Spicy Southwestern Lasagna

Spicy Southwestern Lasagna
adapted from the Texas Pete Hot Sauce recipe


1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (would also work vegetarian style, sub black beans)
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3-4 Tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 small poblano pepper, diced (we used ancho peppers)
1 cup fresh corn (feel free to use the whole can of corn)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (orginial recipe called for 2 CUPS heavy cream, can you believe it?!)
1/4 cup Chipotle Tobasco sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp sugar
12 corn tortillas (small taco size is fine)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

In ziplock bag or between sheets of saran wrap, pound chicken to 1/4 inch. In shallow bowl, combine flour, 1 tsp salt, and cumin. Coat chicken pieces in the mixture, reserving remaining mixture for later.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in frying pan. Brown chicken over medium-high heat about 1 minute per side until browned and cooked through. Set cooked chicken aside. (In retrospect, it would have turned out the same to just bake or boil the chicken and avoid the mess and fat from frying it here.)

Add 1 Tbsp butter back to frying pan and add onion, pepper, corn, garlic, and 1 Tbsp reserved flour mixture over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until vegetables have softened.

Add tomatoes with their juice, yogurt, Tobasco, broth, salt, and sugar. Stir and cook until sauce has thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

Dice reserved chicken and add to sauce.

Line bottom of large casserole dish with 4 tortillas. Spread 1/2 chicken and sauce mixture and top with 4 more tortillas. Add second 1/2 of chicken and sauce mixture then top with remaining tortillas.

Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese has melted and lasagna is heated through.

Great Party Appetizer

This idea came from my sister in-law who put out a fantastic pre-Thanksgiving spread. Simple, delicious, and only slightly costly.  (In the future, I'd try to find shorter skewers!)

Caprese Skewers
Equal parts of:
    -small tomatoes (grape or cherry, sliced in half if larger than bite-sized)
    -small, fresh mozzarella balls (called bocconcini)
    -fresh basil leaves (tear larger leaves in half as to not overpower other components)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
wooden or plastic skewers

Carefully skewer a tomato, cheese ball, and basil leaf on each skewer. Depending on your presentation needs, alternate order of ingredients. (Note: the cheese sometimes leaves streaks on the skewer, so I always follow the cheese with the tomato or basil leaf to help keep the skewer looking clean.)

Just before serving, sprinkle all skewers with olive oil and vinegar. Grind fresh salt and pepper over skewers.

New Christmas Tradition- Breakfast Recipes

We've been considering what sorts of Christmas Traditions we want to set for our little family. As a huge fan of special breakfasts and celebrations with food, I knew a stellar breakfast line up was in order. With a freezer full of hand-picked wild blueberries and the need for a meal to tide us through Christmas Cookie temptations until the Christmas Dinner at 4pm, we needed to use blueberries and have a substantial meal. Here's what we found (and will probably incorporate into Christmas next year):

Christmas Morning Egg Bake
1 bag tater tots
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 lb bacon or sausage
8 eggs
2 cups milk
3 cups Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large casserole dish, lay out frozen tater tots in a single layer. Add salt and pepper to taste, then bake according to packaging. (Tots should be golden brown.) Remove dish and set aside.

Lower oven temp to 350. In large mixing bowl, mix 8 eggs, milk, and cheese and set aside.

In frying pan, cook bacon or sausage until done. Remove from pan and crumble or chop and set aside. Drain pan of grease, but do not clean out completely. Add onions and peppers to pan, return to medium heat, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add onion and peppers to top of tater tots. Add bacon or sausage to pan on top of onions and peppers.

Carefully pour the egg mixture evenly over the top.

Bake covered for 45 minutes then uncovered for 30 minutes.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes outside of oven before slicing to serve.

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 tsp lemon zest
7/8 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups fresh blueberries (we used 3 cups of defrosted frozen berries)
1/2 cup buttermilk*

Preheat oven to 350 and grease 9x9 baking pan. Cream butter, lemon zest, and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Toss blueberries with 1/4 cup flour. Combine remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the dry flour mixture to the batter, a little at a time, alternating with buttermilk. Carefully fold in the blueberries, avoid overmixing.

