Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 chicken breasts; boneless, skinless
3 quart chicken broth
1 red onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 boiling potato, diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 bay leaf
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile en adobo, pureed
1 teaspoon pickled jalapeno chile seeded, chopped
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/8 teaspoon cumin
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoon sweet Sherry
    1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
4 corn tortillas--cut into thin strips
Oil
1/2 pound Jack cheese, shredded
12 slices avocado
cilantro sprigs

Poach chicken breast in simmering chicken broth until done through, about 10 minutes.
Set aside until cool enough to handle and shred. Combine chicken broth, chicken, red onion,
carrots, potato, tomato paste, bay leaf, garlic, chipotle and jalapeno chilies, oregano, cumin
and salt and pepper in large saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Correct seasoning, if necessary. Add zucchini, squash, pepper, lime juice and Sherry.
Bring again to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add cilantro and mint. Stir,
then remove from heat. To assemble, fry tortilla strips in hot oil until crisp. Drain on
paper towels and set aside. Ladle soup into each bowl. Sprinkle with shredded cheese
and tortilla strips. Garnish each bowl with avocado slice and sprig cilantro.
Serve

Creamy Pecan Pralines

Serves:

about 10 pralines

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup pecan halves

Directions

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, heavy cream, butter, and water. Place over a medium-high heat and stir constantly until the pralines reach the softball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F. Add the pecans to the candy, and pull the pan off of the stove. Continue to stir the candy vigorously with a wooden spoon until the candy cools, and the pecans remain suspended in the candy, about 2 minutes. Spoon the pralines out onto a parchment or aluminum foil lined sheet pan and cool completely before serving.

Black Cherry Guava Mojito

1.5 oz Cruzan Black Cherry Rum
0.5 oz Cruzan Guava Rum
1 Lime Wedge
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
1 oz Soda Water
5 Mint Leaves
Mint Sprig Flower (Garnish)

Place 5 mint leaves in glass.

Squeeze lime wedge in glass and drop in glass.

Add simple syrup.

Muddle well to release mint flavor in mixture.

Add ice.

Add Cruzan Black Cherry Rum & Cruzan Guava Rum.

Mix all contents. Don't forget your soda water.

Garnish with a crisp, mint sprig flower.

Serves 1

Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark

Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark


2 sticks of butter
1 cup of light brown sugar
... 1 reg. bag of pretzels (you'll use about 3/4 of the bag)
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
Sea salt - ( I use our coarse sea salt with our grinder)

Preheat the oven to 400.

Line a large bar pan with parchment paper, cover with pretzels
In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium-low heat. When it begins to bubble add the brown sugar. Stirring occasionally let the butter/sugar mixture meld together and brown. This should take about 3 minutes. Do NOT let it boil, you will have sticky goo that is no good. When you have a nice, brown caramel pour it over the pretzels, slowly and evenly. You can then use a spatula to spread it out, you have to work quickly and gently. It hardens fast so even pouring is the best method.

Bake the sheet for 5 minutes.

Remove the sheet from the oven and sprinkle the whole bag of chocolate chips evenly over the mixture.

Place back in the oven for about 45 seconds. If you let it sit there too long the chocolate will burn.

Remove from the oven and use a silicone spatula to evenly spread the chocolate over the top.

Sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.

Breakfast Cookies...

Breakfast Cookie Recipe....

Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
... 1 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts - I use a mix of almonds, pecans, pepitas
1 and 1/2 cups rmixed dried fruits - I use cranberries, blueberries, and apricots or raisins

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, blend the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and continue to beat until fluffy, about 1-1/2 minutes. Blend in the vanilla extract.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the dry mixture into the butter mixture one half at a time. Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts and fruit. Refrigerate the dough for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large, preferably light-colored baking sheet with aluminum foil, then grease the foil. ( or use parchment)

Using a scant 1/4 cup per cookie, shape the dough into balls and place them on the sheet about 2 inches apart.

Use your fingertips to flatten each ball to 1/3 inch thick. Bake the cookies on the center oven rack for 13 to 14 minutes, turning the sheet about halfway through. When they're done, the cookies should be very lightly browned and still look moist. Don't over bake them.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

Glazed yeast doughnuts

Yeast Doughnuts

 Ingredients:
3 ...tbsp milk
3 tbsp boiling water
1 tsp dry active yeast
8 oz all purpose flour (a little under 2 cups - I recommend you measure and weigh. See my note above)
1 1/2 oz sugar (about 3 tablespoons)
1 egg
1 oz butter, cold to room temperature (just don't melt it, okay?)
dash of salt

Enough oil to cover the bottom few inches of a wok, or a deep fryer.

Directions:
In a large measuring jug, combine the milk and boiling water. Add a teaspoon of the sugar and the yeast. Stir it gently, then leave it in a warm place for the yeast to activate (aka foam).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, the rest of the sugar, and the salt. Cut in the butter using your fingers or a pastry blender, until it resembles crumbs.
Add the egg (give it a quick beat) and yeast mixture to the flour mix, and mix into a smooth dough. This usually takes about 5 minutes of mixing.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured counter and knead for about 5 to 10 minutes—it should feel springy and little bubbles should form under the surface. Place it back in the bowl, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour until double in size.
Once risen, place the dough onto the counter and cut it into 4 pieces. One piece at a time, stretch it into a long rope about an inch to an inch and a half wide. Cut strips about an inch long, ball em up with your hands, and place them on a baking tray or wire rack to wait.
Cover the doughnuts holes with a cloth to rise while you heat the oil to 375F.
Place the doughnuts into the oil and fry until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes. Be sure to fry only a few at a time so they don’t overcrowd and stick together.
Drain on a paper towel or wire rack over a cloth, before glazing them. Be sure to glaze them warm, or else they won’t get that delicious coverage!

Glaze:
1/3 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

Basic sourcream Cheesecake recipe

   Sour Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

• 33 graham cracker squares, crumbled
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus additional, for brushing the pan
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Filling:

• 20 ounces cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3 yolks
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Brush some of the melted butter around a 9 by 3-inch cake pan. Adhere parchment to the bottom and the sides.

In a small bowl, combine crumbled graham crackers, the remaining melted butter, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the parchment-lined pan. Place remaining crumbs on a sheet pan and bake both the crust and the remaining mixture for 10 minutes. Cool. Reserve additional crumb mixture for sides.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat sour cream for 10 seconds. Add the cream cheese and sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds and then turn up to medium. Scrape the bowl.

In a separate container, combine vanilla, eggs, yolks, and heavy cream. With the mixer on medium, slowly pour the liquid mixture in. When half of it is incorporated, stop and scrape. Continue adding the mixture until the rest of the ingredients are incorporated. Once completely combined, pour into the cooled crust.

Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Place cheesecake into a preheated water bath, in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and open the door for one minute. Close the door for one more hour. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place in the refrigerator for 6 hours to completely cool before serving.

When ready to serve, place the entire cake pan into a hot water bath for about 15 seconds. Unmold onto a cake round or serving dish. Take the remaining graham cracker mixture and press into the sides of the cake.

To slice, place your knife into a hot water bath and wipe dry each time you make a pass through the cake