Carmel Brownies

This recipe is from my friend and neighbor, Rebecca London, Water Lily street’s Bree Van De Camp! These are yummy and you will not be able to keep them around long!

1 bag of 50 caramels, unwrapped (a great helper job!)

1 box of German chocolate cake mix

1 can evaporated milk

¼ cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Melt the butter in a glass bowl and combine with the cake mix and 1/3 cup evaporated milk.

Press ½ of this cake mixture into a 9×13 pan. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes.

While the above is baking, melt the caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk over low heat in a saucepan. Use a low heat to ensure the caramel mixture does not burn.

Remove the pan after the 6 minutes and top with the chocolate chips and nuts (optional). Pour the melted caramel mixture over on top of this. Crumble the remaining ½ of the cake mixture over the caramel and nuts. Continue baking for another 15 – 18 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Janet

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

While everyone loves enchiladas, who has time to make them and roll them up? Here’s a variation on a classic Mexican dish.

4-6 chicken breasts

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 celery stalks

1 small onion, peeled and cut in quarters

2 lbs. Monterey Jack cheese (grated)

1 19 oz. can of green chile enchilada sauce

2 small cans of sliced olives

12 small corn tortillas

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

Step 1 – Preparing the chicken

This can be done a couple of different ways – while we all like to plan ahead, there are days when it does not happen. If you want to make this dish ahead of time (like the night before), boiling the chicken breasts in the stock with water, celery and onion is easy and efficient. Just put all the ingredients in a pot (a stock pot with an colander inside is great) and simmer for 30 minutes.

Another easy way to prepare the chicken is using your crock pot. Put all the ingredients in your crock pot in the morning and cook the chicken all day on low. When you are home, the chicken is ready to be cut up and/or shredded and you are on your way to step 2.

Step 2 – Making the casserole

Arrange 6 of the corn tortillas on the bottom of a 9×13 pan and pour 1/3^rd of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Layer ½ of the cut up or shredded chicken next. Cover the chicken with 1/3^rd of the shredded cheese; sprinkle 1 can of the sliced olives and some of the chopped cilantro on top of the cheese. Repeat this with the final layer of tortillas, sauce, cheese and olives.

Step 3 – Bake and serve

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until the cheese on top is bubbling. Serve warm. Additional toppings can include sour cream, the chopped cilantro and even salsa.

White Chili

3 pounds cooked Great Northern beans, canned or bottled

2 pounds boneless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 garlic cloves

2 medium onions, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground oregano

2 – 4 ounce chopped green chiles

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

20 ounces grated Monterey jack cheese

Sour cream and jalapeno peppers for garnish

Place chicken in large saucepan. Add cold water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. Remove from sauce pan and dice into ½” cubes.

Discard the water and using the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic, chilies, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano and cloves. Saute another 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken, beans, chicken stock and 12 ounces of the cheese, mixing well. This can all be transferred to a crock pot at this point and put on low until the ghouls and goblins either make it to the party or back from trick or treating! Ladle into large bowls and top with more grated cheese, sour cream or the jalapeno peppers.

Crab and Corn Chowder

This soup recipe is from a cooking school (Nothing To It) in Reno, where on a cold winter night after a day on the slopes, this soup hits the spot! Pair it with the chardonnay or other white wine used in the recipe.

Crab & Corn Chowder

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped white onion (1 medium onion)

1 cup sliced celery (2 large stalks)

1 ½ cups peeled, diced russet potatoes (1 extra large or 2 medium potatoes)

½ cup fish stock or clam juice

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

3 ears of corn, husked, rinsed, dried and brushed with olive oil

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 ½ cups milk

1 pint half & half

2 tablespoons dry white wine

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

8 ounces special grade crabmeat (already in bits and flakes and costs less than lump crab meat)

Fresh chives for garnish

Place prepared ears of corn on pre-heated grill. Grill until the corn is lightly browned – turning frequently so that the corn cooks evenly – approximately 10 minutes. When the corn has cooled, carefully cut the corn off the cob. This can be done in advance. In winter months, when fresh ears of corn are not available – 1 can of corn can be substituted in its place. Drain the corn, sauté in a non-stick pan with a small amount of olive oil.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until just tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add the diced potatoes and cook 5 minutes ore. Add the fish stock or clam juice, chicken broth and bay leaf, simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and set aside.

In a 3 quart stock pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Gradually whisk in the milk and half & half and continue to stir until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens.

Add the vegetables, corn and wine to the thickened milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the fresh crabmeat just before serving and heat through to a simmer. Serve immediately and garnish with chives.

A twist on a normal chili recipe – this is a perennial favorite for Halloween parties or before trick or treating!

Janet