Showing posts with label apples. Show all posts
Add flavor and pizazz to your chicken salad with crisp Granny Smith apples, tart dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans.


Cranberry Chicken Salad - lacocinadeleslie.com

This cranberry chicken salad has been sitting in my drafts for a few months now, but I haven't really had a chance to post anything due to a translation project that came up in the middle of my A to Z Recipe Challenge (which I will be continuing soon) and took me about a month and half to finish. And then came some technical difficulties with my laptop. Ay, ay, ay! Thankfully, the problems seem to have been resolved, so I will be back to posting recipes regularly here in my cocina, three days a week. Woo-hoo! Thank you all so much for your patience and kind emails/messages asking where I've been and when I'll be back.

And now on to the recipe...
Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries - lacocinadeleslie.com

This chicken salad is one of my all-time favorites made with tender pieces of shredded chicken, crisp Granny Smith apples, tart dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, celery, red onion, and a mixture of mayonnaise and Mexican crema. It's one of those salads that can be prepared year round. During the hot spring and summer months, we like to eat this atop cruchy tostada shells or served on a bed of romaine lettuce or baby spinach leaves. During the holiday season I like to serve it as an appetizer atop crackers or as a filling for volovanes. And for sporting events or the kiddies' graduation parties, I serve it as a filling for cute little finger sandwiches.

Ensalada de Pollo con Arandanos - lacocinadeleslie.com

No matter how or when you serve this flavorful chicken salad, it is sure to become a family favorite!

You may have noticed that I've added a new printable recipe card to my posts this week. What do you think? Do you like them?


Yield: 8 servings

Cranberry Chicken Salad

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 3 hourstotal time: 3 hours and 15 mins
Add flavor and pizazz to your chicken salad with crisp Granny Smith apples, tart dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans.

INGREDIENTS:


  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup Mexican crema
  • 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 4 cups shredded chicken
  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:


  1. Whisk the mayonnaise, Mexican crema, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves completely.
  2. Mix together the chicken, apples, onion, celery, and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving. Stir in the chopped pecans just before serving. Enjoy!
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2017/07/cranberry-chicken-salad.html
©La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator
















Cranberry Chicken Salad

Read more »
Roasted cauliflower and tart fall apples topped with melted manchego cheese atop toasted bolillo roll slices.

Cauliflower Apple Manchego Melts - lacocinadeleslie.com

¡Hola, mis amigos! Welcome back to another edition of The Secret Recipe Club. This month my assignment is The Wimpy Vegetarian, written by Susan who also happens to be our group's hostess with the mostess. Susan describes herself as a mostly (wimpy) vegetarian married to a mostly carnivore. Her blog is filled with tantalizing vegetarian recipes which also include tips on how to adjust for meat lover's. Comforting fall-inspired recipes like Lightened Maple Carrot Flan, Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, and Mexican Street Corn Tart were just a few of the recipes that caught my eye.

Secret Recipe Club: Cauliflower Apple Manchego Melts

Read more »
Bite-size pieces of apples and oranges in a cinnamon infused sangria made with red wine, whiskey, and orange liqueur.


Red Wine Sangria - lacocinadeleslie.com


Because I hope we'll all have plenty of reasons to celebrate throughout the year the first recipe I'm sharing in 2016 is my favorite Red Wine Sangria. This fruity sangria has a little bit of everything like fresh apples and oranges, cinnamon, apple juice, orange juice, a splash of lime juice, red wine (of course!), whiskey, and orange liqueur. It packs quite a punch, especially if you forget to add the club soda. (I may or may not be speaking from experience.) For this particular sangria I used whiskey, but you can also use tequila, rum, brandy or vodka. All of which make for a delicious sangria. This is my go-to cocktail to make for family get-togethers because it's super easy to make and it's a definite crowd pleaser.

Red Wine Sangria

Read more »
A couple of months ago, I can't remember if it was late August or early September, my Hubby and kiddies all came to me with one complaint, "You haven't baked us a cake in FOREVER! What kind of food blogger are you??? We want cake!"  At first I was a little taken aback because they've had a steady supply of all kinds of baked goodies: cookies... brownies... pies... empanadas...  But the more I thought about it I realized they were right. I couldn't even remember the last time I had baked them an actual cake. So I headed straight into the kitchen and whipped them up a quick and easy Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake (recipe to come very soon) and made a mental note to bake my Hubby and kiddies a cake at least once a month, because they all LOVE cake, and I love them.

