Valencia High School Teachers' Cookbook

Are you in need of a delicious and warm recipe to try this winter season? Luckily for you, we asked some of our lovely teachers at Valencia for their favorite cozy recipes to make during the winter. This can also be a great opportunity to get in the kitchen with your loved ones and whip up a cozy meal this holiday season!

Mrs. Foster

I make this recipe all year long.  It's called "rajas con crema."  

Ingredients:

• 6 poblanos chile peppers (you can also use 8 Anaheim chile peppers instead)

• 1/2 large sweet onion 

• 1 cup of Mexican crema (Cacique, is the brand I use)

• Queso fresco (Cacique)  

• salt to taste

• corn or flour tortillas 

1.  Char the poblano chiles. The best way to do this is to put them in the airfryer for about 12 minutes at 375°F and turn them 1/2 way (skin should look blackened, it might need more time).  Place the peppers inside a plastic bag.  It allows the peppers to steam making their skin easy to peel. After 20 minutes peel them and take the seeds off.  Then cut them into strips.

2.  Cut your onions into strips and saute them with a little oil on a large pan until they are soft.  

3.  Add the peppers to this pan and saute them until they are hot (they are already cooked because of the airfryer).  

4.  Add the crema and salt to taste.  

5.  They can be served in corn or flour tortillas sprinkled with the queso fresco. 

This is a very popular dish in Mexican households, so there are many variations.  In the summer, I saute fresh corn with the onions and then add the peppers.  My brother adds a whole cream cheese instead of the crema.  

Mrs. Ford

My favorite cozy recipe for the winter season is hot artichoke dip. I love this recipe because it's delicious, warm, and SUPER EASY - and people always love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 block cream cheese (8oz)

• 1 Cup mayo

• 1 cup parmesan cheese grated

• small can diced green chiles (4oz)

• 12 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts (drained)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, put in an 8x8 inch baking dish, bake at 350°F for about 30 mins, or until bubbling and browning. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, etc.

Mrs. Rojas

My students and I are currently making Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry which is a great recipe to eat during the winter!

Ingredients:

● fresh vegetables

● 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Stir Fry Sauce:

● ¼ cup honey

● 3 tablespoon soy sauce

● 1 tablespoons Asian Chili-garlic sauce

● 1 tablespoon minced ginger

● 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Chicken & Marinate:

● 8 oz. chicken thighs or breast- boneless and skinless cut into bite size pieces.

● 1-2 tablespoons water

● 1 tsp soy sauce

● 1 tsp cornstarch

● 1 tsp vegetable oil

● Vegetables- at least two cups

Directions:

1. Prep all ingredients: Cut vegetables, Make sauce

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat until

the oil shimmers.

3. First, slice your chicken into 1 ½ to 2 inch pieces, about ¼ inch thick. Remember

to slice across the grain, especially if using chicken breast.

Add the water and soy sauce to the chicken in a medium bowl, and mix until the chicken

is well-coated. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. At that time, most of the liquid will be

absorbed into the chicken.

Add the cornstarch and vegetable oil and mix again until everything’s incorporated and

the chicken is uniformly coated. For the best results, let the chicken sit for 15 to 20

minutes to marinate.

Cook the chicken- place your wok/nonstick skillet over high heat. When it starts to smoke

lightly, add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil to coat the surface of the wok. Add the

chicken in one layer, and allow to sear for 20 seconds. Stir-fry until the chicken has

turned opaque, and Set aside.

4. In the same pan add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat until the oil shimmers.

You will need to decide which vegetables need to be cooked first based on cooking time.

Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula. Cook,

stir constantly for 2 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Order of vegetables- broccoli and carrots, onions, whites of the green onions, bell

peppers, garlic, ginger, bok choy

5. Push the vegetables from the center of the wok or skillet. Add the sauce to the

center of the skillet. Allow to simmer for 1 minute. Stir sauce until bubbly and

desired consistency is achieved.

Mrs. Brown

The soup I drink the most is probably tomato, but the one that would better fit your questions is my Abuelita’s (grandma) cream of celery soup. I couldn’t say when exactly I first tried it, but I would guess around 7 or 8 years old. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of veggies. My Abuelita would make this for me as a way to get to me to eat them.  She had lots of hidden veggie recipes for me actually haha. I think I like it so much because it doesn’t taste like veggies and it’s perfect for a cold day. But mostly because she made it for me. My Abuelita passed away a few years ago, so now when I make it, it reminds me of her and all the time I spent with her as a kid.  I spent almost all my days off school with her in elementary school, and we spent a lot of time cooking and baking together.

Mr. HarrisonFirst of all, I love soups. You can always judge a good restaurant by the quality of their soups and by the crispness of their vegetables. Both require care. I have quite a few soups, so let me give you a unique recipe that no one else will know: Chilled Sweet Potato and Pepper Soup 

You may not know this but I cooked for many, many years before I was a teacher. I found this recipe about 20 years ago. I like it because I have added my own components to the recipe and it is a refreshing meal. I associate my kids' youth with this soup because they enjoyed it when they were younger, and I haven't made it in quite some time.