Indian Fry Bread

(Also called: Elephant Ears, Navajo Scones, etc.)

It's been years & years since I've made these. But I must say I LOVE 'em. I really love Navajo tacos & also those great big "Elephant Ears" you can get at the fair. Yummm. However, not the healthiest treat on the block.

4 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp salt
2 c hot water
1 Tbsp yeast
5-7 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder

Mix honey, oil & salt. Stir in hot water. Mix well. Sprinkle yeast on top. Cover & allow to stand about 10 minutes or until yeast bubbles. Add 3 c. flour and baking powder, stir well. Add more flour until mixture is firm and cleans hands. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease both sides. Cover and rise until doubled (1/2 hr) punch down and divide into 16 pieces. Form each piece into a ball and place on wax paper. Allow to rise until ready to cook. Heat oil to fry. Flatten each piece of dough and stretch until thin and round, (6-8” diameter) poke a hole in the middle and drop into hot oil. Fry until golden, 1-2 min on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with honey, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar. Or, my favorite, make into a Navajo taco with beans, lettuce, meat, etc piled on top.

Treats for the 4th

I just saw the cutest idea that I want to try this weekend. This is from the blog Our Best Bites. They've got some really great recipes over there.

Star-Studded Mini Pies

1 recipe of pie crust dough (or store-bought if you want)

2 cans pie filling (something red & something blue)

2 Tbsp melted butter

1/4 c. sugar

Roll out dough. Using a round cookie cutter, or a small cup (about 3 1/2 inch diameter) cut out circles in the dough. Press them into a mini muffin pan. Crimp the edges slightly so the look like little pies.

Fill each little pie a little over half full with pie filling of your choice (blueberry, raspberry, cherry, strawberry) Don't fill too full or they will bubble over.

Using a small star cutter (about 2 inches- or something thereabout) cut out stars. Dip the stars in melted butter , then into sugar. Put one on top of each little pie.

Bake them at 400 for 15-20 minutes, until slightly golden brown.

Here's another fun 4th treat. Star cookie pops. Yum! Have fun this weekend.

Garlic-Dill Carrots

I made these for dinner the other night & they were really good. I had some carrots at a dinner party a while back that had fresh dill on them, so I was trying to imitate the recipe. They turned out great.

1 bag baby carrots

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 diced onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp butter

1-2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or you can use dried if you don't have fresh)

Salt to taste

Saute the onions & carrots in the oil & butter. Once the onions start to soften, cover the pan & turn the heat down to low. Let it cook for 10 minutes of so, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender-crisp. Stir in the dill. (if you're using dried dill, you'll probably want to add it in earlier to soften it up a bit. I don't like crunchy herbs!)

Grilled Chicken & Parmesan Penne

I just made the best dinner & thought I would share it. My sister was hosting a Pampered Chef party today. I wasn't able to attend but the recipe she was having made my mouth water. She told me the ingredients, but not any instructions or amounts, so I decided to make it up on my own, with a few of my own added ingredients. It was amazing! I am already looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Penne pasta

1 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

2 chicken breasts, grilled & cut up

2 diced tomatoes

3 cloves minced garlic

1 zucchini squash

1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped

1/4 c. fresh chives, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

2 Tbsp olive oil

Ok, so the amounts are not terribly accurate, because when I make up recipes I don't measure anything. I just add things until it tastes good. Cook the pasta- as much as you want for your family. Grill the chicken, if you have an Italian dressing or a vinaigrette, that tastes really good on it. Chop up the zucchini & saute with the garlic in a tiny amount of olive oil. Add in the diced tomatoes towards the end. After the pasta is cooked, drain it & toss all the ingredients together. Chop up the grilled chiken & toss it in as well. Add more seasoning to your taste. I ended up adding some garlic salt in at the end, too.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

This is a common dessert request around our house. It's so easy & great for satisfying your chocolate cravings- which for me come too frequently.

1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix
1 large pkg. chocolate pudding mix
1 c. water
1/3 c. oil
4 eggs

Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Cool and frost with chocolate glaze.

Glaze:
2 Tbsp butter
1 ½ squares unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp butter
1 ½ c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
a little water
Mix until smooth, add water until glaze consistency.

Crispy Dijon Chicken

This is a really tasty & really simple recipe. I got this from Nestle. They sent me these "Very Best Baby" mailings with recipes & health tips when I was pregnant. We all really liked this recipe.

