Baklava

A Greek friend of mine had her sister teach a group of us how to make baklava. It's not too hard a process, just a long one, but the end result is well worth the time!

1 lb. pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios, finely chopped
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb. phyllo dough
1 lb. butter, melted

syrup:
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 c. honey

Combine the chopped nuts with the 1/2 c. sugar and the cinnamon; set aside.

Open box of phyllo, placing the thin dough sheets on a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Cover the dough with another sheet of wax paper, and cover that with a damp towel to keep the dough moist.

Line the bottom of a buttered 9x12 pan with 10-12 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you go.

Sprinkle the top of the 10-12 sheets with a thin layer of the nut mixture.

Cover with 3 more phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with melted butter; sprinkle with more nut mixture. Repeat once more, making a total of 3 nut mixture layers.

Cover with remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter.

Chill for 25 minutes; make syrup: Combine 3 c. sugar, water, and lemon juice in medium saucepan. Boil for 10 minutes. Slowly add honey and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Let cool completely while baklava bakes. (*The syrup must be cool when you pour it over the hot baklava.)

Cut the uncooked pastry into small diamond shapes by cutting lengthwise strips, then diagonal strips. Brush with melted butter.

Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour and a half, or until slightly browned.

Remove from oven, recut along original cut marks, then slowly pour syrup over the hot baklava until it is completely absorbed. You may not need all the syrup.

Cool baklava completely before serving.

Since the baklava is preserved with honey, it will last at room temperature in a tightly closed container for several days, but it's best to refrigerate unused portions. Baklava can be refrigerated for several weeks.

Optional: Whole cloves can be stuck into each diamond shape before baking. Be sure they are removed before serving.

Cheesy Serrano Sour Cream Sauce

One of my neighbors gave me a paper sack with a few handfuls of serrano peppers inside. I'd never used them before, so I did a little research. On the Scoville Scale, serranos are about 5 times hotter than jalapenos. That had me a little concerned, but I was still game to try them. Since we have a good supply of Chicken Enchiladas in the freezer, I decided to bake some for supper and make a spicy cream sauce to top them. And so this sauce was made from my imagination.

2-3 serrano peppers, seeded and finely diced
†2/3 c. sour cream (full fat)
†2/3 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese

†Measurements are rough estimates. I "eyeballed" amounts.

Heat peppers and sour cream over low heat, stirring frequently. Once warm, stir in cheese, stirring frequently until melted. Top enchiladas with sauce and additional shredded cheese.

If you don't have serrano peppers, jalapenos will also work.

Sausage with Fried Cabbage and Onions

1 pkg. link sausage (I like to use the John Morrell brand. It's skinless and very tender.)
1 medium onion
1 bag shredded coleslaw mix or 1 medium head cabbage, coarsely shredded
butter
salt and pepper to taste

Heat large skillet over medium heat.

Slice sausage in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch pieces. Cut onion into 1/4- to 1/2-inch wedges. Cook together in skillet until sausage begins to brown; add about 1 Tbsp. butter.

When onion begins to turn clear, add cabbage and salt and pepper. Add more butter as needed to keep food from burning. Saute 3 or 4 minutes or until cabbage cooks down and starts to turn clear.

Serve hot with cornbread.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Chicken Enchiladas

4-5 chicken breasts, boiled and torn into bite-size pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans sliced mushrooms
1 can chopped green chilies
1 16-oz. container sour cream
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
25 small flour tortillas (or 15 large ones)

In a large bowl, combine chicken, soups, mushrooms, chilies, sour cream, jalapeno, and cheese. Mix well. Put about 2 Tbsp. filling (or more if using larger tortillas) on one side of tortilla, then roll. (Wrap individually in wax paper, then place in freezer bag to freeze.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes if thawed, 35 minutes if frozen.

Top with sour cream and shredded cheese or salsa.

Makes about 20 enchiladas, depending on tortilla size and how much filling you use for each.

*Tip: Freeze your leftover chicken broth for use in other recipes. You can season your broth by cooking onion, pepper, and celery trimmings with your chicken. This is much healthier than store-bought broth, which tends to be high in sodium.

Potato Chip Chicken

I found the original recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook I got when Billy and I got married in '92. I've since tweaked it to fit our preferences.

