HungryBastard.com

We were craving home made enchiladas but wanted to make the sauce from scratch. I found this recipe and gave it a whirl! When we made this it turned out a bit dry so I’ve adjusted the ingredients to make sure you’ll have enough sauce. The sauce is absolutely scrumptious! A bit spicy but em em good– great flavor! Best EVER!!!

Ingredients:

• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 large red onion (or two medium), Chopped
• 4 c. water
• 4 c. Chicken Broth
• 2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
• 10 fresh pablano chiles
• 2 (16 oz.) containers of Sour Creme
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 28 (6″) corn tortillas
• 4 c. shredded ‘Mexican Style’ cheese
• 1 bunch cilantro, most of the stems cut off

Directions:

1. Put the chicken breasts, onion, garlic, water, chicken broth, and chicken bouillon into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 40 minutes. When finished remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Measure out 4 cups of the chicken broth and discard the rest or save for a soup.
2. Roast the pablano chiles over an open flame, or underneath the broiler until the skin has blackened on all sides. Place the chiles into a plastic bag, paper bag or bowl covered in plastic wrap and allow them to steam as they cool, for about 30 minutes. When cool, peel the blackened skin off the pepper and remove the seeds and membrane.
3. Place the reserved chicken broth into a blender along with the roasted pablanos, 1 and 1/2 tubs of sour cream and cilantro. Puree until smooth and set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortillas one at a time until softened and beginning to crisp around the edges. Place onto a plate lined with papertowels and set aside.
5. Pour the pureed pablano mixture into the skillet and simmer for ten minutes. While the sauce is cooking, slice (or shred) the cooled chicken breasts into small pieces.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using tongs, dip a tortilla into the sauce, coating both sides. Place some of the chicken in the center of the tortilla and roll tightly then place in a baking dish (you should be able to fit 14 enchilada’s per baking dish). Repeat with remaining tortillas until two baking dishes are filled. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchilada’s, soaking them (you don’t want them dry). Cover each dish with two cups of Shredded ‘Mexican Style’ shredded cheese and bake for about 10 minutes (until cheese is melted and slightly crisping). Top with a little of the remaining sour cream (if desired) and serve!

This recipe was inspired by the folks at whatwereeating.com. We had to make some changes, however, because we couldn’t find all of the ingredients in the original recipe. So, here is our version which turned out absolutely wonderful and easy to make! The kids had seconds and thirds! We served ours with freshly steamed green beans.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1 1/2 c. sliced shitake mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. oil or bacon fat
• 1 1/2 tbsp. sherry cooking wine (found in the vinegar section)
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 4 tbsp. flour
• 2 2/3 c. whole milk
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 4 oz. herb goat cheese, crumbled
• 4 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
• 4 oz. parmigiano reggiano, separated in two 2 oz. piles
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh sage, minced
• 2-3 tbsp white truffle oil, depending on how strong you like it
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 c. crushed croûtons (cheese and garlic flavor) or Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 10 oz. elbow pasta
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Place a large pot of water over high heat and cover.
2. Place a large skillet with 2 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté for 7-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully cooked and slightly caramelized. Toss or stir occasionally. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper then add 1 1/2 tbsp. sherry cooking wine. Allow all of the wine to cook out, then remove the mushrooms and set aside.
3. Begin the cheese sauce: Add butter to a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and is hot, whisk in flour. Cook the flour, whisking, for about 30 seconds, just long enough to get rid of the raw flour taste, but not long enough for the flour to start caramelizing.
4. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring and allow the herbs to cook for another 30 seconds or so. Slowly pour in the milk and the heavy cream while continuously whisking so everything mixes smoothly and there are no lumps. Allow to come to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
5. While waiting for the sauce to come to a simmer start the pasta. Liberally salt the pot of boiling water, almost to the point it tastes like sea water. This may take a few handfuls of salt. Add the pasta to the water and cook the pasta for a minute or two less than the suggested time on the box.
6. Once your sauce has reached a simmer, stir in the goat cheese, cheddar, 2 oz. of Parmigiano and truffle oil. Stir until all cheese has melted. Remove from heat and taste the sauce for seasoning levels. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
7. Preheat oven to ‘Broil’. In a small bowl, mix together crushed croûtons (or Panko) and 2 tbsp. Parmigiano reggiano.
8. Strain pasta immediately when finished cooking. In a mixing bowl, toss the pasta, cheese sauce, and mushrooms together. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a glass baking pan and spread the croûton mixture evenly across the top.
9. Broil the macaroni and cheese in the upper part of the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until the topping is golden and the cheese sauce is bubbly. Serve hot and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons hot chile pepper, minced
• 2 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 12 oz package of tapioca/rice noodles (if you can’t find these noodles, use regular -not thin- spaghetti noodles)
• 1 lb. shrimp. peeled and deveined
• Fresh mint

