BRATS (indoor method)

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I love Brats. A lot of people simmer their brats for 30 minutes or longer in beer, but I think a quick, but delicious method is right on the package. You may also substitute the water for beer.

Place your brats in a 4 quart pan and put water or beer til it barely covers them. Place a lid over them. I like to poke them with a fork so they don’t explode from their skins.
Bring them up to a boil and back down to med-low to simmer them for about 10 minutes. Move them around every now and then to help them cook evenly. After 10 minutes you need to empty the water or beer and then cook them without liquid to crisp them up on the outside on med-low or medium.

I like to eat mine like a hot dog, but with sauerkraut. They can be eaten like your favorite hot dog, or add them to a pot of beans. They are so delicious.

Delicious Cheesy Omelet with Portabella Mushrooms

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I love to make an omelet, to me it is so filling and healthy. You can make this with whole eggs or egg whites.

Ingredients

2-3 eggs or egg whites
1-2 slices of lean ham chopped into bite size pieces
1/8-1/4cup of sliced Porte bella mushrooms
2 chopped green onions
grated cheddar cheese
2 TBS oil
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
1 pat of butter

Place your eggs or eggwhites into a bowl and mix them as if you are going to scramble them using a fork or a whisk. Drizzle a little oil in a skillet and heat this on medium heat. Season your eggs with a little salt and pepper. Now add your eggs and let them cover the bottom of the skillet. You may pick the skillet up and move it around so that the eggs continue to cook and cover the bottom of the skillet. Using a spatula, lightly run it around the edge to loosen up the eggs so they don’t stick.

In another skillet with 1 pat of butter and a drizzle of oil, saute your ham, mushrooms, green onion until they are slightly tender. When your eggs are almost done - add the ham mixture to one half of the eggs that are cooking in the skillet Sprinkle with a little cheese – I prefer cheddar cheese. Now fold over the eggs to cover them. I usually cut this in half so it is easier to work with. Make sure you flip them over and cook them on the other side. Your eggs may run out and that is OK because they will continue to cook.

I let them cook for about 1-2 minutes like this. Then they should be done. Just make sure you let it cook long enough to cook the eggs inside. Enjoy!

Baby Back Ribs or Spare Ribs

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Indoor recipe for falling off the bone, delicious, - Baby Back Ribs or Spare Ribs

Ingredients

1-2 racks of baby back or Pork spare ribs
1 bottle liquid smoke
Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Garlic powder
Your favorite BBQ sauce

You will need a large stock pot (if making 2 racks, you made need 2 pots)to simmer them in for about an hour. You should not need to exceed 1 1/2 hours. I usually cook mine for 1-1/2 hours. I made 1 rack the first time and everyone wanted more, so I always make 2 racks now). Also, my baby back ribs always come out better than my spare ribs, so I would say to cook the spare ribs a little longer on the stove top and in the oven at a lower temperature. I cut my ribs into thirds so they fit into the pot. You add a little liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and cover the ribs with water and a lid bring them up to a boil, then turn it down and let them simmer for at least 1 hour. You can go as long as 1-1/2 hours, but I don’t think you need to go past that. At this point, you can bake them indoors for 40 minutes til done, or cook them on the grill. I love this recipe because it tastes like it was cooked on the grill anyway.

Back to the indoor method. Then you take a roasting pan lined with foil and place your ribs on them. Bake them for 20 minutes each side at 350 degrees F for a total of 40 minutes. I season and spread my BBQ sauce on one side – cook for 20 minutes – turn them and season and spread the sauce on the other side for the last 20 minutes. If you are going to cook them longer than that you may need to cover them with foil and turn the temp down to 325 degrees F.

We like to use Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, but I tried making my own Balsamic vinegar sauce with brown sugar and we liked it the best. This recipe can be made to taste different ways just by changing the sauce, but they will always be falling off the bone delicious. The time it takes to cook them is also the quickest that I know of. Most ribs take 4 hours to get this tender.

Well good luck and enjoy!

Beef Stew with Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

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I saw Giada make this on her Food Network show “Everday Italian” (click here to visit that link)and thought I would give it a try. I did not follow her recipe to the “T”, but I did make mine with the butternut squash and sweet potatoes like she did. It is different.

Ingredients

1 chuck roast about 1.75 lbs cut into bite size pieces or 1 package precut stew meat between 1-2 lbs
1 small to medium butternut squash
2 sweet potatoes
1 bag baby leaf spinach
1 can Northern beans
Chicken bouillon cubes or chicken broth
Beef bouillon cubes or beef broth
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Cumin
Cayenne pepper
1/4-tsp red pepper flakes
Minced garlic
1/2-cup light brown sugar (optional)
3 TBS flour
3 TBS oil
3 TBS corn starch

Take your meat and mix it with about 3 TBP flour and season it with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little oil in the bottom of a stock pot – add your meat. Put it in the pan and leave it alone. But don’t let it burn. Mix it til all sides get evenly browned. You don’t want to keep stirring it. Let it cook on it’s own. Add your minced garlic – I used 2 teaspoons to 1.75 lbs of meat. Either prepare beef broth yourself using bouillon cubes (in another pot 3 cups of water heated with 2 beef bouillon cubes) or pour 3 cups of beef broth into the meat. Put a lid on it and bring it up to a boil then back down to Medium and let it simmer.

Now prepare your squash and sweet potatoes. Peel them and cut them into small cubes. Discard the seeds to the squash. In a separate pan prepare your own chicken broth (3 cups of water heated with 2 chicken bouillon cubes) or pour 3 cups of chicken broth into the stew meat along with the squash and sweet potatoes. You need to bring this up to a boil and then back down to a simmer.

