Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken

Salt And Pepper, to taste

2 Tablespoons Canola Oil

1 bottle (large) Barbecue Sauce

1 whole Onion, Sliced

8 whole Cloves Garlic (more To Taste)

Slaw:

½ heads Cabbage, Sliced Thin

½ heads Purple Cabbage, Sliced Thin

½ cups Whole Milk

½ cups Mayonnaise

1 teaspoon White Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Sugar

¼ teaspoons Salt

¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

1 bunch Cilantro, Roughly Chopped

Slaw

Combine shredded cabbage and sliced jalapenos in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Pour over cabbage. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate two hours. Before serving, toss in cilantro leaves.

CHICKEN

Heat canola oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Season chicken, then sear on all sides until skin is golden brown and some fat is rendered. Remove chicken from pot and pour off excess grease.

Add sliced onions and whole garlic cloves to pot and stir around to cook for 2 minutes. Pour in barbecue sauce, add chicken to the sauce, and place lid on the pot.

Place in a 300 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until chicken is falling off the bone.

Remove the whole garlic cloves from the pot and set it aside. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool enough to handle. Using hands or two forks, remove the meat from the bones. Finely shred the chicken using your hands or two forks.

Carefully skim off the excess fat that has risen on top of the sauce. Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir into the sauce. Reheat so that it’s warm.

Spread butter on kaiser rolls and toast on the griddle.

To serve, place a good amount of chicken on the bottom half of the roll. Top with one or two garlic cloves, then a good helping of slaw. Top with the other half of the bun and dig in!

(Pioneer Woman)

Barbecue Chicken & Pineapple Quesadillas

1/2 pineapple

salt & black pepper to taste

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness with a mallet

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

4 tablespoons butter, for frying

8 small flour or corn tortillas

1 jalapeno, sliced

1 1/2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese

Sour cream, for serving

Pico de gallo or salsa, for serving

Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for at least 1 hour.

Cut the pineapple into 8 wedges, then cut off the hard core & the outer skin. Thread the pieces of pineapple onto the wooden skewers, grilling over medium-high heat & turning once or twice during the grilling process. 

Remove the pineapple from the grill & slice it into chunks. Set aside. 

Salt & pepper the flattened chicken breasts, then grill or saute them over medium-high heat until done, about 4 minutes per side. Brush both sides generously with barbecue sauce. Remove them from the grill & slice them thinly. 

Assemble the quesadillas: On top of 1 tortilla, place some chicken, some pineapple chunks, & some sliced jalapeno. Drizzle barbecue sauce all over the ingredients, then cover it all with grated cheese. 

Heat 1 tablespoon butter a large skillet. Top the quesadilla with the second tortilla. Brown on one side, then carefully flip the quesadilla & brown the other side. Make sure all of the cheese melted! Repeat to make the rest of the quesadillas. 

Slice into wedges, serving with sour cream, pico de gallo & a wedge of grilled pepper on top. 

I took an easier route & used pre-cooked frozen chicken that I already had on hand. And since we're without a barbecue, I grilled my pineapple - sans skewers - in a grill pan & still got great results. Also, I didn't have a jalapeno on hand, so I used Monterrey Jack cheese with jalapeno instead. 

(Pioneer Woman: Food From my Frontier)

Clinton Street Baking Powder Biscuits

From our favorite breakfast spot in New York City

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into chunks

3/4 cup buttermilk 

Preheat oven to 350˚.

Place flour and other dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed with paddle attachment until combined.

Add butter and shortening to the bowl and mix on low until the dough reaches a crumbly pea sized texture.

Turn off the mixer and add the buttermilk to the bowl all at once. mix very briefly on low until the dough just comes together (about 10 seconds).

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. Lightly knead dough two or three times until combined.

Pat out the dough to a 3/4-1in. thickness. Shape the dough into a rectangle, making the sides high. using a 2in. round biscuit cutter, cut out 4 biscuits. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Gather the dough scraps and, using your hands, tuck in the bottom of the dough so there are no wrinkles, much like making a bread roll. Form the remaining dough into another rectangle with high sides and cut out 2 more biscuits.

Place the pan in preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. Halfway through baking, rotate the pan for even browning.

Makes 6 - 8 biscuits

(Clinton Street Baking Company Cookbook)

Blueberry Cheesecake Flapjacks

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup whipped topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/4 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

3/4 cup maple syrup, warmed

Additional blueberries, optional

For topping, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and whipped topping until smooth. Chill until serving.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cracker crumbs, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and butter; add to dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

Spread topping over pancakes. Top with warm syrup; sprinkle with additional blueberries if desired.

