Chi Chi's Seafood Enchilada

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons lobster base

3 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk

1 cup white wine or cooking sherry

8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 (4 ounce) can baby shrimp

2 (8 ounce) packages imitation crabmeat, flake style

10 (6 inch) flour tortilla, old mission restaurant style

paprika

FOR THE SAUCE:

Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour. cook and stir for 5 minutes, add 1/2 tsp white pepper.  Stir in 2 tablespoons lobster base and cook for an additional minute.  Add milk & wine.  Add 2 oz. of the cheese, continue to cook until thickened.      

FOR THE CRAB MIX:

Lightly chop the flaked imitation crab.  Combine with shrimp in a medium size bowl.  Add 1.5 cups of cold sauce.  Mix well.      

FOR THE ENCHILADAS:

Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface.  Place 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the crab mix across the center of each tortilla. Place flap of the tortilla over the crab mix and roll.  Place flap side down onto a plate or in your baking dish.  Ladle warm sauce over the enchiladas.  Top with remaining Monterey jack cheese.

Put into a preheated 425 degree convection oven for 12-14 minutes. In a conventional oven you may want to microwave on high for a minute or 2 before placing in the oven.  Watch and do not allow to burn (brown spots).  Sprinkle with paprika.

 5  Servings

Cheesecake Factory™ Chicken Madeira

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets

8 asparagus spears

4 mozzarella cheese slices

Madeira Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

3 cups Madeira wine

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness; season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in sauté pan; add chicken and sauté 4 to 6 minutes per side, until lightly browned; remove from pan and wrap in foil to keep warm.

Prepare Madeira sauce: Using the same pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil and heat; add mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add Madeira wine, stock, butter and pepper; bring to boil, reduce heat; simmer about 20 minutes or until sauce has reduced to ¼ of its original volume and is a dark brown color.

Meanwhile, bring a half saucepan of water to a boil; add salt; return to boil; add asparagus and boil 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. The asparagus should be cooked crisp-tender.

Transfer cooked chicken to baking pan; top with mozzarella cheese and broil 3 to 4 minutes or until light brown spots begin to appear on the cheese.

To serve, arrange 2 breasts on each plate, top each with 4 asparagus spears and spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of Madeira sauce over each.

4  Servings

Cavatelli with Chicken & Broccoli

1 bag (16 oz) frozen cavatelli (short shells) or 12 oz dried (short ripple-edged shells)
8 oz boneless chicken cutlets, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise in 1/2-in. strips
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Sauce:
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
8 oz fresh broccoli florets (1/2 a 1-lb bag)
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as package directs.

Meanwhile put chicken and flour in large plastic food bag. Seal bag; shake to coat chicken evenly. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add chicken; sauté 2 to 3 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate. Reduce heat to low. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp oil in skillet. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in broccoli, broth and crushed pepper (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender. 

Drain pasta; return to pot. Add Sauce, chicken and cheese; toss to mix and coat.

Carne Guisada

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 pounds round steak, cut into small cubes

1 cup onion, chopped

1 can  (10 3/4 ounces)  tomato puree1

teaspoon Ground Cumin 

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder 

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 package McCormick® Original Country Gravy Mix 

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown round steak with onion.  Stir in tomato puree, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, prepare gravy according to package directions.  Set aside.

When meat mixture is done simmering, stir in cilantro.  Slowly stir 1 cup meat sauce into prepared gravy.  Pour gravy mixture into meat mixture; stir until well blended. 

12  Servings

Camp Stove Pad Thai

Asian cuisine involves fast, fresh cooking techniques that can produce bold flavors—perfect for camping. Our dinner menu includes an appetizer of easy grilled satay and a simple Pad Thai, both of which are largely made ahead of time.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 cup minced shallots

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup tamarind concentrate

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons lime juice

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup rinsed bean sprouts

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts

1 package (14 oz.) dried rice noodles

1 lime

1 pound frozen cooked shelled shrimp or 1 pound firm tofu

AT HOME:

Buy pad Thai sauce, or make your own. Pour vegetable oil in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add shallots and garlic and stir until limp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tamarind concentrate (or substitute 1 tablespoon dark molasses and increase lime juice to 1/4 cup), brown sugar, Asian fish sauce, chili powder, and lime juice; cook 1 minute. Let cool; chill airtight up to 1 week.

