What's Cookin' in Mama Jan's Kitchen?

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas Verdes Casserole Recipe

2011-01-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

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This is a super easy slow-cooker recipe. I wanted to make an enchilada casserole the other day and I really love slow cooker recipes so I don't have to be cooking dinner during "the witching hour" (anyone with small kids knows what I'm talking about). I figured I could come up with something good and this was it! We like a little heat in our Mexican dishes so next time I would add the can of diced chiles. I will include them in the recipe even though I didn't use them the first time.

Source: combo of several recipes plus a little Mama Jan Original

INGREDIENTS
• 2½ cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (2-3 chicken breasts)
• 1 cup asadero or Asiago cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• garlic (a couple cloves), minced
• 1/3 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped (subs. green onions, sliced)
• 1/3 C lowfat sour cream
• 1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles (optional, for heat)
• 1 T lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 14-oz. can mild green enchilada sauce (or try the homemade sauce from this recipe if you have time!)
• 18 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into quarters

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine chicken, 1/2 cup of the cheese, onion, garlic, cilantro, sour cream, canned chiles (if desired), lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

2. Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of your slow cooker.

3. Layer 1/3 of your tortilla quarters, then half the chicken mixture, 1/3 of your tortillas quarters, the remaining half of the chicken mixture, and finally the remaining tortilla quarters.

4. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.

5. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Conventional Oven option: Follow instructions using a 9x13 casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake 30-40 minutes at 350°.

Kitchen Tip:For shredded chicken (my favorite in any Mexican dish), I place the chicken breasts in my slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then pour in enough water or chicken broth to cover the breasts. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Remove and shred! You can make a bunch and a time and then freeze it in portions. Be sure to remove as much air as possible so your chicken doesn't get freezer burn!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

2010-12-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

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The recipe came from my grandma. My grandparents lived in Hawaii for a few years in the 1960s and this recipe came from a neighbor of theirs while they lived there. It's been a family favorite every since! It was my contribution to Christmas breakfast this year. I've eaten this coffee cake so many times but it was my first time making it. I was surprised to find out just how easy it is! Would be perfect for special occasions, brunch, serving to your Sunday School class or PTA group!

source: Grammy/Mom - family favorite recipe.

INGREDIENTS

2 C flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking pwder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 C butter (2 sticks), softened

2 C sugar

2 eggs

2 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1 C sour cream

½ C chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are good)

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

powdered sugar (for dusting)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°
Grease and flour an angel food cake pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the creamed mixture. Put half the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with half of the filling. Add the remaining batter and top with the remaining filling. Bake for 1 hour.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Cool right-side up in the pan for 2-3 hours or overnight. Carefully lift the cake off the angel food cake pan, slice and serve!

Peppermint Chippers Cookie Recipe

2010-12-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

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Peppermint Chippers are a family favorite for the holidays! They're basically just chocolate chip cookies with crushed candy canes but the cookie recipe is different than the one I use for chocolate chip cookies.

They are soooo good. You can even freeze them and eat them just as they start thawing - cold, pepperminty, chewy, crunchy. Yum.

cookies for Santa!

source: family favorite recipe
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup crushed peppermint candy canes (about 8 candy canes) *see kitchen tip*

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cream together the shortening, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and mix well.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture.
4. Stir in chocolate chips and peppermint candy.
5. Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Kitchen Tip:
To crush the candy canes, unwrap them, put them in a plastic bag and break them with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Don't break them up too small or you'll end up with candy cane powder!

Brie & Goat Cheese Panini with Basil Tomato Soup Recipe

2010-12-04T16:04:00.000-08:00

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I'm not a big "soup and sandwich" kind of girl but as soon as our weather turned colder I started craving grilled cheese. One evening for dinner, my husband decided to fix a brie and goat cheese panini that he had heard Bobby Flay mention on an episode of Throwdown. Bobby's recipe called for bacon and tomato but we left it out. Personally, I'm super glad we left it out. I LOVED the flavors of the brie and goat cheese together and their different textures. There was so much going on in the sandwich that it didn't need any other flavors competing!