Yield: 12 pancakes (3/4 cup topping).

(Taste of Home)

Summer sausage & artichoke pasta salad

In an extra large container/bowl/saucepan, combine the following:

16-oz. jar zesty Italian salad dressing
1-lb. box rotelle pasta, cooked and drained/rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
8 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced
16-oz. package cojack cheese, cubed
16-oz. tube summer sausage, cubed
3 13.75-oz. cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2 6.5-oz. cans pitted black olives, drained
2 8.5-oz. jars julienned sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

A perfect kickoff to summer! 

I used a different shape of pasta because it was just what I had, but of course it doesn't really matter what you use. Also - I buy my artichoke hearts in jars at Costco & think that they taste ten times better than anything out of a can (& far less work than doing them fresh). 

(Pip & Ebby, via Pinterest)

PW's Pizza Crust

My new favorite!!

1 teaspoon or 1/2 packet active dry yeast

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. 

Combine the flour & salt in a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on low speed, drizzle in the olive oil until just incorporated. 

In a separate bowl, gently stir the yeast / water mixture. Drizzle it into the flour / oil mixture; mix until the dough forms a ball. 

Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean bowl. Toss the ball of dough in the bowl and turn over to coat in oil. 

Cover the bowl with a moist kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. 

To prepare the pizza, preheat the oven to 500˚. Divide the dough in half. Lightly drizzle olive oil on a pizza pan or rimmed baking sheet. 

Using your hands, stretch the dough to the desired shape, pressing the dough into the pan with your fingers. The thinner the better! The surface of the dough should be lumpy from finger marks. All the better to receive and hold toppings.

Lay the desired toppings over the dough and bake the pizza for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden brown. 

The other half of the dough may be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days before use, or frozen for up to 6 months. 

(From Pioneer Woman's cookbook)

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Cake 

1-½ cup Flour 

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch 

½ teaspoons Salt 

1 teaspoon Baking Soda 

9 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened 

1-½ cup Sugar 

3 whole Large Eggs 

½ cups Sour Cream, Room Temperature 

1 teaspoon Vanilla 

Icing 

½ pounds Cream Cheese, Room Temperature 

2 sticks Unsalted Butter 

1-½ pound Powdered Sugar, Sifted 

1 teaspoon Vanilla 

1 pound Strawberries 

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep! Before baking, the batter should not fill the pan more than halfway. 

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch. Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, or until no longer jiggly like my bottom. 

Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely. 

Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes. 

Make icing: combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy. 

Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minutes, just to make icing easier. Remove from freezer. Use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top spreading evenly, then spread the remaining 1/3 cup around the sides. Leave plain OR garnish with strawberry halves. 

 IMPORTANT: Cake is best when served slightly cool. The butter content in the icing will cause it to soften at room temperature. For best results, store in the fridge! 

 (Pioneer Woman)

Apple Streusel Bars

SWEET PASTRY:

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. real butter, softened (no substitutions!)

1 egg, beaten

APPLE FILLING:

1/2 c. white sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 c. (about 3 medium) sliced, peeled baking apples (I’ve used Granny Smith in the past, although this time around I used Gala and they were fabulous)

GLAZE:

2 c. powdered sugar

About 3 Tbsp. milk (whole milk is best)

1 tsp. almond extract

To prepare crust, mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until you have pea-sized crumbles. Gently mix in beaten egg.

Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Gently pat about 2/3 of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the dish. Preheat oven to 350 and set aside.

To prepare apple filling, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon and toss with apples. Spread apples out on prepared crust. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture over apples evenly and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. When finished, allow to cool completely.

To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Place glaze in a Ziploc bag and cut off a very small portion of one of the corners. (Or just use a fork (Drizzle glaze over cooled pastry and allow to harden (you can place it in the freezer to hurry things along). Cut into bars and serve.

(Our Best Bites, via friend Jill)

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Lemon

In a small dish sprinkle 1 tablespoon gelatin over 3 tablespoons water. Allow the gelatin to absorb the water. This is called "blooming." 5-10 minutes.

While the gelatin is blooming, pour 4 cups heavy cream into a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 of a vanilla bean. Split the 1/2 vanilla bean lengthwise and with the tip of your knife, scrape out the vanilla "caviar" from the bean and add it to the heavy cream mixture. Bring the cream mixture to just a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently! Remove the pan from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin, stirring to allow it to dissolve in the cream mixture. Then pour into small cups or ramekins. Cover with foil and into the fridge to set up for at least 2 hours. This recipe makes approx. 25 1/4 cup servings.

