Enchiladas

From Cook's Country (America's Test Kitchen). I rarely do all the work for the beef ones, but I do like the sauce. You can see my faster chicken version underneath.

Beef Enchiladas
1 1/4 lbs top blade steaks, trimmed
salt
1T veggie oil
2 onions, chopped (I use less)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3T chili powder
2t coriander
2t cumin
1t sugar
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1/2c water
2c shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
1/3c chopped fresh cilantro
1/4c canned pickled jalapenos, chopped (I skip this)
tortillas

-Pat meat dry, brown in hot oil in dutch oven at medium-high heat on both sides, about 6 min. Transfer to plate.
-add onions to oil and cook until golden, about 5 min. Combine the garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar, and 1t salt in a small bowl, then stir mixture into the pot. Cook until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return the meat and juices to the pot, cover, and reduce heat to low, gently simmer until the meat is tender and can be broken apart with a wooden spoon, abut 1.5 hrs.
-Strain the beef mixture over a medium bowl, breaking the meat into small pieces, reserve the sauce. Transfer the meat to a bowl and mix with 1c cheese, cilantro and jalapenos.
-Spread 3/4c sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Spread 1/3c beef mixture in a tortilla, roll and place in baking dish seam side down. Repeat. And again. And some more. Pour the sauce on top, coat evenly. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top, cover with foil, bake at 350 for 20-25 min until heated through. Remove foil and brown slightly, 5-10min. Yummmmm.

***Chicken version
Replace the steaks with 2c cooked, cubed chicken breasts, 1-2c cooked rice and a can of refried beans. Make the sauce as listed, beginning with the onions and skipping the long cooking step. Mix some of the sauce with the chicken, rice, beans and cheese. Proceed as directed.

I like to serve it with:
Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream
Process 1c sour cream, 1/4c chopped fresh cilantro, 1t grated fresh lime zest, 1/4t pepper, 1/8t salt in a food processor until smooth.

Fudge Brownie Trifle

They served this at the Stake RS activity earlier this month. Really easy and make ahead, looks best in trifle bowl.

2 boxes brownie mix
walnuts or toasted pecans
1 large packet instant vanilla pudding mix
1 small container whipped topping
4 oz cream cheese
2 butterfinger candy bars

Bake brownies according to directions. Add nuts to batter. When cool, crumble 1/2 brownies in bottom of trifle bowl.
Prepare vanilla pudding according to directions and add whipped topping. Spoon 1/2 pudding/topping mix on top of brownies. Repeat layers. Refrigerate overnight. Crush butterfingers and place on top before serving.

Peach Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

From Betty Crocker. I had an amazing Peach Bread Pudding at a restaurant downtown a couple of years ago and have tried to recreate it. The sauce (with vanilla, not whiskey) is divine and makes even a mediocre bread pudding worthwhile.

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
2 1/4c milk
1/2 sugar (use brown for a butterscotch flavor)
1.5t cinnamon
2 large eggs, slightly beaten (or not beaten, if you're lazy like me)
5c 1/2-3/4" cubes of bread
1/2c raisins, if desired (I always substitute frozen, sliced peaches, to taste)

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Mix milk, sugar, cinnamon and eggs in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in bread cubes and fruit. Pour into ungreased 1 1/2qt casserole.
3. Bake uncovered 40-45 min or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge of casserole comes out clean.
4. Make Whiskey Sauce. Serve sauce over warm bread pudding. Store remaining dessert and sauce covered in fridge.

Whiskey Sauce
1/2c butter, melted
2T water
1 egg
1c sugar
2T whiskey or bourbon or 1t brandy extract (or 2T vanilla extract if you're like me)

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat; do not allow to simmer. remove from heat; cool 10 min. Mix water and egg; stir into butter until bleded. Stir in sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil; remove from heat. Stir in whiskey/ vanilla. cool at least 10 min before serving. Store covered in fridge.

Chicken Souvlaki and Tzatziki Sauce

Ohhhhh. Every once in a while you get a recipe that is so good, so authentic and so incredibly easy that you keep looking for the catch. I got this from a cooking demo at the Greek festival. Apparently, it's from The Key to Greek Cooking. I roasted some potatoes with greek seasoning and served them on the side.

