The Daily Smash: August 2012

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Cornbread Waffles with Spicy Chili

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs

Garnish: shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro

1.Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.

2.In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add milk, oil, and eggs, stirring until smooth. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron, and bake, in batches, according to manufacturer’s instructions. Set aside and keep warm.

3.Serve with Spicy Chili. Garnish with shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Spicy Chili

1 pound ground chuck

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (15-ounce) cans ranch-style beans

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (15-ounce) can niblet corn, drained

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

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and crumbly; drain.
2.Stir in beans, tomato sauce, corn, diced tomatoes and green chilies, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

* We all loved this recipe it a fun twist on Navajo tacos and was so simple to make. Everyone ate them up quick I give it a 5

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

1/3 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (0r regular)
1.Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and zucchini.

2.Combine dry ingredients and chocolate chips, stir in. Add to the wet mixture and stir to combine.

2.Pour into well greased 9×5" loaf pan, or 3 mini pans. Bake at 325. Large loaf bakes for about 55 minutes, small loaves bake for about 25 minutes.

-Make sure you add the chocolate chips to the dry ingredients, especially if you are using the regular size. It coats them with flour so they don't all sink to the bottom of the pan.

* I have so many zucchini that we have recieved from family members so I have been on a search to find new and yummy recipes to use up all this zucchini. And I have found a bunch :) This recipe comes from creationsbykara she has many great zucchini recipes that are on my list to try. This one is great everone loved it I give it a 4

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Baked Churros

1 C water

1/2 C margarine
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C flour
3 eggs

additional cinnamon & sugar to coat

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease cookie sheets.

2.Place water, margarine, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla into a pot.

3.Bring up to a boil, remove from heat and add the flour.

4.Stir until a dough forms.

5.Add eggs in one at a time and mix until well combined after each egg

6.Keep mixing until a thick paste forms .

7.Spoon dough into a pasty bag and pipe 4-6" strips onto the cookie sheet.

8.Bake for 20-25 minutes; until golden brown around the edges.

9.Immediately remove from pan then toss into cinnamon sugar mixture.

* I thought that there were pretty good. They don't have the same crunch as the fried ones but the flavor is still there. They were quick to make and the kids loved them. I give them a 4

Friday, August 17, 2012

Creamy Chicken and Peas

1 cup half and half
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp flour
1 T olive oil
1lb chicken cut into 1 inch cubes
1 med onion chopped
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 cups frozen sweet peas
1 T fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1/2tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1T grated parmesan cheese

1.Combine the half and half,sour cream and flour in a bowl. Mix well and set aside
2.Heat oil in a skillet over med high heat. Add chicken and onion cook stirring occasionally until chicken is no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook 1 min longer.

3.Add the half and half mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil. Stir in the peas,basil,salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until the peas are heated through. 2-4 min. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve over mashed potatos,rice or noodles.

* This was so simple and fast to make it had great flavors and everyone really liked it. It also tasted great reheated as leftovers. I give it a 4 1/2

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Ooey Gooey Caramel Popcorn

1 cup Light Karo Corn Syrup

2 cups Brown Sugar

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup Butter

dash of salt, to taste

3-4 quarts of popped popcorn or 1 1/3 cup popcorn kernels.

1. Pop your popcorn and remove all kernels that didn't pop.

2. In a large saucepan bring the corn syrup and the brown sugar to a boil over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil stir for 4 minutes (yes you should time yourself b/c if you over-boil at this point then you won't have gooey popcorn, you'll have a more candy texture)

3. Add butter and the sweetened condensed milk and stir until it's well combined.

4. Add a dash or two of salt, to taste.

5. In a huge bowl or you could use a paper grocery bag pour the caramel over your popcorn and keep on stirring until you achieve an even coat.Takes about a min or two to get it all coated so it does not all settle at the bottom of the bowl.

This is about 2/3 the batch I had to put all the rest into another bowl. It make a lot

* This was great caramel popcorn I am the type that would take chewy popcorn over hard candy corn any day. And this did not disappoint. It was still soft 3 days later. It does make a lot so its a great recipe for a party. I used my Tupperware 32 cup thatsa bowl cuz it was the biggest one that I had and it was not big enough so make sure you have one bigger then that. Give it a try if you are like me and love the chewy popcorn I know you will love this to. I give it a 5

Monday, August 13, 2012

Fried Pickles

4 to 6 cups vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2teaspoons dry ranch dressing mix
3 lg eggs
2cups panko crispy bread crumbs
12crisp pickle spears

1.Heat oil in deep fryer or 12-inch skillet to 375°F.
2.Meanwhile, in shallow bowl, stir together flour and dressing mix. In another shallow bowl, beat eggs with whisk. In third shallow bowl, place bread crumbs.

3.Dip each pickle spear into flour mixture, then into egg. Dip into flour a second time, then into egg a second time. Coat pickle spear with bread crumbs.

4.After all pickles have been breaded, fry in hot oil 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, or until deep golden brown. Drain fried pickles on cooling rack or paper towels.

* Yummy I love fried pickles and its a killer when you have to pay 5 bucks for one pickle at the fair so I was so excited when I tried these out and my son said "mom these are better then the fair" oh yeah they were good. I made a homemade buttermilk ranch with dill weed in it to dip the pickles in and they were gone as fast as I could cook them. I will make these many times I am sure they are so easy I give them a 5