Cashew Chicken

by Erin Taylor

I love chinese food! I haven't an Asian bone in my body, but I sure do love the food. I thought up this dish one night and it's one of my favorites now. I have no idea if it's authentic, but it works for this American girl!

2 C. chopped Celery
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2 large Chicken Breasts, cubed
1/4 C. low sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp. chicken gravy mix (or 1 Tbsp. chicken bullion paste)
2 tbsp. corn starch mixed with 1/2 C. water
1 C. additional water for thinning sauce
1 C. cashews
(optional additions: 1 C. cubed zucchini, canned baby corn, 1 sliced red pepper, chopped green onion, 1 c. broccoli florettes, mushrooms) You can add as much as you like and it only tastes better!
*for spicy chicken add 1 tsp (or more) chili garlic sauce (from asian food section)

Pour a little oil in large skillet or wok. Heat and add celery, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Cook for about 3 minutes on med-high. Add soy sauce and chicken flavoring. Add pieces of chicken and lower heat to low. Cover and let simmer just until chicken is white- do not over cook! Add corn starch mixture and let sauce thicken. Add more water to desired consistency. Add cashews and let simmer on low, covered, for about 5 more minutes.

Serve over fried chinese noodles and rice or mix with cooked Ramen noodles.

Loaded Nachos and Homemade Guacamole!

by Erin Taylor

Sunday nights are usually "Nacho Night" at our house. I plunk down chips on a pan, cover in loads of cheese and serve with all the fixin's. Here is a recipe for some awesome, totally loaded nachos to satisfy the munchies at your house!

Loaded Nachos!

1 lb. ground beef
1 can refried beans (try not to get the no-name brand, they're just nasty!)
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef in a pan. Stir in the refried beans and add spices.

Spread corn chips on cookie sheet and cover with lots of cheese. (I use Colby/ Monterey Jack mix.) Open a can of sliced jalapeno peppers (not the pickeled kind) drain, and evenly place them on top of cheese. Put under broiler in oven for about 3 minutes, just until cheese is melted. WATCH CAREFULLY!!!

Remove from oven and slide onto large platter, making a hole in center large enough for a bowl to fit. Scoop meat and bean mixture into center of nachos. Smother meat mixture with Salsa and top with homemade Guacamole*, Sour cream and chopped olives. Dive in!!!

*Homemade Guacamole- Erin style

4 large ripe avacados (not too soft)
1 Tbsp. Lime juice
1 med tomato, chopped
1 Tsp. chopped garlic (may also add 1-2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion)
1/2 C. chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Scoop out flesh of avacados into large bowl. Mash with stick blender until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drizzle a little lime juice over the top, cover with plastic wrap, and put in refridgerator for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors all mix in.

Fantastic Fish Tacos

by Erin Taylor



Fish, you say? Yes! Tillapia is a wonderful "non-fishy" fish with an almost fruity, fresh flavor, and it makes fantastic fish tacos! And they are not heavy deep-fat-fried, but still have a yummy crispy coating.


Fantastic Fish Tacos (serves 4 people, or 8 tacos)
by Erin Taylor

4 large Tillapia filets, halved lengthwise
8 corn tortillas
1 small bag coleslaw mix
1/2 C. Sour cream (lowfat works great!)mixed with 1 tsp. garlic powder and 1 tsp. chili powder. (or, just use plain sour cream, tastes great too!)
salsa
lime juice
Cilantro leaves

Heat large skillet with a little canola oil. Lightly dust tillapia on each side with flour. Salt each side and place in hot skillet. Brown on each side until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes each. (Do not over cook! Fish cooks very quickly!) Place on paper towel.
Dollop a small amount (about 1 tsp.) of sour cream mixture into center of tortilla and spread into a strip across the middle. Place one piece of fish in center. Squirt a little lime juice over fish. Cover with cole slaw mix and salsa. Squirt a little more lime juice on top, garnish with some cilantro leaves and serve! (2 tacos per person)

Romantic Valentine's Dinner

by Erin Taylor

Ahhh... my typical Valentine's Day Date: I make a yummy fancy dinner and serve it to my hubby and son by candlelight on our good china. Well, why not? They are the two best men in my life! And since Valentine's Day is on a Sunday this year, and since we don't go out to restaurants on Sundays at our house, what better way to spend the evening than eating by candlelight in our own home?

Here are some surprisingly easy, gourmet-type dishes you can serve your family this Valentine's Day! Spinach Artichoke dip, Broiled Parmesan salmon with basil butter, and Decadent chocolate torte.

Appetizer:
Spinach and Artichoke Dip with baked tortillas

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 C. chopped spinach
1/2 Can artichoke quarters, chopped
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 C. fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/4 C. milk

Add all ingredients together and pour into microwave save container. Microwave until warmed through. Pour into pretty, oven save serving dish and broil for a few minutes until golden on top and bubbly.

