Chili Taco Pie

Chili Taco Pie

4 8-inch flour tortillas

5 5½-inch corn tortillas

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup frozen corn

1½ cups red kidney beans, drained

½ cup chopped onion

1 can diced tomatoes with green Chile peppers

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

¼-½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup shredded cheddar

Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, sour cream

In large skillet cook ground beef until brown.  Drain off grease, add garlic and onions and cook 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes with Chile peppers, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and corn.  Cook until aromatic and heated through.  Gently stir in red kidney beans.  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375º.

Lightly grease pie plate.  Place corn tortilla around the outside edges so that about one inch over-flaps.  Place one flour tortilla in the center.  Spread one third of the meat mixture over the top, cover with flour tortilla and repeat the process.  Spread shredded cheddar over top and bake about 30 minutes until cheese bubbles and corn tortillas are crunchy and brown.

Cool slightly before serving with shredded lettuces, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, guacamole, etc.

 

© Crackerberries 2014

Sweet Potato Cranberry Muffins

Cranberry Sweet Potato Muffins

 

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp. baking powder
½ cup sugar
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup mashed sweet potato
¼ cup cranberry sauce

Heat oven to 400º

Spray bottoms of 12 muffin tins or line with paper baking cups.  Mix dry ingredients together.   Combine milk, egg and vegetable oil and add to dry ingredients stirring just to moisten.  Stir in sweet potato.  Divide have of ingredients amongst muffin cups. Spoon one teaspoon or so of the cranberry sauce in the center of each muffin.  Cover with remaining batter.

Bake 400º 18-22 minutes.  Cool 1 minute before removing from pan.

© Crackerberries 2014

Cajun Chicken Reuben Sandwich

When the leftover corned beef reubens are not enough, these can be enjoyed anytime!

Cajun Chicken Reubens

 

4 slices pumpernickel bread

4 slices Swiss cheese

2 slices Cajun chicken deli meat

1 cup sauerkraut*, drained

2 tbsp. Thousand Island** dressing

1 tbsp. margarine

 

Heat griddle or large cast iron fry pan to medium heat.  Spread each slice of bread generously with Thousand Island dressing.  Top with one slice of cheese, divide sauerkraut between the two slices, top with a slice of deli meat and end with another slice of cheese.  Cover with remaining bread slices.  Spread margarine on both sides of each sandwich.  Place on griddle; grill each side (3-4 minutes each side) until golden brown and cheese is melted.

 

Remove from grill and let stand 2-3 minutes before cutting and half and serving.

 

• To thoroughly drain sauerkraut, place in strainer to drain liquid.  Place drained sauerkraut in 2-3 layers of paper towels and squeeze gently until no more liquid is visible.
• Homemade Thousand Island dressing: ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp. sweet relish, 2 tbsp. French dressing or ketchup, 1 tbsp. finely chopped onion.  Combine all ingredients together and stir well.  Store remaining dressing in fridge for one month.

 

© Crackerberries 2014

English Muffins

English Muffins

1 cup warm milk

1 TBSP honey
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. active dry yeast


* Additions to try: ½ cup raisins + 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 cup finely chopped cranberries + ½ cup chopped pecan, 1 cup blueberries, the options are endless, depending on what flavor you wish to have.

Combine all ingredients together in bread machine in order given, and select the dough setting. 

Once cycle completes, place dough on lightly flour surface and pat into a ¾-inch thick circle.  Dust top lightly with flour.  Using a 3-inch cookie cutter (a drink tumbler works excellent also) cut the dough into circles.  Use scraps to re-pat into more circles.  (Should make 11-12 English muffins)

Preheat oven to 300º.

Heat griddle to medium high.  Brush muffins with melted salted butter on both sides.  Grill muffins until light brown.  (3 minutes per side)

Slide muffins onto cookie sheet.  Bake 300º for 8-10 minutes.  Use fork to poke around the edge of the muffin, toast, butter and eat with your favorite toppings.

© Crackerberries 2014

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¾ cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Heat oven to 400º

 
Spray bottoms of 12 muffin tins or line with paper baking cups.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Gently stir in blueberries.  Combine milk, egg and vegetable oil and add to dry ingredients stirring just to moisten.  Divide amongst muffin cups.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (optional).  Bake 400º 18-22 minutes.  Cool 1 minute before removing from pan.

 

© Crackerberries 2014

Easy Mac & Cheese

Easy Mac + Cheese

 

2¼ cups elbows macaroni, cooked and drained

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1½ cup skim milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1½ cups stuffing mix

Salt and pepper to taste

4-5 slices smoked ham, chopped

 

After the elbows are drained, add soups and milk to pot with elbows.  Stir to mix well.  Add ham, salt and pepper and mix well.  Pour into lightly greased baking dish.  Combine stuffing mix and shredded cheese together and spread over top.  Bake at 375º for 35-40 minutes until bubbly on top.  Let stand ten minutes before serving.

 

 

© Crackerberries 2014

Swedish Spiced Pecans

Swedish Spiced Pecans

 Great idea for Easter baskets other than candy.

12 oz. pecan halves
3 tbsp. salted butter...
1 egg white
½ cup white sugar
1 tsp. ground cardamom
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Slice butter into six small pieces and spread across baking sheet. Put in oven and preheat to 350º.

Beat egg white and sugar until thick and white and glossy (about six minutes with an electric mixer or two minutes with a Magic Bullet). Sprinkle in cardamom and cayenne pepper. Whip for a few seconds and then add pecans.

Tilt pan to coat completely with butter. Spread pecans across baking sheet. Bake at 350º, stirring every ten minutes for a total of 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Store in fridge for 1 month.

 

© Crackerberries 2014