Persimmon Bread

painting by Kim

4 cups persimmons(cooking type)
1 cup oil
4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
5 cups flour
3 tsp. soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt and allspice
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix sugar, oil and persimmon in large bowl stir in vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture
Then add nuts. Grease and flour bundt pan or loaf pans. Bake 1 hr. and 45 min. 350 degrees until pick comes clean.

I haven't made this for awhile and I'm questioning the time that sounds too long. but I'll try it.
My Dad grows persimmons and pomigranits so we painted some pictures for him for Christmas. Jodi did the artichoke
Kim did the persimmons and Stefani is doing a pomegranate.

Artichoke Dip

painting by jodi

1 cup Mayo
1 8oz. pkg. Cream Cheese
1 bag of Parmesean Cheese
1 4oz. can Diced Green Chilies
1 can Artichoke Hearts (in water)

*Dice artichoke hearts
*Combine everything with 1/2 the bag of parmesean cheese in a small baking dish
*Sprinkle the rest of the parmesean cheese on top and bake @ 350 for 30-40 min.

(Serve with crackers, chips, or bread)

TORTILLA SOUP

4-Tbls. Oil
1-medium onion chopped
4-large cloves garlic roughly chopped
2-jalepenos, seeded sliced or diced
1 Tbls. dried oregano
1-tsp. Cumin
1-28 oz. Can chopped tomatoes
3-cups shredded chicken (we used a rotisserie chicken)
few dashes Worcestershire sauce
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
1-lime
Top with:
1/2-cup cooked rice for each serving
sour cream, avocado and cilantro for garnish

Heat oil over medium heat add chopped onion, sauté for 1-2 min. Add garlic and jalapeno sweat until soft and translucent. Add spices and cook 1-2 min until fragrant. Add tomatoes, chicken, worcestershire sauce and stock, add beans and corn, bring to simmer and cook 20 min. Cut lime in 1/2 squeeze lime juice and add lime halves. (remove limes if you have leftovers)

Put 1/2 cup of rice in the bottom of a bowl, ladle soup on top and garnish.

If you've ever had Cafe Rio's Tortilla Soup this is very similar and is made often in our house. The heat can be adjusted by the peppers.

Pumpkin muffins

1 small can pumpkin
1 cake spice cake mix
2 eggs

mix all ingredients until there are no lumps. spoon into
sprayed muffin tins. Bake 350 for 12-15 min. or till done.

you can add chocolate chips or nuts. Recipe can be made
with other flavors of cake mix like chocolate or yellow etc.

Cream of Tomato Basil Soup

2 (28oz) cans whole tomatoes (reserve juice)
2 Tbls. Brown sugar
4 Tbls. Butter
2 Tbls. Tomato paste
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 Tbls. Flour
2 cans chicken stock
2 Red Bell peppers (roasted)- fresh or in a jar
1 cup pesto
1 ½ cups half and half

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil. Squeeze out seeds and arrange tomatoes on baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake until liquid is evaporated and tomatoes caramelize (about 30 min). Heat butter, onion, and tomato paste. Saute until onions soften. Add flour and cook for 1 min. Gradually add chicken stock and reserved tomato liquid. Bring to a boil. Puree tomatoes and peppers in blender until smooth. (Add a little of the liquid from the pot to help the blending process) Return to stove top and simmer for 15 min. Five min. before serving add pesto and half and half.

Very delicious when served with grilled cheese, bacon and granny smith apple sandwiches on sourdough bread!

Russian Chicken

So easy and SO good...

1 cup russian bottled dressing
1 cup apricot jam
1 packet lipton onion soup mix

Combine in a bowl and pour over four pieces of chicken in 9x13 pan bake at 400 until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over rice!

The last time we made this we threw in junks of onion, bell peppers, carrots and pineapple and it made it sort of a sweet and sour dish.

(This recipe is so easy and it is by far one of my favorite things to make!)

Chipotle's Spicy Guacamole

1 large ripe avocado 

2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large serrano chilies seeded, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

using fork, mash avocado with lime juice in small bowl.  Add cilantro, chopped onion

chopped garlic, serrano chilies and salt. stir to combine Makes one cup.

Skillet Chicken Parmigiana

1/4 cup olive or veg. oil 4 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 cup chopped onions 1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped                  1 egg, beaten

1 can (28oz.) crushed or chopped tomatoes 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tsp. sugar 2 tlbs. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1. In 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 tbls of the oil over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic in oil 2 minutes,

stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.

2. Between sheets of waxed paper, flatten chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. In shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Dip chicken into egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture.

3. In 12 inch skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in oil 10 to 15 min, turning once, until no longer pink in center. Pour tomato sauce around chicken skillet. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over chicken; cover and heat until melted. Sprinkle with 2 tbls Parmesan cheese just before serving.

4 servings

 

Tortellini and Zucchini Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large carrots, finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
2 medium zucchini, diced
9 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh or frozen tortellini, preferably spinach-&-cheese
4 plum tomatoes, diced or can of chopped or stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots and onion; stir, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and just beginning to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Stir in broth and zucchini; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add tortellini and tomatoes and simmer until the tortellini are plump and the tomatoes are beginning to break down, 6 to 10 minutes. Stir vinegar into the hot soup just before serving.

This is a very yummy soup but we added garbanzo beans which was very good!