SIXTH CHALLENGE

Thanks for this Shellee...I needed to do a new recipe anyway! I was dying to see what would come up and I was kind of sad that it was something recent and not embarrasing to anyone...HAHA

This is a picture of what Rachel made for her German class. She had to prepare a meal, bring in recipes and take pictures.

We got this out of Emeril's Junior Cookbook. We have made it many times since and we love it!!!

GERMAN APPLE PANCAKE

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
*We used Granny Smith, it is the best flavor for this!
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
Confectioners' sugar
Maple syrup (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs, milk, flour, and vanilla, and whisk until just blended, being careful to not overmix. Set the batter aside to rest at least 20 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 450ºF.

In a heavy ovenproof 12-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat. Add the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are soft and lightly golden around the edges, about 6 minutes.

Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the apples are caramelized and very soft, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir to melt.

Working very quickly, pour the batter evenly over the top of the apples. Using oven mitts or pot holders, transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the pancake is golden brown and puffed, about 15 minutes. Don't be alarmed when you see the edges of the pancake puff up over the top of the pan--this is supposed to happen!

Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the skillet from the oven and serve the pancake immediately, sprinkled with sifted confectioners' sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

Now it is your turn...
Go to the photo folder in your computer
Go to the 6th folder of photos.
Go to the sixth picture.
Put the picture on your blog and description of it.
Invite six friends to join the challenge.

Chicken Chili

We in the Harris House love our chili, and we like it spicy. This recipe is for you non beef eaters, Natalie, or those of you that just want to try a new chili recipe. I forgot to buy the jalapeno and made it without one this week. It has a great flavor. I have played with the ingredients so it is the way we like it.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
4 (15 ounce) cans white beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over med-low heat. Put onion, chilies and jalapeno in a food processor and pulse until well chopped. Slowly cook and stir the onion mixture until tender. Mix in the garlic, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir until tender. Stir in Chicken broth, chicken, corn and white beans. Simmer at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Jack Cheese if you want but we do not waste our time adding cheese to chili.

For those of you bringing dessert for Thanksgiving dinner...

I love this cake. This is also called 'Kori and Natalie's Friendship Cake'...uhh, I just made that up. We had this at what I will always call a 'Relief Society' Activity. Some people call it Enrichment. WHATEVER!!! Nat and I met that night. So we call this our cake...

PUMPKIN SHEET CAKE

4 Eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
15 oz can pumpkin
Mix together above ingredients.
2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp clove
½ tsp nutmeg

Mix in dry ingredients and blend well, scraping sides. Grease a large cookie sheet (Mine measures a little bigger than 12x17) and pour batter into pan. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. For a 10x15 inch pan, cook it for 25 minutes. Cool completely and then frost with cream cheese frosting. You can add nuts to the batter or sprinkle over the frosting. But that would be yucky...

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP milk
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese first with hand mixer to soften and then add in the rest of the ingredients.

Get Your Soup On!

I LOVE SOUP and it is the perfect time of the year for it. Here is my challenge to you...Put a soup recipe on your blog!

This is one that I made last night and it is sure to be a favorite at our house! The kids said it was a little too spicy though. But that's the way I like it!

SPICY CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

I large onion, chopped
2 tbsp. oil
1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies
3 garlic cloves minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
49.5 oz can chicken broth
1-15 oz can tomato sauce
1-14 ½ oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
3 cans (5 oz) white chicken, drained (I used more chicken, almost doubled it.)
1/4 cup minced fresh Cilantro
2 tsp. Lime juice
Mexican shredded cheese
Tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil; add the chilies, garlic, jalapeno and cumin. I actually put my onion, jalapeno and can of chilies in my processor and pulsed it for a while. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; stir in chicken, beans and corn. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper, if desired. Top with crushed tortilla chips and cheese. Chips and cheese not optional!

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

This is a great cookie for fall or anytime of the year.

1 Pkg Carrot cake mix with pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup margarine or butter melted
1 egg
1-16 can Cream Cheese frosting (homemade is better but if you want a canned frosting try Duncan Heins 'homestyle'. Theirs is actually pretty good.)
36 candy candy pumpkins, similar to candy corns-optional

Heat oven to *350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. In large bowl combine cake mix, pumpkin, margarine or butter and egg; stir until combined. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. (I cook for 12 or they dry out.) Let cool for 2 minutes and remove from trays.

Frost cooled cookies with cream cheese frosting. Top with pumpkin candy or colored sugars for a cute presentation. We like them plain. They have a muffin like consistency. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Recipes...

So Kathryn said, "Where are all your recipes??? You didn't post them right." You are right, I didn't post them, I change them out all the time. So I will be adding them back in for those of you that want them...and those of you who could care less...and/or those of you that want to steal them and put them on your own BLOG!

Salsa My Recipe!

1-14.5 oz can tomatoes and green chilies-Del Monte
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 large jalapeno, cut up. (I leave in the seeds)
½ of a yellow onion
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
1/4 tsp sugar

Process onion and jalapeno in food processor. I put them in separately because I like to make sure the jalapeno is finely chopped. Transfer to blender. Add tomatoes and other ingredients and give a few quick pulses. (Depending on how chunky you like your salsa.) Place in a covered container and chill to blend flavors.

You can play with the heat of the salsa. This is medium to hot depending on your taste. If you want it milder leave out the membrane in the pepper.

Paula Deen Gone Bananas

I LOVE Paula Deen. Anyone who cooks with as much butter and cream as she does, has to be a great friend to have! But after watching her GONE BANANAS episode, I have to wonder about her. This recipe is so crazy it has to be good. However, I am a little hesitant to try this one...Now the Banana Split Brownie Pizza, I am all over! Anyone willing to try it? Come on Amy, you can do it. You were asking for recipes!

Cheesy Ham and Banana Casserole Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Butter
12 slices white bread
8 large slices deli ham
4 bananas, sliced on the bias
2 cups shredded Cheddar
2 cups crushed potato chips
6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9 by 13 glass baking dish. Butter both sides of the bread and layer 6 of them into the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping them as necessary but keep them even. Layer the slices of ham on top of the bread and then the bananas, 6 more slices of bread, then the cheese, potato chips, and bacon. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour this over the casserole almost to the top. Bake for 45 minutes until brown and bubbly. Cut into squares and remove with a spatula, like lasagna.