Directions:

1. Pour water and vinegar into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in sugar, ginger, garlic, chile pepper, and ketchup; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch. Remove saucepan from stove to cool. Then transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
2. Cook noodles per package directions. Set aside.
3. Cook shrimp in a pan with approximately 2 tbsp. olive oil for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side until they are ‘just’ done. Do not overcook the shrimp.
4. Toss shrimp together with the noodles and sweet chili thai sauce. Coat thoroughly.
5. Serve with sprigs of mint on top.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium to large cucumbers (if using organic, you can leave the skin on; otherwise, slice off the skin)
• 1 shallot, minced (OR substitute 2 cloves garlic, minced)
• 2 green onions, sliced
• handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
• 1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and minced (OR if you prefer a milder salad, substitute 1/2 diced red bell pepper)
• handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• DRESSING:
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR vegetarian fish sauce (available by the bottle at Asian food stores)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian food stores) - Vegetarians substitute 1 Tbsp. more veg. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
• optional: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried chilli flakes
• optional: 1/2 tsp. sugar (to taste)

Directions:

1. Slice your cucumber into nice moderately thick slices(see picture). *note, slicing too thin may leave you with a watery mushy salad.
2. Add the shallot (or garlic), green onion, chilli, basil, and coriander to the cucumber. Toss to combine.
3. To make the dressing, stir together the dressing ingredients in a cup. Taste-test the dressing for salt and sweetness/sourness, adding a little sugar if needed. If too salty, add more lime juice.(Note that it will taste strong now, but milder once it is on the salad).
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss.
5. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to several hours.*

*Cucumber Salad Tip: Note that the longer this salad sits, the more liquid will gather at the bottom of the bowl or plate (some of this is juice from the cucumber - the rest is the dressing). If you want to make it ahead of time, just be sure to re-toss the salad before serving, then discard the leftover liquid. OR, better still, keep the salad and dressing in separate containers until ready to eat. Then just toss and serve.

This is a great veggie-heavy sauce. Lots of fresh basil in this one give it a real zing!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked farfalle pasta
• 1 pound hot Italian turkey sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 small zucchini, chopped
• 2 small yellow squash, chopped
• 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 20 leaves fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place farfalle in pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente; drain.
2. Place sausage in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until evenly brown; set aside. Heat 1/4 cup oil in skillet. Stir in garlic and onion, and cook until tender. Mix in zucchini, squash, tomatoes, bell pepper and basil. Dissolve bouillon in the mixture. Season with red pepper. Stir in remaining oil. Continue cooking 10 minutes.
3. Mix pasta, sausage and cheese into skillet. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until heated through.

And yet another wonderful recipe we tried from whatweareeating.com!! We used this to cook our Tuna Steaks.. Makes a great dip for any bread too!

• 1 cup good quality olive oil
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 6 sprigs of fresh oregano
• 3 cloves of garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
• pinch of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Put the olive oil into a pan over low heat. Add the rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir the herbs into the oil then allow the pan to cook over LOW heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the herbs have had a chance to infuse their flavors into the oil, set aside. When you are ready to serve with your meal, strain the herbs from the oil. Wala!

We served up this succulent salad with our pan seared tuna steak! If you are trying to eat lighter as we are, this is the perfect salad to compliment any meal! The flavors combine to give you a wonderful tarty/sweet flavor. And the textures of the jicama, cucumber and onion together are the perfect combination!

