Go Anywhere Rhubarb Squares

Ingredients:

1 c. flour
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. butter
Filling:
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. finely chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

Procedure:
Combine flour & powdered sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of a greased 11-inch x 7-inch x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. For filling, combine first four ingredients. Stir in rhubarb; pour over warm crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Baked Jalepeno Poppers

Ingredients
12 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or less, to taste
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
8 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1 cup panko crumbs, or fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, cumin, and cayenne.
In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and 2 teaspoons of the Essence. In a shallow dish, combine the panko crumbs and remaining 4 teaspoons of Essence. In a third dish, combine the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the middle of each jalapeno half. One at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat. If necessary, repeat the process. Place the coated peppers, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is runny and the crust is golden, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately with cold beer.

*Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

**I'd add a little salt to the flour**

Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

What to do with those Easter Ham leftovers,..

Ham and Pea Pasta

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta - I used shells, use whatever you have.
1 pound cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces
frozen peas, drained (1/2 bag)
1/2 cup milk
ground black pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese - I just substituted a cup of Mexican shredded cheese

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium heat, and cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, until tender. Drain, and return to pot over low heat.
Lightly mix in the ham, peas, and milk, and sprinkle in the pepper and garlic powder. Stir in the Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, and cook about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts and the mixture is bubbling.

Great Blogs Opening the Door to Good Recipes

http://www.dailydeliciousness.com/2010/01/chipotle-style-bowls.htmlj

http://onceamonthmom.com/

http://outtatheboxintothekitchen.blogspot.com/

Men's Health to the Rescue!

Short Order Cook: http://www.menshealth.com/shortordercook/recipes/seeall.html

Chicken soft tacos fast!

Put in crockpot:

Chunky salsa, black beans, and chicken breasts. Let them cook all day. Then stir it up with a couple forks to shred the chicken (so tender it almost shreds itself). Add some cilantro, cook a bag of Birdseye steamfresh southwestern rice and you have yummy chicken soft tacos!

Easy Donut HOles

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,174,149187-251204,00.htmlContent Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powdercinnamon sugar (to taste)

Mix together. Drop by teaspoon into hot oil. Fry until brown. Drain. Roll in sugar and cinnamon while still warm (it's easy to do this in a clean brown paper lunch bag). Alternately, donuts may be dusted with powdered sugar.
To make cinnamon sugar, combine 1/2 cup granulated white sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon.

Lunch Green Chicken Salad

Healthy broccoli slaw salad with chicken breast, cilantro, grape tomatoes and trader joes lite cilantro dressing. And brown rice

Skinny Chicken Pisole

4 tsp olive oil
2 lb. ground s...kinless chicken breast
2 onions chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (15 oz) cans hominy, drained
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers
1 Tbsp chopped chipotle en adobo
1 Tbsp dried oreganoGarnish to go in bowls of posole
8 radishes finely chopped
6 scallions sliced on diagonal
1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and brown. Cook for 6 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add cumin and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, hominy, tomatoes, chipotle en adobo and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat. Partially cover and simmer until all the flavors are blended, for about 20 minutes. Combine radishes, scallions and cheese in a small bowl. Serve with soup.

Thinking of Egypt

These days have been tough, hearing about the uprising in Egypt.

I was only there for a few years, but what a wonderful few years they were. My big J turned 2 and 3 there. He attended the most wonderful preschool where he learned Arabic (his most hated subject), was very popular (we were always late and the kids would line the cement block fence and chant his name - I'm finding that's the same for him these days, when at his 4.0 assembly for 8th grade, there was a disturbingly loud squeal from many girls as his name was called and he shuffled to the stage,..) The kids made beautiful, yummy powdered sugar crescent moon Rhamadan cookies as well as had Santa saunter in on camelback.

My little Z-man travelled to Egypt when he was just 3 weeks old. I will never forget hubby holding him against the door in the Olympia, Washington Kinkos' to get his passport photo taken. Having to hold his little head up, but hide his hand at the same time. The ignorant idiot yelling "why does he need a passport when he's so little?!?!" And us answering him: "So he can go home."

What is so mind-reeling to me is that I just recently read an article on how Egypt was on the top of the list of vacation spots. Then the next day, total chaos.

We were there during another smaller uprising. The Isreali Ambassador, our neighbor in El Ma'adi where we lived, airlifted their family out at that time too. I told my work friend not to visit. We laid low for a while.

Then, we were on the move to Luxor, K having just been born back in the states, me staying with my parents for a while, getting my bearings as a mother now with three small children, moving to a foreign country, a new city. My dad came home early from a meeting to let me know that the twin towers had toppled; I wouldn't know when or on what continent I'd see my husband again. That prompted a move to the Philippines, to get out of what hubby's company at the time thought was too much of a liability - having the only American family in Luxor at the time.

I'm watching news, tweets and facebook closely. Reminicsing with old friends who have moved, checking in with others who are still there. Thinking about those who I have lost contact with over the years, hoping they know how much we are all rooting for them and praying they are safe.

A facebook post from a friend made me smile:

"Al Jezeera reported gunfire in my old expat neighborhood in Cairo. They were trying to block the entrance to Ma'adi. Here's a repost about what's happening from a CNN reporter & former neighbor, Ben Wedemen: "My wonderful wife has handed out baseball bats, clubs, kitchen knives and tea to neighbourhood patrol."

I remember going through orientation with this woman, who at the time, who wasn't half the fierce warrior she sounds like she is now. I remember Wedemen getting shot while on field reporting duty in Israel; all of us ex pats coming to their aid - not that they needed it, they are strong people - and making sure they and their kids (very small at the time) were recovering okay. Saying hello at our neighborhood hangout - Cafe Greco -way better coffee than Starbucks (sorry!). I visited the real Cafe Greco in Italy and giving a picture of it to my hangout in Cairo.

Hearing that this is being thought of as a game changing event - the Berlin Wall, the Ayatollah in Iran loosing power,.. wow.

I hope this beautiful country pulls through. I know it will. Egypt has been around for a long time and they will continue to live strong, proud and beautiful.

Easy Chicken Gumbo

Delicious!

5 1/2 lb chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, and breast halves with skin and bones)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb andouille* or other spicy smoked pork sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 medium onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock or broth1
1/2 cups water
1 (14- to 16-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained and chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained well
1 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Instructions:

Rinse and dry chicken then season with peper and salt. Heat a couple tablespoons oil in a skillet over moderately high heat until the oil hot but not smoking and brown the chicken. Turn down the heat and brown sausage. Drain the fat from the sausage by placing it on a paper towle. Using the some of the fat from browning the sauage cook onions, celery, and bell peppers, until onions are brown and soft. . Add garlic last as it will burn and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 1 cup stock and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a wide 8-quart heavy pot and add chicken, water, tomatoes, cayenne (if using), and remaining cup stock. Simmer, partially covered, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325°F. Transfer chicken with tongs to a clean bowl and measure cooking liquid with vegetables, adding additional water as necessary to measure 7 cups. If over 7 cups, boil to reduce. Stir rice into cooking liquid (in pot). Arrange chicken over rice (do not stir), then bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered, without stirring. Bake, covered, in middle of oven until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let jambalaya stand, covered, 10 minutes. Gently stir in scallion greens, sausage, and salt to taste.

Kids Have to Eat Too

Here is a great resource for kid recipes. Haven't tried them yet, but I will,..