La Madeleine Bakery's Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Such a nice cool weekend, we had our first fire last night! The leaves are turning colors now, I love mornings when the fog lays heavy on the lake. If I have to run into town you see a brave boat of late season fishermen on the cove. My Dad fished year round, it never got too cold for him to be on the lake ♥

I'm a happy camper, holing up in my "hollow tree" makes me feel like making a pot of soup! I've seen several versions of this one on Pinterest, it's a copycat of La Madeleine Bakery's Tomato Basil Soup. I actually combined two recipes, this one is delicious with a grilled cheese on sourdough!

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

makes 6 servings

2 (14 oz) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano
1 T dried basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to your soup pot. Simmer until veges are tender, about an hour. 

Make a roux by melting butter in skillet and adding flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 3-4 minutes, then stir in several ladles of hot soup. Add back to soup pot and bring to boil to thicken soup. Add Parmesan cheese, evaporated milk, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Serve with slices of your favorite hot bread!

Cincinnati "Skyline Chili"

It wasn't the 1st thing on our list, but it was definately near the top! Cincinnati's famous Skyline Chili, we didn't know what to expect... rumor was it has cinnamon AND chocolate in the recipe. For former Texans, born and raised in the south that might be sacrilege! We went to the old downtown location, 7th and Vine, natives say it's where you get the true "experience."  

It was a Friday and nearly every seat was taken, we found a table near the back in good view of the show. Just behind the counter was line of seasoned employees who ladled out  1 Ways to 5 Ways in portions that shouldn't have fit on the 6" oval plates, but did!

Our waitress Tabby was a walking, talking tour guide... the city may just have her "planted" to make sure tourists get the real flavor of Cincinnati!

It was a little hard, there were so many ways to enjoy the chili, but I decided on TWO coneys, I thought they were small!  

They start you off with a bowl of oyster crackers and if I had payed attention to the locals (that's a really good tip when you are someplace that you just aren't sure what to order) I'd have noticed that many started with the small bowl of chili and then got ONE coney! 

Jerry ordered the 5 Way... chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions and beans. I was too busy diving into my coneys to get any before pictures, sorry! I came home with a recipe for Cincinnati style chili, but after Googling a little, I found one that was leaked by an employee. Sunday afternoon I decided to try it out. The technique of simmering the hamburger in water for 30 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients is key to the texture that is distinctive to this chili. The spices are right on, this is  a very good knock off recipe that will satisfy our NEED for Cincinnati's most famous addiction!

Cincinnati "Skyline Chili" Click to Print! 
revised from About.com

1 quart cold water

2 lbs ground beef (I used lean ground beef)

2 cups crushed tomato

2 yellow onions, diced 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp cider vinegar

1 whole bay leaf

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp salt

Cooked spaghetti to serve chili over, optional

Add beef and water to a 4-quart pot. Bring to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes and add all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer on low, uncovered, for 3 hours. Add water as needed if the chili becomes to thick. Refrigerate the chili overnight, and the next day remove the layer of fat from top before reheating and serving. Since I used lean hamburger, there wasn't any fat to remove. Makes 6 servings

The Cincinnati "Skyline" Chili Ordering Code

1-way: just the chili

2-way: chili served over spaghetti

3-way: chili, spaghetti, and grated Cheddar cheese

4-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions

5-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans

All "ways" are served with oyster crackers.

Street Tacos

One of my favorite places to eat when we are in Texas is Taco Cabana. Once you get to the Dallas area, or anywhere south of Dallas... they are everywhere. It's a chain like Taco Bell, but the food is far superior. The difference? Well, they have real cooks in real kitchens making real Mexican food--by hand. That means they are chopping the cilantro, roasting the peppers, stirring the beans and making the tortillas everyday.

My love affair with Taco Cabana started on a balmy March day in 1996 when we had just moved to South Texas. It was icy in NW Arkansas when the movers came to pack us up, but a pleasant 80 degrees as we enjoyed our meal that night on the patio. Over the next 5 years we ate at nearly all of the famous Mexican restaurants in the San Antonio area. As memorable as they were, Taco Cabana is etched in my heart as a favorite!

They have street tacos on the menu now, and while we were in Texas I had them 3 times... they are THAT GOOD!  Little corn tortilla treats filled with seasoned chicken, brisket or pork and topped with a variety of fresh sauces, they are the perfect lunch, dinner or snack.  