Slice a few flour tortillas into triangles. Heat oven to 450 and brush each tortilla with a small amount of canola oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden and crispy.
Serve with warmed dip!


Main Course:
Broiled Parmesan crusted Salmon with Basil butter

2-4 6 oz portions of salmon. (does not need to be skinless. Skin will be easily removed after cooking.)
butter
lemon juice
finely grated parmesan cheese (the stuff in the bottle works great for this recipe.)

Pat the salmon dry. Spread a small amount of butter over the pink part of each. Squirt a little lemon juice over, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese covering each piece well. Broil on middle rack in oven for about 6-8 minutes until tops are bubbly and golden, and fish is firm to the touch and is no longer dark pink inside.
Serve with a scoop of basil butter on top.

Basil Butter:
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 C. fresh basil
1 tsp. garlic, chopped

combine all ingredients in food processor and blend well. Chill and scoop with spoon or small ice cream scoop.

Serve with wild rice, or couscous for a fancy presentation!

Dessert:
Decadent Chocolate Almond Torte
Adapted from a recipe on Food Network by Emeril

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 1/2 tablespoon
1 pound semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. almond extract
8 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 C. sifted Corn Starch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder, for garnish
toasted almonds and fresh whipped cream for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Using 1/2 tablespoon butter grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with a parchment round. Cover pan underneath and along sides with foil and set in a roasting pan. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil.

Combine the chocolate, butter, and almond extract in a metal bowl set over simmering water or in the top of a double boiler. Melt the mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes; reserve.

Meanwhile combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy and almost doubled in volume, about 5 to 10 minutes. Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Repeat this process 2 more times - until all of egg mixture has been folded into chocolate mixture. Add sifted corn starch and baking soda and fold in until encorporated.

Pour batter into prepared springform pan and place in the roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides. Bake until cake has risen slightly and edges are just beginning to set, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan and cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove foil, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove cake from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Remove springform pan sides, invert cake onto a large plate, and peel away the parchment paper from bottom. Reinvert cake on another large plate or serving platter and garnish with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder immediately before serving.

Santa Fe Chicken

by Erin Taylor

This is so easy it's almost like fast food! But good fast food, that's warm and cheesy and yummy....

*Disclaimer: this recipe calls for salsa. I strongly encourage you to use homemade salsa, an easy recipe for which I have included. However, store-bought will work fine.

Santa Fe Chicken

Salsa:
1 Can chopped tomatoes
1 small can whole green chilies, chopped
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 C. chopped cilantro
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. lime juice
salt

combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until pieces are very small. (This is great with chips, too!)

Chicken:
4 med. chicken breasts, boneless

Lightly powder each side of chicken breast in flour. Heat large skillet with 2 Tbsp. oil. Place chicken in oil and cook uncovered for 5 minutes on medium heat. Turn chicken after 5 minutes and cook another 5 minutes. While cooking:

Slice 2 whole garlic cloves in slices. Place garlic in pan and brown for just a minute before adding salsa. Pour salsa over chicken and garlic pieces. Lift up the chicken so the salsa can get underneath it and stop browning. Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until no longer pink inside. (if you really like garlic, which my family does, I put 5-6 whole garlic cloves in, unsliced! It's really good!)

Cover with a generous amount of cheddar or monterey jack cheese, cover and turn off heat. Let sit a few minutes to let cheese melt.

Serve over rice!

Pulled Mesquite Pork

by Erin Taylor


I ADORE pulled pork sandwiches with barbecue sauce! Yummmm! I don't have a roasting pit, or all day to make the most succulent barbecue, so I thought up this great way to get the same effect without all the hassle! It makes a ton, and it can be frozen as well!
*make this roast right before going to bed. It cooks overnight!


1 pork shoulder, boneless or bone-in. (usually about 5 lbs)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove pork shoulder from wrapping and rinse in water, pat dry with paper towels. Place in roasting pan on rack. (I don't have a roasting pan. I use a large cookie sheet with raised edges- cover the bottom in tin foil, and place a cooling rack for cookies and cakes on it. Then, just place the roast on that! Works like a charm!)

Mix together: 1 packet mesquite marinade seasoning mix (in gravy and seasoning mix section of grocery store)
1 C. salt
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. pepper
1-2 Tbsp. water (just to make a paste, not too runny!)

Cover the entire roast with the paste. Place uncovered in oven on middle rack and cook for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 250 and leave in oven overnight- about 8 hours. (DO NOT open the oven door!)

When finished cooking, remove from oven and use fork to "pull" the pork off the roast. It should be very tender! You can refridgerate it until ready to heat and serve, or you can place in a crock pot with a little water to keep warm.