Season with salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Let the stew cook for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

I add about 2 cups of chicken broth to a pan and add almost a whole bag of baby spinach to it. This will cook down. Then add it to the stew, you may not want to add the broth if it will make it have too much liquid. Stews are supposed to be thick. To thicken it up – I take 3 TBS of corn starch and the same amount of cold water and stir til smooth and add it to the stew.

When you notice that the squash and sweet potatoes are done, you probably want to make sure the heat is not above Medium-low or else the stew may turn into mush.

About 15-20 minutes before serving, add a can of beans and your light brown sugar to taste. I noticed that without the sugar, the stew is a little bit tart, but a little brown sugar gives it a nice flavor. If you’re not sure if you want to add the sugar, put some stew in a bowl and sprinkle a little brown sugar on it to see if you like the taste before you add it to the whole pot.

I personally think the squash and sweet potatoes would make a delicous soup if pureed and cooked in chicken broth and seasoned with brown sugar.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this stew. I wanted to make something different than the same old stew with carrots, potatoes, and peas.

Crispy Chicken Tacos with Queso Fresco Cheese

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Ingredients

4 cooked chicken thighs cut or shredded into small pieces
corn tortillas
cooking oil
shredded cheddar cheese
queso fresco cheese
lettuce
1 can rotel tomatoes
kosher salt
ground black pepper
cumin
cayenne pepper
garlic powder
Avocado (if available)

Chicken thighs can be cooked on stove top in water or in the oven for about 30-35 minutes on 350 F. You can buy premade taco shells, but I think they taste better with home made taco shells. Heat a pot of oil to 350 degrees and fry your tortillas until crisp. I use tongs to help form a shell. (Bend the tortilla in half and try not to let the sides touch to leave space to fill them). You can also make soft shells, too by cooking them for a few seconds on each side 15-20 seconds or so. Take your chicken and cut or shred it into small pieces.

Making a taco:

Place some chicken in a taco shell. Add some rotel (which is a can of tomatoes with chili peppers) , Queso fresco cheese, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and avocado. I made these without the avocado and they were delicious, but I know they will be perfect with them, too.

Beef Tacos

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Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
3 TBS flour
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2tsp ground black pepper
1/2tsp paprika
1/2tsp Mexican oregano (if you don’t have it – leave it out)
1/2to1 cup of water

In a skillet, brown your meat. Drain off all the fat as it cooks. I don’t season anything until I get rid of all the fat and till all the meat has browned nicely. Add your seasonings above. I hate to put measurements on seasonings. Everyone has their own tastes, but there is a balance to these seasonings. Notice that the salt and cumin are more pronounced than the cayenne, paprika, and black pepper. That is the main thing you need to know about the seasonings. Just play with them yourself till you get the combination you like. Sprinkle in about 3 TBS of flour. Stir until all meat is coated. Then add 1/2to 1 cup of water till it makes a nice gravy. Turn up the heat until it boils then back down to a low temp and let it simmer.

Sometimes I buy premade taco shells at the store in the Latin American section. You can also make your own taco shells:

Taco shells:

Put about 3 cups of oil in a large pan it should only fill up the bottom 2 inches of the pan
Using tongs, dip a corn tortilla in the hot oil (about 350 degrees)
Fold the tortilla in half – try not to let the sides touch and leave a space to fill them with beef and your toppings. Cook until crisp - about 30-45 seconds.
If you want to make a soft corn taco shell, just heat the tortilla on both sides for about 8 – 15 seconds,

Making the taco:

Fill the taco shell with the cooked beef mixture. Add shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, and lettuce. You may want to top with sour cream.

This recipe should make about 16 tacos

Chicken Tamales

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EQUIPMENT

You will need the following equipment before getting started: Large stock pot, steamer basket, cutting board, blender or food processor, plastic ziplock bags or plastic wrap for rolling tamales out, measuring cup, spatula, rolling pin.

SPICES

1 TBS Paprika
1 TBS Garlic Powder (not salt)
1 TBS Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
1/2 TBS Ground Black Pepper
2 TBS Chili Powder
1-2 TSP Cumin seeds to the dough

INGREDIENTS

1 - 2-5 lb chicken
Chicken bouillon cubes or chicken stock need a minimum of 2 cups stock - it depends on how much masa you want to work with I usually start with 2-3 cups of masa - some recipes recommend you use 1/2 bag of masa. My recipe will be based on smaller version which yields 2 dozen tamales.
Corn Oil
Bag of Corn Husks for tamale making
1 lb of Tomatillos – about 8-10
2 poblano peppers

STEP 1

Day 1

The first step is to cook and prepare the meat. This will take one whole day to do, the meat needs to cook for a long period of time so that it is tender, and then you need to shred it either with a fork, or use a blender or food processor. There are various methods of cooking the meat below it is a matter of preference. I usually roast mine in the oven and it comes out nice and tender.

Stove-Top Method

Rinse and place pieces of your chicken in a large stockpot slowly add enough water to cover them. You can start it at a high temperature, but turn the heat down to med-low or med. and let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes (depends on how big your chicken is and if it is thawed out or not). To check for doneness, cut a piece of chicken, if it is not pink inside, then it is done. When the meat is done, do not discard the broth. Save about 2-3 cups of broth for the masa dough. Just pour the broth into a pitcher or large measuring cup or container and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make your tamales. Also it is not necessary to season your meat until after it cooks, the only seasoning I would suggest is salt and pepper. I do like to add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes to help flavor the chicken and broth.

Roasting in the Oven

The chicken needs to cook for at least 1 hour for every pound. If it is over 2 lbs, but less than 3 it will cook for 2 ½ hours. I take a large pan that is about 2 inches deep and line it with foil. Preheat your oven to 325. Melt about ½ cup butter in a microwave safe dish and brush the chicken with butter every 30 minutes as it cooks. This will make the outside crispy and the inside juicy. Cook your chicken at this temperature for at least 1 hour. Turn the meat over after 1 hour. You can cover the chicken with foil once the outside has turned a nice brown so that it doesn't turn out too dry and overcooked. I usually roast 2 chickens at one time, that way, you can feed the family off of one and save whatever is left of it and combine the left over meat to make the tamales.