I cut the recipe in half so that we didn't have enough panna cotta to feed a small army. I also added 1 TB of extra sugar & 1 TB of lemon juice (to the gelatin / cream mixture, stirring before pouring into ramekins). That amount of lemon was so perfect. Top with a few berries & you have a lovely little dessert.

(1/2 of the recipe = 2 cups cream, 1/4 cup sugar + 1 TB, & 1/4 of a vanilla bean. The gelatin mixture will have 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons water & 1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin.)

(Recipe here, adapted slightly by my friend Jill)

Sante Fe Vegetable Chowder

Packed full of super veggies, easy & really delicious. 

1 tablespoon minced fresh green chile peppers (I used canned)

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup diced carrot

3 cups diced sweet potatoes

2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken if you like that sort of thing ;)

1 cup diced red pepper

1 can fire roasted, diced tomatoes

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

1 cup diced zucchini

2 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1 cup milk

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

In large pot heat oil over medium-high heat. add chiles, onion, cumin, coriander, oregano, and salt. Saute, stirring frequently until onions are clear, about 10 minutes. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add peppers, tomatoes, corn and zucchini; stir to combine. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Transfer 3 cups of soup to a blender or food processor. Add cream cheese, cheddar, and milk, processing until smooth. Add the puree, black beans, back to the soup. Heat over medium low heat until thickened to desired consistency.

Option: add cooked + shredded chicken, but it's fairly hearty without.

Serve with any of the following: tortilla strips, a dallop of sour cream, sliced avocado, lime wedge, or cilantro.

(Friend Jill)

Mom's Baking Powder Biscuits

My mom has made these for years, & they are simple & delicious. We love them with with jam, or topped with eggs, bacon & cheese for something extra-savory.

3 cups flour

2 tablespoons baking Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients (or whisk). Cut in shortening until is resembles course meal. Make a well in the center and pour in milk. Mix together only long enough to form a soft dough and then knead only 30 seconds. Roll out to desired thickness and cut w/ a 2 " cookie cutter. Gather dough together and do it again - make sure not to over-handle and use a light touch. Brush with butter if you desire. Bake at 400º until done, about 15-20 minutes.

Makes 16-20 biscuits

Kelsey's Cheddar & Apple Grilled Cheese

8 slices white bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick

4 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

8 ounces Cheddar, shredded

12 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked until crisp

1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thin

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS

Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-low heat.

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Spread the mustard over the opposite side on 4 slices of the bread. Top each of the 4 slices with the Cheddar, crisped bacon and apple slices. Add the remaining slices of bread on top with the buttered side facing out.

Place the assembled sandwiches in the skillet. Cook until the cheese begins to melt and the bread is golden brown. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown as well.

Remove from the skillet, slice and serve.

(Kelsey Nixon)

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

This soup was simple & yummy. We made the last minute decision to serve in bread bowls, just for kicks. A simple side of corn bread would be perfect, too. 

3 large chicken breast halves

2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

2/3 cup chunky salsa 

1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup Masa Harina

2 cups milk

2 cups frozen corn

1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

2/3 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

Salt and Pepper, to taste

For Serving:

Additional shredded Cheddar and Monterrey Jack Cheese

Diced avocados

Sour Cream

Chopped cilantro

Chopped green onions

Tortilla Chips or strips

Place chicken in a slow cooker. Pour chicken broth, tomato sauce, salsa and Zesty Italian Dressing over chicken. Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 6 hours.

Once cooked, remove chicken from slow cooker and set aside. Prepare a roux in a saucepan by heating olive oil over medium heat then stirring in Masa Harina (mixture will be thick), slowly pour in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and it reaches a gentle boil (it should be like the consistency of a porridge). Pour mixture into slow cooker and whisk until smooth. Add in corn, Black Beans, Pinto Beans, Cheddar Cheese and Monterrey Jack Cheese. Shred chicken and stir into soup. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste (I didn't add any salt at all I didn't think it needed it just pepper). Allow to cook about 10 minutes until all ingredients are heated through. Serve warm garnished with additional shredded cheese, diced avocados, sour cream, cilantro, green onions and tortilla chips.

Generously serves 8.

