CINCO DE MAYO PARTY RECIPES DAY 4

CHICKEN ENCHILADA QUICHE

INGREDIENTS
1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box
4 eggs
1 cup half-and-half or milk
1 can (12.5 oz) chunk chicken breast in water, drained (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups broken tortilla chips
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste, if desired
Sour cream, if desired
Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place pie crust in 9- or 9 1/2-inch glass deep-dish pie pan as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.
2. In medium bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk until blended. Beat in half-and-half. Stir in chicken, chips, both cheeses, 1 cup salsa, the green chiles and salt. Pour into crust-lined pan. Sprinkle pepper over top of filling.
3. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until crust is light golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.

CHICKEN TACO GRANDE
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup water
1 pkg (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
Topping
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup sliced ri pe olives
Garnish
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 14-inch pizza pan or large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until no longer pink in center, stirring frequently.
2. Add corn, bell pepper, water and taco seasoning mix; mix well. Heat until bubbly. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Set aside.
3. Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 16 triangles. Arrange triangles on sprayed cookie sheet with short sides of triangles toward center, overlapping into wreath shape and leaving 5-inch round opening in center. Lightly press short sides of dough to flatten slightly.
4. Spoon chicken filling onto widest part of dough. Pull end points of triangles over filling and tuck under dough to form ring. (Filling will be visible.)
5. Bake at 375°F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine lettuce, tomato and olives; toss gently to mix.
6. Spoon lettuce mixture into center of ring. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

MEXICAN FIESTA BISCUIT BAKE
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (16.3-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits
1 (10.2-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits
1 (16-oz.) jar (1 3/4 cups) Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky Salsa
12 oz. (3 cups) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 (2 1/4-oz.) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky Salsa, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Melt margarine in oven in 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish or non-aluminum baking pan. Tilt to evenly coat dish.
2. Separate dough into 13 biscuits; cut each biscuit into eighths. Place biscuit pieces in large bowl; toss with 1 3/4 cups salsa. Spoon evenly into margarine-coated dish. Sprinkle with cheese, bell pepper, onions and olives.
3. Bake at 375°F. for 35 to 45 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown and cent er is set. Let stand 15 minutes. Cut into squares; serve with additional 1 cup salsa.

TACO SALAD PIE
INGREDIENTS
Crust
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box)
Whole round tortilla chips
Filling
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 can (15 oz) Green Giant® spicy chili beans, undrained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)
1/2 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1 cup chopped lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomato (1 small)
1 green onion, sliced (1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the crushed tortilla chips evenly in bottom of 9-inch glass pie pan. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell in chip-lined pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup crushed tortilla chips over crust; gently press into crust. Generously prick crust with fork.
2. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until crust is light golden brown. Cool slightly. Carefully stand 1 row of whole tortilla chips around inside edge of baked shell.
3. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in chili beans, 1 cup of the cheese and the sals a. Cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are heated and cheese is melted.
4. Spoon beef mixture into cooled baked shell. Top with lettuce, remaining 1/2 cup cheese, the tomato, onion, sour cream and olives. Serve immediately.

CINCO DE MAYO PARTY RECIPES DAY 3

CHICKEN FAJITA CRESCENT BRAID
INGREDIENTS
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1x1/2x1/2-inch strips
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green or red bell pepper strips (2x1x1/4 inch)
1/4 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)
1 egg white, beaten


DIRECTIONS
1.Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 8x12 inches.
2. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir in chili powder, salt and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper strips; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Spoon chicken mixture in 4 -inch strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top with salsa; sprinkle with cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press edges to seal. Brush with egg white.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.





