Chocolate Pudding!

It has been a while since I posted last.  I just haven't felt like I've had much to talk about but I found a new recipe and I want to tell the world how great it is! 

Whenever I think of chocolate pudding I think about my brother Joe running downstairs when we were younger to tell announce that mom was making chocolate pudding.  After stampeding down the stairs he took a flying leap to the couch while yodeling "Chocolate Pudding!!" Instead of landing on the couch he landed on the coffee table and burst into tears.  I don't remember the particulars but I feel like he landed on his face.  At any rate, whenever I think of chocolate pudding I think of Joe.  I've always loved chocolate pudding and this recipe from allrecipes.com that I've tweaked a bit is the best chocolate pudding I've ever had and I could eat it every day.  Of course if I did that, I'd gain quite a bit of weight. It is almost worth it.  Almost.

Chocolate Pudding

1/2 c. white sugar
3 heaping Tbs. cocoa powder
1/4 c. corn starch
1/8 tsp. salt
2 3/4 c. whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. butter

In a medium saucepan combine the dry ingredients.  Whisk in the milk over medium heat.  Stir continuously until the pudding begins to boil  Let boil at least ten seconds, stirring the entire time.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.  Enjoy!

The whole process takes about the same amount of time as a box of cook and serve pudding mix but is infinitely better.  The whole milk makes it very rich and creamy but I would guess that the recipe would work just as well with low fat milk just fine.  

Brisket Tacos

Brisket Tacos

One or two days before you want to serve brisket tacos cook up a brisket. This is how I do it. I buy a whole untrimmed brisket, about 10-12 pounds. I generously salt and pepper the brisket with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper. I coat the entire brisket with a generous amount of chili powder. I usually do this step in the sink to minimize the mess. The chili powder actually holds in the moisture from the beef so you don’t need to put in in a bag or cover it with foil. I put the brisket on a rack over a baking pan or a roasting pan, then into a 400 degree oven for about an hour. I turn the heat down to 200 and cook it for about 8 more hours. After this come out of the oven it needs to cool for at least one hour. Put the drippings from the meat into a fat separator. Throw out the grease but save the dark brown juice.


The day you are ready to serve brisket tacos slice the meat up into taco sized pieces and put into a large pan or crock pot. To the beef add the reserved brown juice, 16 oz jar of salsa verde, 14-16 oz can of tomato sauce, 1 T Cumin, 1 chopped onion, and 6 Cloves of Garlic, minced. Mix the sauce up with the meat. Cover and heat for a couple of hours at 350.


This make enough taco meat for about 20 hungry people.


Serve this on corn tortillas with queso fresco, salsa or pico de gallo, and guacamole.

This recipe is easily adapted to using leftover brisket

Cafe Rio Recipes

YUM!
SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork (we like to use boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce Rosarita brand… (non-gluten)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock-pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!


CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth Pacific –Costco brand non gluten
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

I put all of this into a rice cooker and cook it. Stir it about 2 times while it is cooking.


BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. You can also add a can of whole kernel corn.


CILANTRO RANCH:
2 cups Lighthouse Ranch dressing
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
Put all above into a blender until smooth.

Thai Chicken Curry

Thai Chicken Curry

Another of our favorite recipes, and another that I've been meaning to post about for a long time.  We love Thai food and while this isn't what we usually get at Thai restaurants it is very good with a mellow and sweet taste.

1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large green or red pepper, sliced
1 c. finely chopped onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
14 oz. can coconut milk
8 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice, not drained
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Sprinkle chicken with 1 tsp. curry powder.  Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large skillet over medium high.  Add pepper and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring several times.  Add remaining 1 tsp. oil and the chicken.  Cook until the chicken is lightly browned.  Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute or until fragrant.  Add the remaining 1 tsp. curry powder, the coconut milk, pineapple and juice, salt and red pepper.  Boil and reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked throughout.  Serve over rice.  We love jasmine or basmati rice with this meal.  This serves 4 people

Rustic Garlic Chicken

Rustic Garlic Chicken

This is one of my and Eric's favorite meals.  We love it, its so garlicky and great!

2 Tbs. cooking oil
4 chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 heads of garlic, cloves separated
2 Tbs. flour
1 c. dry white wine
1 c. chicken broth
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oven to 400.  In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over moderately high.  Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp. of salt and pepper.  Cook the chicken until well browned, turning, about 8 minutes in all.  Remove from the pot.  Reduce the heat to moderate, add garlic and saute until it is starting to brown- about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the garlic and stir until combined.  Return the chicken to the chicken to the pot, cover, and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the pot from the oven and put it on a burner.  Remove the chicken from the pot.  Over moderately high heat, whisk in the wine and simmer for 1 minute.  Whisk in the broth and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer until starting to thicken, about 3 minutes.  Turn the heat off, whisk in the butter, and pour the sauce over the chicken.  Sprinkle with the parsley.

I always make mashed potatoes with this because the sauce the recipe makes makes plenty for the chicken and tastes great on the potatoes.  This recipe serves 4 and each person squeezes the garlic out of its skin to eat with the chicken.