Lemon Garlic Chicken

My family LOVES this chicken....i serve the chicken with wild rice and a veggie...usually steamed brocolli or something like that!

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp molasses
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

comine first 4 ingredients in a nonreactive dish and add chicken. cover and marinate in fridge for 1 hour, turning occassionally.

preheat oven to 425 degrees
remove chicken from dish, reserving marinade and arrange in shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. pour reserved marinade over chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper. bake for 20 minutes, basting occasionally with marinade. continue baking, without basting, for an additional 20 minutes or until chicken is done...serve with lemon wedges and garnish with parsley if desired

Beef and Bean Chimichangas

I love mexican food. This recipe is AWESOME, one because it taste good, the other...these are BAKED chimichangas not fried!!! yay!!! This recipe also calls for ground beef, but I actually use ground turkey...

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups corn
2 cups taco sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can refried beans
8 (12") flour tortillas
shredded chese
1 tbsp melted butter
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350. brown meat, drain greese and add onion, pepper, and corn. cook 5 more minutes (until veggies are tender) Stir in taco sauce and season with chili powder, garlic salt and cumin. Stir until blended and cook until heated through.
open can of beans...spread thin layer of beans down middle of each tortilla (I warm up the tortillas before doing this) and spoon beef mixture down center...top with cheese. Roll up and place seam side down onto baking sheet. Brush tortillas w/melted butter
bake for 30-35 minutes until gold brown...

Serve with lettuce, tomatoes....we also do guacamole and sour cream! with a side of spanish rice and beans....YUMMY!!!

3 Bean Avocado Dip

This recipe is meant as an appetizer. My good friend gave it to me, and said that they actually ate it as a meal. So I tried the same and its Delicious! it would be GREAT as an appetizer for a party but also is good as a meal. my kids love it! and they are getting good nutrients from all those BEANS!!!!


2 cans red beans/pinto beans
2 cans black beans
2 cans kidney beans
1 can low sodium, petite diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5-6 T Chopped cilantro
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups picante sauce
1 avocados chopped
low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
salt to taste

Drain all the beans. Put 1st 8 ingredients in crockpot. cook on low 4 hours. Serve topped with avocado and cheese on top. Eat with tortilla chips.

Note from Min: This is also great on baked potatoes!

Pear Crisp

This is a recipe that sounded good to me. Possibly because I'm hungry right now. Or maybe because I am completely enamored with, dare I say it again, this Pear Pie...regardless, I am putting pears on my list (again) and I will make this Pear Crisp and report back, with pictures. The recipe comes from the back of my C&H Brown Sugar package, attributed to Jean Porter.

UPDATE: I made this pear crisp tonight for dinner for 9 people, and it was delicious! I used red pears, dried cherries and pecans, and served it with vanilla ice cream. I will definitely make this again!

Picture some day when I get a new computer!

Pear Crisp

2 pounds ripe pears (4 to 5)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup dried cherries, blueberries or raisins
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup C&H Pure Cane Golden Brown Sugar (you can tell where the recipe came from; just use whatever brown sugar you have!)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
Vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Half and core pears; slice about 1/2 inch thick. Toss with lemon juice. Combine pears and dried fruit in a 9x13-inch baking dish or shallow casserole of similar size.

In a medium bowl mix butter and flour with a fork or your fingers until crumbly. Mix in rolled oats, brown sugar, nuts and spices. Sprinkle mixture evenly over fruit and press down lightly.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until pears are tender. (check with the tip of a sharp knife or a pick). Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or whipped cream, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Now, I'm off to eat another slice of...you guessed it, Pear Pie. Then there will only be one slice left. And I will be sad, and yes, I WILL contemplate eating ALL THE REST before my husband gets home instead of sharing the last piece with him. It IS that good. Have you tried it yet??

Measurements

Artisan Bread in Banneton mold

Just had to share what I just took out of my oven.

I wanted to try the Artisan bread from a previous post using a banneton (brotform).