Preparing the Tomatillos

Rinse tomatillos and remove outer skin. Cut each one in half. In a skillet, add about 2-3 Tbs. Olive oil and 1 clove garlic and roast the tomatillos on both sides for about 15 minutes. I usually do this at a med-high temperature. Turn it down to medium if it starts smoking. When done, allow them to cool off then using the blender, blend them - they will look like green salsa when done. Even though they may taste bitter by themselves, once added to the chicken, they give the chicken a very distinct and delicious flavor. I guess if you wanted to skip this part, you could use store bought green salsa, you can tell on the bottle under ingredients that they will say tomatillos in them. I usually buy green salsa or “salsa verde” when I make chicken enchiladas. Anyway, I have not used store bought when I make tamales, I have only used homemade. I don’t see anything wrong with it though.

Preparing the Poblano peppers

Rinse each poblano. Place each on a cookie sheet lined with foil and place in the oven and broil on high. Watch these very closely. About 1-2 minutes on each side. After the peppers have roasted, place them in a large bowl with saran wrap tightly covering them and wait about 10 minutes. After that, the skins should peel easily off. I cut a slit down the middle and around the stem and discard the stem and any seeds. Then dice the poblano into small pieces and set aside.

Preparing the Meat

Once the Meat is cooked, it needs to be shredded. I prefer to use my blender. This is a matter of preference. You can use a fork, blender, or a food processor. If using the blender, you may add a little stock as you blend. I blend a little at a time and place it in a bowl. Don’t try to blend the whole chicken at once, just small amounts at a time. It takes awhile, but the result is worth it. After the meat is shredded to your liking, you need to season it. I usually add Kosher Salt, Black pepper, Garlic Powder, and cumin seeds to flavor. You may also want to add paprika and chili powder. For 1 chicken I would say about 1 Tbs salt, ½ Tbs black pepper, 1 Tbs garlic powder, 1-2 Tsp cumin seed. 1-2 tsp paprika, 1 Tbs chili powder. Add a little broth to moisten the meat. Combine the tomatillo sauce and diced poblano peppers to the meat and then refrigerate it until the following day. The reason for this is the process of making the masa, spreading it on the cornhusks, and cooking the tamales, will take awhile to do. It is better to do each in steps.

STEP 2

Day 2

Soak the Cornhusks

The first thing you need to do is soak the cornhusks in warm water while you prepare the tamales. I use my stock pot and place enough warm water in there to cover the husks, then I find they stay covered better when I place my steamer basket over them and place something heavy in the steamer basket like 2 large cups. They will tend to float to the top if you don’t hold them down with something. I turn the stove on low heat. I also flip them over to insure that they all get soaked about every 30 minutes or so. As I make the tamales, I get a few husks out and let the others keep soaking, so they don’t dry out. That is how I do it. You will find a method that works for you.


Prepare the Masa dough

I use 2 –3 cups of masa, this will yield 2 dozen tamales. Place masa in a large bowl. I season this with 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt. 1 TBS garlic powder, and 1 TBS paprika. 1-2 Tsp. of cumin seeds. Add 2 cups of broth to this. (If you discarded the broth from the chicken, I just use chicken broth that I make with chicken bouillon cubes; instructions are on the jar) Broth should be room temperature. I then add ½ cup of corn oil to the masa dough. You need to work this all in with your hands. Now just add water till the consistency is moist, but not too moist. Should be something like peanut butter. You don’t want it too dry either, some of the worst tasting tamales are those that are too dry.

Making the Tamales

Now that you have your masa dough. I like to prepare mine on a large plastic cutting board. Keep paper towels close by, the area will tend to get wet and you need to dry it as you go, or the tamales will not come out right. I take a few cornhusks and place them on a plate – shake out the water in the sink. Some people like to make 5 tamales at a time, I prefer to make 1 at a time. I like to work on a gallon size ziplock bag – I take 2 bags and cut off the plastic zipper. I tried using saran wrap, but it is too thin to work with, and I’ve also tried using wax paper without success. I like the thickness of using the ziplock bags. I use one bag for the top and one bag to lay the tamale on top of while I roll it out.




So lay the husk on top of one of the plastic bags, using a spatula, place a scoop of masa dough on the tamale. Holding the husk in front of you, the narrow end on your right, work the lower left corner of the husk. Leave 1 inch of the top husk bare and about 1/3 of the right side bare or empty.




I like to spread my dough as thin as I can. I place the other ziplock bag over the area that needs to be flattened out, and then I use my rolling pin to roll it the desired thickness. I try to get mine as thin as possible, they make better tamales. The first batch I made, they were too thick. You will have to experiment with this.



Unfortunately you will not know until you have completely prepared and cooked a batch of tamales. Try to make them paper-thin. You won’t be sorry. Then take a spoon and place 1 Tbs. or so of meat and using a fork spread it down the tamale. Now, roll the tamale up, and fold the narrow side down. (Again I will try to have pictures) Place the tamale aside, you may want to use a cookie sheet or large dish to place them in until you are ready to steam them. Keep preparing the tamales until you run out of husks, dough, or you just don’t want to make any more. You can refrigerate the dough and meat and even the husks until you want to make more. I just place my husks in a ziplock before refrigerating them or you can let them dry out again and store them in the bag you purchased them in. I also freeze my meat; I just make sure that I put the date on the bag, so I can use the oldest up first. You may want to make 1 small batch a dozen or so just to get the method down that works for you. When I made my third batch, I felt everything was going smoothly and I had made a large batch, then as I was cooking them, I remembered that I forgot to add my cooking oil to the dough. I knew they would not cook properly, and I was right. Some people use lard, but you can make tasty tamales with corn oil. Just don’t forget to put it in the dough or they will not cook right. That was a bitter lesson for me! I won’t forget that again. I had to throw them away. I usually freeze them and let my dog have them as treats – he loves them. My first batch was too spicy; so those made great frozen dog treats. You just microwave them for 2 minutes or so before you give them to your dog, but allow them to cool off first.