(Cooking Classy)

Cornbread Pancakes

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 Tbsp applesauce

In a bowl, whisk together cornmeal and buttermilk, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat (I heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees). In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. Remove cornmeal mixture from refrigerator and stir in sugar, eggs, vegetable oil and applesauce. Gently whisk in dry mixture and stir just until combine, batter should be slightly lumpy. Butter griddle (note: if you have a really good non-stick griddle, that's really non-stick, I would recommend NOT buttering it then the pancakes don't spread as much) and pour 1/4 cup mixture onto griddle at a time. Flip pancake when bubbles start to appear on surface and bottom is golden. Cook opposite side until golden. Serve warm with honey butter syrup, blueberry syrup, vanilla cream syrup or maple syrup.

Honey Butter Syrup

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat , stir powdered sugar and honey and whisk until combine. Mix in buttermilk. Bring mixture just to a boil stirring constantly, then remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp baking soda. Stir mixture until frothy about 10 seconds. Serve warm.

(Cooking Classy)

Lasagna Soup

1 lb Italian sausage cooked & crumbled
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
Add the carrots & onion to the sausage & cook 3 min

Add the following & cook three minutes more:
6 oz chopped mushrooms
2 T minced garlic

Add:
4 cups chicken broth
14 oz Italian style stewed tomatoes
10 oz tomato sauce

Bring to boil & add 2 cups bow tie pasta.

Cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is soft, then stir in 2 cups of chopped spinach.

Put fresh mozzarella - cubed or shredded - on the bottom of your bowl before pouring in soup. Top with fresh basil & parmesan cheese.

(My mom)

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced

4 cloves Garlic, Minced

2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce

Salt And Pepper, to taste

Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)

1 cup Heavy Cream

Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste

Fresh Basil, Chopped

1-½ pound Fettuccine

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

(Pioneer Woman)

Curried Couscous with Broccoli & Feta

I used frozen broccoli & a bag of pre-shredded carrots, which meant that there was basically zero prep to this recipe. Easy, fresh & so delicious.

1 3/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup raisins (I'll use more next time)
1/4 cup dry-roasted cashews, chopped
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon bottled minced fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

While couscous stands, steam broccoli florets, covered, for 3 minutes or until tender.

Combine couscous, broccoli, onion, and next 10 ingredients (onion through chickpeas), tossing gently. Sprinkle with cheese.

YIELD: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

(Cooking Light)

Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (optional)

3-4 Tbsp. olive oil

salt

pepper

8 oz. bowtie pasta

1/4 C. pine nuts

1/2 C. pesto sauce

1/3 C. shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Place tomatoes and mushrooms on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with your fingers, making sure everything is coated with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until tomatoes look plump and some of the skins just start to split. While this is cooking, cook pasta as directed on box. While pasta is cooking, place pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently until the nuts turn golden brown and look slightly glossy, about 7-9 minutes. To assemble, toss the hot drained pasta with pesto and Parmesan cheese. Top with tomatoes and mushrooms and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and additional parmesan cheese if desired.

(Our Best Bites)

Albondigas Soup

We loved the sweetness of this soup, & especially that it was a quick + easy one pot dinner. I cut this recipe in half & it was still giant.

6 14.5 oz cans beef broth

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 7 oz can diced green chiles 

1 large onion, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, minced

2 lbs. ground beef

1 1/2 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 c. white rice

salt and pepper to taste

lemon or lime to taste

Make your meatballs. I used an egg, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano & basil each, & about 1 cup bread crumbs & 1/2 of a chopped onion when I halved the recipe (adjust depending on the fat content of your meat). Lightly brown meat balls leaving slightly undone. Or, use pre-made use frozen meatballs too if you don't want to make them.

In a large pot combine: broth, tomatoes & their liquid, green chiles, onion, basil, & oregano. Bring to a boil. Add uncooked rice, cover & simmer for 15 minutes. Add meatballs; cover & simmer until meatballs are not pink in the center, usually 10-15 minutes longer. Lastly, before serving, stir in chopped cilantro. Add salt & pepper, plus lime juice to taste.

(From friend Jill - the source of all good recipes, especially when I'm in a pinch)

Bruce Paltrow's Pancakes

From Gwyneth herself (via Glamour Magazine). 

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3 tablespoons butter, melted & cooled slightly

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

about 1/2 cup whole milk

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder & salt in a bowl. Whisk eggs, 3 tablespoons butter & buttermilk in another bowl. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (small lumps are fine). Cover batter & let rest overnight in the refrigerator. Heat a large greased griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add milk to batter until it reaches desired consistency; the more milk, the thinner & more delicate the pancakes. Working in batches of three pancakes, spoon batter onto griddle or skillet. Cook until surface of pancake is covered with bubbles, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip & cook the other side until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with warmed maple syrup; serve.