Mexican Rice

From:
This is my version, created after tweaking a bunch of other recipes...

Ingredients:
1 tomato (or two Romas), cut into quarters
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
1 cup long grain rice
2 T olive oil
chicken broth
1 T tomato paste
garlic powder
salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. 

In a food processor or blender, puree the tomato and onion until smooth.  Add enough broth to bring it to just over 2 c. of liquid.  Add tomato paste, garlic powder and salt to taste.  Taste.  Mmm.

In a sieve, rinse the rice until the water runs clear.  Shake as much excess water as you can from it.  In a oven-safe frying pan, heat the oil until shimmering.  Add the rice, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to turn golden, and all the rice is opaque.

Add in the tomato broth, and bring to a boil.  Cover and place in the oven.  Cook for 15 minutes, remove lid and stir, then replace lid and cook for another 15 minutes.  Enjoy!!

It is absolutely delicious with Cuban Black Beans!

No-Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 c. milk
1 c. peanut butter
1 T vanilla
3 c. oats

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk to a boil. Boil one minute, then add peanut butter, vanilla and oats. Let it cool for a minute or two to harden up a bit, then drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let set.

Cheese's Salad

From:
my friend Anne, who has had the nickname "Cheese" for longer than I've known her, and that has been fourteen years!

Ingredients and Directions:
Chop up romaine, add EVOO & toss.

Add:
tomatoes
cucumbers (peeled, cut into small pieces/diced)
mild banana pepper rings
black olives
green olives
crumbled feta
diced buffalo mozzarella, provolone or crumbled gorgonzola (or a mix of all of the above)
diced pepperoni chunks
(optional) onion

Joey's Pirate Chicken

From:
my friend Jenny

Ingredients:

3 lb chicken wings/legs/or pieces

1 cup honey

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tsp. oil

2 cloves of minced garlic

pepper to taste

 

Directions:
Put chicken legs in a freezer bag.  Combine sauce ingredients and pour over chicken.  Freeze.

Defrost, then pour into a 13x9 baking pan.  Roast at 375 degrees for 1 hour 30 minutes.  Turn and baste them to avoid browning. 


This is insanely easy, but incredibly delicious.  It's very sticky, so undress your children before serving it.  It's fabulous with either buttered rice or mashed potatoes.  By using gluten-free ketchup and soy sauce, this is gluten-free.

Creamy Tomato Soup - Without the Cream!

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium potatoes, diced (leave 1 or 2 unpeeled if you wish!)
4 c. broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
28 oz. petite cut diced tomatoes
1 t. sugar
salt to taste

Directions:
In a large pot, heat 2 T olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent.  Add diced potatoes, broth, spices and tomatoes (and their juice), and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Using an immersion blender, blend completely.  Stir in sugar and salt.  Serve immediately.

Pepper Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:
2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. sage
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 lb. beef tenderloin

Directions:
In small bowl, blend spices. Rub beef with oil, then rub on spices. Place beef on rack; bake at 500 for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350. Bake about 30 minutes, or til internal temperature reaches 130 for rare. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with Garlic Mayo Sauce.

Corned Beef Hash

Ingredients:
2 to 3 tbsp. corn oil
1 onion, diced
2 to 3 cups cooked corned beef, diced
2 to 3 cups cooked potatoes, diced
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. parsley flakes
salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in skillet, saute onion. Add remaining, cook til lightly browned and heated through, about 15 minutes.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. beef tenderloin, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp. AP flour
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper
hot noodles

Directions:
In bowl, toss beef with flour. In a large skillet, brown beef in butter and oil. Gradually stir in broth. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, tomato paste, and seasonings. Bring beef mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; slowly stir in sour cream
mixture (do not boil). Cook, uncovered over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over hot noodles.

Lentil Salad

Ingredients:
dressing
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
4 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced (or garlic salt)
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
salt and pepper
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

salad
2 cups lentils, cooked
1-2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup cooked ham, diced (optional)
green pepper rings

Directions:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl. When well mixed, add warm lentils, tomato and ham. Stir to combine. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with pepper before serving.

Lemon Marinade for Chicken

From:
Ramble On

(Photo from Ramble On)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp honey
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper


Directions:
Combine marinade in a large freezer bag, add the chicken and seal the bag. Mush it around a bit and place the sealed bag into a bowl just in case it leaks. Place the chicken it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, turning the bag over half way through.

Pistachio Chicken

Ingredients:
handful of shelled pistachios (I use salted ones)
fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts
olive oil

Directions:
In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until finely chopped - some small pieces and some "pistachio flour." Pour this onto a plate. Dredge chicken breasts in the pistachios and pan-fry in a little olive oil until cooked through.

I have found it works best to pound your chicken breasts to about 1/4" thick - that way the pistachios and chicken cook at an even rate.

Spinach Mushroom Dip

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cups fresh spinach
salt to taste
lemon pepper to taste
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
Heat oil in skillet, and add mushrooms, onion and spinach. Saute till soft, about 3 minutes. Then cover, and cook 3 more minutes. Drain. Place in blender and puree. Add remaining ingredients. Chill 2 hours.

Orange Raspberry Smoothie

Ingredients:
3 cups orange juice
3 cups frozen (individually) raspberries
3 tbsp. white sugar
1 1/2 cups milk (good with soy, rice or almond milks)

Directions:
In blender, blend juice, raspberries and sugar. Pour through a strainer to remove seeds. Stir in milk and serve. Garnish with an orange slice.

Cranberry Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup cranberry juice
8 oz vanilla yogurt
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 banana, sliced

Directions:
Blend until smooth.

Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients:
1 gallon apple cider
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. whole allspice

Directions:
In stockpot or slowcooker, blend cider and sugar. Stir till sugar is dissolved. Place cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners and tie with a string to form a small bag. Cut off excess and add spice
bag to cider. For stockpot, heat and simmer 5 minutes. For slowcooker, cover and cook on low for 2 to 5 hours. Remove spice bag before serving.

Can float orange slices on top.

Notes:

• can add 4 cups dry red wine for Wassail.
• can use 1/2 gallon apple cider and 1/2 gallon cranberry juice, proceed as above.

Sticky Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
24 to 30 chicken wing parts (about 3 lbs.)
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions:
Place wings in greased 13x9 baking dish. Combine remaining, pour over wings. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour or till juices run clear. Baste after 45 minutes.

Smoked Fish Spread

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. chives
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
1 1/2 cup flaked & boned smoked fish

Directions:
Blend by hand. Serve with crackers.

Creamy Mexican Dip

Ingredients:
canned chicken
cream cheese
salsa

Directions:
Mix well.

Ginger Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
1 salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Directions:
Preheat broiler to high. In a bowl, combine sugar, mustard, soy sauce, ginger and pepper. Coat a broiler-proof pan with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange salmon fillet in pan and make shallow cuts diagonally across the salmon. Brush with sugar mixture. Broil 6 inches from heat for about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Note: can also grill

Cuban Black Beans

Ingredients:
2 (10 ounce) cans black beans, drained of liquid or 2 cups cooked black beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:
Fry the onion and pepper in a little oil. Add the garlic and saute a little. Introduce a little of the bean liquid until all previous ingredients are soft. (I used chicken broth.) Add the beans with the remaining liquid. (I kept splashing in chicken broth as needed.) Add spices and simmer about 30 minutes. Add the vinegar just before serving. These are quite good when served over a bed of rice seasoned with just lime.