Chef Athena's Favorite Chicken Souvlaki
1lb boneless, skinless chx breasts cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes
1-2 cloves garlic
2t oregano
1.5t ground cumin
Paprika to taste
3T lemon juice
1/2T Greek olive oil (I used regular)
1.5t Kosher or Sea Salt
1t ground pepper

In a bowl, prepare marinade. Mix garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, olive oil and pepper until well blended. Pour marinade over chicken, mix, cover and let sit for 30 min. Just before grilling, add the salt to the chx.
Grill chicken on skewers. Remove, and serve with:
Pita bread (no pocket, butter and heat first)
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Feta cheese, crumbled
Bell peppers
Tzatziki (recipe follows)

Pile it all on the pita, fold, eat and OPA!

Tzatziki (Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)

2c greek yogurt
1c cucumber, peeled & diced or shredded (mine went in the food processor)
1 clove garlic (or to taste)
1T olive oil
1T lemon juice (start low and work up)
1t garlic salt (can use sea salt instead)
1T chopped dill

Wrapped cucumber in paper towels and press out moisture.
Combine cucumbers with remaining ingredients and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl and chill. Serve with pita, souvlaki, gyro or on potatoes.

All American Quiche

Quiche has been my favorite food since I was a kid (in 3rd grade all the other kids were writing down their favorites- pizza, apples, spaghetti- and I have my paper that says 'keesh'). This recipe is cobbled together from what my mom made growing up, what I like, and is based on the Joy of Cooking recipe. It is unapologetically not French. I never measure, but I know that drives Bonnie nuts, so I've estimated here.

Place pie crust in pie pan. Bake for 8 min at 375, if desired (less soggy). When it comes out, throw in:
1/4- 1/2c chopped onion
1/2-1c chopped ham or bacon
1c chopped fresh broccoli
1/2c cheddar cheese

In a separate bowl, combine:
3 eggs
1 can evap milk (a little less, a whole can always overflows my pan)
1t salt
1/2t pepper
dash of nutmeg

Pour the milk & eggs over the top of the meat & veggies. Bake at 375 for 45 min, or until set in the middle. Let sit for a few minutes, then serve!

Suggested substitutions:
-Any meat and veggies you have on hand or particularly like will work. I've made it with chicken & summer squash, red bell peppers, spinach, etc. I regularly substitute frozen veggies for the fresh, but be sure to defrost them first or you'll have a watery quiche. David liked it when I put garlic in once.
-Any melting cheese will work. David liked it when I put in mozzarella once, and I've used Gruyere before (a little stinky for my taste). Use what you like/ have.
-As for the milk, Joy of Cooking calls for 1 1/2c cream or half & half. I never use/buy those, so I've substituted the evap milk. I've also used 1 1/4c whole milk fortified with 1/3c dry milk with good results. You don't get the fabulous airy custard texture, but that's not really my thing anyway. If you do use the cream/ half & half, you might have to reduce the cooking time to 35 min.

Lona Simon's Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

The term 'whole wheat' is used loosely here.

1pckg dry yeast proofed in 1/4c warm water
2 eggs
1/2c sugar
1/2c oil
1/2t salt
1c scalded milk (slightly cooled)
1 1/2c whole wheat flour
2 1/2c white flour

Beat eggs, sugar, oil and salt in electric mixer for 2-3 min. Add cooled milk and dissolved yeast. Gradually add both flours and mix completely. Let stand overnight (or at least 6-7hrs) at room temp with a clean cloth over the bowl. Next morning, punch down the dough and on a floured board knead for minute or two. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12in circle. Cut each circle (I use a pizza cutter) in 12 weges for dinner rolls or 8 wedges for sandwich rolls. Roll wedges from big end to little end. Shape into a crescent and place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise 30-45 min (depending on the temp of the kitchen). Bake 350* for 10-12 min.

**Portions of white/wheat flour can be varied according to taste and warm powdered milk can be substituted for the scalded milk.

Sesika's Mom's Tahitian Coconut bread

This is really good with Raspberry Sorbet. They serve this at the Tahitian village at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii.

2c coconut flakes
4c Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2c sugar
1 1/2c water

Combine coconut, sugar, and water. Blend flour and baking powder together. Mix all ingredients to a doughy texture adding a little flour as needed so it is not too sticky. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake in oven at 350 for 1-1.5hrs. Makes 3-5 loaves.

