recipes

Sunday December 23, 2012 - a quick and easy winter chili to chase the chills away! A perfect easy pot of white chicken chili, during a very hectic time of the year

White Chicken Chili – Jen’s Way!

 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and diced (white or yellow)

1 medium yellow bell pepper, stemmed and seeded (optional)

1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno chile (or more if you want a bigger bite!)

1 can (7 oz) mild green chilies

1 tablespoon cumin

2 -3 cups chicken stock

2 cans (15 oz each) navy beans rinsed and drained

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Salt

 

In large pan combine oil, onion, bell pepper and jalapeno chile, stir often over medium to high heat until onion is translucent 3 – 4 minutes.  Add cumin, green chiles, stock and beans, bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chicken.  Season with Salt.

 

 

 

Optional:

 

1 can creamed corn

1 cup whole milk

Pepper

 

Garnish with cheddar cheese.

The Sunday project is moving to my new blog.  I hope you enjoy the cinnamon rolls for the week of December 15, 2012.  I was given this recipe in an e-mail cookbook, that I've long forgotten about, so I can not give proper credit.  Just know that this, for me, is the best cinnamon roll recipe that I've tried.

I encourage you to read the entire recipe. The brown sugar, cinnamon mixture is in the middle - and more butter!  That came from the original writer of the recipe and I've left it exactly as I have found it.   I have stumbled (literally) on a few ways to speed this process up. 
1.  Use long cook jello pudding, not the instant kind - the stuff your grandma used to make that has to be heated up.
2.  Once it's cooked, add your stick of butter to melt into it, to help cool down the pudding.  Put the pudding mixture in the freezer for about 15 minutes, you want it around 95 - 100 degrees so the yeast won't die. 

This warm mixture, will help your dough rise quicker!  I hope that you enjoy them.

 

Cinnabon Rolls

ROLLS:

1/2 cup warm water

2 packages dry yeast

2 Tbs. sugar

3 1/2 oz. pkg. vanilla pudding mix (prepared according to package directions – not quick mix)

1/2 cup margarine −− melted

2 eggs

1 teas. Salt

6 cups flour

 

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup margarine

1 teas. vanilla

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1 Tablespoon  Milk

 

 

To make frosting, mix all ingredients until smooth.

In a bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.

In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package

directions. Add margarine, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast

mixture. Blend.

Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Place in a greased

bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Punch down dough and let rise again.

Then roll out on floured board to 34 x 21" size. Take 1

cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar

and 4 teas. cinnamon. Sprinkle over top. Roll up very tightly.

With knife, put a notch every 2". Cut with thread or knife.

Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 2" apart.

Take hand and lightly press down on each roll.

Cover and let rise until double

again. Bake at 350 15−20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden.

DON'T OVER BAKE.

Frost warm rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Makes about 20 – 25 generous sized rolls, or 35 smaller ones!

Cookies – 1 Basic Dough = 6 (or more) cookies

 

Base:

 

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1cup packed dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 ¾ cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

 

Heat oven to 375:  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. 

With an electric mixture on medium high, beat the butter, brown and granulated sugars, corn syrup and vanilla for 3 minutes.  Add the egg and beat until combined.

 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.  Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. 

 

Add ingredients from the variation of your choice.  Unless the directions for the variation sate otherwise, form the dough into tablespoon size mounds.  Place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.  Bake until lightly browned at the edges 12 – 15 minutes.  Cook on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.  Transfer the cookies to wire racks, cool completely

 

The following options use the basic recipe above:

 

Gingersnaps (makes 40)

 

2 teaspoons ground ginger

3 tablespoons more flour

 

Divide the dough into 2 portions.  Wrap in plastic.  Freeze for 1 hour.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out ¼ inch thick.  Cut into 2 inch stars (or other shapes) Bake for 8 minutes.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.  Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

 

 

Fruit Cake Bars (makes 30)

 

Add 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup candied or plain pecans, and 1 tablespoon rum flavoring.

 

Spread the batter in a buttered or parchment lined 9 inch square baking pan.  Bake for 35 minutes.   Transfer pan to a wire rack.   Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

 

Oatmeal and pie spice (makes 60)

 

Add 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 teaspoon apple or pumpkin pie spice

 

Shape and bake as in the base recipe, or roll and freeze to cut slices (optional)

 

Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Transfer the cookies to wire racks.

 

 

 

Chocolate chunk and Almonds (makes 40)

 

Add 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped toasted almonds

 

Drop by teaspoon full and bake according to the base recipe

 

 

Pine nut drops (makes 40)

 

Make the base recipe

Form into tablespoon size balls.  Spread 2 ½ cups raw pine nuts on a plate.  Roll each ball in the pinenuts, pressing so the nuts adhere.  Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Bake and cool according to base recipe

 

 

White Chocolate snowballs (makes 20)

 

Form the dough into teaspoon size balls. – 40

Spread one 7 ounce bake of sweetened flaked coconut on a plate.  Roll each ball in the coconut pressing so it adheres.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, transfer to wire racks.

 

Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl placed over, but not touching simmering water, melt 12 ounces white chocolate chips.  Turn half the cookies upside down and spread the flat sides with the white chocolate.  Sandwich them with the remaining cookies. 

 

 

 

Tip:  Make now, bake later. – Some planning can save you at Holiday Crunch time.  Double the recipe, and save it for later. Portion into 3 – 4 equal amounts.  Roll into a log, and wrap in plastic then place in a resealable plastic bag.  Label the dough with the flavor and cooking instructions.