¼ c. Dijon mustard
¼ c. evaporated fat free milk
¼ c. breadcrumbs
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
4 chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 475. Spray baking pan with oil. Combine mustard and milk in shallow bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in another bowl. Dip chicken in mustard and then into breadcrumbs coating both sides. Bake for 15-20 mintes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Cooking With Herbs

Here is my little herb garden this year. I LOVE cooking with fresh herbs. They make food taste so much fresher. I tend to add more then recipes call for, or even add them in when they aren't in the recipe. Herbs are great to grow outside in the summer, but I also keep them going in side during the cold months of the year. Just find a sunny spot in your house & you can keep them growing & save so much money. They are really expensive when you buy them in the store & never last very long. You'll probably want a fresh plant each year, though. They get scragly (not sure that's even a word.) after a while.

Here's what I'm growing:

Oregano

Basil

Chives

Peppermint

Dill

Cilantro

Rosemary

In this post I'm going to share some ways to use fresh herbs in your cooking. Many will be references to old posts that I have already done, but there are a couple of new ones in there, too.

Basil: This is probably my favorite herb. It's used in Italian flavored foods. I like to add fresh basil to pizzas, tomato sauces, alfredo sauces, etc.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that use basil:Bruschetta, Feta Chicken Bake, Basil Pesto, Basil Butter

Rosemary: Rosemary always reminds me of the Macaroni Grill restaurant, because of their bread. If you love that restaurant, try the peasant bread. Rosemary Lemon Chicken, Rosemary Peasant Bread

Cilantro: This is used in Mexican flavored foods & is a great addition to add to burritos, tacos & chilis. Chicken Tortilla Soup , Black Bean Salsa, Touchdown Taco Dip

Dill: We, of course know dill is in pickles... it's also great on fish, & vegetables, on sandwiches, etc. Salmon with basil butter & dill, Spinach-Cheese Pie

Here's another Dill recipe I really like:

Tzatziki Sauce (Served on sandwiches & Gyros-greek sandwich)

1 container (16 ounces) plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, not peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1/1-2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint or dill plus additional sprigs
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Spoon yogurt into sieve lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter set over bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer drained yogurt to medium bowl and discard liquid. Meanwhile, in colander set over bowl, toss chopped cucumber with 1 teaspoon salt. Let drain at least 1 hour at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. In batches, wrap chopped cucumber in kitchen towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Pat dry with paper towels, then add to bowl with yogurt. Add garlic, salt, chopped mint or dill, oil, vinegar, and pepper to yogurt and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate.


Oregano: I like this herb because it is moreversatile. I use it in Italian & in Mexican dishes. It's great added to a tomato sauce dish as well as a soup or stew. Chile Blanco

Chives: I add these to so many things. Most foods are good with a little onion flavor added. Chives have a mild onion flavor. I add them to my scrambled eggs, on top of pizzas, in mashed potatoes, etc.

Peppermint:

I just tried this recipe last week & it was delish!

Mint Limeade

Makes 1-1/2 gallons

2 c. sugar

2 c. water

4 c. packed fresh mint leaves

5 c. lime juice, plus 2 limes thinly sliced for garnish

3 c. superfine sugar (if you can't find this, blend granulated sugar in the blender/food proc.)

Boil 2 c. sugar & 2 c. water in a medium pan over high heat. Stir until dissolved. Refrigerate until chilled. Add sugar syrup and mint into a blender & puree it. Pour through a fine strainer over the pitcher & discard large mint pieces that are left. Add lime juice, superfine sugar & 4 qts. of water. Stir until dissolved. May want to sweeten to your taste. Serve cold & garnish with sliced limes.

Wedding Butter Mints

We are making these by the millions in a pretty peach shade for my sister's wedding next Saturday. They are so good we can hardly keep our hands off them.

1 lb powdered sugar

1/4 c. butter

1/3 c. light corn syrup

1 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together. Add 4 drops of your choice of food coloring. Knead with more powdered sugar if needed. (Knead if needed- ha-ha that just made me smile). Divide into balls- about 3" & roll out into ropes/snakes on a surface dusted with powdered sugar. Cut every 1/4" into small pieces & place on a tray with powdered sugar. Try to keep them from touching until they are slightly dried to prevent sticking. Let them air dry for 8-24 hours. They are much softer than the store bought mints, but I think much tastier. Super easy to make, too...

Raspberry Peach Cobbler

This never lasts long at our house...

