Sunday Supper--Enchiladas--beans---brown paper bag apple pie

Although the first day of spring has already came and went someone did not tell mother nature, because we just got hit with another snow storm, which makes three in the last month.  On the behalf of our confusing weather forecast I decided to give a wink and a nudge to the last of the winter weather hopefully and make one more winter recipe.  On the menu today is my out of this world enchiladas, along with some pinto beans that's been brewing on my stove for about 4 hours.  To accompany the dinner is an old fashion brown paper bag apple pie, soon to be one of my families favorites.  Served right along side of this amazing pie is, homemade vanilla bean ice cream and homemade caramel...Sit back and enjoy some of my favorite recipes that could be some of yours with the turn of a knob on the stove.

Prep time: 20 minutes  Cooking time: 10 minutes    Level of difficulty  Easy Breezy   Servings: 6

Enchiladas

What you will need:


1 pound of ground turkey, or beef, or chicken if your opposed to turkey

1/2 red onion diced

Large bag of shredded cheese

1 package of 24 corn tortillas, or flour tortillas

2 9x13 pans sprayed with canola oil

2 Tablespoons of cumin

2 Tablespoons of chili powder

2 tablespoons of garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Sauté your meat with your spices until browned.

Place your cooked meat into a  heated corn tortilla along with some chopped red onion, and cheese, then roll up.

Pour your favorite enchilada sauce over the top of your rolled up enchiladas, also put any meat that was left over on top of your enchiladas, then put a generous amount of cheeses all  over your the top and baked covered with foil @ 375 for 25 to 30 minutes.  * For the enchilada sauce I used Green Verde sauce instead of the traditional red sauce.  These enchiladas are simple but have a powerful punch of flavor.  I served mine along side of pinto beans, and homemade salsa, jalapenos, slivered green onion, extra cheese for the beans, and avocado dip! Delicious, they are always a big hit in our house.

Prep time: 10 minutes  Cooking time: 1 hour   Level of difficulty: Easy Breezy  Servings 8

Brown paper bag apple pie

What you will need:

 Pie plate

 cookie sheet

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

1 large brown paper bag

8  tart apples ( Green apples are great)

1/2 cup white sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla you can use powder, or paste which ever you prefer

your favorite recipe for a pie crust., or a store bought one

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup of butter (5 1/3 Tablespoons butter)

This is the finish product....Now let's get started....


Cut and Core your apples into slices like this...

Put your cut apples into a large bowl.  Add your nutmeg, cinnamon, 3 tablespoons of flour, brown sugar,  lemon juice, and vanilla. Place your seasoned apples into your pie crust.



 


Let's make the crumble topping...Mix together your 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup of cold butter. Cut into with a pastry cutter or two forks until you have a mixture that looks like crumbles the size of peas. Like below...:)

Put the crumble on top of your apples...

Now here comes the fun part...Get your large brown paper bag place it onto a cookie sheet slip your pie inside.

Fold once then staple together with three staples. Like so :)

 











Bake @ 400 for 1 hour...*** You will smell the paper bag.  BUT it will not burn and the pie will not taste like the bag.  IT WILL BE THE BEST APPLE PIE YOU'VE EVER ATE!!!!! please try this recipe and see if your taste buds don't scream....I served mine with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce...Picture at the bottom of this page...

Easy  Salted Carmel Sauce:

What you will need:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Medium sauce pan

Simmer sugar and water in a saucepan over medium high heat swirling the pan do not stir, until dark amber, about 12 minutes.  Off the heat, whisk in 1 cup of cream, vanilla, and sea salt.  Let cool, serve over ice cream , with apples, or bananas.

Here is a piece of brown paper bag apple pie with homemade ice cream and caramel sauce.  This is what my family had for  desert for Sunday supper :)

Psalm 19:14, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight..."

Marinated Wild Alaskan Salmon with Quinoa & Brown Rice

This is my first blog for a 20 minute meal.  First I'll let you in on a little secret, sometimes I buy my Salmon at Costco's which has been flash frozen.  The brand I use is Morey's, there are 6  individually wrap fillets marinated. They are amazing!!!

What you will need:

Salmon...or,  fresh salmon from your fish monger will work also, use your own marinade.

