Sunday, June 23, 2013

Tostado Stack


Yum. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups long grain rice (not instant)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans (or any bean that you want)
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
1 Teaspoon crushed red peppers
2 Teaspoons paprika
3 Tablespoons olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper
Tostados (premade or make your own)
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
Sour Cream (optional)
2 Avocados, for guacamole
Hot sauce (optional) 

Directions

  1. To get your rice and beans started, heat your oil over medium-high heat in a large pan with a lid. Add your onions and garlic and cook for just a few minutes until they are translucent. Then add all your spices and stir well to combine.
  2. Next stir in you rice. Sort of like making a risotto, you want the rice to absorb some of the spices and get hot before you add your liquids. Just stir everything together for about 30 seconds.
  3. Next add your canned tomatoes and about 3 to 3 1/2 Cups water. Depending on what kind of rice you use exactly, you’ll have to adjust the amount of water. Just remember that there’s some liquid in your canned tomatoes also.
  4. Bring this mixture to a simmer and cook it covered over low heat for about 20 minutes. Again, check your rice package as the cooking time will vary a lot based on what kind of rice you are using. I usually check mine at about 20 minutes and give it a quick stir just to make sure the rice isn’t sticking. You can also add a bit more liquid at this point if you need to.
  5. Layer rice mixture with tostados, add desired toppings.
Get it?
  
Recipe from Machessmo.

Baked Chicken Fajitas



Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 T vegetable oil
2 t. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. salt
12 flour tortillas, warmed to serve
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13×9 baking dish. Mix together chicken, tomatoes, chilies, peppers, and onions in the dish.
  2. In a small bowl combine the oil and spices. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat.
  3. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve with warmed tortillas and enjoy.
Recipe from Eatin' On the Cheap.





Thursday, June 20, 2013

The BEST Chocolate Cake



I have two recipes that claim to be the "BEST" chocolate cake.  This is one, its pretty darn good.

The BEST chocolate cake EVER - moist rich chocolaty - with amazing buttercream frosting



The Best Chocolate Cake Ever
1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 small pkg Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a very large bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (I normally use two 9-inch pie pans). For cooking time, I use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide and usually add 10 mins to whatever it says. Then I do the toothpick check, and if it’s not done, I check on it every 5 mins after that. It usually takes around 45 mins for two, 9-inch pie pans.
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup shortening (Crisco)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.



Recipe from Kevin and Amanda.























Snickerdoodle Cake

 
Ingredients

    For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks butter (8 ounces by weight), softened to room temperature
1 3/4 cups fine or superfine sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed to room temperature
    For the Buttercream:
4 and 1/2 sticks butter (or 1 pound, 2 ounces by weight), softened to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8-9 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup of half and half, plus more if needed


Directions


To Bake the Cake:


Preheat oven to 325°F.
Butter and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in colour.
Beat the eggs in one at a time, fully incorporating each egg and scraping down the bowl between each addition. Beat in the vanilla. 
Add about 1/3 of the milk, beat to incorporate, then 1/3 of the flour, again beating to incorporate. 
Repeat this process, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until all of the milk and flour are added and mixed in evenly. 
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake, rotating midway through, for about 35 minutes or until the cake tests done. 
Let the cakes cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes before turning out onto the racks to finish cooling.

 
 
To Make the Buttercream:

Beat together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until fluffy and pale in colour.
Add 6 cups of the confectioner's sugar and the vanilla extract and beat, starting on low and moving up to high, until it is fully incorporated.
Scrape down the bowl and add the half and half. Beat to incorporate again.
Add another 2 cups of the confectioner's sugar and beat, starting on low and moving up to high, until fully incorporated. Check the consistency of the buttercream. If it needs to be thicker, add the remaining confectioner's sugar. If it is too thick, add more half and half a teaspoon at a time, beating after each addition, until it reaches the consistency you like.
 
 
To Assemble and Frost the Cake:

Level out your cooled cakes and cut each into two even layers.
Place one layer on a cake plate then add a layer of buttercream, spreading to the edges and evening out as you go. Repeat with the remaining layers.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream.
If desired, garnish the top of the cake with whole cinnamon sticks.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing.
Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator. 

