Welcome to My Kitchen

Fall is officially here, and a few cloudy days, some rain showers and foggy morning or two has us thinking pumpkin spice and wooly socks. Slow-cooker meals begin to top the dinner menu lists in many area kitchens.

Lise’s Salsa Chicken, a recipe I received from Lise Ott in Irby, is super easy, and depending on the chicken cuts you use, and the size of your family, you will have planned-overs for additional meals. Enchilada’s, Posole Soup and chimichangas are just a few of the second meals I like to prepare with the cooked chicken.

Lise’s Salsa Chicken

• 1 whole chicken (about 5 pounds) cut into serving size pieces.

• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa

• 4 Tbsp brown sugar

Place chicken in slow-cooker crock. Pour salsa evenly over the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cover and cook on high 2 hours, reduce heat to low and cook 6 more hours. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Note: after removing chicken from the crock, you may thicken the remaining juices with 2 Tbsp cornstarch or all-purpose flour, and serve it over cooked rice, noodles or potatoes. Additionally, if you use 5 pounds, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, the meat shredded is perfect for any south of the border chicken recipes.

Cooking for just two, when I use a whole chicken, after cooking is done, I set aside the chicken breast pieces to shred for chicken enchilada filling. Our favorite recipe is called Perfect

Zesty Chicken Tortilla Bake, a recipe I shared several years ago, but repeating in this column.

Perfect Zesty Chicken Tortilla Bake

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 cups milk

• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

• 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, shredded or cut in bite size pieces

• 1 cup chunky salsa

• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley or 2 Tbsp parsley flakes

• 16– 6-inch flour tortillas

Grease two 13 x 9-inch baking pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk flour and mayonnaise together in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, then cook and stir 2-3 minutes until sauce is thickened. Add 1 cup of the cheese, stirring until melted.

Reserve 1 cup of the sauce. Stir chicken and salsa into the remaining sauce. Place 1/2 cup mixture in each tortilla and roll up. Place 8 filled tortillas in each prepared pan. Top with the reserved sauce and remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through. Yield 8-10 servings.

Note: you can freeze one pan to thaw and bake later. Also, Miracle Whip type dressing may be used in place of mayonnaise, and if you are making the recipe using Lise’s Salsa chicken, the cooking sauce works in place of the chunky salsa.

Intrigued with finding recipes that work with drinkable yogurt, I came across a recipe for French Yogurt Cake, featuring Greek yogurt and olive oil. This is a cake suitable for short cake or to support a fruit topping. I made some adjustments to accommodate the liquid properties of the drinkable yogurt. I present it here with the adjustment I made.

French Yogurt Cake

• 2/3 cup drinkable yogurt, any flavor, set uncovered in refrigerator overnight.

• 3 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Note, setting the yogurt, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight allows evaporation and thickening.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in olive oil until you have a batter that is thick and shiny.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.

To serve, dust with powdered sugar and top with your favorite shortcake fruit and whipped cream. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Note: if you would like to make this recipe with Greek yogurt, use 3/4 cup yogurt.

Sometimes the simplest, easiest recipes are the best. Shelia Ogle of Wenatchee share a delicious quick bread that tasted citrus to me, but when receiving the requested recipe, I discovered it has butterscotch pudding mix for flavor, but pared with the addition of poppy seeds, gives bite like orange zest. Shelia states this is her favorite quick bread to say thank you or welcome someone new in her neighborhood.

Butterscotch Poppy Seed Bread

• 1 package, 2-layer yellow cake mix

• 1/2 a package of butterscotch instant pudding mix (4 Tbsp)

• 1/2 cup cooking oil

• 1 cup warm water

• 4 eggs

• 2 Tbsp poppy seeds

Grease 2 standard size loaf pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat for 5 minutes. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Place in oven and bake 40 minutes. Test to see if more baking time is needed, but don’t test too soon, or the bread will fall in the center. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves

Note: lemon instant pudding is another option in this recipe.

Share your favorite fall recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Record-Times, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them off at the Davenport office. Still trying to vine ripen tomatoes? Until frost, cover tomato plants with an old sheet or blanket at night to capture daytime heat and facilitate ripening.