• 1 Jicama -about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs.
• 1 cucumber, peeled
• 1 c. red onion, slivered
• 4 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. lime rind, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 c. honey
• 1/4 c. cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper or chili powder
• 4-6 tbsp. lite olive oil

1. Pare the Jicama; cut lengthwise into wedges; cut wedges crosswise into 1/8″ slices.
2. Cut cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
3. Cut halves crosswise into 1/8″ slices.
4. Combine Jicama, Cucumber and Onion in a large bowl.
5. Toss lightly.
6. Mix lime juice, lime rind, garlic, salt, honey (melted in microwave for about 15-20 seconds) and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
7. Gradually add olive oil (start with 4 tbsp. and add more later if needed) continuously whisking until thoroughly blended.
8. Pour dressing over Jicama mixture, toss lightly to evenly coat the salad.
9. Refrigerate 1-2 hours , covered, to blend the flavors.
10. Just before serving, sprinkle 1/4 c. of fresh chopped cilantro over the salad and mix lightly.

We served this up with our Jicama Salad. The Tuna roasted in the herb oil is now my favorite way of cooking Tuna Steaks. The flavors are so wonderful and the tuna is—em em the best!

• 2 pieces of fresh Tuna Steak about 1 inch thick
• herb oil with garlic - see recipe here.
• kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1. Prepare your herb oil with garlic ahead of time and pour into a freezer bag. Fork your tuna steaks on one side and place them in the bag with the oil. Let sit in the oil in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°.
3. Preheat an oven-safe pan over high heat. Add 5 tbsp of herb oil with garlic to the pan from your freezer bag. While the oil is heating, season both sides of the tuna steaks liberally with salt and pepper. Once the oil has heated, place the Tuna Steak in the pan. Cook over high heat for about 2 minutes. Flip the Tuna Steaks and cook over high for another 2 minutes. Baste the fish with the herb oil using the oil pooling in the bottom of the pan or by adding more if there isn’t enough in the pan. After a minute, place the pan into the 350° oven and bake the fish for another 3-4 minutes, until the Tuna Steak is just cooked through and still moist and delicious. Cook times may vary due to the thickness of the steaks.

I love sushi!

I made my first attempt at Cali Rolls last night. Not sure what made me avoid it up until now. Probably the fact that until recently, I was the only one in the house who would eat it. Even harmless California Rolls. Ahh but the tide has begun to turn. When my wife asked what we should do for dinner I spouted “SUSHI”, expecting the usual moans and groans from the peanut gallery. To my surprise, my two boys said “Yes” in unison, to which Nikki begrudgingly agreed. I’m sure the change in sentiment has something to do with our recent trip to VA beach, where each of the boys got to sample from the several varieties I ordered at a Japanese restaurant while we are there.

I found an informative article on YouTube which guided the way through the most complicated part of this simple recipe. I consulted others on the proper rolling technique as well .

How to cook sushi rice

I’ll post the recipe for these rolls soon!

My hubby made this meal for my birthday!  We served this dish our delicious Shrimp Scampi.  It’s also great served with pork chops marinated in Asian Marinade (which is also the sauce used for this salad).  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Sambal Oelek (found at an Asian food market or specialty store)– can use chili paste in it’s place.
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. peanut oil
• 2 large red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed and quartered
• 1 yellow onion, cut in 1/2 ” thick slices
• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 12 oz. rice noodles
• 1/2 c. packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp. Canola Oil
• kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce: combine rice wine vinegar, Samal Oelek, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil to a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
2. Place rice noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside.
3. Toss the peeled avocado with lime juice to prevent oxidation.
4. Add the avocado, bell pepper, and onion to a bowl. Drizzle with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
5. Add the onions, bell peppers and avocado to the grill. Grill the veggies over medium high heat for abut 3 minutes per side or until grill marks appear and the veggies become nice and tender. Note: We did ours inside in a skillet over high heat until they were browned on each side. They were equally as good.
6. Remove veggies from the grill.
7. Drain the water from the rice noodles and place them in a covered skillet or wok with a tablespoon of peanut oil for about 3-5 minutes. Toss occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking. You want them ‘al dente.’ Remove from heat and add to a large mixing bowl.
8. Chop the grilled veggies into bite sized pieces and add them to the noodles. Also add in the roughly chopped Cilantro and the sauce from step 1. Toss all the ingredients together until all the noodles and veggies are thoroughly blended and coated with sauce.
9. ENJOY!!!

