Chicken Tamale Casserole

• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided 
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk 
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray 
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. 3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream

I got this recipe from Cooking Light's website.  I used 4 cups of chicken instead of 2.  I really like tamales but they are a pain to make.  This is easy and tasty.  Jesse kept saying how much he liked it when he was eating.  

Megan-4/5

Jesse-4/5 

Crème Brûlée French Toast

Crème Brûlée French Toast
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
an 8- to 9-inch round loaf country-style bread
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and pour into a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish. Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and salt until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350° F. and bring bread to room temperature.

Bake bread mixture, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot French toast immediately.

This recipe is from epicurious.com  My mom made it on Christmas morning and it was great.  I have made it when we had a friend in town.  This is great when you have guests because you make it ahead the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning.  I serve it with fresh berries.  I really like this recipe!

Megan-4.5/5
Jesse-4.5/5  

Easy Ropa Vieja Stew Recipe

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut in half

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped

• 2 large green peppers, coarsely chopped

• 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced

• 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1/2 cup water

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

• 4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules

• 2 teaspoons pepper

• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped

• Hot cooked rice, optional Directions In a large skillet, brown beef in oil on all sides. Transfer meat to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add onions and peppers. Combine tomatoes, water, garlic, cilantro, beef bouillon, pepper, cumin and oregano; pour over vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove beef; cool slightly. Skim fat from cooking juices; stir in olives. Shred beef with two forks and return to slow cooker; heat through. Serve with rice if desired.  I got this recipe from Taste of Home.  Instead of using habanero peppers I used extra jalapenos.  I also did not use the olives since I do not like them.  Jesse and I both like Cuban food and this hits the spot.   Megan-3/5 Jesse-4/5

Asian Kentucky Bourbon-Marinated Chicken

I got this recipe from the cookbook The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook.  I misread the recipe and put more brown sugar than the recipe called for.  I did not flour the chicken I just marinated it.  This recipe turned out well and was the first recipe I used from this cookbook so hopefully it is a sign of more good things to come.

Megan-4/5

Jesse-4/5

Linda L. Burgess’ raspberry chocolate cake

Cake:

3 cups sugar

1 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup canola oil

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

Filling:

3 tablespoons flour

6 tablespoons milk

6 tablespoons shortening

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord)

2 drops red food coloring (optional)

4 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam, melted

Frosting:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur

1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract, optional

4 cups powdered sugar

To make cake:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottoms and sides of three 9-inch round cake pans. Cut parchment paper rounds to fit the bottoms, then butter the tops of the parchment. Dust with some cocoa, tap out excess and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat lightly to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then beat for two minutes. Gradually add coffee — the batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 35-40 minutes, until cake tests clean in center, and the sides have turned brown and pull slightly away from sides of the pan. Cool 10 minutes on a rack, then remove from pans onto wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make filling:

In a small saucepan, whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool. In a bowl, cream shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix well. Gradually add cooled milk mixture. Beat 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in salt, liqueur and food coloring, if using.

To make frosting:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in cocoa, liqueur and extract. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

Level tops of cakes if necessary. Place one layer on serving plate and spread top with 2 tablespoons melted raspberry jam. Place other layers on waxed paper sheets. Spread one of the layers with the rest of the raspberry jam and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread half of the filling on the layer on the serving plate, leaving about 1/2 inch of cake uncovered by filling. Top with the layer with the jam, and spread remaining filing on it. Top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 12 to 15.

I got this recipe from the newspaper Courier Journal.   It was the state fair winner.  I used raspberry wine instead of liqueur.  It tasted great.  It is a pain to make.  You make three cakes and one of my cakes crumbled a bit (I didn't wait for it to cool all the way) so my cake did not look that good but it tasted just fine. 

Megan-  4.5/5

Jesse-3.5/5