White Chicken Chili

1-2 lbs chicken cooked and shredded
1 T. Olive oil
2 -4oz. Cans green chiles
2 med. Onions chopped
3 c. shredded Montery Jack cheese
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. ground cumin 3 cans (16 oz.) Great Northern beans*
1 ½ t. oregano
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
3 cans chicken broth (or 4c. Water with 4 bouillon cubes)
s&p to taste

Heat oil. Add onions. Saute. Stir in garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, & green chiles. Stir in undrained beans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and add chicken and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serves 10 people.

*Can use 1 lb. Dry beans. Soak overnight. In morning rinse and then simmer in broth and garlic for 3 hours (or until tender) before adding to soup.

New People?

Hi everyone!

I love reading your new recipes! Thanks so much!

I think there are a lot of changes in the Bear Canyon area. I don't know all those newbies but if they would like to join our blog they are welcome to. Those who have my email address can email me and let me know who wants to be a participator then I'll send that person an invitation. Did that make sense? I hope so!

Anyway, thanks!
Kathy

Toffee Triangles

I made these for Val's birthday last week. They are fun change from the usual birthday cake.

3/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 14-ounce can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 12-ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate pieces
1 cup almond brickle pieces, toasted chopped pecans, or toffee bits

1. Grease a 13X9X2-inch baking pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat the 3/4 cup butter or margarine and the brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add the egg yolk; beat well. Using a spoon, stir in the flour and salt until well mixed (I just used the mixer). Using floured hands, press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 20 minutes or until light brown. Set aside on wire rack while preparing filling.
3. For filling, in a heavy medium saucepan heat and stir the sweetened condensed milk and the 2 tablespoons butter or margarine over medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir for 5 minutes more--I had to cook mine longer to get it to thicken. (Mixture will thicken and become smooth.) Stir in the vanilla. Spread filling over the baked layer. Bake 12 - 15 minutes more or until top layer is golden brown.
4. Sprinkle the baked layers evenly with semisweet chocolate pieces. Bake for 1 to 2 minutes more or until chocolate pieces are shiny and melted (I found that I could skip that step because the chocolate melted enough for me to spread). Remove from oven; set on wire rack. Using a flexible spatula, immediately spread the chocolate evenly over baked layers Sprinkle with brickle pieces or pecans. Cool completely on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
5. Cut into triangles and serve. Keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes about 36 triangles. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

This is a recipe from Martha Stewart that I tore out of a magazine a long time ago and I am still using. It is great for summertime, when the tomatoes are best.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Fudgy Banana Oat Cake

Topping:
1 cup oats uncooked
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup margarine or butter

Filling:
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate pieces (I used chocolate chips)
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Cake:
1 (18.25 oz) package devil’s food cake mix (I like to use yellow cake mix because the banana flavor comes through better, but the chocolate is good too)
1 ¼ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Garnish (optional):
Banana slices
Whipped cream

Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease bottom only of 13X9 inch baking pan.

For topping, combine oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

For the filling, in a small saucepan, heat chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and margarine or butter over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

For the cake, in a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, bananas, oil, and eggs. Blend at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat at medium speed two minutes. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Drop chocolate mixture by 1/2 teaspoonfuls, or so, over batter.
Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of pan (mine didn’t pull away) and topping is golden brown. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Garnish with banana slices and whipped cream, if desired.

Yummy Pineapple Bars

1 C packed brown sugar
1 C flour
1/2 c butter
1 1/2 c coconut
3/4 c sugar
1 T lemon juice
1 C pineapple
1 T butter
3 T cornstarch

Combine brown sugar, flour, butter, coconut, and sugar until crumbly. Spread about tow-thirds of the mixture in a 9-inch square pan. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, pineapple, butter, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil while stirring over medium heat. Cool slightly. Spread over bottom layer. Cover with remaining crumbs, pressing down with your hand. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut while warm.

*I was skeptical as to the yumminess of these bars last night when I was mixing them up - but they really are yummy! I don't know what they taste like warm but I tried one at lunch today after storing them in the fridge, you know, just to make sure they are edible, and they are really good cold! Hooray for dessert for lunch!

Orange Julius

I made this tonight, and just had to share!

Orange Julius

• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sugar (powdered or regular--both work fine--my husband prefers regular sugar)
• 7-8 ice cubes

• FUN VARIATION--add frozen or fresh strawberries--super yummy!
  

Throw everything in the blender and mix until smooth! I like to tweak it a little, but this is the original recipe. I sometimes add more ice to make it thicker, or add a little more of everything to make a bigger batch etc, or add extra orange juice concentrate.