MEXICAN POT PIES IN CRESCENT BOWLS
INGREDIENTS
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 package (6 oz) refrigerated cooked Southwest-flavor chicken breast strips, coarsely chopped
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
3 tablespoons Old El Paso® canned chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack with jalapeño peppers cheese blend (2 oz)
1/2 cup Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa (any variety)


DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Place four 6-oz custard cups upside down on cookie sheet with sides. Spray cups with cooking spray.
2. Unroll dough on work surface; press into 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut int o 4 squares. Place 1 dough square over each custard cup, stretching to fit bowl.
3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from custard cups. Place on cooling rack.
4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper; stir until well blended. Gradually stir in broth; cook and stir until bubbly and thickened. Stir in chicken, black beans, green chiles and corn. Simmer about 5 minutes or until hot.
5. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture into each crescent bowl. Top with cheese and salsa.







EASY GRILLED NACHO PIZZAS
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup spicy bean dip
2 packages (10 oz each) prebaked Italian pizza crusts (6 inch)
1 cup Old El Paso® refrigerated taco sauce with seasoned ground bee f (from 18-oz container)
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles
1 medium tomato, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sliced green onions (8 medium)
2 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)


DIRECTIONS
1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Spread 2 tablespoons of the bean dip evenly on each pizza crust. Spoon and spread ground beef mixture evenly over dip. Sprinkle each with chiles, tomato, onions and cheese.
2. When grill is heated, place pizzas over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until crusts are crisp and toppings are thoroughly heated. If crust browns too quickly, place sheet of foil between crust and grill rack.







GRANDS TACO MELT
INGREDIENTS
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
2/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef, cooked, drained
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated biscuits (any variety)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican cheese blend (4 oz)
1 cup sour cream, if desired


DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. In medium saucepan, cook taco seasoning mix, water, 1/2 cup of the salsa and cooked ground beef until thickened.
3. Press each biscuit into 6-inch round. Fill each with taco mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold dough over filling and press to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining salsa, cheese and sour cream.

CINCO DE MAYO PARTY RECIPES DAY 2

MEXICN SLOPPY JOSES
INGREDIENTS
2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
2 tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)0A
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack with jalapeño peppers cheese blend (4 oz)
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon cornmeal



DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll both cans of dough on work surface; press into two 12x8-inch rectangles. Cut into total of 8 rectangles.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked. Stir in taco seasoning mix and salsa; simmer 5 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup meat mixture in center of 1 dough rectangle. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold rectangle over to form triangle; press edges with fork to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg; sprinkle with cornmeal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.








TACO PIZZA
INGREDIENTS
1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated thin pizza crust
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup water
1 can (4 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, drained
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives, drained
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup seeded chopped tomato (1 large)
Crushed corn chips, if desired
Old El Paso® salsa, if desired



DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray or grease 15x10-inch or larger dark or nonstick cookie sheet. Unroll dough on cookie sheet; starting at center, press dough into 15x10-inch rectangle.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef, taco seasoning mix and water as directed on package. Spoon evenly on dough. Top with chiles, olives and cheese.
3. Bake 13 to 16 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Top with remaining ingredients.




MEXICAN STUFFED BISCUIT TOSTADAS
INGREDIENTS
2 large bell peppers (any color)
4 cups water
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)
1 Eggland's Best egg, slightly beaten
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup sour cream, if desired



DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with CRISCO® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.
2. Cut each bell pepper lengthwise into quarters, making 8 pieces; remove stems, seeds and membranes. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 4 cups water to boiling. Add bell pepper pieces; cook 5 minutes. Drain well on paper towels; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and salsa until well blended; set aside.
4. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Place biscuits 2 inches apart on cookie sheet; brush with egg.
5. Press 1 pepper piece, skin side down, on each biscuit. Spoon heaping 1/4 cup beef mixture into each pepper, spreading to cover pepper evenly. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese.
6. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges of biscuits are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Top each with 1 tablespoon sour cream.











CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN TOSTIZZAS
INGREDIENTS
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers refrigerated biscuits
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup Progresso® black beans, drained (from 15- or 19-oz can)
1/2 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2 tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper strips (1 inch long)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)



DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. On ungreased cookie sheets, press or roll each biscuit to form 5 1/2-inch round.
2. In medium bowl, mix chicken, beans, salsa and taco seasoning mix. Spread evenly over biscuits to within 1/4 inch of edges. Top evenly with onions, bell pepper and cheese.
3. Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is melted, rever sing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking time. If desired, garnish with sour cream and guacamole.








