ARROZ con POLLO (CHICKEN with RICE)

6 chicken thighs( about 6 oz. each)

1 tablespoon chili powder

about 1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 fresh jalapeno chiles, rinsed, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 -1/2 cups long-grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes

1 - 3/4 cups frozen corn kennels

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt to taste

Remove skin from chicken. Trim off and discard excess fat. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Rub chili powder all over pieces.

Set a 12 - inch frying pan with 2 - inch tall sides or a 5 to 6 quart pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil and tilt pan to coat bottom. Add chicken in a single layer and turn as needed to brown on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes total, ( if necessary, brown in two batches, adding 1 more tablespoon oil if needed). Transfer to a plate.

Add onion, garlic and jalapeno chiles to pan; stir often until onion is limp, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add rice; stir often until rice is opaque, about 3 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes (including juices) and corn. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Lay chicken pieces slightly apart in pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender to bite and chicken is longer pink at the bone (cut to test), 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and salt to taste.

YIELDS: Makes 4 servings

"MOM'S BEST APPLE PIE"

Crust: 10 inch double pie crust

Prepare pie crust and put in the refrigerator until needed. Pie Crust should stay cold until you put it in the oven.

Preheat oven to 375 F

In a large bowl place

8 cups peeled and sliced Granny Smith Apples ( about 8 medium apples )

In a medium bowl combine

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Add to sugar mixture and mix well.

4 tablespoons butter; melted

1 - 8 oz carton vanilla yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour mixture over sliced apples and stir until apples are coated evenly.

Put apple mixture into refrigerator. Take out pie dough and roll out as directed.

Pour apple filling into unbaked pie crust. Moisten pastry edge with water and cover with top crust. Fold top edge under bottom crust, flute edge.

Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut silts or design on top of crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until filling in center is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool until barely warm or to room temperature before serving.

Yields: one 10 inch pie

"FINNISH FARMERS SOURDOUGH RYE BREAD"

1 ( 1/4 oz. ) package active dry yeast

1 - 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup warm water

1 - 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

3/4 cup sourdough starter ( see recipe below )

1 - 1/2 cups medium flour

2 to 2 - 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

melted butter for brushing

In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar and warm water. Let stand 10 minutes. With wooden spoon or mixed at low speed, stir in salt, oil, caraway seeds and sourdough starter. Beat in 1/2 cup each rye flour and all-purpose flour. Add 1 cup rye flour and beat well. Gradually stir in all but 1 cup all-purpose flour.

Turn dough out on floured surface and knead 10 minutes, adding remaining flour as needed to make stiff dough. Wash and grease large bowl. Place dough in greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about in size, about 1 hour. Grease a large baking sheet.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead each portion and shape into smooth balls. Place on opposite ends of prepared baking sheet, cover and let rise in warm place until loaves are doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Press the long handle of a wooden spoon across the middle of each loaf, almost to the bottom of the loaf. Make 2 more indentations on either side. Loaves will flatten out. Brush loaves with melted butter. Bake 35 minutes or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

Sourdough Starter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ( 1/4 oz. ) package active yeast

2 cups warm water

In a 4 to 6 cup plastic pitcher or large nonmetallic bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat with a wooden or plastic spoon until blended. Fermentation will dissolve small lumps. Cover with a cloth. Set in a warm place free from drafts and let ferment 2 to 3 days. Stir mixture several times a day.

To use, remove starter needed for recipe. Refrigerate remaining starter in a plastic pitcher or container with a lid that has an air vent or hole in it. Label container with contents.

After using some starter, replenish by stirring in equal amounts of water and all-purpose flour ( such as 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup flour ). Let starter stand at room temperature until full of bubbles. Refrigerate. If a clear liquid forms on top, stir back into starter.

" GLAZED PEAR SHORTCAKE "

1 - 16 oz. can sliced pears in heavy syrup; drain and reserve all pear syrup

1 - 3/4 cup all propose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

1 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a non-stick cooking spray onto a 8 - inch cake pan.