I bought this great magazine at Sam's Club in Dallas while we were there and spent the trip home planning the recipes I'm going to make. Better Homes and Gardens publication Mexican is the real deal, authentic dishes from the many regions of Mexico. Inside the covers are the treasured recipes that are so hard to duplicate on your own. This weekend we tried the Beer Braised Chicken Verde, I took a shortcut and made the recipe with rotisserie chicken. The filling was delish, very much like the ones at Taco Cabana♥♥♥

Beer Braised Chicken Verde
1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or dried oregano, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 12 ounce bottle Mexican beer (such as Modelo Especial or Pacifico)

1 11 - 12 ounce can tomatillos, drained

2 4 - 4 1/2 ounce can diced green chile peppers

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add butter, cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until butter melts.

2. Add beer, tomatillos, and chile peppers. Bring to boiling. Add chicken. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, stirring every 5 minutes to break up the tomatillos. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken from the cooking liquid to a cutting board. Gently boil the cooking liquid, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, using two forks, pull chicken apart into shreds.

3. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the reduced cooking juices; stir to moisten. Use chicken mixture as filling for quesadillas or tacos; pass the remaining cooking juices.

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Tacos el Pastor

1 medium peeled and cored fresh pineapple

8 dried pasilla and/or guajillo chile peppers

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoonsalt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch slices

16 6 inch corn tortillas

1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

Snipped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Bottled hot pepper sauce

1.Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch-thick slices, reserving juice; cover and refrigerate pineapple and reserved juice separately.

2. Remove stems and seeds from chile peppers. Place peppers in a medium bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Allow peppers to stand about 30 minutes or until soft; drain, discarding water.

3. In a food processor or blender combine chile peppers, any juice from the pineapple, the orange juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, cumin, and cloves. Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth.

4. In a 3-quart baking dish arrange pork slices in a single layer, overlapping slices as necessary. Pour chile pepper mixture over pork slices, spreading evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade. Stack tortillas and wrap in foil.

5. For a charcoal grill, place tortilla packet on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Place pork slices and pineapple slices on the grill rack alongside the foil packet directly over medium coals. Grill pork and pineapple slices for 6 to 7 minutes or until pork slices are slightly pink in the center and juices run clear (160 degrees F), turning once. Grill tortilla packet for 10 minutes, turning once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Grill tortilla packet, pork slices, and pineapple as directed above.)

6. Coarsely chop pork and pineapple and combine in a large bowl. Fill warm tortillas with pork and pineapple mixture. Sprinkle each taco with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and, if desired, hot pepper sauce.
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Roasted Tomato Salsa ~Yes, this IS that great restaurant salsa recipe!

2 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes (about 15)

3 fresh jalapeno peppers

1 medium head garlic

1 teaspoon salt

2 medium white onions, finely chopped

2/3cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, snipped (1/4 cup)

4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Tortilla chips

1. Core the tomatoes. Place in one side of a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Halve the jalapeno peppers. Remove stems and seeds. Place, cut side down, in the other side of baking pan with tomatoes. Peel away outer skin from garlic. Cut off the pointed top portion with a knife, leaving the bulb intact but exposing the individual cloves. Add to pan. Roast, uncovered, in a 450 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and pepper skins are charred. Cool.

2. Remove tomato skins. Press to remove garlic paste from individual cloves of garlic. Place garlic, jalapeno peppers, and salt in a food processor bowl or blender container. Cover and process or blend with a few pulses until finely chopped. Add half of the tomatoes; cover and process or blend with a few pulses until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining tomatoes to food processor bowl or blender container; cover and process or blend with a few pulses until coarsely chopped. Stir into tomato mixture in bowl.

3. Stir onions, cilantro, and vinegar into tomato mixture until combined. Cover and chill several hours to blend flavors. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes about 4 cups.

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Fried Bologna Sandwich

Every week I have to figure it out, what's for dinner? One day folds into a week, then a month, then summer is gone, fall is here, winter is upon us and springtime arrives. I try to mix it up, we've been having a lot of THIS lately. When we get tired of THAT then we try a little SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I really never know what I'm in the mood for until I wake up and say THIS SOUNDS GOOD!

