Amy's Recipe of the Day

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Location: Texas, United States

Monday, April 20, 2009

Sausage Posole


Adapted from Hillshire Farms website.
We used Healthy Ones kielbasa instead of Lit'l Smokies in order to reduce fat content.

2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans chicken broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (1-lb.) pkg. Hillshire Farm® Lit'l Smokies®
1 (15 1/2-oz.) can golden hominy, rinsed, drained
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed, drained
1 (14 1/2-oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup loose-pack frozen diced hash brown potatoes (I used shredded because I already had some in the freezer)
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
1/3 cup green pepper, chopped
3 green onions with tops, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano

Directions:

Combine chicken broth, Lit’l Smokies, hominy, black beans, stewed tomatoes, potatoes, wine, green pepper, green onions, garlic, chili powder, and oregano in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

Mexican Layered Salad


Adapted from Taste of Home

4 cups torn romaine
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved and sliced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and chopped, tossed with lime juice
3 green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup canned chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a 2-qt. trifle bowl or glass serving bowl, layer the first seven ingredients. Combine the mayonnaise, chilies and seasonings; spread over the top. Sprinkle with chips and cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings.

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Saturday, April 18, 2009

Spinach Pastrami Wraps

From Taste of Home. I forgot to take a picture. It looks like a wrap.

4 flour tortillas (10 inches), room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup sliced Greek olives
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli pastrami
1-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions:
Spread tortillas with cream cheese; sprinkle with cheddar cheese, onion and olives. Top with pastrami and spinach. Roll up tightly; secure with toothpicks. Yield: 4 servings.

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Friday, April 17, 2009

Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad


From Cooking Light. I forgot to buy banana peppers, and it was still very good.

6 ounces uncooked acini di pepe pasta (about 1 cup)
2 1/4 cups diced plum tomato (about 14 ounces)
1/3 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup sliced pickled banana peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 (16-ounce) can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 ounce salami, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

2. Combine tomato and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta to tomato mixture, tossing well to combine.

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Friday, April 10, 2009

It's The Easter Porcupine!


I tried to make bunny cake balls. They failed miserably. As I was attempting to make egg-shaped cake balls with almonds, serendipity occurred. I discovered the Easter Porcupine!

As always, the cake ball/cake pop idea comes from www.bakerella.com (check out her site--we love her!):

1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe golden cake mix
3 eggs (in cake mix directions)
1 stick butter (in cake mix directions)
3/4 cup water (in cake mix directions)
1/2 can cream cheese frosting
1 1/2 boxes Baker's white chocolate baking bars (8 oz)
1-2 Tbsp shortening
mini m & m's
sliced almonds

Mix cake mix with eggs, butter, and water according to package directions. If you use a different brand, follow the directions on that box. Spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray (you won't need to grease and flour it because you'll be ripping the cake out of the pan).

Bake cake until done. Use directions on box. When you take it out of the oven, slice off any dark parts of the cake and any harder parts around the edges. Eat them all. (hee hee) You can wait until the cake is cool, but I like eating the hot edges. Then scoop the rest of the cake into a mixing bowl and mix until it's in tiny crumbs. Then mix in 1/2 can cream cheese icing.

Form into 1-inch balls and refrigerate on parchment or nonstick foil until cold enough to dip into chocolate.

Take three squares chocolate and melt with a little shortening. Dip balls one by one into shortening. You'll get through about a third of the balls. Then (quickly before chocolate dries) arrange almonds standing up on back and add 2 mini m&m eyes. Repeat with the next three squares. Then, count the rest and use one or two more squares for the rest, unless you got more than 2 dozen cake balls, in which case you'll use more. (The number of cake balls depends on the amount of cake you must cut off that is dark. I get 24 with a yellow cake, but many more with a chocolate cake).

Refrigerate until firm and eat. Yum.
Storing in fridge will give best results.

Hmmm--maybe it's more of a hedgehog.

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Saturday, April 04, 2009

PB&B Cloud Cookies


From Rachael Ray's Silvana Nardone

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temp
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
3 Tbsp mashed ripe banana
1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped (I used chopped nut ice cream topping)

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookies sheets with parchment. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with 1/8 tsp salt at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gradually mix in 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar and beat until thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. Fold in the peanut butter until just blended.

Using a 1-inch ice cream scoop (or like me, just using your fingers), place 16 mounds of the cookie mixture evenly on each prepared cookie sheet. Bake, switching and rotating sheets halfway, until golden, 20-25 minutes. Let cook slightly on the sheets, then, using a metal spatula, transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar and 1/8 tsp salt on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the banana and lemon juice.

Spread banana frosting on the cooled cookies and sprinkle the peanuts on top.

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Thursday, April 02, 2009

Salsa Mexicana De Maiz Y Frijoles Negros


1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 can chopped green chilies
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
Baked Tostitos Scoops (or your favorite chips) if you plan to use as an appetizer

In a medium bowl, combine beans, corn, chilies, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic salt, and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate 1-12 hours. Serve cold on fish, tacos, or tortilla chips.

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