Brazilian Lemonade

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they're the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk


Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk.

Serve immediately over lots of ice. Serves 4.

Chicken Taco Bowl Salad

• 3 large chicken breasts, thawed or fresh, cut into cubes
• 2 bags 12 large flour tortillas
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can corn
• 1 cup tomatoes diced, canned or fresh
• Taco sauce or salsa (use your fav, but I used Ortega red medium taco sauce)
• green & red bell peppers, diced (I used can of corn w/peppers already in)
• 2 jarred yellow banana (pepperocini) peppers, chopped
• 1 Tbs chopped garlic
• warchestorshire sauce (a few drops)
• pepper & salt (or season all salt) to taste
• chili powder
• butter
• olive or veg oil
• refried beans
• mexican cheese, shredded or crumbled
• lettuce shredded or torn (like romain, iceberg, spinach, etc)
• butter flavor cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 deg F.

Dice onion & sautee' in oiled & buttered pan over med-high heat. Salt & pepper onions to sweat. Add cubed raw chicken; season with pepper, salt (or season salt), chili powder & worchestershire sauce. Stir, then add chopped tomatoes, garlic & pepperocinis. Cook & stir chicken til white & fully cooked. Add black beans, corn, bell peppers, taco sauce. Let simmer for 5 min while stirring often. Cover & let stand while making tortilla bowls.

Get a cup cake pan. Take the tortillas & fold and fit each one into individual cup cake pan holes. Make sure the tortillas are basically open and have room to stuff food in. Spray tortillas with butter spray on inside & outside of tortilla. Bake at 400 deg. F for 10 minutes. Take out, let cool a bit. When ready, put food in crispy tortilla bowl layer by layer: 1)refried beans 2) chicken, beans & corn mix 3)lettuce 4) cheese. Serve and enjoy!

*Other topping options: fresh diced tomatoes, sliced fresh avocado, dollop of sour cream & guacamole

**Also, great idea for fun dessert: Make tortilla bowls, but after spraying with butter sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Bake as directed. Fill with fresh or cooked fruit, and or vanilla icecream. Top with honey & cinnamon. (fried ice cream!)

Chicken Enchiladas

4 cups (or so) cooked diced chicken
1 cup sour cream
2 cups grated cheese + more to sprinkle of top
1 small can chopped green chiles
12 corn (or flour) tortillas

Mix chicken, sour cream, cheese and chilies and set aside.

Soften corn tortillas by frying in hot oil for a few seconds.  Blot with paper towel to remove oil.  If using flour tortillas, omit this step.

Roll chicken mixture in tortillas and place in 9x13 pan.  Cover with sauce.  Top with more cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

SAUCE:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 to 3/4 bottle green taco sauce, to taste
1/3 cup milk

Chipotle's Chicken Marinade

From Top Secret Recipes

1 (2 oz) package dried ancho chilies (I did not use these)
1 (7 oz) can chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
6 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken

Soak dry chilies overnight in water, until soft. Remove seeds. Add chilies and rest of the ingredients in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
Stab chicken with fork to let marinade soak in. If you're marinating overnight, you won't need to stab it too much. If you're marinating for an hour, stab it all over!
Spread marinade over chicken, refrigerate for one hour or up to overnight.
After marinating, grill on medium high on an indoor grill where the chicken can be pressed flat.
If using a skillet, heat oil to medium high. Place a foil wrapped brick on top of chicken to press it flat.
If using an outdoor grill, use charcoal or wood chips to intensify the smoke flavor. Place foil wrapped bricks to press chicken flat.

Beijinho de Coco (Coconut Little Kiss)

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for pan
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
sweetened flaked coconut for decorating

Directions:

Bring milk and butter to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the milk has reduced to half and thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the 1/4 cup coconut and allow to cool a bit before pouring into a buttered bowl. Chill in the refrigerator until cold, about 2 hours.

With buttered or oiled hands, form milk mixture into tablespoon-sized balls, and roll in coconut flakes.

Brigadeiro

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 Tablespoon butter
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa, butter and condensed milk. Cook, stirring until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest until cool enough to handle. Form into balls, roll in sprinkles or crushed nuts, and eat at once or chill until serving.

2011 Monthly Themes

• January - "Mexican Food"
• February - "Citrus"
• March - "Breakfast Foods"
• April - "Foods That Freeze Well"
• May - "Appetizers"
• June - "Tea Party"
• July - "Salads"
• August - "Healthy Living"
• September - "Asian Food"
• October - "Crock Pot"
• November - "Soups and Stews"
• December - "Cookie Exchange"