Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

 Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2-3 limes)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lime wedges and additional cilantro for serving

Directions

1. Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, chicken broth, garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes if using.

3. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, then pour the lime juice mixture over the chicken.

4. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro over the top of the chicken.

5. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

6. Shred the chicken with two forks in the slow cooker and mix it into the juices.

7. Serve the chicken with the additional fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

DIY Candied Cherries

 Ingredients:

16 ounce jar marashcino cherries

3/4 Cup (149gm) granulated sugar

Directions:

Drain the cherries, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice

combine the 1/4 cup of reserved juice and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan, and cook over medium heat until the suar is mostly dissolved. 2-3 minutes

Add the drained cherries to the pot and bring  the mixture to a boil. cover the pot and reduce the heat so the liquid is simmering.

Simmer fo 45-55 minutes, checing on the cherries and stirring them gently every 10 minutes or so , until they're slightly wrikled and firm when you touch them with a spoon. At this point the syrup should have reached about 235 degrees.

Remove from heat and uncover the pan. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Remove the cherries from the pot with a slotte spoon or strainer, transferring them to a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate.

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Notes for use of induction cooktop:

Start at 275 for 2-3 minutes

Simmer at 235 for 45-55 mimutes

Tater Tot Appetizer Cups

 Ingredients:

48-60 frozen tater tots
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 green onions (or chives), sliced

 Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray mini muffin pan cups with cooking spray
2. Place 3 tater tots in each muffin cup
3. Place tater tots muffin pan on bottom rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
4. Spray bottom of shot glass or small juice glass with cooking spray. Use it, in a twisting montion, to press the tate tos in each muffin cup to form the potato cup. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.
5. Add cheese to each potato cup. Probably use between 1-2 teaspoons of cheese for each cup. Bake for an additional 4-5 minutes to melt the cheese.
6. Add sour cream, bacon, and green onion (or chives) to each tater tot cup and any other garnishes.
7. Serve warm.

Cooks notes:  I added the bacon prior to adding the cheese. I found that when I added the sour cream it would pull away some of the bacon on the top of the cheese.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter (Marcella Hazan)

 This is the simplest of all sauces to maek, and none has a purer, more irresistibly sweet tomato taste. I have known people to skip the pasta and eat the sauce directly out of the pot with a spoon.

INGREDIENTS:

500 grams or 1 pound 2 ounces of canned imported Ittalian plum tomatoes, cut up with their juices.

75 grams or 2 ounces of butter

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half,

Salt

Directions:

Put the canned tomatoes and juices into a saucepan, add the butter, onion and salt and cook uncovered at a very slow but steady simmer for 45 minutes, or until the fat floats free from the tomatoes. 

Sitr from time to time,  mashing any large piece of tomato in the man with the back of a wooden spoon. 

Taste and correct for salt. Discard the onion before tossing the sauce with pasta.

Beef Ribs - Meat Church BBQ

Ingredients:

• 1 rack Beef Short Ribs 
• Meat Church Holly Cow Sesaoning 

Directions:

Prepare smoker:  250 degress on pellet grill

Place the ribs meat side up in the smoker. 8-10 hours. Cook to 210 degrees.

Let rest for at least one hour or till the ribs are between 140 and 160 degrees.

Remove from bone and slice.

Caprese Stuffed Chicken (Pasquale Sciarappa)

 Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
2-3 plum tomatoes sliced
4 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella
basil leaves
oregano, to taste
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar, drizzle for topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position rack in the middle position
2. Place the chicken breast on a cuttin board and cut six slits into each chicken breast, making sure not to cut allthe way through. Tip: you can use two wooden spoons along each side of the chicken breast to keep the knife from cuttin all the way through.
3. Stuff each chicken preast with a sllice of mozzarella in every other slit. Stuff the remaining slits with a slice or two of tomatoes and one ofr two basil leaves.
4. Season the stuffed chicken breasts with salt, black pepper nd oregano.
5. Drizzle some olive oil onto the bottom of an oven safe pan or baking sheet. Transfer each stuffed chicken breast into the oven safe pan or bakin sheet. Drizzle the caprese stuffed chicken breasts with olive oil.
6. Bake the caprese stuffed chicken breasts for about thirty to thirty-five minues or until no longer pink. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella for a more cheesy result.
7. Place back into the oven and bake for five more minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle the caprese stuffed chicken with balsamic vinegar.

Lasagna Rolls (Giada De Laurentis)

 

Ingredients:

Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

pinch of ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

1 (15 ounce) conatiner whhole milk ricotta

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto,  chopped (optional)

1 large egg, beaten to blend

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-2 tablespoons of oliive oil

12 uncooked lasagna noodles

2 cups of marianara sauce

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions:

1. To make the sauce (Bechemel):  Melt the butter in a heavy medium sacuepan overr medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce. 

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

3. Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

4. Add a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

5. Butter a 13-by-9-by 2 inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sacue over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread a large spoonful (about 3 tablespoons) of riicotta mixture evely over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the maining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marianara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Baken until heated through and the sacue bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover  and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.