hearts

2 cups baby spinach, washed and sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil, washed and chopped

Serve warm.

All amounts are an estimate. Other vegetables could include zucchini, (sliced thin and cooked until soft), mushrooms, capers, etc.

Ranch Chicken Salad

1 bag popcorn chicken
1 package powdered ranch dressing mix (1 cup milk 1 cup mayonnaise)

romaine lettuce
iceberg lettuce
baby spinach
tomato
cucumber
carrot
green pepper
red pepper
yellow pepper
olives
any other vegetables you love
shredded cheddar cheese
croûtons
bacon bits

Mix Ranch dressing according to package and refrigerate.
Wash and chop all vegetables.
Combine in bowl.
Cook chicken in oven, until crispy.

On each plate, serve salad and top with chicken, bacon bits, cheese, croûtons and ranch dressing.

Empanadas

1 batch of Flour Tortillas uncooked.
1-2 lbs ground beef
1 Tbsp onion flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Saute beef with onion, salt and pepper until cooked through
Add:
6-8 oz La Victoria Medium Salsa
Meat should be moist but not soggy
1 can corn, drained

2 cups cheddar jack cheese, shredded

Roll tortilla dough as if making a tortilla, but slightly thicker. On one side, place a scoop of meat and top with cheese. Fold dough over, making a turnover. Press sides together with fingers or a fork. Repeat until meat is gone. Place empanadas on a greased baking tray.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Serve with catsup or green salsa.

*I rarely measure the meat and cheese, so these amounts may not be correct. You might need to make more dough part way through.

Baked French Toast

1 loaf french bread

8 large eggs
2 cups half and half
1 cup milk (I use skim because I enjoy irony)
2 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
dash of salt
Praline topping (recipe below)
Maple syrup (I prefer Aunt Jemima, but if you have your own maple tree or something go for it, Laura Ingalls)

Slice bread in 20 pieces. Arrange in a greased 9 x 13 pan in two layers*. Combine other ingredients until bubbly. Pour over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. (the next morning, not the night before because that would be a fire hazard)

Spread praline topping over the whole thing and bake 40 minutes. Serve with warm, maple syrup.

Praline Topping

2 sticks butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tbs. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

*The two layers of bread is kind of important. If you only do one layer of bread, it gets too soggy on the bottom.

Italian Chicken Roll ups

4-6 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness

Combine:
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sweet potatoes, pureed

Combine Separately:
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine Separately:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3-1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (drained and chopped)
1/2 cup artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
1/4 cup black olives (drained and chopped)
1/4-1/2 tsp red (cayenne) pepper to taste
black pepper to taste

4 slices provolone cheese
Olive Oil

Coat pan with thin layer of olive oil.
Dip chicken breast in egg mixture and coat in bread crumb mixture.
Place on flat work surface.
Place provolone cheese on chicken.
Heap ricotta cheese mixture on provolone.
Roll chicken up and secure with a toothpick.
Place in oiled pan.
Drizzle with olive oil, or spray with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 until the chicken is golden and the cheese is bubbly, about 20 min.

Baked Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS
* 12 slices bacon (or use leftover ham)
* 1/3 cup margarine
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 4 cups milk
* 1 cup cream
* 4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
* 4 green onions, chopped
* 1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 cup low fat sour cream
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Thai Basil Chicken

Thanks Naomi!

Partially thaw (easier to cut this way) and cut in thin strips:

5 chicken breasts

Combine in a bowl then set aside:

3 T. oyster sauce

1-1/2 T. soy sauce

1-1/2 tsp. sugar

Remove stems and cut up, set aside:

1 c. fresh basil (2 T. dried basil)

chop and remove seeds from:

1 jalapeño pepper

Sauté, over medium heat, in a large frying pan on the stovetop:

1 T. olive oil

2 T. garlic, crushed

1 jalapeño pepper

Add chicken strips and cook until pink is gone. Stir in oyster sauce mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add basil and cook for 15 seconds until the basil wilts. Serve over steamed rice.

Stove Top Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream

In pan over medium flame, brown chicken well on both sides.
Combine soup (do not dilute) and sour cream.
Pour soup mixture over chicken.
Turn heat to low, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice, noodles, or biscuits.

Haystacks

Mix up Cream of Chicken soup
add chicken chunks if you feel the need
spoon it over rice
top with cheese,
Chinese noodles,
and any other veggies your family likes.
We enjoy olives and tomatoes.

Green Enchilada Casserole

5-6 soft corn tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can green enchilada sauce (we like La Victoria)
1 lb chicken breast, boiled and chopped
2 Tbsp onion flakes
1/4 cup chopped olives
1-2 cups rice- precooked
2 cups cheese

Combine soup, and sauce and mix well. Spoon a thin layer onto the bottom of a 9 x12 baking dish
To remaining soup and sauce, add rice, chicken, onion and olive. Mix well.

Place layer of tortillas over mixture in pan. Then, layer 1/2 of the rice mixture, and half of the cheese. Repeat layers.

Cook in oven, uncovered, for 30 min or until hot through.

PS The canned Costco chicken is a dream for this, or boil several chicken breasts, chop, and freeze in 1/2 to 1 lb packets for quick cooking.

Italian Chicken

Brown chicken breasts on both sides
Pour spaghetti sauce (from a can) over them, cover and simmer 20-30 min
Check to be sure chicken is cooked through
Top with mozzarella cheese and cover 2-3 min, until cheese is just melted

Serve with Pasta.

Flank Steak

1 flank steak
2 cups soy sauce
2 cups water
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated (to taste)

Place steak in shallow pan. Cover with soy sauce, water, and garlic. Grate ginger over top of steak. Marinate overnight in refrigerator, turning over once.

Broil or grill to medium rare. Slice thinly across the grain of the meat.

Crispy Ranch Chicken

Chicken breasts
Crushed Cereal (Corn flakes or Rice Crispies)
Ranch Dressing

Coat chicken in ranch dressing and roll in crushed cereal. Place in baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Baked Ziti

1 pkg Ziti or Rotini noodles
1lb Cottage Cheese, small curd
1 lb Ricotta choose
1 egg
chopped basil
1 can spaghetti sauce
Fresh Roma tomatoes
Mild Italian sausage, cooked and chopped (optional)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles until al dente, cook and chop sausage.
Heat sauce and add sausage and fresh tomato, if desired.
Combine cheeses, stirring in one whipped egg and the fresh chopped basil.
Stir sauce into cheese, stir noodles into cheese and press firmly into and baking dish. Pack tightly.
Top with mozzarella. Cover.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove cover for the last 5 minutes.

London Broil

1 London Broil
Italian Dressing

Marinate meat overnight in Italian dressing, turning to coat 2 or 3 times.
Broil or grill 10 minutes per side, until middle is warm pink (or cooked to desired doneness). Slice thin and serve hot

Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches

1-2 Chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 cucumber cubed
mayonnaise to taste
Croissants
Spinach

Combine chicken, mayo, and cucumber. Slice croissants and fill with chicken. Top with spinach.

Kelly's French Dip Sandwiches

Place large beef roast in crock pot
Add 1 cup water
Add 2 packets Au Jus powder
Cook on low for 8 hours
Using 2 forks, shred beef
Serve on Hoagie Rolls

This meat stores well in the fridge and in the freezer. A new favorite in our house!