Don'tcha Wish Your Girlfriend Could Cook Like Me?

A Recipe Worth Waiting For - Potato and Cheese Pierogi

Here it is the end of March.  How did we get 3 months into the year already?  

I thought It was past time to share another recipe.  This would be a wonderful side dish for your upcoming EASTER dinner!  

These little cheese and potato filled ravioli have been one of my favorite things since I was a child.  My Great Aunt Rosie would come visit my Grandma Ruth every few years and when she would come it was Pierogi making time!   Unfortunately we would eat those up just as fast as possible ( even when we managed to freeze some) and would end up buying Mrs. T’s Pierogies from the grocery store until Aunt Rosie visited again.  

They are actually very good, but nothing beats home made! 

We tried to make some once at my mom’s,  but we did something wrong with the dough and they were not very good.   Since then I was always afraid to attempt making them.  Then a couple years ago I found a recipe online and decided to give them a try!  I’m so glad I did.  My hubby and kids love them!  It is a CHEAP and filling side dish too.  Perfect for those on a budget.  Also time saving as you can freeze them for future meals!

My family has always called them “Padoughies” instead of “pierogies” and this is what my kids will call them.  It’s a pretty fitting name!  

They are super easy ( though a little time consuming) to make and are SO worth it!  I always make at least a double batch as I like to freeze what we aren’t going to eat.  They freeze wonderfully!  

Let’s make the filling first, shall we?  

Start with regular old taters!  Boil them just like you would for mashed potatoes!  Drain them.

Add your cheese, butter , salt and pepper.  Your cheese can be whatever you like.  We have always used Cheddar.  I like SHARP Cheddar.

Mashy…mashy!  Note:  My Great Aunt Rosie’s potatoes would have been a MUCH darker shade of orange!  She didn’t quit putting cheese in hers until they potatoes were the same color as the cheese!  I was trying to be somewhat health conscious.

Now set this aside, (it won’t hurt it to sit out, but put it in the fridge if you’d like. )

 In your mixing bowl put your flour, salt and pepper.  Make a “hole” in the middle for your eggs.   

Add Sour Cream

Mix everything.  Then let stand 10 minutes.  

By the way…THIS is MARGE.  Have you named your Kitchen Aid mixer?  It MUST be done.  

Now, you can either transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead it…OR be LAZY like me and use the dough hook!  

Notice how not smooth and not lovely my dough is?  This dough is SO forgiving! 

Cut dough into pieces.  I made a double batch so mine is cut into Eighths.  

Wrap in Saran or and refrigerate for 30 minutes. You may even want to make it a night ahead of time.   I’ve left it in the fridge for as long as 2 days and it still worked fine.   

Now roll out your dough.  The directions call for a “round” 11 inch circle.  11 inches helps you determine the thickness.  After doing a couple you’ll get a feel for how thick the dough should be.  

Cut your circles.  Use a 4 inch biscuit cutter ( if you have one).  A margarita glass is about the perfect size as well.  Some of you may have a cookie cutter that size.   If you don’t have that either ( like me) then you find a wide mouth glass and use that.  This makes a “traditional” sized pierogi.  If you want them a little bigger or smaller that is fine too.  I made small tiny ones for my 8 month old to pick up and they turned out just as good as the big ones.  

Scoop your potato filling onto the dough.  This may take some trial and error as far as size of filling goes.  You don’t want to put so much in that it tears the dough. The water is for moistening the edges of the dough.  

Dip your finger in the water and moisten the edges of your circle.  Then fold one end over to the other and press edges together forming a seal.  

You’ll want to make sure the seal is good and that there are NO holes in the sides of your dough.  If there are, when you go to cook it the potato filling will leak out.  

If you have a hole, you can either try to salvage the potato filling for another pierogi and toss the dough, or just toss the whole thing.

At this point you can toss them into a pot of boiling  salted water.  I usually do 7-9 at a time. Cook for about 5-7 minutes They sink when you put them in and when they float they are done (sometimes it’s only 4 minutes or so). I usually let them float for at least a minute and pull them out and drain them.  

