Sunday, July 29, 2012

Weekend Recap


As I sit here this dreary Sunday morning I wanted to recap this weeks recipes.  But in doing this I was also sitting here reflecting on those certain moments in our lives when I guess we may may a certain decision, that is important that impacts  not only ourselves, but those around us, most importantly our loved ones.  Usually the small decisions we make most times we never second guess, the big ones oh we sit here and oh rack our brains.  I thinks it is the people in my life who have guided me, and given me courage, that now when I look back over these decisions, I have made the right call. 
  
I am proud that I have the most amazing family that has loved me, teased me, and accepted who I am.   I am so proud that I have friends in my life that respect me, encourage me, and push me to go on.   This is me still finding who I am, on a journey, and I hope that you will stumble and fall with along the way.  I am most grateful to a very special lady who has never given up on  me through out my life, grandma I know you have and will always be my biggest fan.  


Please enjoy the recap of this week's recipes, and if there is anything you would like to see, just let me know. You can reach me at Twitter @cherylhofmann or by email cherylsrecipe@yahoo.com. 





Monday, July 23, 2012


Main Dish Monday




 
Sweet and Sour Chicken

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1 cup lower sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 seeded and chopped bell pepper (red or green)
1 small onion sliced
2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger


1 clove garlic, minced
1- 8-ounce can pineapple chunks packed in juice
1- 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs




  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, pineapple juice from the can, ginger and garlic till smooth. 
  2. In a casserole dish add chicken, bell pepper, onion,water chestnuts, and pineapple.   Pour sauce over chicken,  cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and continue cooking until chicken is done.  





Tuesday, July 24, 2012


Side Dish Tuesday


Pineapple Margarita

3 oz. pineapple juice 
 1-1/2 oz. tequila 
 1 oz. triple sec 
 1 oz. lemon juice 
 1/2 cup crushed ice 






  1.                              Combine pineapple juice, tequila, triple sec, lemon juice and ice in blender container.  
  2. Cover; blend until slushy.  Serve in frosted glass.


Lime & Tequila Sweet Potatoes


2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon tequila
Preparation:





  1. Cut sweet potatoes into 3/4 inch thick slices. Boil slices in a large pan on high heat for about 6 minutes. Drain. Sweet potatoes should be just tender. 
  2. In a bowl mix together lime juice, honey and tequila. Brush over potatoes. Grill on greased grate for 4 to 6 minutes. Brush repeatedly with mixture and turn frequently. Sweet potatoes are done when they are browned.
Tequila Grilled Portobella Mushrooms

1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 portobella mushrooms, stems removed
  1. Whisk together the tequila, butter, olive oil, lime juice and garlic. Allow to sit for at least ten minutes.
  2. Baste the portobella mushrooms with the tequila mixture, then place on grill. 
  3. Allow to cook for 3 - 5 minutes, then turn and baste with more of the tequila mix and cook for another minute or two. Top with additional tequila mixture if desired before serving.





Wednesday, July 25, 2012


Miscellaneous Wednesday


BAKED CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD  
& PRETZEL CRUST







1/2 pound hard pretzels, crushed 
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup stone ground mustard
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves


  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a food processor, pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground; producing both coarse  and fine crumbs. Transfer to a large, shallow bowl or plate.  
  2. Clean the food processor. Add the oil, both mustards, water and vinegar and process until smooth, then season the dressing with salt and pepper. 
  3. Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow bowl, add the chicken breasts and turn to coat. Dredge the chicken in the pretzel crumbs and transfer to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Slice the chicken and serve  with the remaining mustard dressing.

  




Friday, July 27, 2012


Happy Hour Friday




Chi Chi 
4 oz. fresh pineapple juice
1.5 oz. tequila
1/2 oz. grenadine
1/2 oz. orange liqueur
juice of 1 lemon wedge
crushed ice

  1. Mix all of the ingredients except the grenadine. Pour into a glass. 
  2. Slowly add the grenadine and allow it to settle. Serve with a slice of pineapple.




Hawaii Five-0 Reload

3 oz. Coconut Rum
1 oz.  Spiced Rum
2 oz cranberry juice
2 oz pineapple juice





  1. Pour ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a double old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Garnished with a pineapple slice (Kevlar and thigh holster optional).



Hawaiian Mushrooms Stuffed with Seafood

16 large fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed,about 1 pound
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 pinch dried dill
1 pinch dried tarragon
1 cup crumbled Ritz crackers
3/4 cup cooked crabmeat
1/4 cup chopped cooked shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
  2. In a saucepan over medium low heat, cook the cream and spinach together until cream is reduced by half. 
  3. Stir in the shallots and cook 1 minute, remove from heat and stir in the coconut milk, dill, tarragon, cracker crumbs, crab, shrimp, salt and pepper. 
  4. Stuff mushroom caps with seafood mixture and place in a shallow baking pan.
  5. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 8 to 10 minutes.




Aloha Chicken Wings


3 lbs chicken wings
1 cup pineapple preserves
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Cut wings into sections and discard tips.  
  3. Place wings in a large resealable plastic, stir together preserves, sherry, orange juice concentrate, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, garlic, and ginger, until thoroughly combined.
  4. Pour mixture over wings in bag and seal. Work marinade over all parts of chicken wings and allow wings to marinate, refrigerated, for 6 hours or overnight.
  5. Place wings on a foil-covered baking pan and pour 1 cup of the marinade over the wings; discard the rest of the marinade.
  6. Bake wings at for 1 hour.

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