Seal carrots, bean sprouts, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts in separate plastic bags; chill vegetables and cilantro.

Purchase rice noodles, lime, and shrimp (pack frozen) or tofu (cut into 1-in. chunks; seal in a bag and chill).

Pack a large pan; a pasta insert or a strainer; a medium pan for sauce; and tongs for combining noodles and sauce.

IN CAMP:

Halve and slice lime.  In a large pan over high heat, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender to bite, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse well in cool water. Return noodles to pan.

In a medium pan over high heat, heat sauce and shrimp or tofu. Add to noodles with carrots, sprouts, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts; mix to coat. Accompany with lime slices.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound Fettuccine
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups White Wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste
Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.  Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.  Add remaining olive oil and butter.

When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.  With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.  Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Cabbage Rolls

My Mother-in-law Judy’s Recipe

1 head cabbage

1 1/2 pounds ground Beef Top Round

1 red and yellow bell pepper, diced

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup rice, cooked

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 dash black pepper, and red pepper

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup tomato sauce

Tomato sauce:

1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon garlic

salt and pepper

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper

Pre-boil cabbage outer leaves for about 5 minutes.  (steam until stems are tender: Don't Over cook!)

Cook rice.  Mix meat and remaining ingredients together. (like you'd make a meatloaf) Cool cabbage leaves, take a hand full of meat mixture and put into leaf, roll, and place in pan seam down.  Repeat for rest of cabbage leaves.  Pour tomato sauce over the rolls and cook over medium high heat for about 45 minutes.

 8  Servings

Buffalo Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce

1/4 cup shredded provolone cheese

1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Flatten chicken to 1/2-in. thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with bread crumbs.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in oil for 7-10 minutes on each side or until chicken juices run clear, adding wing sauce during the last 2 minutes. Turn to coat chicken. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and cook until cheese is melted. 

4  Servings

Bruschetta & Cheese - Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1 (14 oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken

8 skinless boneless chicken breasts, small

1/3 cup Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesean Salad Dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   

Combine tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the basil and dry stuffing mix.  Stir until just moistened.  Place 2 chicken breast halves in large freezer-weight zip top bag.  Pound chicken with meat mallet or side of heavy can (or if you're Danielle, your fists), until chicken is 1/4" thick.  Repeat with remaining chicken,  adding two at a time to bag.  Place chicken, top sides down, on cutting board.  Spread evenly with stuffing mixture.  Starting at one of the narrow ends, tightly roll up chicken.  Place seam sides down in 13x9" baking dish.  Drizzle evenly with dressing.  Bake 40 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.  Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F), and cheese is melted.

Variation:

For a South of the border style dish, simply use diced tomatoes with bell or jalapeno peppers, Mexican style shredded cheese, instead of mozzarella cheese, and chopped cilantro instead of basil.

 8  Servings

Blackened Mahi-Mahi

4 Mahi Mahi, fillets

Cajun seasoning, (Chef Paul Prudhomme's Red Fish Magic)

1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.  Sprinkle butter and seasoning over fish.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the fish is opaque.

4  Servings

Black Sea Bass en Papillote

1 whole head of garlic

1 cup olive oil

1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices

1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices

1 cucumber, seeds removed, sliced on the bias 1/4-inch thick

2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Salt and pepper to taste

2 sprigs chopped fresh basil

2 sprigs chopped fresh parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

2 pounds cleaned black sea bass, cut into 4 portions

Roast the garlic in a pre-heated, 400-degree oven for 15 minutes.  Slice off the top, squeeze out the puree, and blend it with the oil. Place the vegetables in a medium mixing bowl and season with roasted garlic-olive puree, salt, pepper, basil, parsley and lemon juice. Divide the vegetables evenly among four 8 by 8-inch sheets of parchment paper. Season the bass with salt and pepper, place one portion on top of the vegetables and fold the parchment together.  Wrap each parchment "package" in an 8 by 8-inch square of aluminum foil and place on the grill. Then grill for 10 minutes or until the fish is opaque. Remove from the heat and allow it to rest for 2 minutes before serving

 4  Servings

Bennigan's Smothered Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed

1 cup sliced onions

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon hickory smoke flavor

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

4 to 8 slices provolone cheese

4 slices cooked bacon

For Marinade:

1 teaspoon basil leaves

1 tablespoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons hickory smoke flavoring

1/4 cup white cooking wine

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons vinegar

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the basil, garlic, 3 tablespoons smoke, wine, oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Mix together and stir well to blend. This will be the chicken marinade. Transfer the chicken marinade to a medium sized Ziploc or plastic bag. Add the chicken breasts to the bag and seal. Marinate the chicken by shaking the bag to mix and coat the chicken. Allow the chicken to soak and marinate for at least two hours, shaking occasionally.

