Peanut Chicken Skewers with Chili Mayonnaise

This finger food is from Real Simple Magazine. 

3/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley
Kosher salt and black pepper
12 chicken tenderloins cut in half length wise
3 Tbs canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-2 tsp Asian chili-garlic sauce
24 6-inch bamboo skewers

On a large plate, combine the peanuts, bread crumbs, cilantro, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper.  Thread each strip of chicken onto a skewer and coat with the peanut mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.

In batches, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the skewers until golden, 2-3 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a plate as they are cooked and add more oil to the skillett as necessary. 

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and chili-garlic sauce.  Serve with the chicken.

Make ahead strategy:  The skewers can be assembled and frozen up to 1 month in advance.  Freeze them uncooked, on a parchment lined baking sheet utnil firm, then transfer them to a resealable plastic bag.  To cook, thaw the skewers on a plate in a skingle layer in the refrigerator overnight, then cook as directed in the recipe; keep warm at 250.  The chili mayonnaise can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. 

Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This is a gourmet grilled cheese, and very grown-up.  This recipe came from Real Simple Magazine. 

12 slices white sandwich bread
12 ounces cheese, such as Gruyere or fontina, thinly sliced
1 cup fruit chutney, such as cranberry, fig, or mango
butter

 Form 6 sandwiches with the bread, cheese and chutney.  In 2 batches, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the sandwiches until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted, 2-3 minutes per side.  Cut each sandwich into quarters before serving.

Makes 24

Make ahead strategy:  The sandwiches can be cooked up to 2 hours in advance and kept at room temperature.  reheat on a baking sheet at 350 for 10-15 minutes; keep warm at 250.  Cut just before serving.

Pasta Sauce

Pasta sauce:

10-12 tomatoes
basil, oregano, and/or any blend of Italian seasonings
4-6 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
grated carrots (3-4)
grated zucchini (1)
grated summer squash (1)
1 12 oz can of tomato paste
You can use vegetables of your choice. I happen to have alot of carrots, zucchini and squash from my garden this summer. The tomatoes also came from my garden.

Chop the onion and saute in evoo until tender, 5-6 min. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Blend the tomatoes in a food processor, and add to the pot. add the remaining ingredients and simmer. The longer you simmer, the more flavor will come out. cool completely and place in jars or containers and freeze. You can also add meat at the time of making the sauce or when you decide to serve it.  This is so easy to customize and always very flavorful. Plus it's good for you with all the extra veggies, and if you grate them, or throw them in your food processor as well, no one will even know they're in there! Great for picky eaters. :-)

This made about 2 1/2 quarts.

Magic Cookie Bars

I'm sure there is a more proper name for these bars.  When I was growing up, this is what we called them.  I come from a family of magicians, so there was definitely a pun intended.  We always said the cookies were magic because they disappeared as quickly as they appeared.

1 1/2 cups Corn Flakes
1 stick butter, melted
3 tbs sugar
1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
3 oz semi-sweet chocalte chips
3 oz butterscotch chips

3 1/2 oz coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Crush the corn flakes so they are like crumbs.  Mix them with the melted butter and sugar.  Press into 9 x 13 inch pan.

 

Sprinkle walnuts, coconut, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips evenly on top.  Make sure the coconut is not on the very top, otherwise it will get too done.

Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the top.  This takes awhile, but just keep drizzling until it is gone.  It will soak through. 

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. 

ooey gooey yumminess!!

Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups

This recipe is from Taste of Home's Quick Cooking magazine. 

12 Lasagna Noodles

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzerella

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 jar meatless spaghetti sauce (or homemade)

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain.  In a bowl, combine the eggs, cheeses, spinach, salt, peepr, and nutmeg.  Spread 1/3 cup cheese mixture over each noodle; carefully roll up.

Pour 1 cup spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Place roll-ups seam side down over sauce.  Top with remaining sauce.  Bake uncovered at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 6

Smoked Turkey

My husband made this for his guys weekend away.  We have a Big Green Egg.  For those of you not familiar, it's a smoker grill, and it looks like this:

Yes, it sits out all winter and we even use it.  As a matter of fact, my husband had to pour hot water on the lid because it was frozen shut.  Anyway, on with the recipe.

1/2 gallon apple juice
1/2 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 quart of water

Combine the above ingredients and heat enough to dissolve the sugar and salt.  Pour this over your turkey.  You will need a big bucket or stock pot, something big enough to hold the turkey, so it will be covered once you pour the brine onto it.

Add:
3 oranges halved and squeezed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbs whole cloves
2 bay leaves

Soak the turkey in the brine for 24 hours.  This should be in your fridge, or do its cold enough outside, then you won't take up fridge space.  Remove from brine, and refridgerate for 12 more hours.
smoke on The big Green Egg on a vertical turkey rack at 225 for 7 hours.

I was fortunate enough to have some of the left overs, and it was fantastic!  Well worth the effort.  Yeah, easy for me to say since I didn't do anything.  :-)

Baked Chimichanga's

This is a 'healthy' version of a chimi.  Not fried, baked.  And it turns out nice and crispy.  I got this recipe from "Apples of Gold", a bible study that my church did a couple of years ago.  These freeze well too.  I flash freeze them, then if I can grab just one serving, or several.

6 seven or eight inch tortilla shells
1/2 tsp salt
1 # ground chicken  (I put cooked chicken in a food processor to get a fine texture)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chopped green chilies
1/4 cup salsa (hot, med. or mild)
1/4 cup refried beans
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cheese
melted butter

Mix all ingredients well.
Soften tortilla shells in microwave for 10 seconds.
Put 1/3 cup filling in center of tortilla shell.  Roll one turn then turn sides in and continue to roll until chimi is formed.  Place each chimi seam side down, in a lightly greased baking pan.  Brush top and bottom of each chimi lightly with the melted butter.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

This can also be made with beef or pork.