Banana Nut Waffles

2 cups Bisquick mix

1 1/3 cups milk

2 Tbls melted butter (or veggie oil)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 cup chopped pecans

2 really ripe bananas

Preheat your waffle iron. Mash 1 banana into a chunky puree and set aside.

Mix Bisquick, milk, egg, oil, mashed banana and spices until well blended. Add ½ cup chopped nuts to the batter.

Pour batter into the center of your greased waffle iron until almost to the edge and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the light goes out. Carefully remove the waffle and place on a plate to butter.

When all the waffles are finished place them on individual plates and top them with the chopped nuts, sliced bananas and syrup.

Makes 4 large round waffles.

Liebster Blog Award

I want to extend a heart felt THANK YOU to Dawnie at No Ideas for my Liebster Award. Click on this link  My Liebster Award  to check it out. This award is to recognize small blogs (less than 200 members) for their efforts and to get there names out into the blog world. Please go take a look at the ones I have chosen to pass this award along to:


Amuse Your Bouche
Recipes Re-mixed



If you have a blog please post it here so I can go take a look, so maybe you too will also get a Liebster Award.

Vanilla Pear Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large ripe pear, thinly sliced

2 Tbls. light brown sugar mixed with ¼ tsp. nutmeg, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

Cream together the brown sugar, oil and butter. Add the eggs, vanilla, zest and applesauce until well combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

Distribute the muffin batter evenly between 14 baking cups.  Place 3 thin slices of pear directly into top of the muffin batter. Sprinkle sugar mixture onto the muffins.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffin tops bounce back to the touch. Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Curry

This dish IS NOT for those with sensitive stomachs. This dish IS for those who like some spice in there lives.

6 chicken thighs

2 Qts. water

½ head of green cabbage

2 Tbls red curry paste

2 cans coconut milk

1 bunch Thai basil

1 onion

3 Tbls. Fish sauce

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 stick lemongrass
1 tsp lime juice

Remove skin from chicken thighs.

Heat the water, on High, in a stock pot to boiling. Add the chicken and red pepper flakes to the water and cook for 20 minutes.

Chop the cabbage and onion. Cut the lemongrass stick into thirds. Roughly chop the basil.

After the 20 minutes of cooking, add to the chicken the cabbage, lemongrass, onions, lime juice, red curry paste, coconut milk and the fish sauce. Simmer on Medium heat for another 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, add the basil and let sit for 15 minutes.

 Serve over rice and topped with chopped Thai chilies mixed with a splash of lime juice and fish sauce, if you want a little more heat.

Enjoy!

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 Chicken Thighs

4 Qts Water

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 medium white Onion

6 Corn Tortillas

 1 Tbls. Pasilla Chili Powder

1 tsp. Dried Oregano

1 Tbls. Ground Cumin

1 32 oz container Chicken Broth

1 can Stewed Tomatoes, crushed

1 large can Hominy, rinsed and drained

1 can Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained

1 large pinch of fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Green Onion, sliced

In a large stock pot add water, chicken, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Bring to a boil on Medium-High heat. Cook until chicken is done, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the tortillas into thin strips and cut into thirds. Heat 1 inch of oil in a skillet, until hot. Fry tortilla strips until lightly golden in color. Set aside on a plate topped with a paper towel to drain.

Remove the chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle. Then remove the meat from the bones and shred.

Add the meat back to the pot along with the tomatoes and juice, chicken broth, hominy and pinto beans and cook for 10 minutes.

To serve place some of the tortilla strips into the bottom of the serving bowls and ladle the soup on top. Garnish with more tortilla strips, chopped fresh Cilantro and green onions.

Enjoy!

Chilequiles

18 corn tortillas

Mexican-style tomato sauce (recipe included below)

½ cup chicken broth

1 lb Monterey Jack cheese

1/3 cup Crema

Mexican-style tomato sauce

1    28 oz. can whole tomatoes (home canned if you have them)

1    onion, chopped fine

4    garlic cloves, minced

1    sm can chipotle chilies in Adobo sauce

1    pound ground beef

1    tbls cumin

½    tsp seasoned salt

¼    tsp black pepper

Set oven to 350 degrees to preheat.

Season the ground beef with the cumin, salt and pepper and brown on medium heat until almost done. Add in the onion and garlic and continue cooking until ground beef is completely cooked. Drain off the fat.

Crush tomatoes into small pieces, adding with juices in the can, to the ground beef. I just use my hands and crush them directly into the pan. Chop the chipotle chilies and add with sauce from the can to ground beef mixture. We like it on the spicy side so I use the whole can, but you may cut back on these to suit your taste or just use 2 fresh Jalapeno (seeds and ribs removed) chopped super fine. Simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tortilla strips are ready.

Heat a ½ inch of vegetable oil in a 10 inch skillet until very hot, but not smoking. I use cast iron because it keeps the heat, especially if you are cooking on an electric stove. Stack and slice 3 tortillas into 6 strips. Place strips into hot oil carefully and cook, stirring often, until just starting to turn a light golden color. Remove with thongs to a plate lined with 2 paper towels to drain. Continue cooking in batches until all the tortillas are finished.

Grate the cheese, if not already grated, and set aside. Add chicken broth to the sauce, stirring to incorporate the broth.

In the bottom of a 9x13 pan place half of the tortilla strips, moving them around till they are laying somewhat flat and covering the bottom of the pan. Spoon half of the sauce mixture over the tortillas, making sure they are completely covered. Top with half of the cheese. Repeat layers.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Top each serving with some crema and enjoy!

Potato Leek Soup

I made this for the first time several years ago and it has become a favorite in my house.


10 medium potatoes
2 leeks
4 qts. vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls butter
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 cup 1/2 & 1/2 or whipping cream(optional)


Slice leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse in cold water to remove any dirt. Slice into 1/4 inch slices, set aside. Mince the garlic, set aside.


Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot on medium heat. Place leeks and garlic into pot. Saute until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


While the leeks are cooking, scrub and cube the potatoes. I like to leave the skins on for more fiber and vitamins.


When the leeks are tender, add all the remaining ingredients. Cook on High until the potatoes start to fall apart. About 30 minutes.


Remove the bay leaves and mash with a potatoe masher until creamy. If you would like it to be a smoother consistancy, put into a food processor, in batches. Also if you would like to add the cream, do so at this point. 


We like ours a little on the chunky side. Taste at this point and add more salt and pepper, if you prefer.


Serve with a nice sourdough bread and enjoy!