***Alternately, you can bury the loaves in hot coals for several hours if you're doing the open pit cooking thing.

US Senate Bean Soup

From the Joy of Cooking. 'This soup has been on the US Senate restaurant menu since 1901.'

Rinse & soak
1 1/4c small dried white beans, such as pea or navy

Drain and place in a soup pot along with:
7c cold water
1 small ham hock

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 1/4 hrs. Remove the ham hock. Discard the bone, skin, and fat; dice the meat. Return it to the pot along with:
1 large, diced onion
3 medium celery stalks with leaves, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2t salt
1/2t ground black pepper

Simmer until the potatoes are quite soft, 20-30 min. Remove from the heat and mask with a potato masher until the soup is a bit creamy. Stir in:
2T chopped fresh parsley

Ladle into warmed bowls and serve! Makes about 6c.

Macaroons

Cecily was nice enough to say she loved my macaroons, even though I've only made them once (maybe twice?) in my life and I thought they were not that impressive. But, here's my recipe from the Joy of Cooking for all you Samoa lovers who can't afford to subsidize Girl Scout programs in order to sate your sweet tooth (like us- we ration them amongst the adults). Another good chocolate-coconut-sweetened condensed milk cookie is my mom's Ooey Gooey Cookies Recipe.

Coconut Macaroons

Stir together:
2/3c sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1.5t vanilla
1/8 t salt

Stir in:
3.5c flaked or shredded sweetened coconut

Drop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or well greased foil spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are nicely browned (it suggests in the top 3rd of the oven), 20-25 min at 325. Remove and let stand until cool. Carefully peel the cookies off the paper or foil.
Then I like to drizzle them with melted chocolate.

So now I have a question for you. What do you do with the leftover sweetened condensed milk?

Heavenly Chicken Divine

One of our new favorites. We fight over the leftovers. From my sister in law's Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook. Several of her best recipes are from this, I might have to peruse it more carefully.

Have ready:
4c broccoli steamed
4c cooked penne pasta (3c dried, 1 box, my SIL raves about Ezekiel 4:9 Organic Sprouted Grain Pasta, available at Kroger or Amazon)
2c shredded roast chicken (or cubed breasts, whatever)
2c (4oz) shredded smoked Gouda or Edam (don't skimp on cheese, it really defines the dish. I prefer Edam)

Heat 2t olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add:
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4t dried thyme
1/4t salt
1/8t pepper
Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 5 min. Remove from heat and stir in:
1 jar (16oz) Alfredo sauce (I make my own, more is better)
1/2c grated smoked Gouda or Edam cheese (I like Edam)
1/2-1c milk
1/2c of the pasta water
1/8t nutmeg
Then stir in the cooked pasta, steamed broccoli, 2c shredded roast chicken and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a 9x13 pan and top with another 1.5c of Gouda or Edam cheese and 1/4c Italian breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with some paprika and cover with foil. Bake for 30 min at 375. Uncover and bake another 10-15 min, or until golden brown.

The recipe freezes well, except for the broccoli. My SIL serves the broccoli separate, since it gets mushy in leftovers. You can also make the dish the day before and keep refridgerated for 24 hrs.

Squash Recipes

Cecily requested some of my favorite squash recipes, so here they are!

Baked Acorn Squash with Pear and Apple
Good enough for dessert. From The Joy of Cooking.

Bake 2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded, cut side down in a pan with 1/4 inch water at 325 for 45 min. Meanwhile, mix in a bowl:
2 large apples, peeled, cored, & diced
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, & diced
1/4c dried currants or raisins
2T brown sugar
zest of 1 small orange (I always leave this out because I never have it)
1/4t cinnamon
1/8t nutmeg (I approximate on the spices, a dash of this, a shake of that)

Melt 2T butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add apple mixture and cook until fruit is golden brown, about 5 min. Stir in 1/4c apple cider or orange juice (I usually use OJ). Simmer, stirring often, until fruit is tender, about 8 min.
Remove squash from oven, pour off water in pan. Turn squash face up and fill with apple mixture. Return to oven and bake until squash is tender, about 15 min more.

Baked Butternut Squash stuffed with Sausage and Apples
Also from The Joy of Cooking.