Serve on toasted buns with your favorite barbecue sauce! This is a major crowd pleaser!

Chili Verde Enchiladas

*This recipe requires the homemade chili verde recipe found Here. It is FANTASTIC, and super easy once you have made your chili verde.

6-8 uncooked flour tortillas (usually found near the cheese at the grocery store. You can use regular flour tortillas, but trust me, they aren't nearly as good!)
1 can refried beans
1 large package grated cheddar or colby/monterey jack cheese
chili verde

Preheat oven to 375 deg. Heat large skillet or griddle. Heat tortillas one at a time on griddle with NO oil, until bubbles form on top. Flip over and heat until gently beginning to turn golden. Place a couple large spoonfulls of the chili verde sauce in bottom of large baking dish. Place 1 large spoonfull of refried beans in center of tortilla and spread back and forth covering center section in a strip. Cover with generous ammount of cheese. Spoon chunks of chili verde over cheese and roll up tortilla. Stack each rolled enchilada next to eachother, placing closely but not on top of eachother. Pour enough chili verde over the enchiladas to cover each one. Sprinkle with generous ammounts of cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Chili Verde ala Crock Pot

My husband is a closet Mexican. Ok, he isn't so "closet" about it, actually. He ADORES mexican food. If I ever want him to take me out to dinner, all I have to say is "I'm craving mexican food" and he's got his coat on and keys in hand. I, on the other hand, am rarely craving it, but it's a good way to get out of not having to cook. However, I have created a recipe for Chilie Verde that is to die for! Seriously! You MUST try it. Even I will eat seconds of this delicious concoction! Chili Verde ala Crock Pot by Erin Taylor 1 3-4 lb. Pork Roast, boneless, cut into 1 inch cubes 1 large can green enchilada sauce 2 small cans whole green chilies, cut into chunks 3 med. tomatoes, cut into chunks 1 large sweet onion, cut into chunks 2 green peppers, cut into chunks 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 tsp. ground Cumin 1 tsp. dried Thyme Salt to taste 2 C. water 1 Tbsp. sugar Add all ingredients to large crock pot and cook on high for 6-8 hours. A half hour before serving add: 2 Tbsp. corn starch mixed with 1/4 C. water to thicken the sauce. Serve over chili verde enchiladas (recipe here), or cooked rice and topped with shredded cheddar cheese! Makes fantastic omelettes as well!

Kitchen Must-Haves!

Here is a list of some basic kitchen staples every cook should have on hand in their kitchen at any given time. With these basics, you can create fantastic dishes or dress up some boring every-day meals!

-Garlic powder
-Greek seasoning (great for italian, greek, chicken, beef, pork, omelettes... you get the idea!)
-Chili powder
-italian seasoning
-white and red cooking wine (the alcohol cooks out, don't worry!)
-chopped garlic (in refridgerator)
-fish sauce
-soy sauce
- pepper grinder
-real vanilla
-corn starch (for thickening sauces)
-dried Basil
-Olive oil
-canola oil

Keep this stuff on hand and you'll always be able to make something delicious!

Asian Peanut Pad Thai

by Erin Taylor


I adore asian food! I also like that it's pretty quick and easy, and super yummy! Try this dish tonight. It can be spicy hot or mild depending on how much chili garlic sauce you add. Most of the strange stuff listed is in the asian food aisle in the regular grocery store.

2 pkg. Ramen noodles (any flavor) or rice noodles from asian aisle
2 Tbsp. Canola oil
1 C. firm tofu, cubed (or chunks of cooked chicken)
2 C. Broccoli cole slaw mix (in salad section at store)
1 C. Bean Sprouts (mung bean sprouts- you can use canned if you have to, but fresh is better.)
1/3 C. peanut butter
*1 Tbsp. Chili Garlic Sauce (in asian food aisle)- this adds heat, add only 1 tsp at first if you don't like spicy food, then add to it if you like.
3 Tbsp. Fish sauce (asain food aisle)
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 small bunch Cilantro- broken, not chopped
1 lime

To begin, boil water in pot and cook Ramen noodles just until tender. (don't overcook until mushy!) Heat oil in wok or large frying pan and toss in slaw mix and 3/4 cup of the bean sprouts. Sprinkle flavor packets from Ramen noodles onto vegetables and add peanut butter, chili sauce, fish sauce and soy sauce; stir. Add tofu. Remove noodles from pot (reserve 1 C. of the water from the pot) and add noodles to veggies. Add reserved water from pot.

Stir over med. heat allowing liquid to thicken slightly. Add torn cilantro and remaining bean sprouts. Squeeze half of the lime over the noodles and remove from heat. Slice remaining half lime in half and place on top of each plate with a garnish of Cilantro and/or chopped peanuts, serve.