Cooking the Tamales

The tamales need to be steamed in water that does not touch the bottom of the steamer basket. I suggest you experiment with a measuring cup now, and see how much water you can add to the stockpot without covering the bottom of the steamer basket. That is how much water you need to add, and as the water evaporates, this is very important – do not let it run out of water.




I check mine every 20-30 minutes and have never run out of water. Place a damp kitchen towel on top under your lid and at first cook at a high temperature, when it starts to steam, drop the temperature down to simmer. I cook mine on Med-Low. It takes 2-1/2 hours to cook at this temperature.




Everyone’s will vary. So you need to pay attention, document, and remember what the cooking time is. You also need to check a tamale towards the end, to check for doneness. If the masa is sticking, that is a sign that they are not ready. Also, don’t forget to re-dampen your towel, just make sure you wring it out good before placing it under the lid. I usually do this every time I check the water level. So every 20-30 minutes.

I hope you try my pork tamale recipe as well. They are definitely totally different tastes. I love to eat the pork tamales with crackers and sliced cheddar cheese. I usually crave them as a snack.

No-bake Cheesecake

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Ok, Amanda, this recipe is for you! I am putting Daddy’s secret recipe in writing so we don’t have to wonder if the recipe calls for 1 box of cream cheese or 2 and how much lemon juice it takes! I made it this past weekend and added a little whipped cream and lemon zest to it. It tastes just wonderful either way!

INGREDIENTS

1 – prepared graham cracker crust - 9 inch
1 – can Eagle brand, sweetened condensed milk
¼ - ½ cup lemon juice (or the juice from 1 lemon)
lemon zest from 2 lemons (optional)
½ - 1 cup of whipped cream prepared (I use cool whip) - (optional)
2 boxes of 8 oz cream cheese (softened in microwave – 15 seconds at a time)
1 tsp vanilla extract

PREPARATION

I prefer to use a blender. You will need a mixer, food processor, or something powerful to whip it with til all the lumps are removed. My husband makes it by hand with a whisk. I have trouble getting the lumps out with just a whisk. Anyway, soften your cream cheese in the microwave until soft and place in large bowl. Add your sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth consistency. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. The lemon zest and whipped cream are optional. Poor into a prepared graham cracker crust and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour so that it sets.

This cheesecake will taste wonderful by itself or you may serve with blue berries, or strawberries or make a fruit compote to drizzle over it.

Chicken Salad

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This recipe is a take from Luby’s chicken salad. I used to love eating it and the tuna salad with crackers for lunch during my work week. However, I have not seen a Luby’s in Pensacola – just Piccadilly’s. Luby’s used to be my parent’s favorite place to eat. So I am familiar with a lot of their dishes. I have also seen this recipe called “Almond Chicken Salad”, but it doesn’t include the grapes and seasonings. I think you will find that by adding the green grapes and seasonings to this, makes a wonderful light lunch.
The only negative thing I have to say is it will not keep long in the fridge due to the mayonnaise and grapes. So only make what you will eat in about 4 - 5 days.

Chicken Salad

1 ½ - 2 cups cooked chicken cut into bite size pieces or cubes (oven roasted, poached, or rotisserie work the best)
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped green onions
¾ cup green grapes sliced in half
¼ cup toasted nuts (almond slivers, walnuts, pecans, etc)
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 TBSP orange juice

Preparation

In a large bowl, add your ingredients listed above combine and chill. This salad tastes wonderful with crackers. The curry powder and ground mustard gives it a flavor that will make you crave the taste of this salad.

My serving suggestion is to serve it on a bed of lettuce with crackers.

As always, I make mine without the onions because of my husband’s reaction – heartburn and indigestion, but they really go well with this salad.

Waldorf Fruit Salad

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This is a good way to eat your fruits, but if you are like us, this salad will go fast. Everyone loves the taste of the red grapes as they burst in your mouth! Such flavor and sweetness! I add mandarin oranges versus regular Florida oranges because they are sweeter. I have tried adding regular oranges and I just don’t prefer it that way. However, you may wish to add regular orange slices as well. You can also replace the pecans with whatever you have on hand like walnuts. I prefer the pecans, though. You can also leave them out, but they add so much to this salad, they will be missed!

Ingredients

4-5 bananas
1 cup seedless red grapes (make sure they are seedless)
1-2 apples cut into cubes
1 15oz can mandarin oranges
1-2 celery stalks diced (optional)
¼ - ½ cup Mayonnaise (like Real Mayo – not miracle whip)
1-2 cups Cool Whip
½ cup of chopped pecans


Preparation

In a large bowl, peel and slice your bananas, add your chopped apples, grapes, and mandarin oranges, dice and add celery (optional), Mix together. Add your cool whip about 1 cup and ¼ - ½ cup of Mayo. You may need to add more, you will know by the taste. And finally add your pecans and mix well. I apologize, about the amount of mayo and cool whip, I usually buy a small container of cool whip and use about half of it, and add a little mayo to it (not a lot) til it tastes right. It doesn’t matter if you use light or fat free cool whip either. I use regular mayo because I read that the fat free is actually higher in calories than the regular. So anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Chicken and Dumplings

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I learned this from an HGTV show. I’ll try to find the link and add it here
Cat Cora at Food Network

I’ve adjusted my recipe to feed a family of at least 5 and up. Not sure of the maximum because I usually have some leftovers. This recipe makes wonderful leftovers, too. Cat Cora uses onion and celery in her recipe. I do not cook with onion because my husband gets real bad indigestion. I usually don’t add vegetables, but it would be good also with corn, I think. You can adjust the recipe the way you like it.

