Chicken Chimichangas and Guac

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce
• 1 1/2 onion, diced, divided
• 6 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 4 cups diced cooked chicken breast, divided
• 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives
• 4 cups refried beans, divided
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• TOPPING
• 3 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 green onions, diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno chile peppers
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan combine the broth, rice, sauce, and 1 diced onion. Mix and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat tortillas in a large skillet (so that they are soft enough to fold).
3. When rice mixture is ready, spoon equal amounts of the following onto each tortilla: Chicken, shredded Jack cheese, diced onion, olives, rice mixture and beans. Roll tortillas, tucking in sides to prevent filling from spilling over.
4. Pour melted butter over the folded Chims and bake at 350degrees for 20 minutes.
5. To Serve: In a medium bowl combine the avocados, cilantro, lemon juice, green onions, chile peppers and tomatoes. Mash together. Place shredded lettuce on a platter, topped with chimichangas, avocado mix, sour cream and shredded Cheddar cheese.

Pitas

Ingredients

• 1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine, select Dough setting and start. When dough has risen long enough, machine will beep.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll and stretch dough into a 12 inch rope. With a sharp knife, divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle. Set aside on a lightly floured countertop. cover with a towel. Let pitas rise about 30 minutes until slightly puffy.
3. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place 2 or 3 pitas on a wire cake rack. Place cake rack directly on oven rack. Bake pitas 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown. Remove from oven and immediately place pitas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with a damp kitchen towel until soft. Once pitas a softened, either cut in half or split top edge for half or whole pitas. They can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for 1 or 2 months.

Italian Baked Cannelloni

Ingredients:
          Olive Oil
          1LB Ground Beef
          1 Onion (Sliced)
          1/4 tsp dried Sage
          1/4 tsp dried Rosemary
          Salt to taste
          1/2C of White Wine (1/4C White Vinegar + 1/4C Water + 1/2 TBSP Sugar)
          12oz shredded Cheese
          2 egg yokes

          4TBSP Butter
          4TBSP Flour
          2 C Milk

          2 (14.5oz) Cans Stewed Tomatoes
          1 Onion (Sliced)
          2 TBSP Butter
          1/2C of White Wine (1/4C White Vinegar + 1/4C Water + 1/2 TBSP Sugar)
          Salt and Pepper to taste
          12 Cannelloni pasta shells

Directions:
1. In a Large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute ground beef with onion, sage and rosemary; Cook until meat is evenly brown. Add Salt and Wine cook until wine is evaporated. set aside

2. to make Bachamel sauce: Melt 4 TBSP Butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well incorporated, stir in milk and bring to a slow boil until mixture thickens. Stir into Meat mixture and mix well. Stir in cheese and egg yokes; set aside.

3. In a medium Sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt 2TBSP butter and saute onion until soft and translucent and wine, let it cook down to evaporate; add tomato and salt. mix well; simmer for 15 min.

4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. add pasta a few at a time, and cook for 8 to 10 min(DO NOT OVER COOK) or until al dente; using a slotted spoon. remove immediately to a pot filled with cold water. Lift pasta out with slotted spoon and arrange on a flat surface.

5. Preheat oven to 400degrees

6.  Spoon a line of filling(meat mixture) into each shell, starting from one end and use finger to push the filling inside of each shell, place in a 9x13 dish  and cover with tomato mixture.

7. Back in preheated oven for 15min or until heated through; when finished baking allow to stand for 5 min and serve.


* if you don't cook with wine use the vinegar water substitute it worked and tasted great when i made this
* Cooking the pasta too long will make it break when you try to fill them you might want to cook a few extra  
    just in case.
* I thought this meal tasted even better the next day reheated.
* I have started cutting all my onions when i get them from the store and freezing them and then i don't have to
   cut onions every time i cook and they don't go bad before i get to them.

Best Chocolate Cake Ever

Charmingly Chocolate: from Food and Family


Ingredients:
1/2 C chocolate syrup
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1 C water
1/3 C oil
7 eggs divided
1/2 C Sour cream
1 pkg. 8 oz cream cheese softened
1 C sugar
1 can(12oz) evaporated milk
4 squares baker's Semi-Sweet chocolate melted
1 cup whipped topping

1. Heat oven to 375, spray 12-cup bunt pan with cooking spray; pour in chocolate syrup

2. Beat cake mix, water, oil, and 3 eggs with mixer for 2 min. or until well blended; blend in sour cream.
    pour over syrup in pan.

3. Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add remaining eggs; mix well.
    blend in milk and chocolate; gently spoon over cake batter. Cover with foil sprayed with
    cooking spray, sprayed-side down.

4. Place bunt ban in large pan. Add 2 inches water to larger pan. Bake 1 hour 30 min. or until toothpick
    inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate 2 hours.
    invert cake onto plate; remove pan. Serve with Cool Whip.

Note: for a 10- cup fluted tube pan
         Prepare cake as directed except reserve 2 cups cake batter before pouring batter into pan. continue as directed. reserved cake batter will make 9 cupcakes. bake as directed on cake mix box.

Grandma Francisco's Pumpkin Cake

Heat oven to 350degree - Grease and lightly flour a 9X13" baking pan
mix together for 4 min: 1 Yellow cake mix
                                   3/4C water
                                   2 eggs
                                   1t cinnamon
                                   1/2t cloves
                                   1/2t ginger
                                   1/2t nutmeg
                                   1/4 baking soda
                                   1 small(2oz) can pumpkin

 Bake 30-35 min. Frost when cool

Frosting:
1/2pt real whipping cream. whip until it starts to stiffen. mix in until dissolved 1/2C brown sugar
blend in 8oz cool whip.

Pecan Log from Mary Heaton obtained from Jackie Francisco

Center
     3 C. sugar
     1/4 C. Milk
     1/8 tsp. Salt
     1C. Cream
     1C. Butter
     3Tbsp. White Karo
Cook slowly till sugar is dissolved. Heat to medium(230 or soft ball stage)
Pour into glass cake pan. Cool quickly.
When you can touch and not burn hand start to beat for about 25 min.
When creamy make 9 small rolls. Cool.
Or use Dry Fondant 


Caramel
    2C. Sugar
    2C. Cream
    1 sq. Butter
    1/2C. Milk
    1C. Karo
    1/8 tsp. Salt
    1/2 C. Flour

Mix 1/2 cream and milk. set aside. put 1 C. cream in pan. add sugar, Karo and salt.
Cook slowly for 25 min. until pale. add rest of cream and cook to 224 degrees or until thickened.
Mix butter and flour. add to mixture. cook to 230 degrees.

Grease cookie sheet, spread 5 C. chopped pecans over it. Pour caramel over nuts.
Cool and cut into 9 pieces. Roll around Centers.


IDAHO SPUDS
Mary Heaton

2lg. Cool Whip
1lg pkg. milk chocolate chips
1lg. Hershey bar with or without almonds
1pkg. Knox gelatin

Melt chips and candy bar, when add cool whip and dry gelatin.
Mix well. Drop by tsp. into coconut or chopped nuts;
cover well. Put on waxed paper.

Holiday Favorites

Mint Oreo Truffles
1pkg(8oz) Cream Cheese
1pkg Mint Oreo Cookies
16 oz melted white chocolate melted

Mix: Cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended
Shape: into balls. Dip in melted chocolate, place on wax paper and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm



Potato and Carrot Pudding
2C Grated Carrots
2C Grated Potatoes
2C Sugar
2C Flour
1TBS Cocoa
2t Salt
1C Raisins (or dried Cherries)
2t baking soda
1C Shortening
Cinnamon and Nutmeg to taste

Mix together and steam 3 hours

Butter Sauce for Carrot Pudding
1C Real Butter
3/4 c Heavy cream
1C sugar
1t Vanilla
Combine all but vanilla
Bring to a boil. simmer 10 minutes and vanilla and serve over carrot pudding

English Toffee

1Large (1/2 lb) Hershey Bar grated
Butter a cookie sheet and sprinkle 1/2 the chocolate on it.

1C Sugar
1/2lb butter
3TBS water
1t vanilla
Cook for about 10 min or until most of it loses its shine
stir constantly
pour over chocolate on cookie sheet and sprinkle remaining chocolate and chopped nuts on top