Chili Relleno

Our landlord brought over some chili peppers the other day that had grown in her garden are were too much for her to consume prior to their decomposing.  We graciously accepted and then TJ requested I make Chili Relleno's.  Since I am in no way of Spanish/Mexican descent, I proceeded to make what I thought to be Chili Relleno's, but apparently were simply peppers stuffed with shredded chicken and topped with cheese.  TJ was pretty frustrated at that point and was devastated that he didn't get his authentic Chili Relleno's; he does ask for very little :) 

In an attempt to please my very dissatisfied husband, I found an "authentic" recipe on Pinterest and was told by TJ that while they were unlike any Chili Relleno he has ever had (I think they are authentic, but from a different region of Mexico than he is used to), but were so delicious and he liked them better than any other chili Relleno he has ever had. 

So...while this recipe is back breakingly involved...the result is an explosion on the taste buds.  It is creamy, spicy, gooey, and all around delicious.  Well worth all the work!!!  I also used all the left-over sauce to make enchilada's the next night.  The sauce is out of this world!!!

broth:

1 garlic clove
1 white onion, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 fresh tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
3 cups water
1/2 onion, cut into wedges

chili:

8 poblano peppers, peeled, seeded and slit

1 lbmozzarella cheese
1 cup queso fresco, for garnish (optional)
vegetable oil (for frying)
toothpick

batter:

6 large eggs, separated (cold)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour (for dredging)

Blend garlic, tomatoes, cumin, chopped onion, chicken bouillon, tomato sauce, and water until it’s all into liquid form. Make sure there are no chunks of anything. Set aside.

Chili:

You need to get the skin off the chili.  The best way to do this is to blister them on griddle, or in the oven. You can also deep the fry in hot oil for about 1 min remove, let cool and peel.  When both sides are fairly evenly blistered/charred, remove them and place in a sealed plastic bag to steam and peel after about ten minutes.

 

Stuff chilies with cheese and hold together with toothpicks. One tooth pick per chili is fine. Set aside.

Batter:

With a high speed mixer beat egg whites to stiff foamy peaks are formed and in a separate bowl combine the egg yolks with one tablespoon flour and salt and mix well. Then bled the yolks into egg whites and beat until you have a thick paste and it’s well incorporated.

Dust chiles in the flour and dip quickly into batter and when completely covered lay in hot oil. Baste tops with hot oil and fry on each side until golden brown.

Place the chiles in a deep wide sauce pan/pot. Once all chiles have been fried and arranged in the pot add the onion wedges and sprinkle extra cheese on top Mozzarella or queso fresco.

Finally pour the sauce over the chiles and cover till it boils. When the chiles and sauce start to boil reduce the heat and simmer for an extra 10-15 minutes.

Red Coconut Curry

This is such a simple meal and tastes just as good, if not better than any Thai food restaurant I have ever eaten at.  The original recipe called for rice noodles, but after TJ and I ate it, we both decided that rice would be better.  It definitely needed something to soak up all the flavorful juices! 

1 Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips

A handful of baby carrots, cut into thin strips

1 jar Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste

1 can lite coconut milk

1 can bamboo shoots

1 cup chicken broth

Rice – I like short grain sticky rice, but use whatever you have on hand

Cilantro

Soy sauce, to taste

 

Get your rice a cookin right off the bat…this is what will take the longest to cook.  For this recipe you will need about 2 cups of uncooked rice.  I do it in my rice cooker with 2 cups rice and 4 cups water.  Comes out perfect every time!

Drizzle a bit of olive oil into your pan and empty about half the jar of the curry paste into the pan. Mix up and let those two really get to know each other.

Add one cup water plus one cup chicken broth into the skillet. Add the carrots and bring to a boil. Cover and let it rumble…but only for like a minute. Nobody likes mushy carrots.

Add the can of coconut milk and the peppers, at this point taste your concoction…you may need a bit more curry paste if you want it more flavorful/spicy.

Add about 1/4 cup of soy sauce into the mix. In a bowl, put a decent helping of rice. Then ladle on some of that delicious sauce and veggies right over the rice. Top with cilantro. Add more soy sauce if you think it needs a bit more saltiness.  Enjoy!

German Pancakes and Buttermilk Syrup

This recipe is TJ's family secret recipe.  They are delicious, fluffy, and have a great crispy/chewy texture.  This recipe is also very simple.  You don't have to slave over a hot stove flipping pancakes, and while the German Pancakes are cooking you have plenty of time to make the simply diving syrup.  We were recently in Vermont where we purchased 100% pure maple syrup.  TJ told me that the buttermilk syrup was better!!!  If you know TJ then you know that when he compliments something, he really means it!!! 

Pancakes:

6 eggs
1 cup milk – I used whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Buttermilk Syrup:
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar

In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, flour and salt; cover and process until smooth.

Place butter into a glass 9 x 13 pan and place in a cold oven.  Set oven temp to 400°.  When oven is preheated and the butter is melted in the bottom of the pan, pour the batter into the pan and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the first five syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Dust pancake with confectioners' sugar; serve immediately with the syrup. 8 servings (about 2 cups syrup).

