Tamales

Our favorite Christmas tradition is making tamales {a ton of tamales}. It started out just being a Christmas Eve thing but we love them so much that we make them the whole season. Every year we tinker with our recipe and try new things. We've hit the jackpot this year!! The dough part is from the food network. The meat part is Cafe Rio Pork; recipe can be found under mexican. Be warned: making tamales is a fairly long messy process BUT WELL WORTH IT!

Tamales

4-ounces dried cornhusks {we just use the whole bag}
2/3 cup quick cooking or old-fashioned grits {not instant}
1 1/4 cups stock {we used the dripping from the pork roast for the Cafe Rio Pork}
3/4 cup masa harina
2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup lard
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In a saucepan place the dried cornhusks, add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Top the husks with a heavy plate or bowl to keep submerged, and boil for 10 minutes. Remove form the heat and steep until soft & pliable, 1 - 1.5 hours. Drain, remove and corn silk and pat dry before assembling tamales.

For the masa: In a bowl of a food processor, process the grits for 1 minute. In a small saucepan bring 1 1/4 cups stock to a low boil. Transfer the grits to a bowl and add the hot stock. Let stand uncovered for 10-12 minutes. Add the masa harina and cumin, and mix until evenly combined. COol to room temperature before proceeding. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the lard until smooth, light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of the masa mixture and whip until well-blended. Add remaining masa mixture, litle by little, until mixture resembles a thick cake batter, adding stock if needed. Add the baking powder and add salt, to tase an dwhip for 1-2 minutes until well incorporated and smooth.

There are a few different ways to assemble a tamale. It's a personal preference thing if you ask me. We lay a cornhusk {or two} horizontal with the skinny side on the right. Spoon 1/4 cup of the masa batter onto the fat edge closest to you. Spread it into a 4x5 rectangle {may vary due to size of cornhusk. about halfway up the fat edge} Place about 1 generous tablespoon each of meat and shredded cheese. Roll away from you, fold skinny side over and continue rolling. You will have an open side that you can cap with more masa batter. Repeat with remaining cornhusks & filling.

Once tamales are assembled, line a steamer basket {we use a vegetable/rice steamer} with any remaining cornhusks and layer the tamales inside the steamer basket, leaving enought room for the tamales to expand slightly while cooking. Cover tamales with another remaining cornhusk. Replace lid & steam for 1 1/2 hours or until tender & tamale easily pulls away from cornhusk. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

To Reheat: Best when resteamed but when you just can't wait another minute... Wet a paper towel and wrap around a couple tamales. Microwave for a minute or two {depending on your microwave}.

Sugar cookies

Sugar cookies!
1 1/2c Butter (softened)
2c Sugar
4 Eggs
1tsp Vanilla
1tsp Almond Flavor/Extract
5c Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Salt

Mix all ingredients together, and bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes. The easiest sugar cookies ever!

An SO good.Icing
4c Powdered Sugar
1/2c Shortening
5Tbs Milk
1/2tsp Almond Flavoring/Extract
1/2tsp Vanilla

I just wanted to give a little tip to those who have children that require a lot of time {hahaha} last night while I was cooking the soup I decided to make a casserole for tonights dinner. Britt entertained the girl and I cooked and then cleaned up 2 meals. I am going to do this once a week. So that we have a few meals already for the oven when we need them. I also made a batch of cookies and threw the dough in the fridge for a quick after dinner treat. It took the same amount of time to fix 2 meals as it did one and with dad taking care of the children it will be that much easier! Some of you may already do this and I am just slow on getting a clue {not the first time} but I thought I would share my new found time saver tip.

Chocolate- chip cookie

1 lb. real butter
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 C dark brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp real vanilla
5 C flour
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
4-6 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream butter and sugars together until smooth.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to mixture.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Line cookie sheet with wax paper (or treat yourself to one of these)
7. Place dough on cookie sheet and bake for 8-11 mins at 350 degrees. Enjoy! (It makes a lot of cookies. I usually give a lot away or freeze some for later.)

