Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 c mushrooms, cut in thin strips (or 1 can)
• 1/2 c bamboo shoots, cut in thin strips (or 1 can)
• 1/4 lb. cooked pork or chicken, shredded
• 4 c chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 lb tofu, cut in thin strips (optional)
• 2 Tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 tsp hot sauce (e.g. Tabasco)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch in 1/4 c water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 to 4 green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Boil the first six ingredients in a medium saucepan for 4 minutes and reduce to a simmer.
2. Add the next three ingredients.
3. Mix the cornstarch and water and slowly add to soup, stirring until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes.
4. Slowly pour in egg while stirring.
5. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with green onions, and serve with rice.  Makes 4 servings.

Mole Verde

Ingredients:

• 2 lb boneless pork or chicken, cut into strips
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 8.25-oz jar Doña Maria Mole Verde
• 1 30-oz jar Doña Maria Nopalitos (pickled cactus)

Directions:

1. In a crock pot, simmer the meat, garlic, onion, and salt in 2 cups water until meat is tender (I set it on low for about 8 hours).
2. Drain the liquid from the meat into a saucepan or skillet and combine with chicken broth to make 4 cups (alternatively you could just use 4 cups chicken broth).  Add mole verde.  Simmer on low until paste is completely dissolved and mixture has thickened.
3. Drain the cactus and rinse thoroughly with cold water, discarding the onions, peppers, herbs, etc.  Add meat (with onions) and cactus to mole verde and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Serve with Spanish rice and/or tortillas.  Makes 8 servings.

Red Coconut Curry

photo and recipe courtesy of Mrs. Harding Cooks.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 medium onion, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 potato, diced
1 can coconut milk (around 14 oz)

1-1 1/2 Tbs red curry paste
1-2 Tbs brown sugar
1-2 tsp salt

cooked hot rice

optional:fresh basil or cilantro, for serving

In a large saucepan, whisk coconut milk and 1/2 Tbsp curry paste (add more paste to desired taste, I used about 2 Tbsp). Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add brown sugar and salt to taste. (I added 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt.) Add vegetables and 1/4 cup water. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are cooked.

In a large saucepan, saute chicken and onion in a little olive oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add chicken and onion to curry, stir together.

Serve with rice, garnish with fresh basil or cilantro if desired.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Jalapeno Garlic Tilapia

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups penne pasta (or 2 1/2 cups rice)
• 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia fillets
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
• 1 roma (plum) tomato, chopped

Directions

1. While cooking pasta or rice, combine the melted margarine and garlic in a shallow dish. Place the flour in another dish. Dip the tilapia filets in the garlic butter mixture and then immediately coat with the flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish in the oil until golden brown, turning once, about 5 minutes total.
2. Pour the cream, lemon juice, and remaining garlic and margarine mixture into the skillet. Stir in the jalapenos, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until sauce has reduced slightly and fish flakes easily with a fork; about 2 minutes. Mix the baby spinach into the sauce and cook until wilted. Stir in the chopped tomato and the cooked pasta.

P.S. Allrecipes.com has some reviews at the bottom with some revisions people have made that helped a bit:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jalapeno-Garlic-Tilapia-Pasta/Detail.aspx 

Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients:
chicken pieces (drumsticks and thighs work well)
flour and oil

2 chicken boullion cubes in 2 cups water
2 cans tomato soup
1 can mushrooms and liquid
1/2 tsp. celery salt
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. sage
1 tsp. oregano
few drops tabasco sauce (I use a few dashes of red pepper instead)

Directions:
Cover chicken in flour, then brown in a well oiled skillet.
Combine remaining ingredients in crock pot, then add chicken and cook on low heat for several hours. Serve over rice, noodles or potatoes. 

Number Of Servings:Depends on how much chicken you use.

Preparation Time:15 minutes

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
In large pot, cook:
1-2 lbs. chicken
1 med. onion
1 1/2 tsp. garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Add:
2 cans Great Northern beans (drained)
1 can chicken broth
1-2 cans chopped green chiles (drained)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano

Simmer 30 mins. then add:
1/2 c. warm whipping cream
1 c. warm sour cream
(These both need to be warm or else they curdle)

Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients:
6-12 meaty pieces of chicken (thighs, drums, etc.)
1 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 tsp. minced garlic

Directions:
mix up the ingredients and throw it in the crockpot. cook until done. eat.

Number Of Servings:as many as chickens

Preparation Time:less than 5 minutes

Lemon Cream Fettuccine

Recipe from Matthew Hamby, and my Italian I cooking class:

One of my favorite flavor combinations is lemon and cream. It's a wonderful, tart, savory, creamy, comfort‐food flavor that makes me feel warm just thinking about it. Something about the richness of the cream mixing with the stark tartness of the lemon is just very appealing to me. This recipe combines those flavors in a very nice balance, and is then augmented by the flavor of the cheese. I hope that you'll like it as much as I do. It's one of my family's favorites.

When making this recipe, there are a few important points to remember. First of all you want to choose a good, sturdy pasta shape, and be especially careful not to overcook it. It's going to be tossed around a great deal after being cooked, and will break apart if it's not still strong. This is why I generally use fettuccine to make it, although linguini also works well. The wide noodles are stronger than thinner pastas, and will hold the cream well. Lastly, once the pasta is cooked, it is important to act quickly. If the pasta cools, it will begin to stick together, and it won't cook the egg properly. Work quickly once the egg mixture is in the pasta, and serve it immediately once mixed, when the pasta is still fluid. There's nothing wrong with the pasta if you don't serve it right away, but it's much more pleasing to serve and eat when it is still very hot and flows easily around your fork.

2 packages fettuccine
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 unwaxed (or washed) lemon, zested and juiced
3 Tbsp butter
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

Procedure:

1. Cook the pasta first.
2. While the pasta cooks, place the eggs, salt, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and ½ of the lemon juice in a mixing bowl, and mix well.
3. When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it, reserving a cup of the water, and immediately put it back in the pan.
4. While the pasta is still very hot, add in the butter, and toss until it is melted and the pasta is well coated. Add some extra butter, or olive oil, if needed.
5. Add in the egg mixture and the parsley, and carefully toss until it is completely distributed, and all of the pasta is coated.
6. Taste, and add in the juice of the other half of the lemon if needed.