Cornbread (Michelle Hileman - Bandera Clone)

Cornbread - Michelle Hileman - Bandera Clone

Moist, sweet and amazing cornbread from the Bandera chain of restaurants owned by Houstons. To accurately clone the restaurant's version, use small (6") cast iron skillets. However, this can just be made in one large 12" cast iron skillet.

Ingredients:

Mix:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

Mix:

1 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar (I use less)

1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn

2 ounces green chili peppers (1/2 small can, roasted style)

Add:

4 eggs added one at a time

Add:

1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)

Mix flour mixture with wet mixture.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven and skillet to 300 degrees.

2. Mix flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder and set aside. Melt butter and combine with sugar, creamed corn, and chili peppers. Mix to combine. Add eggs one-by-one and mix until well blended. Add cheese. Fold in flour mixture until mixed well. Clumps are okay. 

3. Carefully remove cast iron skillet from oven and evenly coat top and sides with coconut, avocado or olive oil. Pour in cornbread batter (be careful, it may splatter).

4. Bake 30-45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sagebrush Grill Pancakes - Michelle Hileman

Sagebrush Grill Pancakes (Michelle Hileman)

4 cups flour

1/4 cup baking powder

1 Tblsp. baking soda

1 Tblsp. salt

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 Tblsp. cornstarch

1 Tblsp. vanilla extract

7 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

4 cups buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients.

Whip eggs, add buttermilk and oil, then whip.

Combine wet and dry ingredients together.

Cook on griddle

I’d try to do 1/4th the recipe.

Peanut Ginger Chicken with California Salsa (Michelle Hileman)

Peanut Ginger Chicken with California Salsa

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 T olive oil

2 T vinegar

4 cloves garlic-minced

2 tsp grated ginger root or 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Mix together in a large bowl and add:

12 chicken thighs (about 3 lbs) skinned and deboned

Marinate 12-24 hours, then cook on grill. Serve with California Salsa

California Salsa:

Mix together and chill salsa for 2 hours

2 cups chopped fruit, such as peeled peaches, nectarines, pears, plums 

(1 of each listed fruit = 2 cups)

2 cups seeded and chopped cucumber

2 T thinly sliced green onion

2 T snipped cilantro or parsley

1 T sugar

1 T salad oil

1 T vinegar

Ti leaves (optional) (I’ve never used the Ti leaves)

Sopa Ranchera Soup (Michelle Hileman)

Sopa Ranchera Soup

Heat in large dutch oven over medium high heat:

1 tsp. oil

Add:

1 cup chopped onion - Sauté for 3 minutes

Add:

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 clove garlic - minced - Saute 1 minute

Add:

6 cups chicken broth

1 3/4 cup of cubed potato

1 15 ounce can of chick peas - Bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes

Add:

2 cups of shredded cooked chicken

1 cup of frozen corn

3/4 tsp. salt - Cook 5 minutes

Add:

1 cubed zucchini

1 cup diced tomato

1/3 cup of chopped cilantro - Cook 2 minutes

Top with:

Sweet finely chopped onion

Fresh chopped cilantro

Sour Cream

Monterey Jack Cheese

Lime wedges

Fall Salad with Caramelized Nuts and Poppy Seed Dressing (Michelle Hileman)

Fall Salad – Caramelized nuts and Poppy seed dressing

1 head red leaf lettuce, chopped

½ cup caramelized sliced almonds 

1 pear or apple thinly sliced

½ cup goat, feta or blue cheese crumbles

Purple or green onion (optional)

Dressing

¾ cup oil

¾ Tbsp. poppy seeds

¾ tsp. salt

1 green onion chopped

1/3 tsp. dry mustard

1/3 cup white vinegar

¼ cup sugar - or a little less

Whisk dressing ingredients together.  

Caramelized Nuts

1 c. pecans or almonds

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

2 Tbsp. maple syrup

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Add pecans and coconut oil to a skillet and toss for 3 minutes over low to medium heat. Once the nuts become fragrant, add the maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir for a few more minutes until the maple syrup becomes sugared and starts to caramelize on the nuts. Spread on parchment paper or in a buttered pyrex dish. Cool. Enjoy. 

Toss lettuce with fruit, nuts, and cheese.   Toss with dressing.  Don’t use all of it at once, it might be too much.

This dressing is great on any salad.

Mozzarella and Bacon Green Salad (Michelle Hileman)

Mozzarella and bacon green salad (Michelle Hileman)

1 head red leaf lettuce

1 head green leaf lettuce

1 head iceberg lettuce

16 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled

8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded 

8 oz slivered almonds, toasted

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Dressing:

1/4 cup red onion

1/2 cup sugar - I use 1/2 this amount

2 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup oil

Cut lettuce into bite size pieces, add rest of ingredients. Toss dressing right before serving.

Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites

I saw this recipe from Dr. Barbara O'Neill’s Flavorful Life and it looks so good. I'll try it before I recommend it. 

Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites

Ingredients:

For the Salmon Bites:

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets (skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)

For the Bang Bang Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (adjust for preferred heat level)

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lime juice (freshly squeezed)

Optional Garnish:

Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

Green onions, sliced

Sesame seeds

Directions:

Step 1: Prep the Salmon

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels to ensure a crispy texture. Remove any skin and cut the salmon into 1-inch bite-sized cubes.

Place the salmon pieces in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using).

Toss gently to coat the salmon evenly with the seasoning.

Step 2: Make the Bang Bang Sauce

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust the sauce—add more sriracha for heat or honey for sweetness. Set aside.

Step 3: Cook the Salmon

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Once the oil is hot, add the salmon pieces in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Work in batches if needed.

Sear the salmon for 2-3 minutes per side, gently turning to brown all sides. Cook until the salmon is golden and crispy on the outside, tender and flaky inside.

Transfer cooked salmon bites to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Step 4: Coat in Bang Bang Sauce

Choose your serving style:

Drizzle it: Place the salmon bites on a serving platter and drizzle the sauce over them.

Toss it: Add the salmon bites to a bowl, pour the sauce over, and gently toss to coat.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve

Garnish the salmon bites with chopped parsley, green onions, or sesame seeds for extra flavor and color.

Serve immediately to enjoy their crispy texture and vibrant flavors.

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