1 4-5lb chicken (use 2-3 cups of chicken in this recipe)
1 cup milk (the rule is ½ cup milk for each cup of flour that you use)
2-1/2 - 3 cups flour
2-3 Tbsp Crisco shortening (the solid kind in the can) (the rule is 1 Tbsp for each cup of flour you use)
2-3 tsp salt (the rule is aprox. ¾ tsp for each cup of flour you use)
1-2 tsp (the rule is 1 tsp baking powder for each cup of flour used)
1 tsp ground black pepper
1-2 tsp garlic powder
2-3 bouillon cubes (or 2 cups chicken stock)

Cooking the meat

Cut your chicken at the joints (separate the legs, thighs, breasts, etc.) and place the pieces in a pot and cover with water. Add 1-2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper to the water. You can add 1-2 tsp garlic powder as well. Start by heating on a high setting until it starts to boil. Putting a lid on the pot helps it to boil quicker. Then turn heat down to medium-low setting or Medium setting. I like to add 2 chicken bouillon cubes to the water after it heats up, it will give the chicken more flavor and this is the water that we will use for our dumplings as well. We don’t throw anything away except the chicken bones! The meat needs to cook anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Check it for doneness by cutting it, and if there is no pink in the center it is done. I say 20-30 because you can put the chicken in frozen and it will cook well like this without defrosting it, just cook it longer. No need to defrost it. I usually defrost it a little if it is hard as a rock. Other than that, it won’t hurt to cook it without defrosting it.

Preparing the meat

After the meat is done, I let it cool off in the refrigerator for a little bit. Then remove and discard the bones. Cut the chicken up into bite size pieces. You will need about 2-3 cups of meat for this recipe. You can reserve some of your chicken for other recipes.

Preparing the chicken stock

You can drain the chicken stock if necessary. Just run it through a small strainer and place back in pot. Add your chopped chicken to the pot. Turn heat on simmer or medium setting.

Preparing the dumplings

In a large mixing bowl, add 2 to 2-1/2 cups of flour. Add 1-1/2 – 2 tsp salt. Add 2 tsp baking soda. Mix well. Add 2 Tbsp of shortening (the kind that is not liquid, but solid like butter) then blend or cut this in with a fork until it is distributed throughout the flour mixture. Add 1 cup of milk gradually to form a ball of dough. You can work and knead this with your hands. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out til it’s about 1/8” thick or so. Take a knife and cut into 1” strips and then cut each strip so that you have small squares. Do this with the rest of the dough. You can drop these into the pot of chicken stock as you cut them. When the dumplings are done, they will float to the top. This only takes a second or two. Children can help with slicing the dough – because it can be done with a butter knife. They like to help with this part, and I’m sure you can use whatever help you can get!

Also, if you want to make adjustments to this recipe now is the time to do it. You can add herbs like basil, too. Adjust your seasoning, after all the pieces have risen to the top, you may start eating.

Notice how the milk in this recipe changes the stock to a smooth and creamy texture. I always make extra dumplings because the kids love them so much. My husband was surprised that this recipe did not need extra vegetables or anything. He thought he would still be hungry after eating it, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that it is very filling. I encourage you to make this especially when someone is ill. Chicken soup is supposed to be good for the flu and other things. I think you will find it quite satisfying and delicious.

Quesadillas

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This is the cheapest, most delicious, easy recipes that I know of. When in doubt, keep fresh flour tortillas, refried beans, and cheese on hand and you will have a hearty meal or a tasty snack.

INGREDIENTS

1 can refried beans
1 package flour tortillas
2 cups cheddar cheese (any cheese can be used – also in Latino refrigerated section, they make queso cheese especially for making quesadillas) I prefer to use the already shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheeses.
1-2 cups of cooked chopped chicken or cooked ground beef (Warm up meat in microwave prior to making the quesadillas)

Preparation

Spread refried beans on a tortilla. Top with chicken or beef and the cheese. Heat a small skillet to Medium-high or between Medium and Medium high. (You don’t want it to smoke, but be hot) . You can spray the pan with non-stick spray or just place a little olive oil and spread around inside the pan. Place the tortilla in the pan after you have topped it with the beans, cheese, and meat. Then place another plain tortilla on top of it and press with a spatula. The cheese needs to act like the glue to hold the two tortillas together. When the bottom tortilla has turned light brown, flip it over holding everything in place with the spatula. I think I have used 2 spatulas for this, one to hold everything together and the other to move underneath and flip it over with. Keep pressing down especially around the edges. Cook until the tortilla is light brown. Remove and slice into quarters with a pizza cutter. When serving these, they go well with sour cream or guacamole.

I hope you enjoy them.

Southern Potato Salad

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My husband’s family taught me a quick way to make potato salad that I want to share with everyone. I used to wash my potatoes and slice them when I cooked them, but his family couldn’t believe that I went to so much effort. Also, if you like chunky potato salad better, then you will love this recipe. It has the same ingredients that I had always put in there, but this is my husband’s and my youngest daughter’s favorite recipe.