This was my first time eating tomato soup so I didn't have anything to compare it to. I did like it and it was awesome with the panini. We followed reviewers on allrecipes.com and increased the sugar. It was pretty sweet so the second time we made it, we left the sugar as-is (the recipe you'll find below).... so much better! We froze half of the soup to have for next time! Simply let the soup cool slightly and pour into a ziploc freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and lay flat to freeze! Be sure to label your freezer bag :) I usually place the freezer bag on a cookie sheet until frozen through and then I can store it upright in my freezer.

BASIL TOMATO SOUP
source: adapted from allrecipes.com
total time: 20 minutes
serves: 6

Ingredients

2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes - aim for no-salt added!
1 (14.5oz) can vegetable broth
18 fresh basil leaves, minced (about a cup of leaves)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add basil and sugar. Reduce heat to low, stir in cream and butter. Heat (do not boil) until butter is melted.

BRIE & GOAT CHEESE PANINI
source: adapted from Bobby Flay's recipe
serves: 4

Ingredients

8 slices ciabatta, focaccia, herb slab or other favorite bread (we also liked it on sliced sourdough)
8 to 12 ounces of good brie
8 ounces soft goat cheese
watercress
butter
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat a cast iron griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat (or your panini grill...).
Spread butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Layer four of the slices of the bread with 3 to 4 slices of brie, watercress, and 2 slices of goat cheese (you can freeze the goat cheese slightly to make it easier to slice). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the remaining bread slices on top, butter side up and cook on the griddle until golden brown on both sides and the brie has melted.

Beef & Black Bean Fajita Burrito Recipe

2010-09-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

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Last Friday, Whole Foods was having a huge (almost 50% off) sale on their grass-fed beef. Time to stock the freezer!! Since I already had the beef and had a few bell peppers left over from our recent fruit & veggie delivery, I decided to make up a recipe... not often that I do that!

We LOVED how these fajita burritos turned out. I was able to freeze half for an easy dinner later on, too! For the taco seasoning, I used a packet that I bought at Whole Foods. We also really love the taco seasoning from SpicesInc.com. For something a little spicier, you could even try my homemade taco seasoning I posted ages ago.

source: Mama Jan Original
yields: 10-12 burritos

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef, chicken or turkey (for vegetarian option, substitute two cans black beans)
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
taco seasoning
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used red, orange and yellow)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4-1/2 pound shredded Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
10-12 tortillas

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook your ground meat until brown, drain. Add 2 cans of black beans. Add in taco seasoning and cook according to seasoning's directions.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add peppers and onions. Sauté.

4. When your meat mixture and pepper mixture are ready, scoop 1/3 to 1/2 cup meat mixture onto a tortilla shell. Add a scoop of the pepper mixture and top with a small handful of cheese. Fold sides and roll into burritos.

5. Place burritos in an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the shells begin to brown.

6. Enjoy! Serve with a fresh fruit salad.

FREEZER DIRECTIONS

After rolling your burritos, place on a baking pan in the freezer for a couple hours ("flash freeze"). Once frozen, roll individually in plastic wrap then place in a ziploc freezer bag. Label (with the date!) and freeze for up to 3 months. Try to remove as much air as possible from the freezer bag. To cook, thaw and follow baking instructions above.

BBQ Chicken Tenders Recipe

2010-08-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

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I'm always on the hunt for easy, healthy dinners my whole family will eat. I have two toddlers and you never know when their favorite dinner is suddenly the worst possible thing you could ever serve them! (If you have a toddler, you know what I mean...) My last attempt at serving a breaded baked chicken did not go well, so I wasn't hopeful with this one. I am pleased to say this was a HIT with my whole family. For the first time in a long time, all four of us ate the same dinner. That's huge.

I used panko-style bread crumbs for a lighter, crispier coating. This was the first time I've cooked with panko (Japanese style bread crumbs) and I loved the way it turned out! Will definitely do that again. You can find panko breadcrumbs in the Asian food section at your grocery store. We also loved the "dunkers" (reserved dipping sauce) - a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, a lot bit delicious. Served this with my "easy sides" (rice and roasted veggie - this time it was asparagus).

Source: eatingwell.com
Yields: about 24 tenders
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours (including 30 minutes marinating time)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups coarse dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (I used Panko style bread crumbs)
Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine barbecue sauce, mustard and honey in a large bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce in a small bowl. Cut any large chicken tenders in half lengthwise, then add all the tenders to the large bowl with the remaining sauce; stir to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray (or cover with parchment paper).
3. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.