Looks good for a first try. I know it doesn't have to look good to taste good, but there is much to be said for eye appeal. If you haven't tried this bread, please check out my previous post on Artisan Bread and give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Marlow's Pie Crust

Making pie crust is just as easy as purchasing it from the store, defrosting it, shaping/cutting. And it tastes so much better when you make it yourself!

3 lb flour (best if using all-purpose or pastry flour)
2 lb fat (butter or shortening or a combination. the more shortening the flakier the crust)
1 lb water
1 ounce salt
(makes 12 8-inch pie shells)

Hand mix flour and fat into hazelnut size pieces. Mix water and salt. Add water to the flour mixture - just incorporate the two - don't over mix. Measure out the amount of dough needed. (1 ounce of dough per inch of crust) Shape into a disk. You can freeze the extra and use some other time - it will keep in the freezer for over a year.

Rolling out dough: shape into an egg shape. Roll out. If you really think you need to use some flour to prevent sticking, use very little. The more flour you add the less flaky the crust will turn out. Roll out dough until it is 1 finger longer then the pie shell. To place the dough into the pan; turn the pan over and cover the bottom, then set another shell on top and flip over. If you have plenty of extra pie pans, then keep the 2 pans together and place in the oven upside down on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees until edge is brown. Turn shell right side up, remove extra pie pan and continue baking until dough is golden brown. You now have a parbaked shell ready to fill - this method even works great with fruit pies.

Faux Pie Crust

Yesterday, I made Pear Pie. I have to tell you, is it delicious and you need to go bake one right now. I mean it. I also have to tell you, I did not make the pie crust. I could say that I didn't have time, whatever, I just didn't do it. I am planning to do it one of these days.

So I usually use Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts, you know the kind that come rolled up in a box in the refrigerated section of the grocery store? Only that brand, no other brand because the others don't taste as good. And I'm sure that's not news to anyone, and you're wondering, where's the Hint?

This time, I placed one crust on top of the other crust, and rolled them gently together with the rolling pin. This made the crust thicker, gave me more edge to work with, and miracle of miracles, brought it closer to tasting like a homemade crust! You should try it next time you want a pie but don't want to make a crust! It really is delicious. Try it when you make the Pear Pie you're planning on making...

Homemade Granola

This is an excellent granola recipe, I don't remember where I got it. It's quite simple, delicious, and it really lasts for a long time.

Makes about 8 cups.

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup golden raisins (I have also substituted dried blueberries for this, delicious)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread shredded coconut onto a baking pan, and bake until toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 300. Line two baking pans with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, canola oil and honey. Stir together until well combined. Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheets; bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.

3. Break up cooled granola; sprinkle with raisins and toasted coconut. Stir to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Butternut Squash Soup

Winter is here to stay so time to make soup. This soup is easy and good and one you should try . It may not make winter go away but it will make it much more bearable. As I look out my window the snow is coming down and it is truly beautiful. I am nice and warm inside; with bread raising on the counter and a quilt to work on, indeed I am very happy. However come March I will be very ready for Spring. Make some soup and enjoy this beautiful time of year.

Butternut Squash Soup

Pre heat oven to 400

Take a cookie sheet and line with foil ( just makes clean-up easier)

Place the following on the cookie sheet:

About 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled . seeded and cut up into cubes.

1 large onion, large chunks

2 tart apples, peeled, cut in pieces.

l pear, peeled , cut in pieces.

Toss with about 2-4 TBL olive oil

Sprinkle with the following spices: thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and a dash of nutmeg.

Roast in 400 oven , stirring after about 15 minutes, continue roasting about 30-45 minutes, until tender.

In blender or food processor take some of the roasted veggies etc. and some chicken broth (a total of 3 1/2 cups) process until smooth as desired. You will probably have to do this in a couple of batches depending how large your blender/processor is. Place in large saucepan and warm to simmer, then adjust seasonings adding more as needed, then add 1/2 to 1 cup half and half. Don't let it boil after adding cream. You might do as I do and add the half and half (after warming separately) to each serving bowl, instead of to the saucepan.

ENJOY !