English Toffee

It's been a reeeeeaaaaaaallllly long time since I've added any recipes here - sorry! For me, Christmas time equates with baking time. I love to bake and I love to have the excuse to bake a ridiculous amount of cookies. :) This is actually not technically baking, but it's my absolute favorite to thing to make (and eat!) for Christmas. Honestly, I think it's better than Almond Roca. It's so addicting for me that I have to hide the tin from myself. Really! Don't be afraid of it because it's candy-making, it's really easy, you just need to be careful and pay close attention. And definitely use a candy thermometer, WAY easier. Just make sure to check your thermometer before you start - boil some water, put the thermometer in (don't let it touch the pan) and check the reading at the boiling stage and adjust accordingly. For example, mine reads 200 degrees at boiling stage, so instead of cooking this until 300 I pull it off at 288. Easy peasy. And SO worth the results!!! Mmm, look at that yummy, crunchy toffee peeking out under the chocolate and almonds....YUM!

1 cup almonds -- chopped
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips -- chopped (have this ready & waiting ahead of time!)

Sprinkle 1/2 the almonds in a buttered 9" x 13" pan. (I usually use a cookie sheet - line it with parchment paper & lightly butter it) In large saucepan, melt butter, add sugars and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook to 300 degrees or until a small amount dropped in cold water becomes brittle immediately. Remove from heat. Add baking soda, work fast. Pour over almonds in pan, sprinkle chocolate and remaining almonds on top. Pat down lightly and cool completely. Break into pieces. Breaks easier if you store covered in fridge for several hours.

Tuscan Chicken

This was really yummy! I love anything with wine in the sauce, and this did not disappoint. I made some whole-wheat spaghetti and just put the spaghetti in a big bowl and poured the chicken & sauce over the top. Try this one, it's a keeper! Huge hit with kids and hubby! :)

TUSCAN CHICKEN

2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp ground thyme (I used basil and oregano as I didn't have any thyme)
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper all the chicken. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan. Brown the chicken (1/2 at a time), cook for 3 min. per side, drain on paper towels. Add vinegar to pan and cook for 30 secs. stirring up brown bits. Reduce heat to medium and add butter, garlic, onions and thyme and cook 4-5 min. Add flour and cook for 1 min. Whisk in wine and broth and reduce sauce for 5 min. Add chicken to warm through. YUM!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

These were so yummy! Found the recipe on another blog www.recipegirl.com that I love. These are definitely American-ized but really yummy! We did find that the part of the tortillas that were on the bottom of the baking dish were kind of chewy and hard to cut through...however, when we had them for leftovers they had softened up and tasted even better. Next time I'll bake them one night and eat them the next.

CREAMY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

One 10¾ oz. can Cream of Chicken soup
8 oz light sour cream
1 cup picante sauce (I used some leftover fresh salsa)
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used some cheddar and pepper jack)
Ten 6-inch flour tortillas
1 large tomato, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, chopped (or guacamole)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Stir soup, sour cream, salsa and chili powder in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, stir 1 cup of the sauce mixture with the chicken & 1 cup of the cheese. Spread about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side-down in prepared dish. Scoop remaining sauce over the filled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray. Place sprayed-side-down on enchiladas and cover tightly. Bake for 40 minutes or until enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top individual servings with tomato and onion. Add a dollop of guacamole, if desired. Servings: 6

Sopa Seca

Oh my goodness, this was a really yummy casserole! I found this online and it was so so good. And really, a pretty inexpensive dish to prepare, considering everyone typically has the spices already in their cupboard. I made a few changes to the recipe I found...can't wait for leftovers! The kids gobbled this one up. "You're the best mom in the whole world!" Gotta love that. I would think this would freeze really well for another day, or if you're making a meal for someone, just freeze before baking, then thaw and bake.

