Marcia's Chile Relleno Casserole

6 servings

Ingredients

6 Poblano Peppers (see how to roast them below) or  2 - 3 cans of whole green chile peppers
1 lb lean ground beef
1Tbs EVOO
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 large garlic clove minced
1 cup mild red enchilada sauce or taco sauce
2 Tbs chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
4 Tbs butter
3 Tbs all purpose flour (I prefer using corn starch, it blends better)
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
4 eggs
1 Tbs corn starch
1 8 ox pkg mixed Mexican Cheese
1/2 cup Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 green onion. sliced (optional)
1 small can sliced black olives (optional)

Directions for fresh Poblano Peppers

1. If using fresh Poblano Peppers follow these instructions earlier in the day ...
    if using canned chiles skip this section.
2. Cut the tops off of the Poblano Peppers and clean out seeds and membranes
3. Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil wrap and sprayed with 
    cooking spray or coated with a tsp of olive oil
4. Place oven rack or shelf in oven 6 inches from top. Preheat the oven to broil. 
    Broil the peppers for 15-20 minutes, turning until all sides are charred and peppers are soft
5. Remove from oven and place in a clean glass bowl with a tight wrap for 20 minutes. 
    Remove peppers from bowl and peel the charred skins off. Place peppers back in bowl. 
    Set aside to cool completely.

Directions for Casserole

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent then add garlic cook another minute.
2. Add ground beef, salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and crumbled.
3. Add Chile powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper and combined well with ground beef mixture. Add enchilada/taco sauce and cook for 5 more minutes until sauce is slightly reduced. Turn off heat and set aside.
4. In a separate sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat
5. Take off heat, whisk in flour. return to heat cook until mixture bubbles. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Take off heat slowly add milk and half and half and stirring constantly. Return to medium heat and cook until thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 shredded Mexican cheese. Stir until melted.  Mix half of cheese sauce into ground beef mixture
6. Spray a 7" by 11" baking pan, and cover the bottom of the pan with some of the cheese sauce.
7. Stuff Poblano peppers with beef mixture and some of the reserved Mexican Cheese, (I cut the pepper down the side for ease in stuffing, place split side down in the baking dish). OR  Put a layer of peppers opened flat on the bottom of the pan then layer 1/2 of the beef mixture and a layer of Mexican Cheese and repeat the layers. 
8. In a medium size bowl beat eggs and 1 Tbs of corn starch with an immersion blender (must be no lumps) ... pour into remaining cheese mixture, then carefully pour this mixture over the stuffed peppers and sprinkle with cheddar cheese
9. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until bubbly and knife comes out clean when stuck in the middle of the pan
10. Garnish with green onions and olives.

Mom's Oven Fried Chicken

6 servings

Ingredients

2 - 3 lbs cut-up chicken (all parts of the chicken) or chicken tenders
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup butter

Directions

Preheat oven 425F

In a shallow baking pan (I use a cookie sheet), place butter and melt in the oven as it is preheating. Being careful to not burn the butter.

Wash and dry chicken.

Combine flour and seasonings in a gallon plastic, shake well to combine ingredients. Place 2 or 3 pieces of chicken at a time in the plastic bag and shake to coat.

When butter is melted, carefully make sure the butter covers the entire bottom of the pan. Arrange chicken in a single layer (skin side down if it has skin). Bake uncovered, 30 minutes; turn chicken over w/tongs (do not pierce chicken) and bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Sour Cream Chicken

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 to 3 lbs chicken (can be any part of the chicken - tenders work well also)
1 1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
2 minces cloves of garlic
1 cup dry bread crumbs or panko

Directions

Spray a 9 x 13 pan and preheat the oven at 375F.

Wash chicken and dry throughly. In a medium bowl combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire, celery salt, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic. Mix well.

Dip chicken pieces into sour cream mixture, coat well, then dip in the bread crumbs. Arrange chicken pieces (skin side up if there is skin) in prepared baking dish.

Bake uncovered 45 - 60 minutes (depending on thickness of the chicken pieces) or until chicken is tender and well browned.

This was Grandma Edrington's recipe.

Lemon Cranberry Scone

Servings: 10 - 12 scones

Buttery and flakey scones that melt in you mouth. These biscuits have lemon zest and dried cranberries with a lemon icing drizzle.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup cold butter cubed
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 cups dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup whole milk or half and half
• 1/4 cup sour cream

        Drizzle Icing

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tsp milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F.

• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

• Add the cold butter to the bowl and using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour. Continue until a crumbly consistency is produced. Stir in the lemon zest and dried cranberries. Make a Well in the center of the flour mixture.

• In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream into the milk, until smooth (blender or immersion blender works well). Pour the milk mixture into the flour and stir together with your hands with a baking spatula until just moistened. (Batter should be lumpy) Work gently and be careful to not over-mix the batter.

• Spread a little flour on a baking stone (I use a pizza pan). Dump the batter onto the baking stone and pat down to make a10 inch disc. Cut into 10 to 12 equal wedges.

• Bake for 25-30 minutes. The scones should be browned around the edges and on top.

• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

• Make the drizzle by mixing the icing sugar with the milk and lemon juice until dissolved. Drizzle over all the scones.

• Cut and Enjoy!