Halve lengthwise and remove seeds and strings from 2 butternut squash. Arrange cut side up in a baking dish and brush lightly with 1T olive oil. Cover with lid or foil and bake until almost tender, 30-40min at 375.
Meanwhile, crumble 1c bulk sausage into a skillet and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Without draining off the fat, add 1 large, tart green apple, peeled cored, & cubed. Cook stirring, for several minutes just until crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
When the squash is cooked, let it cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh leaving 3/8in thick shells (careful not to put your scooping spoon through the skin). Lightly mix the squash into the sausage, breaking it up as little as possible.
Mix in:
2T soft butter
1T brown sugar
1/4t ground sage
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pile the stuffing into the squash halves. Dot with 1T butter and 1T brown sugar. Bake, uncovered, until piping hot and brown and crusty on top, 20-25 min. Let cool a bit before serving.
**I usually use only 1/2 pckg of sausage and piling it into the squash halves is great for presentation, but is just baked in a corning ware dish, though it can get drier that way.

Penne with Garlicky Butternut Squash
From the Food Network website, courtesy of Jeanne Lemlin.

Cook 1lb penne pasta in stockpot. Drain thoroughly in a colander.

Heat 1/4c olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Toss in 4c diced butternut squash (from a 1.5lb squash). Saute 5 min, or until it begins to golden. Sprinkle in 4 large garlic cloves, minced (I probably only use 2) and saute 2 min.
Pour in:
1/4c water
1/4t nutmeg
6 sage leaves minced or 1/4t powdered sage
1/4c minced fresh parsley (I always just shake in however much dried parsley I want)
1/2t salt
pepper to taste

Cover the pan. Cook the squash until tender, about 5 min more. Mix penne and squash and toss gently. Sprinkle Parmesan and pass more at the table.

Mama Heiss' Ooey Gooey Cookies

My favorite cookie growing up. Below are the amounts I have written down, but I always approximate and put on as many choc chips as I want!

Melt 1 stick margarine on cookie sheet with sides. Pour one box yellow cake mix over it.
Top with:
3c mini marshmallows
6oz choc chips
1.5c coconut flakes
1c chopped nuts (I never do this)
Then drizzle 1 can sweetened condensed milk over it all.
Bake at 350 for 25 min. Cut into squares while still warm.

Mama Heiss' Christmas Cider

Mix together in a large pot on the stove or crockpot:
1qt cranapple juice
2/3c sugar in 3c water (boil until dissolved)

Then steep:
9 whole cloves
1.5 sticks cinnamon

Let simmer 10-15 min, remove spices and stir in 6 oz frozen lemonade. Serve warm.

Mama Heiss' Amazing Mint Brownies

These brownies are one of my favorite holiday traditions. They freeze well and look so elegant. My mom sometimes dyes the icing green if she's feeling festive.
Brownies
Melt together 4 sq unsweetened chocolate and 2 sticks of margarine/ butter.
Add:
4 eggs
2c sugar
1-1.5c flour
1/4t salt
1-1.5t peppermint
Mix all, bake 350 for 25min, let cool completely. Then ice with:
Icing
Beat together:
1/2 softened margarine stick
2c powdered sugar
1t peppermint
2T milk
Then top with:
Chocolate glaze
2sq unsweetened chocolate
2T margarine/butter
Melt together and dribble over icing. Let cool completely to harden, or stick in the fridge for a few minutes.
Cut the brownies into sticks (about one inch by three inches) and serve slightly chilled (or else the chocolate will melt all over your fingers, your chin, etc.).

Jean Ballou's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

My mother in law makes a killer pumpkin pie with a praline layer at the bottom. The girls at park day were salivating and I've been getting death threats if I don't share it. She doesn't say this below, but you have to be careful that the nuts aren't too big or they will float to the top.

Praline Pumpkin Pie

Pastry
1 & 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C shorting
4-5 T cold water (Frieda says milk)

Praline Layer
1/3 C ground or finely chopped pecans – packed
1/3 C brown sugar
2T soft butter

Filling
2 eggs
1 C pumpkin (canned or fresh cooked)
(to cook a fresh pumpkin – slice in 1/2, scoop out strings and seeds, place unside down on a cookie sheet, cook at 350 for about 60-75 minutes. Once cooled, put in food processor, freeze in 1 to 1 and 1/2 Cups)
2/3 C brown sugar
1T flour
1/4 tsp Clove
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1C Cream (light)

Make pastry: sift flour and salt, cut in shorting until size of peas. Add 1T water/milk at a time, form a ball, flatten on lightly floured surface, roll out and put in pie pan.

