Santafeseeds Recipes

SANTA-PE'S

Steps:

• Cut a small piece off the bottom of a tomato so the bottom is flat, reserving the piece. Cut the remaining tomato in half. Thread the bottom half of the tomato onto a skewer and slide it down.
• Thread a mozzarella ball onto the skewer for a head and slide it down to meet the tomato piece (Santa's body). Thread the top half of the cherry tomato onto the skewer for a hat. Poke the skewer into the center of a cucumber slice to stabilize it so the skewer will stand. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes, mozzarella balls and cucumber slices.
• Combine the cheese spread with the milk in a small bowl and stir until creamy and pipeable. Transfer to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag. Snip off a small piece at the end of the plastic bag to create a small opening.
• Pipe a zigzag triangle of cheese at the bottom of each Santa face for a beard, extending onto the bottom piece of tomato. Pipe the cheese around the bottom of each Santa hat, then pipe a small piece at the top of each hat.
• Cut a small sliver off the rounded edge of the reserved tomato bottoms and place one on each beard for a mouth. Put on 2 black sesame seeds for eyes.

SANTA'S SLEIGH FAVORS

Steps:

• Sleigh bottom #1: Coat 1 side of a graham cracker cookie completely with white royal icing. Place 2 candy canes on top, keeping the hooks pointing upward, holding them in place for a few seconds to let set. Sprinkle coconut over the whole cracker and candy canes and set aside to let dry.
• Sleigh bottom #2: Coat 1 side of another graham cracker completely with red royal icing and set aside to dry.
• Presents: Pipe ribbons with white royal icing on fruit candies. Set aside to let dry.
• Santa's seat: Take 2 sugar wafer bars (attached) and completely wrap with a fruit roll-up. Take another pair of wafers and do the same. Place seam side down to keep from them unfolding. Set aside.
• To assemble: Pipe a thin line of white royal icing over the length of the candy canes that are attached to sleigh bottom #1. Place sleigh bottom #2 (red graham cracker) on top of candy canes (red side up)and hold for a few seconds to let set. Make a seat out of the fruit rollup covered sugar wafers by making an "L" shape on top of red cracker. Use 1 as the seat and the other as the back of the seat.
• On 1 side of the seat stack a few candy gifts and on the other side, place the chocolate Santa. Spread out 1 fruit rollup and place a few gifts in the middle and make a pouch, tying the ends of the rollup together with a twizzler, like a beggar's purse. Place gift pouch behind Santa's seat.

SANTA SLICE-AND-BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookie dough: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed, scraping down the bowl at least once, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and 1 egg and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and continue to beat for 30 seconds.
• Remove 1/3 cup of the dough to a small bowl. Add about 1/4 teaspoon black food coloring and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly firm, about 30 minutes.
• Add about 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring to the dough remaining in the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the bowl at least once. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place the red dough on a lightly floured clean work surface and roll it into a 7-inch log with a 2-inch diameter. Wrap with plastic wrap and place back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Place the black dough on a lightly floured clean work surface and roll or flatten it into a 7-by-2-inch rectangle, 1/4-inch thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl for the egg wash.
• Remove both doughs from the refrigerator. Slice the red log in half lengthwise. Lightly brush the flat end of one half with egg wash. Place the black dough onto it to adhere. Lightly brush the flat end of the other red half with egg wash and place it on top of the black dough. (If the dough softens and becomes difficult to work with, simply place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.) Wrap the log with plastic wrap and lightly roll it back and forth to round out the sides. Refrigerate the log for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Trim about 1/4 inch from each end of the log to reveal an even and flat Santa. Cut the log into 24 equal slices that are about 1/4-inch thick. Make sure to clean the knife after each slice for a clean cut so the colors won't bleed on each other. (If the log softens and becomes difficult to work with, simply place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.)
• Arrange 12 cookies evenly on each prepared baking sheet. Bake until the edges are lightly golden, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, 14 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.
• For the royal icing: Add the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1 tablespoon water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high for 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed. If the icing is too thick, add 1 more teaspoon of water and beat until combined. Transfer to a small pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (size 4).
• Pipe a white collar on the top half of the cookie. Sprinkle it with white sprinkles. Pipe buttons on the red coat and the black belt. Pipe a square buckle in the middle of the black belt.

SANTA FE SOUP

Steps:

• Brown ground beef and drain off fat.
• In a large stock pot combine browned beef, diced onion, tomatoes with liquid, stewed tomatoes with chilies, corn with liquid, Ranch-style beans with liquid, and cubed processed cheese Simmer on low heat until the cheese is melted and the onion is tender. Serve hot..