It was around that time that The Cake Slice Bakers announced they were accepting new members and were getting ready to start baking from a new book. For those of you unfamiliar with The Cake Slice Bakers, it is a group of bloggers from all over the globe who get together once a month to bake a different cake from one cookbook for an entire year.  The Cake Slice Bakers was the first food blogger group I ever joined in the early days of this blog. I always had so much fun baking with them, and I loved that I got to try cake recipes that I might not have tried otherwise.  My favorite cake cookbook to this day is still the Southern Cakes cookbook I bought during my first year with The Cake Slice Bakers.

To make a long story short, I got to thinking that re-joining The Cake Slice Bakers would the perfect way to help me stick to my plan of baking my family a cake once a month. I emailed Paloma (the group's leader and a good friend of mine) asking if I could join the group again and was immediately welcomed to the group with open arms.  So from now on, you can expect a new cake recipe here in my Cocina on (or around) the 20th of each month.

This year The Cake Slice Baker's are baking from the Great Cakes cookbook by Carole Walter.  The book is HUGE and has over 250 recipes.  It doesn't have very many photographs, but after reading through a few pages I'm already very excited to bake from this newest addition to my cookbook collection.

The first cake we've chosen to make is an Applesauce Spice Cake, a perfect cake choice for fall.  Normally, I'm really good about following directions and sticking pretty closely to what the recipe says, but that wasn't the case with this cake.  For starters, even though I did have a batch of freshly made applesauce in my fridge, I also had some homemade pumpkin puree that needed to be used, so I turned this month's cake into a Pumpkin Apple Cake.  And I left out a couple of ingredients, like the vegetable shortening because all I had on hand was butter, and also the allspice and nutmeg, because neither of those spices are easy to find in my small town.

Even with the changes I made, the cake was incredibly moist and delicious.  I loved the combination of pumpkin and apple.  And the Lime Cream Cheese Glaze on top was the perfect way to finish off this cake.  I think this Pumpkin Apple Cake would be a wonderful morning treat on Thanksgiving or Christmas day.

lacocinadeleslie.com

Applesauce Spice Cake
(Recipe adapted from Great Cakes by Carole Walter)



 Ingredients:
  • 2-1/4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup chopped apple (I used apples from Chihuahua)
  • 1 cup homemade pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
Lime Cream Cheese Glaze:
  • 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • Fresh lime juice

Directions:
Generously grease and flour 2 (6 cup) Bundt pans. (DO grease the pans very generously with butter, as some bloggers had problems with the cake sticking to the pan.) Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Stir in the chopped pecans and set aside.

Cream the butter and lime zest with an electric mixer on high speed for about a minute.  Add the sugar, one cup at a time, continuing to beat on high speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes with each addition.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until completely incorporated. Stir in fresh apple and vanilla.

Reduce mixer to low.  Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture alternately with 1/2 of the pumpkin puree until completely dissolved.  Repeat with remaining flour and pumpkin, ending with the flour.

Divide batter evenly between the two pans.  Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes.  Unmold and invert cakes onto serving platters.

To prepare the Cream Cheese Glaze, stir the powdered sugar into the softened cream cheese. Add fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.  Drizzle over cooled cakes.  Enjoy!


lacocinadeleslie.com





Photobucket








Cake Slice Bakers: Pumpkin Apple Cake

Read more »
After an extended break, I am back to posting with my food blogging friends for #SundaySupper.  Today is actually a very special day for #SundaySupper, because we are celebrating it's 1st birthday.  (Throws a handful of confetti and blows on a noisemaker.)

I first learned about #SundaySupper several months ago, through my good friend Girlichef. #SundaySupper just sounded like something I wanted to be involved in, because I grew up eating dinner every day at the family table with my grandparents, and continue to do so with my hubby and four kiddies every day for lunch.  And we really do have Sunday supper every Sunday with my father-in-law, Hubby's siblings and their families.

Anyway...to celebrate #SundaySuppers turning a year old, our theme this week is to cook something that has already been featured on #SundaySupper, by one of our fellow contributors.  There have been so many mouth-watering recipes shared in the last 12 months of #SundaySupper, that it could have been a really difficult decision to narrow the choice down to just one.  But thankfully that wasn't the case for me.


I fell in love with this recipe as soon as I saw it posted on Juanita's Cocina just a few months ago for the #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Party...Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas.  Oh my!  As beautiful as they looked, and as delicious as I imagined them to be, what really drew me to this recipe was that it looked like something my grandpa would have made.  He loved apple desserts, and passed that love on to me.

