Spanish Rice with Chorizo ~~ Better known as Yummness in a Bowl ~~

So we tried a new recipe tonight. I heart new recipes (most of the time =)

There is a little history with me and Chorizo (which is Spanish Sausage). My BFF Carrie (Spanish teacher extraordinaire =) told me about it last year. Well, I went and found some at the store and was reading the ingredients (because, well, that's what I do), and lo and behold if it didn't say saliva glands ~~ what? Yes you read that right: saliva glands. Like those things in a pigs mouth that makes their mouth water, kind of saliva glands. Okay so, yeah I don't eat saliva glands.

So Carrie and I have gotten a big laugh out of that, and when her and her hubs eat Chorizo in anything, he'll pat his stomach and say, "MMMMM good saliva glands." There is just something messed up about that but,........moving on =)

Well, needless to say I have never fixed it for my family. Well, I was in the store in the vegetarian section and saw they had soy-chorizo, with NO saliva glands. So I bought it, because frankly I dig me a good vegetarian dish. Well today I was looking through some recipes and found this recipe. So when my BFF came by this afternoon to pick me up and take me to her new, beautiful house, I told her I had a recipe for saliva glands and asked her if she knew they made Chorizo in soy. Well she didn't and frankly I think she thought that was weird. And truth be told, it is kind of weird, because Chorizo is made with pork and well there is no pork in soy, you get it, anyway.......... =)

When I got home I made this recipe and it was actually delish even with the soy chorizo. So whether you use soy or regular chorizo, you should try this one out. It is yummee and spicy, and now you have a good story to tell about your friend in MO and her problem with eating saliva glands......just sayin' =)


Spanish Rice with Chorizo

1/2 package Chorizo Sausage (fully-cooked)
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups instant rice (I use brown ~~ yep just the way we roll around here =)
1/2 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup chicken broth or water
1 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze Chorizo out of casing and cook with bell pepper and yellow onion in skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or until pepper and onion is tender, stirring frequently. Add rice, tomatoes, chicken broth (or water) and green onions. Mix well.

Increase heat to high. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with torilla chips.

Side note: Dak likes his served with hot sauce too. (That's a little much for me, but what can I say, the boy likes his hot sauce =)

Enjoy.

Happy cooking,
Dawn

Hubb's Favorite Applesauce Brownies!!!

Go ahead and try these babies. These are my hubs fav!!!!!

He actually brought this recipe home from work. I know. There is a lady that is a tremendous cook and made this and my hubs just couldn't get enough. So he asked for the recipe and she obliged. Thanks Jean!!!

Applesauce Brownies

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tb cocoa
2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, unbeaten
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup nuts (optional, but really are nuts ever optional? not in our house ~~ but they may be totally optional in ya'll's and that's cool =)

Combine all ingredients and beat one minute. Pour into a greased 9"x13" pan.

Topping: (Here's the good part =)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 cup chocolate chips (I usually use organic dark chocolate but any will do. Come on it's chocolate =)
2 Tb sugar
1/4 cup (or so) of applesauce (enough to blend in the sugar)

Sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Pour a glass of (soy)milk and grab a fork and the pan (jk-ing ~~ get a plate or your family will look at ya funny =) and enjoy!!!

Try this bit of yumminess tonight!!!

Happy cooking,
Dawn

Easy Smothered Steak

This dish is get-out-of-town good and easy!!!!!

Now when I say it is good, I am not talking from personal experience. I cannot eat it, because of the whole allergic to MSG thing, but Dak and hubs LOVE IT!!!!!


1 1/2 lb. round steak
pkg brown gravy mix (powdered)
1 large can cream of chicken soup

Put steak in baking dish (I used a 13"x9") and sprinkle a little of the dry brown gravy mix on top of the steaks and rub it in. I'd say probably about 1/3 of the package or so. Just eyeball it.

Then pour soup down over the top and then pour the rest of the brown gravy package on top. Mix the dry gravy mix in just a little, then bake.

Bake at 300 for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Delish!!!

Now I'm sure this could be done in a crock pot, but I've never tried it. If you do let me know how long you cook it, and how yummee it turns out!! =)

Happy cooking,
Dawn

Homemade Taco Seasoning

So I am one of those people who are allergic to a lot of pre-made items of convience we now have in our grocery stores. I am highly allergic to MSG ~~ monosodium glutamate. I have severe reactions like slurring of speech (that generally last for days), shaking and severe headache. So I really try to avoid it and can usually tell after a bite or two if it has gotten slipped in unbeknownst to me.

So I have started making my own seasonings and have found that they are much preferable over their grocery store, loaded with preservatives counterparts.

So here goes:

Dawn's Lovely Homemade Taco Seasoning:

1 TB chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black powder

Mix together and voila ~~ instant, yummeedeliciousgoodforyou, taco seasoning ~~ enjoy!!

Happy cooking,
Dawn

Chicken Taco's ~~ Get-out-of-Town Good!!!

So I do love me some taco's and these are of the chicken variety and go GREAT with the Gauc ~~ oh be still my heart!!!

I got this recipe from "All Recipes" here on the Internet Super Highway. Don't you just love that site? If you haven't been, drive on over there and check it out ~~ so fun!!

Chicken Taco's (again revised Petrii style =)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can (8 oz ~~ the little guy) tomato sauce
1/4 -1/2 cup salsa (we like Pace Picante Medium)
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning (I use homemade and it will follow)
1 tsp cumin (I leave this out if I use homemade, because it is in the homemade version)
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder (again I leave this out, because it is in the homemade)

I cut chicken in half and place chicken and tomato sauce in medium pan over med heat. Bring to a boil then add salsa, seasoning, cumin (if using), garlic and chili powder (if using) and let simmer 15 minutes.

With a fork, pull chicken meat apart into this strips. Keep cooking covered another 5-10 minutes. You may have to add a bit of water if it starts to get to thick and dry.

When done, put chicken into a tortilla wrap along with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream if you so desire (because I so would) and the guac of course, and roll that baby up and enjoy.

YUMMEE!!!

Happy cooking,
Dawn

Dak's Favorite Fresh Cranberry Orange Cookies

Dak's Favorite Fresh Cranberry Orange Cookies
Ingredients:1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp grated orange zest
juice of 1/2 orange
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. chopped fresh cranberries
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment.
-In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and whisk; set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter and sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Add yolk and beat until fully incorporated.
-Add zest and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
-Turn mixer to low speed and beat until just incorporated.
-Remove bowl from mixer, stir in cranberries, and place 1 Tbsp rounds of dough onto cookie sheets.
-Place cookies in the oven and bake, switching baking sheet positions half way through baking time, for 12-14 minutes (they should not brown)
-Remove from oven and let cool on pans completely, about 10-15 minutes.

Then enjoy with a glass of milk ~~ or in my case soy milk.
And in this house if you want any more than the initial one or two you must take them out and hide them, because when Dak finds them its all over ~~ no more cookies for you =)
Because after all, they are his fav's!!!

~~ Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars ~~

Oh my stars, these babies are sooooooo good!! You must give 'em a try . . . go on try 'em . . . you'll like 'em . . . delish!!!

Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip Squares

From Everyday Food and Martha Stewart Living
Prep: 30 minutes Total: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
Makes 24
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.