Recipe from Foodie with Family.
 




Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

A low fa,t high protein, cleaneating, weightwatcher, vegetarian recipe. 

Ingredients


1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 - 3/4 lemon, squeezed
1/4 cup (about 10) kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup crumbled feta
salt and fresh pepper, to taste


 Directions

  1. Rinse quinoa for about 2 minutes, using your hands to make sure all the saponins are removed.
  2. Fill a medium pot with water, add quinoa and salt to taste and bring to a boil. When the water boils, reduce heat to low and cover; simmer covered 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered an additional 5 minutes without lifting the lid; then fluff with a fork and set aside in a large mixing bowl to cool.
  3. While the quinoa cools, dice all the vegetables. Add the red onion, olives, cucumber, tomatoes to the cooled quinoa, and squeeze 1/2 lemon over it. 
  4. Drizzle the olive oil over the quinoa, then add feta, salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Taste for salt and adjust as needed, add more lemon juice if needed.
Recipe from Skinny Taste.

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Almonds

 



Ingredients
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 Egg White
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Cups Almonds
1/4 C. Water


Directions
 
  1. Mix together in a large bowl sugars, cinnamon, and salt.  
  2. In another bowl with a whisk, mix together the egg white and vanilla until it is frothy.  Add the almonds and coat thoroughly.  This will help the mixture stick to the almonds during the cooking process.  
  3. Prepare your slow cooker by spraying it with cooking spray.  I used a 4 quart.  Add the cinnamon almond mixture to the almonds and turn it to low.  Stir until the cinnamon sugar mixture is coated well on the almondsBe prepared for your house to smell amazing! 
  4. You want to cook for about 3-4 hours.  Mine took about 3.  Stirring every 20 minutes.  In the very last hour, add 1/4 cup water and stir well.  This will ensure a crunchy coating and help the mixture to harden.   
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the almonds onto the sheet to cool.  The almonds should be pretty sticky so be sure to seperate them the best that you can and let them cool!  
*Update:  There is a lot of sugar left over in this.  You can reduce the sugar to probably about 1 cup of each and only putting about an 1/8 cup of water.  I am going to be testing it out this week.  Also your almonds will be very dark and clump together.  Just spread them out and try to unclump them as best as possible and let them cool.  
 
Recipe from The Recipe Critic

Oreo Icebox Cake

Oreo Icebox Cake ~ A simple 3 ingredient dessert that everyone will love! www.cookiesandcups.com 

Ingredients

90 Oreo cookies
3 containers of Cool Whip
small glass of milk
chocolate syrup

Directions

  1. Dip 30 Oreo Cookies in milk one by one and lay flat in a 9x13 pan.
  2. Spread one tub over the Oreos. Repeat this process 2 more times, finishing with a layer of Cool Whip on top.
  3. If desired drizzle chocolate sauce on top, or extra crushed Oreos.
  4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. 
Recipe from Cookies and Cups.
 

Snickers Popcorn

How to Make Snickers Popcorn #recipe 



Ingredients

Popped Popcorn
2 cups Chocolate Chips
10 mini Snickers bars

Directions
  1. Pop your popcorn by using your favorite method. Lay out popcorn on a parchment or wax paper-lined cookie sheet. 
  2. Cut up Snickers mini bars into little pieces. 
  3. Melt the chocolate candy melts in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Stir. 
  4. Pour melted chocolate on top of popcorn and sprinkle the snickers bar pieces on top. 
  5. Mix all together while chocolate is still hot! Let sit for 45 minutes! 
Recipe from U-Create


Chocolate Chip Cookies

 




Ingredients

½ c. butter
½ c. high-quality tub margarine (like Smart Balance)
¾ c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 c. flour
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 12-oz. bag chocolate chips


Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Cream together butter, margarine, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
  3. Drop onto cookie sheet by tablespoon or with a cookie scoop. You should get 12 cookies per sheet.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Naturally, you want to keep an eye on them because every oven is different. Makes about 4 dozen.  
  5. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Recipe from Our Best Bites.
 

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