I cut this recipe in half and they are great! This cookie keeps it's shape really well!

EASY chicken recipe

BALSAMIC CHICKEN

4-6 chicken breasts
garlic powder
salt
pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 C balsamic vinegar

Season chicken with garlic powder, salt, and pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Brown chicken and onion. Add tomatoes and vinegar. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to cook chicken through and reduce the sauce.

This is really good over a baked potato - or - cook up some pasta, and toss the pasta in with the sauce before serving. When I do this with pasta, I also make a little alfredo sauce to drizzle over the top. Sounds like an interesting combination, but is SO good. Try it!

Try the recipe below!

these chicken things are so good! I am glad I made these even though m house is a bit warmer because of it. It got to 89 degrees today, so odd for Western Washington in May.

I just got an email from Pilsbury.com and it is meals that won't break your budget. I am gonna try some of them because they look so good. I am also gonna make some of the biscuits from the bisquick that I have because the refridgerater biscuits can get pricey anyways the point is I can send the email to you if you want and I will post the recipes that I like(and my family likes!). Thursday night I am going to try this one, I think Britt will really like it! If I add things to it, which I often do, I will tell you that too! http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=12362

Savory Crescent Chicken Squares

Tender crescents wrap around a creamy chicken filling in a hot sandwich that took top honors in the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.

INGREDIENTS

1	(3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1	tablespoon margarine or butter, softened
2	cups cubed cooked chicken
1	tablespoon chopped fresh chives or onion
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/8	teaspoon pepper
2	tablespoons milk
1	tablespoon chopped pimientos, if desired
1	(8-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1	tablespoon margarine or butter, melted
3/4	cup seasoned croutons, crushed

 

DIRECTIONS

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened margarine; beat until smooth. Add chicken, chives, salt, pepper, milk and pimientos; mix well.
2.	Separate dough into 4 rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle. Pull 4 corners of dough to center of chicken mixture; twist firmly. Pinch edges to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush tops of sandwiches with 1 tablespoon melted margarine; sprinkle with crushed croutons.
3.	Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

I made the Chulupas recipe from below for Cinco De Mayo and they were yummy! I have also made the milk can dinner and my whole family liked it, my crock pot was so full when I started the lid wouldn't stay down but it cooked down enough in no time. Not sure what will be next but I am gonna try another one on Friday!

Change for the better?

Well maybe not. I like the way it looks but the only way to add recipes now is from your dashboard. So give me feed back because I can easily change it back...although anything new that you add will be lost if I upload the old template. Enjoy though!

CHALUPAS

This is my all time favorite recipe called Chalupas!

3 lbs pork roast
1 lb pinto beans dry (I use any kind)
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp salt
4 oz chopped green chilies
medium chopped onion

Cover beans overnight in a bowl. In the morning, put roast in bottom of slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients including the beans and soaking water. Add just enough water to cover roast. Cook on high until pork is cooked. Shred pork and cook on low for 6 more hours.Serve on tortillas with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, olives, lettuces, etc....

Makes a ton. We get 5 meals out of it for my family of two adults and two kids. It freezes beautifully....Enjoy!

Alfredo Sauce

I love pasta!!! This is my favorite recipe. I usually put garlic in it too. This also is great for dipping french bread into!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan combine whipping cream, butter or margarine, and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook over medium low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken upon standing.

First Tip

Here is my first tip from my new book this is a one mintue quicky and I know that we all burn ourselves from time to time will cooking or even doing our hair. Aloe Vera is a standard for burns and also makes a nice house plant; to use just scrape the gel out with a spoon. Here is the new tip though Lavender Essential Oil will provide relief from minor burns, including sunburn. Just apply several drops of oil directly to the burn. Now I don't know about you but that sounds a lot less messy then aloe. Hope this helps with the arrival of the sun!

