Smokey Hominy Hamburger and Rice

• 1 lb ground meat
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp smoky paprika
• 1 tsp season salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flake
• 2 cans hominy, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 4 oz tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup rice

I threw this together the other night because that was what I had in the pantry.   It’s sort of a homemade hamburger helper.  Make sure you use SMOKEY paprika because I’m not sure it would be that great using regular paprika.  I could put Smokey Paprika on cardboard and we would probably eat it and like it.  It has a flavor of it’s own.

Brown ground meat with onion and bell pepper, drain renderings.  Add all other ingredients and cook until rice has absorbed almost all the liquid.  Serve it with a salad for a quick weeknight meal.

Kalua Pig in a Crock Pot

Aloha and let’s get this pig in the ground.  Try this pulled pork recipe for the flavor of Hawaii, it’s the next best thing to being on the island.
Ingredients:

• pork butt (shoulder)  I don’t know why they call it a butt when it’s really a shoulder, weird
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cups liquid smoke
• 2-3 tbsp Hawaiian  sea salt (regular sea salt will work)
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ginger

Directions:
Rub your butt down with the Hawaiian sea salt , ginger and onion powder.  That just sounds funny, doesn’t it?  Place the butt in the crock pot.  That sounds funny too!  Add the juice, liquid smoke and cook for about 2 hours on high then reduce to low and cook for 6-10 more hour depending on how big your butt is.  LOL!  Mine is pretty big so it may take awhile.  Hehe, I don’t why that is SO funny (I’m just not right).
I can hear the ocean and Hawaiian music from here.  My feet are in the sand and I have Mai Tai in my hand.
Aloha A hui hou kakou (means goodbye until we meet again).
Kipa hou mai (means y’all come back)  I love that…

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1/2  cup margarine or butter, melted
• 1 can Cream Of Chicken Soup
• 1/2  cup onion, chopped
• 2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup crushed corn flakes
• 3 tbsp melted butter

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients except for the corn flakes and melted butter.  Place in 9x13 baking dish, sprinkle with corn flakes and drizzle with melted butter.  Bake for an hour or slightly longer until top is golden brown. 

Smokey Four Baked Beans

My sister loved these and she doesn’t even like baked beans.  These are tangy and satisfying. 

• 1/2 pound smoked bacon, browned, drained, and diced
• 1 medium onion, diced and browned
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 can Pork n' Beans 
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Instructions:

Use a 6-quart or larger crockpot. This makes a lot.

In a skillet cook bacon and onion.

While the bacon and onion are browning, add the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Drain the meats well, and dump into the slow cooker. Gently fold ingredients together.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours hours.

Perfect Pie Crust

Perfect Pie Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
• 12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.

When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

• 4-5  cups chopped broccoli
• 1/2 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2  cup vinegar
• 1 chopped red onion
• 1 cup sunflower kernels

Instructions:

Chop broccoli, stalks and all, and place in large bowl. Add raisins, cooked bacon, onion, and sunflower kernels.

Mix Mayo, sugar, and vinegar to make dressing. Pour over broccoli mixture. Stir to coat well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Stuffed Jalapenos

These stuffed peppers have simple ingredients and are a breeze to make.  They are always a crowd pleaser around these parts.  Be sure to buy large jalapenos because they tend to be milder.  I was jumping for joy when I walked into Wal-mart yesterday and they had a huge bin of super sized jalapenos.
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground sausage ( I use Jimmy Dean regular)
• 1 80z pkg cream cheese
• 1 Cup parmesan cheese shredded
• 22 large jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• ranch dressing for dipping

Let me begin by saying it is VERY important to wear gloves while handling the jalapenos.  I know this because I learned this the hard way.  I made these on Christmas Eve one time and forgot to wear gloves.  I spent the entire evening with my hands in ice water.  My hands didn’t stop burning until the next day.  I also have a really funny story about my ex and the deer camp and some chili he was making.  Let’s just say, nature called and he didn’t wash his hands after chopping jalapenos.  I’ll leave the rest of the story to your imagination.  Snicker, snicker, snort.  I still get a kick out of that, what a dip!
Okay, back to business.  In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain renderings.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and parmesan cheese; fold in sausage.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each jalapeno half.  Bake on a cookie sheet, uncovered at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.
Serve with ranch dressing for dipping. 

The Best Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green onion or 2 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/2 cabbage head, shredded
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp season salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp lemon pepper
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

Instructions:

Using a food processor shred cabbage and carrot add bell pepper, onion.  In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together and allow to stand for a few minutes.  Combine the mayonnaise mixture with the slaw and toss.  Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Parm Squished Potatoes

Another Hillbilly requested Rachel Ray recipe.  This was from the same episode as the cheese steaks.  Like I said, he can no longer watch the cooking channel.