4. Coat each tender in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. Place the tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Generously coat both sides of each tender with cooking spray.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each tender over and continue baking until the outside is crisp and the tenders are cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
7. Serve with the reserved sauce for dipping.

Baked Egg Rolls with Honey Soy Dipping Sauce Recipe

2010-08-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

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source: egg rolls recipe modified from tasteofhome.com, sauce recipe from foodnetwork.com
Yields: 8 servings (2 rolls per serving)
Points: about 1 Weight Watchers point per roll

Honey Soy Dipping Sauce
INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients except sesame seeds together in a bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add the sesame seeds.

Baked Egg Rolls
INGREDIENTS

1/2 head green cabbage, shredded (I use a bag of cabbage-only coleslaw)*
2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts (or one can, drained if you have to use canned!)
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts (about 4oz can)
1/4 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions (3-4 onions)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Pinch cayenne pepper
16 egg roll wrappers

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray
3. Add the cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bell pepper, green onions, garlic and ginger. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetable are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and cayenne until smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened; remove from the heat.
5. Spoon 1/4 cup of chicken mixture on the bottom third of one egg roll wrapper.

Fold center piece up and sides toward center.

Moisten the flap with water like you would an envelope.

Roll tightly.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (I use parchment paper). Repeat.

6. Spray tops of egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. (I forgot to spray mine so they aren't browned like they should be...

Serve with dipping sauce.

* you can omit the cabbage and substitute 2 cups finely diced cooked chicken or 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken (cooked) if you prefer to have meat in your egg rolls. Add the chicken at the end of step 3.

Freezer DirectionsAfter rolling all the egg rolls, place baking sheet in freezer until rolls are frozen through. Remove from freezer, wrap individually in plastic wrap and place the rolls into a ziploc freezer bag. Label (including date) and freeze for up to 3 months. Unused egg rolls wrappers can also be frozen (place waxed paper between the sheets and freeze in a ziploc freezer bag).

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Chocolate Caramel Melt-A-Ways Brownie Recipe

2010-08-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

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This post is kind of torture for me. In my last post I mentioned I am finally losing weight now that I've weaned my son, counting my Weight Watchers points... and here I am blogging about brownies. THESE brownies, no less. These are my favorite brownies ever. My mom has been making them for as long as I can remember. They are so easy and SO good. Ooey, gooey sticky caramel... extra chocolate.... yum.

So if I'm trying to lose weight, what am I doing baking brownies? Tonight I'm bringing dinner to friends who just had a baby. These are super easy take-along treats. I made them last night, cut a few of the brownies and packed them up for my friends and sent the rest to work with my husband. No temptation for me, but I'm so jealous of everyone who's getting to enjoy them today....

source: my mom :)
makes 4 dozen brownies

INGREDIENTS
1 14-ounce package Kraft caramels (unwrapped!)
1/3 cup milk
1 package German chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup milk
1 6-ounce package chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I always leave these out)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In a double boiler, melt the caramels with 1/3 cup milk.

do you like my bat/Halloween spatula? Part of my every growing collection of Sur La Table spatulas...

Combine the cake mix (dry), butter, milk and nuts, mixing well. Spread half the batter in an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake for 6 minutes.

Remove from oven and gently sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Gently pour melted caramel mixture over the chocolate chips.

Top with remaining cake batter (you need to use your hands to spread the cake batter and set it on top - it spreads together as it bakes).

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls Recipe

2010-08-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

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For the first time in over 3 years, I am no longer nursing and/or pregnant (39 months actually, but who's counting?) - which means I can FINALLY focus on losing weight! Hooray! Given that, you will probably see more Weight Watchers friendly recipes here. If I know the points value, I will try to post those for you - but I know most of my readers are not here for WW points recipes so I'm not going to focus too much on those.

I found this recipe over at Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes and they are great! Also a wonderful meatless recipe which I find I cook more and more often these days. According to Gina, these rolls are 4 WW points per serving (1 roll = 1 serving).

source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Yields: 9 rolls
Points: 4 WW points per roll

INGREDIENTS
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and fresh pepper to taste
32 oz tomato sauce*
9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.
Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

* I used only 28oz. sauce and chose a vegetable pasta sauce with an equal number of WW points per serving.

Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread Recipe

2010-06-14T14:47:00.000-07:00

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I love zucchini bread and was really intrigued when I came across this recipe for zucchini sweet potato bread. Sweet potatoes in a quick bread? Why not! This is a very autumn-ish loaf but we've had a cold spring so one wintry day last week I decided to make this bread. It was AMAZING - I think it was best warm out of the oven but it's been delicious every time I've nibbled off it. If you haven't noticed, I'm more of a chocolate girl than a fruits & nuts girl. I add chocolate to most quick breads and cookies. But this one I didn't! I kept with the walnuts and cranberries and I'm SO glad I did!

Source: modified from Joy the Baker
Yields: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (or omit and just do 2 cups of all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup grated zucchini (about 2 zucchini)
1 1/2 cup peeled and grated sweet potato (about 1 medium or 1/2 pound sweet potato)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan and set aside.
Sift the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, soda, baking powder and salt into a medium sized bowl.
In a seperate, large bowl, beat the sugar, brown sugar, and oil. Add eggs one at a time, beat in vanilla extract. Mix in the zucchini and sweet potato. Add the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Fold in the nuts and cranberries and stir well.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven about 65-75 minutes, until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool bread in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Wrap in foil and keep at room temperature.

To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap then place in a ziploc freezer bag. Label and remove as much air as possible. You can also cut into slices before freezing then remove slices as desired (thaw/warm in microwave or toaster).

Recipe for Boxed Brownies with a Kick

2010-05-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

This one's kind of a no-brainer but I can't stop eating these brownies so I had to share...

My two-year-old loves to help me cook. Everytime I start measuring anything he grabs a kitchen chair and drags it over to the counter saying "Help you! Help you!" So the other day we were baking brownies together. Nothing exciting, just regular ol' boxed brownies. But this time I decided to add a little flair to them: cinnamon and chile powder.

For these brownies, you can really use whatever chile powder you have on hand. I used the ancho powder that I bought from SpincesInc.com when I did a complete overhaul on my spice cabinet a while back (I still need to show you that!). Ancho powder is made from poblanos, a sweeter, milder pepper. I bet chipotle powder would be good too or even cayenne pepper if you're looking for a little more kick.

INGREDIENTS
box brownie mix
ingredients for brownie mix (probably water, oil and eggs)
chocolate chips (because I always add chocolate chips to my brownies)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 to 1 teaspoon chile powder

DIRECTIONS
Start with your basic boxed brownie mix.

Combine according to package directions.

Add spices. Mix.

Stir in chocolate chips. Bake according to package. Enjoy.

P.S. These are so easy I'm not even bothering with printable directions. Brownies-Cinnamon-Chile Powder (1 to 1 to ~1).... you can remember that, right?

Kitchen Tip:

When choosing a chile powder to add to your brownies, remember to look for chile powder, not chili powder. Chili powder is a spice blend used in chili, often made with ground chiles, paprika, cumin, oregano and garlic. Chile powder is made from dried, ground chiles. If you're not sure about your spice, check the ingredients. The spices will either be listed individually or it will say something like "dried chilis and spices" if it's a chili powder blend.

Cinco de Mayo Menu Plan

2010-05-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed I love Mexican food? My husband and I both grew up [and still live] in California. Although the Mexican dishes I prepare aren't authentic dishes, you can certainly see that my cooking is influenced by our neighbors down south.

Did you know Cinco de Mayo is not actually Mexico's independence day? Nope! We generally think of it as their independence but that holiday is actually in September. The holiday we celebrate in May as Cinco de Mayo is the day that Mexico won an unlikely victory over the French who attacked the Mexicans in order to force payment of a debt (the French did end up occupying Mexico for many years but this battle was significant because the Mexicans were so outnumbered). You can read more about it here.

Anyway, Cinco de Mayo is a big celebration around here. And this year I decided to put together a Cinco de Mayo menu plan! Try these recipes out this year!