Are you like that too? There's just some things that sound good in the SUMMER when it's too hot to cook. By the time Fall rolls around I'm thinking of FAMILY FAVORITES. Winter is for COMFORT FOODS, stick to my ribs meals. When I can't face another bowl of stew, then SPRING finally arrives with lighter MEALS. When life seems flavorless, look for something you haven't had in awhile. All of a sudden it tastes good again, but it's not the food. It's you that changes!

I'd love to have you join us on Facebook's Granny Mountain Group... it's a great way to pass along recipes, tips and ideas that we're all finding at Pinterest or even better... potlucks and family recipe boxes! 

Springfield Style Cashew Chicken

I was pinning away the other night on Pinterest, when I came across one of my recipes posted back in 2011 for "Springfield Style" Cashew Chicken. When I grew up in Missouri in the 1960's, there just weren't a lot of Asian restaurants. I can remember the first time I went, my future sister-in-law Terry asked if I'd like to go to lunch. I think I was 14 and other than La Choy in a can, I'd never had Chinese. The restaurant was decorated with black lacquered chairs and tables, white paper screens and lanterns, and a waitstaff that gave 5 star service... it left an impression! When our orders of Cashew chicken arrived at the table, they smelled delicious. Crispy fried chicken pieces smothered in a rich brown sauce and topped with salty cashews, alongside a snowy bowl of purest white steamed rice. From that moment I have loved Asian cuisine!

Leong's closed their doors in 2000, but lucky for you their recipe lives on in many restaurants across the state. When you think of regions of Chinese food, Sichuan, Cantonese or Hunan come to mind... but don't forget to add Springfield Style to the list!

Just click on the title to print the recipe!

"SPRINGFIELD STYLE" CASHEW CHICKEN

1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (per person)
2 eggs per pound of chicken
1/4 cup milk per egg
flour
salt and pepper
peanut oil for frying

Sauce
2 chicken bouillon cubes per cup of water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
chopped green onions
cashew halves
hot rice for serving

Heat water to boiling and dissolve bouillon cubes. Stir 1/4 cup of broth into cornstarch to make a smooth slurry. Stir cornstarch slurry into broth with sugar and oyster sauce. Set aside and let sauce thicken as chicken cooks.

Heat oil to 350-400° in deep pan or fryer. Cut chicken into small pieces, dredge and let stand in flour for 15 minutes. Mix together egg, milk, and salt & pepper. Remove chicken from flour and let stand in egg mixture for 10 minutes. Roll chicken pieces in flour and deep-fry, in batches if need be, until golden. Drain well on paper towels and keep warm in covered pan in 200° oven.

Serve chicken over hot rice, topped with sauce, cashews, and chopped green onions. Pass soy sauce at table.

Ole for Jose's Party Cheese Dip

It's Super Bowl Weekend and you know I'm gonna be sharing some of our favorites from local restaurants right here in the Ozarks! These recipes are hard to get your hands on, but I will tell you my secret...

 

 

The one and only... Party Cheese Dip from JOSE’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT in Fayetteville, AR.
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. butter
¼ c. diced onion
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. garlic, chopped
¼ c. flour
3¼ c. heavy cream
3¼ c. milk
2½ lbs. white cheese, grated
¼ c. jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. hot chili powder
Directions:
Saute onions and garlic in butter until soft. Add flour and cook for one minute. Add milk and cream. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and add cheese slowly, stirring constantly until cheese is melted. Turn the heat off and add jalapeno peppers and remaining spices. Serve with fresh hot tortilla chips.

 

            Perfect for Super Bowl Weekend... from Boston Mountain Grille in Fayetteville, AR:

Razorback Layered Dip
6 oz. cream cheese
12 oz. black beans

12 oz. Rotel
6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Press cream cheese firmly into the bottom of an oven safe dish. Mix the Rotel and black beans together with even parts and drain all juices. Spread evenly over the layer of cream cheese. Cover the Rotel and beans with shredded cheddar cheese. bake dish for 30 minutes or when all cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.
Shared by Doug Mantan, owner

                      Super Bowl staple... Fresh Salsa from Jose's Steakhouse Batesville, AR:

1 gal. diced tomatoes with juice
½ c. lime juice
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
... 1 bell pepper
1½ c. red onions, chopped
½ c. green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. garlic
2 Tbsp. cumin
1 can green chili peppers
½ c. jalapeno
1 Tbsp. garlic pepper seasoning
1 Tbsp. salt

Blend everything together, add cilantro last. Be careful not to add too much.
Shared by David Sours, chef

Spinach Artichoke Dip from FOREST HILL RESTAURANT in Eureka Springs, AR.

