Tamale Pie

(Note:  I made some changes to the amounts from when I first posted this.  I was going on memory before.)

Brown and drain 1-1 1/2 lbs. of hamburger and some diced onion (1/2 c. or more).

Add:
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can corn (drained)
2 Tb. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic (I use fresh; 2-3 gloves)
1 Tbl. hot sauce
1/2 c. grated cheese

Simmer above while making the crust below (about 20 minutes).

In a sauce pan, mix 2 1/2 c. water and 1 1/4 c. of cornmeal. Add 1 tsp. of chili powder and 1 tsp. salt.

Stir constantly over medium heat until it thickens.  Line the bottom and sides of a greased 9x13 pan with the cornmeal mixture to make a crust.  Pour in the meat mixture and top the middle with 1/2 c. of grated cheese. (I like to spread a small amount of the crust over the top in each corner for those who like more crust.)

Bake for 40 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Krispy Kreme Copycat Recipe

We've made these a few times and really like them. I finally bought a cookie-cutter type donut cutter online  (What did we do before amazon?) which makes them a little prettier, but you can use a cup and a little lid to cut them too.

One thing that I found that helps is to only cut out the donuts you are about to fry. When I tried to cut a bunch at once they ended up being harder to get out, and I had to re-roll the dough. Re-rolling the dough made it tough and hard to work with and much less pretty. It still tasted fine though. Just if you can, try to get as much from the first time you roll the dough out. 

-Good luck! 

INGREDIENTS

YIELD24 doughnuts

• Doughnuts

• 2(1/4 ounce) packages yeast
• 1⁄4cup water (105-115)
• 1 1⁄2cups lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
• 1⁄2cup sugar
• 1teaspoon salt
• 2eggs
• 1⁄3cup shortening
• 5cups all-purpose flour
• canola oil

• Creamy Glaze

• 1⁄3cup butter
• 2cups powdered sugar
• 1 1⁄2teaspoons vanilla
• 4 -6tablespoons hot water

• Chocolate frosting

• 1⁄3cup butter
• 2cups powdered sugar
• 1 1⁄2teaspoons vanilla
• 4 -6tablespoons hot water
• 4ounces milk chocolate chips or 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2-quart bowl.
2. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour.
3. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.
4. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
5. Stir in remaining flour until smooth.
6. Cover and let rise until double, 50-60 minutes.
7. (Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched.) Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.
8. Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin.
9. Cut with floured doughnut cutter.
10. Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.
11. Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 350°.
12. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula.
13. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface.
14. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side.
15. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surface); drain.
16. Dip the doughnuts into creamy glaze set on rack then when slightly cooled spread chocolate frosting on top.
17. Dip in sprinkles or other toppings after chocolate if desired.
18. Creamy Glaze: Heat butter until melted.
19. Remove from heat.
20. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
21. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.
22. Chocolate Frosting: Heat butter and chocolate over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat.
23. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
24. Stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Tamale pie?

Does anyone have the recipe for tamale pie?  I've been dying to eat that for a long time!

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

My kids aren't big fans of anything with celery or onions (and Liz can't have it because of the mayo), but Scott and I like this recipe. It also might be nice for a Relief Society luncheon or a shower or something like that:

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups diced chicken
• 8 to 12 red or green seedless grapes, halved
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 green onion, with about 2 inches of green, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• dash curry powder, or to taste, optional

Preparation:

Combine ingredients until blended. Spread on bread for sandwiches or arrange on lettuce leaves. (It tastes best on croissants!)

Serves 4.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound Dutch baby potatoes (white or red), washed and cut in half
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, removed from the stems and finely chopped (I just used dried)
• 1 pound of chicken breast, about 2 whole breasts, sliced in half lengthwise for a total of 4 pieces
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves removed from the stems and finely chopped (again, I used dried)
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

For roasted carrots and potatoes
 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay out potatoes and carrots – set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, salt & pepper, and 1 T. rosemary.
4. Toss potatoes and carrots with olive oil mixture and spread out into an even layer on baking sheet. Leave a space on the edge of the pan for the chicken (see directions below).
5. Place into the preheated oven and roast until golden and tender, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for lemon rosemary chicken
1. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay out all the chicken pieces.
2. In a small bowl, combine salt & pepper, paprika, lemon zest, and 2 T. rosemary.
3. Season chicken on both sides.
4. Heat a large, nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add in oil. Once oil is hot, sear the chicken until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Place chicken on the baking sheet with the potatoes and carrots for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Chicken is done when juices run clear and center is no longer pink.

**We had this for dinner two nights ago. Scott and I loved it, but the kids couldn't get past the rosemary. (They kinda look like little green sticks, so the kids wouldn't try it. Maybe next time I'll leave the rosemary off half of of everything for the kids?)

Oh, and even though some of my recipes call for olive oil, I just use regular oil (usually canola oil) and it turns out just fine. Olive oil is probably healthier, but it's also a lot more expensive.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

We tried this for the first time this week, and it was delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 corn tortillas
• 1 +1 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
• 3 medium tomatoes, cored and
• loosely chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 lime, juiced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 cups shredded chicken
• 1 avocado, pit removed and sliced
• 4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (optional, if you want to go dairy-free)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place fresh tortillas on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 200°F for15 minutes to dry them out. Cut into 1” x 1/2” strips.
2. In a medium stockpot, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes.
3. Stir in salt, chili powder, oregano, and tomatoes. Break up tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add broth, lime juice, fresh parsley, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Drop half of the tortillas into the soup to thicken. Stir well.  

For tortilla crisps:
6. In medium pan, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.
7. Fry remaining tortilla strips in oil until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels.  

To serve:Ladle soup into 4 individual serving bowls. Top with remaining tortilla strips, avocado slices, and cheese.

*This recipe is for a family of 4. I used 6 tortillas, 5 cups of broth, and 2 avocados to make it stretch a little further. We didn't have any leftovers! Super yummy!

Oh--and I was a hurry when I made this the other day so I used canned chicken instead of shredded chicken. So that's an option if you're in a rush.

Funeral Potatoes

Funeral Potatoes

• 6 c. frozen diced potatoes, thawed
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 c. sour cream
• 2 c. cheddar cheese, grated, divided
• 1/4 c. grated onion (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Topping (optional):

• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 3/4 cup crushed corn flakes  

Directions:

• Combine soup, butter, sour cream, 1 c. cheese, onion, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the diced potatoes and stir gently until combined.
• Place potato mixture in a 2-3 quart casserole dish or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Top with the remaining 1 c. cheese.
• Mix 3 tablespoons butter with 3/4 cup crushed corn flakes and sprinkle over the potato mixture. (This step is optional.)
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Note: To make reduced fat funeral potatoes, replace the melted butter with 1/2 soup can milk. Use reduced fat sour cream, or replace the sour cream with nonfat, plain Greek yogurt. Reduced fat cheddar cheese also works well.