BRAISED CHILE CHICKEN

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1 chicken (4 to 5 lbs), cut into pieces

1 can (14 - 1/2 oz) diced peeled tomatoes

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 can (4 oz) whole green chiles, cut into strips

1 fresh jalapeno chile, minced

1 can chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

black pepper

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a pot just large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, whisk together cornmeal, chile powders and salt. Dredge chicken in cornmeal mixture, turning to coat.

Add half the chicken pieces to pot and cook, turning once, until well browned on all sides and skin is very crisp, about 8 minutes; remove and set aside. Brown remaining chicken the same way.

Add tomatoes, chicken stock, canned chiles, half the jalapeno and the chipotle chile in pot. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and arrange chicken pieces, side side up, on top of sauce. being careful not to let sauce completely cover crisp skin. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove chicken from sauce and transfer to a platter. Season with salt and pepper and add remaining jalapeno to taste. Spoon sauce around chicken and garnish with cilantro.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Notes: Serve with rice and beans, cornbread or flour tortillas. The leftovers make GREAT!!! tacos.

" BROWN SUGAR CORNMEAL MUFFINS "

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease twelve 3-by-1-1/2 inch muffin cups.

In a large bowl stir together

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

In another medium bowl beat together

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 - 8oz. carton plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Add butter mixture to flour mixture and mix lightly. Spoon mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl mix together and sprinkle on top of each muffin before baking.

2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornmeal

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.

Yields: 12 muffins

Helpful hints: Vanilla yogurt can be use instead of plain, if you do omit the 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Don't over mix batter.

TACO PIE

This was entered in the first contest KRAFT had in the New Mexico State Fair. My recipe was picked from hundreds of recipes entered that year. I was one of nine delicious recipes that won. There were three categories Busy Day Recipes, Everyday Family Dinners and Casual Entertaining. I entered this recipe in the Everyday Family Dinners category. This was a great experience for me. My family will never forget all the trial recipes they had to try before I came up with this winning recipe, we had a lots of fun filled memories that will last a life time. I had named it KRAFTY TACO PIE, but Kraft changed the name to just TACO PIE. I put a lot of heart n soul in this recipe and added lots of love for my family. Now you can do the same!

CORNMEAL CRUST:

Heat oven to 475 F

In a medium size bowl mix

1 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1.2 teaspoon salt

Cut in with a pastry blender or a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

1/4 cup ( 1 ounce ) shredded Longhorn Style Colby/Monterrey Jack cheese

1/3 cup shortening

Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, while mixing lightly until dough forms a ball.

3 to 4 tablespoons water

Press crust into 10-inch pie plate. Prick bottom and side thoroughly with fork about 50 times to prevent shrinkage. Bake 10 minutes or until light golden brown; remove from oven the cool.

FILLING:

Reduce oven temperature to 400 F. Mix together and spread onto bottom of cooled crust.

1 can ( 16 ounces ) refried beans

1/2 cup salsa

On top of bean mixture, arrange around edge of pie plate.

2 small tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onions.

Mash together and mix well. Then spoon mixture in the center if the bean mixture.

2 avocados, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Then sprinkle over top.

1/2 cup ( 2 ounces ) shredded Longhorn Style Colby/Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 can ( 2-1/4 ounces ) sliced ripe olives

Bake 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.

Make 8 servings

Helpful hints; You can use any kind of shredded cheese.

Use your family's favorite salsa

Prep time 30 minutes

Total cooking time about 25 minutes

" SWEET BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD "

My family loves sweet cornbread. When I was a young girl my best friend mother made cornbread for her family. I remember eating it for supper and then we would eat it for breakfast. She would give us a piece in a bowl with milk poured over it. This was the first time I ate cornbread this way. I didn't think I would like it, but to my surprise it was delicious. Now my grandchildren and me eat it this way as a treat for breakfast. Hope you enjoy this sweet cornbread as much as I do and share it with the ones you Love. Remember what you make with all your heart n soul is made with Lots of Love.

Geri

Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread

1/4 cup butter ( melted, slightly cooled )

2 eggs

2 cup buttermilk

1 cup cornmeal

2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Grease a 9 x 12 inch baking dish.

In a med. bowl mix butter, eggs and buttermilk, set aside

In a large bowl combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add buttermilk mixture to cornmeal mixture blend together, a few lump will remain.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

serves 12