Oh, So Good!!

Some of you might not know this, but I don't like to cook. Or bake. Poor Ben! However, since I have a family to feed a couple times a day now, I am learning to find recipes that I love and tweak them to make it enjoyable for our whole family. I think it's time to share these yummy recipes and then be able to print it out for myself. I always change recipes to fit what I like (got that from my mom) so I don't have what I really cook, I just look at the recipe and remember what I change about it. However, getting it written down would be a good idea.

I am completely on this kick right now and just can't get enough of this wonderful tomatillo dip! My weirdness about not liking tomatos leaves my food without a lot of flavor unless we happen to have leftover Taco Bell sauce packets, so this is the perfect amount of flavor without too much heat - Trent could even eat it! (But, since I fed him jalapeno enchiladas when he was 18 months, that might not mean much!) So, if you ever get up the nerve to try them, let me know what you think. And now I'll always be on the hunt for tomatillos if you can spare them!

Tomatillo dip
2 cloves garlic
1/2 package Ranch dressing mix
1 cup cream (or milk)
1 cup mayonnaise
2-3 tomatillos - remove husks
1 chili pepper - the small green ones (once I took out most of the seeds and once I didn't and the flavor and hot factor were about the same)

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Put in fridge to thicken.

I use this over Mexican food in place of sour cream and just as a dip with chips. It's REALLY good with Spicy Nacho Doritos - pretty much I have found a new favorite!!

Enchilada Mix
2-3 chicken breasts - cooked and shredded
1/2 package Enchilada seasoning/milk/small can of tomato paste (directions on package)
sliced olives - we really like olives so I use a whole can
1 can of chopped green chilies

Make the Enchilada sauce as directed, but only put 1 1/2 cups of the liquid asked for. I used half water/half milk. Mix all the ingredients together and put on a tortilla shell or over tortilla chips. (You can fry the tortilla or just heat it up)
Drizzle the tomatillo dip over everything. You can also melt grated cheese over everything on the tortilla.

Key Lime Pie
1 egg white
1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice - just have to go to taste

Mix all together and let sit while you prepare crust.

Crush 11 graham crackers in ziploc with rolling pin and then add 3 tablesppons granulated sugar. Pour in bowl and mix in 5-6 tablespoons melted butter with fork until blended. Put in pie pan and spread out like a crust. Bake in oven at 325 for 12minutes. (Of course buying the crust works just fine too.) Pour milk/lime mixture into crust and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely then put in fridge for it to set before serving. Whipped cream on top is fabulous!

Another favorite is bread braids. Just take a bread recipe (let me know if you want my absolute favorite one!) and put whatever you like in the middle. Here are my favorites.

Curry Chicken Broccoli
Cook and shread 1-2 chicken breasts. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large pan and add chicken. Mix in garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and curry powder to taste. (For those who know me, I really don't measure very much!) Add 3-4 tablespoons flour and mix all together. Pour in milk until you get the sauce you want. More milk equals more soupy mixture, so go slow and see what happens. As it's heating up and thickening add in the veggies. I love chopped broccoli, but cauliflower and carrots can be added with the broccoli for more color.

Get the bread ready by rolling it out on a cookie sheet and cutting small strips in the sides (I use a metal spatula). Then pour in curry mixture into the middle and start braiding. The ends should be tucked in to keep everything in as much as possible, but having some peek out is great. Every other piece lifted over is a simple way to create something that looks like you spent forever on it and it really only takes a few minutes.
Make sure when you're done that most of the stuffing is inside. Sometimes it helps to spray the finished product with PAM to keep it all together. Bake for 30-45 minutes depending on how thick your dough was when you rolled it out. It's important to make sure it's cooked all the way through, so you might have to cut it open to verify. It sure smells good!


Another great idea for the inside of a braid is a dessert. My favorite:
Strawberry Heaven! (Or whatever!)
Cut up several strawberries - I used an entire box in my last one! - and put into a sauce pan. Add water and sugar to taste - probably 1/2-3/4 cup of sugar. Boil until strawberries are very soft. Pull just the strawberries out (leave most of the water) and blend just a few seconds. Pour that into the middle of your braid and close up. Then add a little more sugar and turn up the heat again on the strawberry sauce and then shut it off to let it thicken. My favorite thing to place over a slice of the strawberry braid is a little of this sauce and some of the mixture below!
Strawberry Topping
Mix 1 cup sour cream and 4-6 tablespoons brown sugar together. Easy!

I like making enough bread dough for the curry and the strawberries at the same time! Let me know what you think!