Teriyaki Bacon-wrapped Chicken Skewers

These recipes come from "Our Best Bites" cookbook- and I am only putting it here to have both recipes in one spot that I don't have to worry about spilling on- or tracking down.

The recipe states not to use thick sliced bacon-  but I use thick sliced Bar-S- and it seems to work fine for me.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/04/bacon-wrapped-teriyaki-chicken-skewers/

I double the recipe for the teriyaki sauce right off the bat-

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/06/teriyaki-sauce/

The above links are to the actual blog recipes.

Middle made these for the first time for a class at school, and although the directions call for letting the skewers marinade for 4 plus hours- I have never had that kind of time- and they seem to do just fine- maybe one of these days I will marinade them that long just to see.  I also haven't managed to cook these on the grill yet- just baked them in the oven. 

"Black" and White Brownie Bites and Tarts

This topping for brownie bites or even for tarts is just a bit yummy- and obviously very easy.



Easy Topping/ Filling:

Mix together :

3 oz instant pudding (chocolate or white chocolate is yummy)
1 C cold milk
1 C Cool Whip-

allow to set up a little then pipe it on top- you can garnish with fruit or chocolate shavings if desired.



This topping is also yummy but more involved:


2 oz of Baking White Chocolate
2 TB milk
1 8oz pkg of softened cream cheese
1/4 C powdered sugar
1 C Cool Whip


Microwave milk and chocolate for 1 min. Stir until smooth. Mix sugar and cream cheese well and add chocolate mix. Fold in Cool Whip. Let set up- then pipe onto brownie bites or tarts.



Brownie Bites:

For the brownies- you can make from scratch if the recipe is more cake like- if not use a mix and follow the directions to make the cake like version (usually just an additional egg). Then using a mini muffin tin- grease

Indent brownie cups immediately when you remove them from the oven. I have a tart shaper for that- but you could use something else- like a medicine measuring cup or something else that fits inside of the muffin tin and leaves about 1/8 inch or so around the edges. Cool 15 minutes and remove from pan- finish cooling completely before topping.



Tarts:

1/2 C butter
1/3 C sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1&1/3 cups flour

Beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar until well blended. Add yolk and vanilla-mix well. Add flour gradually, beat constantly until blended.

make small balls from dough- approx- 1 tbsp size- you want enough that it come up to the top of the cup when it is formed. Place in mini muffin tin or mini tart pan. Push down with tart shaper to form or the back of a round measuring spoon. Bake at 350-

If using jelly to fill-

bake 8-10 min. Fill indentation with small amount of jelly. Bake an additional 8-12 minutes. Cool 2-3 minutes only- then remove to cooling rack. you can also put jam in afterwards- which is what I did


If filling after baking-

then cook for approx 13- 15 minutes- cool 2-3 minutes ONLY- then remove to cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling with pudding filling.

It is important to remove from pan quickly or you will have a tough time getting them out.

Mexican Sides - Rice, Pico De Gallo, Cebiche, Green Salsa

Here are a few authentic recipes gathered by the DR from some of the work crews when we lived in Oregon-

Rice-
fry in a small amount of butter for a few minutes before cooking. Then cook as usual using 2/3 part water and 1/3 part tomato soup-


Pico de gallo (fresh salsa)

2 Tomatoes- finely chopped
1 yellow onion- finely diced
jalapeno- thinly minced- to taste
cilantro- finely minced- to taste
black pepper- to taste
salt - to taste
1/2 to a whole lime- juiced

Mix all ingredients and adjust the flavor-



Cebiche

Shelled, Uncooked Shrimp
Lime juice
same ingredients as pico de gallo except the lime juice for that
shredded carrots

place shrimp in bowl, cover in fresh lime juice. Cover bowl with tin foil and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Take out and drain lime juice. Add vegetables. Put back in freezer for about 10 minutes. Serve on tostada.