Alternatively, you can lay them out on a baking sheet after sealing and freeze them.  I’d let them freeze for at least a few hours then transfer them to a freezer safe Ziploc bag.  They keep for several months.  

When you are boiling frozen ones they’ll take just a tad longer to float.  

Before pan frying the pierogi, I saute`onions in butter.  I then remove the onions from the pan and brown the pierogi on both sides.  After that I add the onions back in with the pierogi and cook them together for a few minutes. 

Dinner is served!  We love ours with steak or tri-tip!  Will go with pretty much any meat though and would work perfect for Easter dinner with ham!

Money May Not Grow On Trees, But CHOCOLATE Can!

Chicken Enchiladas…the not so SECRET, secret recipe.

If you’ve known me for a while, or been my friend on facebook for the past 2 years or more…then you’ve had or heard about “my” Chicken Enchiladas.  I’ll post that I’m making them, but not share the recipe like I do with other dishes. Sometimes I might trade it for another secret/awesome tried and true recipe.  I’m not REALLY that STINGY…and it’s no longer much of a secret, so I’m blogging it! 

The recipe originated years ago when my mom and I were trying to make an enchilada with a creamy chicken filling.  We combined 2 recipes from an OLD mexican cookbook she’d had forever and then added some of our own ideas to it as well.  The recipe is at least 17 years old! I’ve been making these a long time!

 I make them a little different than the original recipe that my mom and I developed.  I’ve experimented with them along the way.  I’ve even made them somewhat healthier in just the past 2 years.  (though they are far from health food)  If you had my mom’s and mine together now, you’d find they are pretty much the same food, mine might have a little more kick and less fat.

I thought it would be a good recipe to kick my blog off with.   I’ve shared this SECRET with many friends, but a lot of you that have it seem intimidated by the recipe and haven’t actually made them.  I thought if I showed  step by step, SOMEONE might actually make them!  So, HERE WE GO!

 Recently renamed ( by Brandt)…❀Chicken~Chiladas ❀  

❀Here is what you’ll need to make the filling and get the enchiladas stuffed!

1 cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped green bell peppers
2Tb  butter
2-3 cups SHREDDED chicken breast (about 4 breasts)
1 Small can diced Ortega green chili peppers
1-package powdered taco seasoning ( any brand works)
1-8 oz cream cheese
1 ½ cups shredded jack or pepper jack cheese 
20-30 corn tortillas (depends on how full you fill them)

**Nikas secret ingredient**:   TACO BELL SAUCE

❀Yes…TACO BELL SAUCE!  THE SECRET INGREDIENT!  ( They won’t be the same without it!)  You can use any heat level you want.  We usually use almost all fire.  It just gives them some kick, not heat.  I’ve had small children and older people love them when I’ve made them as hot as possible!  

❀Bake or Boil your chicken.  I usually boil mine.  I usually like to throw some seasoning into the water, (salt, pepper, bay leaves, celery) but you don’t have to.  Shred your chicken.

❀ Saute’ your onions bell pepper and  chilies until onions are translucent.

❀ Add Cream Cheese, stir. Add Taco Seasoning, stir.  Add Taco Bell Sauce, stir.

❀Add chicken and mix

                      ❀ Tortilla prep:  I USE MISSION WHITE CORN TORTILLAS!  These are soft enough that if I put 6-8 on a plate at a time, cover with a damp paper towel  (sprinkle it with water) and microwave it for about a minute, I get a nice soft tortilla that is easy to roll.  We used to flash fry each tortilla in oil to soften it up for about 5 seconds.  I discovered these and took out all the fat from using the oil!  I don’t know what other brands of tortialls the microwave trick works with, but you can experiment.  If all else fails, use oil. 

❀ Start filling your tortillas with chicken and cheese (optional).  I always use pepper jack.  I’ve made them without cheese inside as well, just depends on what you want to do.  They still taste really good without the extra cheese! 

