Chicken Fajitas

What's for supper tonight? How about Fajitas?! This is a super quick supper that we just love! Unless you grow your own colored bell peppers, they can be kind of expensive in the store. I always shop at Meijer and a few times a year have 10 for 10 on colored red, yellow and orange peppers, so I stock up! Often bell peppers are grown outside of the U.S., which I try to avoid, but it's just too good of a deal to pass up! I usually will by 10 at a time, cut them into strips and freeze them in a tri-colored mix especially for fajitas. That way I have my own frozen fajita mix that I can just throw into a hot pan and saute with onions and fajita seasoning. You could even add the onion before you freeze to make it for an even quicker prep time. Add some tortillas, black refried beans, cheese and salsa and you have a great, fast weeknight meal. Here is a breakdown of what I typically use:

• 3-4 bell peppers (I like to use each kind-red, yellow, orange, and green--or you can kick it up a notch with a poblano thrown in for some kick)
• 1 large onion
• 1 lb chicken breast meat, cut into chunks or sliced thin
  
• 1 can black refried beans
• sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• salsa
• whole grain, fajita-size torillas
• any fajita seasoning ( I like Frontera brand fajita skillet sauce or Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning)--you could always just use taco seasoning if that's what you have on hand
• I like things spicy so I like Chipotle Tabasco sauce on mine too :)

I saute the chicken, peppers, and onions together over medium-high heat until they start to get a bit brown and the chicken is cooked through. Add the seasoning and you are ready to fill your tortillas.

Of course this can easily be made vegetarian by leaving out the chicken. It's just as yummy that way too!

Enjoy!

Emmy

German Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Another salute to summer...zucchini! I meant to get this recipe out a long time ago when zucchini was more abundant, but alas, time marches on. Both the coconut cream pie and this cake were inspired by my hubby who loves coconut. It's a good thing that I like it too! The zucchini cake recipe has been in my family for a while and I decided to add my own twist with the German Chocolate frosting. The frosting recipe came from allrecipes.com-a site I often turn to when I need a quick recipe that I don't already have in a cookbook, or can't find. The zucchini makes this cake super moist and delicious...you may want to leave the zucchini part out when telling picky eaters about this cake...once they try it, they won't even know it's in there!

German Chocolate Zucchini Cake

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1-3/4 cup sugar
• 2-1/2 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 Tbsp baking cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips together. Pour batter into cake pans or jelly roll pan to make cake bars. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees F:40-45 minutes for cake, 20 minutes for bars. Allow cakes to cool. Top with frosting

For frosting-

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, margarine and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Spread on cake while frosting is still warm.

Enjoy!
e

Coconut Cream Pie

With this Indian summer upon us, at least for another few days, I started thinking back this summer and it got me thinking about two desserts that I made for a summertime pool party with family a few months back. The coconut cream pie was a hit in the heat even though it had to stay in the cooler most of the afternoon...until someone discovered it. :) It's a super easy recipe and I hope you enjoy it!

Coconut Cream Pie

For filling-

• 1 box of instant coconut cream pudding mix

Prepare pudding according to directions for making pie filling. It should use less milk and less beating time.

For crust-

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose or pastry flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter flavored shortening
• 4-5 Tbsp ice water

Stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender. Sprinkle ice water over mixture, one Tbsp at a time. Flour should be moistened, but dough should not be too sticky. Form into a ball and roll out into a 12 in circle. Place into ungreased pie pan and crimp edges or press crust with a fork.

Once pie filling is set, pour into pie crust and smooth out until mostly level. Chill in the fridge while you prepare whipped cream.

For vanilla whipped cream (from Food Network.com)-

1 cup heaving whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp powdered sugar

Chill a metal bowl, if you have one, in freezer for 5 minutes. Beat cream and vanilla with electric mixer (hand or stand) until it just begins to form peaks. Sift powdered sugar over cream and beat for another 20 to 30 seconds, but DO NOT over beat or it will begin to get clotted. Gently spoon onto pie filling. Chill.

For toasted coconut topping-
Place 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut on a microwave save plate. Microwave for 15 seconds, stir, then 15 seconds again or until it just beings to brown, but watch it carefully or it will burn. Top pie with toasted coconut.