Quinoa & Brown Rice...I also but this at Costco's 6 to a box for about $8.00

1/2 Red pepper chopped

1/2 Red onion chopped

1 medium zucchini or 2 small ones chopped

A handful of fresh spinach

1 clove of garlic grated on a micro plane or chopped very finely

Chop all of your vegetables the same size for even cooking

2 Tablespoons of Earth  Balance roasted garlic& herbs....an organic culinary spread....An alternative to butter or oil


For thawed Salmon bake @ 375 F. for 15 to 18 minutes
For frozen Salmon  bake @ 375 F. for 28 to 32 minutes....


* I like the way the Salmon turns out better if it's thawed for at least an hour before cooking.


While your salmon is cooking grab a saucepan and begin to sauté your chopped onions, peppers, a handful of spinach and your zucchini in the earth balance, for about 5 minutes on medium then add your chopped garlic, sauté another minute...While your garlic is sautéing, pop your package of Quinoa in microwave for one and a half minutes.  When the Quinoa is done add it to the sauté vegetables...

Well it's been about 17 minutes pull your Salmon out of the oven...Place everything on a nice plate and serve.....

Bonus Recipe :

If your on the ball and think ahead when your at the grocery store you might have a angel food cake already made...I get mine at whole foods for nights I want a quick dinner and desert in less than 20 minutes...

What you will need:

Store bought Angel Food Cake

16 ounce of Organic Strawberries

1 cup blueberries

the zest of a small orange and the juice

heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional

Store bought whip cream, can, tub...whatever you like or homemade, to make homemade whip 1 cup of  heavy cream with 2 Tablespoons of sugar and 1 tsp. of almond extract...until stiff peaks.. * I bought a stainless steal canisters like the one Starbucks uses so I can make my own whip cream and enjoy manipulating the flavors and different sweetening methods. You can find the canister at William Sonoma, or online.

Place all your fruit in a bowl...add orange zest first then squeeze your orange over the top of fruit.

Cut your angel food cake...place your yummy fruit over the top and some whip cream and call it a night...

*This whole meal should only take 20 minutes....You can be cutting up your fruit while your vegetables are sautéing...

Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Breakfast for Dinner....Eggs in a Nest

Eggs in a Nest


What you will need :

2 slices of bread

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons of butter

1 medium biscuit cutter

saute pan

salt & pepper

Toppings Optional:

Tabasco sauce

cheese of any sort

jelly

powdered sugar for the donut hole


My mom use to make me eggs in a nest for breakfast when I was a little girl and I use to make them for my little girls...Tonight I was reminded how much I enjoy not only the eggs in a nest, but all the memories that flooded my mind as I was preparing them this evening...If you've never experienced this delightful culinary experience you must give the recipe a try...

Let's re-create a memory:

First get two pieces of the bread of your choice ( I like Sara Lee 45 calorie bread) But any grainy bread would be amazing... Butter one side, then cut the center of the bread out with your biscuit cutter and butter your donut hole, make a beautiful bulls eye...

When your done creating it should look something like the picture below...

Now place your buttered bread side down in your saute pan and allow it to get a slight tan on medium.  This takes a couple of minutes. hen crack your egg inside the hole...allow to cook...

After a couple of minutes flip your egg over and cook to your likeness... (I like my eggs hard) don't forget about your donut hole... flip it as well

It's looking marvelous...Meanwhile cut up some fruit to serve along side of your memory...Serve while hot...I served mine with a sliced apple and a strawberry activia yogurt.. I hope you enjoy a moment of my childhood through a culinary experience..

Psalm 77:11-12, " I remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember the wonders of old." I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds."

Black Bean Garlic Chicken Chili Pepper Burrito

Black Bean Garlic Chicken Chili Pepper Burrito

What you will need:  Feeds 4 comfortably

2 boneless skinless chicken breast

Garlic chili pepper sauce  (found on the Asia isle)

4 Tablespoons Earth balance roasted garlic herb culinary spread plus some for our tortillas. (an awesome alternative to butter)

1 Tablespoon of Cumin

Pinch of salt & pepper

Shredded Cheese of your choice ( I like to switch it up some and use Parmesan cheese)

1 can of black re-fried beans

1 Package of wheat tortillas for an added nutty flavor, or plain tortillas

Topping: Pico de Gallo

1 tomato diced

1/2 of red onion diced...I didn't have a red onion so I used yellow it worked)

handful of cilantro

pinch of salt & pepper

3 dashes of your garlic chili pepper sauce... ( I substituted this instead of using a jalapeno) Amazing!!!

