Chicken Chilaquiles

I got this recipe from Chef Maricela Valladolid. It's part of her week of Mexican meals for only $25. Eventually I'll post the rest of the recipes, but this was a favorite of ours from the collection!

CHICKEN CHILAQUILES

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 corn tortillas
• vegetable oil for frying
• salt
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup cooked shredded white chicken, boneless & skinless
• Guajillo Salsa (directions below)
• Mexican Crema (directions below)

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Heat oil in large sauce pan until hot. While heating, stack tortillas and cut stack into 8 triangles (like a pizza). Working in batches, fry tortilla triangles until crisp and golden in color, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from oil and drain excess oil in paper towel. Season to taste with salt.
2. Bring the now tortilla chips to pan with warmed salsa making sure all chips are full incorporated with salsa. Add cheese and let melt. Stir in shredded chicken. Drizzle with Mexican Crema and serve.

(Note: I also served this dish with shredded fresh lettuce which added a nice refreshing element)

GUAJILLO SALSA

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 whole tomatoes, cored
• 4 cloves of garlic, with peel
• 1 onion quartered and peeled
• 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes (reserve 1/3 cup liquid) (NOTE: My grocery store didn't carry dried guajillo chiles so I used chipotle chiles instead. I also used only 2 chiles in my sauce and it was plenty spicy!!!)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat large saucepan over high heat. Add whole tomatoes, garlic with peel, and onion quarters to dry skillet (no oil). Cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally until vegetables have browned in spots. Transfer vegetables to blender along with soaked chiles and reserved 1/3 cup liquid. Season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth.

MEXICAN CREMA:

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth
2. Set out at room temperature for 3 hours. Afterwards refrigerate. Crema will remain good until expiration date on sour cream jar.

Creamy White Chicken Chilli

This is a number one family favorite at my house!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast cute into 1/2'' cubes.
• 1 medium onion
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2- 15 1/2 ounce cans Great Northern Beans (rinsed)
• 1- 14 1/2 ounce can chicken broth
• 2- 4 oz. cans green chiles
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I always leave this out as the green chiles make it spicy enough for us)
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 1/2 cup half and half

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS: 

1. In large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Add beans, broth, chiles and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and half and half.
5. Serve immediately topped with cheddar cheese and chips for dipping.

Enjoy!!

Balsamic Chicken

I make chicken breast a lot in our home, so whenever I can find a way to "jazz it up" a little, I try it out! This Balsamic Chicken has become a fast favorite and I usually serve it with flavored rice.


Ingredients: 
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, garlic and Italian seasoning in a bowl, place the chicken breasts in the marinade and marinate for 10 minutes on each side (or longer if desired)
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Place the chicken in the heated pan and cook until they start to brown. and are no longer pink inside (about 7 minutes per side). Pour the marinade into the skillet *** and cook until it thickens slightly, turning the breasts once or twice, about 5 minutes.

*** Because I'm a total germ-o-phobe when it comes to raw meats, I typically make double the amount of marinade, setting one aside for this point. To clarify, I would marinade the chicken in one "batch" then toss that batch and then pour the fresh marinade in the pan to ensure that raw juices aren't touching my cooked meat. The original recipe does not call for that, again, I'm just a germ-o-phobe.

Green Beans with Shallot Butter

These are another holiday favorite in my home. They are very flavorful and are sure to get even the kids in your house to eat their greens :) 


Ingredients: 

3 lbs green beans
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup thinly sliced shallots (we've used green onions when we couldn't find shallots and they work great as well)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:


In a small skillet, melt 1/4 cup of the butter with olive oil over medium heat.
Add shallots and cook for 7-9 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender.
Stir in remaining butter, salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Cook green beans uncovered in a large pot of boiling water 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Drain well and transfer to a serving bowl.
Add shallot butter and parsley and toss to coat.
Garnish with toasted almonds if desired, and serve.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

I made these mashed potatoes for our Christmas dinner this past year with my husband's side of the family. They were a huge hit and I got quite a few compliments! Creamy, flavorful and delicious, these are definitely not boring mashed potatoes!!!


Ingredients: 
5 pounds red potatoes, cut into chunks (leave skins on!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used paste)
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of butter
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot of slightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes, garlic and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm (about 15 minutes). Drain, reserving water. In a separate large bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
Transfer the potato mixture in to your slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Better Butter

My mom has been making this healthier form of butter forever. The best part about this butter is that it's not only healthier than regular butter, but it's also tastier! Believe me, after you make this butter, you'll be having buttered toast and bagels for the better parts of your mealtimes ;) 


Ingredients: 
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons instant non fat dry milk
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Mix together butter, oil and dry milk in a large bowl.
Melt salt in hot water and then add to the other ingredients.
Blend everything together until smooth (little lumps are fine!)
Freeze overnight (or until solid) and then transfer to the fridge.
ENJOY!

The Party Perfect Ham

My beautiful mother in law with the ham I made a couple years ago for Thanksgiving.

This is our staple meat for Christmas and Easter. This ham is delicious and flavorful with a trademark sweetness. It also has a really fun presentation which makes it a colorful addition for your holiday spread.


Ingredients: 

• 1 fully cooked boneless ham, about 10 pounds
• Whole cloves
• 1 can (12 oz.) Ginger Ale (or beer, your choice)
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons dry mustard (I've used wet in a pinch and it works!)
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestshire sauce
• 1 can (1 lb.) pineapples round sliced (drain)
• Candied red maraschino cherries
• Red seedless grapes

Directions: 

1. Place ham on rack in shallow roasting pan. Score ham in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife. Insert a whole clove in the center of each diamond and pour your ginger ale (or beer) over the ham.
2. Roast in oven at 325 degrees or until diamonds begin to open up.
3. Combine brown sugar, mustard, apple juice and Worcestshire sauce in a small saucepan; heat to bubbling.
4. Spoon part of mixture over ham; arrange pineapple slices on top and spoon more glaze over.
5. Roast 30 minutes longer spooning remaining glaze over, or until ham is fully heated.
6. Place ham on serving platter and insert cherries in pineapple slices. Garnish platter with bunches of grapes.

** I like to add another can of pineapple slices to serve alongside the ham because it's really delicious to eat together.