San Antonio Chicken for SSSA

I just realized how long it has been since I cooked up any Mexican or Tex-Mex food! What is going on around here? I knew something was a bit off kilter, just didn't realize what it was until I figured out just how much I was craving some of those earthy flavors I love so much! Whew...thank goodness it was down to the wire to post this month's Second Sunday San Antonio selection...my world is back-in-whack (as opposed to out-of-whack)! Because I'm back in whack. Yes, I'm BACK IN WHAAAAACK! Sorry, AC/DC moment. This month's selection, San Antonio Chicken, was chosen by Gloria (Ms. Foods & Flavors of San Antonio, herself).

San Antonio Chicken

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 30-45 minutes

Keywords: simmer saute entree chicken beans corn Southwest American

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 (1.25 oz.) pkg. taco seasoning (or ¼ c. of your own blend)
• 3 Tbs. water
• 2-3 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
• 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 c. frozen corn, thawed or 1 can Mexican-style corn
• 1 (2 oz.) jar pimientos
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 3 c. cooked white rice, hot
• ½-1 c. picante sauce

to serve (optional):

• chopped cilantro
• sour cream
• shredded cheese or queso fresco

Instructions

Place chicken in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer slowly for ~15 minutes, or until cooked almost all the way through. Place a lid on the pot and turn off heat. Let sit another 15 minutes to finish cooking. Let cool in broth (I think it makes the chicken more flavorful) until cool enough to handle. Then chop or pull apart and toss with taco seasoning and water. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, green bell pepper and corn. Saute until tender.

Add pimientos, black beans, and reserved chicken .

Stir it up well. Allow all to heat through. Stir in picante sauce.

You can either mix in the rice or serve it over the hot rice. Serve with any garnishes you choose and enjoy!

adapted from The Foods and Flavors of San Antonio

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Head on over to check out everybody else's San Antonio chicken...this month's Second Sunday San Antonio pick! The first one to post each month's selection gets to pick the next tasty recipe from the book that we'll make...so don't delay.

Grilled Asian-inspired Chicken Legs + Special Fried Rice

Well, here I am...no longer on borrowed (computer) time {yippee}. Now...still playing catch-up. It's just so hard to get things done when pesky little things...like jobs...get in the way. The only good thing about not having a working computer in the house for a few days was that I got so many other things accomplished.

I finished our latest Cook the Books Club selection in 2 days (now what to make!), I cleaned up the dust bunnies, er ah...cat hair whisps... in places I had been neglecting, I even watched some t.v.

Gorgeous Summer Pasta (Barefoot Style), thank you's and HOORAY for working computers!

MY COMPUTER IS CURED! A little hands-on action is all it took. Whew...hopefully I don't have to go through that again anytime soon. I suppose it's just time for me to admit that I have an addiction. I was definitely feeling symptoms of withdrawal. Think it's time to reevaluate...limit my computer time, if you will...take a step back and pick and choose a bit more...think I can do it? I'm not so sure. Surely my butt (and anyone walking behind it) will thank me. But I'm not going away...nope...not getting rid of me that easily. Just practicing moderation is all. I may take a few days and schedule a few posts to run automatically...that should help. But, I digress. I have my computer back, and for that I am extremely happy! Today is another Barefoot Bloggers day! This week's dish was chosen by Delta Whiskey...and it was a perfect choice for this steamy summer weather we've got going on around here. (One of those digital signs at the library said 105 degrees today. Yuck.) This lovely pasta (salad. I'm calling it pasta salad. I ate it all cold, so I say pasta salad.) combined tomatoes in two forms, fresh basil, olives and mozzarella. Yay! Another opportunity for me to use homemade mozzarella. I have to say I've become quite the mozzarella maven. I cannot stop making it! It's so easy and I LOVE it!!

Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes

by Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa

serves: 6-8

1/2 lb. fusilli

salt

olive oil

1 lb. fresh tomatoes, medium-dice

3/4 c. black olives, such as kalamata, pitted & diced

1 lb. fresh mozzarella, diced

6 sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, drain & chop I used plain, not oil packed

DRESSING:

5 sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained again, I used plain

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

6 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 garlic clove

1 tsp. capers, drained

2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

plus:

1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 c. basil julienned

Cook pasta until al dente, drain. Put all of your diced ingredients in bowl. Put all dressing ingredients in food processor and blend until almost smooth.

Combine pasta and other ingredients in bowl. Pour dressing over.

Toss to combine.

Next, julienne (or chiffonade) your basil. (Chiffonading Basil, quick tutorial: Stack basil leaves. Roll lengthwise, like rolling a cigarette, cigar, silly cig, you get the point. Slice thinly across the roll while holding it. Sorry, I can't cut and take picture at same time, so I had to stop to show you progress. Fluff out the shreds and voila! You have just chiffonaded your basil!)

Place basil and freshly grated Parmesan in bowl with rest of ingredients.

Toss everything until combined. Serve!

Good, huh?! Be sure to head over to see what the other Barefoot Bloggers did with this recipe (click on link above)! I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank a few awesome ladies who have recently passed some awards on to me. First off, the lovely Krista from Krista's Kitchen awarded me with this You're an Extraordinary & Awesome Blogger Award. Awwwww, shucks. Thanks Krista...I think you rock, too :) And many, many thanks to both Rachel from Rachel vs. "the Kitchen" and Katherine from Smokey Mountain Cafe for passing this Kreativ Blogger award to me. How cool! I get joy and inspiration for reading both of your blogs and am very grateful to have received this award from the both of you! Now go visit these 3 ladies and see their amazing blogs!

***ALSO REMEMBER....Saturday the 11th is the last day to enter my CupCakey giveaway***

So many foodie temptations...and me with no computer!

Foodie stimulation. Missing it. Me. You may (or may not) have noticed that I've been somewhat absent lately! It's not because I don't love drooling over your delicious food anymore, it's because my computer has temporarily taken leave of its senses. I'm trying to visit various "public" computers while it works through things...and I'll catch up one of these days. Promise. So, until then I'll show you this delicious Orange Pecan Coffee Cake that I saw over at A Blog About Food a while back (yup, I drooled).

Okay, recipe...on my computer. Argh. I'll give you the basics...I know it is a Paula Deen recipe. It is an amazingly simple coffee cake...for those with little time or a big fear of making yeast breads at home (hmmmm...or both like me). It's sweet, decadent and I say best made when there are lots of people around to help you eat it...or you may just eat it all yourself (and there's lots of butter & sugar...Paula, remember)! Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

By Paula Deen

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 teaspoons orange zest

2-12 oz cans refrigerated biscuits

1 8 oz package cream cheese (I really only used ~4oz of this)

1 stick melted butter

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, nuts, and zest; set aside.

Separate the biscuits. Place about 3/4 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of each biscuit.

Fold each biscuit in half over the cheese, pressing the edges to seal. Dip the biscuits in melted butter, then dredge in the granulated sugar mixture.

Place the biscuits, curved side down, in a single layer in the hollows of a lightly greased 12-cup bundt pan, spacing them evenly (do not stack). Place any remaining biscuits around the tube, filling any gaps. Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter. Combine the confectioners sugar and orange juice, stirring well; drizzle the glaze over a warm cake. Serve warm. ....mmmmm- look at that center!

I'll be home and various spots eagerly awaiting the attuning of my computers chakras....until then, enjoy some Nutty Orange Coffee Cake!

Good Morning Pizza

Whew! Today was a crazy day...it started out fairly normal, though. I was really in the mood for pizza. Homemade pizza. For breakfast. My favorite way to make a pizza is just grab anything good...everything good that's laying around and slice & dice...and bake into bliss! The pizza turned out beautifully. The day seemed "regular" enough. Then I decided that I needed to take a road trip. Things were feeling stale. So, we hopped in the car and headed to my mom's house (just a couple of hours away). We hit the beach...we drank some wine...we raided a taqueria...and we watched fireworks. And now, here I sit at a little past 1 o'clock in the morning writing this post. I don't sleep well when I'm not at home, so I figured I may as well use my time wisely (as opposed to tossing and turning). Plus, I really wanted to enter this pizza into this week's BSI (Blogger Secret Ingredient): Potato assignment; which is being held at Chez What? this week by Christo (aka DoggyBloggy). So, here's to fun weekends and spontaneity and pizza for breakfast!

