January 2010 ~ Colie's Kitchen

Jan 31, 2010

Baked Tortilla Chips

I like this recipe because the chips are not fried they are a healthier alternative to the normal tortilla chip!

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas
Parchment Paper
Cooking Spray
Salt (Optional)

Directions:

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
Using a pizza cutter cut corn tortillas into 1/4's
Place corn tortillas on parchment paper, then lightly spray with cooking spray add salt if desired
Cook on 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes

I love love love this recipe. This is another family tradition. My Mom acquired this recipe from a restaurant that was located in Houston, TX when I was a kid. My parents where good friends with the owners and were there all the time.

When the restaurant went out of business, the owners gave my Mom the recipe as a parting gift for my parent’s patronage throughout the years. The original recipe makes about 50 gallons. My Mom cut the recipe down to a regular recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 large bell pepper diced
1/2 large onion diced
1 tabs margarine
10 ounces cheddar cheese
12 ounces Velveeta
1 cup of milk

Directions:

This recipe requires a double boiler.

Sauté onion and bell pepper in the margarine for 4 minutes on the top half of the double boiler while the bottom half of the double boiler is

coming to a boil on another burner. *By the way if you see this horrible scale at Ikea don't buy it... yes, it's that bad!*

add milk and cook for 3 minutes

Place the top half of the double boiler on the bottom half

add the Velveeta cheese and the cheddar cheese

Stir until all the cheese is melted then cook to a smooth constituency.

Serve on tortilla chips

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Family Tradition Taco's Meat

This is a staple in our home. Tacos are such a favorite of everyone's. I grew up with my mom making this recipe, and just love it!! I think it’s better than most restaurants. You can spice it up or cool it down easy enough by adjusting which type of Rotel you use. I use the mild Rotel but whatever works for you!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef (90/10)
1 medium diced onion
1 medium diced green bell pepper
3 small cloves of garlic minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can Rotel
1 14oz can diced tomatoes

Direction:

Lightly brown 2 pounds of ground beef then drain off any fat

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic cook until the vegetables are tender

Add Rotel, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and cumin

Cook until the liquid cooks down around 45 minutes on medium

Serve in Taco shell or flour tortillas or on chips! This makes a great taco salad too

Don't forget the toppings we like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins

I would have loved to feature the entire pan of these muffins,

but I was doing good to get them out of the oven before my family

snarfed them all down. This is a wonderful recipe, and the smell is

devine! I made these last night, and they are all gone today.

Thank you so much for this recipe Jmelyn. If you would like to have

your recipe featured please email me at colie@colieskitchen.com

along with a picture when possible.

Makes two loaves or up to 24 muffins
Ingredients

2 cups canned pumpkin
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350.

2 in a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, water, vegetable oil and eggs.

3 Beat until well mixed.

4 Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves into a separate bowl and stir until combined.

5 Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth.

6 Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans and dust with flour.

7 Evenly divide the batter between the two pans.

8 Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

9 Cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pans by inverting onto a rack and tapping the bottoms.

10 Slice and serve plain, buttered, or with cream cheese.

White Chicken Chili with PAZAZZ

My original intention was to make the Bush's recipe.

After looking it over I decided it didn't have enough "pazazz"!

This recipe on the other hand is loaded with pazazz and fantastic!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons margarine
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium bell pepper, finely chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 (16 ounce) cans great northern beans
1 can of Rotel
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken breast

Directions

In large skillet, saute onion and bell pepper in margarine for 5 minutes or until transparent.
Add chilies, flour and cumin, garlic powder, onion powder; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Add beans, Rote, and chicken broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.
Add chicken; cook until hot.

You can garnish with cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream or salsa.

Sweet Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F Grease 8-inch square baking pan or 12 muffin tins
Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, eggs, oil and butter in small bowl and mix well. Add to flour mixture and stir just until blended.
Pour into baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean.
For corn muffins, spoon batter into muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas

This is a really interesting recipe. I had never had Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas in my life until tonight. Roasting them turns them into a nice healthy crunchy snack. I would compare them to a corn nut. Not as good as a corn nut, but still a very good healthy snack. Be sure to watch them really well the last 20mins because they tend to get done quickly. Some of mine got over cooked. The bad part is they are different sizes so it can be difficult to get them all cooked and not have some of them over cook.

