Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Churros

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 limes, zested
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Special equipment: Pastry bag and large star tip
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with water, salt and zest of 1 lime. Bring to a simmer and then slowly whisk in flour. Remove from heat and keep whisking until mixture forms a ball and breaks away from the sides of the pan. Slowly add eggs in thirds. Spoon batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and refrigerate 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan 2/3 full with vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees F. Remove batter from refrigerator and slowly squeeze 3-inch long strips of batter into the oil. Fry in batches, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Drain churros on paper towels. In a paper bag, add sugar, cinnamon and remaining zest. Once churros have cooled slightly, in batches, toss churros in bag and shake to coat with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Beef Taco Bake

1 lb ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz0 Tomatoe soup
1 cup Chunky salsa
1/2 cup milk
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas or 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese

  1. Cook teh beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned. Stirring frequently to break up the meat. Pour off fat.
  2. Stir the soup salsa, milk, tortillas and 1/2 cup of the cheese into the skillet. Spoon the mixture into a 12x8x2 -inch shallow baking dish. Cover the dish with foil.
  3. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 min or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Beef Stir Fry

2 tbsp cornstarch
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Condensed Beef Broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb boneless beef sirloin or top round steak, 3/4 inch thick, cut into thin strips
3 cups cut vegetables (broccoli, sliced carrots and red or green peppers
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic minced
hot cooked rice

  1. Stir the cornstarch, broth and soy in a small bowl. Set the mixture aside.
  2. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry until well browned. Push beef to one side of the skillet.
  3. Add the vegetables and garlic powder and stir fry until tender-crisp.
  4. Stir the cornstarch mixture adn stir into the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Serve over rice.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Beef Bake

(sort of a variation of shepard's pie)

1 lb ground beef or gound turkey
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic Soup
1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1bag (16 oz) frozen vegetables combination (broccoli, cauflower, carrots), thawed
2 cups water
3 tbsp butter
3/4 cup milk
2 cups instant potato flakes or buds

  1. Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned. Stirring frequently to break up meat. Pour off any fat.
  2. Stir the beef, 1/2 can soup, Worchestershire and vegetables in a 12x8x2-inch shallow baking dish.
  3. Heat the water, butter, and remaining soup in a 2-qt saucepan over high heat to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Slowly stir in potatoes. Spoon potatoes over the beef mixture.
  4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min or until hot.

Creamy Enchiladas Verde

1 can 10 3/4oz) Campbell's Condensed Creamy Verde Soup (we dont have this here so I just added diced green chilis to cream of chicken soup).
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2/3 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
8 corn tortillas (6-inches), warmed
1/4 cup milk

  1. Stir 1/2 can of the soup, garlic powder, chicken, and 1/3 cup of the cheese in a medium bowl.
  2. Spoon about 1/3 of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place them seam-side down in 12x8x2 inch shallow baking dish.
  3. Stir the remaining soup and milk in a small bowl and pour over filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese.
  4. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 min or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbly.