Traditional Potato Latkes

Traditional Potato Latkes

Makes approx. 20 pancakes 

Ingredients 

•               4-5 potatoes

•               2 white onions

•               3 eggs, beaten

•               1/2 cup all-purpose flour

•               1 1/2 teaspoon salt

•               1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

•               vegetable/canola oil,  for frying

•               sour cream, garnish

•               apple sauce, garnish

Directions 

1              Peel potatoes and place with onions in food processor. Pulse with fitted knife blade until smooth and creamy.

2              In a large bowl, combine the potato mixture with eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Add (enough) flour so that everything stays together and doesn’t fall apart.

3              In a large frying pan or deep skillet, carefully heat 1 inch of oil on medium-high heat.

4              Gently place 1/4 cup of latke mixture into the oil and flatten a little so that it will cook evenly. Cook each side until cooked through and golden brown, then transfer onto paper towels to drain. Continue with the rest of latkes.

Serve latkes hot, with sour cream and apple sauce.

Autumn Soup

Autumn Soup

Ingredients

• 2 small butternut squash (or 1 large), peeled and chopped
• 6 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups stock (vegetable or chicken broth is fine. I used leftover homemade chicken stock from this recipe), can always add more for a thinner soup
• 1 tbs coconut oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 1 serrano pepper, chopped
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Instructions

1. Stab butternut squash with a fork in several places and then microwave for 5-7 minutes or until you can easily peel and chop the squash.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add onions and pinch of salt.
3. Once the onions turn soft and translucent, add serrano pepper ginger and garlic. After a couple minutes add the spices and let them bloom.
4. Add the stock, butternut squash, carrots and sweet potatoes.
5. Cook covered for 30-40 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
6. Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor.
7. Serve with crumbled bacon (optional, but delicious) to make a more protein-packed meal.

Notes

You can adjust the amount of stock/broth to your liking. I like this soup nice and thick, so I only used 4 cups of broth.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Time: 15 minute prep + 35 minutes baking

Yield: 7 servings

Recipe from adapted from Jamie cookes it up via What's Cookin' Chicago via Pinterest

Chicken:

4 large chicken breasts

2 sleeves Ritz crackers, I used seasoned bread crumbs since that's what I had.

1/4 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1/2 C milk

3 C cheddar cheese, grated

1 t dried parsley

Sauce:

1   10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

2 T sour cream

2 T butter

black pepper to taste.

1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks
2. Grind up ritz crackers in food processor or just go walk to the panty and get some bread crumbs.
3. Pour milk, chees and cracker/bread crumbs into 3 separate pans.   Season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper.
4. Line a pan with tin foil or spray with oil.
5. Dip Chicken into milk, then cheese.  You will have to press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers and some will fall off when you dip the chicken into the crumbs. 
6. Then place in preped pan.
7. By the time you dip all the chicken into the crumbs, it will be full of cheese....Feel free to put that anywhere you think the chicken could use it!
8. Sprinkle parsley over pan of chicken.
9. Cover and back at 400 for 35 min.  Remove cover and bake 10 more minutes.
10. In pan, combine soup, sour cream and butter.   Whisk over med high heat till hot.
11. Serve over chicken!

Comments on original recipe suggested 

I used the Roasted Vegetable Ritz crackers (YUM!), Monterey Jack with a bit of parmesan, and buttermilk to dip them into. I omitted the salt and pepper because the flavored crackers added tons of flavor. Instead of the creamy soup 'gravy' I opted for some JARRED (gasp! lol) garlic alfredo sauce and boiled up some Ziti pasta and slathered it over the chicken and the pasta. YUM YUM! Thanks for a great and EASY idea! 

Use parm cheese, mix egg with milk, pound chicken to even size thickness...

Hilda Padron's Chicken and Rice

In my last ward, (Killeen 3rd!) I met a wonderful woman named Hilda Padron.   She brought this dish over when I was sick and then showed me how to make it.   It was the first time I had ever fried rice!   But all being said and done, this is a pretty versitile and thrify recipe...freezes okay too.

Hilda Padron's Chicken and Rice

All measurements are approximate

• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon tomato bouilion (in Mexican isle)
• 5 drumsticks or leftover chicken/turkey, cooked and shredded
• 2 cups frozen mixed veggies, cooked and drained (or fresh, chopped and cooked)
• Mayonaise
• Cheese, Monterey Jack or Cheddar

Fry rice in pan till all grains are white.  Add water, bring to boil and simmer.   Add tomato bouilion.  The rice will be done when the water is gone and the rice cracks in the middle (add more water as needed)

Mix shredded chicken, drained veggies with just enough mayo to coat.  

In 8x10 pan or 2 loaf pans, layer rice, cheese, then chicken mixture, cheese and more rice...you can add more cheese on top just becuase cheese is good!

Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, till cheese is melted.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

This recipe was a BIG hit at Melissa's surprise Goodbye/birthday party.  Super easy and quick too!  I served it with gingersnaps and green apples....yum!

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup frozen whipped cream, thawed
• Gingersnap cookies, apples, or cinnamon graham cracker sticks

Directions

1. 1In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
2. 2Add in pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger. Mix well.
3. 3Fold in the thawed whipped cream.
4. 4Serve with green apples, graham cracker sticks, or gingersnaps.
5. 5Store in refrigerator.

Cherry Cheese Danish

Cherry Cheese Danish

Here's a ridiculously easy recipe for a danish that will knock your socks off. Really, it's made with all pre-packaged goods, but it tastes deliciously homemade. And, truthfully, why slave over making your own dough and cooking down your fruit if you can make it like this and it tastes just as good?

Right. That's what I said.

So, one day, when nobody is expecting it, throw one of these together. Your family will appreciate it.

8oz package of cream cheese (softened)
3T sugar
1t vanilla extract
1C cherry pie filling (I use an entire 21oz can 'cause I'm a rule breaker like that)
1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
3T sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick spray.  (or stoneware)

In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese and 3T sugar until light and fluffy. (I do this by hand. Too early for appliances that make that much noise, and if your cream cheese is soft, it's no big deal).  Set aside.

Unroll the dough on your prepared baking sheet and gently press into a roughly 13 x 7 inch rectangle.

Spoon the cream cheese lengthwise down the center third of the dough. Next, spoon the pie filling on top of the cream cheese.

On each side of the dough (the long side), make cuts about 1 inch apart, going from the outer edge of the dough toward the center of the filling. Next fold opposite strips of the dough over the filling in a criss-cross pattern to create a braided appearance. Seal the ends so that the filling doesn't leak out (I never leave enough room between the edge of the dough and the start of the filling - so plan ahead!) Sprinkle the raw sugar on top.

Bake for 22 - 24 minutes in the preheated oven. The dough should be golden brown. Remove from oven and let it cool for about 10 - 15 minutes before cutting (if you can wait that long). Enjoy!

Recipe thanks to Lettuce Pray 

GRILLED BALSAMIC – GARLIC CRUSTED PORK

GRILLED BALSAMIC – GARLIC CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN

*note: This also works with other cuts of pork...but if your kids don't love garlic, make sure there are no pieces stuck to the meat when serving.  I love garlic but since I served this with garlicy fried rice and asparagus, my kids ate the asparagus first and avoided the garlicy parts.



Grilled Balsamic – Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

• 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)

Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!
Grill preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.
Oven preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat.  Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe courtesy of kitchen confidante