1 squeeze of lime

Let's make some Burritos

Cut your chicken into strips, pour as little or as much garlic chili pepper sauce as you can handle on top of your chicken strips. Place in a hot cast iron skillet (med high) along with your earth balance spread cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side.  You can use whatever skillet you have on hand. I inherited my mom's cast iron which she inherited from my grandma, so I try to use it often in memory of these two awesome women who played such a vital role in my life. If I close my eyes sometimes I can still smell the suppers lingering fragrance bellowing up from the cast iron as to beckon me to days of long ago. It's funny how a simple smell can bring a simple smile that's shared among your table.

While your chicken is becoming a work of art--- open your can of re-fried black beans put in a pot, any old pot will do and throw in a few dashes of your garlic chili pepper sauce for added flavor and balance, add salt and pepper along with a handful of cheese.  Allow the flavors to come alive and introduce themselves to the beans.  When everybody is mingling well together turn the beans off put the lid on so they can relax and enjoy their home made sauna.

After your chicken is cooked put another tablespoon of earth balance and another dash or two of your garlic chili sauce cover and allow some time for all the ingredients to become apart of this experience.


Now is a perfect time to make your Pico de Gallo

Dice up your tomato and onion

chop your cilantro

squeeze in your lime

throw in a pinch of salt and pepper

use a couple of dashes of your garlic chili sauce...

stir well...

Now that everything is done this is the perfect time to heat up your tortillas...Instead of using oil or butter to heat them up I spread a little of the earth balance herb spread onto each one--- then heat.  It gives the tortilla another layer of  authentic flavor...

Wow!!! Look we are almost at the finish line....Can you smell your masterpiece yet??? My husband said this was the best black bean chicken burrito he has ever had....Make this tonight and tell me what your husband says or what you say?  I would love to hear some feed back if your making any of my recipes...like did you add something or take away something???

The finished product:

Matthew 7:16-17, "You will recognize them by their fruits, are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistle.?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit."  Do you want to know what kind of fruit you are bearing???? Just look around you...

Tikka Masala Curry Chicken Cooked in a Tagine

Tikka Masala Chicken

What you will need :

1 jar of Tikka Masala Curry

3 boneless, skinless, chicken breast

2 Tablespoons Earth Balance roasted garlic and herb (an organic culinary spread) It's a healthy alternative to butter.

2 cups of long grain rice

2 cups of water

2 scallions opt...

Suggested topping:

Scallions cut on a diagonal


First get your tagine out if you don't own a tagine then you can use a dutch oven it won't taste as good but...I'm kidding it will be awesome. Tagine...is a type of dish found in North Africa cuisines of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya.  The way the tagine is designed is similar to a dutch oven the moisture forms on the inside of the cone shape lid then falls back down over your food which makes for a very tender dinner. Typically the tagine was used for a tougher cut of meat. You can also cook some amazing beans in your tagine as well as rice, couscous, and my recipe for No Knead Bread would be amazing created in the tagine...There are many different breeds of tagines on the market today. I chose one by Emile Henry.  I wanted to be able to cook on top of my stove as well as in the oven. They run between 20.00 to hundreds of dollars so do your homework if you plan on purchasing your own tagine...I love mine and so does my family...It creates an awesome presentation.


Place 2 tablespoons of Earth's Balance in your tagine or dutch oven...

Cut your chicken into cubes, saute until golden brown, ( about 4 or 5 minutes)

After your chicken is brown add your jar of Tikka Masala Curry

At this time you can place your tagine in your oven or you can heat the dish up on your stove top. Also, you can either cook your rice separately or add to the tagine and cook per your rice instructions. If you chose to add the rice to your tagine then make sure you calculate that you already have about a cup of liquid.  If your making 2 cups of rice then you need to have 2 cups of liquid...Therefore you would add 2 cups of rice along with one cup of water because your Masala Curry Chicken already has a cup of liquid that your chicken is bathing in. * Only do this if your cooking your rice in the tagine.