My hubby made these for a Mothers day lunch! Oh sooooo good!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. chopped red onion
• 1 tbsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. coarse-grain brown mustard
• 8 slices of French Bread
• 6 tbsp. butter, softened
• 1 lb. thinly sliced turkey (your favorite kind)
• 8 slices tomato
• 1 avocado, sliced thinly
• 8 slices Swiss Cheese

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the red onion, thyme, mayonnaise and mustard. Spread some of this mixture onto one side of each slice of bread. Spread butter onto the other side of the slices of bread.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place 4 slices of the bread ont5o the skillet with the butter side down. On each slice of bread, layer 1/4 of the sliced turkey, then two slices of tomato, and avocado and top with two slices of Swiss Cheese. Place remaining slices of bread over the top with the butter side up. When the bottoms of the sandwiches are golden brown, flip over, and cook until golden on the other side.
3. Serve and enjoy!!! EM GOOD!

My husband made this for me this morning for a Mothers Day breakfast! Absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks
• 8 eggs
• 3 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 pinch ground white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 c. butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
• 4 slices of Canadian Bacon (usually found in the lunch meat section of the grocery store)
• 4 English muffins, split
• 2 tbsp. butter, softened
• Optional: Chopped chives

Directions:

1. To make Hollandaise: Fill the bottom of a double boiler part-way with water. Make sure the water does not touch the top pan. Bring water to a gentle simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tbsp. water.
2. Add the melted butter to egg yolk mixture 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time while whisking yolks constantly. If hollandaise begins to get too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water. Continue whisking until all butter is incorporated. Whisk in salt, then remove from heat. Place a lid on pan to keep sauce warm.
3. Preheat oven on broiler setting. To Poach eggs: Fill a large saucepan with 3 inches of water. Bring water to a gentle simmer, then add vinegar. Carefully break eggs into simmering water and allow to cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Yolks should still be soft in the center. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and set on a warm plate.
4. While eggs are poaching, brown the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and toast the English muffins under the broiler heat.
5. Spread toasted muffins with softened butter, and top each one with a slice of bacon, followed by one poached egg. Place 2 muffins on each plate and drizzle with hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Sambal Oelek (found at an Asian food market or specialty store)– can use chili paste in it’s place.
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and pour over your choice of chops, chicken or steak in a large freezer bag.  Squeeze out all the air and seal up.  Marinade for at least 45 minutes (preferably a couple hours) and grill!  It’s that easy!

This is such a great recipe for the whole family. Total prep/cook time is about an hour. Super tastey and something the whole family will enjoy! To save time, I bought the pre-cooked real bacon bits. When I barbecued the chicken I seasoned it lightly with garlic salt. I suggest doing all the prep work prior to diving in! Such an awesome recipe!

Ingredients:

• 4 c. Heavy Cream
• 1 cube chicken bullion
• 2 tbsp. Asiago Cheese
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water
• 1 c. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz.) package bow tie pasta
• 3/4 c. bacon, cooked and chopped
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 c. red onion
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 c. green onion, chopped
• 1 lb. grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Grill your chicken on the barbecue and cut into bite sized cubes.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook 3 cups cream until just bubbling. Watch carefully to ensure that it doesn’t boil over.
3. Stir in bouillon and Asiago cheese. Stir with whisk until dissolved. Add corn starch mixture and simmer until sauce is thickened stirring constantly. Add sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for later use.
4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package directions (or until al dente); drain.
5. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute red onion until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cooked bacon, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in green onions, chicken and 1 c. cream. Cook, stirring until cream is heated through. Add Asiago cream sauce and heat through. Toss with cooked pasta until evenly coated, and sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish.

This simple casserole is the perfect weekday meal because it is fairly quick to prepare and satisfies even the pickiest of palettes (talking about the kids here) and makes great lunch leftovers the next day, if there are any.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cubed chicken
• 2-3 cups freshly chopped broccoli
• 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 c. mayonnaise (light works just as well)
• 2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 c. Italian bread crumbs or crushed butter-flavored crackers
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 c. sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Saute the cubed chicken in a tablespoon of olive oil until almost done (just a little pink in the middle still). Set aside.
2. Spray a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Spread the broccoli and cubed cooked chicken evenly across the bottom of the dish.
4. In a bowl, combine soup and mayonnaise; spoon evenly over the chicken/broccoli mix.
5. Sprinkle with cheese.
6. Cover with bread crumbs or crushed butter flavored crackers and lightly pour butter over the top. Top with Almonds.
7. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.