9 oz. cooked, chopped spinach
9 oz. chopped artichoke hearts
½ lb. cream cheese
½ c. minced red onion
½ c. diced black olives
¼ c. diced pimento
¼ c. chopped parsley
4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. garlic powder

Combine spinach and artichoke hearts. Blend with red onion, black olives, pimento, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to make a wonderful dip for any occasion. Serves 8.

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Orange Rolls from The Crumpet Tea Room

Can you keep a secret? I've got the recipe for the original Crumpet Tea Room's Orange Rolls and I just can't keep it to myself any longer! They foolishly put it in a cookbook called

"Crumpet Tea Room: A Unique Collection of Mealtime Treasures" along with several of their most requested recipes like their heavenly chicken salad... sharing!

Crumpet Tea Room Orange Rolls
2 1/2 c. hot tap water

1/2 c. melted shortening
2 c. flour
2 t. salt
1/2 c. powdered milk
1/2 c. sugar
3 heaping T. fast active dry yeast
6 c. flour
In large mixing bowl, add the first 3 ingredients. Mix for two minutes with dough hook beater. Add next 4 ingredients and continue to blend. Slowly add remaining flour until mixture is blended well and not sticky to the touch. Cover and let double in size. Punch down and roll dough out long and narrow to 1/4 inch thick. Spread thin layer of orange frosting over dough. Roll up and cut in 1 1/2 inch rolls. Place in greased pans. Let rise to top of pans and bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 20 large rolls.

Orange Frosting
1 c. soft margarine
2 c. granulated sugar
1 orange
Cream margarine in mixing bowl until soft and smooth. Add sugar, juice from one orange and grated peel of orange. Blend well.

Crumpet Tea Room Chicken Salad

4 c. cooked chicken, shredded
1 1/2 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. sweet relish
4 eggs, hard boiled and diced
3/4 c. Miracle Whip (or enough to moisten mixture)
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve with tossed salad, fresh fruit or in a sliced croissant.

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Mi Tierra Bunuelos

(Pictured above, second row, they are  a crispy cinnamon sugar cookie)

One of our favorite places to go for the day, El Mercado in downtown San Antonio had the kind of shops you'd find in Mexico. Beautiful handmade jewelry, clothing and purses and best of all Mi Tierra Restaurant and Bakery with their amazing pastries and confections!

Texas Bunuelos ~shared by Mary Rosales of Mi Tierra Bakery in San Antonio

4 c. flour

1 T. white vinegar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

3 T. shortening

1/2 c. orange juice

warm water

oil for frying

sugar and cinnamon

Combine flour, vinegar, baking powder, egg, shortening, and orange juice. Add water to make a dough. Slice chunks of dough and roll very thin into the desired disk size. In a skillet large enough to hold the rolled disks of dough without bending, heat oil. Drop disks, one at a time, into the hot oil and fry until crisp. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

La Fonda Tamales

La Fonda on Main- San Antonio

The New Year is here and just in case you didn't partake of some good luck black-eyed peas, there's still time! Thanks to Good Taste with Tanji, I can travel back to San Antonio's famous La Fonda Restaurant for my good luck...

Black-eyed Pea Tamales 

Masa Mix:
3 1/2 c. Hill Country Fare Corn Masa Mix
3/4 c. Canola oil
1/2 c. Favorite Salsa like Tomatillo or Chipotle
3 1/2 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth (hot)
1 T. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt
Mix in electric mixer to mash potato texture. Set aside.
1 bag Corn Shucks, soaked in hotwater 20 minutes or more.

Filling:
2 cans (15 oz each) Central Market Black Eyed Peas, rinsed & drained
1/2 c. Chopped canned Jalapenos, drained
1 c. Crumbled Cotija Cheese
1/2 c. Small diced Red Bell Pepper for color
Mix and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Assemble:
2 T. Masa mix spread 4 to 5 inch sq on corn shuck base.  Leave 1/2 inch clear for masa expansion in cooking. Add 2T of filling down center and roll tamale.  Fold tail under.  Complete the 3 – 4 dozen. Place in steamer pot or basket, tail end down) of pasta pot with enough water to avoid base of basket.  Cover tightly, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook 2 hours (checking water level every 30 minutes) till masa peels away from corn shuck. 