Green Salsa

12 Tomitillo (sp)
2 fresh jalapeno peppers
Salt
Finely Chopped onion
Finely chopped Cilantro



These are not the most thorough recipes as they came directly from some of the mexican workers and the DR's writing- but they are close enough.

Spinach Dip

1 pkg ranch flavored Dip Mix
1 pt sour cream
10 oz pkg frozen spinach
8 oz can of waterchestnuts

Sour Dough Bread Bowl

Thaw and drain spinach. Mix dip mix (not dressing) with sour cram. Add drained spinach. Drain and chop waterchestnuts. Add to mix.

Cut and "gut" bread bowl (or just put in a bowl and cut up a loaf to dip), making chunks of bread to dip in the spinach dip.

Fruit Dip

1 large can of sweetend condensed milk,
1 8 oz package of softened cream cheese
1 8 oz tub of cool whip
1/3 C lemon juice-

Blend milk and cream cheese very well- until smooth. Add lemon juice and cool whip. Mix well and chill. Serve with fresh fruit. It counters the health benefits of the fresh fruit very nicely.

Salsa - Bottled

Salsa-

The basis for this Recipe comes from my friend Melani in Auburn Washington. I have adapted it to my family a little.

16 C peeled and mashed tomatoes
2-3 jalapeno peppers (more if you like it hot)
10-12 yellow peppers (look like jalapenos)
5 bell peppers- diced
3 large onions- diced
6-8 large cloves of garlic- minced
2 1/8 C Cider Vinegar
2 1/2 TB Salt
1 to 1 and 1/2 C sugar ( I personally like my salsa sugarless- but the DR insists- I use as little as I can get away with :0 )

Cook tomatoes for a minimum of 15- 20 min. The thicker you like your salsa, the longer you want to cook and reduce the liquid level. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours (longer if you want it thicker)

Put in jars and process in a boiling water bath according to jar sizes- 15 minutes for 1/2 pint, 20 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts.

This amount makes approx 12 pints- give or take depending on how thick you let it reduce.

Ann's Shrimp Dip

Shrimp and Cream Cheese: (S.I.L. A.)

2- 8 oz cream cheese
1- 4 oz can tiny shrimp, drained
juice from one lemon

Mix with electric mixer until well blended.

This one we prefer with a plain, ridged, potato chip-

Frito Dip

Frito Dip- because we eat it with Fritos: (Sis- Amyrinkis)

1 lb of Jimmy Dean Original Sausage, browned and drained.
2- 8 oz pkg cream cheese (room temp)
1- 10 oz can of Ro-Tel Tomatoes- Original with green chilis and cilantro

This is a warm dip, so as soon as you drain the grease from the sausage, put the sausage in with the cream cheese and stir with a spoon until it is well blended. The sausage will make the dip chunky. Then add the can of Ro-Tel.

If you want it spicier- then use the hotter Ro-Tel, or for mild, use the mild Ro-Tel. Some people like this dip when it has been chilled, but I like it best warm, so I will microwave it if it gets too cool.

Bacon wrapped Waterchestnuts

Package of Sizzlean (less shrinkage) or bacon
a couple of cans of whole water chestnuts

Sauce (see following directions)


Cut "bacon" slices into about thirds. Wrap one piece around one chestnut and secure with a toothpick. Place on a baking sheet. Continue until you either run out of "bacon" or water chestnuts. These get gobbled up- so make plenty.


Make sauce-

1 C Ketchup
1/2 C either sugar or brown sugar- depending on your preference.


Preheat oven to 375- Bake wrapped chestnuts for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, drain fat, and then put wraps into a casserole dish. Pour sauce over the top. Cover and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Cocktail Wieners

Cocktail Wieners:

1- 2 pkgs Lil' Smokies
1 jar of Pineapple Ice Cream Topping
3/4 of the topping jar full of ketchup
1 can of drained pineapple chunks
1 TB Worcestershire Sauce
3 TB Brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan or crock pot and heat through.