When you cook the potatoes, you don’t even wash them – that is if they came from the store and not your garden! Otherwise, you need to scrub the heck out of them first! Did you know that cooking them this way takes just as much time as cooking them sliced? I didn’t either, but it’s true. It only takes about 15-20 minutes. Slide a knife into them to check for doneness. Also, I usually cook them an additional 10 – 15 minutes, because I noticed that when they are really soft, the skins just peel right off, there will not be any potato clinging to the skins. You can do it either way, but I think the latter will yield more potato. The skins can be removed with a regular table knife – no need for a sharp knife here, but if you cook them an extra few minutes, you won’t even need the knife, they will peel right off with your fingers.

Also, just a note for boiling eggs. I once heard that to make the perfect hard-boiled egg, you boil the egg for 1 minute then remove from heat for 12 minutes. I boil my eggs for 2 minutes, because I find them a little undone the other way. Just don't forget to let them sit for 12 minutes.

Old Fashioned Southern Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

5-6 Med-Large Potatoes
5 hard boiled eggs (the rule is 1 egg for each potato, that is what my in-laws go by – I usually just go under the number of potatoes and it comes out fine)
2-3 TBS dill relish (some people prefer sweet, but I encourage you to try it this way first)
1 TBS mustard (regular yellow – not grey poupon)
1-2 tsp Paprika
1 cup of mayonnaise (not miracle whip – Kraft Real Mayo)
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, boil 5 –6 potatoes until tender. Read the paragraph above for cooking them. Peel potatoes and add chopped boiled eggs in a large bowl. Add mustard and mayonnaise and combine. Add the other ingredients and seasoning to taste. If the salad seems too dry, add more mayo. Sprinkle a little paprika on it before serving. Most prefer to eat this salad warm, so if you refrigerate it, it may be warmed up in the microwave. Also, it tastes wonderful with baked beans – try Bush’s they are excellent.

You may add chopped celery or onions to this recipe, but I never cook with onions because my husband is allergic to them. Either way, I hope you enjoy this recipe - especially with hamburgers or with an outdoor barbecue.

Perfect Grits

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Who cares if you know how to make perfect grits anyway? Sometimes I feel like I can relate to that remark! But, I’m adding the recipe below for my daughters, and maybe someone else will appreciate it as well. Sometimes we take for granted that some of the easiest recipes could taste a whole lot better!

I have always known how to make grits because the recipe is right on the bag, but until watching Food Network on TV and trying different recipes have I learned how to make “perfect grits”. The only difference is adding a little milk instead of water. I’m a southern girl, so I grew up eating grits. Anyway, I was never taught to put milk in the recipe. And I had never eaten “cheese grits” – but they are delicious. I can’t remember if those were made with milk or broth, so I’m not putting that in my recipe. I think they would be delicious with milk. Anyway, cheese grits make a great side dish for a main entre` especially if your other side dishes are getting old and boring. Just cook the grits and melt cheddar cheese in them prior to serving. Everyone has their own way of eating grits. When I grew up, we were taught to mix our fried eggs up in the grits. If you have never eaten them this way, you ought to try it. However, there are others, like my husband, who don’t care for grits and only eat them with sugar on them – similar to rice pudding. One of my twin sons, does this as well. Well, I hope you enjoy this recipe.

This recipe below will serve about 4. If you only want to feed 1-2 people, then cut the recipe in half.

Perfect Grits

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup - Quaker 5 minute grits
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1 tsp Kosher salt (I always eyeball this, I never measure it – just don’t put too much, you can always add more at the table – too much salt will ruin the recipe)


COOKING

Add the water and milk to a 4 quart saucepan. Add salt. Cook on Med - high until it starts to boil – you may want to put a lid on it so it boils faster. Stir every now & then so the milk doesn’t scorch. Once it boils, add the grits and turn heat down to Medium. Stir with a whisk to get all the lumps out. You can turn the heat down to Med-Low and let it finish cooking or wait the 5 minutes and then turn the heat down to low or the grits will scorch until ready to serve.

Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

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You won’t believe what the secret ingredient to these delicious enchiladas are – sour cream. The combination of the chili and sour cream in this recipe result in a unique and delicious flavor. If you don’t believe me, try leaving out the sour cream – they just don’t taste the same.

INGREDIENTS

2 -15 oz - medium cans Wolf Brand Chili without beans
16-18 soft corn tortillas (heat tortillas in small amount of hot oil – 8 seconds per side)
2 cups cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese shredded
¼ - ½ of a small box of Velveeta, sliced into 2” long thin strips
½ cup of Queso Fresco – Quesadilla cheese (in Latin refrigerated section)
sour cream

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 13 x 9 casserole dish, spread 1 can of chili evenly over the bottom of the dish (this keeps the enchiladas moist during baking and from turning hard on the bottom). If you haven’t already done this, take a small skillet with a little hot oil, and soften each tortilla for about 15-20 seconds each (8-10 seconds per side). For really gooey cheese, use slices of velveeta or American along with some shredded cheddar or monterey jack. Place your cheese on the edge and roll up, place seam side down in the casserole dish. Do this for the rest of the enchiladas. Spread some sour cream over the tops of the enchiladas before you spread the next can of chili over them. After you spread the sour cream and chili, place a sheet of foil over them and put them in the oven for about 20 minutes. When the sides start bubbling, remove from oven. Take foil off. Spread some cheese on top (quesadilla cheese – or queso fresco is great for the top) and place them under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes to allow the center to get hot and the cheese to melt.

This meal can be made with a combination of different cheeses. I usually make it with what I have on hand.

This is a meal that can be made in flat layers and baked in the microwave in individual servings. Just layer 3 soft corn tortillas (softened in hot oil as above) with the cheese, sour cream, and chili and cover them with chili and cheese at the end. Zap them in the microwave until the chili boils and the cheese melts about 3 minutes or so.

Chicken Enchiladas

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These are my daughter’s favorite meal. They are so versatile, you can even cook them in the crock pot! Very inexpensive to make and they make great tasting left overs. So let’s get started!