Avocado Relleno

chips & Salsa Verde

a side of Sweet Corn Tomalito

and for dessert, Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Sweet Corn Tomalito Recipe

2010-05-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

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Sweet corn tomalito is that corn pudding that comes on the side of your plate at Chevy's. Years ago I found this recipe that rivals Chevy's amazing sweet corn tomalito. I follow the microwave instructions offered by a reviewer on allrecipes.com.

source: tweaked from allrecipes.com
prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 1 hour (or 11 minute in microwave)
serves: 8

INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup masa harina
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons milk

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, masa flour, and sugar until light and fluffy.

In a food processor or blender, blend one cup of the corn kernels with the water and cornmeal just until smooth.

Stir corn mixture into the masa mixture. Add the remaining corn, baking powder, salt, and milk, mixing until the batter is smooth.

Pour into an 8x8 inch glass baking dish.

Place the baking dish over a large saucepan of simmering water. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, and steam for 50 to 60 minutes, or until firm. Check water occasionally, and refill if necessary. Stir pudding before serving to give it a consistent texture. Serve in small scoops.

* alternative, quick-cook method: microwave at 30% power for 7 minutes then at full power for 4 minutes. Stir mixture and serve in small scoops.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe

2010-05-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this recipe for vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles. They look amazing but I wanted to see if I could make them non-vegan. Using a basic snickerdoodle recipe, the vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodle recipe and some of my own tweaks, this is what I came up with...

INGREDIENTS
cookie dough:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

sugar coating:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cayenne and salt.
In a large bowl, beat beat butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla extract.
Slowly pour dry ingredients into mixture and beat until combined.
In a shallow dish, stir together sugar and cinnamon.
Roll dough into walnut sized balls, and roll in cinnamon and sugar until coated. Place dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
Place into the preheated oven and bake until the cookies have spread and are crackly on top, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cookies cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Salsa Verde Recipe {Tomatillo Salsa or Green Salsa}

2010-05-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

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Salsa Verde is a mild and tangy green salsa made from tomatillos, a staple in many Mexican recipes. When buying tomatillos, choose fruits with green husks (avoid the brown husks) and that are smooth and plump inside (not wilted or wrinkled).

source: Mama Jan original!
yields: 2 cups (or more if you add water to your salsa)

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds tomatillos, husked
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
juice of 1 lime
kosher salt, to taste

tomatillos husked and halved

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Brush a jelly roll pan lightly with olive oil. Halve tomatillos and place skin side up on the pan. Halve jalapeño pepper, removing veins and seeds. Place pepper skin side up on the pan also.

2. Place pan in preheated oven, roasting tomatillos and pepper for about 30 minutes.
3. Using a spoon, scoop tomatillos and jalapeño into food processor. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Pulse until well-blended. Add water if you prefer thinner salsa. Serve at room temperature.

Avocado Relleno Recipe {Aguacates Rellenos}

2010-05-03T14:09:00.001-07:00

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source: inspired by my favorite dish at a local {now closed} Mexican restaurant, beef filling recipe from Mangio da Sola

INGREDIENTS
3 avocados, halved, peeled and pitted at room temperature
2 cans black beans, warmed
3 slices sharp cheddar cheese
prepared salsa fresca
2oz. cotija cheese, crumbled

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup beef broth
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced

I've never purchased Cotija cheese before and wasn't sure what I was looking for:

DIRECTIONS
Cook beef in your slow cooker:

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly. Once the oil is hot, place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side. Do not move the meat while it cooks for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Remove the beef from the skillet, and place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Leave the pan on the heat, and add in the beef broth to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste and minced chipotle or adobo sauce, and whisk into the pan sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker. Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Remove the beef from the slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the slow cooker, and mix into the shredded beef.

Assemble the Avocado Relleno:

Makes 3 servings.

Scoop black beans onto plate. Place 2 halves of the avocado on top of beans. Lay one slice of cheddar cheese onto avocado. Microwave for 10-20 seconds to slightly melt the cheese (or skip this step!).
Scoop beef onto cheese and avocado, then top with salsa fresca and cotija cheese!

