Spicy Chicken for Tacos

Spicy Chicken for Tacos

2 tsp. Minced garlic
2 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. Dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. Cumin
1 1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Black pepper

1/4 tsp. Chili Lime spice (Trader Joes)

1.5 TBSP Lime juice
1 TBSP Tomato paste

1 cup water

2 chicken breasts

Blend together dry ingredients, then whisk in wet ingredients then set aside. Saute two chicken breasts, then chop into bite size pieces and return to saute pan. Add sauce, reduce heat and simmer on low stirring often until sauce thickens.    

Green Enchilada Sauce

Green Enchilada Sauce

1 LB Tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed and quartered
1/2 Onion, sliced
1 TBSP Oil

2 oz. Mild Chilis
1 TBSP Fresh Garlic (3 cloves)
3/4 cup Chicken broth or water
Salt and pepper to taste

Small bunch of cilantro (less than 1/4 cup)

Roast tomatillos and onions in oil in oven preheated to 400 F for 30 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Process roasted vegetables and remaining ingredients (except cilantro) in a Blendtec until smooth. Then add cilantro and pulse a few times. 

Roasted Vegetable Spread

Roasted Vegetable Spread
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/

1 red bell pepper, sliced into rings
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 small zucchini, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces cream cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pita bread, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the bell pepper, onion, garlic, zucchini, and olive oil on a cookie sheet lined with foil and toss until the vegetables are coated. Spread out the vegetables evenly on the sheet pan and place to the oven to roast for approximately 45 minutes or until the vegetables become soft and start to turn brown on the edges. Stir occasionally.

Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Place the vegetables in a food processor along with the cream cheese and process until well combined and spreadable; do not process until completely smooth.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on soft bread, such as foccacia or pita bread. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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This spread is fantastic in pita bread. It is also a perfect spread for sandwiches or as a spread in grilled quesadillas. Recipe adapted from Alton Brown/Good Eats.

Ranch Dressing

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/

8 TBSP dried parsley
2 TBSP dried minced onion
1 TBSP dried chives, optional
2 TBSP black pepper
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. oregano
3 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried dill
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth (you will want to do this or it will be too chunky with all of the parsley). Store in a cool, dry place.

Ranch Dressing:
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 TBSP ranch dry mix
Milk

Blend ingredients, then add milk to desired consistency for salad dressing or omit milk for a Ranch dip. Recipe adapted from Dealstomeals.

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A retired chef taught me years ago how to make Ranch dressing. The recipe consisted of sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, milk and then shake in every spice you can think of. I followed this pattern for years until I recently came across this recipe from the Dealstomeals website. It simplifies the process with measurements eliminating the need to taste, adjust the seasonings, then taste again. This blend has great flavor and it’s great to have the dry mix on hand. This dry mix is also great mix into ground beef for hamburgers!

Sausage Gravy with biscuits

Sausage Gravy with biscuits
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/

4 oz. butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth or milk
2 cups milk
1 cup sausage
1/2 TBSP pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. thyme

Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour to butter and cook 2-4 minutes stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, then bring to a boil and cook until thick. Turn heat down, then add milk and sausage. Season to taste with pepper, salt, sage and thyme. Taste, then adjust seasonings. Continue to season with pepper until the sauce has a visible amount of black pepper flecks throughout the sauce. Serve over biscuits with a side of roasted vegetables.

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My husband lived in Alabama for a few years and fell in love with Southern cooking. He especially loved their sausage gravy and biscuits. We really enjoy having these on a regular basis as the flavor is so rich and the meal is very filling.

Buttery Olive Oil Spread

Buttery Olive Oil Spread
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup pure olive oil

Beat butter in a food processor until softened, then gradually add the olive oil. When it is all completely blended, it will be quite pourable. Pour into a container with a lid, then store in the fridge. Use as a low saturated fat butter spread in place of margarine.

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Margarine is typically filled with flavor enhancers and coloring so we always cook with 100% butter or olive oil. I have always wanted a low saturated fat option for spreading on toast or waffles and thanks to the Australian Olive Association I finally found a great solution. This is easy to make, stores great in the fridge, spreads easily and still has the taste of butter. I love it.

