Cream Cheese Crab Wontons

Whenever we order Chinese food, I always get a side of crab wontons. They're deep fried and yummy! I needed a more healthy version for eating at home, so these baked wontons fit the bill. They're great right out of the oven with sweet and sour sauce for dipping.

Ingredients:

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups chopped imitation crabmeat
1 diced green onion
2 teaspoons horseradish
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
30 refrigerated wonton wrappers

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Combine the cream cheese, onion, horseradish and garlic mixing well with an electric mixer. Add the crabmeat and mix until combined.
• Place 1 teaspoon of crab mixture in center of each wonton. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and fold in half (point to opposite point) over the crab. Press to seal.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden, turning halfway through baking.

Servings: 30 wontons

Apple Upside Down Cake

There's some guess work in this cake, but it's so good, that I doubt that you can go wrong! Be sure to put a baking sheet on the lower oven rack to avoid drips.

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2-2 apples, peeled and sliced
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Move top oven rack to center of the oven. Generously butter a 9-9.5 inch glass pie plate and arrange apples in the dish, cut side down.
• Combine 1 cup of the sugar and 1/3 cup water in small saucepan; cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color. DON'T STIR! Swirl the pan as the sugar melts. Pour evenly over apple slices.
• Cream 6 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Lower speed and add eggs, one at a time. Add sour cream, zest and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add to the butter mixture only until combined.
• Pour the cake batter evenly over the apple slices and bake in center of oven for 30-40 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool for 15 minutes on wire rack, then invert cake onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar.

Chicken Picadillo

A South American version of a chicken "hash"-- sweet and spicy ingredients combined to make a fast and easy dish for a weeknight dinner. Serve with rice combined with a little lime and cilantro, black beans and hot tortillas.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
2 teaspoon oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups bottled salsa
1/3 cups golden raisins, or dried cranberries
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

• Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add chicken, cumin, salt, cinnamon and garlic; cook for 3 min or until chicken is done, stirring frequently.
• Stir in salsa and raisins. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until heated. Stir in almonds and cilantro.
  

Servings: 4

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I never claimed to be an original cook. Most of my recipes came from my Mom or friends. I have been known to use a recipe right off the back of a product's packaging and this is one of them. On the Border Mexican Cantina and Grill restaurants market their chips and salsa through Tusco Enterprises http://www.tuscoenterprises.com/. I did modify the recipe somewhat. These are great tortilla chips, by the way.

Ingredients:

2 - 32oz containers of chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 large ripe avocados, mashed

3 tablespoons of salsa

4 tablespoons uncooked rice

1 cup salsa
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
On the Border Tortilla Chips

Directions:

• Mash avocados and 3 tablespoons of salsa. Set aside.
• Heat chicken broth to boil in a large saucepan. Add chicken breasts and cook until opaque. Remove chicken and cut into bite-size pieces.
• Add salsa and rice to broth. Cook 15 minutes until rice is tender. Return chicken to pan, and add chopped onion. Simmer 5 minutes.
• Just before serving add cilantro.
• To serve, break a handful of chips into bottom of each bowl. Ladle soup over chips. Top with cheese and rounded tablespoon of avocado.

Servings: 4-6

Scalloped Cabbage

Adjust the amount of white sauce according to how much cabbage you have or how creamy you like it. I always increase the buttered bread crumbs for extra crunch. To cook the cabbage, coarsely chop and place in a small amount of boiling water for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook covered for 6-8 minutes until crisp-tender.

Ingredients:
5 cups cooked cabbage
2 cups white sauce (below)
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

• Place cabbage in buttered baking dish. Pour white sauce over; sprinkle with bread crumbs then dot with butter.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Servings: 6

Basic White Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups heated milk
• salt, pepper

Directions:

• Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well blended
• Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sauce begins to thicken and boil.
• Simmer, stirring frequently, over very low heat for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper
• Makes 2 cupf of white sauce

Pork Roast with Cranberry-Apple Glaze

We had this pork roast for dinner on Saturday along with scalloped cabbage. Another winter weather meal that really satisfies. The glaze makes ample sauce to serve.

Ingredients:
1 2-3 pound pork loin roast (single loin)
salt, pepper
1 clove minced garlic
1 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups finely chopped apple
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of ginger
dash of cinnamon

Directions:

• Trim fat from roast; season with salt and pepper; rub with minced garlic.
• Roast for 60-80 minutes at 350 degrees. (155 degrees on meat thermometer.
• Combine glaze ingredients and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Puree half of the glaze in food processor or with immersion blender. Spoon pureed glaze over the roast during last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Reserve additional glaze and pass when serving.

Servings: 6-8