Ingredients

• About 2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 handfuls

Directions

Put the potatoes in a medium pot in a single layer. Pour in enough stock to come 1/4-inch up the sides of potatoes, and add the extra-virgin olive oil. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, raise the heat and reduce the stock. When the stock evaporates, squish potatoes to flatten them a bit with a masher. Crisp the potatoes a few minutes on each side, then season with black pepper. Stir in the butter and cheese and toss.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Ciabatta Cheese Steaks with the Works

Hillbilly is no longer allowed to watch Food Network with me.  Together we watched an episode of Rachel Ray making this meat lovers sandwich and he requested it the next day.  It was delicious but ridiculously fattening.  My meat and potatoes man was in heaven.

Ingredients

• 4 flat iron steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for coating, plus 2 tablespoons
• Grill seasoning
• 3 cubanelle peppers or bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup hot pepper rings (sometimes labeled banana pepper rings), drained, NOT pepperoncini, sliced yellow or red hot peppers in a jar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 cups grated provolone cheese
• 2 loaves ciabatta, about 12 inches long

Directions

Leave the steaks on the counter, to take chill off, while the grill or grill pan heats up to medium-high. Coat the steaks with extra-virgin olive oil and grill seasoning.

Heat 2 tablespoons, 2 turns of the pan, extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, the garlic and onions and cook until very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add a splash of hot pepper juice and the hot pepper rings and remove from the heat.

Heat oven to 250 degrees F if you need to crisp up the bread.

While the peppers cook, put the steaks on the hot grill and cook 10 minutes for rare, 2 minutes longer for each level of desired doneness, turning once about midway during the cook time. Meanwhile heat up a sauce pot over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste. Thicken the sauce for a couple of minutes, then reduce the heat to low.

When the steaks are cooked to desired doneness, remove them to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice on an angle against the grain of the meat. While the meat rests, warm the bread in the oven. Stir the cheese into sauce.

To serve, split the bread lengthwise and spread the steak slices evenly across the bottoms of the bread. Top the steak with the sauce and the peppers and onions. Cover with the bread tops and cut the ciabatta into 4 equal portions

Cool Cucumber and Onions

This is one of my favorite things to keep in the fridge in the summer time.  It’s great along side a sandwich or just as a snack.  It’s cool and refreshing.
Ma’s Cucumber and Onions

• 1 part vinegar
• 2 parts water to cover veggies
• 1 part sugar
• salt and pepper
• cucumbers & onion sliced, I partially peel my cucumbers because it’s cute

Mix all ingredients in air-tight container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours shaking occasionally.  When all veggies are eaten, just cut-up more and add to  the existing liquid.

Pineapple Mimosa’s

Ingredients:

• 1 12-ounce can frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 6-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
• 2 cups cold water
• pink champagne and/or champagne and/or sparkling apple juice, chilled

Directions
1. Combine pineapple juice concentrate, limeade concentrate, and water. Chill well. When ready to serve pour juice in glass then champagne.  You can decide how much or how little champagne to add.  If I remember correctly we might have used a 50/50 ratio.  It’s been awhile since we’ve had these.

Company’s Coming Breakfast Casserole

• 1 pkg sausage, cooked, drained, crumbled or little smokies chopped into thirds
• 4 cups white bread, toasted and cubed
• 2 cups cheddar
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 small cans evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 10-12 eggs

Directions:
Grease 13x9 pan.  Place bread  in pan and sprinkle with cheese and then sausage.  Combine evaporated milk, eggs and seasonings.  Pour egg mixture over all.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until top is browned and middle is done.  Cover with foil if top browns too quick.
Serve with Hashbrown Casserole or maybe some Cheese Grits and a little fruit so you can think you are eating healthy.  Wash it down with Pineapple Mimosas or Bloody Mary’s.

Asian BBQ Chicken

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites.  She has some really great recipes.
Asian BBQ Chicken

• 1/4 C packed brown sugar
• 1/4 C soy sauce
• 2 T lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t curry powder
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t grated fresh ginger
• 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Reserve a couple of spoonfuls of the marinade in a small bowl and place the rest, with the chicken, in a zip-lock bag. (If your chicken pieces are extra large and you feel like you need a little more marinade, you can always add a bit of water to stretch it.) Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but overnight is best.
Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness.   I ended up putting this in the oven after I grilled it in the grill pan because it was beginning to burn and was not done inside.  Just pop it in the oven covered with foil at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

