Homemade Guacamole

OK so my ingredient list for homemade guacamole. had no set amounts. I am one that depending on what it is just throws together and mixes! I know I live when my mom tell me the same thing cuz I just look at her and ask well how am I to know if it is enough or not? I can't even watch her with her being in Colorado and me in Germany but here it goes anyway!

Avocados~ amount for us is based on the price!
Tomatoes
Onion
Garlic~minced
Splash of lemon juice
Tabasco sauce

Placed peeled avocado in bowl. I chop up some tomato, depending on how many avocados you use depends on how much tomato.Sometime a whole tomato and sometimes half. Onion is the same. I am not a fan of raw onion so I do 1/4 or half of a half. Garlic is the same. Tabasco sauce to taste. This last time I put in a red chile as well!! It was yummy but as you can see it really is based on what you like and how much. I always mash the avocados before I do anything else because there is nothing else worse then smashed tomato. Make sure you stir well!!Not alot of lemon juice either Lacey, this is meant to keep the avocados from browning, thats all!

Enjoy!!

Fruit Salad

Ok so this isn't Rachelles favorite fruit salad. That one would have homeade whipping cream but this one she loves and will get more of. Its a great healthy after school snack or she will take it to school. She also loves to eat it in the morning before school with alittle yorgurt.

All it is fresh peaches, banannas, diced pineapple & red raspberries. Of course I try and do it all fresh but as the seasons change some is frozen. The pineapple is always Dole so that I can use alittle juice.Then I sprinkle on some fruit-fresh and we are good to go!! One bowl is gone in a couple days.

Another combo that is loved it fresh strawberries, banannas and pineapple!

Enjoy!!

Just for fun

Rachelle with her first cake that she has made almost by herself. well about 98%. I didn't want to risk the chance of eating egg shell and I wasn't really in the mood to clean up egg so I did that part! We did a strawberry cake with cream cheese filling!

Spicy Lime Chicken Pasta

4 oz. thin whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1 red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 oz. fresh snow peas


Directions

1. Break spaghetti in half according to the package directions, omitting any salt or fat.

2. Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, lime peel and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil; heat until hot. Cook chicken 2 or 3 minutes or until no longer pink in center, stirring constantly. Remove chicken.

3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet until hot. Cook bell pepper and
onion 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring constantly. Add spaghetti, chicken and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce mixture; toss until well-blended. Remove from heat.

4. Top with remaining soy sauce mixture.

Enjoy!

OK, so this one you can do a lot with. Next time I make it I am adding bean sprouts and maybe rice instead of noodles. Chris would also like to try this with shrimp or steak and we would also add mushrooms!! You could even throw those crispy noodles out of can to top it off! Love my description when I don't know the name!

Sweet N Sour Chicken

6 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons whit vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups hot cooked white rice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine oil, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, allspice & pepper in a shallow baking dish; mix well.

2. Pierce both sides of chicken breast with fork. Place in baking dish; turn chicken several times using tongs.

3. Bake chicken, basting several times with sauce , for 30 minutes.

4. Spoon rice onto serving platter. Arrange chicken over rice. Drizzle a small amount of sauce over chicken. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Enjoy!

We liked this but without the dried thyme or maybe not as much. I enjoyed that I was able to mix everything in the dish I was cooking the chicken in. This meal was a dish for the rice and a dish for the chicken and if you hate doing dishes the way I do you will love this. I wasn't Sweet N Sour chicken that I am used to but it is easy and good so we will keep it!!

Savory Stuffed Zucchini

5 med. zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 tbsp. butter
1 med. onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Scoop out pulp from 8 zucchini halves; set aside. Arrange zucchini halves on baking sheet. Meanwhile, coarsely chop remaining zucchini and pulp.


Melt spread in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chopped zucchini and onion, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

Add red pepper, garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently. 1 minute; cool slightly. Evenly spoon vegetable mixture into zucchini halves.

Top with Cheese.

Bake 30 minutes or until tender.

Enjoy!

So this was a little much for a family of three. Will be making less but it was good.

Tony Chachere's Seasoning

OK so as i was thinking about what changes I may have made to any of the recipes I thought of one. One that went in the chili, on the fajitas, on the chicken. Pretty much every recipe I have made minus the potato soup (that I know of). This seasoning is the best. Chris has everyone hooked on it. My mom & grandma have some in there kitchen and they like to say that Chris was apart of the meal since he got them hooked on it. Scary huh? I will admit it's the best. I made french fries last night and out some on. Put it on the sloppy Joe's to. Don't use to much though if you have a weak mouth. My daughter claims it is hot and I will admit one morning well Chris was making eggs for us he did get alittle carried away but that's a man for you. We had to ship it to him in Iraq so he could make things yummy! Anyways you can buy this at Wal-Mart and most grocery stores. Even here in Germany!

