Cheddar Chicken Stuff Poblanos

Peppers are more like a passion in our kitchen and poblanos are one of my favorites!


Life has been much different lately with The Captain home from the hospital recovering from surgery. Grocery store rotisserie chicken has become my best friend!  This recipe is perfect for what I pick off of the chicken for a leftover meal.


Can't wait to try this recipe :)

4 large poblano chiles 
2 medium tomatoes, chopped 
1/2 medium white onion, chopped 
1 large clove garlic, chopped 
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled 
1 tsp. ground cumin 
Generous pinch ground cinnamon 
Kosher salt 
1 Tbs. olive oil 
2 cups shredded cooked chicken, preferably dark meat 
1-1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice 
2 cups grated sharp or extra-sharp white Cheddar (about 7 oz.) 
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (including some tender stems) 
1 Tbs. lime juice 

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Position an oven rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Slit the chiles from stem to tip and set on the baking sheet. Broil, turning every few minutes, until blackened all over, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, peel off the skins, and cut out the seed cores, leaving the stems on. Turn the chiles inside out, flick out any remaining seeds, and turn right side out. Return the poblanos to the baking sheet.

Purée the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the purée and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture looks thick and pulpy, 8 to 11 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir in the chicken and rice, and then 1 cup of the cheese, the cilantro, and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

Divide the filling among the peppers, wrapping the sides of the peppers up and around the filling, some of which will still be exposed.

Broil the peppers until the cheese is melting and the top is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Top with the remaining 1 cup cheese and broil until the cheese is completely melted, about 2 minutes.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 510; Fat (g): 28; Fat Calories (kcal): 250; Saturated Fat (g): 14; Protein (g): 37; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 28; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2.5; Sodium (mg): 570; Cholesterol (mg): 125; Fiber (g): 5;

Source and credits:

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 97, pp. 21

December 31, 2008

Thanksgiving

The holiday season is upon us!  Seems like the other day our family got together for the yearly feast and here it is again.  The years have scattered family members all over the place, but we all come together for Thanksgiving to give thanks for everything we have been blessed with.

This year, The Captain and I will celebrate our first Thanksgiving as a married couple.  My wonderful husband is what I am most thankful for this year.  After spending way too many years alone as a grieving widow after being a wife for 20-something years, the good Lord so blessed me with the most perfect man for me.  He was worth waiting for and I am enjoying life once again!

As I've compiled the following list of Thanksgiving links, my hunger grows for turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potatoes and a number of delicious desserts that we typically eat on Thanksgiving.  The search goes on for something new and different for an appetizer.  Going through all these recipes is a form of torture!

Here's a list of some awesome Thanksgiving links to help you plan your family feast:

Fine Cooking Magazine's Thanksgiving section

Thanksgiving 911 from Real Simple

How to get it all done . . . from Yahoo

Deep South Southern Thanksgiving Recipes

Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving Cookbook

Happy Thanksgiving!

Traditional Herb Dressing

Countdown to Thanksgiving!

Here is a basic dressing recipe from Mr. Food.

Spice it up with your favorite ingredients . . .

When making this recipe, I add italian sausage

and never make any dressing recipe without

green onions!

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients

• ¹/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• ¹/2 cup chopped onion
• ¹/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 ¹/2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups cubed herb-seasoned stuffing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
    
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Add broth and stuffing cubes, and mix gently until well combined.
    
3. Spoon stuffing into prepared casserole dish. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until heated through

Source:  Mr. Food

Potato Puffs

Makes: 24 large or 72 small puffs

Preparation Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

• 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup cracker crumbs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¹/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
    
2. Place potatoes in a soup pot and add just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium and cook 12 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain off water, mash the potatoes, and allow to cool.
    
3. In a small saucepan, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add sauteed onion, the cracker crumbs, salt, and pepper to mashed potatoes; mash mixture.
    
4. With your hands, roll mixture into balls and place potato balls on prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg yolk and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden and crusty.

Source:  Mr. Food

Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

Doesn't this look sinful?

This is one of those semi-homemade desserts!

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25-oz.) package German chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.9-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1/3 cup butter, melted 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups milk, divided 
• 1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)
• 
  

Preparation

• 1. Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 1/4 cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4-qt. slow cooker.
• 2. Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.
• 3. Sprinkle cook-and-serve pudding mix over batter. Slowly pour hot milk over pudding. Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.
• 4. Meanwhile, heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
• 5. Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle cake with pecans, marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted. Spoon into dessert dishes, and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Southern Living
OCTOBER 2008

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Trick or Treat Bars

Makes: 24 bars

Cooking Time: 25 min

Ingredients

• ¹/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 ¹/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (6 ounces) peanut butter chips
• ¹/2 cup candy corn

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
    
2. Place butter in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish and place in oven just until butter melts.
    
3. Remove dish from oven and distribute melted butter evenly over bottom. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over melted butter; pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips; press down firmly.
    
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with candy corn and gently press candies into uncut bars. Cool then cut into bars.