CRESCENT BEEF BURRITOS
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Old El Paso® refried beans (from 16-oz can)
2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
1/2 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
4 slices (3/4 oz each) American cheese, cut diagonally in half
1 cup sour cream
1/4cup sliced ripe olives



DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
2. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Reduce heat to medium; cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until water has evaporated. Remove from heat; stir in beans.
3. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate dough into 8 rectangle. Firmly press perforations to seal. If using dough sheets: Unroll dough; cut into 8 rectangles.
4. Spoon about 2 tablespoons beef mixture and 1 tablespoon of the salsa onto each rectangle; spread to within 1/2 inch of one short side. Starting with other short side, roll up each rectangle; pinch edges to seal. Place seam s ide down on cookie sheet.
5. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until golden brown. Top each burrito with cheese; bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve garnished with sour cream and olives.

CINCO DE MAYO PARTY DISHES

Crescent Taco BakeINGREDIENTS
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
3/4 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2 tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Shredded lettuce, as desired
Diced tomato, as desired

DIRECTIONS
1. eat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough; separ ate into 8 triangles. Place in ungreased 9-inch square pan or 10-inch pie plate; press over bottom and up sides to form crust.
2. in a 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in salsa and taco seasoning mix; simmer 5 minutes. Spoon meat mixture in crust-lined pan; sprinkle with cheese.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Served topped with lettuce and tomato.



BISCUIT TACO CASSEROLE
INGREDIENTS
1 (16-oz.) jar Old El Paso® Taco Sauce
1 (12-oz.) can Pillsbury® Golden Layers® Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits
4 to 6 oz. (1 to 1 1/2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
4 to 6 oz. (1 to 1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (2.25-oz.) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper, if desired
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, if desired
1 (4-oz.) can Green Giant® Mushroom Pieces and Stems, drained, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish. Spread taco sauce evenly over bottom of greased dish.
2. Separate dough into 10 biscuits; cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place biscuit pieces in taco sauce; turn to coat. Sprinkle biscuits with 1/2 to 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese, 1/2 to 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the olives; mix gently. Bake at 400°F. for 15 to 18 minutes or until bubbly.
3. Meanwhile, in large skillet, combine ground beef, bell peppers and mushrooms. Cook until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
4. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over mixture in casserole; top with ground beef mixture. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture bubbles vigorously around edges.



MEXICAN BUBBLE PIZZA
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup water
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
3 green onions, sliced, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain. Add taco seasoning mix, water and soup; mix well. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces. Add pieces to beef mixture; stir gently. Spoon mixture into ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
3. Bake 18 to 23=2 0minutes or until sauce is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly.
4. To serve, cut pizza into 8 squares. Top each serving with remaining ingredients.


TACO SKILLET DINNER
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (1-oz.) pkg. Old El Paso® Taco Seasoning Mix
2 1/2 cups water
7 oz. (2 cups) uncooked elbow macaroni
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 medium tomato, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
2. Add taco seasoning mix, water and macaroni; mix well. Bring to a boil; stir. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until macaroni is of desired doneness, stirring occasionally.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and onions. Top with sour cream. Sprinkle with tomato.

COMFORT FOOD

On a previous post, I comment how growing up meat was a very rare commodity and mom always tried to give us the best. One of my favorite dishes and now one of my wife's favorite as well. Give this recipe a try on a lousy weather day and enjoy!!!

