Thai Chicken burritos

1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice, rinsed
1 cup water
1 cup medium salsa
1/3 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 teaspoons sesame oil
6 flour tortillas for burritos
6 tablespoons medium salsa
6 tablespoons sour cream

Cook rice in water as directed on package, omitting butter, if called for.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 1 cup salsa, the peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, water and brown sugar; set aside.

In large resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix chili powder and ginger. Add chicken; seal bag and shake until chicken is evenly coated.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 to 5minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in salsa mixture. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cooked rice; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until mixture is thoroughly heated.

Meanwhile, heat tortillas as directed on package. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken filling on each warm tortilla to within 1 inch of edge of tortilla. Fold sides of tortilla toward center; fold ends over. Place burritos, folded sides down, on serving plate. Top each with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon sour cream.

BBQ Chicken Crescents

1/4 cup refrigerated original barbecue sauce with shredded chicken (from 18-oz container)
1/4 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls


Heat oven to 375°F.

In small bowl, mix shredded chicken, Cheddar cheese and green onion, cutting up large pieces of chicken if necessary.

Remove half of dough in rolled section from can; refrigerate remaining half of dough in can. Unroll half of dough and separate into 2 rectangles; press each into 7 1/2x5-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle into 6 (2 1/2-inch) squares.

Place 1 teaspoon chicken mixture on each square. Fold 1 corner to opposite corner, forming triangle and pressing edges to seal; place on ungreased cookie sheet. With fork, prick top of each to allow steam to escape. Repeat with remaining half of dough and chicken mixture.

Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Taco Melts

1 package taco seasoning mix
2/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef, cooked, drained
1 can (16.3 oz)refrigerated biscuits (any variety)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican cheese blend
1 cup sour cream, if desired

Heat oven to 375°F.

In medium saucepan, cook taco seasoning mix, water, 1/2 cup of the salsa and cooked ground beef until thickened.

Press each biscuit into 6-inch round. Fill each with taco mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold dough over filling and press to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with remaining salsa, cheese and sour cream.

Oven Fried Buttermilk Chicken

2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
3 tablespoons hot sauce,
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons finely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 skinless chicken thighs
4 skinless chicken drumsticks
1 1/4 cups Corn Flake Crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted

Combine buttermilk, garlic, hot sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne in a large bowl and stir until evenly combined. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels, then transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Pour buttermilk mixture over chicken, cover, and refrigerate overnight, turning once.

Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange the rack in the middle. Place a metal rack on a baking sheet and set aside.

Place Corn Flake Crumbs in a shallow dish and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off, and place in Corn Flake Crumbs, turning to coat completely and pressing crumbs onto chicken. Transfer to the rack-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle melted butter over chicken pieces.

Bake until golden and crispy about 40 minutes, turning chicken about halfway through.

Salisbury Steak in Mushroom Gravy

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, and quartered (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 medium shallots, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth

Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in middle.

Combine ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons of the Worcestershire sauce, salt, mustard, and pepper in a large bowl and mix to combine.

Shape into 8 (3-1/2-by-2-1/2-by-1-inch) oval patties and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once butter foams, add 4 patties and brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer patties to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

Brown remaining 4 patties, and transfer to the baking dish. Drain all fat from the pan but leave any browned bits.

Return the pan to medium heat and melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter.

Add mushrooms and shallots and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cook, stirring rarely, until mushrooms are slightly browned and soft, about 4 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until flour is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add red wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Slowly pour in broth and stir until smooth. Let mixture come to a boil and cook until sauce is reduced by half, about 13 minutes.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.

Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.

Pour sauce over patties in the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes or until meat is tender and slightly pink in the middle.

Beef Braised in Guinness

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped bacon
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1-pound-10-ounce chuck roast, fat removed, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock
1 1/4 cups Guinness (or any other stout)
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs flat or curly parsley
1 bay leaf
2 medium carrots, sliced

Melt the butter and oil in a cast iron casserole or heavy-bottomed pan, and brown the bacon, onions, and meat for a few minutes.

Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 minute.

Leave to cool slightly before adding the stock and the stout.

Combine thoroughly and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Add the thyme, parsley, bay leaf and the sliced carrots.

Cover and leave to simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

The meat should be tender. When ready to serve, remove the herbs, adjust the seasoning, and serve with steamed potatoes.

Sweet Tea

For Simple Syrup:
4 cups sugar (Don't worry - not all of that goes in the tea!)
2 cups water

For Tea:
4 cups water
8-10 regular-sized or 3 "family sized" bags orange pekoe tea (preferably Lipton or Luzianne)
Pinch of baking soda
Additional water

Pour 2 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar into a saucepan and stir together. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and stir until thickened. Turn off heat, and set aside.

Strip tags from the tea bags, and tie strings to the handle of a wooden spoon, near the bowl. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, and place the tea-tied wooden spoon in the pan with a pinch of baking soda (It smooths out the tea's tannins.). Once it's suitably darkened, and still hot, pull out the spoon. (Refrain from squeezing the teabags, as that clouds the tea.)

Stir 1 cup of the sugar syrup into the tea until it's thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture into a 1 gallon glass or metal pitcher, and fill to the top with water. Stir, and chill in the refrigerator. Pour the remaining sugar syrup into a glass jar, and cover.

Once the tea has cooled, serve it in tall glasses 2/3 filled with ice, with sugar syrup on the side so that guests may sweeten according to their personal taste.

Smith Island 10 Layer Cake

Icing

2 sticks butter
2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk
8 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 lbs. confectioners sugar

Melt butter.
Stir in evaporated milk (off heat).
Whisk in cocoa until smooth, return to heat and cook for approximately 10 minutes. DO NOT BOIL or scorch.
Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners sugar slowly.
Cook slowly until thickened and will stick to back of a spoon or to the whisk. (It will form a ribbon when you drizzle a spoonful onto mixture while cooking.)

Cake
2 cups sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
5 eggs
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 cup evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup water

Cream together sugar and butter.
Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
Sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
Mix into egg mixture one cup at a time.
With mixer running, slowly pour in the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and water. Mix just until uniform.
Put three serving spoonfuls of batter in each of 10 9-inch lightly greased pans, using the back of the spoon to spread evenly.
Bake three layers at a time on the middle rack of the oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
A layer is done when you hold it near your ear and you don't hear it sizzle.
Start making the icing when the first layer goes in the oven.
Let the layers cool a couple of minutes in the pans.
Put the cake together as the layers are finished.
Run a spatula around the edge oft the pan and ease the layer out of the pan.
Don't worry if it tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished.
Use two or three serving spoonfuls of icing between each layer.
Cover the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the icing.
Push icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake.

To Ice the Cake
Take one slightly cooled layer and spread with cooled frosting.
Add crushed candy randomly on layer. (Reese's cups, Snickers, Milky Ways or whatever your favorite is — candy is optional as well.)
Add next layers, frosting, candy and repeat process till the 10th layer.
Do not add candy to final layer. Finish frosting the cake and sides.
You may have to wait to ice the top and sides until the icing cools.

***OK a few notes on this cake
I don't have 10 pans so I wash and dry them between each layer and don't forget to grease them again. The icing takes the longest to cook. so cover your layers so they do not dry out. Use 4 tablespoons instead of 3 between the layers...Don't worry you will have leftover icing.

(stole this from Irish Daisies blog but I cannot wait to make this)

Chicken Noodle Casserole

1 (3 pound) chicken - cooked, deboned and shredded
6 ounces spaghetti
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until it is al dente (about 8 to 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350º

In a 9x13 inch baking dish combine the shredded chicken, cooked spaghetti, soups, water, salt and pepper.

Mix all together.

Sprinkle cheese on top of mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and turning slightly brown.

Let cool 10 minutes and serve!