Spread batter gently into pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in center comes out dry. Let cool 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

*Homemade buttermilk by Jake. We put the remainder of our heavy whipping cream from holiday baking in an empty mason jar which Jake shook for about 15-20 minutes to form whipping cream, and then a solid glob of homemade butter and 1/2 cup of homemade butter milk.  While an exhausting process, the resulting buttermilk was delicious in this cake and we served the resulting fresh butter with Christmas dinner. Another new tradition!

Christmas 2011- Rest and New Recipes

I think Christmas 2011 will go down in the books as one of the most "unChristmas" feeling Christmases of them all.  Between the unusually warm temperatures, lack of snow, and Christmas-on-the-weekend, Christmas this year just never quite settled in.  We made the most of it and managed to have a meaningful and restful season together, but hope to have a more Christmassy Christmas when we're both through school, more settled into our home, and without Sunday/Christmas Day morning worship.

Here's a taste of the Christmas we were able to enjoy:

Quiet Journal Time

Warm light from a sunrise to greet the day

A beautiful tree

A new tradition for Christmas Breakfast - recipes to follow

Cookies, of course 

And plenty of them...

Enjoying Our Neighborhood's Wildlife

 Linden Hills has been a fantastic neighborhood for us so far.  While it's unlikely that we would choose a more permanent home in this area (it's pretty urban and pricey), it's a great locale for now. One of our favorite things about the area has been the seasonal or themed festivals that take place in the business district down the street.  From September's Woof-stock Dog Festival to January's Kite Festival on the Frozen Lake Harriet, the events are chalk full of cute kids, free things, and great photo opps.  Most events aren't worth a drive in from the suburbs, but when it's a matter of walking a block or two, its totally worth it.

December's party is Reindeer Days on the first weekend of December. In addition to the usual 5K run around Lake Harriet, carolers, Santa and Reindeer, shopping discounts, and free cider and cocoa, this year had PENGUINS!

The reindeer were also pretty cute this year. 

 Here's to another few months to few years enjoying Linden Hills~ especially the animals outdoors and indoors.

Our own sweet little kitty cat

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Pan Sauce

Amazingly delicious chicken fingers with honey mustard sauce for grown-ups.  If you're familiar with breaded chicken, this is probably a really simple recipe.  It was my first attempt at bread crumbs or Panko crumbs, so it took a little more out of me. The sauce is spectacular.

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Pan Sauce
from Bon Appetit's "Everyday Meals" booklet
4 servings


2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise in half
1 egg
1 Tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped (not necessary, we didn't have this on hand)
2 tsp plus 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp coarse-grained mustard
1 Tbsp butter, unsalted and chilled

Pound chicken into uniform 1/3-1/2 inch thickness using meat mallet or rolling pin. (Chicken can be pounded in a ziplock bag or between 2 sheets of saran wrap.)

Whisk egg, parsley, and 2 tsp Dijon mustard in large, shallow bowl.  In a separate large, shallow bowl or baking pan, set aside 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs. Have little dish with salt and pepper that can be discarded after use.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Place chicken in egg mixture and turn to coat.
Then sprinkle coated chicken with salt and pepper and dip into panko crumbs, turning again to coat.

Add coated chicken pieces to heated skillet and cook until brown and cooked through, roughly 4 minutes per side.

Whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard, and remaining 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard in a small bowl.

After all chicken has cooked, add sauce to chicken pan and boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally.  (About 4 minutes.)  Add butter and whisk until melted.

Serve with sauce on the side or poured over top of chicken.

The pan sauce is delicious with the chicken and also goes really well with mashed potatoes. 

White Chicken Sausage Chili with Jalapenos, Spinach, and Cheddar

While we don't regularly shop at Lunds or Byerlys, we're big fans of their free, recipe-filled catalogs.  Here's our latest find-- great for a lighter yet hearty winter meal.

As the recipe indicates, the chicken sausage is optional. Truly this is a chili where the flavors can stand alone without meat and it's easy to cook the sausage separately and add it only to the bowls of the meat-eaters you're serving.