I use pure olive oil for this recipe as extra virgin olive oil may overpower the buttery taste.

Soy Sauce Substitute

1/4 cup water or beef broth
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. molasses
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
black pepper to taste

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the water or beef broth, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, molasses and seasonings. Boil gently until liquid is slightly reduced.

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I've gone without soy sauce for awhile now and recently came across this recipe by combining several substitutions I found at Allrecipes.com. I love the taste and its been a perfect substitute for Ham Fried Rice. It's almost impossible to find a soy sauce that is msg free so to have a substitute is heaven sent! This recipe is also gluten free.

Basic Pan Gravy

1 TBSP onions, minced (optional)
4 TBSP butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
Fresh sage, finely chopped (or dried sage)
Salt
Pepper


This gravy takes place after cooking, in the same skillet in which you cooked whatever you are making gravy for. After roasting chicken, there are golden bits of meat and juices left behind in the pan that are rich in flavor. By using these browned bits along with chicken broth, you create a flavorful gravy to serve with your meal.

Remove roasted chicken from pan and place in a low heated oven to keep warm. If there is fat left in the pan, pour off all but 4 TBSP of fat. Turn the heat under the skillet to medium high and add the onions and sage. If there wasn’t any fat left in the pan, then add 4 TBSP of butter. Cook, stirring and scraping, until the onions are soft and the bottom of the pan is clean (2-4 minutes).

Add ¼ cup of flour and mix well with the butter forming a paste. Continue stirring and allow the flour and butter mixture (the roux) to cook until it is brown (2-4 minutes). It’s very important to cook the roux for 2-4 minutes to cook out all of the flour taste. If you skip this step your gravy will taste like flour. By cooking the flour, it develops a soft nutty flavor that adds depth to your gravy.

Slowly add your chicken broth until you reach your preferred thickness. Season with salt and pepper.


If your gravy turns out lumpy: If you add the broth too quickly, your gravy may become a little lumpy. If this happens, simply poor the gravy into a blender or food processor and blend for a few seconds. You can also use a hand held mixer or an immersion blender.

Variations
*Add ½ cup of minced vegetables (shallots, mushrooms, celery, carrots or a combination).
*Substitute milk or half and half for half or all of the chicken broth.
*Use fruit juice in place of some of the broth (I use a few tablespoons of lemon juice or orange juice).
*Add additional minced herbs or ground spices at the beginning or end of the sauce making process. Those added at the beginning will become better incorporated, those at the end will retain more flavor.
*Add chopped or crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce in place of or in addition to some of the stock (this is my favorite when served with beef).
*If using milk as part of the liquid, add 2-4 oz. of shredded cheese.


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This is a staple that can be used in hundreds of recipes. It is very versatile and easy to adapt to whatever you are serving. Try to always take advantage of the browned bits and juices leftover from cooking any meat. I love the taste of sage with chicken so I always add it to my gravy but you can use the same seasonings you used in your meat to add additional depth and flavor. Even if you haven't sauted or roasted meat, you can still make this gravy/sauce- just follow the same directions in a clean saute pan. Your gravy will have a little less flavor because it won't have the browned bits but it will still be really good.

At least once a week I steam several vegetables, sauté or roast some chicken or beef, then make a gravy to serve over the meat and vegetables. It’s quick and easy. Use this technique after cooking a roast, steaks, pork chops or chicken. Variations inspired from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.

Cream Cheese Vegetable Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup plus 1 TBSP finely chopped broccoli florets
¼ cup chopped carrots
3 TBSP minced green or red bell peppers
1/8 cup finely minced sweet onions
Salt
Pepper

Allow cream cheese to soften at room temperature, then mix in chopped vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for several hours before serving.


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This is my favorite spread for a bagel. I love having the carrots a little chunky but the broccoli, peppers and onions chopped very fine. The flavors mellow perfectly after being chilled for a few hours. Celery and radishes would also blend well with this vegetable mix.

