Yellow Cupcakes w/Sour Cream

I found this lovely little recipe on JoyofBaking.com. And it is very tasty. I love this one because not only is it tasty, but it doesn't require cake flour, just your plain old all purpose flour. I was a little surprised that you put sour cream in the mix... but I promise they are delicious!

Serving Size: Makes about 12 cupcakes or around 30 mini cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (cut into pieces)

1 large egg, room temperature

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream or whole plain yogurt, room temperature

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 
• Add the butter, egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sour cream. 
• Beat the wet and dry ingredients together at medium speed until the batter is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. If necessary, stir the batter with a rubber spatula until the flour is fully incorporated. 
• Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until pale gold and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
•  Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. 

These go great with this frosting

 Enjoy!

Simply Delicious Salsa

This recipe comes from my two younger brothers, it is very simple and very delicious, and only takes about 15 minutes to make.

Please Note: The measurements in this recipe are not exact because I am a guesstimator when it comes to cooking. So please tweak quantities according to your personal taste.

Main Ingredients:

1/2 jar of Herdez Salsa Verde (other brands may be used as well, but this is my fav so far)
5-7 Roma tomatoes (depending on size)
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 bunch of cilantro
1-2 tsp of chicken bouillon

My Tweaks: (Salsa will be delicious without, but consider these ingredients if you have them in your fridge)

1-2 TB of red onion (other onions work as well, but again, this is my favorite)
Couple slices of Red/green peppers (this will make the recipe more spicy, so be careful)
dash of tabasco sauce if you like it spicier

Directions: 
Quarter or half the Romas, cut off the stems of the cilantro and throw all the ingredients into a blender. Blend it up a little, adjust to taste, and enjoy!
 

Chicken Teryaki Fried Rice

I found this one at The Sisters Cafe and it is yummy!

Serves: about 3-4 people

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked brown rice (4-5 cups cooked)

2 Tb olive oil

1 large chicken breast, finely sliced (about 1 lb)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1-2 cups sugar snap peas, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

Cook rice as directed on package. (Of course you can use white rice but the brown tastes delicious and is so much healthier that is what I usually use.) Over med-high heat, stir fry the chicken in 1 Tb olive oil until fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Add the other 1 Tb olive oil and saute green onions and carrots over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in peas, rice and chicken. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and stir to distribute evenly. Cook another few minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.

* other veggies I like are cabbage (2 cups finely sliced), peas, and red pepper. I don't use all of them every time though - it's a little too much for me.

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

From: The Sisters Cafe cooking blog
Servings: Family Size. Halfing the batch is still too much for Brad and I

I don't normally bake bread or rolls because I guess I have been intimidated by anything with yeast. (Don't ask me why, I don't even know.) HOWEVER, I tried these out and they are so simple and yummy that I am getting more and more encouraged to actually try more bread items. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 ½ cup flour
½ tsp salt
Butter for pan

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and let it sit and bubble for a few minutes.
2. Add the salt and flour. Knead for 3 minutes.
3. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
4. Melt 3-4 Tbsp of butter and pour most of it onto a cookie sheet.
5. Roll dough to cover cookie sheet. Cut to desired width, then twist or lay flat on cookie sheet.
6. Brush remainder of butter on breadsticks and sprinkle with garlic salt, parmesan cheese, and parsley (or whatever seasonings you like).
7. Raise for 10-20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375
8. bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.

You can roll them out to fit a cookie sheet and they will be pufffy and soft. If you prefer a thinner, crunchy breadstick roll them out to fit a cookie sheet and a jelly roll pan. Either way they are great!

Chicken Enchiladas - White Sauce

From: Better Homes and Gardens "New Cookbook"
Servings: 3 servings

Ingredients:
1/8 cup chopped onion
1 Tb butter
1/2 4 oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
1 1/2 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 Tb milk
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
6 7 inch tortillas
1/2 10 oz can of cream of chicken OR mushroom soup
4 oz light sour cream
1/2 cup milk
As much Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese as you like (recipe calls for 3/4 cup)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F

1. In medium skillet cook the onion in hot butter (I used olive oil instead) over medium heat until onion is tender. Remove from heat and add 1/2 TB of green chile peppers. Save for later
2. In medium bowl stir together cream cheese, 1/2 TB of milk, and cumin. Add in onion and chicken. Stir until combined. Save for later.
3. For the sauce: In medium bowl combine the rest of the chile peppers, the soup, sour cream and the 1/2 cup of milk.
4. It is easiest to roll the enchiladas in the rectangular baking dish.  
        -To start dip both sides of the tortilla lightly in the sauce, then place in baking dish. 
        -Next spoon about 3 TB of chicken mixture onto the end of the tortilla
        -Roll the tortilla and place seam side down at one end of the baking dish
        -Repeat until dish is full.
5. Pour the rest of the sauce evenly over the enchiladas
6. Cover dish with tinfoil and cook for 35 minutes 
7. Remove dish from oven, sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 5 more minutes, so the cheese can melt. 

I like to serve these with salsa, freshly shredded lettuce, and some more sour cream.


BON APPETIT!

Simple Pork Chop Marinade

Serves 2-3
Found at: http://www.porkchoprecipes.net/grilled-pork-chops.html

Ingredients:
4 pork chops
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 teaspoon garlic

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to coat, cover, and marinate overnight. Grill up the next day and serve with whatever sides you wish to have.

Chicken Chow Mein

I got this recipe from my wonderful mother-in-law and it's oh so delicious and can be made in about 30 minutes.I like it with just chow mein noodles, but it goes well with rice too.

Serving size: 2-3 people

Chicken Chow Mein
1 C. onion, diced
1 C. bean sprouts, around 1# Pkg
1-2 TBSP olive oil
1-2 C. celery, chopped/sliced thin on an angle
1/2 C.+ carrots, broccoli, mushrooms chopped optional (add any veggies you like)
1 C. water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C.+ chopped chicken or turkey

Sauce:
2 Tbsp corn starch
4 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp cold water
2 Tbsp soy sauce

You can cook all of this in one large non-stick fry pan or wok pan.
Saute chicken in 1/2 cube margarine until cooked. Remove to be added
later.
Saute onion and rinsed bean sprouts in the rest of the margarine until
browned/translucent.
Add celery and other vegies to onion mix, add water and salt.
Add chicken back on top. Cover and bring to a simmer.  Simmer 2 minutes.
Make sauce mix during the simmer time. Mix in order of list, one at a
time.
For thinner sauce, cute the sauce recipe in half.
Stir in sauce mix to thicken. Heat until the sauce is gravy-like.
Serve over rice or hard chinese noodles or ramen type noodles.