Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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★★★★★

Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Crock Pot/Slow Cooker, Mexican

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 6 hrs Servings: Yield: 4 servingsSource: skinnytaste.com

INGREDIENTS

4 medium, (about 6 oz each) sweet potatoes, skin on

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon garlic power

1 cup enchilada sauce, I recommend my homemade (recipe below)

chopped scallions, for serving

1/4 cup light sour cream or Greek yogurt

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon chopped scallions and/or cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Wrap the potatoes individually in foil.

Season the chicken with salt and garlic powder and place on one end of the slow cooker, cover with 1/4 cup enchilada sauce.

Place the potatoes on the other end, stacking 2 on top of 2.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

When done, remove the potatoes and chicken.

Transfer chicken to a small bowl and roughly shred with 2 forks and add the remaining enchilada sauce.

Split open the sweet potatoes, then top with 2/3 cup of the enchilada chicken.

Drizzle each half with 1 tablespoon cheese and place under the broiler 2 to 3 minutes, or until melted.

Garnish each potato with 1 tablespoon sour cream and scallions or cilantro.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1potato, Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4.4g, Cholesterol: 101.5mg, Sodium: 809.5mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 9g Blue Smart Points: 8 Green Smart Points: 10 Purple Smart Points: 3

The Best Homemade Enchilada Sauce

★★★★★

Mexican, Sauce

Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Servings: Yield: 16 servingsSource: skinnytaste.com

INGREDIENTS

1/2 tsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 -1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups canned tomato sauce

2 tablespoons chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped (to taste)

1 tsp Mexican hot chili powder, or more to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

fresh black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and garlic; sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, chipotle chiles, hot chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 7-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use. Makes 4 cups.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1/4 cup, Calories: 21kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0.5g, Sodium: 355mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g Blue Smart Points: 0 Green Smart Points: 0 Purple Smart Points: 0 Points +: 1

Don’t Toss That Gift 🌸Orchid Out – It’s probably still VERY much ALIVE

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You know the drill. Orchids are irresistibly gorgeous and yet, you kill them off in record time.

I’m good with houseplants too, so it’s a double embarrassment. It wasn’t until I noted a friend’s post on Facebook. She was showing the progression of NEW growth. The blooms lasted so long I just assumed the Orchid was a goner when they dropped.

The gal that looks after our home when we travel south, had left the bare plant in our east facing kitchen window. When we returned those weeks later I recognized the signs of life. THRILLED. I’ve since gone through two more cycles of blooms dropping, followed by new growth.

I thought I might not be the only one whose orchids were winding up in the compost heap, so I decided to write this post.

Buds showing the color of the blooms to be
Won’t be long now …
SO worth the wait 🌸🤗
anticipation …
Oh happy day🌱

Hearty Ham and Navy Bean Soup

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Honey Baked Ham and Navy Bean Soup

My parents loved this recipe. It’s the perfect supper served with a side of homemade cornbread.

I’d visit a Honey Baked Ham store just to purchase a few ham bones for our freezer.

Freezes beautifully and recipe is easily doubled (or in my case tripled) by doubling or tripling ALL ingredients, save for the ham bone.

Hearty Ham & Bean Soup

★★★★★

Soups & Stews

Servings: Servings 8 Source: keyingredient.com

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound navy beans

Ham bone and any leftover ham

1 medium onion, chopped and sauteed

3/4 cup shredded raw potatoes

3/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup celery leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup fresh green onion tops

1 cup chopped tomato (fresh or canned)

DIRECTIONS

Wash beans well, then cover with 6 cups warm water. Let stand overnight. Next day pour beans and water in which they were soaked into a large saucepan.

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes and green onion tops. These two ingredients may be omitted, but they add much color to the dish. Add them the last 10 minutes to retain color. Cook soup in a covered saucepan slowly about 3 hours or until beans are very soft. When done, taste and season further if necessary. If soup appears too thick toward end, add a little water or stock. If it appears too thin, cook uncovered a few minutes. Add tomatoes and onions last 10 minutes, and cook slowly uncovered.

Can easily double the amount of soup made by duplicating all ingredients EXCEPT for the ham bone 🙂

InstaPot Beef and Barley Soup

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An hour’s time start to finish makes me VERY impressed with this recipe.

Beef and Barley Soup

★★★★★

Beef & Barley Soup

Healthy, INSTAPOT/Pressure Cooking, Kid-Friendly, Soups & Stews

Source: rootitoot.com

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp oil

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or diced stew beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup water

4 small carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 14-oz can whole or diced tomatoes, with juice

6 cups beef broth

1/2 tsp thyme or rosemary

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 – 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

½ cup pearl or pot barley

DIRECTIONS

Hit Saute and add the oil to the pot, swirling to coat the bottom. When it’s shimmering, add the beef and brown it well, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain off excess fat and add the onions. Continue sauteing for a couple of minutes.

Add the water and thoroughly deglaze the pan: scrape every bit of the brown off the bottom into the water. Hit Cancel and add all other ingredients.

Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to Sealing. Hit Pressure Cook (or Manual) and adjust the time using the + and – buttons to 24 minutes. When it beeps that it’s done, flip the valve to Venting for a quick release. When the pin drops, open the pot.