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Avocado Relleno simply means 'stuffed avocado'. It's a spin on the traditional chile relleno. I discovered this dish at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and I was hooked. I mean, I love avocado but this dish was incredible. The best use of an avocado that I could have ever imagined. It was all I would order when I went to this restaurant. Then one day a few years ago my husband and I hopped in the car to go out for avocado rellenos and the restaurant was closed. Just out of the blue, no notice - they had been hit hard by the recession and unfortunately I didn't get one last avocado relleno.

I have been thinking about avocado rellenos since that day and finally decided it was time to make my own. I knew I would never know their recipe for the meat (I always ordered shredded chicken on top of mine) so I set out to find the best shredded meat recipe I could find. This one was great - I will make it again but I will also keep looking for the best meat filling for my avocado relleno.

For the most part, the rest of this dish is just as the restaurant prepared it. They did layer roasted poblano peppers between the avocado and the meat which I have chosen to leave off my relleno.

This dish can be made with your favorite chicken, beef, pork or seafood (shredded, cubed, etc.). I would love to know what meat recipe you used! Please be sure to leave a comment on this blog post with a link to your favorite recipe that you used!

Recipe for Easy Peasy Garlic Rolls (just like Palazzio's)

2010-04-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

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I went to a small college in Santa Barbara, California called Westmont College for my bachelor's degree. It was always a treat to go out for dinner, especially if it was at Palazzio's! Aaaahhhhhh, Palazzio's had these amazing garlic rolls. The servers wandered around refilling your plate whenever you were down to the last one. 8 years later, I don't even remember what else they served. I remember garlic rolls and a self-serve wine bar.

If only I could recreate Palazzio's recipe for garlic rolls... Real Simple recently posted this recipe for garlic rolls on their Facebook fan page and I thought I would give them a shot. Not quite Pallazzio's but wow, these are great (with a few tweaks as always)!

My husband and I are huge garlic fans... so unless you love garlic, you may want to cut the number of cloves in... oh, I don't know... half? I served these garlic rolls with Fusilli with Spicy Pesto.

source: modified from Real Simple
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
total time: 20 minutes
makes: 9-12 rolls

INGREDIENTS
1lb. prepared pizza dough, thawed according to package*
8-12 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
kosher salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin.
Tear pizza dough into 12 pieces and place in the muffin tin.
Divide all but 3-4 cloves of garlic among the pieces of dough, pressing them into the centers. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
While dough bakes, heat remaining oil, garlic and parsley over low heat. Do not simmer.
Toss in a bowl with garlic oil; season with salt.

* I bought an 11oz. package of premade pizza dough from Whole Foods and made 9 rolls out of the dough. I used the same amount of the remaining ingredients.

Magic Cookie Bars Recipe

2010-04-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

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Another family favorite! When I told my husband I was going to be making these for a friend of mine, he said "Oh, you mean those things you can't eat just three of?" Seriously! When you try these you will see, you just want to keep going back and back and back. Just one more bite! I'd never made them before and when I looked up the recipe I had to call my mom and ask, "Is this right? I mean, it's not this easy right? No mixing, no stirring, nothing?" Nothing. They are that easy. You can even go without toasting the nuts and coconut if you want to make it even easier - Grammy's original recipe does not call for them to be toasted, but my mom improved on the recipe by bringing out the nuttiness.

source: Grammy (family favorite recipe)
total time: ~35 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted*
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut (sweetened), toasted**
1 (15oz) can sweetened condensed milk

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°.

Pour melted butter into a 9x13-inch pan. Add the rest of the ingredients layer by layer: crumbs, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut and milk.

Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool 15 minutes before cutting.

Kitchen Tips:

* To toast walnuts, spread nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5-7 minutes, tossing several times.
** To toast coconut, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 2-4 minutes, tossing every 30 seconds until flakes turn golden brown.
1. Freeze remaining coconut in a ziploc freezer bag. Be sure to label with contents and date, and remove as much air as possible from the freezer bag.

Mandarin Tossed Salad

2010-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

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This recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember. It's been a family favorite for ages and is often served at both big family gatherings (holidays and celebrations) as well as "every night" dinners. When I'm asked to bring a green salad to a friend's house or if I'm bringing dinner to a family who just had a baby, this is the salad I most often bring. It's so simple and it tastes so good. You will want to drink the sweet vinaigrette dressing! Okay, not really - but it's that good!

source: family favorite recipe

INGREDIENTS
salad:
1 head lettuce, chopped (or a bag of mixed salad greens)
3-6 green onions, sliced
1 (11oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
avocado, diced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

dressing:
1/3 cup salad oil
3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper

DIRECTIONS
Prepare dressing and set aside. Mix together lettuce, green onions, mandarin oranges and avocado. Just before serving toss with dressing and almonds.