❀If you microwave softened the tortillas, spray your pan with cooking spray before putting the enchiladas in.  If you used oil, you won’t need the spray.  

❀Sometimes I will take a couple days to make these.  I often wait to make the sauce until the day that I plan on serving them.  HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE SAUCE!  

3 Tb butter
¼ cup flour
½ teas salt
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1-cup sour cream
3-4 cups shredded cheese

❀Combine flour and butter in a pot and make a rue.  It should be a light peanut butter color.  Sometimes we let it get a bit darker.  Add chicken broth once your rue is this color.  

❀Continue cooking and stiring until it gets bubbly and thickens.

❀Add sour cream

❀Add Cheese.  I use 1/2 pepper jack and 1/2 monterey jack.  Pepper jack is usually softer and won’t make as thick of a sauce if you use it alone.  

❀Sauce should cling to spoon.  This does thicken as it cools, so get it on the enchiladas quick! 

❀ Take a spatula and get the sauce down in between each enchilada.

Bake at 350 until the tops are nice and browned and cheese sauce is bubbly.  ( somewhere between 30-45 minutes)

❀HERE IS A QUICK SIDE TO HAVE WITH YOUR ENCHILADAS!~ YUMMY RICE!

Ingredients:

*Knorr Brand CALDO DE TOMATO Boullion.

*Jalapeno

*Onion

*Rice

Olive Oil

*Chicken Bouillion or Water

❀Saute’ in olive oil  1/2 onion with 2 cups of rice.  Your onions should be translucent and the rice should be browned.  

❀Using a toothpick or a fork, poke holes in a jalepeno and add to the rice.

❀Caldo De Tomato bouillion in 4 cups of water. (4 tsp ~6 tsp…directions on jar says 1 tsp per cup of water.  I use a little extra.)  Put the flame on low and let it go until all the liquid is gone!

❀Don’tcha wish your girlfriend made enchiladas like me?  

ENJOY!

Chicken Enchiladas: 

 
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped green bell peppers
2Tb margarine or butter
2-3 cups SHREDDED chicken breast (about 4 breasts)
1 Small can diced Ortega green chili peppers
1-package powdered taco seasoning ( any brand works)
1-8 oz cream cheese
1 ½ cups shredded jack or pepper jack cheese 
20-30 corn tortillas (depends on how full you fill them)

**Nikas secret ingredient**:  somewhere between 15-25 packages TACO BELL SAUCE- mild hot, fire or a mixture of all! (optional, but they wo’nt be the same I guarantee you!)

Sauté onions, green peppers and chilies together in butter until onions and peppers are tender. Add cream cheese and stir until melted and well mixed. Add taco seasoning, and taco bell sauce. Stir until well mixed. Add chicken and mix well. Set the mixture aside. 

We buy Mission brand WHITE CORN tortillas. . I microwave a small stack of these tortillas wrapped in damp paper towels.  Sprinkle a bit of water on the paper towels and they steam themselves. They roll up really easy!

Here is the oil method if your tortillas aren’t microwaving and rolling well…Dip tortillas in heated olive or vegetable oil one at a time in a skillet until they are limp. (About 5 seconds). I set these aside on plate with paper towels until they are all done. Then when done, spoon chicken mix into tortillas and roll. For extra cheesy use the 1 ½ cups jack cheese to help fill the tortillas. Put seam side down in a pan. <——-(The dipping in oil is how we did them originally. )

 
THE WHITE SAUCE:

Sauce Ingredients:
3 Tb butter
¼ cup flour
½ teas salt
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1-cup sour cream
3-4 cups shredded cheese (mix of jack and pepper jack)  I tend to overcheese it and use 4 cups, but 3 will work fine if you don’t want to buy that much cheese! For a little more heat, use more pepper jack than jack. 


