Thursday, February 11, 2016

Cajun Sausage, Rice & Beans

A very talented lady cooked this for us and it's been a favorite in our family.  It's super easy and very tasty.

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. smoked sausage
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 can diced green chilis
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • salt
  • pepper
  • cajun seasoning
  • garlic powder
  • dash of cayenne pepper
Directions
  1. Brown sausage
  2. Add vegetables and seasoning to taste
  3. Add water if necessary
  4. Simmer 30 min
  5. Serve over rice
Yields: 6-8 servings

Saturday, December 19, 2015

French Bread

A wonderful aunt shared this recipe with us.  It's super delicious!

Ingredients
  • 2.5 c. very warm water
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 2 T. yeast
  • 1 T. salt
  • 2 T. cooking oil
  • 6 c. flour
  • corn meal
  • 1 egg
Directions
  1. Pour warm water, sugar, salt, oil, 1/2 the flour and yeast into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Beat vigorously 2-3 minutes
  3. Stir in remaining flour until all dry ingredients are completely mixed
  4. Repeat the following 5 times
    1. Allow dough to rest 10 min
    2. Stir down
  5. Turn dough onto floured board
  6. Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled (2-3 times)
  7. Divide dough into 2 parts
  8. Roll each part into a 9x12 inch rectangle and roll like a jellyroll
  9. Pinch edge of loaf to seal dough
  10. Arrange lengthwise on cookie sheet sprinkled with corn meal
  11. Let rise at room temperature for 30 min
  12. Slice 3 gashes along top of each loaf
  13. Brush surface with slightly beaten whole egg
  14. Bake at 400 F for 25-30 min or until brown
  15. Remove and cool on rack
Yields: 2 loaves

Nana's Homemade Bread

Ingredients

For 6 loaves:
  • 7 c. warm water
  • 2 T. yeast
  • 2 T. salt
  • 1 c. honey
  • 1 ⅓ c. powdered milk
  • 2 T.  dough enhancer*
  • 18-19 c. whole wheat flour** (sub in 1 cup regular white flour)

For 2 loaves:
  • 2 ⅓ c. warm water
  • 2 t. yeast
  • ⅓ c. dry milk
  • ⅓ c. honey
  • 2 t. salt
  • 2 t. dough enhancer*
  • 7 c. whole wheat flour** (sub in ⅓ c. regular white flour)

*Dough Enhancer
  • 1 c. lecithin
  • 1 T. fruit-fresh (or vitamin C powder)
  • 1 T. ginger

**Only let wheat grinder get filled ½-¾ full to prevent motor burn out (less than half #10 can). Ground flour must be put in fridge or freezer after grinding to keep it from going rancid.

Instructions


  1. Mix water and yeast together
  2. Add honey and milk.
  3. Add salt.
  4. Add 2 cups of flour and mix in dough enhancer
  5. Add flour until cleaning sides
  6. Knead for 7 minutes
  7. Cover with greased saran wrap and let rise to double size
  8. Pour oil on counter and form dough into loaves to fill ¾ of bread pan (try to eliminate seams on top
  9. Let dough rise a second time
  10. Bake at ???F for ??? min

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Mexican Pulled Pork

This is a great filling for any type of Mexican food.

Ingredients
  • 2 - 2 lb. pork roasts
  • 2 c. chicken broth
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 t. cumin
  • garlic salt (to taste)
  • 1 jar green salsa
Directions
  1. Put roasts and chicken broth in slow cooker (4 hrs on high, 8 on low)
  2. When roasts are done, pull apart with forks
  3. Saute onion in olive oil until transparent
  4. Add cumin, garlic salt, and green salsa to onion
  5. Pour salsa mixture over pork and mix in
  6. Serve as filling for flautas, taquitos, tacos, burritos, etc.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Spicy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This was surprisingly simple and extremely good.  Just make sure to use the meat listed (not pork loin!) if you want it moist and tasty.

Ingredients
  • 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced (1 worked for our 6 qt. crockpot)
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 c. chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 T. packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 T. chili powder
  • 1 T. kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 t. ground cumin
  • 1/4 t.ground cinnamon
  • 1 (4-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), twine or netting removed
  • 2 c. barbecue sauce (optional)
Directions

  1. Place the onions and garlic in an even layer in the slow cooker and pour in the stock or broth. 
  2. Combine the sugar, chili powder, measured salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. 
  3. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. 
  4. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. 
  5. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, about 6 to 8 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.
  6. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. 
  7. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the onion mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer and return the solids to the slow cooker. Set the strained liquid aside.
  8. If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, add the barbecue sauce, if using, and mix to combine. 
  9. If you’re not using barbecue sauce, use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add 1/4 cup of the liquid at a time to the slow cooker until the pork is just moistened. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Yields: At least 14 servings

Discovered at - http://www.chow.com/recipes/30356-easy-slow-cooker-pulled-pork

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Found this recipe that was easy to remember and easy to make!

Ingredients
  • 2 c. watermelon chopped, seeded, no rinds
  • 2 c. water
  • 2 T. sugar (optional)
  • Juice from half a lime
Directions
  1. Blend ingredients in blender
  2. (Optional) Strain pulp and chopped seeds
  3. Serve chilled
Yields: 2 servings

Monday, November 17, 2014

Giant Ginger Cookies

From the recipe - "These irresistible cookies are giant in size and huge in snappy ginger flavor.  To create the chewy texture, be sure to make them with shortening, not butter or margarine."  Mom has always used butter and they've always tasted great.

Ingredients
  • 4.5 c. all-purpose flour
  • 4 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground cloves
  • .25 tsp. salt
  • 1.5 cups shortening (or butter)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • .5 c. molasses
  • .75 c. coarse sugar or granulated sugar
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Cream sugar and butter
  3. Mix in eggs and molasses
  4. Mix dry ingredients separately
  5. Add dry ingredients to the cream sugars
  6. Roll into balls (golf-ball size for giant cookies)
  7. Roll balls in coarse or granulated sugar
  8. Place on cookie sheet 2.5 in. apart
  9. Bake for 12-14 min
  10. Once done, let stand for 2 min before transferring to rack
Yields: 25 - 4 in. cookies