Taco Soup

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
• 1 can rotel
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5oz)
• 16 oz beef broth
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 1/2 Tbsp ranch dressing mix
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 ground black pepper
• 1 cup (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz) can can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Brown hamburger, drain if needed. Add diced onions, cook until soft, then add jalapeño and cook a few more minutes. 

Add the rest of the ingredients, simmer for 20-30 minutes. 

Serve with crispy tortilla strips, sour cream, and cheese.

Creamy Cajun Rice & Chicken

 4 large chicken breasts

Cajun seasoning

1 T oil

Butter

Rice: 

6 cups cooked rice

1 T Cajun seasoning

1/2 onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves

2 T butter

Sauce: 

2 c half and half

2 T butter

1 c shredded Parmesan 

2-3 cloves garlic

1/2 T Cajun seasoning.

Note: adjust seasoning to taste, some Cajun seasonings are pretty spicy.

Split chicken breasts, pound flat, and coat in olive oil. Generously season with Cajun seasoning. Fry in melted butter until golden brown on each side, then bake in oven at 400 until juices run clear.

In same pan, deglaze if needed. Cook onions and garlic in butter until softened, then add seasoning. Stir in rice and allow to sit 10 minutes.

Sauce: Melt butter in saucepan, then cook garlic until fragrant. Add half and half and Cajun seasoning. When bubbles begin to form on the edges of the pan, add Parmesan and stir. Sauce will be sort of thin. 

Strawberry Creme Cake

 1 box strawberry cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup mashed/ puréed strawberries

1/2 cup oil

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 cups whipping cream

1 T vanilla

Mix together cake mix, eggs, strawberries, and oil until well combined. Bake in 9x13 dish 23-25 min at 350. Cool completely.

When cake is completely cool, poke holes with chopstick or skewer every inch or so. Drizzle condensed milk over cake, allow it to soak in.

Frosting: 

Beat together cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar until completely blended. Add a bit of cream if needed. Whisk in the whipping cream and beat on high until it is well aerated and the texture you want. Frost cake and store in fridge.

Monster Cookies

 Monster Cookies

• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 cup  brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups peanut butter 
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 1/2 cups quick oats
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups mixed M&Ms, chocolate chips, nuts, butterscotch chips
• 
  
• 
  

Instructions 

• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. 
• Cream together the sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. 
• Beat in the eggs, and then beat in the peanut butter, vanilla, baking soda and salt until well combined.
• Add the the oats and flour, mix until combined, then add chocolate chip mixture of your choice.
• Scoop 2-to 3-tablespoon dough onto parchment paper-covered cookie sheet.
• Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes, allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. 

Chicken Tikka Masala

 

Marinade:

• 2lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (or 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder)
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Combine yogurt with spices, coat chicken and let marinate for at least 1 hour

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 small onions (or 1 large onion) finely diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, finely grated
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 14 oz tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili
• 1/4-1 teaspoon ground red chili powder (depending how spicy chili powder is)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine marinade ingredients and marinate for at least 1 hour
• Heat plenty of oil in a large pan or pot. Fry chicken in batches until browned, remove from pot and set aside.
• Deglaze the pan with butter or a little red wine. Fry onions in butter until soft, 2-3 minutes.
• Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant.
• Pour in the tomato sauce, chili powders and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour. Add water to thin as needed to prevent burning. 
  Note: I like to use an immersion blender at this point to smooth out the sauce.
• Stir the cream and sugar through the sauce. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
• Serve over rice.

White Chicken Chili

 

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• 1 1/4 cup frozen or fresh corn
• 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans
• 2 1/2 cups chopped chicken
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1. Sauté onion in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add garlic, chilis, and spices, cook for 1-2 more minutes.

2. Add chicken broth, corn, and one can of beans.

3. Purée one can of beans and add to soup (gives soup a creamy texture). Bring to a low boil.

4. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, then add lime juice.

5. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro, etc.

Beer Bread

 2 1/2 c flour (300g)

1 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 c sugar

12 oz beer

1/4 c butter, melted

Sift together dry ingredients, then mix in beer. Pour into greased bread pan, top with melted butter. Bake at 375 for one hour.