Recipe for Fusilli with Spicy Pesto

2010-04-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

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This is not your typical pesto... If you're looking for a basil pesto, this is not your recipe! But wow is it good! The jalapeño and arugula really stand out in this recipe. It's not too spicy but if you're worried about that, just remove the seeds of the jalapeño before chopping it.

source: Giada DiLaurentiis
total time: 34 minutes
makes: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped walnuts, untoasted
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 (2-inch long) jalapeño pepper, stemmed and coarsely chopped (see kitchen tip!)
2 cups grated (4 ounces) Asiago cheese
kosher salt to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces baby spinach
3 ounces arugula
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound fusilli pasta
4 ounces Asiago cheese, shaved

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, garlic, jalapeno, cheese, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth.
Add the spinach and arugula and process until blended.
With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
Place the cooked pasta and pesto in a large serving bowl. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Asiago cheese shavings and serve.

KITCHEN TIP

Wear gloves and/or wash your hands really well after handling the jalapeños!
For a milder pesto, remove the seeds from the jalapeño pepper.
Freeze pesto in silicone ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop them out of the tray and store in a ziploc freezer bag. Thaw, do not heat.

Praline Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

2010-04-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

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This ~~dessert~~ breakfast is not for the faint of heart! I served it to my family for Easter and it was such a treat! You definitely won't find us eating this every day but if you're looking for a special ~~dessert~~ breakfast to serve to your guests, try this one!

source: Southern Living, December 2009
prep time: 15 minutes
total time: 9 hours, 25 minutes
makes: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 (2lb) package frozen bread roll dough
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. In a shallow dish, stir together sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon. Coat each roll in butter, then dredge rolls in sugar mixture.

Arrange in a lightly greased 10-inch tube pan. Sprinkle with pecans. Cover and chill 8 to 18 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; stir in brown sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Pour mixture over dough. Place pan on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate and drizzle with any remaining glaze from pan.

April Giveaway Winner!

2010-04-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting the winner! I drew a random number Friday night and found our winner:

Congratulations to Melissa, winner of the Le Creuset 12-ounce Petite Casserole dish! Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway, what a hit! And thank you to this month's sponsor, CSN Stores.

{CLOSED} April Giveaway - Win a Burst of Sunshine!

2010-03-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

** this giveaway is closed - thank you for your participation! **

I'm bringing this April giveaway a tad early. We've all been getting bogged down by some wet weather so I wanted to bring a little sunshine into your lives! This month, our giveaway sponsor is CSN Stores. CSN Stores is an online U.S. retailer of home and office goods - they have over 200 sites where you can find anything from kids bedding to fitness equipment to outdoor barbecues!

I'm so excited that this month CSN Stores is partnering with me to giveaway a Le Creuset 12-ounce Petite Oval Casserole dish in Dijon (2" H x 6.75" W x 4" D):

According to CSN Stores,

This Petite Oval Casserole is the perfect size for accenting a table with dips, condiments, cheeses, salsas, and aioli. The lid makes it practical for heating up sauces in the microwave or keeping snacks fresh. You can bake charming individual portionswhile entertaining guests. Crafted from high-quality durable stoneware, this piece will not chip, scratch, or stain. The Le Creuset Petite Oval Casserole is a stylish and versatile kitchen essential!

Who wouldn't love to have this burst of yellow sunshine in their kitchen?? You can enter up to FIVE times by doing any or all of the following (but make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry!). Here's how you can win it:

1. Publicly follow my blog by clicking "follow" over on the left side column. Leave a comment letting me know you're a follower.
2. Become a fan of Mama Jan's Kitchen on Facebook. Leave a comment letting me know you're a fan.
3. Add my blog to your blogroll and leave a comment here including a link!
4. Leave a comment telling me (1) Do you currently own any Le Creuset cookware? (2) If so, what's your favorite Le Creuset item you own?
5. What's your favorite warm-weather/spring dish to fix?