Source:  Mr. Food

Enchilada Crescents

You can't get much easier than this recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
• 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each)Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (5 oz)

Directions

• In 2-quart saucepan, mix chicken and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Separate or cut dough into 8 long rectangles (if using crescent rolls, press perforations to seal). Spoon chicken mixture and 1 tablespoon of the cheese onto 1 long side of each rectangle. Roll up; pinch edges to seal. Place seam side down in 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake at 375°F 15 to 20 minutes. Yield: 8 servings. 
  
  2010 © and ®/™ of General Mills
• 
  

Source:  Taste of Home

Garlic and Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 (6-inch) pitas, each cut into 10 wedges
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 
  

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
• 
  
• Place pita wedges on pan, and coat with cooking spray. 
• Bake at 425° for 6 minutes or until golden.
• 
  
• Combine water, tomato, salt, pepper, garlic,
•  and beans in a food processor, and
•  process until smooth. 
• 
  
• Serve with pita wedges.

Cooking Light
JANUARY 2004

Black Bean Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• Dash of crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Dash of ground red pepper
• 1 (6-ounce) bag pita chips (such as Stacy's Simply Naked)
• 
  

Preparation

• 1. Place garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeño pepper, and crushed red pepper; process until smooth. Spoon bean mixture into a medium bowl, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with ground red pepper. Serve with pita chips.

Maureen Redmond, Easley, SC, Cooking Light 
JANUARY 2009

Buttery Pastry Dough

Years ago I lost the recipe for the meat pie dough that was an important part of my favorite party food.  Don't you hate when you lose one of your favorite recipes?  In all these years, I have not found a good pastry dough recipe . . . so, here is another one I will try out.Like my original pastry dough, it is a versatile dough that can be used for many different recipes from turnovers to pie crust.  I got the recipe from Fine Cooking, where they claim that the crust is very tender like a shortbread cookie when baked.  We'll see!I will update this post when I try it out . . .

Yields enough dough for 1 single pie crust, 8 mini tarts, or 12 turnovers.


9 oz. (2 cups) bleached all purpose flour 

7 oz. (14 Tbs.) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces 
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
2 Tbs. granulated sugar 
1 Tbs. chilled heavy cream 
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 
1 tsp. table salt 

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In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, egg, sugar, cream, lemon juice, and salt and pulse until the dough starts gathering together in big clumps, as shown below. Turn the dough out onto a counter and gather it together. Shape the dough as directed in the recipe you’re making.

leftovers

Turn leftover pastry dough into shortbread cookie bars.

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 79, pp. 68

June 1, 2006

Serious Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This sandwich looks delicious!  I'd love to try it as a breakfast sandwich, substituting a fried egg for the prosciutto . . . maybe add some bacon.  The possibilities are endless for creating your own favorite sandwich.

3 oz. grated aged Gruyère (1-1/4 cups) 

3 oz. grated fontina (about 1 cup) 

2 Tbs. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste) 

8 1/2-inch-thick slices rustic Italian bread 

4 very thin slices prosciutto, halved crosswise 

2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices 

Kosher salt 

2 Tbs. salted butter, at room temperature 

1 to 2 large cloves garlic, halved and peeled for rubbing 

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Lightly toss the cheeses and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Put 4 slices of the bread on a work surface and evenly distribute half of the cheese mixture on top. Put 2 pieces of prosciutto (1 full slice) on each sandwich and top with 2 to 3 slices of tomato—enough to cover the cheese and prosciutto in a single layer. Season the tomatoes with salt and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. 

Lightly butter one side of the remaining bread slices and place them butter side up on the sandwiches.

Heat a griddle or a large skillet over medium-low heat. Arrange the sandwiches butter side down on the griddle and cook until the bread is toasted and  golden-brown, about 2 minutes. 

Meanwhile, spread an even layer of butter on the top slice of bread.

Using a spatula, flip the sandwiches and cook until golden-brown on the other side, gently pressing the sandwiches with the back of the spatula to compress, about 2 minutes. 

Remove the sandwiches from the griddle and lightly rub both sides of each with the cut side of the garlic. Using a serrated knife, slice the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.

Sources:  

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 112, pp. 22

July 7, 2011

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Here's a quick, easy and delicious

 semi-homemade type of dessert!

Ingredients

• 1 (14.4-ounce) box honey graham crackers (see Tip)
• 2 (4-serving) packages French vanilla instant pudding mix
• 3 cups milk
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (16-ounce) container ready-to-spread chocolate frosting
• 
  
• 
  

Instructions

1. Line bottom of an ungreased 9- x 13-inch baking dish with one-third of the graham crackers.
    
2. In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk; add whipped topping, stirring until mixture thickens.
    
3. Spread half the pudding mixture over graham crackers in baking dish. Repeat layers with one-third of graham crackers and remaining pudding mixture. Top with remaining graham crackers. Spread with chocolate frosting. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Tip

One box of graham crackers contains 3 individually wrapped packages of crackers. Use one package for each layer of this decadent dessert.

Source:  Mr. Food