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1 boneless, skinless chicken breast -- cooked & cubed 8 corn tortillas 2 cups picante sauce or salsa 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 3/4 cup mild cheddar, shredded 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded (pepper jack works well, too) 1 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 baking dish and place 4 tortillas in the bottom. Layer about 1/2 of the chicken on the tortillas. Cover with salsa, onion and peppers. Dollop (teaspoon-size) sour cream on top, then add 1/2 of the cheese. Add another layer of tortillas, then layer, again with the remaining chicken, salsa and other ingredients as before. Bake for 20 minutes -- until bubbly -- garnish with some fresh cilantro and serve. Serves 4-6. Nutrition Data: Calories = 546 Fat = 27.8g / Saturated Fat = 16.5g Cholesterol = 100mg Sodium = 1178.9 mg Carbohydrate = 42.7g / Fiber = 4.2g Protein = 29.5g Note: You can reduce the fat and sodium content by using low-sodium, low-fat varieties of the corn tortillas, sour c

Gotta love those Tex Avery cartoons...

For the Cake: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 8 large eggs, at room temperature 2 egg large yolks, at room temperature 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder 12 ounces unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature 2 1/2 cups sugar 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped Chocolate Glaze: 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick) 1 tablespoon honey Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour the a 10 cup bundt pan. Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk the eggs, yolks, vanilla, and espresso powder together into a bowl and set aside. In a heavy duty mixer, beat the butter with the paddle attachment, on medium speed for 1 minute, or until smooth. Gradually pour in the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until the butter begins to lighten, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat, o

hmmmmmmmm.... I had to upload this after looking at my Feedjit data. Sure enough, this is the result when you look for "aig loss $60B msnbc" on Google. (At least until the search crawl catches up with reality.) Hope the person from New Jersey at least got a grin from it. (The actual article shows up in the Blog Feed from Eschaton.)

Growing up in my family, there was always a bit of tension between the tea-totalling Methodists and the "back-sliders" -- one way to "hide the evidence" was to use certain ingredients usually meant for the bar as part of an "ethnic-style" recipe. Here's one such recipe using bloody mary mix -- you can use either a prepared mix in a bottle or the mix recipe below. Bloody Mary Mix: 4 cups tomato juice 4 tablespoons lemon juice 4 tablespoons lime juice 1 1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, or to taste 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon celery powder 1 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper For the pilaf 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice 4 bloody mary mix 1 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas & carrots) Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the rice and cook for 30

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Not sure why this recipe made it near the top on Google search, but since it has... Welcome to my blog. I hope you take a look around past this post -- in addition to regular recipe posts like this one, you'll also find some of my photo-blogging, political commentary and other errata that comprise the administrativia I call "life". This is a simple chicken fingers recipe with a twist, as you'll see by the ingredient list. 12 chicken tenders 1 stick butter, melted 2 cups cheese-it crackers, coursely crushed 1 tablespoon milk 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover bottom of a 13x9 baking pan with parchment, then lightly spray with cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, mix melted butter and milk. In another bowl, put crushed crackers. Dip chicken tenders in the butter first, then into the cracker mixture. Arrange in baking pan. Sprinkle with cayenne. Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is done, turning half-way through to ensure even browning. Serve with f

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon white sugar (substitute honey) 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 egg 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix well. Heat water and vegetable oil until warm, and add to yeast mixture along with the egg. Blend with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat for 2 additional minutes. Stir in 1 3/4 cup flour (note: half of total) while beating, until dough pulls away from side of bowl. Knead in 1 3/4 cup flour on floured surface. Cover dough with a bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes. Place dough on a greased baking sheet. Roll out to 12-inch circle. Cover with greased plastic wrap and a cloth towel. Place in a warm place for 30 minutes. Uncover dough, and poke holes in it with a spoon handle at 1 inch intervals. Drizzle olive oil on dough, and sprinkle with crushed rosemary. Bake at 400°F for 20 - 25 minutes, until just gold

Making brownies from scratch is just as easy as getting the mix from a box. Brownies 3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and divided 1/2 cup boiling water 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I prefer Giardelli chocolate chunks) Frosting 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened 2-2/3 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa powder 1/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire r

This coming Tuesday, President Obama -- fulfilling a campaign promise to cut taxes for the middle class -- will sign into law the largest tax cut in history . As the WSJ notes: The Obama tax-cut proposals, if enacted, could pack more punch in two years than either of President George W. Bush's tax cuts did in their first two years. Mr. Bush's 10-year, $1.35 trillion tax cut of 2001, considered the largest in history, contained $174 billion of cuts during its first two full years, according to Congress's Joint Committee on Taxation. The second-largest tax cut -- the 10-year, $350 billion package engineered by Mr. Bush in 2003 -- contained $231 billion in 2004 and 2005. Virtually the entire GOP conference refused to sign on to one of the largest, if not the largest, tax cut ever proposed by a president. Why? It seems that because it just so happens to be targeted at the working and middle class, rather than the wealthy (although, the rich got the AMT resolved). The other GOP

Glenn Beck Tony (focus on your own damn family) Perkins Eric Cantor (Newt Junior) Judd Gregg Faux News' Carl Cameron ( twice ) Drama Queen Lindsey Graham And all those other GOP " Profiles in Courage "...