Ingredients:

2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chick peas)
cooking spray/Olive oil
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, heaping
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
cayenne, to taste

Directions:

Drain garbanzo's in a strainer and rinse well with cool water. Shake to help remove water. Let sit to drain while proceeding.
Cover a rimmed cookie sheet or shallow casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour garbanzos on the foil and spread them into a single layer. Take a few sheets of paper towel and gently press over the top of the beans just to remove any extra liquid- speeds cooking time too.
Spray top of beans with cooking spray and sprinkle seasonings over the beans. Shake pan to help distribute the seasoning and make sure the beans are all in a single layer.
Place pan in an oven and set to 350 F- no need to preheat. Use lowest rack on oven and return every 15-20 minutes or so to shake the pan so nothing burns. Be gentle or they may spill over the sides. Cook until beans are browned and crispy. About 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and pour into a plastic bowl with tight fitting lid to cool. Careful they are HOT to the touch!

This was a good recipe, but nothing special. I was expecting them to be a lot lighter and fluffier than they were. I have made much better Bread Machine Dinner Rolls than these. I would recommend these first: Sweet Dinner Rolls

Makes 18 rolls

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk, warmed
6 tablespoons soft butter
1 egg, beaten
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

Place ingredients into bread machine according to manufacturers directions.
Select dough cycle.
When cycle is complete, shape dough as desired or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
If refrigerated, let dough set out for an hour before using.
To shape, divide dough into 24 equal parts and roll into balls in your hand.
Place on lightly greased baking sheet.
Cover rolls with damp cloth and let rise for about 20 minutes or until doubled in size.
Bake in preheated 400° oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Brush tops with melted butter.

Zesty Guacamole

This is one of the many dips I made for New Year's Eve this year. This is an excellent recipe. Thank you Sue for sharing! I love guacamole! It’s simply delicious and creamy. I especially love to slather it on a ham and cheese wrap! Remember Avocado is a good and healthy fat!

Ingredients:

2 avocados

1 lime, juiced

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Halve avocados; remove fruit by running spoon next to skin; discard seed or save for other uses.

2. Place avocado in bowl and mash with fork; immediately mix in lime juice, incorporating well.

3. Mix in remaining ingredients; serve immediately.

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Creamy Potatoes and Carrots

I love this recipe. I lost it a long time ago, and just happened to find it again. It's an excellent recipe and makes a tasty side dish. Although the picture does it no justice (old picture) this recipe is delicious!

Ingredients:

3-4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 lb. pre-cut baby carrot
1/2 onion, sliced and quartered
1 cup water
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Spray roasting pan with nonstick spray.
Place potatoes, carrots and onions on pan.
Add cream of mushroom soup.
Mix in the water
Season with salt and pepper.
Bake covered 350 for 1 hour.

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Grandma Helen's Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients

2 cups of chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
12 ounces spaghetti, cooked & drained
1 large can of mushrooms

Directions

In a large pot mix together the chicken, Ro-tel tomatoes, mushrooms, and spaghetti heat through
Add Velveeta cheese to mixture and melt together
Heath until chicken spaghetti is bubbly and serve hot

Mexican Enchilada Sauce

This is an excellent enchilada sauce!! The chocolate does not

make it sweet it adds more of a smokiness to the recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon oregano
3 cups water
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

Directions

Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl.
Stirring constantly, slowly add enough of the water to make a thin paste.
Pour into pan and add rest of water.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
Stir in tomato sauce.
Use in your favorite enchilada recipe.
The amounts on the ingredients are very flexible.
For instance, if I am feeding my kids who do not like"spicy", I will halve the chili powder and double the tomato sauce.

This chicken is just WONDERFUL!! I don't like chicken wings because you don't get enough meat on them. I feel that eating them is a waste of my time. With that being said, I use boneless chicken tenders or boneless chicken breast pieces. This recipe reminds me of Korean BBQ!

The flavor is excellent!! Be very careful not to overcook the chicken it's easy to do with this recipe. It has a listed cooking time, but it will vary based on the type of chicken you use, and if it has bones or not also based on your oven.