Posts tagged ‘Spicy’
A NEW Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway + TWO Recipes!!
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED!!!
That’s right ~ a new Gooseberry Patch cookbook giveaway!
This giveaway is for the new Gooseberry Patch cookbook ~ Weeknight Dinners
This cookbook has a great set-up. Each chapter is a day of the week and each day is a different type of meals with corresponding recipes:
Monday ~ Meatless Monday
Tuesday ~ Tex-Mex Night
Wednesday ~ Italian
Thursday ~ Comfort Food
Friday ~ Just for Fun
If you win, you can look for the recipe that I have in this cookbook!
The giveaway will run from today to February 14 at midnight. I will use random.org to choose the winner. To enter, comment with your favorite weeknight dinner. You must comment on this post to be in the giveaway. I will email the winner on February 15 and mail out the cookbook shortly after I hear from the winner. If you have any questions, email me at girard.nancy at yahoo dot com.
I chose two recipes that go together from the Tex-Mex chapter. Mix-Your-Own Taco Spice and Fiesta Chicken Soft Tacos. Both were excellent. The spice mixture is a little spicy so if you like things less spicy, use less red pepper flakes or leave out altogether. I also forgot to add the paprika to the spice mixture but didn’t miss it at all. The tacos were very easy to make. My only suggestion would be to cut the chicken in small cubes or strips before sauteing.
Mix-Your-Own Taco Spice
2 Tbsps chili powder
1 tbsps ground cumin
2 tsps salt
2 tsps pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in a small covered jar. Makes about 1/3 cup.
COOK’S NOTE: I put the leftover mixture in a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer where I keep all my home-mixed rubs and spice mixtures. Use right from the freezer.
Fiesta Chicken Soft Tacos
2 tbsps oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
1 to 2 tbsps taco seasoning ~ I used 2 tbsps
1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
4-6 soft taco flour tortillas, warmed
Garnish with your favorite taco toppings
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and garlic; saute until tender being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add chicken and cook until chicken is no longer pink ~ about 5-8 minutes depending on size of chicken cubes. Stir in the taco seasoning and the salsa and simmer for 3 minutes.
To serve, spoon mixture onto tortillas. Garnish and fold the tortilla over.
Makes 4-6 soft tacos
Happy Cooking!
Easy Black Beans
We really like black beans and this recipe is great with any Mexican or Tex-Mex meal. They are super easy to make. As I posted yesterday, I really hate cilantro so I left it out of this recipe, too. Add more or less cayenne depending on how much heat you want.
Easy Black Beans
1 (16 ounce) can black beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste
In a small saucepan, combine beans, onion, and garlic, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the cilantro, cayenne, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, and serve. This recipe can easily be doubled if desired.
Makes 2-4 servings
Happy Cooking!
Easy Jambalaya
First off, I am not a fan of jambalaya but DH really loves it so I make it once in a great while. I really don’t think this recipe is authentic at all but we like it. It is spicy but not overly so ~ evidenced by the fact that I can eat it. This recipe is basic enough that I think you could add or subtract anything from it and really make it your own.
Easy Jambalaya
1 tbsp olive oil
16 ozs. andouille sausage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
salt to taste
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning or more if you like it spicier
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 lb peeled and deveined medium shrimp ~ I use 1 lb. large shrimp
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the sausage and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, and celery. Season all with the Cajun seasoning and cook and stir until the veggies are soft ~ about 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the rice, tomatoes with juice, garlic, broth, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in the shrimp and cook, uncovered, for 10 more minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Happy Cooking!
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches for the Crockpot
Now, before you run away from this recipe, it really is not hot. I was able to eat one with no problems and I can’t handle hot and spicy anymore. They are really flavorful and DH yummed his way through 2 or 3 of them.
These are great for super bowl parties, tailgating, or a quick meal any night of the week.
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches for the Crockpot
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (mine were pterodactyl size and so made alot)
1 (17.5 oz) bottle buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank’s)
1/2 of a 1 ounce pkg of dry ranch salad dressing mix
6 sandwich or hoagie rolls
Put the chicken in the crockpo and pour 3/4 of the bottle of the hot sauce over and then sprinkle the salad dressing mix over that.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.
Once the chicken has cooked, shred it right in the crockpot and let it continue to cook for a few minutes to soak up the sauce.
Pile onto rolls and splash with some of the remaining hot sauce if desired. I buttered my rolls and toasted them a bit under the broiler, add the meat to the bun and covered with provolone cheese and stuck it back under the broiler so the cheese could melt. Delicious!
Makes at least 6 sandwiches if not more.
Happy Cooking!
Barbecued Pecans
I’ve been looking at this recipe for a year or two trying to imagine what barbecued pecans would taste like. The price of pecans really had more to do with me not trying it. What if I hated them and wasted all those pecans? I made them. They are addictive!
Now, they are not spicy but they are very flavorful. If you want them spicier, just add more hot sauce or vice versa.
They would make great gifts!
Barbecued Pecans
2 tbsps butter, melted
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp hot sauce (use more or less depending on how hot you want them)
4 cups pecans halves
salt to taste
Combine butter, Worcestershire, ketchup and hot pepper sauce and pour over pecans. Stir gently until pecans are coated.
Spread on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 300º for 30 minutes, stirring at regular intervals to prevent any burning.
After baking, immediately spread on paper towels to cool; sprinkle generously with salt while still hot so the salt will stick.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
Makes 4 cups
Happy Cooking!
Easy Fish Sandwiches with Spicy Mayo
I was pleasantly surprised at how good these sandwiches were. They are super easy to make at the last minute, too. I found the recipe on Mixing Bowl.
I think you could use any kind of fish ~ grilled, baked, fried, frozen fish sticks or whatever you like. It makes more spicy mayo than you need but I think it would be good on other sandwiches ~ like chicken.