Waffle House Waffles

Last year's Black Friday midnight shopping started with a first ever (at least for me) trip to Waffle House. My GRANDson had filled me in on their scattered, covered and smothered hash browns. He's only 12 but he's been introduced to Waffle House by his parents, preparing him for a life of many tastes and flavors, people and food! Make no mistake, it's more than just a big breakfast... 

it's a slice of Americana and you KNOW I ♥ that!

Did you know that Harvard Business School says Waffle House is one of America's top examples of  entrepreneurial achievement? No other chain has a fan club like Waffle House, loyal customers who are greeted with a big "Hello" as they enter, no matter what the time of day or night.

When we got there around 11, the place was packed. Nearly every booth was taken, even the stools at the bar were occupied. My husband, the world traveller, says the bar has the "choice seats," since you can watch your meal being prepared! The waitress couldn't have been nicer, or more efficient. She had our coffees poured within minutes and our order placed. Everyone was talking about going shopping, there was a camaraderie between us... preparing for the start of Black Friday!

As delicious as Thanksgiving turkey with all the trimmings was, my waffle with a side of crispy bacon really hit the spot! If you've led a sheltered life like me, give Waffle House a try the next time you're hungry! Don't have a Waffle House where you live? Todd Wilbur of Top Secret Recipe fame shares Waffle House's signature recipe...

Waffle House Waffles

Makes 6 waffles~to print the recipe go HERE

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons shortening

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Stir to combine.

In another bowl lightly beat egg, add sugar, butter and shortening. Mix well with a mixer and then add half and half, milk, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and blend and mix briefly, only stirring to incorporate  the two. It's ok to have a few lumps in the batter. Overmixing will make for tough waffles. 

Spoon 1/3-1/2 cup batter onto hot waffle iron and bake 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot with butter and syrup.

For the best clone of this 50 year old secret recipe, refrigerate the batter overnight! 

Mud Street Muffins

If you have company coming for Thanksgiving weekend, you're probably planning your meals and want to make some extra special recipes to spoil them. I have just the recipe, from Mud Street Cafe at Eureka Springs, they share their famous Mud Street Muffins with us! It's unique, just like everything on their menu... in fact they are winners of Arkansas Readers' Choice Award for their adventuresome breakfasts and delicious desserts.

Located in  what the locals call "Underground Eureka," the building was built in 1888. At that time it was street level but frequent rains would cause the property to flood so eventually the street was built up, putting their present location down a flight of stairs. It's a beautiful building with wonderful old limestone walls, large wooden beams and stained glass lighting.The centerpiece of the dining room is a turn of the century oak bar with beveled mirrors. They feature Eureka's unique local art on the walls, it's a great place to go if you are anywhere near NW Arkansas!

The muffins can be prepared with any kind of fruit you like, fresh or frozen. The crumb topping is to die for, and you can even customize with balsamic vinegar, juices, ginger or nuts if that's to your liking! Mud Street is known for it's innovative dishes and this one is definitely "gourmet!"

The Mud Street Muffin  Just click the title to print!

Preheat oven to 400° for regular oven or 350° for convection oven. Spray 12 cup regular muffin pan or 6 cup large muffin pan.

Crumb Topping

Add to food processor:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Process ingredients with enough soft butter to form heavy crumbs and set aside.

Dry Ingredients

Sift together in large bowl:

2 generous cups flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

Any spices being used

(see note below)

Wet Ingredients

Have prepared 2 cups fruit, fresh or frozen

(see note below)

In a 2 cup measuring cup add:

1 Tablespoon any kind of vinegar (balsamic is wonderful!)

2 teaspoons vanilla and any other flavorings to be used (see note below)

Fill to 1 and 1/3 cups with milk and microwave for 45 seconds. In a separate container melt 1/2 cup of butter in microwave. Beat 1 egg into liquid ingredients and add melted butter and beat in.