Drain pears and reserve all the syrup. Pat pears dry with paper towels.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mix well. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour 3/4 cup pear syrup into flour mixture and mix gently with wooden spoon just until blended. Don't over mix. Spoon batter into prepared cake pan. Arrange sliced pears over batter in a circular pattern. Brush with some of the reserved syrup. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and cake is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Brush with more reserved syrup. Invent cake onto a plate, remove from pan. Return to an upright position onto wire rack to continue cooling. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

Yields: one 8 - inch shortcake

Notes: Other can fruit can be substituted, like sliced peaches or pineapple rings.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

WOW!!! Chocolate Chip Cookies. I developed this recipe in 1992. I had been entering cookies in the New Mexico State Fair for 2 years and hadn't won a blue ribbon with my chocolate chip cookies. So, I started trying different combinations of ingredients in what I thought was a great recipe. One morning I decided to add a box of instant pudding, Eureka!!! The cookies were even greater than the other recipe. This GREAT recipe won a blue ribbon the first time I entered it and a blue ribbon every year I entered them. Its an easy recipe. Make these GREAT cookies with all your heart n soul and show someone how much you LOVE them.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl cream together

1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Add to the creamed mixture one at a time, and mix well after each.

2 eggs
1 - 3-1/2 oz. box instant vanilla pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Now add until everything is mixed together

2 - 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecan pieces

Drop by heaping teaspoonful onto a non greased cookies sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges and center are lightly brown. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Yields : 4 - 1/2 dozen GREAT cookies

" Bread of the Week "

I love making my own pizza dough. My grand-daughters really enjoy making donuts with the dough. I just cut small circle with a cookie cutter, fry them until golden brown and put Cinnamon sugar on them. Sometimes we put powder sugar or frost them with chocolate and sprinkles. These are a great family treat that you can making with your kids. Enjoy and have fun together making memories that last a lifetime. remember what you do with your heart n soul is always made with Lots of Love.

Geri

Pizza Dough

In your bread machine add,

1 cup bread flour
1 - 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 -1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon ( 1 packet ) active dry yeast

After the second kneading remove from bread machine. With your hands lightly oiled stretch dough onto your pizza pan. Add your favorite pizza toppings. Bake at 450 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges of pizza crust are golden brown.

For doughs lightly flour surface and your rolling pin. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch, cut with a cookie cutter and fry on hot oil. Once they are golden brown roll the donuts in desired topping or allow to cool before frosting.

" Cooking and Baking Tips Thursday "

Tips when using White Flours

Bread flour is sold in most grocery stores. ( Gold medal package it as " Better for Bread" flour. ) It has a higher gluten content than all-purpose flour. Gluten gives your bread structure and height. Therefore bread flour will produce a higher loaf of bread with a coarser texture and should be used in recipes when indicated.

All-purpose flour ( bleached or unbleached ) is for most rolls, sweet rolls, and specialty breads, as well as for loaves that rise too high with bread flour. Bleached and unbleached all-purpose white flour are refined. Bleached flour has been whited with chlorine. There is no difference in texture or flavor whether you choose bleached or unbleached flour.

Geri

" BREAD OF THE WEEK "

This a a very basic recipe for white bread and probably similar to the one that comes with most bread machines. It's a great place to start. The ingredients are readily available.

BASIC WHITE BREAD

1 - 1/2 POUND LOAF

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

5/8 cup milk

3 cups bread flour

1 - 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 - 1/2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons active yeast

1 POUND LOAF

1/2 cup water

3/8 cup milk

2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon sugar

1 - 1/2 teaspoons active yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan and press start.

After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on cake rack and allow to cool 1 hour before slicing

CRUST: Regular

MENU SELECTION: Bake

CLASSIC PIE CRUST

This is the best flaky crust. It's really a classic Crisco Crust. I've used it for years with great

results. This crust has always received great reviews from the pie judges at the New Mexico State Fair but more importantly from my family and friends. I've always baked for my family and friends first, their satisfaction as they enjoy one of my pies is more important to me than any

award or blue ribbon.

Don't forget, that baking with all your heart and soul, is the best secret!

Classic Pie Crust

8,9 or 10 inch single crust:

1-1/3 cups all-propose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

3 tablespoons ice cold water

8 or 9 inch double crust:

2 cups all-propose flour

1 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup butter flavored shortening

5 tablespoon ice cold water

10 inch double crust:

2-2/3 cup all-propose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter flavored shortening

7 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.

