Posted by Anum Anees   –   Business Recorder

This yummy recipe will definitely obsesses you; it is decked out with sour cream, green sauce and salsa. This juicy chicken burger is not only stuffed with shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro and jalapenos, it enhances even more with the addition of a spoonful of guacamole (green sauce) and a dollop of sour cream. If you are one of the spicy food lovers, you will surely love it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• salt to taste
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 burger buns, toasted
• sour cream
• lettuce
• sliced red onions
• 1 cup Guacamole (green sauce If available)

DIRECTION

1. Prepare an indoor or outdoor grill over medium heat.
2. Transfer the ground chicken to a medium bowl. Add in the onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, paprika, cheddar cheese, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Using your hands, incorporate everything together. Make sure everything is evenly incorporated without over mixing the ground chicken.
3. Form the mixture into four 1/2″-thick patties. Grill patties over medium heat until cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side.
4. Serve each patty in a burger bun topped with guacamole, cheddar cheese and sour cream and any additional toppings if needed.

By MICHELLE HASTINGS ~ For the T-G

Bacon Jalapeño Deviled Eggs are a delicious twist on a traditional summer barbecue side. If your family loves heat like mine, these will be a hit. They have just the right amount of it without overpowering your senses.

We’ve tweaked the original recipe just a pinch by swapping out diced fresh jalapeños with a pickled version of our favorite pepper and rice vinegar for white vinegar, just to suit our tastes. By swapping out the fresh jalapeños for pickled we are able to control the heat a little better. When fresh peppers are preferred it is certainly recommended that they are seeded and kitchen gloves come in handy. It takes a while to get the sting out.

If heat is not your thing or you need to make a more traditional egg, just leave the peppers out altogether, the mixture minus the jalapeños and/or bacon is a great one for the tastiest of deviled eggs. Whether it’s this summer’s barbecue or next spring’s Easter dinner, this recipe is sure to stand the test of time with or without the flair of our favorite added flavors.

12 eggs, large hard-boiled

6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

2 diced fresh jalapeños, seeded, or 2 generous tablespoons of the pickled variety

1 cup mayo

¾ tsp. Mustard, ground

½ tsp. Sugar

½ tsp. Rice Vinegar or White Vinegar

Paprika for garnish

Directions

Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise

Remove the yolks and put them in a mixing bowl

Mash egg yolks with a fork

Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, ground mustard, and sugar to the mashed egg yolks and stir until well combined

Add the jalapenos and bacon, reserving some bacon crumbles for garnish

For a more uniform egg, clip the end of a Ziploc bag to dispense mixture from (or you can just spoon a dollop of the mixture)

Fill each egg hole with the mixture

Sprinkle with paprika

Chill until ready to serve

Yield: 1 serving

1½ ounces tequila

¾ ounce fresh lime juice

1 ounce blueberry simple syrup, see notes

2 dashes jalapeño tincture, see notes

• To make jalapeño tincture, place 4 to 5 cut-up jalapeños and 1 (750ml) bottle of grain alcohol, such as Everclear, in a jar. Cover and allow to sit a couple of days until the liquid turns bright green. Strain to remove the jalapeños.

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously and strain into an old-fashioned glass with ice.

Recipe by Sanctuaria Wild Tapas

BY LAUREN SPAGNOLETTI   –   PJ Media

In this series of recipes, I am highlighting the wonderful produce that is in-season in the summer. This week, I couldn’t resist focusing on delicious bell peppers. You can use any color that you’d like – but keep in mind that the red ones are slightly sweeter than the green. I like to change it up and make one of every color.

Since sweet bell peppers are on the Dirty Dozen list (the Environmental Working Group’s list of produce with the highest pesticide loads), that means that they are more likely to have a high pesticide content. So when I cook with bell peppers, I always buy organic. Same goes for the tomato, baby spinach and jalapeno used in this recipe.

The stuffing for the peppers in this dish is an easy-to-make quinoa mixture. If you want to re-purpose the recipe, the quinoa makes a delicious side to chicken or shrimp—so if you don’t have bell peppers, it’s not a problem!