Good Morning Pizza

by girlichef ...ingredients used in bold

Using 1 portion of pizza dough (homemade, store bought, whatever...I used one of those mixes..just add H20)

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Prepare your dough...get it rolled out onto your pizza stone or baking sheet. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning, Crushed Red Pepper and then grate some fresh Parmesan over it.

Have your chosen toppings sliced, diced & ready to go. I decided to use onion, garlic, plum tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, ham and this weeks BSI...potatoes (b-sized reds to be exact...sliced paper thin!)Pile all of your toppings onto the pizza. Next, add some sliced homemade Mozzarella (yup, here's one application of that mozzarella I so recently made), crack a couple of eggs on top, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, sprinkle with some more crushed red pepper and freshly grated Parmesan and pop into the preheated oven for ~15 minutes.

Let sit for a few minutes so you don't burn the top layer of skin from that little section between your two front teeth.

Slice and serve.

MMMMMMMM.....BREAKFAST! Good morning, pizza.

Okay, you can eat this anytime you like. But look at all of those yummy ingredients that may normally make their way onto your breakfast plate anyway! **Don't forget to enter my giveaway celebrating the 101 post mark!** Happy 4th of July to those celebrating today!!...and everybody else, too...

My Once or Twice a Decade Sandwich.

In June, I was the lucky winner of this Rachael Ray cookbook, Cooking 'Round the Clock! If you haven't heard, Kate of Warm Olives...and cool cocktails is liquidating her cookbook collection!

What'd you say!? Promise she is. So, lucky us! She is going through her cookbooks one by one and choosing lucky winners to alleviate her overload (and add to ours).

I like Rachael Ray. I have a few of her other cookbooks, though I think the funnest ones are the kids cookbooks, but hey... The one stipulation to winning a cookbook from Kate is that you blog a recipe from it within 30 days...no sweat...just what to choose? I didn't have to flip very many pages before I KNEW what I'd be making right away. I love a good sandwich, and I have a few faithful favorites.

A Monte Cristo has always been in the top few. But I think in all honesty, it may be the novelty of the sandwich that makes me like it so much. Before this, I had only ever made one once at home. I usually get them when I go to Bennigans...which is approximately once every five years or more lately. So, with a few slight changes to make it a Monte Cristo to mirror my personal expectations, this is my first Monte Cristo in (I counted because I actually do remember the last time I ate one) 8 years! Eight years!!! Yikes.

Super Stuffed Monte Cristo Sandwiches 
from Cooking 'Round the Clock by Rachel Ray...adaptations/changes
yield: 4 svgs.

8 slices of your favorite bacon I used maple black pepper bacon
4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 c. half & half, warmed
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. butter
8 thick slices soft whole-grain, white or challah bread I used a soft Italian
1/2 c. brown mustard I used sweet & hot mustard
1/2 c. cranberry sauce I omitted this, because I REQUIRE raspberry preserves for dipping
1/2 lb. sliced Havarti cheese I used Swiss
1 lb. sliced ham
1 lb. sliced turkey breast
1 1/2 c. maple syrup
Powdered Sugar
Raspberry Preserves

Start by cooking your bacon until done to your liking. Reserve. Now, beat your eggs with your half & half, nutmeg & black pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a Tbs. of butter and let it melt. 

Dip your bread in your egg batter (French toast style) and add to skillet, cooking 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden.

Once bread is flipped the first time, spread your mustard on one side (cranberry on other if using). Layer your bacon, ham and turkey on one half. Place cheese on other half. Put both halves together and press into place. 