In a saucepan melt the 3-tb butter. Blend in flour and salt until smooth. i let this rue get a light peanut butter color. Stir broth in all at once. Cook and stir until the mixture is thick and bubbly. ( at least a good 10 minutes) Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and the cheese until mixed and smooth. Pour over enchiladas and use a spatula to get the sauce in between each enchilada.

Bake 30 min. give or take at 350 degrees in a 9x 13 pan. 


EXTRA TIPS:

I actually break this process into a couple days most of the time. It’s a lot of prep and can take a long time when you’re making a double or triple batch almost every time. I make the chicken mix one day and then do the rest the next and cook them. Or a few times I’ve split it into 3 days , made the mix on day one rolled the tortillas on day 2 and then made the sauce and cooked them on the third day. 

 I always double the recipe because I don’t feel a single batch is worth the effort these take. I always have extra tortillas on hand too because sometimes you end up with extra mix. ( depends on how full you want them) Also, a few times we’ve run low on cheese sauce because we made so many extra enchiladas. We just go ahead and freeze the stuffed tortillas and when we want to use them later, thaw them and make the cheese sauce the day we are eating them.   THEY FREEZE GREAT! Which is why I make as many as I do at one time. If you want to put the sauce on the ones you are going to freeze I do recommend you at least “par-bake” ( maybe 1/2 the time recommended) or all the way if you want. They keep thier texture better if you bake and then freeze. Then you just have to thaw and reheat. If you want to make the sauce another day when you serve them, just roll, wrap and freeze.  

For the taco bell sauce, we just kind of collect it as we go there.  I use a little bit of each kind of sauce most of the time. Of course you can always keep it low heat if you choose, but really for all the chilies, hot sauce and pepper jack cheese that are in these, they never have had much heat to them. Should be kid and old person friendly. 

Easy Spanish Rice

Drop by the grocery store and go in the ethnic food aisle with all the spanish stuff. Look for the Knorr Brand CALDO DE TOMATO Boullion. It’s tomato and chicken flavored. You can buy pressed cubes or loose powder. It’s all the same! Also grab a jalapeno or 2 while you’re there and an onion.

To make the rice you just dice up some onion. ( If I’m doing 2 cups of rice I may use up to 1/2 a small onion. It’s all to taste.) Put your dry rice, the onion and some oil in the pot you’re making the rice in. Also grab a jalapeno or 2 (I usually use one per 2 cups of rice) and poke holes in them with a toothpick or fork. The pepper adds no heat to the rice, but a ton of flavor! ( it is optional though) I didn’t have a jalapeno on hand once and threw a couple slices of bell pepper in and it worked good too!

Turn on the flame and brown the rice. The onions will also saute’. While the rice is browning …( keep an eye on it) add the required amt of bouillion to your water.( double your water per cup of rice like you would normally) The seasoning pkg will tell you how much seasoning to use I always heat this up in the mirco wave to get the bouillion dissolving and heat the water so the rice doesn’t take as long to cook! When your rice is browned…add your water to it!

That’s it! Just cook like you normally would cook rice!  ( About 20 minutes)

Nothin’ to Brag About…..

I’m not usually one to boast….not about myself anyway.  I don’t like to brag or make too much of a spectacle of myself.  I’m quite content to take the backseat and let other people shine most of the time in most cases.  The spotlight is not a place I  have ever felt comfortable.  

BUT…I CAN COOK!   It’s something I really take pride in, that I really enjoy.  I LIKE to be recognized for the fact that I can make something yummy, and maybe it’s even something you haven’t heard of or tried before.  If I take a dish to a social gathering and people start asking “WHO made this?” and want the recipe…that makes me happy!  

I’m not sure at this point what direction this blog will take.  I know there are people SO much more talented than me when it comes to food.  Maybe even some of you!  I just want to share what I know about cooking and baking and maybe just a bit of my life along the way.  

And so I give you [the very tongue in cheek…]

DON’TCHA WISH YOUR GIRLFRIEND COULD COOK LIKE ME?!