Also, the recipe calls for jalapenos and Monterey (or Jalapeno) Jack cheese to give it a little kick. It’s not overwhelmingly spicy by any means, but if you prefer a milder taste, feel free to substitute cheddar for the cheese, and take out the jalapeno completely. (Keep in mind that removing seeds from jalapenos cuts back on their level of heat. So if you want an even spicier option, keep a few of those seeds in there!)

I have found that this dish works great as a side (we ate ours with cheeseburgers topped with Monterey Jack cheese), but it can work just as well as an appetizer or small lunch. They’re deceptively easy to make, so if you prepare them for guests, you’re bound to get a lot of compliments for very little effort!

(Makes 3 large peppers, or 4 slightly smaller ones)

Ingredients:

• 3 large bell peppers (or 4 slightly smaller ones), with tops, seeds, and spines carefully removed
• 1 cup of uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups of chicken stock (use vegetable stock to make the dish vegetarian)
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 large jalapeno, finely chopped with seeds removed
• 1 large tomato, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and more for brushing and topping later
• ½ cup of Monterey or Jalapeno Jack cheese, shredded
• ½ avocado, cut into slices
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to Roast at 375 degrees.
• Cook quinoa according to package instructions, using stock instead of water. Season with a pinch of salt, and fluff with fork. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil.
• When oil is hot, but not smoking, add the shallot, garlic and jalapeno.
• Cook for about a minute until the shallot is translucent.
• Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt, and mix together, about a minute.
• Add the spinach and another pinch of salt. Toss all ingredients together until spinach is wilted.
• Add 2 cups of cooked quinoa to the pan. Season with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix everything together and remove from heat.
• Lightly brush the insides and outsides of the bell peppers with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt each.
• Fill each pepper cup with the quinoa mixture. Add a small amount of cheese in the middle, and then continue filling with quinoa.
• **Note: if the peppers aren’t standing up on their own, use a knife to cut the bottoms off so they don’t fall over.**
• Top each stuffed pepper with a sprinkle of jalapeno jack cheese.
• Place peppers on baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes at 375 degrees, or until peppers are tender.
• Add slices of avocado to the top, and enjoy!

By Dede Ryan   –   Mother Earth News

This is a terrific dessert on a warm night, a delicious accompaniment to grilled food, or a snack right out of the fridge. And, the best part is that it’s made from something you usually throw away.

These pickles come from a 1996 copy of Better Homes and Gardens Canning & Preserving recipes. I’ve experimented with variations over the years, but this is the best!

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 pounds watermelon rind (enough to make 9 cups)
• 6 cups water
• 1/3 cup pickling salt
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 15 inches cinnamon sticks
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves

Directions:

1. The most time consuming task is cutting the rind into 1-inch cubes. I like to cut the beast into quarters, then into strips, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough green skin. Be sure all the pink fruit is off the rind so your brine stays clear.

2. Cut into cubes to measure 9 cups, place in a large bowl. Combine the 6 cups water and pickling salt and pour over the rind. Cover and let stand overnight.

3. Pour the rind into a colander in the sink and rinse with cold running water. Place in a large pan and cover with cold water. Heat to boiling and reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the rind is tender. You’ll watch it turn to a rich color. Drain.

4. At the same time, in a separate large pan, combine the sugar, vinegar, and 1 1/2 cups water. I make a cheesecloth bag of the cinnamon and cloves and submerge it in the liquid. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Them remove the delightful-smelling spice bag. Add the watermelon rind and return to boiling. Cover and boil gently until rind is translucent, about 30 minutes.

5. Pack rind and syrup into hot, clean half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles by running a sterilized knife around the product. Process filled jars in a boiling-water bath for about 10 minutes, adding minutes, depending on your elevation (actually, your geographic elevation — if you are standing on a chair, it doesn’t matter). Lift jars onto a cooling rack and wait for the satisfying “ping” as each jar seals.

This recipe makes 6 half-pints.The taste and texture are quite extraordinary. Enjoy!