Cheese and Shrimp-Stuffed Poblanos

This was good. A little tedious to make. I helped D prep everything.
I couldn't find chihuahua cheese, so we used Monterrey Jack with Jalapenos. Also we didn't stuff the peppers because after roasting, they were all soft. So we open faced the peppers.

Our only complaint was it was hard to keep everything hot at the same time.

We had yellow rice and black beans.

The next morning, we chopped the peppers and added eggs. Yum.

Cheese and Shrimp-Stuffed Poblanos

Chihuahua cheese, a Mexican melting cheese, enriches and slightly thickens this creamy sauce. Substitute shredded cheddar cheese if you can't find Chihuahua.

Yield: 4 servings

1 red bell pepper
8 poblano peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup fat-free milk, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Chihuahua cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper halves, skin sides up, and whole poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning poblanos to blacken all sides. Place peppers in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel. Finely chop bell peppers. Cut tops crosswise from poblanos; remove seeds.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add shrimp to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done. Remove from pan.

4. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with flour and ground red pepper; cook 1 minute. Slowly add half-and-half, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1/2 cup milk; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 2 minutes. Add cheese and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring until smooth. Place 1/3 cup cheese mixture in a large bowl; reserve remaining cheese mixture. Add bell pepper, shrimp mixture, cilantro, and juice to 1/3 cup cheese mixture in bowl; toss to coat. Stir 1/4 cup fat-free milk into reserved cheese mixture. Spoon 3 tablespoons cheese sauce onto each of 4 plates. Spoon 6 tablespoons shrimp mixture into each poblano. Place 2 stuffed poblanos and two tops on each plate.

CALORIES 376 ; FAT 18.7g (sat 7.5g,mono 8g,poly 1.9g); CHOLESTEROL 206mg; CALCIUM 306mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20.2g; SODIUM 649mg; PROTEIN 32.9g; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 4.4mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010

Grilled Flank Steak Soft Tacos with Avocado-Lime Salsa

So D was channeling Laura Bush when he made the Avocado-Lime Salsa. He made it with lemon. And had an accident so we got a lot of lemon. Still it wasn't bad.

The steak was delicious. It was tender, and very flavorful. Spicy but not overwhelming. I liked the cabbage because it crunched.

We used wheat tortillas in place of the corn because we just did.

Would have this again. Had with refried pinto beans.

Grilled Flank Steak Soft Tacos with Avocado-Lime Salsa

Chili and chipotle powders lend earthy, smoky flavors to the grilled beef. For milder flavor, use ancho chile powder in place of the hot chipotle. The spice rub would also work nicely on chicken breasts.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Steak:
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray

Salsa:
1 cup diced peeled avocado
3/4 cup finely chopped tomato
1/3 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
Remaining ingredients:
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (used 4 wheat)
2 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage


1. To prepare steak, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Score a diamond pattern on both sides of steak. Rub chili powder mixture evenly over steak. Cover and chill 1 hour.
2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
3. Place steak on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.
4. To prepare salsa, combine avocado and next 7 ingredients (through pepper sauce) in a medium bowl.
5. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon steak mixture evenly over each of 8 tortillas. Top each taco with 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup cabbage.



CALORIES 353 ; FAT 16g (sat 4.3g,mono 7.6g,poly 1.7g); CHOLESTEROL 40mg; CALCIUM 78mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.7g; SODIUM 593mg; PROTEIN 27.9g; FIBER 6.8g; IRON 2.5mg

Cooking Light, JUNE 2009

Irish Cream Cake

I want to say this is the best cake ever. It was delicious. It was moist. It was terrific. But it wasn't my favorite. I'm still in love with Rudolph's Cake and with the Best Carrot Cake, better than this. However, like I said, this was a good cake. The baking of the actual cake was easy. I had never whipped eggs, and then folded them in, so that was the hardest part...ok maybe separating the eggs was since I had to use 7 eggs, to get 5.

I used more Bailey's than it called for. I know that is shocking. Also, it really did soak through the cake. The butterscotch didn't seem at all sweet. D said the taste of it picked up on the 2nd day.

Cream cheese frosting...well how can that be bad.

Overall, had I never had Best Carrot Cake, I'd be all over this. And if you notice, my frosting skills have gotten better. That's because I bought an offset spatula.

Irish Cream Cake

Photo by ALB

Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups DOMINO Granulated Sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
Butterscotch Filling (below)
Cream Cheese Frosting (below)
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
14 pecan halves, toasted (didn't use)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla extract, beating until blended.
Combine flour and soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Brush cake layers evenly with liqueur. Spread half of Butterscotch Filling between each cake layer; spread Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake (just sprinkle them on top). Gently press chopped pecans onto sides of cake; arrange pecan halves on top (didn't do).

Southern Living, JANUARY 2003

Butterscotch Filling

Yield: Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup firmly packed DOMINO Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir together brown sugar and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and mixture is blended. Stir in 1/2 cup milk until blended.
Whisk together remaining milk, flour, and salt; stir into brown sugar mixture, and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat 5 minutes or until thickened. Gradually add eggs, and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool. Stir in pecans and vanilla.
Southern Living, JANUARY 2003

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: Makes 3 cups

1 (8-ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) package DOMINO 10-X Confectioners Sugar, unsifted
Beat first 3 ingredients with an electric mixer until creamy. Add confectioners sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed until smooth.
Southern Living, JANUARY 2003

Baked Potatoes with Corn and Crema Mexicana

This was supposed to be our side dish. Unfortunately neither of us pulled out chicken for the main dish. So this became the main dish, with salad as a side. We added some avocado since it was part of the main.