Remove the bay leaf and taste and add salt and pepper to taste. This is one of those “even better the second day” recipes. And it freezes beautifully.

The Best Homemade Mac and Cheese 🧀

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This recipe looks long but is really simple and quick. Three steps: cook the pasta, make the sauce and, optional, bake in the oven with the crumb topping. The recipe is only long because I detail each step for novices. It’s a delicious and saucy served as soon as you combine pasta and sauce, but for true level deliciousness add the buttered crumbs and bake it a few minutes. Okay. Here we go … Preheat the oven to 375.

Instapot Mac and Cheese

★★★★★

INSTAPOT/Pressure Cooking, Kid-Friendly, Pasta, Quick & Easy

Source: A Grandma’s Recipes for your Instant Pot – Rootitoot Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

The Pasta:

2 cups macaroni or other small pasta 

2 1/2 cups cold water

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp butter

The Sauce:

2 1/4 cups milk

2 1/2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp ground dry mustard or 1 tsp Dijon*

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

8 oz cheddar or other cheese**

The Butter Crumb Topping: (option but, oh … do it!)

1/2 cup Panko or crushed saltines

3 Tbsp melted butter

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

* MUSTARD NOTE: You cannot actually taste the mustard in this dish; it just enchances the cheese flavor. Use dry or Dijon.

**CHEESE NOTE: I usually use aged or sharp cheddar but I also like a Swiss or a combination of the two. Almost any combination of cheeses will work so feel free to use your favorites.

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE PASTA: Put the macaroni, water, butter and salt in the Instant Pot and give it a stir. Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to Sealing. Push the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button. Adjust the time using the + and – buttons to get to 4 minutes.

While it’s cooking, grate about 3/4 of the cheese in one pile and dice the remaining 1/4 cubes into another pile. Heat the milk in the microwave but do not boil.

When it beeps that it’s done, flip the valve to Venting for a quick release. Pour the pasta into a strainer and cover with a plate to keep it warm.

FOR THE SAUCE: Put the 2 1/2 Tbsp butter in the Instant Pot and hit the Sauté button a couple times to get to the “Normal” heat of the sauté setting. (Pressing Sauté a few times on the DUO models toggles through Saute’s three heat settings: Less, Normal and More).

When the butter is melted, add the flour and dry mustard, if using. Stir constantly with a whisk for a couple minutes to cook this roux. Keep it moving. Then add the hot milk all at once and whisk vigorously. (Add the Dijon mustard here, if you’re using that.). Keep stirring until it comes back to a boil and thickens. It can scorch if you leave it. The sauce should be the consistency of unwhipped heavy cream at this point. The cheese and pasta will thicken it, so if it’s any thicker than heavy cream, whisk in a little milk, a tablespoon at a time to thin it a bit.

Hit Cancel. (You do NOT want the sauce to boil once the cheese is in; it can curdle.) Whisk in the salt, pepper and sugar. Add the grated cheese but keep the cubes for later. Stir until the cheese melts. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if you like. (Incidentally, the sauce at this stage is what I use on steamed broccoli or cauliflower.). Stir in the cubed cheese and the pasta. If you like, you can heat it a little with the Sauté function, but don’t let it boil. You don’t want the cheese cubes to melt into the sauce – they are a great little cheesy burst of flavor.

FOR THE TOPPING: mix the crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan cheese with a fork. Spread this evenly over the pasta and cheese sauce and bake at 375 for 10-20 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let it cool for 5 or 10 minutes before serving. 

Roast Beef 🥩 Perfection👌🏻

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I’ve always been intimidated by cooking large cuts of beef. Which is silly because we buy a side of it every year. I could never count on it coming out perfectly UNTIL I used this recipe.

It’s written for Eye of Round, but I used it tonight on a 4 pound Sirloin Tip. Just follow the equation for time + weight, for a perfectly juicy, slight pink on the inside, outcome.

Perfect EVERY time

Roast – High Temperature Eye-of-Round

★★★★★

Main Dish, Meats

Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 3 hr Servings: 6 servings Source: Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

1 (3 pound) beef eye of round roast

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). 

2. Season the roast with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan or baking dish. 

3. Do NOT cover or add water.

4. Place the roast in the preheated oven. 

5. Reduce the temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). 

6. Roast for 7 minutes per pound. 

7. Then turn off the oven and let the roast sit in the hot oven for 2 1/2 hours. Do NOT open oven door AT ALL during this time!

8. Remove the roast from the oven, the internal temperature should have reached at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Carve into thin slices to serve.

NUTRITION

Calories 227 kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 0 g 0%
Cholesterol 71 mg 24%
Fat 12.6 g 19%
Fiber 0 g 0%
Protein 26.6 g 53%
Sodium 123 mg 5%

Chicken Tetrazzini

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The authentic, takes a FULL day in the kitchen, version.

The first time I tasted this recipe, was in the early ‘80’s. The commercial photography agent I worked for, hired a Hungarian caterer for a party we were throwing in the studio.

It was LOVE at first bite!

