Sumptuous, mouth watering

chimichangas

will bring your family running to the dinner table every time, without you even having to call them .  The wonderful aroma will be enough to stir their interest.  This meal is very filling, and adds an international flavor.   Bon appetit!

This recipe is easy to make using leftover chicken.   Feel free to substitute cooked ground beef or chopped steak.

2 1/2 cups chicken, cooked, shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
16 ounces salsa
1/2 teaspoon cumin
pinch of salt
6 ? 10 inch flour tortillas
1 cup refried beans
Olive oil (for basting)
Sour Cream
Guacamole

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender.  Stir in chili powder, salsa, and cumin. Stir in shredded chicken.  Let cool.  Grease rimmed 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon a heaping tablespoon of beans down center of each tortilla. Top with a scant 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture. Fold up the bottom, top and sides of tortilla; secure with wooden toothpicks if necessary. Place chimichangas in greased baking pan, seam side down. Brush all sides with the oil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning every 5 minutes.  Serve with sour cream and guacamole.

*Note:  This is one of those mexican suppers that is truly delightful – a good choice for your teenagers having their friends over to dinner!

Serves 8-10

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and I have a very resourceful website for ya’ll.   It includes holiday humor, suggested videos “to get through the holiday” with a smile on your face, as well as many cooking recipes/tips, decoration ideas, and novel drink notions.

It even has an iPhone application to aid you ladies (or men) in organizing your day.  This should help relieve the pressure, as well as organizing your Thanksgiving!

Here’s the link —>   Thanksgiving Resource

P.S.  It offers an iPhone application to help get you organized !!

Burnt Pumpkin Pie

At epicurious.com they offer a delicious, mouth watering recipe for burnt pumpkin pie.  If some of you ladies have never tried this, it is not only wonderful but a

memorable dessert

for your guests to rave about:

• 1 recipe pâte brisée
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup pecan halves
• sweetened whipped cream as an accompaniment

Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch (1-quart) pie tin. Crimp the edge of the dough decoratively and chill the shell for 30 minutes.

In a heavy saucepan cook the sugar over low heat, undisturbed, until it is melted, cook it over moderately low heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is a deep caramel color, and stir in the corn syrup, stirring the mixture until it is combined well. Add the rum and the butter and cook the mixture for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool until it stops bubbling.

In a bowl whisk together the eggs, the vanilla, and a pinch of salt and add the syrup mixture in a stream, whisking. In another bowl whisk together the pumpkin purée and the ginger and whisk in 1 1/4 cups of the egg mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared shell, arrange the pecan halves decoratively on the mixture, and spoon the remaining egg mixture over the pecans. (The pecans will float to the top.) Bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is set and the crust is pale golden, let it cook, and serve it warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream.

Recipe for pâte brisée -

Ingredients

Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

1 lb chicken breasts, cut in thin strips or 2” cubes
1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt (essential for flavor)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp curry powder (or to taste)
1 tbsp evaporated cane juice or other sweetener of choice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut milk powder
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 apple, cubed
1 sweet potato, 1” cubed
1 1/2 tbsp. Coconut oil

Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Put chicken in the skillet, dust with curry, salt, pepper and sweetener. Add onions, apple, potatoes and garlic & sauté about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and water. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are done. Add coconut milk powder and stir until completely dissolved into thick gravy. Remove from heat and serve over bread or rice.

Suggested toppings: Chopped peanuts, Chopped green onions, Chopped cucumbers, Shredded coconut, Raisins, Chutney, Sliced bananas that are sprinkled with lemon juice, Chopped pickles, Sweet peppers, yellow, green or red.

Recipe by: Wilderness Family Naturals

P.S. I tried their sweet mango pepper dressing – it was to die for.