#83 Chipotle Tomatillo Salsa

This is a recipe from my April cooking class with T. Pechey. Fresh salsas are so tasty and healthy to boot.

Ingredients:

• ½ to 1 chipotle chili
• 1 lb tomatillos
• ½ red onion
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• ⅓ cup cilanro or parsely, chopped - do not use stems
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 bag tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Place the lime juice, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to dissolve sugar.

2. Finely mince 1/2 of the chipotle and keep mincing until it's a paste-like consistency. Add the minced chipotle and any liquid to the lime juice mixture. Stir well to incorporate.

3. Remove and discard the husks from the tomatillos. Rinse the tomatillos under running water to remove the stickiness. Chop the tomatillos into 1/4 inch pieces and add to the bowl.

4. Dice the red onion into 1/4 inch pieces and add to the bowl.

5. Cut the yellow bell in half and remove and discard the membrane and seeds. Chop the bell pepper into 1/4 inch pieces and add t o the bowl.

6. Add the parsley and oregano. Stir the entire mixture really well. Taste a little of the mixture. If you feel that it needs more heat, then finely mince the other half of the chipotle.

7. Serve with tortilla chips.

NOTES:

I couldn't find tomatillos the last time I made this recipe so I used roma tomatoes. I seeded three roma tomatoes and then chopped them up.

Lime flavoured tortilla chips are my favourite with this salsa.

#82 Banana Pudding Squares

I haven't tried this recipe yet but I plan to. I have a weakness for bananas :)

This recipe come from Kraft Canada. It can be viewed along with a picture at http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/banana-pudding-squares-94540.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbecaen-_-20110413-_-1160

Ingredients:

• 25 Nilla Vanilla Wafers, finely crushed (about 1 cup)
• 3 Tbsp. non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
• 1 pkg. (250 g) Philadelphia Light Brick Cream Cheese Spread, softened
• ½ cup icing sugar
• 3 cups thawed Cool Whip Light Whipped Topping, divided
• 3 bananas
• 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O Vanilla Fat Free Instant Pudding
• 3 cups cold skim milk
• ½ square Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, grated

Directions:

1. Combine wafer crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Mix cream cheese spread and sugar in medium bowl until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip; spread carefully over crust. Cut bananas crosswise in half, then cut each piece lengthwise in half. Arrange over cream cheese mixture.

3. Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk 2 min.; pour over bananas. Cover with remaining Cool Whip; sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate 3 hours.

NOTES:

How to Easily Remove Dessert from Dish: Line dish with foil before using, with ends of foil extending over sides of dish. Prepare recipe and refrigerate as directed. Use foil handles to remove dessert from dish before cutting into squares to serve.

#81 Rhubarb Dump Cake

This recipe comes from Kraft Canada. It can be viewed along with a picture at http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/rhubarb-dump-cake-122032.aspx. I hope to try this soon with some of my grandma's frozen rhubarb.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. (450 g) fresh rhubarb, chopped (about 4 cups)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 pkg. (85 g) Jell-O Strawberry Jelly Powder
• 1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350ºF.

2. Place rhubarb in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with sugar and dry jelly powder.

3. Stir cake mix, water and butter with fork just until cake mix is moistened. (Do not overmix.) Pour over rhubarb; spread to completely cover rhubarb.

4. Bake 45 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm topped with Cool Whip.

NOTES: Cake is also excellent served cold. Cake can be baked ahead of time. Cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

#81 Bacon & Maple Scalloped Potatoes

I haven't tried this recipe yet. To date my signature scalloped potato recipe is Silk Purse Potatoes from Taste of Home. However I do think that this recipe has promise. According to my husband, all recipes with bacon are winners. This recipe along with a picture can be found on the Kraft Canada website at http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/bacon-maple-scalloped-potatoes-123145.aspx

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 125 g (1/2 of 250-g pkg.) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, cubed
• 1 can (10 fl oz/284 mL) 25%-less-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Recipe Pieces
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 lb. (900 g) Yukon gold potatoes (about 6), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 cup Kraft Double Cheddar Shredded Cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F.

2. Cook onions in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 3 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Remove onions from skillet.

3. Add cream cheese, broth and milk to skillet; cook and stir on medium-low heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat; stir in bacon and syrup.

4. Place half the potatoes in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover with layers of onions and shredded cheese. Top with remaining potatoes and cream cheese sauce; cover.

5. Bake 1 hour 5 min. or until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown, uncovering after 50 min.

#80 Perogies with Sour Cream and Onion Sauce

This recipe was developed by my grandmother. It is one of our favourite ways to eat perogies.

Ingredients:

• 24 perogies, cook as directed
• ½ cup butter
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Cook perogies as directed on package. Drain and set aside.

2. While perogies are cooking, melt the butter in a fry pan. Add chopped green onions and heat the onions through.

3. Remove the fry pan from heat and add sour cream. Stir until mixed. You may want to put on low heat to help mix until smooth but do not cook or sour cream will curdle or separate.

4. Pour over cooked perogies and serve.

NOTES:

Depending on number of perogies, make more or less sauce.

#79 Glaze for Ham

So the first time I decided to host my in-laws for Easter dinner, I decided to make a ham. A few days before the feast I made my way to my neighbourhood grocery store to select my ham. As a first time ham cooker, I was surprised to find that purchasing a ham is easier said than done. When looking around the grocery store meat section I found there were many different types and sizes of ham. Sensing my distress one of the staff in the meat department approached me to see if I needed any help. I told her that I needed a ham to feed about 14 people and that I was cooking for my in-laws so I wanted to do a good job. The meat clerk immediately instructed me to follow her. She picked out a ham for me (I think it was a bone-in shank but it may have been a butt) and she told me to get a piece of paper and pen out of my purse. She instructed me to put the ham in a roaster, cut side down and pour a beer over it. She then gave me the oven temperature and the cooking time as well as this recipe glaze for the last 1/2 hour to hour of cooking. As far as I could tell, the ham was a hit and I have used this glaze on hams ever since!

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup honey
• ⅓ cup rye whiskey
• ⅓ cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Combine the honey, whiskey, and brown sugar in a small pot. Heat over low heat on the stove until the brown sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well blended.

2. Brush over ham every 10 to 15 minutes in the last 1/2 hour to hour of cooking time for the ham.

NOTES:

If you want more or less glaze, just mix equal parts of the honey, whiskey, and brown sugar.

#78 Coconut Cream Dessert

This recipe is from Taste of Home (February/March 2005, p49). It can be found online at http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Coconut-Cream-Dessert-2.

Ingredients:

• CRUST
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup cold butter, cubed
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• FILLING:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 4 cups cold 2% milk
• 1-½ teaspoons coconut extract
• 3 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups flaked coconut, divided

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in the pecans. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth; fold in 1 cup whipped topping. Spread over the crust.

3. In another large bowl, whisk the milk, extract and pudding mixes for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 1-1/2 cups coconut. Spread over cream cheese mixture.

4. Top with remaining whipped topping. Toast remaining coconut; sprinkle over top.

5. Refrigerate overnight.

(Serves 15)

NOTES:

I noticed you can not buy coconut cream instance pudding in the stories where I live. But my aunt and grandma suggested purchasing vanilla instant pudding and adding coconut flavouring or prepare it with coconut milk.