Tex-Mex Corn Chip Chili

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pd. lean ground beef
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
One 15-ounce can black beans
One 15-ounce can pinto beans
One 15-ounce can tomatoes with green chiles
Salt & Pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
12 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
One bag (about 10 ounces)corn chips,such as fritos


Directions

~In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook 7 minutes. Add the oinon,garlic,chili powder & cumin & cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the beans, with their liquid, and the tomatoes;bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally,until thick, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

~Stir in the cilantro, then top with cheese, cover & let stand until the cheese melts, 5 to minutes. Place a handful of corn chips in each of 4 bowls. Top with chili and serve.

Oh were to start on the changes. First we do not own a dutch oven. I have no clue what one even is and I haven't had the time(lol)well mainly I don't think about it till it's to late to goggle what it is. In that case I cooked the meat like it said. I then mixed all the ingredients it calls for in a big pot added the meat and let it simmer all day on very low. Would of put it in a crock pot but thats a whole other story. I also added a can of chili beans & the topping was left over from the Mexicali Chicken recipe I will put up soon. It made it yummy!

Enjoy!

Chipotle Shrimp Fajitas

1 small red or green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 small sweet or red onion, cut into thin wedges
2 tsp. canola oil
8 oz. shelled, deveined uncooked medium shrimp
1/4 chipotle-flavored salsa
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro,divided
4 (6 inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup purchased guacamole
Lime wedges for garnish

Directions

~Cook bell pepper & onion in oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add shrimp;cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp just turn pink. Add salsa; cook 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro.

~Spoon into warm tortillas; top with guacamole. Serve with lime wedges.

2 serving

OK so first off I did not serve with lime wedges but I am sure you figured that. Second I did not buy guac. that is wrong. I made mine homemade!! We loved this but Chris would love to add strips of steak to this. I married a man who LOVES MEAT! We only used the red peppers as I am coming to love them and never use green anymore.

Enjoy!

Strip Steaks Smothered with Red-Hot Mushrooms

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 to 2 red jalapeno chiles,chopped*
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
4 boneless beef New York strip steaks (about 1 inch thick)
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning


Directions

~Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 2 to 3 min. or until browned at the edges. Add chiles, salt & hot peeper sauce; cook 1 to 2 min. or until chiles begin to soften.

~Heat grill. Sprinkle steaks on both sides with garlic powder & lemon-pepper seasoning.

~ Place steaks on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals; cover grill. Grill 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare or until of desired doneness, turning once.

~Warm mushrooms mixture; spoon over steaks.

Tip * crushed re pepper can be substituted for the chiles. Use 1/2 tsp.
Serves 4

We really wouldn't change this recipe. I loved it and it puts smothered mushrooms to sham. We had to cook our steaks in the oven because the grill is in Colorado but they still tasted fine. You really didn't expect me to go without steaks for 3 years did you? I just left the steak part to Chris.

Enjoy!!!

Beer -Battered Zucchini

1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 btl. (7oz) beer
1 egg
2 zucchini, 12 oz
2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. ground cumin
Oil
1/2 cup ranch or honey-mustard salad dressing
Chopped fresh parsley & lemon wedges, optional

Directions


~Combine flour, baking powder, & 1/4 tsp. salt; whisk beer & egg until smooth. Let batter stand 15 minutes.
Meanwhile quarter zucchini lengthwise;cut into 4"-long pieces. Toss zucchini with Old Bay & cumin.

~In a large skillet, heat 1" of oil over medium-high heat to 350 F on deep frying thermometer. Add zucchini to batter; toss to coat. Remove, letting excess batter drip off.

~Fry zucchini in batches, turning once, until golden, 2 min. per side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. If desired, sprinkle with parsley & serve with dressing & lemon.


~Our changes we will make next time...We wont need as much oil. There was way to much to toss so we filtered it & will use it next time. We will cut the zucchini thinner & were thinking of doing it in circles. They were alittle to thick so I think thinner would make them taste better. Also we did not use the lemon or parsley or sprinkle the remaining salt. If you know me you know my issues with salt.

Please Enjoy!

Potato & Ham Steak Soup

Ingredients

3 medium potatoes peeled, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 Cook's Bone-in-Ham steak (about 1 lb.) finely chopped


Directions

1. Combine potatoes, celery, onion & broth in large saucepan. Bring to biol over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Add ham; cook an additional 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

3. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook & stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk. Cook 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Season with black pepper. Add to soup;mix well.

Chris and I double the recipe because one bowl is never enough and we always want some the next day. We have added bacon to ours and Chris went as far as adding the bacon grease to the soup well the veggies cooked. He LOVES this soup so I let him do what he wants to it. I also top it with cheese. Here they don't have Cook's ham but we did find some ham already cooked and chopped up with the lunch meant and it was yummy!!!We also don't use whole milk because we only have skim milk on hand! If I know I am going to make this and I'm at the market I'll buy whole but otherwise any milk will work just fine.

Enjoy!!