This recipe isn’t difficult, but you can’t short cut any steps and get the same great flavor. I like to steam the whole chicken the day before, as it makes it easy to skim the fat off the broth, that is the basis for the thick, creamy, roux.

I also love that you can make it ahead – to serve for company.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Fully assembled but not baked …

★★★★★

Italian, Pasta, Poultry

Servings: 6 servings Source: Pope Cooking School

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds frying chicken

2 cups hot water

salt, as suggested

½ pound broad egg noodles

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons grated Italian cheese

½ pound fresh mushrooms — sauteed in butter

bit pepper

several slivers garlic

additonal salt, pepper and cheese

SAUCE FOR TETRAZZINI:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup melted butter

1 cup warm milk or cream

2 cups warm chicken stock

1½ teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons dry sauterne or sherry wine

DIRECTIONS

Steam chicken in the 2 cups hot water and 2 teaspoons salt, about 40 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Strain stock for sauce. Remove meat from bones, and cut chicken into pieces about 3 inches long.

Cook noodles in gently boiling unsalted water about 10 minutes or until crisply tender, but not too soft. Then pour a little cold water into utensil and drain noodles thoroughly. Pour noodles into bowl and at once season with 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons melted butter, cheese and 1 cup of Sauce for Chicken Tetrazinni (recipe follows).

Saute mushrooms in the 2 T butter for five minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and slivers of garlic, and continue to cook several minutes.

Pour and spread noodle mixture into a flat, buttered baking dish that measures about 10 × 1 1/3 inches (round or oblong casserole may be used).

Place the sauteed mushrooms over noodles, pour a little of the sauce over mushrooms, then cover with the cut chicken. Season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little pepper. Pour rest of sauce (that has cooled for about 15 minutes) over chicken and sprinkle top with about 1/4 cup grated Italian cheese and drizzle with 2 T melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot.

Sauce for Tetrazzini:

Blend flour into melted butter; gradually add milk or cream and chicken stock, stirring constantly. Cook until thick and smooth, then simmer 5 minutes, adding salt and wine toward end. Let cool about 15 minutes before pouring over top of chicken. If too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk.

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

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I think the final weekend of isolation (for some) calls for a special Chocolate Cake 🍰

** Update – my first attempt at this cake didn’t make it out of the pans. SO disappointing, but you know what? We ate it anyway! It was my fault for forgetting to put parchment paper on the bottom of the cake pans.

This makes a VERY runny batter… I thought it was my mistake, but others say the same. It’s that hot coffee the recipe calls for. It also sinks in the middle after baking. Sounds like I’m talking you out of making it, but I want you to have a good outcome.

I get to taste it WITH the frosting tomorrow as it’s too late tonight. If the cake itself wasn’t so delicious, I never would have gone through the trouble a second time!!


Beatty’s Chocolate Cake (Updated)

Cakes, Desserts

Servings: Serves 8 Source: barefootcontessa.com

INGREDIENTS

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cups good cocoa powder, such as Valrhona

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

½ cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Chocolate Buttercream (recipe follows)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate such as Valrhona (see note)

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 extra-large egg yolk at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, such as Nescafe

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. (Not to worry; the top will sink a little in the center.)

Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top only. Place the second layer on top, flat side up, and spread the frosting evenly first on the sides and then on the top of the cake. Cut in wedges and serve at room temperature.

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl over a pan over simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

NOTES

Note: I use Valrhona Le Noir 56% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate. You can use also use a good bittersweet chocolate but don’t use chocolate chips because they have stabilizers in them.

Yep, that sunken middle but don’t let it discourage you. The TASTE is worth it!

Ghiradelli Chocolate Brownies

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Ooooh those chewy crisp edges

No matter WHAT pan you use, you will love the recipe. But boy, oh boy, if chewy crispy edges are your thing, have I got a PAN for you!

Bakers Edge pan, wedge + cover (sold separately)

Ghiradelli Chocolate Brownies

★★★★★

Baked goods, Desserts

Difficulty: Easy Servings: 8 Source: Ghiradelli Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup Ghiradelli Sweet Ground Chocolate

½ cup melted butter

⅔ cup unsifted flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Stir eggs, sugar and vanilla; add melted butter. Sift chocolate with flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into egg mixture, add nuts. Spread into greased baking dish. Bake 20-30 minutes.

Double the batch to fill this pan, or use the wedge & bake a single recipe’s worth

Pan sourced here: http://bakersedge.com/product_ebp.html

Sea Island’s Most Requested Recipe : Corn Muffins

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You’re in for a treat! These are Sea Island’s most requested recipe👩🏼‍🍳

Sea Island 🏝Corn Muffins

Makes 12 large muffins or 18 regular-size muffins.

1/2 Cup Butter, Melted
1/2 Cup Sugar
3 Eggs
16-Ounce Can Creamed Corn
1/4 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Bread Flour
3/4 Cup Cornmeal
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Salt
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1/2 Cup Bacon, Diced and Rendered

Preheat oven to 350° and spray a large muffin pan.
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the melted butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add creamed corn and milk; mix completely.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add to butter and sugar mixture; mix until incorporated. Fold in cheddar cheese and bacon. Scoop into muffin pan, and bake for 18 minutes.