Tres Leches Cake

1 French vanilla cake mix (or yellow)

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups heavy cream

Sweetened whipped cream for frosting the cake

Bake cake according to package directions in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan.  While cake is still warm, poke holes across entire surface with a fork.  Stir together evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and cream.  Slowly pour milk mixture over warm cake.  Take your time so that it distributes evenly.  Refrigerate until completely cool or overnight.  Frost cake with whipped cream.  Cut and serve.  May be garnished with sliced strawberries, kiwi, mango and raspberries or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is so easy and always a hit!

7-8 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or finely diced (about 6 cups)

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

36 oz. salsa (about 2/3 to ¾ jar of Jack’s Medium Fresh Salsa from Costco)

1 quart cream (real whipping cream is the best!  If you prefer, use half and half)

3-4 cups grated cheese

Flour tortillas, about 24 of the 8” size

Fresh limes

Combine cooked chicken, beans, salsa and half of the cheese in a large bowl.  Spray 2 or 3 9x13-inch glass baking pans with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour just enough cream in each pan to cover the bottom.  Using a separate round pie tin filled with cream, dip both sides of each tortilla in cream, drain.  Fill tortilla with 1/2 cup chicken mixture, roll up and place in 9x13-inch pans, filling pans from end to end.  Pour remaining cream over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Cover with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake, covered, 45 minutes at 350°.  Squeeze fresh lime juice on top just before serving.  Makes about 24 8” enchiladas.  Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated up to 2 days before baking. 

Serve with a Mexican tossed salad, cornbread, lime rice and fresh fruit.  From Rosemary Wixom.

(Sorry my picture wasn't the best.  These got a bit burned on the bottom when I was trying to bake two pans at a time.)

When people ask me what my favorite pie is, I tell them apple.  It just is.  Maybe pecan is a close second and fresh strawberry, of course pumpkin, fresh peach, key lime, banana cream,.....

You get the idea!  I like most pies but apple is still my favorite and I especially like it for breakfast.  Warm. With cold milk.

Apple Pie

6 cups apples, peeled and sliced,

           I like Red Romes best

1 cup sugar

3 T. flour

1 t. cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

Butter or margarine

Pie crust for a two-crust pie

          Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over the apple slices in a bowl and mix well. Place pie crust in pie pan. Place apples into shell. Tamp down slightly then dot with butter or margarine. Place top crust with slits on pie and seal the edge.

          Bake at 400º for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and apple juices bubble through the slits.  If the crust is brown enough but the pie still needs to bake longer, cover with foil.

          This apple pie cooks best in a glass or ceramic baking dish to keep the crust flaky. It is also a good idea to place a baking sheet under the pie in case the juices bubble over.  In the photo at left you can see how the juices cooked up and over the pastry.  That is a good sign that the juices have thickened.

            Red Romes seem to make the best apple pie.  They have a great flavor and perfect texture.  They are only in season from the end of October to mid February.  Granny Smith's work as well but they don't have quite the flavor or texture of Romes.  I have also tried braeburns and galas and they are fine but don't hold up as well during baking.

Traditional Pie Crust

 2 cups flour

1 t. salt

1 cup shortening

1/3 cup water

1 T. water

          Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender. Make a well in the center. First, add larger amount of water. Stir with fork until flour is absorbed and ball forms. Then add smaller amount of water, only as necessary to get a moist dough. Store in airtight container and refrigerate up to 10 days.

          Flour board and rolling pin well. Mold handful of dough into a ball. Flatten to a flat pancake. Roll out from the center to 1/8-inch thickness. Fold in half. Lift into pan. Open, press in, cut off excess and crimp edges.  Makes two single pie crusts.

          For baked shell, bake at 375 ˚ for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. For 2 crust pies, bake according to directions in recipe.

          One of the greatest things I have learned is to roll the crust out on a tea towel.  It keeps the cleanup at a minimum and just seems to work a whole lot better.