Cut in shortening using a pastry blender or a fork, until flour is blended to form pea-size chunks.

Sprinkle with water, one tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with a fork or with fingertips until dough forms a ball. DON'T over work dough. For a double crust divide in half.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface, in a circle 3 inches larger than the pie plate you plan on using. Fold dough into quarters. Unfold and press into pie plate.

For a single pie crust, trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold edge under and flute edge.

For a double crust, trim edge evenly with pie plate. Moisten pastry edge with water, pour desired filling into unbaked pie crust. Lift top crust onto filled pie plate. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold edge under bottom crust. Flute edge.

For recipes using a baked pie crust, heat oven to 425 F. Prick bottom and sides thoroughly with a fork to prevent shrinkage. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is a golden brown.

For unbaked pie crust, bake according to specific recipe directions.

Helpful Hints;

Always use ice water.

If your kitchen is hot put shortening in the refrigerator.

Depending on the moisture in the flour you may need to use more or less water.

Always use a pastry blender or a fork to blend flour. The heat in your fingers and hands will break down shortening to soon.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Blueberry Muffins

WOW!!! It's spring. What a great time to go out and buy blueberries. This recipe won a Blue Ribbon at the New Mexico State Fair. I love blueberries!!! Remember Lots of Love comes from all your Heart n Soul.

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

In a medium bowl mix together

1 cup melted butter

1 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice

2 eggs, lightly beaten

In a large bowl stir together

3 cups all propose flour

4-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add butter ingredients to dry ingredients and mix lightly, just until moistened. Fold in

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries.

Spoon mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle evenly over muffins

2 tablespoons sugar

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.

Yields: 12 large muffins

Helpful Hints:

This is a great time to buy blueberries. Buy them and wash gently, pat dry. Place the blueberries on a cookie sheet put in the freezer until frozen. Remove from freezer and put in a zip-lock bags. Freeze until needed. This perverts them from clopping together.

Blackberries are great in this recipe.

You can also use lemon juice instead of orange juice.

BOHEMIAN BEER BREAD

After a State Fair judge challenged me to develop a true beer bread recipe, I took the challenge. I decided to research beer bread recipes and what makes a good beer bread. The results won a blue ribbon and a best of show in the bread category. The same judge said it was the best beer bread he had ever tasted. Using a dark stout ( like Guinness ) and a combination of flours were two of my discoveries. The recipes is also published in The All-New Blue Ribbon Cookbook by Catherine Hanley. When I got the call from her telling me that she wanted to use two of my recipes in her cookbook, I was surprised. Remember what you do with all your heart n soul come with Lots of Love.

Bohemiam Beer Bread

3/4 cup stout or dark beer
2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 - 1/4 oz. package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 - 1/2 cups Bohemian flour ( see note below )
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

In a small saucepan, heat beer, shortening, brown sugar and molasses until shortening is melted. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, stir together 3 cup Bohemian flour, salt and caraway seeds. Stir in yeast mixture and warm beer mixture by hand ( dough will be very stiff ).
Turn out onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and begins to feel slightly moist, about 5 minutes, adding Bohemian flour, if needed. Wash and grease bowl. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until an indentation remains when you push a finger 1/2 inch into the dough, about 1 hour. ( The dough may not look doubled in size. ) grease a baking sheet.
Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Knead a few times to remove air bubbles. Shape into round loaf. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until an impression remains when you push a finger into the side of the dough.
Preheat oven to 350 F. With a sharp knife, slash a 1/2 inch deep lattice design on top of loaf. With a fork, in a small bowl, beat egg with the tablespoon of water until well mixed. Brush top of loaf with a thin layer of egg glaze. Bake 45 to 60 minutes until deep brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

Makes 1 ( 1-3/4 lbs. ) round loaf

Note;
Bohemian Flour: Use equal parts bread flour, whole wheat flour and medium rye flour. Left over Bohemian flour can be used in any whole grain bread recipe.
This recipe can also be made in a bread machine and removed before the last mixing. Shape the beer bread as above and follow the rest of the recipes.