Devour! :)
& Enjoy!

e

Canning Salsa

Going back to the the heat of the summer for a bit...especially since it topped out at 85 on this October day. We had an abundance of tomatoes this year! I canned quarts of whole and crushed tomatoes and when they were still coming in droves, I made salsa! It turned out WAY better than the salsa I tried 2 years ago. I once again used my Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, which I highly recommend to anyone getting into canning. I'm actually pondering the idea of giving canning lessons next year to those interesting. Just a thought right now, but we'll see if it goes anywhere. On to the recipe...

10.5 cups tomatoes, diced
2 cups chopped onion
3 cups green pepper, diced
4 jalapeños, minced
4.5 cloves minced garlic
1.5 small cans of tomato paste
1-1/8 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3/4 tsp ground cumin

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Prepare canner, jars and lids. * Note: See post on apple butter for canning instructions

Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary by adding hot salsa. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process both 8 oz and pint jars for 20 minutes. Remover canner lid and wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Make about 7-1/2 pints

Once again, great gift idea! You can even make your own gift basket of canned and baked goodies! Make things even more cost effective by asking to have the jars returned...promising to fill them again next year of course! :)

Enjoy!
e

Sweet Apple Cider Butter

We'll I'm actually back now and hopefully this blogging kick will last. Honestly, I have been very busy with work and things around home. I've also been diving into some interesting books lately as a way to get me away from my iPad and laptop. :)

I have been in a canning/freezing frenzy also with over a bushel of apples taking over my kitchen. A little over a month ago we had 4 generations of Steffen women picking apples at my husband's grandma's house. Between my 3 year old niece, my sister-in-law, a second cousin of my husband's and his grandmother we picked about 6 bushes of Golden Delicious apples. While my applesauce/butter making has just finished, my sister-in-law is just getting started with the help of Grandma.

I've also been working at the Tea Room at the Depot in Mackinaw, IL and things have been busy...thus I have been busy too! I really enjoy the work and I highly recommend stopping by sometime for lunch Tuesday-Saturday, but please call to make a reservation first before stopping by...we highly appreciate and recommend it. :)

Anyway, onto more important matters....apple butter! This recipe comes from Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving. I never follow recipes to the T when cooking, but I definitely do when canning as you can mess up the acidity and cause the food to lose their shelf-life. I did modify how I prepared apples to be made into butter. This was my first time doing apple butter and it turned out great. I loved using the apple cider, because it's fresh and local this time of year. It does add another layer of flavor and it is super sweet with all the sugar, but oh so good!

Makes about eight 8oz jars or four pint jars

6 lbs apples, cored and quartered
2 cups sweet apple cider
3 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine apples and apple cider. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and boil gentle, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft.-time will depend on the firmness of the apples you used. Mine took only about 10-15 min!

Working in batches, transfer apple mixture to a food grinder or processor (I used a Victoro food grinder so I didn't need to peel the apples. You'll need to peel the apples if you use anything else). Grind or blend apples until a uniform consistency is reached. DO NOT liquify.

In a clean large stainless steel saucepan, combine apple puree, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens.*Note: To test thickness, place a small spoonful of butter on a chilled plate. If the mixture holds it's shape with just a small ring of liquid around the butter, it's ready.

Prepare canner, jars, and lids. *Note:Use a Ball or Kerr canning guide or this website

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html

Ladle hot apple butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace/ Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more hot apple butter. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store. You should hear the beautiful "pop" of the lids popping down to seal. If a jar does not seal properly, then you will be able to push the lid down. If this happens you can either re-can using a new lid or store that one in the fridge and eat it within a few weeks.


Canning things like apple butter makes great homemade holiday gifts or housewarming gifts. Homemade gifts are fun, unique and usually pretty cost effective. Just like the Soup Jars I gave last Christmas that were super fun to make! I bought some Avery labels and used their free downloadable templates to make more interesting labels than just white. I also need to send out a thank you to my grandmother who gave me the pretty quilted jars and fun plaid lids. Stocking stuffer? :)

Enjoy!
e