1-1/3 c. flour

1-1/3 c. milk

1-1/3 c. sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 stick butter

1 bag frozen raspberries (do not thaw)

1 can peaches, drained & cut into smaller pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in the oven in a 9x13 pan. Combine flour, milk, sugar & baking powder. Pour batter into pan. Drop the fruit on top- it will sink as it cooks. Bake for 50 minutes @ 350 degrees. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Lemon-Parmesan Mushrooms

1 pkg. mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Lawry's season salt

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Saute the mushrooms in butter, lemon, & season salt until tender. Add parmesan cheese just before serving. (This is one of those dash of this, dash of that recipes that I've made up. I am kinda guessing on measurements, so if you want more or less of something, go for it!)

We love these around our house. We make them a lot!

Chicken Stew & Dumplings

I got this recipe when I was in Weight Watchers after I had a baby. It's really easy to make & so yummy. It's a comfort food.


Stew:
1 lb chicken, cut up
1 diced onion
1/4 c. flour
2 cans chicken broth
2 diced potatoes
2 c. chopped carrots
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp tarragon (or your favorite herb)
2-3 chicken boullion cubes
salt & pepper

Saute chicken, garlic, & onion in a little olive oil. Add flour & mix well. Add remaining ingredients & season to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low & simmer until vegetables are cooked through (about an hour). After cooked through add the dumplings.

Dumplings:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1 c. milk
4 tsp melted butter

Stir together until it makes a soft dough. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the cooked stew. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Uncover & continue simmering for 3-5 minutes more.

Pork Chili Verde

This was our dinner last night & it was amazing- we all went back for seconds.

3 pounds cubed pork stew meat (I used a pork roast)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp salt

pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp cumin

7 c. chicken broth (or water & boillion cubes)

4 anaheim chiles, seeded & diced

2 jalepeno peppers, seeded & chopped

1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husks removed

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves

In a large stock pot, over high heat, searr the pork in the oil until golden brown. remove the pork from the pan, reserving the oil. Cook the onions & garlic, salt & pepper until onions are tender. Return pork to the pot, season with cumin, & add in the broth (all but 1 c. worth). Simmer for 1/2 hour. Stir in peppers. Puree the tomatillos and cilantro with the remaining cup of broth & add into the pot. Cook an additional 45 minutes or so until the pork is tneder. The sauce is pretty runny, so I ended up thickening it slightly with a little cornstarch at the end.

We served it in tortillas with mexican rice, beans, guacamole, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes & monterey jack cheese.

Buttercream Icing

Last weekend I got to frost 10 dozen cupcakes for a church party. It was a lot of fun to do it & they turned out really cute. Lots of people asked me for the frosting recipe I used. I took some of the Wilton cake decorating classes last year & this is their recipe, slightly modified to my own personal tastes, of course.

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. butter

2 Tbsp milk or water

1 lb powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

1 Tbsp Meringue powder**

1/2 tsp vanilla extract*

1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix all together until smooth.

**The meringue powder can be found in the cake decorating section of Wal-mart, or any craft store that sells cake stuff (Robert's Michael's, etc.).

**I use the clear extracts which are also found in any cake decorating section. This makes it so your frosting doesn't turn that funny yellowish-brown color & you can have white frosting.

Salmon with Basil Butter

Costco sells a salmon filet already seasoned with a basil butter that I tried the other day. It was absolutely amazing. I have kinda tried to figure it out & here's what I came up with...

Basil Butter
1 1/2 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 sticks butter
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
4 cloves minced garlic

Puree in a food processor. Scoop into balls about 1/2 Tbsp each. This makes lots, so you can put it into little balls & freeze it for later use on fish, chicken, or vegetables.


To prepare fish:
put about 3 scoops of basil butter on top of the salmon (depending on the size of your salmon).
Sprinkle with:
1-2 Tbsp fresh dill
Lemon Pepper
Garlic salt
fresh lemon juice (after cooked)

Grill on heavy duty foil, or bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 mintutes- or until flaky in the middle.

Black Bean & Mango Salsa

I have always loved the mango salsa at Costco. It's amazing. So, I wanted to try & make some. I found this little recipe, which is not really the same, but also really great.

1 envelope of Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen corn, thawed
1 c. chopped ripe mango
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1/3 c. minced red onion
1/3 c. chopped cliantro
1/4 c. lime juice
1/2 c. diced tomatoes

Mix all ingredients & refrigerate about an hour before serving to let the flavors mix.