Cook, turning a couple more times as needed until cheese is melty and meats are warm. Serve with warmed up maple syrup....or do it my way and once you cut it in half, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and dip each bite into raspberry preserves. I honestly can't not eat mine dipped in raspberry preserves. It's just not a Monte Cristo to me if there's no raspberry preserves!!! I also like them dipped in batter and fried...drool...it's that sweet & savory thing that I so adore!

Now, go visit Kate and see if you can score a cookbook this month...because a foodie can never have too many cookbooks (well, unless you ask Kate. Or mexichef.) I am also sending this sammie over to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for this week's Souper (soup, salad & sammie) Sunday!

101 Posts- Let's Celebrate with Cupcakes (and a cupcake-ish giveaway)!

Yes, I had originally planned to have a giveaway to celebrate my 100th post...but I wanted to squeeze my wine post into June, so I made it 101 instead. It's hard to believe that it has been just under 5 months since I joined the blogging world with My Manhattan Clam Chowder...which is sitting there in all of it's green glory, un-commented on...but still delicious and making me want a big bowl right now! I didn't really know what I was doing. I had just discovered this strange phenomena called a blog. And now that I'm here, it's so hard to believe that there are people out there who don't have a clue what blogging is...it is so addictive...it's a great release...source of creative outlet...and source for meeting great people! So here I am, writing my 101st post here on girlichef and I want to say thank you to everybody who has read, commented, emailed or even mentioned me over this beginning leg of my journey...you rock and are a constant source of motivation and inspiration to me! That being said...let's talk cupcakes!! A few months ago, I was at the library, doing my regular perusal of the newly released cookbooks and I found one called (simply) Cupcakes... Luscious bakeshop favorites from your home kitchen. The author is Shelly Kaldunski (a freelance food stylist and baking and pastry consultant in No. California. As a pastry chef, she baked in restaurants before becoming a food editor at Martha Stewart Living. She was the food stylist for and a contributor to Martha Stewart's baking handbook....or so says the book jacket). I set out to my normal task...reading through the book and marking the pages of the ones I wanted to make. Funny thing, and it happens a lot...I had marked a ridiculous number of pages! Looking at the book from the top, it was hard to separate the pages from the markers. So, instead of photocopying the whole book, I decided I better just order. Heck...why not order 2 copies so that I can give one away? So, I've saved the other copy and had it tucked away until the time came to give it to someone...guess what...NOW IS THAT TIME!! More at the end of the post...now let's look at a few of the cupcakes from this book.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes, Tres Leches Cupcakes, Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes...oh my! Now, I'm the kind of gal who likes to show those hardworking folks like Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker and the Pillsbury Dough Boy some love by using those cake mixes and frosting they so painstakingly...make that... lovingly assembled just for our convenience. I'm more of a pie type of gal, but I do like a good cake or cupcake now and again. Every once in a while I will make one from scratch. It was quite the exception for me to make 3 kinds (all in the course of a couple of days) and the frosting all from scratch. It was pretty fun...and they all turned out pretty tasty if I do say so myself. And I do. Whipped Cream frosting is more up my alley...and I'd say most everybody knows how to make it (whip the cream and add some sweetness). This was only the oh, maybe 3rd or 4th time I actually made Butter cream from scratch, so I'll share the recipe from this book with you.

Basic Butter cream

makes about 2 c.

3 large egg white, at room temp.

3/4 c. sugar

pinch salt

1 c. unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, at room temp.

(after the basics, you can add flavorings of your choice if desired)

In a large, clean heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer), about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg white mixture until it is fluffy, cooled to room temperature, and holds stiff peaks (the mixture should not look dry), about 6 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the salt and the butter, a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. If the frosting appears to separate or is very liquid after all the butter is added, continue to beat on high speed until it is smooth and creamy, 3-5 minutes more.

Add the flavorings of choice and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use right away. (Or make in advance and refrigerate in a airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp. and beat on medium-low until smooth before using).

I know this is already becoming a long post, so I'm not going to post the recipes for all 3 kinds of cupcakes...I'm just going to show you the highlights of each type of cupcake...