While chicken is marinating, slice onions and mushrooms and cook the bacon. Saute mushrooms and onions in butter and hickory smoke flavor for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until onions are transparent but not brown, and mushrooms are tender.

After two hours, remove chicken from marinade, and grill for about 10 minutes. Take care not to overcook chicken. While the chicken is grilling, preheat the oven to a high broil.  

After the chicken is done grilling, remove from the grill and place in a shallow baking dish. Cover each breast with a strip of bacon, then provolone cheese, and then some sautéed onions and mushrooms.  Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling. Serve immediately from oven. 

Makes 4 servings.

Oven instructions:

If you don't have a grill, preheat the oven to broil. Broil the chicken, 5 to 7 inches from the broiler, for about 10 minutes. Watch the chicken to prevent burning. About 6 minutes into broiling, top chicken with bacon strips. Once the chicken and bacon is done, remove from the oven, top with cheese and mushroom/onion mixture. Then broil for 2-3 minutes more. Serve immediately from oven.

 4  Servings

Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pounds cubed round steak, cut into thin strips

Everglades Seasoning

All-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, sliced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can beef broth

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

Salt and black pepper

1 cup sour cream 

Cooked egg noodles

Season the steak strips with Everglades Seasoning, then dust with flour. In a large skillet, quickly brown them on both sides in the olive oil and butter. Remove the steak from the pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion is tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the mushroom soup and beef broth. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the sour cream the last few minutes, right before you serve. Serve over cooked noodles.

 4  Servings

Beef Lombardi

1  pound lean ground beef

1  (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

1  (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

2  teaspoons sugar

2  teaspoons salt

1/4  teaspoon pepper

1  (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1  bay leaf

1  (6-ounce) package medium egg noodles

6  green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1  cup sour cream

1  cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1  cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1  cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain.Stir in chopped tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and bay leaf, and simmer 30 minutes.

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain.Stir together cooked egg noodles, chopped green onions, and sour cream until blended.  Place noodle mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle evenly with cheeses.

Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover casserole, and bake 5 more minutes.

Garnish, if desired.

Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.

To lighten: Substitute low-fat or fat-free sour cream and 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese. Reduce amount of cheeses on top to 1/2 cup each.

 6  Servings

Beef in Red Wine

1-1/2  pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes 

2  medium onions, cut up 

2  beef bouillon cubes or 1 envelope (1/2 of a 2.2-ounce package) onion soup mix 

3  tablespoons cornstarch    

Salt    

Black pepper 

1-1/2  cups dry red wine   

Hot cooked whole wheat pasta (optional) 

Place the beef and onions in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Add bouillon cubes. Sprinkle with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Pour red wine over all. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. If desired, serve over pasta.

6  Servings

Beef Filets in Balsamic Sauce

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 Tbsp butter1 yellow onion, medium and sliced thin

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 fresh rosemary sprigs, finely chopped

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup beef broth

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 beef tenderloin filets (6 oz each)

1 dash parsley, finely chopped

Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Heat oil and butter in large saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions, salt, and pepper.   Cook 10 minutes or until caramelized (softened and golden brown), stirring frequently.   Add wine, broth, vinegar and chopped rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half.   Rub beef filets with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill to preferred temperature.   Place grilled filets on a large platter; top with sauce. Garnish with parsley and rosemary.

 4  Servings

Beef Casserole

Serve with a tossed green salad. 

2  (8-ounce) cans crescent rolls, divided

1 1/2  pounds ground beef

1/2  small onion, minced

2  cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2  cup water

1/2  cup chili sauce

2  tablespoons taco seasoning

1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2  teaspoon garlic salt

1/2  teaspoon pepper

Toppings: 

sour cream, salsa

Unroll 1 can crescent rolls, and press into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.  Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in cheese and next 6 ingredients; spoon over crust. 

Unroll remaining can of crescent rolls, and shape into a rectangle, pressing perforations to seal; cut into 1/2-inch strips. Arrange strips in a lattice design over beef mixture.

Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

6  Servings