Fried Rice - Bacon-style

The other day I cooked up a pot of rice only to realize that we had potatoes and gravy in the fridge that would go better with the main course (grilled brisket). So we tried to think of what we could do with 4-1/2 cups of cooked rice, and Russ said "Fried rice!" So here it is.

Ingredients:

4-1/2 C cooked rice

1 small onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
7-8 strips of bacon, cooked
3 eggs
2 large green onions
soy sauce to taste

In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and crumble.

Saute the onions in the bacon grease.

Add eggs and cook. Add green pepper and celery. Add rice and mix all together.

Add soy sauce and blend. Add bacon and green onions.

Heat thoroughly. Serve hot.

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Fresh Salsa

Is there anything better than fresh salsa? Can't you just smell the cilantro and chili peppers working together to create such utter joy and happiness? I can. Mostly because I just made some this weekend. And here's how:

Ingredients
2 Anaheim peppers
4 small orange chili peppers
5 roma tomatoes
1 medium onion
As much cilantro as you can handle
2 gloves of fresh minced garlic
Juice of 1 small line
salt & pepper to taste

Remove the stems and seeds of the peppers. You can leave some of the seeds, if you want your salsa to have more kick.

Cut tomatoes and onions into large chunks. Remove the long stem part of the cilantro and cut up some.

Put all ingredients in food processor and chop until it's the consistency you want.

Serve with chips.

Variation:
Cut up a medium avocado and add AFTER you remove from food processor.

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Braided Rosemary Bewitchment

I got the idea for this from Jamie Cooks It Up! I started with the rosemary bread recipe and went from there. Next time, we'll try pastrami and Swiss cheese.

Ingredients:
1 batch rosemary bread
1 Tbl melted butter
sliced turkey
sliced medium cheddar cheese
1 Tbl rosemary
grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare the bread up through the first rise.

Spread parchment paper out large enough for your loaf. Lightly grease the paper. On the paper, roll out the dough in a long rectangle.

Using a pizza cutter, cut one inch wide strips along both long sides of the rectangle, leaving about a gap down the center uncut for your filling.

Place the turkey and cheese down the center of the dough.

Over lap the dough strips in the center over the top of your fillings.

Place the braid (with parchment paper) on a cookie sheet and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Melt the butter and brush over the braid.

Sprinkle with rosemary.

Grate Parmesan cheese over the loaf.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

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Chicken Velvet Soup

This soup is so creamy. I'm really happy to finally be blogging one of my favorite things in the world to make. This soup is relatively easy, and you can whip it up in a relatively short amount of time. Yes, everything about this soup is relative. I even got the recipe from a relative: my brother, Terry. Thanks, Terry! He makes it better than I do, but this isn't his blog.

Prep time is 15-20 minutes, once you have the stock prepared and the chicken ready. Though I sometimes use canned chicken, this is especially tasty with grilled chicken.

Ingredients:
1/3 C butter
3/4 C flour
6 C chicken stock (can use bouillon)
2 C cream (or milk/cream combination of your choice)
1-1/2 C chicken, cooked and diced or shredded
1/2 tsp salt
white pepper

Melt butter.

Add flour. Stir until blended.

Add 2 C hot stock and cream. Cook slowly until thick, stirring continuously.

Add remaining stock and chicken.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serves about 6.

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Chicken Enchiladas

From the kitchen of Carol Berlin

Whether you call them chicken enchiladas or enchilada casserole, this seems to be a favorite of many people. My husband has been asking me to make this dish for a while, and I finally had the ingredients to do it.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pt sour cream
3-1/2 C shredded cheddar or Monterery Jack cheese
12 tortilla shells, flour or corn
1/2 C onion, chopped

Grill chicken. Shred or dice.

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease large baking dish.

Set some cheese aside for top. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream, cheese, and onions in large bowl.

Heat tortillas until flexible. Place 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of mix in each tortilla. Roll filled tortillas and place in baking dish.

Pour remaining mix over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Top with sour cream and fresh salsa.

Variations:

• Cooked broccoli
• Green onions

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