I served this with fried rice and a small salad with an Asian flavored salad dressing.  Of course Hillbilly didn’t like it because it has Asian flavors.  It can’t always be about him, I have to eat too and I liked it.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 3/4 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
• 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
• Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.
Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.
For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

Mushroom Wine Sauce

Bonjour ya’ll!  Don’t you just love to cook with wine?  A little Chianti for the sauce and a little Chianti for me…  Cooking with wine just makes this Texas girl feel so French.  I find myself talking in a high pitch voice like Julia Child and saying words like Bisque, Frappé, Au Gratin and Consommé.  Why, I’ve already mastered a few French dishes such as French toast, French onion soup and French fries.   I also  know how to French kiss but please don’t tell my Momma.  I truly love a French manicure and on occasion I order à la carte  when I go to a fancy restaurant. 

Texas is no stranger to the French.  LaSalle’s navigational error lead to the French Colonization of Texas (click on link for a Texas History lesson).  Did you know that the Sioux Indians were named as such because Sioux means “cut throat” in French?  We have all sorts of towns with French names like Beaumont (beautiful mountain), La Grange (named after the Marquis de Lafayette’s chateau) and La Porte (the door).

This simple wine sauce is good over any type of beef.  It even makes hamburger steak delicious and will make you feel very French!

Red Wine Sauce

• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots (or 1/3 C. mild onions), chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• mixed dried herbs
• salt and pepper

Cook the mushrooms in the butter for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the shallots and cook a few more minutes. Mix in the flour with a wooden spoon and brown the mixture for several minutes, stirring with the spoon.

Add the wine and the broth and bring to a boil, stirring all the time.

Add the herbs, salt (if needed) and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce
Bon appetit (said in Julia Child’s voice)
Au revoir ya’ll (said in my voice).  Hehe.

Salmon Croquettes

Ingredients:

• 2 cans salmon, flaked
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons green onions, diced
• 2 tsp old bay
• dash of tabasco
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Ingredients:
Over medium heat, heat oil in a medium skillet. Combine canned salmon, beaten egg, green onions and 1/4 cup bread crumbs. Form into patties and dust with additional bread crumbs. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.

Authentic Tex-Mex Enchiladas

I had never made my own Enchilada Sauce but it is SO much better than the canned stuff I had used for years.

Enchilada Sauce

• 1/4  vegetable oil or lard
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano is preferred if it’s available)
• 2 T chile powder (a dark brand such as Gebhardt’s, I just used Adams but the chili powder determines the end flavor of the gravy so use one you like
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, beef broth (or water, I use beef if I’m making beef enchiladas)

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.
Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.
Add tomato paste, chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.
Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. Add water to adjust the thickness. Makes 2 to 2 1/2 cups.

Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 8 or 9 corn tortillas
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese/Monterey Jack blend
• One medium onion, diced
• 2 cups enchilada sauce

If you are feeding a carnivore like myself you can add ground meat to your enchilada’s.  Here’s how I do it.

Beef Enchilada Filling

Ingredients:

• 1   1/2 pounds  ground beef
• 1/4 tsp chopped onion
• 1 T  flour
• 1/2  tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp  salt
• 1  tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp mexican oregano
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1/4 cup water or beef broth

Brown the ground meat along with the onions.  Drain all but 1 T of renderings.  Add flour and cook for a minute or so and then add spices and water.  Simmer for 30 minutes or so. 

Preheat the oven to 425.
Pour a small amount of the oil in a small skillet, and heat the tortillas one at a time adding oil as needed. Keep them warm until all are heated.
Pour 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in a baking pan.  I used a 9x11 pan. 
Take a tortilla and dip into sauce, put 1/4 cup of cheese and 1 tablespoon of onion in the center and roll it.   Use a little less cheese if also adding beef.
Place rolled tortilla in baking dish, seam side down.
Continue with remaining tortillas.
Take remaining enchilada sauce, and pour it over the rolled tortillas.
Sprinkle remaining cheese and onions on top.   Garnish with black olives if desired.  I don’t think black olives are really authentic TexMex but I like them.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted.
Makes 8  - 9 beef enchiladas or 12 cheese enchiladas.

These are muy bueno!

Spring Blooms At The Ponderosa

Welcoming greenery at the front door.

The Japanese Maple (love fern) in all it’s glory.

These little birds have built a nest in my candle holder.  There are four babies inside.  I’m not sure how they will get out when it’s time to learn to fly.  Bird brains.

Mini Me planted some flowers for me because my knee doesn’t like to bend at the moment.  The blooms will be daisy like yellow flowers with red stripes and they close up at night.

Silliness with the garden statue.

The carpet roses are getting with it.

Potted blooms in the backyard.