Three Cheese Enchiliadas

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 pkg. (3 ounce) cream cheese, softened

1 cup picante sauce, divided

1 medium red or green bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 tsp. cumin (powder)

8 flour tortillas (7-8 inches)

shredded lettuce

chopped tomato

sliced black olives

Combine 1 cup Monterey Jack and 1 cup cheddar, cream cheese, 1/4 cup picante sauce, the red pepper, onions, and cumin; mix well. Spoon 1/4 cup of this mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll and place, seam side down, in a 13" x 9" baking dish. spoon remaining picante sauce over enchiladas; cover with remaining cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot. Top with lettuce, tomato, and black olives. Serve with additional sauce if desired.

Yield: 4 servings.

Egg-Ceptional Tuna Pie

1 c. crumbled soda crackers (about 30)

1 c. shredded cheese

1/2 c. chopped onion

13 ounces tuna, drained

6 eggs

1 c. mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)

1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble soda crackers into bottom of ungreased 9 1/2" pie pan. Mix together cheese, onion, and tuna and sprinkle over crumb crust. Beat eggs until lemon-colored and stir in mayonnaise and milk. Pour evenly over pie. Bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 6 servings.

NOTES:

• Originally from a pamphlet, presumably from some egg promotion board.
• I think this is pretty tremendous. Not everyone in my family agrees.

Banana Bread

2 large bananas (overripe ones are best)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 tbls. milk

2 cups flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup nuts (optional)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup soft margarine

Mix everything well. Put into greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour at 350.

NOTES:

• I almost always use super ripe bananas that I've stored in the freezer.
• I've often used 5 smaller bananas for 2 loaves.

Peanut-Chicken Bowl

2 3-oz. pkg. Oriental-flavored ramen noodles

3 cups cut-up frozen Oriental mix vegetables

1 ¼ cups water

¼ cup peanut butter

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. crushed red pepper

13 oz. can chicken breast, drained

1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained

¼ cup chopped peanuts

1. Set aside one seasoning packet from noodles to use in recipe; store remaining packet for another use.
2. In a large saucepan bring 2 quarts water to boiling. Break up noodles slightly and add to water along with vegetables. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Drain and return to saucepan.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a medium saucepan whisk together the 1 ¼ cups water, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, crushed red pepper, and seasoning packet. Whisk until smooth.
4. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Add chicken and water chestnuts; heat through.
5. Add to noodle mixture in saucepan. Toss to combine. Top with peanuts.

Butter Roasted Chicken

1 Roasting chicken

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp pepper

1-1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp ground rosemary

1-1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix butter with all of the spices, place in fridge to harden. Rinse chicken and place breast side up in a baking dish, loosen the skin on the breast by sliding your hand under it. Take spoonfuls of the seasoned butter and place them under the skin until all of the butter is used. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes per pound.

These are just the spices I used last night, you can use anything you like though.

Barbecued Ribs

Yum! This experiment was a mix of Alton Brown's braising liquid, this spice rub from Tasty Kitchen, and Famous Dave's Rich 'n Sassy sauce. I'm not sure how much of this was essential, but it turned out well!

For 2 racks of ribs:

Spice Rub

• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Marjoram
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
• 3 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• ½ Tablespoons Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• 1-½ Tablespoon Ground Cloves (SEE NOTE)

Mix and rub on the ribs (both front and back). Wrap the ribs with nonstick aluminum foil. Seal the wrap and store in the fridge overnight. (Slacker that I am, mine only marinated a few hours.)

Braising Liquid

• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tbls. white wine vinegar (I used raspberry blush vinegar, but just because that was what I had on hand.)
• 2 tbls. worchestershire sauce
• 1 tbls. honey
• (He also called for 2 cloves of minced garlic, but his rub didn't have any garlic in it. I did not add it to this liquid.)

Make a boat out of heavy duty foil and seal all the edges (except one end) so it will hold the liquid. Put each on a sheet pan to support it and contain the liquid in case your foil is not watertight. Pour 1/2 of this liquid into each rib packet and seal the end so it will hold all the liquid while cooking.

Bake at 250 for 2 hours.

It was at this point that I departed from both recipes and started making it up for myself. :-)

I opened the foil packet and discarded it. Place the ribs on new foil and brush both sides with the prepared BBQ sauce. Bake for another hour at 350. I did not cover them because I wanted to sauce to bake on. They would also be good (and maybe more tender) covered.

NOTES:

I would use fewer cloves - maybe about a teaspoon total.

I used a cheap cut of ribs - pork "small spare ribs" ($1.50/lb.)

Creamy Almond Chicken

Ew...I hate using the word "creamy," since it's always associated with "creamed" in my mind. But since the sauce is sour cream, it seems appropriate here.

Adapted from the "Chicken with Grapes" recipe in Country Classics.

2 c. diced cooked chicken

2 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 c. chicken stock

1/3 c. chopped green onions

2 tbsp. white wine (plus a little extra)

1/3 c. coarsely chopped almonds

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms

1 c. sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in large pan, add chicken and flour, stirring to combine flour and butter. Add chicken stock, onions, 2 tbsp. wine, almonds, and mushrooms. Stir to combine, and simmer until vegetables are tender (add more chicken stock or wine if necessary to steam). Stir in sour cream, heating if necessary until melted. Serve over rice.