I chose the Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes because I love Mexican Chocolate, and I just happened to have a few tabs around the kitchen. HOMEMADE Mexican Chocolate that a friend of mines mother brings up from Mexico when she comes to visit. She and her sister actually make it and it is still kind of soft when I get it. I really want to know how to make it one day! If you've ever bought Mexican Chocolate from the store, you know that the tabs are pretty hard and crumbly and taste best when made into something. Well, not these! I mean yes, they taste great made into something, but I also have a major self-control issue with them...I have to control myself from just eating them as is. They are amazing. So, some grated Mexican chocolate goes into these cupcakes and is sprinkled over the frosting before serving, also.

The thing that drew me to the Salted Caramel Cupcakes was...well, the salted caramel garnish! Salt and caramel are such an awesome combo for the salty-sweet lovers out there! My Farmer's Market has a great little shop which has been a firm fixture there since the time it opened (I believe that's what they said) and they make the most delicious, soft caramels! I melted some chocolate and dipped the bottoms, then before serving, cut them in half and placed them on top of the frosting (butter cream w/ cajeta...Mexican Goat's Milk Caramel...swirled in), then sprinkled them with big flakes of Sea Salt. The third type I chose to make were Tres Leches Cupcakes. It's hard for any birthday to pass by in my family without a Tres Leches Cake, and these mini-versions actually turned out to be my favorite of all the types I made. The cake portion is airy and spongy...pricked with holes...then drenched in the "3 Milks" mixture. It's simplicity at its finest...and topped simply with sweetened whipped cream. Ahhhh. And now you say... But girli! I don't have that cookbook and I MUST make those cupcakes! Never fear my friends, this is where my wonderful planning and insight comes into play. To celebrate my 101st post, I'm having a giveaway! Yay...a brand new copy of this book Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski could be yours. And that's not all! Two friends of mine have generously donated some fun things to sweeten the pot. First off is the loverly, creative, wacky and silly Lady P of Madly Creative. If you've never read of her crazy, law-evading knit-up adventures, I insist you go over for a good laugh immediately! Once upon a time, I saw her knitting up some cupcakes and knew I must have one for myself...so I did get one for myself AND she threw in one for my giveaway (plus some fun cupcake cards...not pictured)! Another friend of mine, Charmane from SALT has given me a delicious package of Fleur de Sel (Organic French Grey Sea Salt) to add to the fun! If you know me at all, you know I have a slight addiction to all types of sea salts...this one is pure, unadulterated goodness and the one I used in the baking of all of these cupcakes! Plus, I found some cute cupcake liners and decided...why not throw those in, too!

Now for the details...I only ask 1 thing of the winner...please bake something from this book after you receive it with a link back to girlichef! That's it. I mean, you were probably going to try at least 1 recipe from the book anyway, right!?

How to enter:

1. For 1 entry into the giveaway: Simply leave me a comment and tell me something, anything about cupcakes. Your favorite kind...one you'd like to try...You love them...You sort of like them...ANYTHING ABOUT CUPCAKES! If you want to say something, but don't want to enter...just let me know you do not want to enter the giveaway (but it's free!!).

If you simply MUST be the winner, here are some more ways to earn more entries:

(for 2 additional entries each)

2. Mention this giveaway on your blog and link back to this post. Then come back and leave me another comment letting me know you've done this.

3. Tweet about this giveaway with a link back to this post. You guessed it, come back and leave me another comment to let me know.

And if you ABSOLUTELY need to win, here are some final ways to earn more entries:

(for 3 additional entries each)

4. Go visit the SALT website. Come back and tell me which kind of Sea Salt/Fusion Sea Salt you really, really want to try in a separate comment.

5. Go visit Madly Creative then come back and tell me what you'd like Lady P to knit-up for you (hypothetically).

Please have all entries in by Midnight on Saturday, July 11 (Eastern time). I will announce the winner on Monday July 13.

**Remember...in order to actually win, I need to know how to contact you! If you are a follower, I can just follow that back to you. If you are not a follower, please make sure I have a way of letting you know!**

GOOD LUCK!