Sopa Seca
extra-virgin olive oil
2 7 oz bags fideo (Mexican vermicelli)
1 medium onion, chopped (I used about 1/2 an onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I might use a bit less of this if your kids don't like spicy food)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
32 oz chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I cooked & shredded 2 chicken breasts)
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Sour cream, optional (this helps cool down the spiciness)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fideo and cook, stiring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted noodles to a bowl. Set aside.
Add the onion to the skillet with an additional tablespoon of oil, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, cumin, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes to the pot. Add the cayenne pepper, increase the heat to high, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups broth, the toasted fideo, salt, and pepper, to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. Continue to add chicken broth to thin the mixture if needed while the noodles cook. When the noodles are tender, stir in the chicken.
Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes. If desired, serve with some sour cream drizzled over the top.

Sweet & Sour Grilled Chicken

Don't let the name fool you. It's not Chinese sweet & sour chicken at all, the marinade has lemon juice and brown sugar, hence the "sweet & sour". This is a fantastic marinade for grilled chicken. We love to have it with brown rice or rice pilaf and some roasted asparagus or fresh sauteed green beans. Yummy!

Sweet & Sour Grilled Chicken

2 garlic cloves, crushed through a garlic press
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
juice of 1/2 lime
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or an equal amount of chicken tenders for a quicker meal)

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, lime and lemon juices, brown sugar, mustard, honey, and salt & pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Reserve a small amount for dipping. Add chicken to remaining marinade, and refrigerate several hours. Grill chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, or until the juices run clear. While chicken is cooking, bring remaining marinade (not the amount you put aside for dipping!) to a boil in a saucepan, then baste chicken with the sauce during the last minutes of cooking.

Italian White Bean Pancetta Soup

I have a new favorite soup. This was AMAZING!!! I found it on Allrecipes.com and tweaked it a little bit to fit my preferences. SO GOOD. A big hit all around - next time I make a full recipe (I halved it) because there wasn't enough leftovers!!! Fantastic with homemade bread (I made this Anadama Bread) Here's the recipe, with my changes in blue. TRY THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

Italian White Bean And Pancetta Soup

6 ounces pancetta bacon, finely diced (if you can't find pancetta, you can substitute regular bacon)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (I used fresh thyme and fresh basil instead)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
4 (19 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I used navy beans instead...and you might only need 3 cans of beans if you prefer it more broth-y)
2 cups seashell pasta (or any small pasta, I used whole wheat rotini)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
grated parmesan cheese (gotta have this!! I think I used Asiago - it totally made the soup!)

Directions:
1. In an 8 quart pot, saute pancetta in olive oil until soft. Add onion and celery; saute, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic. Stir in sage, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Add chicken stock, cover, and bring to a boil Add beans to soup, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Cook pasta in 4 quarts boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt until al dente. Drain, and add to soup. (I put a scoop of pasta in each bowl then poured soup over the top so the soup wasn't thick and starchy and the pasta wasn't mushy)
3. Stir in minced parsley before serving, and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Turkey Burger "Drumsticks"

This is a totally fun, easy and yummy recipe that I found in my Rachael Ray mag! It was a big hit with the whole fam...next time I'll have some dipping sauce for everyone, maybe BBQ sauce or Ranch or something like that. You could also play around with seasonings to change it up.

Turkey Burger "Drumsticks"

1 lb. ground turkey
1 5 oz can evaporated milk
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cups crushed cornflakes
2 ounces medium-hard cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

In a bowl, mix the turkey, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, the onion and 2/3 cup cornflakes. Season with salt & pepper. Divide into 12 portions. Cut the cheese into 12 small sticks and thread on each of 12 skewers. Wet your hands with evaporated milk then mold a portion of meat around each cheese piece, shaping it into 3-inch ovals. Pour remaining milk into a bowl. Add remaining cornflakes to a plate. Dip each "drumstick" into the milk, then coat with cornflakes. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry each drumstick until browned, about 12 minutes.
***You could also easily grill these on a BBQ or bake in the oven - just make sure to soak bamboo skewers in water beforehand.