Roasted Green Chilis and Chili Rellenos Casserole

The fresh produce co-op that I've been a part of for the past 2 1/2 years had green chilies and tomatoes for sale in last week's offering. I love green chilies and can't stand paying $2 for a tiny 2 oz jar. So I ordered a 25lb bag of green chilies and 25lbs of tomatoes.

I guess I didn't realize how much 25lbs really is. It was a WHOLE LOT of chilies, as you can tell.

I did a little research on how to roast chilies and Focus New Mexico's page had the best set of directions. I'll let you read them for yourself. However, I am going to share photos of how my chilies looked along the way and a few of the "Note to self..." moments that I had.

"Note to self number 1 ... leave the chilies whole. Don't try to clean them out." I cleaned out all but the chilies in this photo. I definitely wouldn't do that again. I thought it would save me a step at the end, but I found it was easier to "gut" the chilies after they were soft from roasting, then it was to cut them open and carve out their guts while they were still fresh.

"Note to self number 2 ... the blacker the better." Roast the whole darn pepper. The parts that didn't turn black were harder to peel.

"Note to self number 3 ... don't overestimate how long it will take to blacken the chili." I found that the chilies roasted a whole lot faster than I was expecting (I did burn a whole batch *opps*)

So all the labor paid off in the form of a DELICIOUS Chili Rellenos Casserole. It was soooooo wonderful, with the fresh roasted chilies. I usually use canned chilies, so if you're not willing to slave over a hot grill (it was 110 degrees outside while I was roasting), then canned chilies will also work.

Chile Rellenos Casserole
by The Mesquite Tree

• 15 oz can whole green chilies


• 1lb Monterrey Jack cheese


• 12 eggs
• 2 TBS flour


• 4 TBS butter


• 12-oz can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9"x11" pan. Remove seeds from green chilies. Slice cheese into 1/4" slices. Layer chilies, then cheese in casserole dish. Sprinkle flour and butter on top, then add another layer of chilies and cheese.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and milk with wire whisk; pour over casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with salsa.

*I'll save you the pain and agony and not post the nutritional information for a serving of this casserole...you're welcome!

Peanut Beef Stir-Fry -- Monochromatic Goodness

I was looking for something different. I'm tired of the same-old-same old. So I started thinking about stir-fry on the way home from work. Once I got home I browsed through one of my favorite recipe sites -- allrecipes.com -- and found a recipe for Peanut Beef Stir-Fry. Now the recipe didn't have any pictures, and I usually avoid any recipes without pictures, but it had a bunch of great reviews. I love peanut butter and so I decided to give it a try.

The recipe was super simple. I made a few substitutions, because I can't stand celery -- it's a whole stringy texture thing -- and I had a red pepper that I needed to use.

The finish product smelled amazing; however, it was very monochromatic - brown beef, with brown sauce and just a splash of color from the red peppers. To liven up the plate I steamed a few pea pods. Fortunately the Peanut Beef Stir-Fry tasted anything but monochromatic. I loved the subtle peanut/nutty flavor with the saltyness of the soy sauce. The peppers added just a small bite of sweetness. You've really got to try this recipe.

Peanut Beef Stir-Fry
by Rita Reifenstein
allrecipes.com

• 5 tsp cornstarch


• 1-14.5oz can beef broth


• 2 TBS soy sauce


• 3 TBS peanut butter (the original recipe calls for 2 but I added another, yum)


• 1/2 tsp sugar


• 1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced (I used "stir fry beef")


• 1 c. sliced onions


• 1 c. red bell pepper (the original recipe calls for celery, yuck)


• 2 tsp. minced garlic (the original recipe calls for 1 tsp, not enough)


• 2 TBS sesame oil (the original recipe calls for vegetable oil)


• 1/4 tsp. sesame seed oil (the original recipe doesn't call for this, but I liked the additional enhanced nut flavor)

1. In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar and sesame seed oil until smooth (I found it helped that I nuked the beef broth for a bit first, because it helped melt the peanut butter); set aside.


2. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the beef, onion, peppers, and garlic in oil for 5-8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.


3. Stir the broth mixture and add to the pan. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens.


4. Serve and enjoy!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

So my sister-in-law brought over some cookies a few months ago for a family dinner. This unassuming cookies looked like every other chocolate chip cookie I had ever eaten and so I casually helped myself to one after dinner. OH MY GOSH!! There was something absolutely unequivocally different about these cookies. There was nothing run-of-the-mill about these chocolate chip cookies.

"How can there possibly be anything that different about a chocolate chip cookie?" You ask.

"They're all pretty much the same." You Say.

I say, Nay, Nay.

These are not like any chocolate chip cookie you have ever eaten. They are warm and carmely tasting. The cookie itself actually stands out as the star, almost over-shadowing the chocolate.