Anyway, it was very easy, and it was flavorful. I would definitely have this again.

Baked Potatoes with Corn and Crema Mexicana

Look for crema Mexicana--similar in taste and consistency to crème fraîche--in the ethnic section of your grocery. Or substitute sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed potato)


6 medium baking potatoes (about 3 pounds)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15.25-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
6 tablespoons crema Mexicana

Preheat oven to 375°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork, and bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool potatoes slightly.

Cook cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat 1 minute or until toasted. Combine cumin seeds and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a medium bowl; stir well.

Split potatoes lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side. Spoon 1/4 cup corn mixture into each potato. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon crema Mexicana.

CALORIES 240 (14% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 2g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.4g); IRON 2.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 6.3mg; CALCIUM 56mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47.1g; SODIUM 267mg; PROTEIN 6.4g; FIBER 5.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2006

Chicken-Pesto Pizza

This is another one of the "duh" recipes. I'm not sure how D and I missed this until now, but we did. It is in the CL Superfast CB. Anyway, D made it on while I was driving home. It was good.
With the amount of times pizza dough is on sale and I have a coupon, definitely will have again.
We had with spinach salad.

Chicken-Pesto Pizza

Prep: 2 minutes; Cook: 17 minutes. Sauté the chicken while the crust bakes so your whole meal will be ready in under 20 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 [4 x 3-inch] pieces)

1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
1 pound chicken breast tenders, chopped
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons commercial pesto
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Added a tomato to half the pizza

Preheat oven to 450°.

Unroll pizza crust dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Bake at 450° for 9 minutes.

Sprinkle chicken with Italian seasoning. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes or until done.

Spread pesto evenly over pizza crust; top with chicken, and sprinkle with cheese (and tomato). Bake at 450° for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 8 pieces.

CALORIES 442 (28% from fat); FAT 13.7g (sat 4.7g,mono 4.9g,poly 0.8g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 86mg; CALCIUM 284mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.4g; SODIUM 767mg; PROTEIN 41.4g; FIBER 1.4g

Oxmoor House, JANUARY 2003

72 Market Street Chili

OK so D found this recipe. I think he is getting really good at making chili because
he majorly edited this one. The result was this smoky, nose-running, warming belly chili.
It was terrific.

72 Market Street Chili 


Photo by ALB




1/4 pound bacon, diced 
3 pounds beef stew meat, chili-grind (cut stew meat in 1/2-inch pieces). 
1 1/2 pounds pork butt, chili-grind  (used 1.25 pounds of ground beef)
2 tablespoons peanut oil (didn't use)

1 2/3 cups chopped onions 
2 jalapenos, diced 
1 3/4 teaspoons dried mexican oregano (used regular oregano) 
2 teaspoons ground cumin 
(added 1 TBSP Chili Powder)
2 1/2 tablespoons minced serrano (hot) or California green chiles (mild) (used 3 Serranos)
2 1/2 tablespoons ground pasilla chiles  (used 3 pasillas)
1 1/4 tablespoons cayenne pepper 
1 3/4 tablespoons chopped garlic 
Kosher Salt / fresh ground pepper to taste 
1 (16-ounce) can tomato puree 
1 pound plum tomatoes, diced (used 28oz can of diced)
6 tablespoons water (added an additional 1/2 Cup)
1 bottle ale (used 2 bottles of Smithwicks)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
(added a can of beef broth)
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 minutes. Strain and reserve
the drippings for another use. Set the bacon aside. 

Cook the beef and pork in the peanut oil over medium-high heat until brown, about 10
minutes. Add the onions and jalapenos and cook until the onions are tender, 10 minutes. 

Add the oregano, cumin, serrano and pasilla chiles, cayenne, garlic and salt to taste.
Stir, then add the tomato puree, tomatoes, water and 1 ale. Bring to a complete boil and
reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour (D
simmered for 5 hours). Stir in the reserved bacon. Added beef broth and 2nd beer in
last hour. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving. 

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 569 calories; 694 mg sodium; 177 mg cholesterol;
29 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 58 grams protein;
3.78 grams fiber. 

We are guessing we get 10 servings (1 Cup each). With our modifications,
I got it was 12 Points Plus on WeWa.

Peking Pork Tenderloin

This is another one we forgot about. It is good, and very simple.
We had with rice and broccoli.

Peking Pork Tenderloin

The pork takes on a pronounced ginger flavor as it marinates. Two tenderloins, about the size you'll need for this recipe, typically come packaged together at the meat counter.

2 (3/4 lb) pork tenderloins
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted (about a 2.4 ounce jar)
cooking spray

1. Trim fat from tenderloins; place tenderloins in a large shallow dish. Combine soy sauce, ginger, and garlic; stir well. Pour soy sauce mixture over tenderloins. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour (or overnight if you want the 1 hour is minimum) turning tenderloins occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

3. Remove tenderloins from dish; discard marinade. Pat tenderloins dry with paper towels. Brush tenderloins with honey, and rollin sesame seeds. Place tenderloins on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake pork for 25 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees (slightly pink). Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 oz)
Calories 239, protein 27g fat 7g, carb 17.4 g, fiber 0.2 g, iron 22 mg, sod 281 mg calc 2mg