Pastalaya

Ingredients

Grease from 1 lb cooked bacon (set aside bacon)

2 lbs pasta, spaghetti or other

1 lb pork shoulder, trimmed and cubed

1 lb chicken thighs, cubed

2 lb sausage, Jacobs smoked preferred, sliced

2 white onions, diced

1 red onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped

3/4 cup parsley, chopped

1 small jar minced garlic

1 can Rotel, original

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 cans of chicken broth, 14 oz. size + enough water to total 12 cups liquid

Black pepper, to taste

Garlic powder, to taste

Onion powder, to taste

Slap 'Yo Mama seasoning, to taste

Preparation

Saute bacon, then set meat aside. Add sausage to bacon grease and cook for about 10 minutes to sweat out grease. Remove sausage.

Add chicken and cook until chicken is brown (slightly caramelized), then remove.

Add pork in grease and cook until all the grease has been cooked out and pork is caramelizing in the pot.

Add onions and celery and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, until the onions pick up all the caramelized flavor from the bottom of the pot.

Add Rotel, garlic, and bell peppers and cook for another 10 minutes until pork and seasonings are tender.

Add the sausage, both cans of soup, and the chicken broth/water. Bring liquid back to a boil and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes under low-med heat.

Add chicken, parsley, and any additional seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, Slap 'Yo Mama, black pepper) and simmer 10-15 more minutes. Then simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes and retaste the liquid to verify balance of flavors.

(If using spaghetti, ensure pasta is broken into three (3) sections prior to adding into pot.)

Add the pasta to the liquid, and stir to mix all ingredients thoroughly. With heat adjusted to medium-low, cook until all liquid is gone (stirring occasionally making sure pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot).

Add green onions at the very end of the cooking process (with just a hint of liquid remaining.)

Turn off heat, cover the pot and let stand for at least 15 minutes.

Before serving, flip the pasta over to ensure all liquid has been absorbed (if not, cover for an additional 10-15 minutes and repeat the process).

Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced chicken breast meat
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can diced green chile peppers, drained
• 1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
• 8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Saute chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chile peppers.
3. Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream. Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas. Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
• Marinade:
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon black or red rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chicken broth or water
• 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• a few drops sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• Other:
• 6 to 8 small dried red chili peppers, or as desired
• 2 garlic cloves,
• 1/2 cup skinless, unsalted peanuts
• 3 - 4 cups oil for deep-frying and stir-frying

Preparation:

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix in the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, water and cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients, whisking in the cornstarch last.

Remove the seeds from the chile peppers and chop. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Heat the oil for deep-frying to between 360 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully slide the chicken into the wok, and deep-fry for about 1 minute, until the cubes separate and turn white. Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok.

Add the chilies peppers and stir-fry until the skins starts to darken and blister. Add the garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the deep-fried chicken back into the pan. Stir-fry briefly, then push up to the sides of the wok and add add the sauce in the middle, stirring quickly to thicken. Stir in the peanuts. Mix everything together and serve hot.