I made a batch again today and decide that I just couldn't keep this recipe to myself any longer. The recipe actually comes from America's Test Kitchen. You may have seen this show on your local PBS station. It's a pretty darn good show.

Anyways, here's the pictures to entice you to try the recipe. Please note, these take more time to make and involve many more steps than your traditional c.c. cookie recipe. But it's worth it in the end.

I made small little cookies this time around, because I had to feed a bunch of people. However, I think these would be even better in the form of GIANT cookies.

These delicious bits of golden goodness bring back my conviction that chocolate chip cookies may be the best thing that ever happened to my mouth.


The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever by America's Test Kitchen - Recipe

Bolognese & Homemade Pasta

OK, so it's been FOREVER since I've posted. It's not that I haven't been cooking, it's just that I haven't been taking the time to record the experience. However, I decided to come back with a big splash... Pastor Ryan's Bolognese. I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs -- Pioneer Woman. It is an AMAZING recipe and it makes a ton.

Tuesday night I made it and also made some homemade pasta to serve it over. The combination was killer. The freshness of homemade pasta is so refreshing and really supported the robustness of the Bolognese sauce. Friday, I recycled the leftover sauce into lasagna, yum.

Enjoy!

Ryan’s Bolognese

1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 large red onion, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 pounds ground beef (I used 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb sausage - delicious)
2 tablespoons oregano flakes
2 tablespoons dried basil flakes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 cups red wine (I don't drink wine so I used beef broth instead and it works great)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
salt
pepper
2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
1 cup milk
Fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, then add in the ground beef. Cook for a few minutes until brown, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.

Throw in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have it; if you don’t, it’s fine. When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes.

Finally, pour in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours—however long you need.
Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Halloween Treats - Cinna-Bun Carmel Corn

I found this awesome recipe for cinnamon candy popcorn - ya know that stuff the Harry & David's makes called Moose Munch that tastes wickedly good but they charge ya like $8 for a quarter-cup.

Well, while cruising my favorite recipe photo site (admit it, you eat with your eyes first, if there isn't a great picture with the recipe you won't try it) Taste Spotting, I saw a recipe for the popcorn. The "Our Best Bites" site calls it "Cinnamon Carmel Corn with Pecans and White Chocolate" -- I call it freakin' delicious.

So rather than post the recipe, I'm going to send you on over to Our Best Bites and just show you the pictures of the finished popcorn that I made today. I won't tell you the bowl is not empty, cuz it's not...I swear! ;)

I did add a small Halloween flair -- just before I drizzled the white chocolate on the cooled popcorn I tossed in Halloween m&m's and I also drizzled semi-sweet chocolate along with the white chocolate. Strictly for aesthetic reasons! ;)

You've got to make yourself some this year. I'm planning on serving up several other Halloween dishes in the next week, so I'll be sure to take pictures and post them.

Magical Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake

I have been remiss. I realized this morning that I have failed to share one of my absolute favorite recipes with you. I have people at work clamoring for this on a weekly basis. It is a truly divine concoction and, I hate to break it to you....but it's low-fat. Eeekkk! Doesn't that equate to "NO TASTE"? Not in this delicious Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake from Cooking Light. Here you go...

Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake
Cooking Light Magazine

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 ¾ c. granulated sugar
¼ C. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind (zest)
4 large eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 16-oz container fat-free sour cream
2 cups fresh blueberries
Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare cake, coat a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Set aside.
3. Lightly spook flour into dry measure cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
4. Place 1 ¾ C. granulated sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (about 4 minutes total). Beat in vanilla and sour cream. Add flour mixture; beat at medium speed just until combined. Gently fold in blueberries.
5. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes on a wire rack, remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
6. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over cooled cake. Yield’s 16 servings.

Enjoy!

Bright Raspberry Crumb Topped Muffins

I got 2 1/2 pints of fresh raspberries in my bountiful basket last week. I've been trying to come up with something to do with them before they went bad. Finally, I came across a raspberry muffin recipe that had some great potential. I did a bit of tweaking and they turned out pretty darn fabulous. They muffins are not overly sweet and the brightness of the berries perfectly highlighted, so very fresh tasting.

Bright Raspberry Crumb Topped Muffins

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. yogurt (I used a single serving of peach no-fat yogurt and it was perfect. I might try lemon next time.)
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. fresh raspberries

Crumb Topping
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. quick-oats
3 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
3 TBS cold butter

1. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.
2. In small bowl mix yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
3. Combine dry ingredients (except for Crumb Toppings).
4. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture alternatively with wet mixture just until moistened. Gently fold in raspberries.
5. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
6. Combine crumb topping ingredients, cut in butter till mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle crumb topping over muffins.
7. Bake muffins at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done.
8. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Enjoy!!!