INGREDIENTS

1 - 4 to 5 lb cooked chicken, shredded and/or chopped seasoned with salt, pepper, & garlic
chicken stock or chicken bouillon cubes to make stock
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup of milk or heavy cream (2% milk works fine)
1 cups monterey jack cheese shredded (optional)
2 cups mild cheddar cheese shredded
Sour cream
16-18 Corn Tortillas (softened in hot cooking oil for approximately 8 seconds each side)
1 jar or can of Salsa verde (green salsa – roasted tomatillos)

PREPARATION

I bake mine in a 13 x 9 inch glass casserole dish. This will hold about 18 enchiladas if you roll them up tight enough. Prepare your corn tortillas as listed above. I usually make about 4 at a time in the baking dish. Lay out the tortillas. Spoon about 1 Tbs of meat, and a little cheese near one edge of tortilla, then roll tightly and place side by side in dish. Do this until all tortillas are used up. You may have to lay some horizontally after a while. Spread sour cream over the enchiladas. They will not taste right if you leave out this step. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup put 1-2 cups of chicken broth, add 1 cup of milk or heavy cream and add one can cream of chicken soup. Using a whisk, blend this well and pour over the enchiladas. This must cover all the enchiladas. Take a jar of salsa verde and drizzle the green salsa down over the enchiladas. This is another step that should not be left out; however, even though the salsa is not hot, children usually don’t like it, so use your own judgement, sometimes I leave the salsa off of the kids portion. Also, salsa can be added after they are baked for more flavor. After this is done, add the remaining shredded cheese over the top. Cover with foil. Bake this in a 350 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes. When it starts bubbling, it is done. You may want to remove the foil towards the last 10 minutes, too.

How to Prepare for Crockpot

Follow the steps above, but you layer everything. Start by laying a softened corn tortilla down, add some sourcream, chicken, and cheddar cheese, drizzle with salsa and the soupy mixture. Do this until you run out of tortillas. This will not take long in a crock pot, so you may want to leave it on low, if you work all day.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. I will also post an easy and delicious recipe for cheese enchiladas that have chili over them. You will not believe what the secret ingredient is!

Homemade Pork Tamales

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EQUIPMENT

You will need the following equipment before getting started: Large stock pot, steamer basket, cutting board, blender or food processor, plastic ziplock bags or plastic wrap for rolling tamales out, measuring cup, spatula, rolling pin.

SPICES

3 TBS ground Cumin to the meat
1 TBS Paprika
3 TBS Garlic Powder (not salt)
1 TBS Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
1 TBS Ground Black Pepper
3 TBS Chili Powder
1-2 TSP Cumin seeds to the dough

INGREDIENTS

Large 8-9 lb pork roast (can be shoulder, butt, doesn't matter)
Chicken bouillon cubes or chicken stock need a minimum of 2 cups stock - it depends on how much masa you want to work with I usually start with 2-3 cups of masa - some recipes recommend you use 1/2 bag of masa. My recipe will be based on smaller version which yields 2 dozen tamales.
Corn Oil
Bag of Corn Husks for tamale making


STEP 1

Day 1

The first step is to cook and prepare the meat. This will take one whole day to do, the meat needs to cook for a long period of time so that it is tender, and then you need to shred it either with a fork, or use a blender or food processor. There are various methods of cooking the meat below it is a matter of preference. I usually roast mine in the oven and it comes out nice and tender.

Stove-Top Method

Place your roast in a large stockpot with 2 Tablespoons of oil. Cook the meat for about 6 minutes on each side. Then slowly add enough water to cover the roast. You can start it at a high temperature, but turn the heat down to med-low or med. and let it simmer for several hours at least 2-3 hours. When the meat is done, do not discard the broth. Save about 2-3 cups of broth for the masa dough. Just pour the broth into a pitcher or large measuring cup or container and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make your tamales. Also it is not necessary to season your meat until after it cooks, the only seasoning I would suggest is salt and pepper.

Roasting in the Oven

The roast needs to cook for at least 2 –3 hours. I take a large pan that is about 2 inches deep and line it with foil. Preheat your oven to 350. Cook your roast at this temperature for at least 1 hour. Turn the meat over after 1 hour. You can cover the roast with foil once the outside has turned a nice brown so that it doesn't turn out too dry and overcooked. Also, you may prefer to cook the roast at a lower temperature like 325. It will take longer to cook, but it will be very tender. You will have to experiment with this, as most ovens vary. I usually start cooking mine at 350, if it looks like it is cooking too fast, I turn the temperature down to 325, cause the longer it cooks the more tender it is.

Preparing the Meat

Once the Meat is cooked, it needs to be shredded. I prefer to use my blender. This is a matter of preference. You can use a fork, blender, or a food processor. If using the blender, you may add a little stock as you blend. I blend a little at a time and place it in a bowl. Don’t try to blend the whole roast, just small amounts at a time. It takes awhile, but the result is worth it. After the meat is shredded to your liking, add the seasoning and blend well, and then you need to refrigerate it until the following day. The reason for this is the process of making the masa, spreading it on the cornhusks, and cooking the tamales, will take awhile to do. It is better to do each in steps.

