Crispy Cheesy Baked Chicken

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

Chicken and Marinade Ingredients:

¼ cup, white vinegar

1 cup, whole milk

1/2 teaspoon, Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon, fresh ground pepper

4 large chicken breasts

Dry Ingredients:

1 sleeve, Ritz crackers

1 cup, Panko bread crumbs

1/8 teaspoon, Cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon, black pepper

¼ teaspoon, garlic powder

¼ teaspoon, onion powder

¼ teaspoon, sweet paprika

1/8 teaspoon, celery seed

¼ teaspoon, oregano, finely crushed

½ teaspoon, sea salt

Cheese Ingredients:

1 cup, cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup, Colby and Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Creamy Chicken Sauce Ingredients:

½ cup, whole milk

]1  (10 ounce) can, cream of chicken soup

2 tablespoons, sour cream

2 tablespoons, butter

1 teaspoon, dried parsley flakes

Other Ingredients:

Non-Stick pan spray

¼ cup, melted butter

Directions:

Chicken and Marinade:

In a large bowl add first four ingredients. The vinegar, whole milk, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and let stand for 15 minutes.  Mix then add chicken breasts. Marinade the chicken for at least 3 hours.

In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers.

Add the dry ingredients, spices, Panko bread crumbs, and ground Ritz crackers into a small pan.  Add the cheese into a separate small pan.

Do not rinse the chicken; dip each piece of chicken breast into the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers.

Press the cheesy chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, pour the melted ¼ cup of butter into the pan and spread and lay the chicken inside the pan.

Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.

Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

Creamy Chicken Sauce:

Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, parsley flakes, and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.  Enjoy!

Serves: 4 – 8, if you cut each breast into two.

Tip:  You can also use this chicken marinate for fried chicken recipes!

Easy Pork Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Tacos

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

5 oz. Mexican pork chorizo (I used Cacique Brand)

4 large eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon, green bell pepper, chopped finely

1 serrano pepper, chopped finely

2 tablespoons, sweet onion, chopped finely

½ cup, mild cheddar cheese, finely shredded

4 heated flour or corn tortillas

cilantro and sliced radish, garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a medium-sized skillet, over medium heat  cook chorizo for 5 minutes, breaking it apart.

Add onion and bell pepper. And cook until onion is translucent.

Pour the beaten eggs  over the chorizo in the skillet. Scramble serving lightly, until cooked. Do not over cook because the mixture will become dry.

Divide the scrambled chorizo and eggs into four.  Add to heated flour or corn tortilla.

Top with cheddar cheese.  Enjoy!!!

Servings: 4 Tacos

Tip:  You can make these ahead and keep warm by wrapping in aluminum foil until ready to serve.

Pork Posole (Pork and Hominy Stew)

Tip: Read all directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

Chili Sauce:

6 dried Ancho chilies

1 Guajillo chili

1 Japon chili (Japan Chili)

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

Pork Posole:

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut in 1” chunks

2 teaspoons comino, fresh ground, (cumin)

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 large white onion, chopped

8 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, crushed

1 bay leaf

2 (15.5 ounce cans), white hominy, drained and rinsed

Directions:

Chili Sauce

Rub gently the chilies with a wet paper towel and remove and dust or dirt. Break the stems off the Ancho, Guajillo, and Japon chilies, open and remove all the seeds. Tear in pieces.

Toast the chilies in a pan, on medium heat. Not smoking, but a heat just enough to toast the chilies and let the oils begin to come out of the chilies. About 3 minutes. Constantly stirring every few minutes. There will be a nutty aroma released.

Turn off and place the chilies in a pot of boiled water; weigh down the chilies with a plate to keep them submerged and soak until soft, about 25 minutes.

Transfer the chilies and 2 cups of the soaking liquid to a blender. Add the smashed garlic, and 2 teaspoons sea salt and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pushing the sauce through with a rubber spatula; discard the solids.  Makes approximately 2 cups. Save the leftover sauce to make Enchiladas, Menudo, Chili and a variety of other recipes calling for chili!

Pork Posole:

Rub the pork all over with the 2 teaspoons comino and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt; set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the pork and sear, turning, until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Then remove the meat and set aside. Sear the pork in two batches

Add the onion and garlic to pot and sauté for about 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, oregano, bay leaf, and ½ cup chile sauce to pot. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring a few times, about 1 hour. Stir in the hominy and continue to simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.  Season with salt if needed. Enjoy!!

Tip:  Serve with assorted toppings, such as cilantro, onions, fresh squeezed lime.

Dry Turkey Brine Mix

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 cup sea salt

1/2 cup raw or regular sugar

2 tablespoons dried sage

2 tablespoons mixed green,white, black and pink peppercorns

2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

2 tablespoons dried bay leaves

2 tablespoons dried sage

2 tablespoons dried orange peel

Directions:

In a bowl mix all the ingredients and store. I store the mix in a mason jar until ready to use.

To brine a turkey the day before, bring a quart size pot of water to a boil, add your Dry Mix brine mixture to the pot and let it boil for 5 minutes. Boil, stirring until all the salt and sugar dissolves.

Add brine mix to a gallon of iced cold water in a 18 quart bucket.

Place the turkey in the bucket.  The turkey should be completely submerged in the brine. If it’s not, just add enough cold water until it is.

Refrigerate overnight.  Refrigeration is absolutely required during brining. The meat and brine solution must be kept below 40 degrees F. at all times.

The next day rinse the turkey thoroughly.  You can now roast your turkey as per the turkey instructions.

The above mixture can brine a whole 24 lb. turkey! Use less, ½ mixture for 12 lb. turkey and etc.

Tip:  I use this dry brine mix for chicken and pork chops too!  I brine overnight.  Be sure to rinse your meats thoroughly once you’ve finished brining. Be careful NOT to salt or over salt your meats.

The amount of brine you use will depend on how much meat you are brining. Use about ¼ cup for a whole chicken or 4 large pork chops.  Same instructions, smaller containers, less water…