SANDRA'S TERRIFIC TACO SOUP

Such comfort on a rainy day...been our favorite for years...

Servings: (8)

Prep: 15 Mins.

Cook: 30 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. lean ground moose, venison, or beef

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, scrubbed and grated

2 TB dry taco seasoning

1/2 TB chili powder

1 TB dry ranch seasoning

1 14.5-oz. can diced Mexican tomatoes, do not drain

1 14.5-oz. can chili beans, drained and rinsed

1 14.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

4 cups water

1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 2.25-oz. can sliced black olives, drained (optional)

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2-1 TB diced jarred pickled jalapeños, depending on your desired spiciness

Toppings:

--Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

--Lime Crema (1 cup sour cream mixed with 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon lime zest)

--Tortilla chips

METHOD

In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, brown the burger over medium-high heat. Add the onions and shredded carrots and continue cooking for 5 minutes, while occasionally stirring. Add the remaining ingredients in order listed. Stir, bring soup to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes; stir occasionally. 

Ladle soup into serving bowls.

Top each bowl with shredded cheese and a dollop of lime crema, then place tortilla chips on the side. ~ Enjoy! 

SANDRA’S CILANTRO LIME DIPPING SAUCE or SALAD DRESSING

I created this to dip my
Crispy Halibut Taquitos in,
and found it is wonderful
as a salad dressing,
and for dipping vegetables as well...

Yields: (2-1/4 cups)

Prep: 5 Mins.

1 (1 oz. pkg.) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup green salsa

Sriracha (hot sauce), to taste

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl, and add Sriracha sauce, to taste.  Place, covered, in refrigerator to thicken and for flavors to meld for 2 hours.  Use as a dip with your favorite appetizers and vegetables, or as a dressing for salads. ~ Enjoy!

Serve this dipping sauce with:
Sandra's Crispy Halibut Taquitos

SANDRA’S BUFFALO PULLED-CHICKEN BURGERS

All the ingredients 
for a perfect game day feast...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 5 Mins. |
Cook: 7 to 10 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

***Chicken:
2 cups cooked, skinless, boneless chicken, shredded

*** Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup bottled chili sauce
--(or, for Sandra's recipe, click here: Homemade Chili Sauce)
1 dash sriracha sauce (hot sauce)
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon molasses

***Remaining ingredients:
4 hamburger buns, toasted
4 tomato slices
4 lettuce leaves
celery sticks
Ranch dressing (or blue cheese dressing)

METHOD

Add the butter to a medium saucepan, and heat to medium-heat to melt. Add the shredded chicken, and remaining ingredients, tossing to combine, and reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the buns. Place about 1/2 cup chicken mixture on bottom halves of buns; top each with one tomato slice, and one lettuce leaf, and place other halves of buns on top. Place celery sticks, and ranch dressing alongside. – Enjoy!

SANDRA'S CRISPY BROCCOLI STEM and ZUCCHINI MEDALLIONS with HOMEMADE RANCH DIP

I developed this recipe 
because I tend to have a hard time 
tossing perfectly good broccoli stems.  
As it turned out, these medallions 
are a splendid side dish 
or served as an appetizer...

Servings (6)
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook: 4 to 6 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

--Peanut oil for frying
2 cups broccoli stems, peeled, and cut into 3/4” medallions
2 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4" medallions
1/4 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons parmesan, grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 eggs, beaten with a tiny bit of water

***Ranch Dip, click here for recipe: Sandra's Homemade Ranch Dip)

METHOD

Mix together the ranch dipping sauce ingredients in a small serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat 1/2" of peanut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, add the corn meal, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, parmesan, cayenne, kosher salt and ground pepper in large ziploc bag, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a tiny bit of water, and set aside.

Dry the vegetables with a paper towel. Working in small batches, toss the vegetable medallions in the beaten eggs, then coat in the flour/cornmeal mixture to cover completely. Place breaded medallions into the oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side, just until lightly golden brown, flip over and continue cooking on other side until golden and crisp. Season with a sprinkling of kosher salt while hot, cool for a couple of minutes, and serve with ranch dipping sauce on the side. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA'S ALASKAN BEER BATTERED MUSHROOMS with GRUYERE CHEESE

My husband and I had a similar appetizer 
at a local eatery
so I just had to replicate them, 
and these
Beer Battered Mushrooms 
with Gruyere turned out identically yummy...

Servings: (6)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Cook 10 to 15 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

Note: Allow mushrooms to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking, as cold mushrooms tend to condensate upon removed from refrigerator.

2 lbs. medium button mushroom, stems intact, cleaned with a dry paper towel
--(batter does not stick to wet mushrooms, so do not rinse with water)
peanut oil, for frying
¼ cup gruyere cheese, grated (or swiss cheese)
1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley

Local
Alaskan Brewing Company
'Alaskan Summer'
Ale

***Beer Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted through a sieve
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning blend
1 bottle dark beer, cold (I use Alaskan Beer ;-)

---Serving options:
-Lemon wedges
-Ranch dressing, for dipping sauce
--(See recipe here: Ranch Dip or Dressing)

METHOD

Place a ovenproof serving platter in the oven at 275 degrees to warm.

Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep fryer or electric skillet, and heat to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the beer batter by sifting the flour and baking powder through a sieve into a medium bowl. Add the kosher salt, ground pepper, garlic and onion powders, paprika, italian seasoning, and beer, whisking until smooth.