White Chicken Sausage Chili with Jalapenos, Spinach, and Cheddar
adapted from Lunds and Byerlys "Real Food" Winter 2011 catalog
6 servings


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 15 oz cans white beans, with juices
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup canned tomatillos (chopped) or mild green salsa
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 oz per person spicy chicken sausage, precooked and chopped (optional- we used a delicious Johnsonville Chicken Sausage with cheese and smokey chipotle flavors)
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
salt
4 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, garnish

Heat oil in large pot over medium- high heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos.  Saute for 10 minutes over medium heat until softened.

Add beans, tomatoes, tomatillos or salsa, paprika, cumin, and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Warm precooked chicken sausage for each serving of the chili with meat. Place warmed, chopped sausage in bottom of each meat serving bowl.

Just before serving, add spinach and salt to taste. Once spinach is just wilted, serve chili with Cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Nutrition facts according to the catalog:
Without chicken sausage: 284 calories/ serving, 84 from fat, 9 g fiber, 16 g protein
With sausage: 391 calories/serving, 145 from fat, 9 g fiber, 26 g protein

Grandma's Famous Chipotle Chili

While this has become a new favorite for football Sundays, it is neither from my grandma nor particularly famous.  I took it as a good sign when I heard it recommended to other friends as both "grandmas" (always a mark of approval) and "famous" (which no one wants to miss out on)!

This is also a great recipe to double-- even with only 2 eaters-- as it freezes well.

Grandma's Famous Chipotle Chili
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced (we've used green lately as they're cheaper)
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (don't skimp, but don't overdo-- I've used in entire can in the name of love for heat and ended up with an inedible chili!)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground hamburger, browned and drained (original calls for ground round or chuck)
2-3 Tbs chili powder
1-2 tsp sea salt
2-3 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 12 oz bottle dark beer
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 14 oz cans chicken or beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
sour cream, garnish
cheddar cheese, grated, garnish
crackers, garnish

Heat oil in stock pot over medium high heat, add onion. On low heat, cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add bell pepper and cook 5 more minutes.

Add chipotle peppers and garlic and cook 1 more minute.

Add beef, chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper, and basil and simmer 2 minutes.

Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and paste, broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer with out a cover on for 30 minutes or until you're 15 minutes away from mealtime.

Add beans and simmer 10 more minutes until beans are heated through. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is an old favorite fall recipe and an interesting twist on plain squash soup.  I've made it probably a dozen times on chilly Saturday afternoons in October or November.  It's a rather time consuming recipe as the squash needs time to bake and the base needs to be pureed.  We got an immersion blender for Christmas-- so I'm hoping that really speeds up the process!

Butternut Squash Soup with Ancho Chile and Chicken
2 2lb. butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
5 cups chicken stock
1 potato, peeled and diced
+2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cups roasted chicken, diced (chicken breast works, too)
2 Tbsp sage
2 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp cumin seed, ground
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup light sour cream, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish
2 Tbsp toasted, shelled pumpkin seeds, for garnish (I just used whole, toasted seeds from the squash itself)



Preheat oven to 375 and grease a large glass pan. Place halved and seeded squash cut-side up in glass pan. Poke squash inside with a fork half a dozen times and lightly salt and pepper. Bake 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool. (I've set them outside before to speed up the cooling process)

(Optional: Rinse squash seeds to remove all pulp. Toss lightly with canola oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil and bake in 375 oven for 10 minutes or until you just smell toasted seeds in the kitchen.)

Meanwhile, bring chicken stock, garlic cloves, and potatoes to a boil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Once squash is cool enough to touch, scoop the pulp into the simmering stock and simmer 5 more minutes.

Puree soup base in small batches in a blender or food processor (or use a fancy immersion blender if you got one for Christmas!) and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and sweat 5 minutes on low-medium heat.  Add jalapeno, chicken, spices, and zucchini. Cook 1 more minute.

Add pureed soup base and simmer 10 minutes.

To serve, garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and toasted seeds.