Tortilla Bowls

I was on the lookout for tortilla bowls. So I turned to my favorite recipe website and found out how to make them in the microwave! I made these with my homemade tortillas. The family liked the idea but not the thickness these tortillas have. The shell was pretty hard and not crunchy like restaurant shells. I will be making these again with store bought tortillas just to see the difference.

Tortilla Bowls

This recipe comes from janem at recipezaar.com. She found it from "Healthy Heart One Dish Meals."

You will need:

1 tortilla per person

Line a 1 1/2 qt glass bowl with one tortilla. Prick a few holes in the tortilla with a fork. Microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on high or until the tortilla is crisp. Remove from microwave. Allow the tortilla to cool for a bit in the bowl before removing. Repeat for each tortilla.

Fake Pineapple

I have zucchini coming out my ears. Big huge ones. I already had 49 cups of shredded zucchini goodness in my freezer when I brought in 6-7 really big ones today. After browsing my favorite recipe site recipezaar.com I found a recipe that will be very useful. It's called Faux Pineapple. It is very tasty and can be used just as you would canned pineapple from the store.

To make this recipe you need:
16 cups 1/2 inch approximately cubed zucchini

46 oz unsweetened pineapple juice

1 1/2 cups lemon juice

3 cups sugar

yellow food coloring if desired

Mix zucchini, unsweetened pineapple juice, lemon juice and sugar in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Add yellow food coloring if desired.

Simmer 20 minutes.

Don't forget to put your lids in water on very low so they will be ready when you are.

Fill jars with hot zucchinipineapple with a slotted spoon. Then add liquid leaving 1/2 inch headspace from the top of the jar.

Process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Adjust time for your altitude.

This is what it looks like when you are finished. I was so excited. I did two batches and now have 22 half pints of "pineapple!"

You will have juice left over. You can either freeze it or fill jars to within 1/2 inch of top of jar and process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

Steak! Yummy!

This is Russell taking over for Candace for just a day! On her birthday I cooked the best steak evah! I am not the blogging type of chef, but I will do my best.

1. Buy Steak
2. Preheat Oven to 350 F.
3. Preheat cast iron skillet to a very high temprature.
4. Prepare Steak
-generously salt and pepper all sides. Ground pepper is preferred. It doesn't burn.
5. Add some cooking oil to the pan and place the steak in.
6. Sear the living crapola out of the steak for two minutes.
7. Flip the steak and sear the other side for two minutes
-add seasoning to taste during this time, herbs, spices, etc. I added garlic.
8. Remove the pan and place it in the oven.
9. Every two minutes check steak.
-DO NOT CUT INTO THE STEAK. BAD STEAK CUTTER, BAD!
- To check your steak press the top of the steak with a finger or thumb. The steak will firm as it cooks. The flesh between your spread thumb and finger is about the same feel as a rare steak. The flesh between your closed thumb and finger is about the same feel as a medium steak. Check all areas of the steak.
10. Once steak reaches desired doneness (is that a word?) take it out of the pan and let it sit for five minutes.
11. Eat Steak. Mmmmmm . . . . . . Yummy

Oven Baked, Best Ever Chicken

This recipe comes from Chef TraceyMae in CA. She is on my team for the June 2009 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. This recipe does need to start the night before. I did take the liberty to change measurements on the rub as the original measurements would have been too much in my opinion.

Oven Baked, Best Ever Chicken

10 cups cold water

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 tsp regular salt OR 1 TBSP coarse salt like sea salt

3 1/2 - 4 lbs chicken pieces

Dry Seasoning Rub

1 TBSP fresh coarse ground black pepper

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 TBSP paprika

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Favorite bbq sauce

Mix water, brown sugar and salt in large stock pot. Add chicken pieces. Add more water if necessary to make sure chicken is covered. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix dry seasoning rub ingredients together and set aside.

Drain and pat chicken dry. Line a rimmed cookie sheet (one with sides) with two layers of aluminum foil. Spray with vegetable spray. Place chicken pieces on foil. Brush with a little bbq sauce. (about 1 TBSP per piece) Sprinkle rub over chicken pieces. Turn pieces and repeat with bbq sauce and rub.

Baste chicken pieces every 20 minutes with pan juices (IMPORTANT) for about 1 hour 20 minutes. You won't be disappointed.

Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!

Walnut Dream Cookies

This recipe comes from Karen Elizabeth in South Africa. I have now discovered that cookies are called biscuits in South Africa and Australia and New Zealand. It's fun to see what different foods are called in different cultures. I can thank the Aussie/New Zealand recipe swap from recipezaar.com for that each month. This recipe is changed from metric to U.S. measurements. And the recipe is quarupled because I cook for vacuum cleaners. The boys walk by and inhale the food as they pass.

Walnut Dream Cookies
2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Roll into 2 cm balls. (I just made them whatever size I wanted.) Flatten each cookie with your fingers. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes. They really do cook that long.

Russell thinks they taste like Russian Teacakes minus the powdered sugar on the outside. I think they taste like Keebler Pecan Sandies. Next time I think I will omit the nutmeg and see what that tastes like.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This recipe comes from Chef TraceyMae in California. Her friend Joy submitted it to the Cal Fish and Game, Wild and Wonderful Recipes II. I added chocolate chips. Just because I can.

2 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups butter or margine, softened
2 eggs
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 dash salt
2 cups flour (Her recipe calls for cake flour. I just use regular white flour.)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups raisins
1 1/4 cups regular oats (She uses quick-cooking. I like regular oats for personal reasons.)
3 1/2 cups corn flakes
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup mini chocolate chips (my addition)
1 cup nuts, chopped (I like walnuts.)

I am a combine everything in a very large bowl cookie maker then mix. So you do the same. It all gets mixed up in the end any way. Right? Using a couple spoons - drop onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with your fingers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 17 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

Party Punch

Party Punch. We made this for Michael's dinner after his baptism Easter Sunday. It went over very well and I liked the flavors. There are many combinations. KathleenP gets credit for sharing this tasty drink!

Party Punch
1 2 liter bottle Sprite or 7 UP
1/2 gallon carton sherbet - any flavor
3/4 gallon pineapple juice
1 lemon sliced thin
1 lime sliced thin

In large punch bowl combine sherbet with pineapple juice. Add soda. Place lemon/lime sliced on top of punch as a garnish.