Favorite Foods With a Twist
Favorite Foods With a Twist
Mexican Chicken Pizza with Cornmeal Crust
Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Peppers
(Family Features) - It's the perfect time of year to add a little pizzazz and sophistication to favorite dishes. The secret? Start with Muir Glen organic fire roasted tomatoes. Roasted with a blend of natural hardwoods in a special open-flame searing and smoking process, these tomatoes have a subtle smoky flavor that's like no other.
Fire roasted tomatoes introduce a new twist to braised chicken, pulled-pork sandwiches, mac 'n cheese, and Mexican pizza. With these easy recipes, you'll turn everyday comfort foods into delicious main dishes that are sure to impress!
Visit www.muirglen.com for more recipes and to join the Muir Glen Tomato Connoisseurs' Club.
Slow-Cooking: Worth the Wait
These hearty, pulled-pork sandwiches are perfect for a casual gathering. Start with a blend of seasonings and fire roasted tomatoes, then slow-cook to create tender, flavorful pork. Add coleslaw or a crisp green salad for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Spicy Pulled-Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, halved
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse (kosher or sea) salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet (Hungarian) or smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- 1 boneless pork shoulder blade roast (3 pounds), trimmed of fat
- 2 cups sliced onions
- 12 burger buns, split, toasted
Preparation
- Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In blender, place tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, salt, oregano, paprika and red pepper. Cover; blend until smooth. Place pork in cooker; top with onion. Pour tomato mixture over pork and onion.
- Cover; cook on High setting 4 to 5 hours or Low setting 8 to 10 hours until pork is very tender.
- Remove pork from cooker; cool slightly. Pour sauce mixture into medium bowl. Remove onions from sauce; set aside. Skim fat from sauce; keep sauce warm. Shred pork with 2 forks; return to cooker. Add onions and 1 cup sauce. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 15 to 30 minutes longer or until hot.
- To serve, spoon about 1/2 cup pork mixture into each bun. Serve with remaining sauce for dipping.
Serves
Makes 12 sandwiches
Preparation Time:
30 Minutes
Start to Finish Time:
10 Hours 30 Minutes
Smoky Mac 'n Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (12 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- 2 cups shredded smoked Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Preparation
- Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package. Return to saucepan; cover to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13 x 9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream, mustard, salt and red pepper to boiling. Reduce heat; stir in Cheddar cheese with wire whisk until smooth.
- Pour sauce over macaroni. Stir in tomatoes and onions. Pour into baking dish. In small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Stir in oil. Sprinkle over top of macaroni mixture.
- Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are bubbly and top is golden brown.
Serves
Makes 8 servings (1 1/4 cups each)
Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Success Tip: Be sure to use whipping cream when making the sauce for this decadent mac 'n cheese. Using milk or half-and-half may result in a curdled sauce.
Preparation Time:
30 Minutes
Start to Finish Time:
55 Minutes
Mexican Chicken Pizza with Cornmeal Crust
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons regular active dry yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- Additional cornmeal
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
- Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup of the flour, the sugar, yeast and salt. Stir in warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup cornmeal and remaining 3/4 cup flour to make a soft dough.
- On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
- Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with additional cornmeal. On cookie sheet, press dough into 14 x 10-inch rectangle; prick with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn brown.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese blend. Top with chicken, tomatoes and bell pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with onions and cilantro.
Serves
Makes 6 servings
Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Time-Saver: You can choose to cook your own chicken, or purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat for this pizza.
Preparation Time:
20 Minutes
Start to Finish Time:
40 Minutes
Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
- 1 cut-up whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), skin removed
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 medium yellow or green bell pepper, cut into bite-size strips
- 1 medium jalapeño chile, seeded, finely chopped
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Hot cooked rice or couscous, if desired
- Lime wedges, if desired
Preparation
- In deep 12-inch skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces to skillet; cook 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until chicken is light golden brown. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside.
- In same skillet, add onion, garlic, bell pepper and chile; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes, broth, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, the chili powder and cumin until well mixed.
- Return chicken to skillet; spoon sauce over chicken. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, turning chicken once, until juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut to bone (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and drumsticks).
- Serve in shallow bowls over rice; sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Serves
Makes 4 servings
Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Variation: Like a spicy dish? Use hot-style chili powder instead of regular chili powder, or two jalapeño chiles instead of one.
Preparation Time:
45 Minutes
Start to Finish Time:
45 Minutes
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