When I first made Jen's Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas, I couldn't get over how delicious they were, from the warm, cinnamon spiced apple filling to the golden, crisp flour tortilla.  (Sigh!)  They reminded me of the fried apple pies you could get at McDonald's way back in the day, except these were SO much better!  But Hubby said they reminded him of Toaster Strudels.  That got me to thinking that these would make fort a tasty breakfast treat and wondered if they could be baked, kind of like mini-apple strudels.  The results were just as delicious and they've been a big hit in our house ever since.  I now keep a container of unbaked apple chimichangas in the fridge at all times.  I love that they're small enough that I can toss a couple of them into our little toaster oven, while I make my morning cup of coffee.

Happy Birthday, #SundaySupper!  And as we say here in Mexico, Que cumplas muchos años mas!  (And many more!)



Baked Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas 
(recipe adapted from Juanita's Cocina) 
lacocinadeleslie.com

Ingredients:
  • 6 gala apples, peeled, cored, & roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon unflavored cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 10 to 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk


Directions:
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the apples, granulated sugar, and cinnamon to the skillet; mix to combine.  Stir in lime juice.  Cover and let cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are fully cooked.  


In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch.  Pour into the apple mixture and let cook for about a minute or until the juice from the apples has thickened slightly.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Heat the flour tortillas on a comal or skillet over medium heat until soft and pliable.  Spoon two tablespoonfuls of apple filling into center of each tortilla.


Fold in the sides to seal in the filling, and roll up the tortilla like you would a burrito.  


Place seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.  With the tip of a very sharp knife, carefully cut 2 or 3 diagonal slits on top of each chimichanga.  Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chimichangas are light golden brown and crisp to the touch.  


Stir together the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with the tablespoon of milk, until well combined.  If too thick, add a little more milk, until desired consistency.  Drizzle the glaze over the chimichangas.  Enjoy!!!


To continue the birthday celebration, be sure to check out the rest of the #SundaySupper line-up:


Sunday Supper Appetizers:
 Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:
 Sunday Supper Main Dishes: 
Sunday Supper Veggies: 
Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks: 
 Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:
Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.

Photobucket







Baked Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas #SundaySupper

Read more »
I love apples and think they are synonymous with fall.  Sweet, tart, and oh so colorful! Add a little cinnamon to the mix and it's almost too much to resist.   That's why I chose apples as the ingredient for September's Food of the Month.  If you're looking for something new to make with apples, check out these wonderful apple recipes from a few of my friends.

To start things off, my friends from Peru Delights, who just finished writing their first cookbook "The Everything Peruvian Cookbook" which will be available for sale in February 2013, share this creamy and moist Apple Cake, that really is bursting with apples.


Sarah from What Smells So Good? shows us how easy it is to make this vibrant Crab Apple Jelly.  I think this would make an amazing gift this holiday season.


Jenna from Little Kitchen Big Flavor made an all-American classic: Apple Pie with Oat Crumb Topping.  I'll take mine with an extra scoop of ice cream, please.


Heather from Malice in Dunderland made us a sweet and savory Fruit Picadillo sweetened with apples and pears.


Corina from Searching for Spice baked up a fluffy Oven-Baked Apple Pancake filled with apples, spice and everything nice.



My contribution to this Round-Up is a creamy Apple-Cinnamon Arroz con Leche, that tastes like fall in a cup.



And lastly, my friend Nicole from Presley's Pantry has a very special treat for all of us...Halloween Caramel Apples!  Watch this awesome video to see how easy they are to make.



Thank you to all who participated this month!  It's a pleasure to cook with you each month.  If you would like to be included in the next Food of the Month Club Recipe Round-Up, check back a little later today for October's announcement post for more details.

Photobucket


Apple Recipe Round-Up #FOTMC

Read more »


The other day, I found myself craving something warm and cinnamon-y.  It wasn't a craving for a specific dessert.  All I knew was that I wanted something that tasted like fall.  I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this little known fact, but fall tastes like cinnamon.  It also tastes like apples and pumpkins and brown sugar.  It was then that I realized that I hadn't even had a chance to cook with this month's ingredient for the Food of the Month Club...Apples.  (Sigh!)  Apples would fit in very nicely with what I was craving.  I just needed to decide what to make.