Don’t over crowd the pan, and fry in batches. Begin by ‘lightly’ dipping dry mushrooms into batter, then carefully immerse into hot oil. Fry the mushrooms for a total of about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping half way through, until they are evenly golden brown. Drain the mushrooms on a paper-towel lined plate.

Meanwhile, remove the warmed serving platter from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350 degrees. Place hot mushrooms on warm platter and sprinkle with shredded gruyere cheese. Place in oven for a couple of minutes, just until cheese is slightly melted. Remove from oven, and warn guests that the platter is hot, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges, individual forks and plates, and small bowls filled with ranch dressing for dipping. Squeeze lemon over mushrooms, eat while hot. ~ Enjoy!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Tip: Thinner batter makes for a lighter coating, and thicker batter makes for a heavier coating (all batter recipes may vary depending upon humidity in your area – so adjust to your liking by adding more beer to thin it, or more flour to thicken.) Also, this batter is very good for deep-frying onion rings and veggies, such as zucchini, broccoli, etc.

SANDRA'S BUFFALO CHICKEN THIGHS

A perfect 'holiday or game day' appetizer...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 15 mins. |
Cook: 25 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Fried Chicken Thighs

4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in

4 cups milk

3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 eggs, beaten

***Buffalo Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sriracha sauce (or tabasco)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon french’s mustard

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

HomemadeRanch Dressingor Dip

Homemade Coleslaw

Serve with:

-- Ranch dressing 

-- Celery sticks

-- Coleslaw 

METHOD

In a medium-size saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the chicken, and then pour in the milk. Bring milk to a gentle boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low allowing chicken to simmer in milk until it is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the milk, and place on a rack to cool. Allow chicken to rest until warm for about 15 minutes, and then pat dry using paper towels.

Meanwhile to make the buffalo sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in vinegar, sriracha sauce, garlic powder, paprika, worcestershire sauce, honey, and mustard. Heat and whisk mixture until butter and buffalo sauce are well blended. Season with kosher salt and ground pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Heat oil in an electric skillet or deep fryer to 375 degrees. Using a large ziploc bag, add salt, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, shake to combine. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Place each piece of chicken, one at a time, in the bag and shake to coat, and then dip chicken into the egg to coat. Place the chicken back into the flour to coat for a second time. Repeat this method with remaining pieces of chicken.

Gently place each piece of chicken into hot oil using tongs, allowing the skin to crisp and turn golden brown in color, just a couple of minutes per side to desired darkness. Do so in batches, if need be (so you do not crowd pan.)  Remove from the oil, and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt while hot.

Take 1/3 of the buffalo sauce and place in a small dipping bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the remaining buffalo sauce in saucepan, and then let drain for a bit on rack, and then serve. Eat buffalo chicken while dipping in the ranch dressing, and munching on celery sticks in between bites – I serve this with coleslaw as well. - Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tip:  The buffalo chicken thighs are great served warm or at room temperature...

SANDRA'S RANCH DRESSING or DIP - Homemade

Very, very easy to prepare,
and incredibly flavorful...

Yields: (1-1/2 cups)
Prep: 5 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
--(or 1/2 teaspoon dried chives )
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
pinch of sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
--(+ a bit of milk if making a dressing)

METHOD:

In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients, and then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving for flavors to meld (imperative).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip: This recipe is thicker to use as a dip, so feel free to add a bit of milk for a thinner ‘dressing’ consistency.


If you'd like, you can serve this ranch dip with:

Sandra's Alaskan Beer
Battered Mushroomswith Gruyere;

or as a side with
Sandra's Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped
 Jalapeno Poppers;

or as a side with
Sandra's Buffalo
Pulled-Chicken Burgers

SANDRA'S ZUCCHINI MEDALLIONS with CHIPOTLE DIPPING SAUCE

A surprising delight that I invented out of too
many zucchinis on-hand, and these are
now one of our top favorite appetizers
that are crunchy on the outside and moist
and delicious on the inside...(We eat them like popcorn ;)

Servings (4)
Prep: 5 mins |
Cook: 4 to 6 mins

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Medallions:
· 1/4 cup yellow corn meal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
· ½ teaspoon garlic powder
· ½ teaspoon onion powder
· 3 tablespoons parmesan, grated
· 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
· 2 eggs, beaten with a tiny bit of water
· 2 medium zucchini, sliced ¼” thick (pat dry)

***Chipotle Dipping Sauce:
· 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
· 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (I freeze the remaining to use in recipes later on)

METHOD

Heat 1/2" of canola oil in an electric skillet to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, mix together the dipping sauce ingredients in a small serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Add the corn meal, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, Parmesan, and cayenne in a shallow medium dish, and set aside.

In a small shallow dish, beat the eggs with a tiny bit of water and set aside.

Working in small batches, toss the zucchini medallions in the beaten eggs, then coat in the cornmeal mixture to cover completely.  Place breaded zucchini medallions into the oil for 2 to 3 minutes, just until lightly golden brown, flip over and continue cooking on other side until golden and crisp. Season with a sprinkle of kosher salt while hot, cool for a couple of minutes, and serve with dipping sauce on the side, along with carrot and celery sticks if you wish.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note: I discovered many also prefer dipping the medallions in prepared ranch or blue cheese dressing as an appetizer, so I usually provide both; plus I serve mine on the side as a tasty veggie side dish to most any meal.