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

This again is one of those super easy Sunday meals that you can throw in the crock pot before church and then do almost nothing more until dinner is ready.  Its wonderful to be able to enjoy the family and then enjoy the dinner and no one has to slave away in the kitchen (and by "no one" I really mean us moms...can I get an amen).  This is also a wonderful comfort food meal!  Would be a great meal to take into a family!



2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 of a medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4  chicken thighs, skinned

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1 packet Bisquick biscuit mix (I used Cheddar cheese)

Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

 

 

In a slow cooker, combine carrots, celery, corn, onion, garlic, rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with chicken. Pour broth over mixture in cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours on low or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting (or if no heat setting is available, continue cooking). Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken off bones; discard bones. Chop chicken; return to mixture in cooker. In a small bowl, mix the biscuit mix together according to package directions.

Using two spoons, drop Dumplings dough into four mounds on top of hot chicken mixture. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. (Do not lift cover during cooking.) If desired, sprinkle each serving with coarse pepper.

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

These spring rolls are easy, delicious, and oh so delicious...(did I say they were delicious).  While most of the ingredients are a bit obscure and costly at first...they last forever.  Just think about all the amazing spring rolls you can make!!!  It's giving me chills!  They are also so stinking fresh and healthy.  Well they have veggies and peanuts, so that constitutes a health food right ;)

16 shrimp (31-40 count)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 rice paper sheets
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1/4 c shredded carrots
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in skillet and add shrimp.  Season with salt and pepper until the shrimp is cooked all the way through.  Remove from heat.

In a bowl of warm water add one sheet of rice paper.  Wait about 30 seconds until the rice paper is workable.  Place rice paper on a cutting board and evenly stretched out.  Place 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1 tablespoon shredded carrots. Roll up the spring roll like a burrito folding over the top, closing in both sides, and then rolling completely over (that made total sense in my head, but I'm not sure how well it translated over...just roll the spring roll up so the goodness in the middle does not fall out).

Now for the peanut sauce...

2 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 teaspoon diced fresh Ginger Root (can substitute ground Ginger if you have it on hand)
1 1/2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 teaspoons Sugar
1 heaping tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoons Sesame Seed Oil
1 pinches Red Pepper Flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons Water
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Add all ingredients up to the chopped peanuts together.  The sauce will thicken as it stands.  Sprinkle the peanuts on the top.  Dip your spring rolls into the sauce and partake of the goodness!!!

Italian Crockpot Chicken

This is a super easy and super delicious meal!  I love cooking it on a Sunday and I put it all together as soon as I get home from church, take a nap, lounge around, and viola...dinner is ready to be devoured!!! I like it with chicken thighs; bone and skin included.  I think the dark meat gives this dish a depth of flavor that white meat just can't give you.  Dark meat is also much cheaper...so this meal is way more bang for your buck! 

4 Chicken thighs
16 Ounce Bottle of Italian Dressing
1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
4-6 Red potatoes scrubbed and cut in quarters
1/2 bag of mini carrots

Layer the ingredients as follows: potatoes, carrots, chicken.  Pour Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese over the top of the chicken.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

When the chicken is cooked and the veggies are soft, carefully take them out and place on a baking sheet.  Place under the broiler to give everything a nice char look and flavor.  This step is what takes this meal from good to great.  I have never been a fan of mushy potatoes and carrots with floppy chicken skin :(  Gross right...that is why the broiler is a must for this meal!!  Once everything has a beautiful golden brown glow...it's din-din time!!!!

Chicken Stuffed Chili Peppers

We recently had a sweet little old lady bring us 4 poblano peppers from her garden and this is what I came up with to use them for.  She also brought over an extremely spicy habanero pepper that we added into the mix, but it is definitely not necessary :)  Only if you like things real spicy!

These peppers are really tasty!  A meaty rendition of a chili rellanos.  The combination of spicy chicken with mildly sweet and spicy pepper is amazing.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!!

4 poblano peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 packet taco seasoning (I like McCormick brand)
1 bunch cilantro (chopped and divided in 1/2)
1/2 chopped red onion
Queso Fresco

To start off with roast your peppers either under the broiler or on top of your gas burner.  When all the skin is evenly charred put them into a glass bowl and cover with saran wrap.  Let them sit for a few minutes so the skin is easier to peel off.

While the peppers are sitting in their sauna, heat the olive oil in a skillet.  When the olive oil is heated add the chopped onion and cook until the onions are translucent.  Add the chicken and the taco seasoning.  When the chicken is thoroughly coated, add the cilantro and cook just until the cilantro is wilted.  Take the mixture off the heat.

Peel the skin off the peppers and slit down the center of the pepper.  Remove the stem and the seeds and lay flat open.  Add 1/4 of the meat mixture to each pepper and close using a toothpick to hold secure.  Sprinkle some crumbled queso fresco over the top of each pepper and put under the broiler until the cheese is toasted.

Serve with fresh cilantro over the top.  You can also put sour cream, guacamole, or even salsa on the top!  ENJOY!!