Chicken Tacos, Homemade Chili Powder, and Chicken Bone Broth

The ingredients used in this recipe make all the difference in the world. Sure, you could buy frozen grilled chicken and make these tacos, but the flavors from the rotisserie chicken add to the wonderful flavors that permeate this dish. 

After you use the meat from the rotisserie chicken we will use the remaining carcass to make a nutritious chicken bone broth, to use as a base for other dishes. This broth is healthier than the broth bought in the store because it contains valuable nutrients that you won't find in the store bought variety. You can easily freeze it in freezer bags and it will lie flat in your freezer if you need that. Simply measure what you need in each bag. This is for larger slow cookers only.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder (recipe below)

1 teaspoon cayenne peeper

Black pepper to taste

2 tomatoes, chopped

8 whole wheat or flour tortillas

2 cups salsa or pico de gallo

Mexican cheese blend, shredded

Heat oil in skillet and add chicken. Stir in chili powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper and mix well with chicken. Heat for 10-12 minutes.

Heat tortillas in microwave, wrapped in paper towels, for 45 seconds.

Spoon chicken mixture onto each tortilla and top with tomato, cheese, and salsa. Serve immediately.

NOTE: If you use pico de gallo, omit the tomatoes.

Chili Powder:

Awesome, simple blend for chili powder. Never buy the commercial stuff again! Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

2 tablespoons paprika

2 teaspoons oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

3/4 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Stir all together in bowl. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Chicken Bone Broth

    

1 rotisserie chicken carcass, all bones, and a little meat

2 sweet onions, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 teaspoon thyme

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Place all in slow cooker and fill vessel with water to within one inch of top. Cover and cook on low for 24 hours. Strain into large container. If you can't retain thyme and Italian seasoning add to liquid after straining. You can store this in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze. If you freeze, do it in amounts that you will use for future use. For example, if you need 4 cups to use as the broth for a soup, then freeze that amount in one freezer bag. 

Enjoy this! If you have any questions, just ask.

Blessings!

Caramelized Baked Chicken

I've always enjoyed barbecued chicken but this is an entirely different and delicious way to enjoy chicken. The flavors will explode in your mouth and the way it is prepared it will crisp up a bit and not be as 'mushy' as some barbecue chicken recipes I have tried.

Teriyaki sauce and ketchup, laced with honey and garlic, along with some Tabasco, make for an exceptional sauce. The Tabasco sauce does not make this spicy, it only adds a wonderful flavor. 

6-10 chicken thighs

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

3/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup honey

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the teriyaki sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, and Tabasco. Salt and pepper chicken as desired with the awareness that teriyaki sauce has salt in it.

Pour sauce over chicken, making sure that each piece of chicken is well covered.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and place chicken on platter. Drain liquid from baking dish.

Place chicken back in baking dish and return to oven. This will crisp the chicken up a bit.

Bake an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Serve with mashed potatoes or brown rice and green beans or broccoli. 

Enjoy!

Blessings!

  

French Dip Sandwiches

These sandwiches are so delicious. They are made with shaved roast beef from the deli and topped be provolone cheese, then heated in the oven long enough for the cheese to melt. The flavor's are so rich and tasty that no one will guess it only took you a few minutes to make.

Makes 4 sandwiches:

1 pound shaved deli roast beef

1 box (32 ounces) beef broth

8 slices smoked provolone cheese

4 hoagie rolls

7-10 dashes Worcestershire

1/4 cup A-1 sauce

2 teaspoons steak seasoning

Preheat oven to 350°F. Open hoagie rolls and lay flat on baking sheet.

Heat beef broth in saucepan on medium heat. Place roast beef, Worcestershire, A-1 sauce, and steak seasoning in saucepan and heat for 10 minutes. No need to boil. Maintain broth at medium heat for serving and dipping.

Arrange meat on hoagie rolls and place two slices of provolone over each roll.

Heat in oven for five minutes, until cheese melts. Serve with bowls of warmed broth for dipping.

Fries, tots, chips, mac and cheese, Velveeta shells and cheese all go well with this. Serve with side of fruit as well.

Blessings!

Baked Ziti

This is a favorite recipe served on those days when only Italian will do. It takes a little time, but you'll be rewarded with excellent flavors and rave reviews. Feel free to use whole wheat ziti or penne noodles. The sauce is important so make sure you use a good one, one that you know and like.

1 pound dry ziti pasta

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

6 slices smoked provolone cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook about eight minutes, until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, saute onion and brown ground beef over medium heat. Cook beef thoroughly. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using cooking spray, cover a 9x13 baking dish. 

Layer as follows:

• 1/2 of the ziti, provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture 
• Provolone cheese
• Sour Cream
• 1/2 sauce mixture
• Remaining ziti
• Mozzarella cheese
• Remaining Sauce
• Top well with Parmesan cheese

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Serve with Salad and Garlic Bread.

There are several steps here but if you time everything right, it'll take you 2 hours to make this. So this may be a weekend idea but well worth it.

Enjoy!

Blessings!

Oven Fried Pork Chops with Roasted Asparagus Parmesan

These are a favorite and are easy to make. Serve with an additional side of brown rice.

Pork Chops:

3 tablespoons butter

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup packaged corn bread stuffing mix, crushed (I use Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned)

4 pork loin chops, about 1/2 inch thick

1. Place butter in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; heat in a 425°F oven about 3 minutes or until butter melts.

2. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish beat egg with a fork; stir in milk. Place dry stuffing mix in another shallow dish. Trim fat from chops. Dip pork chops into egg mixture. Coat both sides with crushed stuffing mix. Place chops in the baking pan with butter.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender (160°F) and juices run clear, turning once.

4. Serve with roasted asparagus Parmesan and brown rice.

Roasted Asparagus Parmesan:

1 bunch of fresh asparagus

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

1. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus spears. Place asparagus in 13x9 baking pan. Drizzle with oil, tossing gently to coat. Spread them out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Bake at 425°F for 12-13 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to a serving platter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes: The asparagus and pork chops can both be placed in the oven and cook at the same time, allowing for individual cooking times.

Enjoy! 

Pulled Pork Barbecue

Spring is here, time to think about barbecue!

Wait, this is pulled pork, made indoors, with a delicious sauce. And it's relatively easy, which is good, because you're going to make this again and again. It's a crowd pleaser, and the recipe can be easily doubled, just double the sauce as well.

This will make 6-8 servings

3 lbs. Boston Butt

14 ounce can of beef broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Place pork in slow cooker

Pour broth over pork

Cook on low for 10 hours

Discard broth/juices once done

Shred pork with two forks, discarding any fat

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Transfer shredded pork to 13 x 9 casserole dish

Pour barbecue sauce (recipe below) on shredded pork

Blend well

Place in oven 30 minutes

Remove and serve with or without buns immediately or return to slow cooker to keep warm

Sauce:

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. chopped sweet onion

1/2 tsp. ground mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

Dash cayenne pepper

Place all ingredients in saucepan and mix well

Simmer, uncovered, for one hour until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally

Cook's notes:

This is an excellent way to enjoy pulled pork. Whether for a family or an office food day, this is a sure winner. And yes, it freezes well. Serve with potato salad, cole slaw, chips, or baked beans.