1. 9” unbaked pie shell
2. Pre heat over 400 degrees
3. Make praline layer, blend all ingredients in a small bowl. Press gently into bottom of shell
4. Make filling: In medium bowl, with rotary beater, beat eggs til foamy. Add remaining ingredients in order. Beat only until well mixed.
5. Pour into pie shell, bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in filling comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack. May be served with whipped cream

Molasses Cookies

One of my top three favorite cookie recipes. From my mom, of course.

Blend and cream:
1c sugar
3/4 c shortening
1/4 c molasses
1 egg

Add:
2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1t cinnamon
1t cloves
1t ginger
2t baking soda

Mix well. Form balls the size of a golf ball, roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Flatten them slightly with your fingers. Bake 10 min at 350. Mmmmmm- autumn!

Herb Bread

Here's my yummy herb bread I served on Election Day. I got the recipe from a guy in my organ studio at Michigan.

Reconstitute 1c dried onion in 1-1.5c hot water

Mix in large bowl:
3.5 cups flour
3T sugar
1T salt
2T shortening
1.5 cup mozzarella cheese
2 pckg or 4.5t yeast
1/3 cup dill seeds

Add reconstituted onions and 2.5c warm water.
Stir in enough flour to make dough easy to handle (3-3.5 c more).
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface & knead 10 min. Place in greased bowl w/ greased side up. Cover and let rise 40-60 min or until double.
Grease bread pans or cake pan. Divide dough into 2 loaf pans or 2 mounds in cake pan. Let rise again.
Move rack to center of oven. Preheat to 425. Bake 25-30min. Allow to cool 10 min & brush with melted butter. Remove from pans, allow to cool before cutting.

*I substituted red wheat flour for the second half of the flour and there was no difference in the quality of the bread.
**This makes A LOT of bread. I baked one big mound on a cookie sheet and another big loaf in a loaf pan. I don't know how he got two mounds in a cake pan.


I added red wheat flour at this point

Betty Crocker's Easy Garlic, Herb & Cheese Biscuits

A fast favorite at our house. I tried them once mixed with pesto, but not nearly as good.

2c Bisquick
2/3c milk
1/2 shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4t basil, oregano, parsley, or rosemary

Mix until soft dough forms, beat vigorously 30 sec. Drop dough on cookie sheet by 10 to 12 spoonfuls (I actually usually make 6 or 7 big ones). Bake 8-10 min at 450. Mix together 1/4c melted butter and 1/4t garlic powder then brush on warm biscuits. Serve immediately. Ahhhh....

Marietta's Colombian Rice

This is from a Colombian friend who served this at every meal (in Colombia, they serve rice with everything, even spaghetti. A meal is not complete without three carbs). I have never been able to achieve the same amazing results (fabulous flavor and a beautiful brown, delicious crust on the bottom), but am still trying because David thinks this is absolutely heavenly.

Chop 1/2 onion and 2 cloves garlic per cup of rice (long grain, white Mahatma is good). Saute in 2T olive oil until clear. Add rice and stir. Add 2c water, salt to taste, and 1t bouillion per cup of rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and let cook until dry (about 20 min?). Then turn off the heat and let it sit for a while(she swears this is the most important part).

Mexican Meat

This is from my mom. We buy lots of ground chuck when it goes on sale, cook it up like this then freeze it in sandwich baggies (1/2-1lb) for a quick, easy meal. Defrost and sprinkle on nachos with black beans and peppers, put in quesadillas with black beans and peppers (or refried beans, if that's your thing), or eat in tacos. I've put dried pantry ingredients below, you can, of course, substitute fresh.

Mexican Meat

In a large pan, per 1lb of ground beef, add:
2T onion flakes
1t salt
1t chili powder
1/2t cornstarch
1/2t crushed red pepper
1/2t cumin
1/4t oregano
1/8t garlic
1/2c water

Brown, mixing well, then drain fat.