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces,
OR 6-8 chicken tenders
1 1/2 c. finely crushed potato chips in the flavor of your choice
1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Dip chicken pieces in milk, then coat with potato chips. Arrange pieces on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

*I've used barbecue chips, regular potato chips and added my own seasoning, and Sun Chips for coatings, and they've all been delicious. Doritos would work well, too.

Peperoncini Roast

1 3-lb. round roast
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 16-oz. jar peperoncini peppers, with juice
2 pkgs. Good Seasonings Italian Dressing Mix
1/2 c. water

Trim roast as needed. Place in Crock Pot along with onion, peppers, dressing mix, and water. Add about 1/2 the peperoncini juice. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or until roast shreds easily with fork.

Great complement to veggies and crusty bread! Also great on toasted hamburger buns with a slice of melted provolone cheese.

*Chuck roast can be used, but it typically has a large ribbon of fat running through the middle. It's hard work to cut it out; plus, that fat was included in the price. I like something a little leaner, though it may be a little pricier. In the end, I get more for my money.

*Adding too much of the peperoncini juice can make the roast too tangy. If spice is an issue, use half the peppers, less juice, and more water.

Roasted Cauliflower

I fell in love with roasted cauliflower at Fadi's, a local Mediterranean restaurant. Not long ago, I found it on the buffet at Ali Baba, another Mediterranean eatery. It's better at the buffet because there I can eat my fill! :o)

1 head of cauliflower
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Set oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut cauliflower into 1 1/2-inch size florets; rinse well. Dry with a kitchen towel to absorb moisture; water will keep the cauliflower from browning.

Toss cauliflower florets in a medium bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper, mixing well.

Pour onto a baking sheet and spread evenly. Bake about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. Brown until deep golden spots appear.

*For some extra flavor, try snipping about 7-8 fresh sage leaves into tiny pieces and tossing in with the cauliflower before roasting. Delicious!

Granola

1 1/4 c. nuts (pecans, walnuts, peanuts), broken pieces
3 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. almonds, halves or slivers
1/4 c. sunflower seeds

1/3 c. canola oil
1/4 c. real maple syrup
1/4 c. honey

1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or other dried fruit (optional)

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut together in large bowl.

Heat maple syrup, honey, and oil in small saucepan, whisking occasionally until warm.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients; stir with spatula until mixture is thoroughly coated. Turn mixture onto an 11-by-7-inch jelly roll pan, spreading mixture in an even layer.

Bake, stirring and respreading mixture into an even layer every 5-10 minutes, until granola is golden brown. Immediately turn granola onto another jelly roll pan to stop cooking process.

Stir in dried fruit if desired, then spread granola evenly in pan; set on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Loosen dried granola with a spatula; store in airtight container.

*You can use whatever combination of nuts and seeds you like: pecans, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, sesame seeds, etc. Just try to keep the amount of dry ingredients to 5 1/2 c. or the syrup mixture won't provide a good coverage.

*I like to mix 1/4 c. granola with 1 heaping Tbsp. of plain, nonfat yogurt for breakfast.

Black Bean Quesadillas

I started making quesadillas in college after I heard an El Chico commercial on the radio explain how they make theirs. I like mine better. :o)

10 taco-size flour tortillas
butter or margarine
Mexican blend shredded cheese
garlic powder
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Mexicorn, drained
1 can black olives, rinsed, drained, and sliced
green onions, thinly sliced
tomato, diced
jalapenos, seeded and diced

Butter one side of tortilla and place butter side down into medium-hot skillet.
Sprinkle cheese and a little garlic powder on one half; top with desired fillings. (Be sure you don't put too much for your filling or everything will fall out!)
Top with a little more cheese, then fold the empty half over.
Flip quesadilla to other side and grill until lightly browned.
Cut into two or three wedges and serve hot with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

*To cut fat and calories, lightly spray hot skillet with olive oil in place of buttering the tortilla. Also, use less cheese.

*Add cooked, seasoned chicken or steak strips for meat quesadillas. Use desired fillings.

Chicken Pot Pie

I originally found this recipe on All Recipes, but I've since tweaked it to make it my own. It's really quick and easy! I make mine family-sized, but you can easily cut the recipe in half.

