Cranberry Christmas Salsa

http://saucyskillet.blogspot.ca/2011/12/cranberry-christmas-salsa.html

Cranberry Christmas Salsa
by Renée

Ingredients: Cranberry, center,
 and, clockwise from left,
jalapeno, onion, ginger,
chipotle pepper, pineapple,
cilantro, limes

 In a saucepan cook until slightly juicy

 1 bag of chopped cranberries
 2 tsp minced ginger
 1 tsp salt
 1 to 2 tsp smoked chipotle pepper 
 1 tsp cinnamon
 Juice from 1/2 a lime
Secret ingredient: 1 tsp cumin


 Don't cook this too long. You're just blending flavors a bit to take the tannic edge off the cranberries. If you want less spicy heat, substitute some liquid smoke for the powdered chipotle pepper, to your taste.

In a small skillet quickly sear 

1/2 medium onion diced

1 chopped jalapeno pepper

Again, don't cook for too long. You're just taking the edge off those onions and blending that jalapeno pepper a bit. Add this to the cranberries. Also add

a handful of crushed cilantro (optional)

1 chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup sugar

Crushing cilantro helps modulate that soapy flavor which so many folks dislike. Cilantro is the authentic salsa seasoning, but this salsa is great without it, too. I tried mint as a substitute and I felt like the cilantro tasted better.

I kept the pineapple fresh because it has an enzyme in it that prevents the cranberries from gelling up. That gives the dip a more usual salsa consistency.

Stir things up well and give this a taste test. Add more sugar if the cranberries turned out tarter than expected, or a pinch more salt if you think it's too sweet. This is incredibly delicious and gets more so after an overnight chill in that deep dark refrigerator. Serve the dip with some red and green tortilla chips and try not to eat — er I mean test — it all before the party!

Sweet Potato Chili

http://pinchofyum.com/healthy-jalapeno-sweet-potato-chicken-chili

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ lbs. chicken breasts
  
  
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
• 2 14 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes with garlic, undrained
• 1 14 ounce can black beans, drained
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxmeal
• cilantro and Cotija cheese for topping
• 
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Poach the chicken: Bring the chicken broth to a rolling boil and add the raw chicken breasts. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken continue to cook in the broth for another 20 minutes. Remove the chicken, let cool, and shred with two forks. Reserve 2 cups of broth. Keep chicken in the fridge until ready to use (I did this a day in advance and just stored my chicken and broth together in the fridge).
2. Saute the veggies: Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and saute until tender. Add the chili powder, salt, and sweet potatoes. Saute until the sweet potatoes are lightly browned.
3. Let it cook: Add the fire roasted tomatoes, black beans, shredded chicken and reserved broth. Stir and cover with a tight fitting lid. Keep over medium heat for 45 minutes without stirring (see notes).
4. Make it saucy: After 45 minutes, uncover and you’ll see a bunch of chicken and veggies with hardly any liquid. Perfect. Add 2 cups of water (or less, as needed) and stir to combine. Add the flax and stir again – this helps it thicken up and gives it a warm, nutty flavor.
5. Eat: Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with cilantro and Cotija cheese.

----------------------------

Mostly as written, except:
Trader Joe's Pollo Asado, seared, then finger shredded (keep the liquid)
Serrano instead of jalapeño
Chipotle & ancho powder
Oregano, cumin
Skipped the flax
Lime juice

Avocado for garnish

Caramel Apple Pizza

1 batch sugar cookie dough
1 package cream cheese
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c peanut butter
3 medium apples
1/2 c caramel ice cream topping
* salted peanuts, chopped

Black and White Brownies

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/jessica-lagasses-black-and-white-brownies-recipe2/index.html


10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
8 ounces white chocolate pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecan pieces
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using 2 tablespoons of the butter, grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the remaining stick of butter with the white chocolate.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the flour, vanilla, and salt and mix well. Fold in the pecans and the melted white chocolate.
4. Spread the brownie mixture in the buttered pan and sprinkle the chopped semisweet chocolate over the top. Bake until firm, for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack before cutting into squares.

