Sweet & Savory ~~ Painted Desert Chili

Painted Desert Chili will not disappoint even if you don't live in the desert!  It makes enough to almost feed Coxey's Army, so this is the perfect recipe for Sunday Dinner or your upcoming Super Bowl Party. Serve it with green-chile cornbread and butter. Double yummy!


QUART JAR INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. cumin
• 2 Tbsp. paprika
• 2 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 cup dried pinto beans
• 1/4 cup small dried white beans
• 1/2 cup small dried black beans
• 1 cup dried kidney beans

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

• 16-20 cups water
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 - 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1 - 12 oz. can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 48 oz. tomato juice or V-8
• 2  lbs. ground beef

DIRECTIONS:

• Brown ground beef with diced onion in skillet.  Drain and add to 12 quart stock pot along with all other ingredients.
• Bring to a boil; simmer for 3-5 hours or until beans are fully cooked.
• You may need to experiment with the total amount of water you add to the recipe.  Some folks prefer a chili that sticks to the wall while others desire it with much more broth.  I happen to fall into the second camp.  In addition, if you have extra liquid, the cornbread can be added to the bowl of chili.
• The beans do not need to be soaked prior to cooking; however, it's a good idea to rinse them in a colander before adding to your stock pot.

Happy Dining, stay warm, & enjoy your chili!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Chorizo Empanadas

Excellent empanadas!  After making the meat and potato variety, we want to try our hand at creating some dessert ones next time around.

EMPANADA DOUGH:

• 2 1/4 cups white wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp salt, optional
• 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, diced into cubes
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup ice water
• 1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Mix flour and salt together in a mixing bowl
• Blend in butter with fork or pastry blender
• Beat together egg, water and vinegar
• Add to flour mixture and mix with fork
• Turn onto lightly floured bread board or counter top
• Knead a few times to blend dough
• Form into a rectangle on a cookie sheet
• Cover with plastic wrap
• Chill dough in refrigerator

EMPANADA INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. ground chorizos
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 large red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 medium sized yellow potatoes
• 1 egg slightly beaten with 1 Tbsp. water

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Brown ground chorizos with onions and garlic
• Add red bell pepper and potatoes
• Add spices
• Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender
• Cool mixture to room temperature 
• Remove bay leaf

FILL EMPANADA DOUGH:

• Divide dough into equal pieces (depending upon the size of the empanada maker you have, this recipe will yield somewhere between 6-12 empanadas.
• Roll out piece of dough with a lightly floured rolling pin to about 1/8th inch thick
• Spoon approx. 2 Tbsp. filling into each one 
• Fold dough in half
• Press edges together to seal

• Place on baking sheet
• Lightly brush empanadas with some of the egg wash
• Bake in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on baking rack before serving

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with fresh, sliced tomatoes and green olives
• Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream
• These are tasty enough to be served without any condiments as the ground chorizos have enough kick of their own!

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S TROUGH

• This was a special treat for me as I was able to pick some tomatoes from my horse trough gardening method to serve with our empanadas.  
• Here's the link to order a copy of this 
• quick read e-book:

https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Horses-Trough-Gardening-Suburbanite-ebook/dp/B00C2YU5Z2

If you like Mexican food, you've got to try this recipe!  Give it a whirl, and let me know what you think.

Happy Cooking & Dining!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Individual Chicken Pot Pies

What's for dinner?  How about individual chicken pot pies? This is a great recipe for leftover chicken which can be doubled or tripled with the additional pot pies being frozen if you would like to cook them at a later time.  It happens to be one of our family favorites which we've enjoyed for over a decade.  So, here goes:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup diced cooked chicken
• 1 - 14 oz. can cut green beans or vegetable of your choice or 1 - 10 oz. bag of frozen, cooked vegetable
• 1 - 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• A few drops of hot sauce (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 cup of Bisquick mix
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place diced chicken, vegetable of your choice, undiluted soup, poultry seasoning and hot sauce inside bowl and mix well.
• Spray individual baking containers with vegetable or olive oil spray to prevent sticking during cooking.
• Divide mixture into individual baking containers.
• Thoroughly blend Bisquick mix, milk, egg and Parmesan cheese using mixer at lower speed for about 2 minutes.  Make sure batter is not lumpy.
• Spoon Bisquick mixture over the top of the chicken and vegetable mixture inside the baking containers.  Make sure to spread the liquid mixture so that the chicken mixture is thoroughly covered.
• Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
• Rest for 5 minutes after removing from oven, invert onto dinner plates, and enjoy!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• I have served these pot pies during all four seasons of the year.
• For summertime dining, you could pair with a nice ear of corn on the cob.
• A tossed green salad with additional veggies is a nice accompaniment year round as well.