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 12-oz. bags frozen mixed vegetables
3 cups chicken, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
seasoning to taste (I use Tony Chachere's. Surprise!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook vegetables according to package directions. In large bowl, combine cooked vegetables, chicken, soup, milk, and seasoning.

Roll out crust onto wax paper. Place baking dish upside down onto crust and make an impression of it. Cut around the edge of the impression for a well-fitted top crust.

Pour chicken/vegetable mixture into baking dish; top with crust. Cut a few vent holes into the top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Serve hot.

Tips:
*I boil my chicken with trimmings from onion, bell pepper, and celery. After the broth has cooled, I freeze it for later use. It's healthier than prepackaged broth.

*I don't like a bottom crust in this because it tends to be gummy. If you prefer a bottom crust, line your baking dish with one pie crust, prebake according to package directions, then fill with chicken mixture and top with remaining crust. Or you can purchase the frozen pie crusts in the pan and use those.

*For a prettier top crust, brush with melted butter before baking.

Baked Rotini

1 pkg. rotini
1 pkg. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 jar pasta sauce
1 pkg. fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 can black olives, drained and halved
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Italian seasoning, to taste
brown sugar, to taste
mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook pasts as directed on package. Brown beef and onions; drain.

In a large saucepan, combine beef and onions, sauce, mushrooms, olives, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Heat thoroughly. Add brown sugar by small handfuls until desired flavor is reached. (If you prefer a less sweet sauce, omit brown sugar.) Simmer 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add pasta to sauce and mix well. Pour into a large casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

A fresh garden salad or Caesar salad is a perfect pairing!

Vegetable Soup

2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 cans whole kernel corn, with liquid
2 cans sliced carrots, with liquid
2 cans potatoes, with liquid, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cans green beans, with liquid
salt and pepper to taste

Bring all ingredients to a slow boil in a large soup pot; simmer 10-15 minutes.

*I usually brown a pound of ground beef and add for some protein and a little extra flavor.

*Feel free to use fewer cans of vegetables or to add cans of different vegetables to suit your family's preferences. Be sure you always include the liquid from the can or add an equivalent amount of water to keep plenty of broth in the soup.

*You can use fresh vegetables instead of canned ones, but cooking time will need to be increased until vegetables are tender.

*Fresh, hot cornbread is a perfect complement.

Jambalaya

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb. link sausage, sliced, browned, and drained
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
3 c. water
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. uncooked long-grain rice
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt & pepper to taste

Cook chicken. Saute bell pepper, onions, and garlic with sausage until sausage is browned; drain.

In large skillet, bring water, tomato sauce, rice, and seasonings to a boil. Stir in chicken and sausage with peppers and onions. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaf.

*Note: To adjust the level of spiciness, increase or decrease the amount of crushed red pepper to suit your taste. Remember though, it's better to be a little bland than too hot. You can always add a little Tabasco sauce. :o)

*For a different flavor, substitute 2-3 cups of seafood for the chicken and sausage.

Chicken Artichoke Dip

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 can artichoke hearts (not marinated), drained and chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
fresh jalapeno, to taste
paprika

Combine first six ingredients; put into microwave-safe bowl. Dust with paprika. Microwave on HIGH 4-5 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Serve with toasted French bread slices, tortilla chips, or crackers.

*This can also be baked in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

*Good hot or cold; also great as a sandwich spread.

Chicken Spaghetti

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut/torn into bite sized pieces
*chicken broth
1 pkg. spaghetti
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 8-oz. pkg. fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 8-oz. container light sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup

Boil chicken; reserve broth. (*Add celery, onion, and bell pepper trimmings to water to flavor broth.)

While chicken is cooking, chop celery, onions, and bell pepper; slice mushrooms. Saute in olive oil until tender.

Remove chicken from broth; skim out trimmings. Cook spaghetti in broth according to package directions.

While spaghetti is cooking, cut up chicken. In a large bowl, mix sour cream, soups, seasonings, sauteed vegetables and chicken. Drain pasta; add to bowl and mix well.

This makes A LOT of chicken spaghetti, so be prepared to have leftovers - or invite someone over for dinner!