Homemade cream cheese or store bought work with this recipe. If I don’t have any homemade cream cheese on hand, I prefer the generic store brands of cream cheese (most name brand cream cheeses have whey protein concentrate added).

Creamed Chicken

2 TBSP butter
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 TBSP butter
½ cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups milk or half and half

In a large sauté pan, melt 2 TBSP butter until bubbly, then sauté chicken breasts until lightly browned and internal temperature reaches 170° F. Remove chicken from pan and chop. In the same sauté pan melt 4 TBSP butter over medium heat. Don’t worry about washing the pan first, the brown bits on the pan leftover from the chicken will dissolve adding to the richness of the sauce. Add flour to the butter and cook 2-4 minutes stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, then bring to a boil and cook until thick. Turn heat down, then add milk or half and half. Mix in chopped chicken and season according to taste.

Optional: Saute onions, carrots and celery to add to the mixture. Frozen peas also work well.


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Serve this over rice or pasta, or in a puff pastry shell or combine it with a few vegetables for chicken pot pie or a casserole. Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking.

Deglazing: When a piece of meat is roasted, pan fried or prepared in a pan with another form of dry heat, a deposit is left at the bottom of the pan with any rendered fat. Usually, the meat is removed from the cooking vessel, the dried and caramelized meat juices. The pan is returned to the heat, and a liquid is added to act as a solvent. This liquid can be plain water, vegetable or meat stock or any other liquid. This allows the cook to scrape the dark spots from the bottom of the pan, and dissolve them creating a rich sauce.

This method is the cornerstone of many well known sauces and gravies. The resulting liquid can be seasoned and served on its own (sometimes called a jus), or with the addition of aromatic vegetables such as onions or shallots. The sauce can also be thickened with a starch such as flour or reduced with a steady heat forming a richer concentrated sauce.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar
½ cup water
6 TBSP butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half


Prepare all ingredients first- the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. If you don't work fast, the sugar will burn.

Heat sugar and water on moderately high heat in a 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan (a heavy bottom pan works best). As the sugar begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as the sugar comes to a boil, stop stirring.

As soon as all of the sugar crystals have melted (the liquid sugar should be dark amber in color, about 20 minutes), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted. Use caution as the sugar will be hotter than boiling water (use oven mitts for added safety).

Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream or half and half to the pan and continue to whisk. Note than when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up.

Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Warm before serving. Makes a little over one cup of sauce.

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Recipe courtesy of www.elise.com

BBQ Sauce

1 cup ketchup
2 TBSP molasses
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. mustard
2 tsp. water
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer cubes to a ziplock bag for later use.

Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute

1/2 LB butter
1 cup flour
1 qt. chicken broth
1 qt half and half
1/2 LB cheddar cheese (optional)
Shredded chicken (optional)
Pepper
Salt

Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour to butter and cook 2-4 minutes stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, then bring to a boil and cook until thick. Turn heat down, then add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low until cheese is melted and soup is hot. Freeze in 2 cup proportions and use in place of Cream of Chicken soup in any recipe.

Use the following guides for making a smaller batch:

For 1/2 cup of soup
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup half and half or milk

For one "10 oz. condensed soup can"
4 1/2 TBSP butter
4 1/2 TBSP flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup half and half or milk
3 oz. cheese

For 2 cups of soup
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half or milk
2 oz. cheese

For 4 cups of soup
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 quart chicken broth
1/2 quart half and half or milk
4 oz. cheese

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This recipe is very versatile and always a big hit at any get together or party. Add extra cheese for a cheese soup, chopped steamed vegetables for a creamy vegetable soup or chopped celery for a cream of celery soup. For a low fat option, use 1% milk instead of half and half. All variations freeze well.

Taco Bell Hot Sauce

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/3 cup water
1 TBSP white vinegar
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp. dry minced onions
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder

Place all ingredients in saucepan and stir well. Simmer over very low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool. May be kept in refrigerator for several days or freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer cubes to a ziplock bag for later use.