Happy dining & enjoy.

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Sweet & Savory ~~ "Honey Almond Cake"

Fresh honey, almond flavoring, applesauce and pecans make for a scrumptious combination in this moist, melt-in-your-mouth cake!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup honey (I used light colored clover honey)
• 1/2 cup applesauce, slightly heated in microwave
• 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. hot water

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 9 x 9 inch square baking pan.
• Cream butter and honey until well blended in mixing bowl.
• Add heated applesauce along with almond flavoring and mix well.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the honey and applesauce mixture.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water and mix thoroughly and quickly.
• Add to mixture inside bowl.
• Blend well.
• Pour batter into baking pan.
• Bake for 38 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Yields 10-12 servings.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve warm or cold.
• Delicious with ice cream or whipping cream.
• Iced tea or warm tea enhances the honey flavor of the cake.
• Iced or cold coffee is a nice beverage to serve with cake

Happy Baking & Enjoy!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ "Poppy's Pancakes"

Truth be known, I've never been much of a pancake fan no matter where they were prepared or served until my husband fired up the recipe below.  Then I became a believer!  The reason that I disliked pancakes prior to this time is because most of them were too heavy or tasteless.  There is a key ingredient that makes these as light and fluffy as can be in addition to being heart healthy. Perhaps I should qualify that last statement.  The "heart healthy" would probably depend upon how much butter and syrup you applied to each one.  So, please accept my challenge and plan to prepare this recipe for anyone you know who does not order pancakes from the restaurant menu or declines your weekend breakfast invitation.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 extra large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2/3 cup old fashioned oats (not the quick cooking variety)
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup blueberries, optional - to be served on top of cooked pancakes
• 1/4 cup walnuts, optional - to be served on top of cooked pancakes

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat griddle to 400 degrees.
• Combine oats with buttermilk and let stand in small bowl for 12 minutes.
• Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level with a butter knife.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, stirring well.
• Lightly beat extra large egg in small bowl.
• Add the maple syrup and vanilla.
• Stir this into the oat mixture.
• Combine the oat mixture and the flour mixture, stirring until just blended.
• Using 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto preheated griddle.
• Cook about 3 minutes until bubbles appear on top of the pancakes and the edges look somewhat dried out.  Using pancake turner, flip the pancakes to the other side and cook for about 2 minutes.
• This recipe yields about 6 medium sized pancakes.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with other fruits such as bananas, cranberries, peaches, etc.
• I like to butter the pancakes, apply a small amount of pure maple syrup, and then add the blueberries and heart healthy walnuts on top.
• These make great snacks or leftovers.

SECRET INGREDIENT:

• The key to this entire exercise/project is the white, whole-wheat flour.  It is sold as pastry flour in some stores, but please check the label to make sure it reads, "white, whole-wheat flour."  What's in a name? Well, it depends on the name.  And in this case, that's the exact name.

Happy Dining!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Refried Bean Dip

With all of those football playoff games and the Super Bowl right around the corner, here's a great suggestion for your fans!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 - 16 oz. can refried beans
• 1 cup medium Picante sauce
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 - 4 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temp.
• 1 tsp. cumin
• Tortilla chips, scoop variety; crackers; or artisan bread of your choice.

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.
• Transfer to a medium sized slow cooker (crock pot).
• Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until mixture is heated completely through, stirring occasionally. 
• Once the mixture is hot and melted together, turn to warm or low setting on your crock pot.
• Serve with chips, crackers, or bread.