CHUCK STEAK WITH ROASTED POTATOES AND CARROTS

3 to 4 pound chuck steak
1 large onion large cut
4 to 6 large raw carrots peeled and rough cut
4 peeled potatoes peeled and cut in half
1 tsp chopped garlic
beef stock

Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan and brown both sides of the chuck steak. Remove chuck steak and place in a 2"deep baking pan. Add onions, garlic and carrots to frying pan and cook until onions have a slight transparency to them. Add potatoes to the chuck steak in the pan placing them cut side down. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the roasting pan. Deglaze the frying pan with bef stock. Add beef stock to the baking pan, covering the chuck steak. Cover pan with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven (F) f.or 1and 1/2 to 2 hours until meat is tender. Check the chuck steak for tenderness after 1 1/2 hours and if necessary add a bit more beef stock.
Continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed. This can be facilitated by removing the foil and allowing the cooking to continue.
SERVE and ENJOY!

KITCHEN TIPS #3

− A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of corn will remove every strand of corn silk.

− Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.

− When working with dough, don't flour your hands; coat them with olive oil to prevent sticking.

− Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Overhandling will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don't press or flatten with spatula during cooking

− Never heat pesto sauce − the basil will turn black and taste bitter.

− Butter pie pastry scraps: sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake like cookies.

− When slicing a hard boiled egg, try wetting the knife just before cutting. If that doesn't do the trick, try applying a bit of cooking spray to the edge.

− Rescue stale or soggy chips and crackers: Preheat the oven to300F. Spread the chips or crackers in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool,
then seal in a plastic bag or container.

− The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the refrigerator−−it will keep for weeks.

− Microwave a lemon for 15 seconds and double the juice you get before squeezing.

MORE KITCHEN TIPS

− Use a 1−1/2 inch natural bristle paintbrush dipped in melted margarine or oil to grease muffin tins, cookie sheets or cake and bread pans. It's much faster than using a skimpy pastry brush.

− If you put onions in the freezer 15 minutes before you chop them, you'll reduce the spray of vaporized onion oils − which means your eyes won't tear when you cut the onions.

− To prevent cream whipped ahead of time from separating, add one quarter teaspoon of gelatin to each cup of cream during whipping.

− A jar lid or a couple of marbles in the bottom half of a double−boiler will rattle when the water gets low and warn you to add more before the pan scorches or burns.

− When mincing garlic, sprinkle on a little salt so the pieces won't stick to your knife or cutting board.

− If your cake recipe calls for nuts, heat them first in the oven, then dust with flour before adding to the batter to keep them from settling to the bottom of the pan.

− Noodles, spaghetti and other starches won't boil over if you rub the inside of the pot with vegetable oil.

− Brown gravy in a hurry with a bit of instant coffee straight from the jar... no bitter taste, either.

− To hasten the cooking of foods in a double boiler, add salt to the water in the outer boiler.

− No "curly" bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water before frying.

HELPFUL KITCHEN TIPS

− Keep a small plastic bag in your can of vegetable shortening. When it comes time to grease a pan, just slip your hand in the bag, scoop out what you need and spread it on the pan.

− Fresh ginger will last longer by storing it in a pot of sand.

− When making potato salad, add the dressing to warm potatoes for the best flavor. Once cooled, the potatoes will not absorb the dressing as well.

− Dried out coconut can be revitalized by sprinkling with milk and letting it stand for about ten minutes.

− Sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice inside your Jack O'Lantern to give the air a spice aroma!

− Sprinkling French toast with sesame seeds prior to cooking provides a crunchy taste.

− Don't have a roasting pan? Make a rack out of vegetables like celery, carrots and onion and place your chicken, turkey or roast on top. The excess fat drips away from the meat and your pan drippings will be more flavorful.

− Slide a strand of unwaxed dental floss−−one end wrapped around the forefingers of each hand−−under fresh cookies to unstick them from a cookie sheet. Floss also makes a clean cut through a cake for layering. No more crumbly edges!

− For extra smooth, well−mixed oil and vinegar salad dressing: Combine all ingredients in a screw top jar, add an ice cube and shake − then discard what's left of the ice cube.

Hydroponic and organic gardening

Spring is here! I have been busy the past few days getting my plants started for the growing season. Growing up, my mom always had a garden as her mother did before, I was the one who helped her get the garden ready for planting.

