Friday, August 31, 2012

Bisquick Replacement

As my mother pointed out to me the other day, I would drop dead before I'd make something like this 5 years ago.  Now, I'm too lazy to go to the store so I made my own Bisquick mix to use in recipes!  This recipe is good up to 4 months frozen and I think 2 months in the fridge...

Bisquick
*Makes just over a cup but you can make in bulk

1 C. Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Crisco

1. Add all dry ingredients and sift or whisk.
2. Cut in the shortening or Crisco.  Use a pastry blender or a fork to mix well so there are no lumps.
3. Use as directed in any recipe that calls for Bisquick.

Green Chile Chicken

This is an offspring from my mother's Green Chile Burritos but it's made with chicken and you can use it for just about anything. Burritos, enchiladas, sopapillas,  even tacos if you like them messy!  The only picture I have is of finished enchiladas but this is just the base chicken concoction.  You can also just make the green chile sauce without any meat or use beef instead of chicken.

Green Chile Chicken


*Makes 8-10 servings depending on the dish

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (use the longer time if they're frozen)
1 small Onion (diced)
2 cans Cream of Celery Soup (prepared with only 1/2 can of water each)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder (to taste, but at least 1/4-1/2 tsp each!!!)
2-4 cans Diced Green Chiles [dependent on how spicy you like it]  (or use 3/4 C. Diced fresh Green Chiles)
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Corn

1. Add everything to the Crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.


2. Around 5-6 hours, pull the chicken out to shred.
3. Put the chicken back in and cook for at least 30 more mins.  Don't forget to TASTE!  The chicken will change the level of seasonings in the sauce.
4. Proceed to make whatever dish you choose to use it in!

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
*makes 12-16 enchiladas

1 20 pack of Corn Tortillas
1 Green Chile Chicken Concoction from above
1 C. Shredded Cheese (I use pepper jack)

1. Prep Green Chile Chicken above.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Spray a 9X13 pan with non stick spray.
4. Start stuffing tortillas with the chicken from the crockpot, and sprinkle some cheese into it.  Lay seam down into the pan.
5. Continue til the pan is full and then top with more of the sauce.
6. Add the rest of the shredded cheese to the top of the enchiladas.
7. Cover with tinfoil and cook for 20-25 mins.



Quick Pizza Sauce on the Stove

Most authentic pizza sauce requires hours on the stove to simmer and I now have one that takes about 15-20 mins!  This works wonders with my pizza dough recipe!

Pizza Sauce!
*makes 4-7 amounts of sauce topping depending on how heavy you dab it on.
**I freeze small pizza size amounts for future pizzas!

2 Cans Diced Tomatoes (you can use Rotel Tomatoes to make it a bit more spicy or just add more seasonings for spice)
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Basil
1 tsp. Oregano
1/4 tsp. Salt
4 Cloves of Garlic (minced, about 2 Tbsp.)

1. Put all ingredients minus the olive oil and blend til pureed unless you like it chunky.

2. Put the oil and the puree to a sauce pan and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Use however you'd like but it's a recommended sauce for pizza not pasta.
(I blended afterwards for this picture and it didn't turn out as well but it's still a great pizza sauce!)

Yan Can Cook!

I must say, I chuckled when I was a kid and he cut off his finger (hopefully you know of him....).  I was in a rush to cut some potatoes for a late dinner and cut halfway through my middle finger.  This put a severe hindrance in my recipe posting!  So I'm back and I'm paying more attention than that night. :D  Don't be sloppy or fast!  It gets you nowhere.

Fries in the Oven

I've had an insatiable craving for potatoes lately and with how picky I am, there aren't many choices.  I ALWAYS want fries and while we do have a fryer, it's kind of a waste of time for one batch of fries honestly.  Plus, everyone wants to eat more healthy right?!

**fast forward to 2015 and I've officially given my frier away! YAY!**  Baked/Roasted is the way to go in my house!

Baked French Fries


*makes 2-3 servings

2-3 small (or 1-2 large) Russet Potatoes
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. (heaping) Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 tsp. (heaping) Dried Parsley

Here is where you can get very creative with taste, pick one (or more if you're crazy!):
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasonings
Or anything that tickles your taste bud fancy.

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Put a pot of hot water on the stove with some salt and put on High to boil.
2. Cut potatoes into your shape of size, wedges, steak fries, smaller fries etc.  (just keep in mind you need to watch them in the oven closely based on size)
3. Once the water is boiling, add the potatoes and start a timer.  8 mins for thick cuts (wedges, steak fries), 5 mins for small fries.  While this is going, get a bowl with ice water for blanching.
4. When the timer goes off, strain the potatoes and immediately put them in the ice water to stop the cooking process.  After about 1 min, strain and dry with paper towels as best as you can.
5. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and spray with non stick spray (VERY important to cover it all)
6. Add olive oil and then all the seasonings to the fries.  Mix well with your hand! Get down and dirty with it!
7. Spread the fries all over the sheet in one layer, if you have more, you might need to prep 2 cookie sheets at once.

7. cook between 30-35 mins depending on how crispy you would like your fries.  Turning at least once to crisp different sides.
8. Serve with your dinner or eat as a snack!