Just then, my youngest son Jack, ran inside to get a sweater.  You know it's chilly outside if a 7 year old little boy takes time out from riding his bike to get a sweater.  As Jack ran back outside, I knew exactly what to make...Apple-Cinnamon Arroz con Leche!  Arroz con Leche is Jack's favorite dessert.  It was just what the kiddies would need to help warm them up, once they were done playing outside.  And with the addition of apples and extra cinnamon, it was sure to satisfy my craving.

Let me tell you... The Apple-Cinnamon Arroz con Leche did not disappoint!  It was warm and creamy and cinnamon-y all at the same time.  And with the soft little pieces of tart Granny Smith apples...  (Sigh!)  It tasted just like fall!

What are you craving this fall?

Apple Cinnamon Arroz con Leche - lacocinadeleslie.com

Apple-Cinnamon Arroz con Leche
(Rice Pudding)

Ingredients:
  • 3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
  • 1 cup long or short-grain rice (I used long-grain) 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3-inch cinnamon stick 
  • 3-1/2 cups water
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
  • 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Directions: 
In medium 2 to 3-quart saucepan, bring rice, chopped apple, cinnamon stick, salt and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover saucepan and reduce heat to low. Let simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 15 minutes.


Gently stir in the milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and ground cinnamon. Cover saucepan and let simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking or flowing over,  for about 20 minutes or until the Arroz con Leche is nice and creamy. Let cool slightly.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!!! 

lacocinadeleslie.com

*You can also let the Arroz con Leche cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight, to serve the rice pudding cold.  I LOVE cold Arroz con Leche for breakfast!  

Photobucket


Sharing this recipe with FOTMC (Food of the Month Club)

Apple-Cinnamon Arroz con Leche

Read more »

Agua de Frutas (Papaya, Guava & Apple Punch) - lacocinadeleslie.com

I have been wanting to share this recipe for a couple of weeks now, but with going back to teaching ESL and visiting with my sister-in-law and her family, who were here on vacation for three weeks, time kind of slipped away.  But this Agua de Frutas is too good not to share.  It's one of my favorite Agua Frescas to order at La Michoacana, our local ice cream shop.

Agua de Frutas {Papaya, Guava & Apple Punch}

Read more »
Growing up, Christmas with my grandparents was always Tamales, Buñuelos and Ponche.  Here in Mexico with Hubby's family, things are a little different.  The menu for our big Christmas Eve dinner changes from year to year.  One year we'll feast on my suegra's amazing Pozole.  And the next year might be an Asian inspired potluck.  This year the menu will include smoked turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, rice, Ensalada Navideña, crescent rolls and Ponche.

Over the years, the only constant has been Ponche.  Whether it's the festive Ponche de Jamaica made with hibiscus flowers, or the slightly tangy Ponche de Tamarindo that my sister-in-law makes every year, or my grandmother's Ponche de Manzana, Christmas wouldn't be the same without a steaming mug of fruit laden Ponche.

That's why Girlichef and I thought it was the perfect recipe to share for this month's installment of She Made/Ella Hace.

With my grandmother's recent passing, there was really only one Ponche I wanted to make...my abuelita's.  The best Ponche in my book.  Gramm made her Ponche at least once a week in December and it was always a treat.

I've made a few changes here and there, like substituting apple nectar for apple cider and adding guavas and pecans for added flavor and texture.  But it still tastes just like Gramm's.  One sip was like a hug in a cup.





Ponche Navideño de Manzana
(Hot Apple Cider Punch)

Ingredients:
  • 4 cups apple nectar or cider
  • 4 cups apple juice
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 Apples (2 red/2 green)
  • 2 Pears
  • 6 to 8 Guavas
  • 6 oz. sugar cane, peeled
  • 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • Tequila or Rum

Directions:
Pour the apple nectar, juice and water into a 4-quart pot.



Chop the apples, pears, guavas and sugar cane into bite-size pieces.   Add them to the pot along with the cinnamon sticks and cloves.  Simmer over medium-low heat for 40 to 45 minutes or until the fruits are tender.



Remove from heat and stir in the raisins and pecans.  (Adding the pecans at the very beginning can make the Ponche bitter.)  Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.  Ladle into coffee mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick.  Enjoy!!!


*For a grown-up version of this Ponche, add a shot of tequila or rum to each mug before serving.



Be sure to check out Girlichef's Ponche!



  Photobucket
  Also linking up with:

Photobucket

She Made/Ella Hace: Ponche Navideño de Manzana

Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)