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Carrie's Cookbook

Categories

Main Dishes

Chicken-avocado Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa

Pineapple Salsa

1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled and cleaned and cut into ¼ inch cubes
½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 large ripe tomato, diced
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the salsa ingredients and let stand at least an hour at room temperature so the flavors can develop. Chill until ready to serve.

Chicken Avocado Quesadillas:

Twelve, 8-inch flour tortillas
1-½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1-½ cups cooked chicken, chopped fine
2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and mashed
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion
1/3 cup lightly packed, finely chopped cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp fresh limejuice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil for frying

To Assemble:

With a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out 120 circles from the tortillas (you’ll get about 10 per tortilla)
In a large bowl, gently mix the chicken, cheese, avocados, scallion, cilantro, limejuice, salt, and pepper.
Spread the chicken mixture onto 60 of the tortillas (about 1 Tbsp each and top with the other tortilla. (You can assemble these a couple of hours ahead; refrigerate them until ready to fry.)
To cook, heat a little oil in a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and cook the quesadillas in batches until lightly browned and the cheese is melting, about 2 minutes per side.
Serve warm with a bit of salsa on top.

Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients

1 Tbsp chopped onion
¼ C butter
3 C fresh bread crumbs
2 C chopped apples
¼ C chopped celery
¼ C Craisins
¼ C chicken broth
2 Tbsp fresh or dried parsley
¼ tsp salt
6 (1 ¼ inch) thick, boneless pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°
Melt butter in a large skillet and sauté onion until tender.
Remove from heat and add breadcrumbs, apples, craisins, celery, chicken broth, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Cut a large pocket in the side of each pork chip; season inside and out with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon apple mixture into pockets.
Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat and brown chops on both sides.
Place browned chops in an un-greased 9 X 13 inch baking dish.
Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
Remove foil and bake an additional 30 min or until juices run clear.

Irish Beef Stew with Guinness

Ingredients:

1 T Olive Oil
1 T Butter
2 lbs. Beef Stew meat
8-10 oz Shortcut carrots or 4-6 large carrots, peeled and sliced large
10 oz Pearl onions, trimmed and peeled
4 Garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP Tomato paste
¼ cup flour
1 TBSP Brown sugar
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
12 oz Guinness beer
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
2 Bay leaves
2 TBSP Parsley chopped
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

  • Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add onions and carrots and sauté until slightly browned on all sides. Transfer to a dish.
  • In the same saucepan, add the meat. When browned nicely, add the garlic and stir.
  • Add the tomato paste and flour and stir. Cook 30 seconds while stirring (be careful not to burn the flour).
  • Slowly stir in the Guinness, red wine and beef broth. The stew will thicken as you do this.
  • Bring to a boil and return onions and carrots. Reduce heat to a simmer.
  • Add the brown sugar, Worcestershire, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
  • Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally until meat is tender and carrots are cooked through.

Serve with a good mound of Colcannon.

Smoked Salmon Fettuccini

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 oz Smoked Salmon
¼ c Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 c Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ c snipped fresh chives, extra for garnish
¼ tsp. Dry Mustard
2 tsp. Lemon Juice
12 oz Cooked fettuccini (according to package directions)
2 TBSP fresh grated Parmesan cheese, extra for garnish

 

Directions:

  • Slice the smoked salmon and sun dried tomatoes into bite size pieces.
  • Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 – 40 seconds.
  • Add cream, chives, sun dried tomatoes, mustard powder and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and summer uncovered, stirring until the sauce begins to thicken.
  • Reduce to low heat.
  • Add salmon, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Heat gently.
  • Toss the sauce with the hot pasta.
  • Serve immediately. Garnish with additional chives and cheese.
  • Enjoy!