Monday, August 24, 2009

Salsa Chicken & Cafe Rio Rice


This recipe comes from many different places. Someone gave me the recipe for Cafe Rio rice, chicken, and their cilantro ranch dressing, but I can't remember who it was! My step mom makes chicken like this all the time and I love it. But, I got this salsa recipe from Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy cookbook and I changed it a little. So...you tell me where I should say I got this recipe! :)

Chicken:
4 chicken breasts
1/2-1 cup flour
2 tsp taco seasoning mix
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Mix flour and taco seasoning mix together. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and place in frying pan. Cook 3-5 minutes, turning once until brown on every side. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 8 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink inside.
Salsa:
1 can Mexicorn (whole kernel corn with red and green peppers), drained
1 medium avacado, chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (I always use more)
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp honey
2 tomatoes chopped
the remaining taco seasoning mix packet
While chicken is cooking, mix it all together. This is also an amazing chip dip. You can add a can or two of drained black beans if you'd like. And I don't usually measure any of this. I just eyeball it.
Rice:
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1/3 tbsp butter
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp chicken boullion
1/3 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp chopped onion
Put rice, water and butter in a pan and bring to boil. Add rest of ingredients. Turn to low and cook 20 mintues, or until done.

Serve the salsa over the chicken. It's yummy!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Granola

6 cups quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 TBS water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins

In bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Combine honey, oil, water, and vanilla. Add to oat mixture. Stir well. Turn into 2 large shallow backing pans. Heat at 300 degrees for 25-35 minutes or lightly toasted. Stir twice during heating. Crumble into pieces. If desired add raisins. Store in tightly sealed container. May be frozen.

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. It is healthy and yummy!!!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Teriyaki Chicken Alfredo

I know teriyaki and alfredo NEVER go in the same title together, but that is just what this is called and having tasted it, I can't think of another name for it. It's one of my all time favorite dishes!! It may sound a little strange, but it is SOooo yummy!

Ingredients:
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
2 chicken breast halves cut in 3/4" strips
1/2 c chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c milk (you can use cream to make the sauce thicker, but it may make you thicker too. ;)
1 pkg alfredo sauce mix
3/4 cup Very Very Teriyaki sauce (Yes, you need this brand. It is amazing!)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cup broccoli
1 sliced green pepper
1 sliced orange pepper
1/2 sliced red pepper
1/4 c chopped parsley
2 T chopped basil
1/2 c parmesean cheese
1 lb fettucini, cooked

Directions:
Melt butter and oil in a skillet and add chicken, onions, and garlic - stir fry until the chicken browns - it takes a little while. Add milk, alfredo mix, any veggies you may be adding, and teriyaki sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium for 3-5 minutes, or until thickened (I always let it thicken longer). Add parmesean, parsley and basil and remove from heat once cheese is melted. Toss with fettucini and serve.

I got this from my step mom. It's seriously my favorite dish, I think. And I also really love it because it's really an all-in-one dinner: veggies-check, protien-check, grain-check, milk-check. Today I served some fruit with it because that's really all it's lacking. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Just as good as it looks!
I saw fruit tarts at the farmers market and wanted one sooooo bad! So I decided to look it up and make it. This was pretty easy and so delicious! I got the recipe from cooks.com but I will post it all here! Enjoy!!

FRESH FRUIT TART WITH SHORTBREAD
COOKIE PASTRY
TART SHELL:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp. shortening
5 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
1 c. flour
Dash salt
1 egg yolk
TART FILLING:
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Dash nutmeg
Fresh fruit
1 oz. brandy (optional)
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream together butter, shortening, confectioners' sugar. Add egg yolk. Beat in flour and salt - a stiff dough will result. Pat dough into 10 inch springform pan - bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes in the meantime. Soften cream cheese and then beat in 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar. Set aside. Bring granulated sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add brandy - add fresh fruit - poach for 5 minutes.

Drain fruit and reserve sugar sauce. Allow tart shell to cool completely. Spread cream cheese mixture in tart shell - arrange fruit - brush with reserve sugar sauce - MMM!!!

I didn't use the brandy and I didn't have any nutmeg. But it was still delish! It made a litle more than 4- 4" tarts. Or one 9" . Love love love it!