Chicken Cacciatore

" I absolutely LOVE this recipe!  It takes just a bit of time to make, but the taste is well worth it!"

3 tbsps of olive oil
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
salt & pepper
1 medium onion, cut in half, then sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 cups of sliced, fresh cremini mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsps of chopped, fresh Rosemary
1 tsp of salt
                                                                1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
                                                                1/2 cup of dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
                                                                1-28 oz. can of whole Italian Plum tomatoes*
                                                                1 tbsp of chopped, fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

     In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and brown in the pan, about 4 minutes per side (you may want to cook the chicken in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan).  Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.  Reduce heat to medium.  Now, add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary to the skillet and sautee until vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes.  Add the wine and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the skillet.  Season with the 1 tsp of salt and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the wine has almost evaporated, then add the tomatoes.  Using a spoon or spatula, break up the tomatoes a bit.  Place the chicken back into the pan.  Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  Then, remove the chicken to a serving platter.  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a boil.  Boil for about 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened to your liking.  Spoon the sauce over the chicken.  Serve and enjoy!

*San Marzano tomatoes are the best tasting tomatoes for this dish.  However, they can be a bit pricey.  I suggest buying them when they go on sale so that you have them on hand when making a dish like this.  Or, you can always use any brand of Italian Plum tomatoes.  The dish will still taste amazing!

    

Carne Guisada

"This recipe is inspired by one that I actually got at my local grocery store.  I tweaked the recipe, added some of this and that, and made it my own.  And the best part is that its made in the slow cooker!  How easy!"

4 tbsps of olive oil
2 lbs of beef stew meat
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1-12 oz. container of store-bought FRESH pico de gallo*
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsps of ground cumin
                                                                         2 tsps of chilli powder
                                                                         1 tsp of dried oregano
                                                                         1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
                                                                         2 cups of chicken broth
                                                                         1-10.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
                                                                        2 bay leaves
                                                                        1/4 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro
                                                                        Sour cream, shredded cheese (for garnish)

     Season the beef with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tbsps of the oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the meat and cook for 2-3 minutes, just to brown it, not fully cook it (you may want to do this in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and steaming the meat instead of searing it).  Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside.  If there is any liquid in the skillet, pour it out.  Now, add the remaining 2 tbsps of olive oil and reduce the temperature to medium.  Add the onions and bell peppers and cook for 3 minutes.  Then, add the pico de gallo and garlic and continue cooking another 3 minutes.  Next, add the cumin, chilli powder and oregano and stir together.  Then, add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add the broth to the skillet slowly, stirring constantly until smooth.  Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes to thicken slightly.  Now, add the diced tomatoes, beef, and the bay leaves and stir together.  Finally, pour into a slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours.  Just before serving, stir in the fresh cilantro, and also add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve and garnish with sour cream, cheese, or even tortillas, if desired.  Enjoy!

*Most of the freshly prepared pico de gallo in the grocery store come it either mild, medium, or hot.  I used the mild, but if you're bold and you like a little more kick, try the medium or the hot!
                                                                  

                                                                        

Blackberry Kolaches

"My granny used to make these all the time when I was a kid, and I love them today just as much as I did back then.  They require a little time to make, but the end result is well worth it!"

Dough:

3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 package of dry, active yeast
1/4 tsp of salt
1 1/4 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 stick of butter, cubed
                                                                         1 tsp of vanilla extract
                                                                         1 large egg
                                                                                          

                                                                          Filling:

                                                                          1 pint of blackberries
                                                                          1/2 cup of granulated sugar
                                                                          2 tbsps of freshly squeezed lime juice

                                                                           Streusel Topping:

                                                                           1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
                                                                           1/4 cup of granulated sugar
                                                                           2 tbsps of butter, melted

     In a large bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cup of the flour, yeast and salt.  Set aside.  In a saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, butter, and vanilla.  Heat over medium just until the butter is melted, and the mixture is warm, but cool enough to touch (about 110 degrees).  Using a mixer, add the egg to the flour mix and stir together.  Then, SLOWLY, add the warm milk mix to the flour mix.  Beat on high for about 1 minute, or until smooth.  Next, add the remaining 2 cups of flour in 1/2 cup increments, mixing well in-between (a wooden spoon works best for this).  Now, spray the sides of the bowl with non-stick cooking spray and cover with a towel.  Set the bowl in a warm place* to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Now is when you want to begin the filling.  Pour the blackberries into a large, plastic, resealable bag and "squish" them up using your hands (if you have a food processor, pulse the blackberries until they are coarsly chopped).  Next, in a saucepan, combine the blackberries, sugar, and lime juice and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-high, and cook for 10 minutes.  Pour into a bowl, and let the filling come to room temperature.  When the dough has risen, and with well floured hands, "pinch" the dough into balls about 3 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (flouring your hands in-between pinching each dough ball helps prevent the dough from sticking to your hands).  Now, using your fingers, make a well about 1 1/2 inches in diameter in each dough ball, and fill with the blackberry filling (its better if you make the well and fill the dough ball right away, rather than make all the wells, and then go back and fill).  Cover the pan with a towel and let rise again, about 35-45 minutes.  Now, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  For the streusel topping, just mix all ingredients together in a bowl until the mix is a coarse and "mealy" texutre.  When the kolaches have risen, sprinkle each one with the streusel.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and immediately brush the edges of the kolaches with melted butter.  Then, sprinkle granulated sugar over all the kolaches.  Let cool.  Serve and enjoy!  Makes about 1 dozen.

*When letting my dough rise, I usually preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and place the bowl on top of the stove.  But any warm place will do!