Directions

Add and combine fruit (and nuts to taste if using)to flour mixture, make well in center and add liquid mixture & fold in gently. DO NOT OVERMIX - this will toughen the muffins. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. If using nuts in the muffins sprinkle same on top of batter in cups. Sprinkle generously with crumb topping. Bake for 26 minutes then test for doneness. Muffins should be firm to the touch. (May take as much as 5 min. more baking time) Let muffins sit in pan on cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before attempting to remove. (longer is better) Use table knife to help lift muffins from pan.

Notes

Any kind of fruit can be used. Cut up into pieces about the size of 1/2 inch of your forefinger. Try different combinations of fruit. If using frozen fruit, do not thaw before hand. Frozen fruit like peaches, blackberries, mangos need to be cut into pieces as above. There are all kinds of fruit flavorings available. Add a teaspoon to liquid ingredients to match fruit in muffins. Use fruit juice to replace part or all of milk. If using acidic juice like orange or pineapple (with pineapple tidbits for fruit) then omit the vinegar altogether. Add orange or lemon zest to dry ingredients. If you want lemon muffins replace vinegar with 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and add a Tablespoon of lemon flavor. Be creative with spice combinations. Use fresh ginger finely chopped. Experiment!! Have fun!!! no matter what you do, the results will be, at the very least, "interesting"; and at best sublime!

On the Border Chicken Tortilla Soup, I know the secret!

Just in case I get sued for printing this recipe, I'm changing the name a little! My favorite Saturday lunch out has got to be a hot steaming bowl of On the Border's Chicken Tortilla Soup... oh baby, it warms my cockles! I've tried many recipes and never found anything that comes close to their signature taste. Their salsa is distinctive and we love it too; fresh tomatoes, serranos, cilantro, lime but it's another thing I can't seem to copycat no matter how hard I try. 

They always send home salsa and chips with us, a trick I know... they have us HOOKED already! Most of the time, we use the salsa for Sunday omelets or weekday breakfast tacos, delish. But yesterday, when I saw that On the Border container setting on the top shelf in the fridge it just clicked...Signature Taste, that's the distinctive flavor that I couldn't quite place! So, I got my soup pot out and made the closest knock-off Chicken Tortilla Soup to theirs I've ever tasted! Before I do one more thing, I'm going to copy this one down. And then I'm going to share it with you guys!

One more suggestion, if you do have an On the Border near you... go for lunch and just smile and tell them you would like to take the rest of your salsa and chips home. The waiter always brings a container of fresh salsa and hot chips back with our ticket and then you have the beginnings of this great soup!

Almost On the Border, Really Close Chicken Tortilla Soup
1/2 c. On the Border salsa 
4 cups good quality chicken broth, I used Knorr Homestyle Chicken Broth 
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 c. diced onion
1 carrot sliced thin
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
bite size rotisserie chicken breast for each bowl
1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro, for topping
1/2 c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 ripe avocados
On the Border tortilla chips

Heat chicken broth to boiling in a large saucepan. Add salsa and rice to broth. Add onion, carrot, zucchini and/or yellow squash and simmer 15 minutes or until veges are just tender. To serve, break a small handful of On the Border chips into bottom of each bowl. Ladle soup over tortilla chips. Top with chicken, cheese, cilantro, more chips and 1 fat slice avocado. 

*If you don't have an On the Border close to where you live, no problem... they sell their salsa and chips at Walmart. Not quite the same but pretty close!

Alice Springs Chicken

So good, Outback's own Alice Springs Chicken! Just click on the title to print the recipe...

• Alice Springs Chicken
• Honey Mustard Marinade:
• 1 c. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
• 1 c. honey
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• Chicken:
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 c. sliced mushrooms 
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• salt and pepper
• paprika
• 8 slices bacon, cooked
• 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Combine the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour in about 1/3 of the marinade. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Chill the remaining marinade until later. After the chicken has marinated, remove chicken from bag and discard the marinade that it has been soaking in. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and heat an ovenproof frying pan large enough to hold all four breasts. Sear the chicken in 1 tablespoon oil in the pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from heat but keep chicken in the pan. 

Saute the mushrooms in butter in a small skillet. Brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the honey mustard marinade, reserving some to serve on the side later with the dish. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Stack two pieces of cooked bacon, crosswise on each chicken breast. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms onto the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese evenly onto each breast followed by 1/4 cup of cheddar. Bake chicken breasts until cheese is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving and serve honey mustard marinade on the side.