Open to residents of U.S. and Canada only. One winner will be chosen randomly on Friday, April 2nd at 9pm PDT. Please make sure you include your email address in your entry OR have your email visible in your blogger profile.

POM Pomegranate Barbecue Ribs

2010-03-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

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As a child, I remember coming home from school and having my mom cut me a big slice of pomegranate. Then, I would sit at the kitchen table and pick the seeds out one by one until it was just a hollow shell (I loved the indentations the seeds left in the skin!). Little did I know I was eating one of the world's largest antioxidant powerhouses (it contains more antioxidants than orange juice, red wine and even green tea)!

When the awesome people over at POM Wonderful offered to send me some of their 100% pomegranate juice to try out in recipes, I jumped at the chance. I'm always looking for new recipes and especially ones that can be made with such good-for-you ingredients!

I don't go near the grill, that's my husband's territory (he's actually the one who made this recipe for our family last weekend). However, this recipe can be made with a broiler rather than a grill if you prefer.

source: POM Wonderful
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 70 minutes
total time: 80 minutes
serves: 2-3

INGREDIENTS
Sauce (enough for a couple racks, will refrigerate for two weeks):
1 cup POM 100% pomegranate juice
3 oz tomato paste (half a small can)
1½ Tablespoons molasses
1/2 cherry, chipotle or jalapeno pepper, minced (optional — for heat)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tablespoon dry mustard
1/2 Tablespoon cumin powder
2 Tablespoons honey
1 lemon, juiced

Ribs
1 rack pork baby back ribs
1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
1/2 Tablespoon paprika
1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground coarsely

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare grill for direct high heat. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. Prepare Pomegranate Barbecue Sauce:

In a large saucepan, combine POM 100% pomegranate juice, tomato paste, molasses, garlic and hot pepper. Add dry mustard, cumin, and honey. Mix together. Whisk and simmer until thickened. Reduce sauce by about half. Remove from heat, mix in juice of 1 lemon. Multi-task! Move on to steps 3 & 4 while whisking. :) Set aside.

3. Prepare dry rub for the ribs: In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Pat liberally onto each side of the ribs.

4. On a hot grill, brown both sides of the ribs about 5 minutes on each side over direct high heat. Alternative: place under broiler, turning to brown both sides (make sure you allow heat to reduce to 275 degrees before baking).

5. Place ribs on a jelly roll pan and cover with foil. Place in preheated oven and bake 30 minutes.

6. Brush ribs with barbecue sauce (to avoid cross-contamination, make sure you don't "double dip" your brush - the sauce will be used as a garnish later). Cover with foil and bake 30 more minutes.

7. Serve in half racks or as individual ribs with additional pomegranate barbecue sauce to drizzle on the ribs.

Pork Chop Suey

2010-03-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

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Chop suey ("mixed pieces") is an American-Chinese dish that's sort of just a hodge podge of vegetables and meats (believed to have been created when Chinese miners cooked together whatever foods they happened to have).

If you don't like pork, try substituting shrimp, chicken or beef! This recipe can easily be made meatless by leaving out the pork (duh). I actually found the pork was sort of in the way of everything else and will probably leave it out next time!

source: modified from EatingWell.com
total time: ~30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons molasses, preferably blackstrap
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 medium onion, slivered
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 cups (12oz.) mung bean sprouts
8oz. can bamboo shoots, thinly sliced (julienned)
8oz. can water chestnuts, slices
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Although I have not tried it, I would also suggest trying this with sliced mushrooms, bok choy, and red pepper flakes (if you like a little heat).

DIRECTIONS

Combine broth, soy sauce, molasses and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a small bowl; stir in cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the pink is gone, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, bell pepper, sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add the reserved cornstarch mixture and pork (and any accumulated juice) and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Serve over udon noodles (or other starch such as rice or barley).

KITCHEN TIPS
1. Pork tenderloins are typically sold in packs of 2 (one pound each). Use one for this recipe and freeze the other one for up to 3 months.

2. I mistakenly thought I had fresh ginger in my freezer (one of the many great tips I've picked up from the Next Food Network Star, Melissa d'Arabian). In a pinch, I substituted 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and that worked well.