Best French Toast

Ingredients 4 large eggs 2/3 cup milk 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 thick slices bread Instructions Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F or or heat a skillet over medium heat. In a blender, add the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Blend until smooth. If you prefer whisking by hand, start by mixing the flour and eggs together in a shallow dish, then whisk in the rest of the ingredients until combined. Dip bread slices into the batter, dredging them well on both sides, and place on hot, greased griddle or skillet. Cook for a few minutes, until the bottom of the breads starts to get golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side the same. Remove to a plate. Serve warm with syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Sweet Potato Pot Pie

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for the dishes 1 Ib sweet potatoes (about 2), cut into ½-in. pieces 1 large onion, chopped Kosher salt and pepper ¼ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup dry white wine 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 small rotisserie chicken, meat shredded 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped ⅓ tsp freshly grated or ground nutmeg 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 large egg, beaten 1 Heat oven to 375°F. Oil eight 6-oz ramekins (3½-in. round). 2 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes, onion, ½ tsp salt and ⅓ tsp pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, Gradually stir in the wine and then the broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, parsley and nutmeg. Divide the mixture among the prepared ramekins (about ¾ cup each). Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. 1 Using a 3¾-in. pumpkin cookie cutter and a ¾-in. triangle cookie cutter, cut out pumpkins and their faces from the puff pastry. Place a jack-0'-lantern on each ramekin, brush with the egg and bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Carne Asada Tacos

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 12 mini flour tortillas, warmed
• 3/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon canola oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano.
2. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine soy sauce mixture and steak; marinate for at least 1 hour up to 4 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add steak and marinade, and cook, stirring often, until steak has browned and marinade has reduced, about 5-6 minutes, or until desired doneness.
4. Serve steak in tortillas, topped with onion, cilantro and lime.

Lime Cilantro Rice

 

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups basmati long grain white rice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one lime
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup lightly packed chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

1 Brown the rice: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Add the raw rice and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice has started to brown.

Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

2 Add water, salt, zest, then simmer: Add water, salt, and lime zest to the rice. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and lower the heat to low to maintain a very low simmer.

Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes (check your rice package instructions), then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork.

3 Stir in lime juice and cilantro: Transfer the rice to a serving bowl. Pour lime juice over the rice and toss with chopped cilantro.

Café Rio Black Beans

Ingredients

FOR 8 SERVINGS:

• 2-15 oz cans black beans (drain one can, don't drain the other)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-11.5 oz can tomato juice
• salt kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

FOR 8:

1. In a non stick pan, cook garlic, cumin and olive oil over medium heat until fragrance is released, about one minute. Be careful not to burn garlic.
2. Add beans, cook down for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid from the beans is absorbed and evaporated.
3. Add can of tomato juice and seasoning to taste.
4. Stir in chopped cilantro when ready to serve.

Apple BBQ Shredded Pork

Apple BBQ Sauce Shredded Pork – Lindsey Esplin

1 pork loin (around 3 pounds for use of all the sauce, you could also use any type of pork roast)

Sauce:
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cups brown sugar 
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place pork loin in crock pot and cook on low for 8 hrs.  Remove from crock pot and shred. Remove any juice or fat let in crock pot. Place meat back in crock pot and add prepared applesauce bbq sauce. Heat until warm.

To prepare sauce:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix applesauce, ketchup, brown
sugar, lemon juice, salt, ground black pepper, paprika, garlic powder
and cinnamon. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Remove
from heat and use to baste the meat.

Christmas Cinnamon Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
1 box vanilla instant pudding

Beat cake mix, oil, eggs, and water for 10 minutes.

Add pudding and beat about 10 min or more.

Set oven 300 grease and flour 9x13 pan

Mix 1 cup of sugar and one Tbsp of cinnamon for glaze and sprinkle 1/3 cup on bottom of pan.

Pour 1/2 cake mixture, then 1/3 cup of cinnamon sugar

Pour the rest of the cake mix and top with cinnamon sugar

Bake for 1 hour