Easy Fish Sandwiches with Spicy Mayo
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1 can of Pillsbury Grands biscuits
8 breaded frozen fish fillets
1/4 sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
3 tbsps picante sauce (whichever heat you like)
1 tsp chili powder
1 can (4.5 oz) diced fire roasted chilis (if you can’t find fire roasted, regular are fine)
1 cup coleslaw mix (may need more or less and you can also use shredded cabbage)
Heat oven as directed on can of biscuits. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
On a plate, combine the Parmesan cheese and lemon-pepper seasoning. Roll biscuit tops in this mixture and place on cookie sheet. Bake as directed on can. After baking, set aside.
Bake fish fillets as directed on package or according to your favorite recipe.
In a small bowl mix the sour cream, mayo, picante sauce, chili powder, and green chilies. Refrigerate until time to assemble sandwiches.
To assemble, split a roll, place fillet on the bottom (I fit two on mine), spread with some spicy may, place a tbsp or two of cabbage on top of mayo, and top with the top of the roll.
Makes 8 sandwiches (or in my case 4)
Happy Cooking!
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Super easy and no deep fat frying involved! I made these a couple of months and they are spicy but I was able to eat almost all of it before I couldn’t take the spice anymore. My tolerance for spice must be going up 
I grilled the chicken on my grill pan instead of sauteing. The recipe is adapted from epicurious.
Easy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
1/4 to 1/3 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s)
6 tbsps butter
1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix
4 small boneless chicken breast halves
flour
2 tbsps olive oil (more if needed)
4 sandwich rolls
4 lettuce leaves
blue cheese dressing
Stir hot pepper sauce, butter, and dressing mix in heavy small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted and sauce is smooth. If you like it real hot, add more hot sauce here. Set aside 8 tbsps. sauce.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and dust with flour. Brush each piece with the rest of the sauce. Dust with flour again.
Heat oil in a large skillet and saute until brown and cooked thoroughly and no pink remains.
To complete sandwiches, arrange bottom of rolls on plate. Top with lettuce leaf and 2 tbps. reserved sauce, chicken, blue cheese dressing and tops of the rolls.
Makes 4 sandwiches.
Happy Cooking!
Cheese Stuffed Chipotle Burgers
These are SPICY! I am not a fan of eating something that makes my mouth burn BUT I loved these. I love chipotles and they really give the burgers tons of flavors. Since this is a huge burger, you really need only one per person ~ in fact, I ate about half and was full. If you like spice, give them a try!
Cheese Stuffed Chipotle Burgers
1 (7 ounce) can chipotles in adobo sauce, undrained
2 lbs ground beef
2 tsps steak seasoning
1/2 (10 ounce) pkg Cheddar cheese (I used the cheese that already comes cut into small pieces ~ Cracker Barrel, I think)
4 burger buns
Empty can of chipotles into a small food chopper or processor or blender and process until smooth.
Combine 4 tsps of the chipotle puree, ground beef and steak seasoning in a large bowl until combined. Do not over mix or your burgers will be tough. Shape mixture into 8 patties, roughly the same size. Place 1 slice of cheese on 4 patties. Place a patty on top of each slice of cheese and press edges to seal. Chill for 30 minutes or so.
Make an indent in the top burger with your thumb so you won’t get that burger bump. Grill until cooked to your desired degree of doneness.
Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.
Makes 4 burgers.
Happy Cooking!
Tex-Mex Burgers
The nice weather we have been having made me think of grilling which made me think of these burgers. They are spicy so if you don’t like spice, these probably aren’t for you. Just remember not to work the ground beef too much or you will have tough burgers. I grilled these on my grill pan since we ran out of gas for the grill and it worked great ~ just oil or spray the pan a little so they don’t stick. I also make a thumbprint in the middle of each burger so they don’t get that “hump”.
Tex-Mex Burgers
Cajun Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayo
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
Burgers:
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove of minced garlic
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 slices of pepperjack cheese
4 burger buns
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
Cajun Mayo: Mix mayo and seasoning in small bowl until well combined. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Burgers: Mix together the burger, jalapeno, onion, garlic, cajun seasoning and the Worcestershire. Pat down into bowl and divide into fourths (this way the burgers will all be about the same size and will cook the same time). Using one of the fourths at a time, flatten into patties, pressing a thumb into the middle (so you won’t get that “burger bump).
Heat your grill or grill pan and cook until your desired doneness. During the last couple of minutes, place a piece of pepperjack on the top and let it melt.
Spread some of the Cajun mayo on the buns, place burger on the botoom and top with a tomato slice and a lettuce leaf.
Makes 4 burgers.
Happy Cooking!
Spicy Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Don’t let the spice stop you from trying this recipe ~ it really isn’t that spicy. I am a wimp when it comes to spice and I didn’t have any problem eating these. Conversely, if you like things spicy, must add more heat. The dipping sauce could easily double as a salad dressing if thinned out with a little more milk ~ it’s delish! I seem to remember getting this recipe from Fine Cooking but I’m not sure about that.
Spicy Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Chicken Tenders:
1 1/2 lb. chicken tenders
2 1/2 cups panko
salt and pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne
Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbsp. milk
Put panko in pie plate and mix with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup mayo, hot sauce, cayenne, and 1/8 tsp salt. Add the chicken and toss wit your hands to coat the chicken well. Coat chicken with panko and arrange in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Broil the tenders, turning once, for aobut 4 to 6 minutes on each side until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink and the crumbs are crisp and browned.
For the sauce, mix the ingredients together with 1/2 tsp salt and a couple of shakes of pepper. Whisk until well combined but a few chunks of blue cheese remain.
Makes 3-4 servings.
Happy Cooking!
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