I made rice and chipotle butternut squash to go with my Tikka Masala Curry chicken. Be creative make a side dish that you have never had using a vegetable you have never served your family.

Psalm 107:1 , "Oh give thanks to the Lord; for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!"

Red Carpet Cake-----Resource-----An old family church cookbook


What you will need:

1/2 c. oleo ( Which this means butter)

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 oz. red food coloring

2 tsp. cocoa powder

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 T. vinegar

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 round cake pans sprayed with shortening and floured or covered in parchment paper. You can also make this cake as a sheet cake.

Before you begin making the cake recipe you need to cook a paste, using 1.c. of milk and  5 T. flour for the icing recipe. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly.  I had to start over twice because I did not stir constantly until it thickened.  Let sit until it reaches room temperature.

* Important * Put all ingredients exactly as listed above in cake recipe adding the soda last. First Cream butter and sugar well.  Like this...

Make paste of cocoa, vanilla, and coloring just like below.

  

Add your paste of cocoa, vanilla, and coloring to your sugar and butter. Next add 2 eggs, flour, buttermilk, and vinegar.  Add soda last. Mix well...Pour into your prepared cake pans or sheet pan... 

 Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 Now for the unusual icing....

What you will need...

2 sticks of butter

1 c. sugar

Your flour/milk mixture which has reached room temperature by now...

In a mixer fitted with the paddle... mix the sugar and butter together well.

Now add your cooled milk mixture beat until smooth....If it looks like its curdled, then that means you need to keep beating until it looks like whip cream... Spread onto your cooled cakes. Get a glass of milk and Enjoy... Go ahead share some with a neighbor you know you don't need to eat that whole cake...Lol  Red Carpet Cake at it's finest...

Psalm 73: 28, " But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."  

The Basic No Knead Bread Recipe

No- Knead Bread


What you will need:

3 Cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt ( I used Kosher)
1/4 teaspoon instant active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups of cool water ( 55 to 65 degrees F)
flour or cornmeal
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 quart heavy pot with lid

Here we go.....Get out a medium size bowl....Stir together the flour,salt, and yeast.  Add cool water, using a wooden spoon, maybe the one you inherited from your grandmother or mom, now stir your dough for about 30 seconds. The dough should be sticky to your touch, like the picture below. 

Here is the easy part....Place a plate over the bowl or in one of your grandmother's tea towel and allow the dough to take a long winters nap at room temperature ( around 72 degrees F). out of the sun for 12 to 18 hours.  This process is called slow rise-fermentation.  This process is what makes this bread taste so amazing... What a perfect  time for you to go live your life on purpose and do something for someone else while your waiting on your bread to wake up, (or also known as fermenting).

Okay let's say 18 hours have gone by and you have done something amazing for someone else. Generously dust your work surface with flour. Use a rubber spatula or your hands to coach the dough out the bowl, being very cordial, your dough is just waking up.  The dough will be very sticky and bubbly on top, it will also be stringy when it comes out of the bowl, (this is the gluten that has developed). Awesome...

Place a cotton or linen tea towel down, maybe the one you used to cover the dough, generously flour the tea towel or cover with corn meal, gently lift your dough off the counter and place the dough on the floured tea towel seam side down.

Cover the dough place it in a warm and cozy place and let it have some peace and quite to recover from all the excitement about becoming a great loaf of bread. When the dough has regained it's composer it will rise a second time and smile at you, by doubling it's size.  ( I have found my dough likes to nap for about 2 hours during this process).

About 30 minutes before your dough gets up from it's cozy nap preheat your oven to 475 degrees F, place your oven rack on a low level in your oven, place a covered 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 quart heavy pot in the center of the rack to preheat....

Being very careful using your pot holders lift the HOT pot out of the oven.  Unfold your tea towel and gently sweet talk your dough out by using your words and hands if necessary... place dough inside pot with seam side up. Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes. 

After the bread has gotten use to it's environment for the 30 minutes, uncover the pot and allow the dough to recieve a new name and walk away with a tan. It is in this moment the dough has become what God created it to become....BREAD :)

John 6:35, " I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."