This is an easy recipe to make when you want a bit of comfort food -- but also want to get a little more nutritious. 3 cups shell macaroni, uncooked 3/4 cups baby spinach leaves 4 slices bacon, chopped 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain and add spinach. Set aside. To make the sauce, cook the chopped bacon in a large saucepan to get the drippings. Make a roux by adding the flour. Stir until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk and bring to a boil. Stir constantly for 3-5 minutes until thickened. Add 1 cup cheddar and parmesan in small batches, stirring well until melted. Lower heat and fold in macaroni, mix well. Spoon into a greased casserole, top with remaining cheddar and bake for 20 minutes. Nutrition Data Six servings Per Serving Calories = 490 Fat = 25g / Saturated Fat = 13g Sodium = 530mg Carbohydrates = 43g / Fiber = 12g Protein = 22g

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart M - Th 11p / 10c John Sununu Daily Show Full Episodes Important Things With Demetri Martin Funny Political News Joke of the Day

Cheap and easy -- and you don't have to go through the whole making a pie crust step. 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 pkg. (9 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed 1 cup cubed cooked chicken or turkey 1/2 cup milk 1 egg 1 cup all-purpose baking mix Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir soup, vegetables and chicken in 9" pie plate. Stir milk, egg and baking mix in medium bowl. Spoon over chicken mixture. Bake 30 min. or until crust is golden. Serves 4-6. Nutrition Data: Calories = 294.5 Total Fat = 9.5 g / Saturated Fat = 2.1 g Cholesterol = 94.0 mg Sodium = 826.5 mg Total Carbohydrate = 35.6 g / Dietary Fiber = 2.8 g Protein = 17.8 g

State Of The Workplace 2007-2008 View more presentations from hrcworkplace . (tags: benefits partner )

This is a recipe I grew up with -- given to my Mother by our neighbor Sam, when we lived on 48th street in Kansas City. That neighborhood was mostly Italian middle-class, with a mixture of other 2nd generation immigrant families and working folks -- so so-called "ethnic" foods were a fact of life. This recipe is old-school Italian, so to quote Sam, "when you cook this recipe, never take a shortcut." Salud! 1 quart tomato juice 12 oz tomato paste 12 oz tomato sauce 1 large onion 1/2 green pepper 3 large garlic cloves 1 pound hamburger 3/4 pound Italian sausage 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning 1 tablespoon Anise (whole spice) 1 tablespoon oregano 2 teaspoons sweet basil 1 bayleaf, crushed 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 pounds sliced mushrooms (optional) In a blender, add 1 cup tomato juice (reserve the rest). Add onion, green pepper and garlic. Blend until soupy; add to rest of juice in a large kettle with tomato paste and tomato sauce. Bri

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons rum or 2 teaspoons rum extract 1 egg 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium) 1 cup chopped pecans 1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) Heath Bar "Bits 'o Brickle" Toffee Bits, divided Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two bread loaf baking pans. In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, oil, rum, egg and banana; stir with spoon until well blended. Stir in nuts. Spread 1-1/4 cups batter into bottom of each prepared pan. Top each batter with 1/2 cup toffee bits. Gently spread about 1 cup remaining batter in each pan. Sprinkle remaining bits over batter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. (Bread will have slight sink in center.) Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen bread from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completel

Texas electricity rates soar under deregulation - Houston Chronicle Who would have guessed? The sponsor of the legislation, former Sen. David Sibley, acknowledges rates have gone up but said he still considers the bill a success. Sibley, who now lobbies for power companies and others, blames the hikes on increased natural gas prices. Right.

