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

Sriracha Chicken Sandwich

Open-Face

Sriracha Chicken Sandwich

13 oz chicken breast

¼ cup Italian dressing

1 garlic + herb roll, cut in half length-wise

2 slices cheddar cheese

¼ onion, sliced

1 Chile pepper, sliced

1 tbsp sriracha rooster sauce

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tbsp fig BBQ sauce

Pound chicken to ¼ inch thickness and place in zip lock bag with Italian dressing.  Let stand in fridge for four-six hours. Discard dressing.  Place chicken on hot grill and cook 4-5 minutes per side.  Cut into bite size pieces.

Grill or toast roll. 

Combine sour cream, sriracha sauce, and BBQ sauce and mix well.  Spread over grilled roll.  Lay chicken over sauce and top with sliced onions.  Cover with cheese and sprinkle with Chile pepper.  Place under broiler 1-2 minutes until cheese starts to bubble.

Serve with favorite side dish.

© Crackerberries 2013

Open Face Turkey Burger

Open Face Turkey Burgers with Dilly Garlic Sauce

13 oz ground turkey

¼ cup cracker crumbs

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp thyme

¼ tsp marjoram

¼ tsp black pepper

1 tbsp Srirache sauce (Hot Rooster Sauce)

Combine all ingredients and shape into 4 patties.  Place in fridge for 2-3 hours before cooking.  Cook on griddle over medium heat 4-5 minutes per side.

Build over grilled garlic rolls, lettuce, tomato and top with dilly garlic sauce.

Sauce:

4 Tbsp fat-free sour cream

1 tsp minced garlic (I used jar garlic for the juice)

1 tsp fresh snipped dill

Stir ingredients together and let stand in fridge for 2-3 hours to incorporate flavors.

© Crackerberries 2013

Brown Rice Muffins

Brown Rice Muffins

Brown rice is supposed to be good for you, but if it’s plain it’s just so… blah!  There seems to always be a ton of leftover rice.  What to do with it?  Make muffins.  These are not a sweet muffin, so are a great addition to a bowl of soup or chowder.  They taste good plain or you could add jam or butter, depending on your sweet tooth.

1 cup skim milk

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 tsp maple flavoring

2 eggs

1½ cup cooked brown rice

2 cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup brown sugar

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup chopped pecans

 Heat oven to 400°

Spray bottoms of 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine milk, oil, maple flavoring and eggs in medium bowl and mix well.  Stir in rice.  Add flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy).  Fold in pecans. 

Divide evenly amongst muffin tins.  Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown.  Immediately remove from pans. 

© Crackerberries 2013

Cajun Pork Stew

Cajun Pork Stew

9 oz pork tenderloin, cut into bite size pieces

¼ cup flour

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (garlic & herb)

½ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp Creole seasoning

1 tbsp canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced *

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 can chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies

¾ cup frozen corn

2 cups kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

½ tsp rosemary leaves, crushed

Kosher salt

Combine flour, seasonings and peppers in zip lock bag.  Add pork and shake to coat well.

Heat oil in Dutch oven; add pork, garlic, onions and celery.  Cook until pork is golden brown and vegetables are tender.

Carefully pour in chicken broth.  Add potatoes and rosemary; bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Add corn, beans and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and simmer 30 minutes longer.  If desired thickness is not achieved, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water and add to stew during the last ten minutes of cooking.

Serve with dollop of sour cream.

• I do not have a garlic press however I do have a meat mallet.  I put the garlic in a zip lock bag and use the meat mallet a couple of whams and voila … minced garlic.  Also if you are using a lot of garlic cloves, peeling is tedious.  Add the garlic cloves to boiling water for 30 seconds, drain, let cool and skins slip right off.

© Crackerberries 2013

Soup

BBC Soup

(Beef, Barley & Cabbage)

5 oz beef sirloin

½ cup barley

8 cups cabbage, shredded

5 cups beef broth

2 carrots, peeled and finely sliced

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 can diced tomatoes w/green chilies

4 tbsp cooking sherry

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper

Sear the beef over medium-high heat in cast iron skillet on both sides to brown.  Turn off heat and let stand ten minutes before cutting into small bite size pieces.  In large Dutch oven, combine all remaining ingredients except barley and beef.  Bring to a boil and cook five minutes.  Reduce heat, add barley and beef and simmer covered for 1½ hours.  (This could also be transferred to a crock pot and cook on low for three hours.)

Serve with black olive and garlic focaccio.

© Crackerberries 2013

Eggplant Lasagna

Eggplant-Spinach Lasagna

1¼ lb eggplant, thinly sliced

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups baby spinach

1½ cups shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

1½ cups low fat cottage cheese

3 slices Colby jack cheese

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

1 pint stewed tomatoes

1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cook ground beef in skillet until brown.  Drain off grease and add onions, garlic and celery and cook for about 5 minutes.

Combine cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, spinach and 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese in medium bowl and mix well.

Spray 9x9 baking dish with cooking oil.  Layer one third of eggplant in bottom of dish.  Spread half of the meat mixture over top and then half of the cottage cheese mixture, repeat layers ending with eggplant.  Lay slices of Colby Jack strategically over eggplant and pour stewed tomatoes over the top.  Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and cover.  Cook 375° for 45 minutes.  Remove cover and cook an additional 15 minutes.  Let cool at least ten minutes before serving.

© Crackerberries 2013