EASY SANTA FE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add broth and salsa; bring to a boil. Stir in rice and garlic powder. Place chicken over rice; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. , Turn chicken; cook 10-15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 165°. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

SANTA FE SALAD

Steps:

• Place green beans in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place beans in ice water. Drain and pat dry. , For dressing, in a small bowl, combine the cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, cumin, salt and cayenne. , In a large bowl, combine the green beans, corn, pinto beans, black beans, red pepper, onion, chilies and olives. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

BROILED SANTA FE STEAKS

Steps:

• Mix salsa, beans, onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon of the chili powder. Cover and refrigerate while preparing beef.
• Set oven control to broil.
• Sprinkle both sides of beef with remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder and the oregano; gently press into beef. Place beef on rack in broiler pan. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 6 minutes; turn. Broil 2 to 5 minutes longer for medium doneness. Serve with salsa.

SANTA FE STEW

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef and onion in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.
• Stir taco seasoning mix and ranch dressing mix into the ground beef; add shoepeg corn, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, red kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally; cook until the tomatoes are softened, 30 to 60 minutes.

SANTA HAT COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the whole egg and vanilla and peppermint extracts. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium high; beat until combined.
• Transfer 1/3 cup dough to a medium bowl and 1 cup dough to a separate bowl; leave the remaining dough (about 2 cups) in the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1 teaspoon white food coloring into the 1/3 cup dough. Fold 3/4 teaspoon red food coloring into the 1 cup dough. Fold 3/4 teaspoon green food coloring into the 2 cups dough. Transfer each color of dough to a separate piece of plastic wrap, flatten into disks and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the white dough and roll one-quarter of the dough into a 12-inch rope; shape the remaining white dough into a 1-by-12-inch rectangle. Place both on the prepared baking sheet; freeze until ready to use. Shape the red dough into a 1-by-12-inch rectangle (it will be thicker than the white one). Remove the white dough from the freezer, brush the top of the white rectangle with the beaten egg white and top with the red dough, pressing to adhere. Use your hands to shape the top of the red dough to make it triangular. Attach the white rope to the top of the red dough (it should look like a Santa hat from the side of the dough block). Freeze until firm, 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll the green dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper into an 8-by-13-inch rectangle. Remove the red and white dough from the freezer and place on the green dough. Wrap the green dough around the hat, pressing into a triangular log. Roll the log in green sanding sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350˚. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough; trim a thin slice off each end. Slice the dough 1/4 inch thick; arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm but not browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on the pans.

SANTA HATS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl until they form soft peaks; beat cream of tartar and vanilla extract into egg whites. Gradually beat white sugar into mixture until meringue forms stiff peaks. Transfer 1/4 of the meringue mixture into a separate bowl. Beat red food coloring into remaining 3/4 of meringue.
• Transfer colored meringue into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 20 Santa hat shaped triangles, about 1 1/2 inch tall and bending over at the tips, onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the hats with red sugar.
• Transfer remaining 1/4 uncolored meringue into a clean piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe little white pom-poms onto each hat tip and a small edging of fluffy white trim onto the bottom of each hat.
• Bake meringue cookies in the preheated oven until hard but not browned, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn off oven and let cookies cool inside oven until crisp, 1 hour.

SANTE FE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add stewed tomatoes, yam, chilis, broth, 6 tablespoons cilantro and taco sauce. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is just tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. Add hominy to skillet and boil until yam is tender and juices are reduced to sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken and any collected juices to skillet. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently before continuing.) Transfer to large deep serving platter. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

SANTA FE SEEDS

Steps:

• Stir together the first 3 ingredients in hot oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat for 30 seconds. Stir in sugar and honey, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Add seeds; cook, stirring constantly, 8 minutes or until toasted. Spread on a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet; separate seeds, if necessary. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

SANTA FE VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Cook and stir the corn and onion in hot oil for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the zucchini and cumin.
• Cook and stir about 3 minutes more ou until the corn is just tender.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in tomatoes, cilantro, salt and hot pepper sauce.

SANTA FE STRIP STEAKS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cook and stir onion in oil over medium-high heat until tender. Transfer to a blender. Add the green chiles, cilantro, jalapeno, jelly, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, seasoned salt and oregano; cover and process until smooth., Return mixture to the same pan; cook over medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Set aside and keep warm., Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper to taste. Broil 4-6 in. from heat for 5-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°). Sprinkle steaks with cheese if desired; serve with green chile sauce.