Also known as potato pancakes 3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled 1 medium onion, chopped 1 whole egg, plus 1 egg white, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 tablespoons flour or matzoh meal (you can also substitute 4 tablespoons baking mix ) 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil for frying Grate potatoes and place in strainer or colander. Squeeze out as much moisture from potatoes as you can. In a large bowl, combine potatoes with all remaining ingredients, except oil. Heat about 1/4 cup oil in large frying pan until very hot. Drop 2 to 3 tablespoons potato mixture into pan for each latke. Use back of spoon to flatten mixture so that each latke is about 3 inches in diameter. Fry over medium high heat about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a 250°F oven. Continue, using more oil if necessary for each batch. Serve hot with applesauce if desired. Makes about 32 latkes. Nutrition Data Serving size = one latke Calories = 100 Total Fat = 5 g / Saturated Fat

From Joe.My.God : The Uniting American Families Act will be reintroduced to the House next Friday by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). The act would allow the same-sex partners of legal U.S. residents to enjoy the same immigration rights as heterosexual couples. The unfair current law has stranded thousands of gay couples overseas or forced them to separate to their native countries. Please use this contact form created by Immigration Equality to contact your member of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the act with Rep. Nadler. This is an important piece of legislation -- particularly if your career takes you outside the United States. When the U.S. removes restrictions on families like this, it puts pressure on other countries to do the same.

I'm sure that this will come up during the stimulus "debate" at some point... ;-)

A bonus recipe just in time for a weekend brunch... although this frittata can be served just about anytime. 1 cup cooked spaghetti squash, separated into strands 4 eggs, beaten lightly 2 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley 3 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup finely chopped white onion 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 1 tablespoon butter Preheat broiler. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Melt butter in a large skillet. Pour mixture into the skillet and cook over low heat for about 12-15 minutes. Transfer to broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until top is browned. Serves 6-8 Nutrition Data Calories =90.5 Total Fat = 5.7 g / Saturated Fat = 2.5 g Cholesterol = 146.9 mg Sodium = 264.6 mg Total Carbohydrate = 4.3 g / Fiber = 0.8 g Protein = 5.6 g

3 lbs. ground beef 1 1/2 cup rice (raw & uncooked) 1 green pepper, chopped 3 medium onions, chopped 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tomato chopped 1 can tomato soup (low sodium) Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix meat, rice, onion, green pepper, and pepper and form into 6 balls. Place into a casserole or baking dish. Mix and chopped tomato and pour over the meatballs. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Nutrition Data Calories = 762 Total Fat = 48.2 g / Saturated Fat = 19.2 g Cholesterol = 170.1 mg Sodium = 462.0 mg Total Carbohydrate = 35.1 g / Fiber = 2.8 g Protein = 43.3 g

1 can cream of celery soup 2 cups ricotta cheese (1 container = 15 oz.) 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese 2 eggs 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh basil leaves 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper 1 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9" springform pan with cooking spray. In a food processor, mix soup, ricotta cheese and cream cheese until smooth. Add the Asiago, Romano, eggs, garlic, parsley, basil, thyme, tarragon & pepper. Process until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and place on a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until puffed and set in center. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve -- at least 4 hours (overnight works best). When ready to serve, plate and remove spring-form. When plated, spread the s

MEMORANDUM To: Anyone who sent his or her resume to my transition team From: The President of the United States Please pay your taxes. We kinda need them, what with the financial crisis and the massive stimulus spending and whatnot. Thanks. ____________ PS: In case you're confused -- personal gifts are things like sweaters and bottles of wine, or -- if you're really lucky -- maybe a Wii or Sox-Yanks tickets or something. If you're honestly deluded enough to believe that daily use of a damn Town Car and a damn chauffeur is a "gift," you're probably too divorced from everyday reality to work for the people of the United States. kthxbai, POTUS

Alert readers will recognize a version of this recipe from "Steel Magnolias" -- "cup-a-cup-a-cup"... and yes, this freezes beautifully. 1 can fruit cocktail (2 cups) 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoons soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix all together, pour into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream or top with a simple powdered sugar glaze. Nutrition Data: Servings (~14) Calories = 207.6 Total Fat = 1.0 g / Saturated Fat = 0.3 g Cholesterol = 35.2 mg Sodium = 441.8 mg Total Carbohydrate = 47.5 g / Dietary Fiber = 0.8 g Protein = 3.0 g

At the 59 Diner earlier today... Woman 1: I was watching Fox News this morning and they were doing this story on the Snuggies -- you know those weird blanket / sweater thingies -- and how popular they've become... Woman 2: Really? That's hard to believe. Woman 1: Yeah, I know. Woman 2: No, I can't believe you watch Fox News. Really.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice (not instant) 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, heated 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated fresh parsley as garnish Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and rice and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and cook and stir until it's absorbed. Add the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it's absorbed before adding more. Stir in the peas and parmesan with the last broth addition. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley & serve. Serves 4. Nutrition Data Calories = 183 Fat = 4.2 g / Saturated Fat = 2 g Cholesterol = 5 mg Sodium = 1012 mg Carbohydrates = 31 g / Fiber = 4 g Protein = 11 g