Enjoy & may your favorite team win!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Shepherd's Pie

With our continued snowfall, slush, and cold temperatures, a hot comfort meal is such a welcome relief!

Here's my variation of Shepherd's Pie:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1b. ground beef
• 4 medium Idaho Russet potatoes or instant potatoes
• 1 - 16 oz. can kernel corn
• 1 cup beef bouillon 
• Hot Hungarian Paprika

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Brown ground beef & add seasonings of your choice.  I used Seasoned Pepper.  Drain meat prior to placing it inside casserole or baking pan.
• While beef is browning, cook potatoes until tender. Mash them adding butter & milk.
• Place ground beef in bottom of casserole pan.
• Pour beef bouillon over ground beef.
• Spread corn over meat.
• Add mashed potatoes and sprinkle with Hot Hungarian Paprika.
• Cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, during which time the beef bouillon may bubble toward top of casserole or baking pan, so you have ready made gravy when the pie is removed from your oven.
• The Hot Hungarian Paprika adds a nice zest to the whole mixture.

Happy Dining as you stay warm & happy!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Red Velvet Candy Cane Cupcakes

If you're asked to bring the dessert to your Christmas family gathering, office party, or neighborhood caroling group, these super moist, ultra chocolaty cupcakes are sure to please!

STEP 1 INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• Combine and mix until light and fully
• Add 4 large eggs to mixture, one at a time

Add the following and mix on low setting of your mixer:

• 2 Tbsp. & 2 tsp. red food coloring
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 Tbsp. & 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

STEP 2 INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS:

While the above listed ingredients are being thoroughly blended on the low setting of your mixer, place the following dry ingredients inside a large bowl and gently whisk together before adding to the liquid mixture:

• 8 Tbsp. Dark Cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. salt, optional
• 2 2/3 cup cake flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder

STEP 3 INSTRUCTIONS:

• When mixture is thoroughly blended, fill paper baking cups 2/3 full.
• Bake in 350 oven for approximately 18 minutes if using a dark non-stick pan.  
• You may have to bake for 2-3 minutes longer if using an aluminum pan.
• Test the centers of the cupcakes with a toothpick to make certain they are cooked completely through.

STEP 4 INSTRUCTIONS:

• Cool to room temperature on cooling racks and frost with your choice of frosting.
• I prefer the cream cheese variety with these cupcakes as I deem it really enhances the flavor.

FROSTING RECIPE:

• Mix the following ingredients in mixer bowl on medium speed until thoroughly blended:
• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• Dash of salt, optional
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 - 3 to 4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• You may need to use a little hot water or additional lemon juice to achieve the desired spreading consistency of the frosting.
• Decorate with sprinkles, candy canes, or something else of your choice.
• Recipe yields approximately 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

The combination of the sweet & tangy in these luscious cupcakes and the frosting is scrumptious!  

Happy Baking & Desserting!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta

Here's another full guest table entree pleaser for your holiday meal planning which will serve a dozen people, if need be.

INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR STEP 1:

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. diced garlic
• Olive oil
• Garlic Pepper
• Parmesan cheese

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Saute garlic in olive oil until tender. 
• Lightly brown chicken breasts on both sides, sprinkling with Garlic Pepper during process.  
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on both sides.
•  Let chicken rest and cool for 10 minutes.
• Cut into bite size pieces.

INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR STEP 2:

• 2 cans Cream of Celery Soup
• Milk or water
• 1 Tbsp. diced garlic
• 1 small jar diced Pimentos
• 2 Tbsp. hot sauce (I used Cajun Sunsine)
• 2  small cans sliced water chestnuts
• Garlic Herb bread crumbs or flavor of your choice
• 2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups dried Penne pasta noodles, cooked according to package directions, and thoroughly drained

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• In a mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the soup with 2 soup cans of milk or water, whatever you choose to use.
• Add the garlic, hot sauce, pimentos, and water chestnuts.
• Stir until combined.