Corn soup

Inspiration from http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/07/creamy-corn-soup-with-queso-fresco-and.html

1 clove garlic
Some coconut oil
-----> fry
1 6 oz russet potato, diced
4 ish cups corn, cooked, removed from cob
3 ish cups chicken stock
2 ish cups water
2 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
-----> add, simmer until potatoes/corn soft
-----> purée
1/2 c ricotta (subbed for sour cream b/c of laziness)
Salt, pepper, more chili to taste
-----> more purée 
1 cup corn (reserved from before)
-----> cook a few more minutes
-----> garnish with cilantro and queso fresco

Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken

http://www.eatliverun.com/thai-red-curry-chicken/

1 tbsp coconut oil
2-3 tbsp ginger, grated
-----> sauté 2 min
2 chicken breasts, sliced thin
-----> sauté 2 min
3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
-----> sauté 2 min
2 cans coconut milk
1 can water
-----> bring to boil
4 baby bok choy, chopped
1 cup sweet potato fries, broken
-----> bring to boil, simmer
1 lime, juiced
1ish tbsp fish sauce
A bit of brown sugar
-----> simmer a bit (10 minutes?)


Super easy, super good. Needs red pepper, snow peas.

Mini Mango Upside Down Cakes

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/05/coconut-mango-upside-down-cake-recipe.html

• 10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, divided, melted
• 2/3 cup (4 2/3 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 2 large mangoes, peeled, sliced
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut, chopped
•  1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Pour 4 tablespoons melted butter into 9-inch cake pan and swirl to coat bottom. Evenly sprinkle brown sugar into bottom of pan. Arrange mango slices in one even layer over sugar.
• 2. In large bowl, whisk remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter with sugar, salt, eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla. In small bowl, whisk flour, coconut, and baking powder until combined. Whisk into egg mixture until just combined. Spread into pan over fruit and smooth the top.
• 3. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 45 minutes. Run knife along inside edge of pan to loosen, then invert onto serving plate or cooling rack to finish cooling.
• -subbed coconut oil for butter in pans, used muffin pans, added rum

Chicken Posole

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_pozole/

http://www.marthastewart.com/319047/chicken-posole

5 chicken breasts
1/2 red onion
5 cloves garlic
Oregano
Salt
Ancho chile powder
-------> boil until chicken cooked
-------> shred chicken
Big can of corn, drained and rinsed
------> blend 2ish cups corn with some stock
------> add corn, purée, spices 
------> simmer for a while

Garnishes: avocado, radishes, red pepper flakes, lime wedges, tortilla chips

Smoked Salmon Mac and Cheese

From my head

2ish cups macaroni, cooked with smoky salt

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp milk powder
2 cups water
1 tsp dried garlic
1 tsp dill

2 cups extra old cheddar
1/2 c pizza mix cheese
1/2 pkg smoked salmon
Some cilantro


So good.

Cinnamon Bread

http://www.redflycreations.com/2012/10/the-amazing-amish-cinnamon-bread.html

Batter:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:

2/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs.  Add milk, flour, and baking soda.  Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan).  Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan.  Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping.  Swirl with a knife.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min.  or until toothpick tester come clean.  

Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

White Chicken Cream Cheese Chili

From:
http://www.therecipecritic.com/2013/01/slow-cooker-cream-cheese-chicken-chili.html

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, can use fresh or frozen

1 can Rotel Tomatoes

1 can corn kernels, do not drain

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 pkg ranch dressing mix

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 8 oz package fat free cream cheese

1.  Spray Slow cooker with cooking spray and lay chicken breasts in the bottom.

2. Dump the can of undrained corn, drained and rinsed black beans, and rotel on top of the chicken.

3. Put ranch seasoning packet, chili powder, onion powder and cumin on top.

4.  Stir to combine and top with block of cream cheese.

5.  Cook on low for 4-6.  Stir if you can after about 2-3 hours.

Cheesecake Sauces

Strawberry Sauce
A la Pampered Chef

1 lb strawberries
1/4 c honey
Lime for zesting

1. Thick slice about 1 cup of strawberries, add about 1 tsp lime zest, 1/4 c honey
2. Microwave 2 minutes
3. Blend til smooth
4. Add rest of strawberries, cut as desired.
5. Super yum - not thick

Raspberry Sauce
Allrecipes (ish)

2 tbsp cornstarch
1 c cold water
6 oz raspberries
1/4 c sugar
(Lime zest)

1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water.
2.  Add raspberries, sugar, mix more.
3. Microwave 3-5 minutes, checking often
4. Purée with blender, then strain out seeds

Caramel Sauce
Moi

Sobey's caramel drizzler
Slices of ginger
Microwave