After the meat is shredded, you need to season it Tex-mex style. I listed the seasons at the top of this recipe. I recently made this and found that it wasn't clear on how much seasonings to add. Especially if you don't want to cook a large roast like 8-9 lbs. Most people like to cook a large roast so they can make large amounts of tamales, I find that I like to make 2 dozen at a time and end up freezing my meat for next time. If you buy a 4 lb pork shoulder roast for instance and roast it in the oven season it with Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne. You serve it as a roast. If there are left overs, you can make tamales from that meat. That is what I did recently. Say you have 2 lbs of meat left. You lightly season your meat with cumin, additional cayenne, more garlic powder, chili powder (The measurements at the top are only for 8-9 lb piece of meat like port butt or pork shoulder. You also need to make sure the meat stays moist. Add small amounts (by the tablespoon) of cooking oil or olive oil. I myself use Smart Balance - it tastes delicious and is a blend of canola, olive, and soy. You can also add small amounts of broth. Beef broth or pork stock if you saved the stock. It doesn't matter. I did not have any pork stock, so I used beef broth and it tasted great. Chicken broth works great, too. Don't let your meat dry out. Also, if you like it spicy, add a chopped jalapeno pepper. I have done this, too. But consider your family's taste too. It doesn't take too much pepper before it is too spicy. Try adding 1 first. For seasoning your meat, go easy, taste it as you go along. You are going to need more chili powder, followed by cumin, garlic powder, and touch of cayenne.

STEP 2

Day 2

Soak the Cornhusks

The first thing you need to do is soak the cornhusks in warm water while you prepare the tamales. I use my stock pot and place enough warm water in there to cover the husks, then I find they stay covered better when I place my steamer basket over them and place something heavy in the steamer basket like 2 large cups. They will tend to float to the top if you don’t hold them down with something. I turn the stove on low heat. I also flip them over to insure that they all get soaked about every 30 minutes or so. As I make the tamales, I get a few husks out and let the others keep soaking, so they don’t dry out. That is how I do it. You will find a method that works for you.

Prepare the Masa dough

I use 2 –3 cups of masa, this will yield 2 dozen tamales. Place masa in a large bowl. I season this with 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt. 2 Tsp garlic powder, and 1 Tsp paprika. 1-2 Tsp. of cumin seeds. Add 2 cups of broth to this. (If you discarded the broth from the pork, I just use chicken broth that I make with chicken bouillon cubes; instructions are on the jar) Broth should be room temperature. I then add ½ cup of corn oil to the masa dough. You need to work this all in with your hands. Now just add water till the consistency is moist, but not too moist. Should be something like peanut butter. You don’t want it too dry either, some of the worst tasting tamales are those that are too dry.

Making the Tamales

Now that you have your masa dough. I like to prepare mine on a large plastic cutting board. Keep paper towels close by, the area will tend to get wet and you need to dry it as you go, or the tamales will not come out right. I take a few cornhusks and place them on a plate – shake out the water in the sink. Some people like to make 5 tamales at a time, I prefer to make 1 at a time.
I like to work on a gallon size ziplock bag – I take 2 bags and cut off the plastic zipper. I tried using saran wrap, but it is too thin to work with, and I’ve also tried using wax paper without success. I like the thickness of using the ziplock bags. I use one bag for the top and one bag to lay the tamale on top of while I roll it out. So lay the husk on top of one of the plastic bags, using a spatula, place a scoop of masa dough on the tamale. Holding the husk in front of you, the narrow end on your right, work the lower left corner of the husk. Leave 1 inch of the top husk bare and about 1/3 of the right side bare or empty. I like to spread my dough as thin as I can. I place the


other ziplock bag over the area that needs to be flattened out, and then I use my rolling pin to roll it the desired thickness. I try to get mine as thin as possible, they make better tamales. The first batch I made, they were too thick. You will have to experiment with this. Unfortunately you will not know until you have completely prepared and cooked a batch of tamales. Try to make them paper-thin. You won’t be sorry. Then take a spoon and place 1 Tbs. or so of meat and using a fork spread it down the tamale. Now, roll the tamale up, and fold the narrow side down. Place the tamale aside, you may want to use a cookie sheet or large dish to place them in until you are ready to steam them. Keep preparing the tamales until you run out of husks, dough, or you just don’t want to make any more. You can refrigerate the dough and meat and even the husks until you want to make more. I just place my husks in a ziplock before refrigerating them or you can let them dry out again and store them in the bag you purchased them in. I also freeze my meat; I just make sure that I put the date on the bag, so I can use the oldest up first. You may want to make 1 small batch a dozen or so just to get the method down that works for you. When I made my third batch, I felt everything was going smoothly and I had made a large batch, then as I was cooking them, I remembered that I forgot to add my cooking oil to the dough. I knew they would not cook properly, and I was right. Some people use lard, but you can make tasty tamales with corn oil. Just don’t forget to put it in the dough or they will not cook right. That was a bitter lesson for me! I won’t forget that again. I had to throw them away. I usually freeze them and let my dog have them as treats – he loves them. My first batch was too spicy; so those made great frozen dog treats. You just microwave them for 2 minutes or so before you give them to your dog, but allow them to cool off first.

Cooking the Tamales

The tamales need to be steamed in water that does not touch the bottom of the steamer basket. I suggest you experiment with a measuring cup now, and see how much water you can add to the stockpot without covering the bottom of the steamer basket. That is how much water you need to add, and as the water evaporates, this is very important – do not let it run out of water. I check mine every 20-30 minutes and have never run out of water. Place a damp kitchen towel on top under your lid and at first cook at a high temperature, when it starts to steam, drop the temperature down to simmer. I cook mine on Med-Low. It takes 2-1/2 hours to cook at this temperature. Everyone’s will vary. So you need to pay attention, document, and remember what the cooking time is. You also need to check a tamale towards the end, to check for doneness. If the masa is sticking, that is a sign that they are not ready. Also, don’t forget to re-dampen your towel, just make sure you wring it out good before placing it under the lid. I usually do this every time I check the water level. So every 20-30 minutes.

I will try to post other tamales recipes I have tried. I love the pork, but I have also made delicious chicken tamales that have poblano peppers and tomatillos in them. My husband said they were the best tamales he has ever tasted. The only real difference between that recipe and the pork is you do not use cumin powder, I used cumin seeds as the chicken cooks.