All of my plants have been transplanted and are getting ready to be put into the ground in a few weeks. The soil in my garden has been enriched and turned over and is waiting to be planted. The soil has been treated with organic matter of rabbit manure and compost and will be turned over again prior to planting. Organic gardening is a great way to go as I do not use anything harmful on my plants.

I collect rainwater as much as possible so that I do not have to use treated (city) water. I feel that the plants grow better and tastier this way. With the combination of all the above, I generally have a very good yield on my plants with unbelievable size. Last year I had beefsteak tomatoes the size of softballs and cucumbers reaching 16 to 18 inches long. Organic is definitely the way to go during growing season.
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Hydroponic gardening on the other hand I do mostly in the fall and winter seasons. Most of my hydroponic plants are taken from cuttings from my most productive plants from my organic garden. I have been doing this for about ten years now, and am still growing from a few of the original plants from that time. As a matter of fact, we were eating hydroponic tomatoes in January and February that were the size of softballs and we had several that topped the two pound size. Not all crops are suited for hydroponic gardening, but more are becoming available all the time.
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For more information on gardening either hydroponic or organic click on the links above or check out the links on the right. Isn't time that you have great tasting food.

Friends, I just wanted to take a few minutes and show you something that I just came across that I found to be an amazing value. I know that this is totally different from my regular blogs, but, I felt that you would like them as much as I am.
The first one is TV on my PC. A friend of mine just the other day installed the software for TV on my PC on his computer and it is simply amazing. With in minutes he had over 3000 channels available to him using TV on my PC. Not only is he getting over 3000 channels with TV on my PC, with unbelievable clarity, he can watch regular programing and eliminate his $150.00+ cable bill a month. With just a one time fee, I am putting TV on my PC on my PC today.

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The second one that I wanted to tell you about is Unlimited Downloads. With unlimited downloads, you are able to download all the music, movies and game to your hearts content. I have been enjoying this for over a month now, downloading music and movies for my personal use at home, but, even more so to take with me when I am traveling. Check out the Unlimited Downloads and be amazed.

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Cream Cheese and Bacon Roll-ups

Here is a recipe that has had great reviews. It is a must for any cocktail party.

CREAM CHEESE AND BACON ROLL-UPS

Ingredients:
8 slices of precooked bacon, cut in half
4 slices of white bread trimmed
8 ounces cream cheese
Preparation:
Spread cream cheese evenly over bread. Roll up like a jelly roll. Take and cut each piece of bread into 4 slices. Wrap each slice with a half piece of bacon and secure in place with a tooth pick. Arrange rolled up pieces on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a 400o oven until golden brown.

Variations:
Add crabmeat to cream cheese.
Add chopped green olives with pimento to cream cheese.

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Why The Tattooed Chefz

There comes a time in every persons life where the need to share some of the teachings that they have learned over the years.

As a child growing up, in a very poor home, mom did the best that she could to provide all of us with a nutritional, satisfying, and balanced meal. Times were tough and finances were poor, so my mom did what she could with what she could afford. Drawing back on her own childhood, growing up in the coal mine area of western Pennsylvania, to fresh off the boat Russian immigrants, struggling to survive in this "new world" and the great depression.

My mom made many good meals without the use of meat; except on occasion. I learned by watching her and always wanting to help.

As I got older, I managed to find my way into a position of working in a local restaurant. Did this ever change my life. I can recall the excitement of the kitchen and watching the ability of the chef who ran the restaurant. It was the start of a very long friendship between us. Even though I started as a dishwasher, I worked my way up the ladder to eventually working with him in several other premier restaurants, not as a diswasher, but an equal; a master chef. It was on his recommendation that got me into the prestigious Culinary Institute of America.

After over 20 years in the industry, I was unable to continue due to physical demands. So, I went a different route and found success, first as a Master Pierceologist ( Body Piercer ), then as an award winning international Tattoo Artist.

Life has come full circle for me, and even though I still enjoy Tattooing and Body Piercing, my first true love and calling keeps coming back. I LOVE TO COOK!!!!

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