ASSEMBLY & COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place one-half of cooked chicken into bottom of greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  (I prefer to use a glass pan for this recipe).
• Add one half of cooked Penne pasta noodles
• Pour one half of soup mixture over top.
• Sprinkle one cup of Cheddar cheese on top.
• Sprinkle bread crumbs over mixture.
• Repeat above steps.
• Place sheet of aluminum foil lightly over entree, but do not fold foil down onto the sides of the baking pan. This will prevent noodles from drying out during the initial baking stage.
• Bake for 35-35 minutes in 350 degree oven.
• Remove foil for the last 10-15 minutes.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with bread, rolls, or crackers.
• A garden salad is a nice accompaniment.
• Consider pairing this recipe with a little cup of soup.  My Broccoli Cheddar Soup would be a great suggestion. Stay tuned as I plan on floating out this recipe later in the month.

Bravo to all of my fellow cooks and chefs out there in Holiday Land.  Cook on! Your friends, family, and comrades will love you all the more.  

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Sweet & Savory - Triple Layer Chocolate Lovers Delight

Calling all chocolate lovers!  This triple layer delight is sure to delight. It's a tad labor intensive to prepare, but well worth the time and effort.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt, optional
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 tsp. vanilla
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place cocoa powder in a 2 cup glass measuring cup.
• Heat water to boiling and blend thoroughly with cocoa powder.  Set aside.
• Mix butter until creamy.
• Add granulated sugar and beat with mixer until thoroughly blended.
• Fold in eggs.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
• Add the flour mixture and cocoa powder/water mixture alternately to the butter mixture.
• Mix at low speed on mixer until blended.
• Add vanilla.
• Pour batter into three 9 inch round cake pans that have been lined with wax paper which sides and bottoms have been sprayed with Baker's Joy or some other brand of non-stick baking spray with flour.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in cake pans on cooling racks for 10 minutes.
• Remove cakes from pans.
• Cool completely on cooling racks.

FILLING FOR BOTH LAYERS:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, approximately
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Whip heavy cream and vanilla until foamy as you gradually add the powdered sugar.
• Whip until soft peaks form.
• Chill while you prepare the frosting.

FROSTING;

• 2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, approximately
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup half & half

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place butter, chocolate chips, and half & half in double broiler.  
• Melt ingredients in double boiler using medium heat and stirring until well blended.
• Remove from heat.
• Add confectioner's sugar.
• Place top of double broiler in a large bowl of ice water.
• Mix at low speed with hand mixer until frosting starts to hold shape and loses its glossy texture.
• You may need to add a titch more half & half to achieve the frosting spreading consistency you desire.

FINISHING THE CAKE:

• Select your cake serving plate or platter.
• Gently brush crumbs from each layer of the cooled cake.
• Place first layer of cake onto platter.
• Spread 1/2 of whipping cream mixture on top of first layer.
• Place second layer of cake on top of whipped cream mixture.
• Spread second layer with remaining whipped cream mixture.
• Using a sturdy thin spatula, start on the sides of the cake, and spread frosting evenly all the way around the cake.
• Spread remaining frosting on top of cake.
• Chill prior to serving.
• Refrigerate left over cake if you have any left over!

This is the perfect dessert for the holidays which will be a nice compliment to any entree.

If you are a chocoholic, I would love to hear your opinion regarding this cake recipe.

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ Italian Chicken Tenderloins

If you enjoy easy meal preparation and a scrumptious finished product, then this is the recipe for you!  It's been around for years and whoever dreamed up the idea deserves a medal or something.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 - 16 oz. bottle Fat Free Italian Dressing (I used the Kraft brand, but you can use the variety of your choice)
• 1 - 2 lb. bag frozen chicken tenderloins

DIRECTIONS:

• Dump the entire bottle of salad dressing inside the plastic bag with chicken tenderloins inside.
• Marinate for 6 hours, turning the bag every hour or so.
• Cook on gas grill or cooking method of your choice until tenderloins are thoroughly cooked.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• In the plated display above, I used:
• Baby leaf spinach
• Steamed & lightly buttered yellow crookneck squash dusted with garlic pepper
• Petite Jimmy Lee Bob cukes
• Red seedless grapes
• Smoked Gouda cheese

You can use your leftover tenderloins in other recipes if you have any left over!

Happy Dining & Enjoy!

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