Crescent Danish Rolls

My neighbors made these for our weekly Survivor night and they are to die for!! She used lemon curd preserves. She also left off the glaze; I don't think I'd bother with it either, it was SO good without it! Oh so yummy! It's from the Pillsbury website.

INGREDIENTS:

Rolls
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 (8-oz.) cans Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
4 teaspoons preserves or jam

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice; beat until smooth.
2. Separate dough into 8 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Spread each rectangle with about 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture. Roll up each, starting at longest side; firmly pinch edges and ends to seal. Gently stretch each roll to about 10 inches.
3. On ungreased large cookie sheet, coil each roll into a spiral with seam on the inside, tucking end under. Make deep indentation in center of each roll; fill with 1/2 teaspoon preserves.
4. Bake at 350°F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. In small bowl, blend all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm rolls.

The best apple dumplins EVER!

Apple Dumplings

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1/2 cup Mountain Dew (can use caffeine free or probably even Sprite)

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Breakfast Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Unroll crescent dough and place on a greased 12-in. pizza pan (I used a 9x13); press seams together and press up sides of pan to form a crust. In a skillet, brown sausage over medium heat; drain and cool slightly.
2. Sprinkle sausage, hash browns and cheddar cheese over crust. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper; pour over pizza. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 28-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

We had this over Conference weekend-- very good!

butterscotchy almond bars

yummy...chewy...sweet...chocolate...almonds...yes.

butterscotchy bar part:

1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C butter
2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine flour and baking powder; set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan; remove from heat and blend in sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter in a greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake 350F for 15 minutes.

gooey nutty topping part:

1/4 C butter
1/3 C white sugar
1/3 C corn syrup
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C sliced almonds

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Bring to a boil; boil 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in almonds.

Spread nutty topping evenly on top and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool. Melt some chocolate and drizzle it on top. Cut into bars.

Modern Milk Can Dinner

Okay so this is the story with this one. This is originally supposed to be cooked in a milk can, you know those old big cans that milk was delivered in ages ago. We have had these at reunions before and I absolutely love it! So I went home and made it in my crock pot and we LOVE it!! Easy and so yummy!

Modern Milk Can Dinner

Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
Carrots, peeled and sliced about same size as potatoes
Sausage patties or links, Brats, ham slices or even hot dogs (can use any combination)
Onion, sliced (I leave all the rings together)
1/2 head of Cabbage, cut in wedges
Salt and Pepper

Put about 2 cups of water in the bottom of the crock pot. Layer in order above: potatoes, carrots, sausage, onion and cabbage. Stuff the thing full!! Cook for about 4-6 hours. Your house will smell SO good. To serve everything is usually dumped in a HUGE (just a big size one for our purposes) bowl so people can have easy access to all the fixins! Salt and pepper to taste.

With all this talk, I think we might have this for dinner tonight!!

Cafe Rio Pork & Tomatillo Dressing

Cafe Rio Pork aka Meat Candy

6 lb pork roast

Cook roast in crock pot with water 1/2 way up for about 6 hours. Drain water and shred meat. Return to crock pot and add:

1 - 12 oz can salsa of choice
1 - 20 oz can coca cola (could use root beer or dr. pepper too)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cumin (optional)

Cook for another 3-4 hours


Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayonnaise
1 chopped, seeded jalapeno
2-3 tomatillos chopped
1/3 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 tsp. lime juice

Add all ingredients to blender and blend well. Chill.


Make any way you like tacos or burritos. Travis loves it on tostadas. Top with lettuce, tomato, avacado, cheese, sour cream... whatever you love! We also made up some rice to layer in there too; very yummy. We add a full bunch of cilantro to ours and more lime juice but that's just cause we love it!!!

Only cookies I make

Double Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips
1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
Directions:1. Heat oven to 350°F.2. Beat butter, sugar and peanut butter in medium bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack; cool completely. About 3 dozen cookies.

These store really well in the fridge if you don't want to make them all at once.

My favorite meal to make for company...

This soup is delicious, easy to serve, AND you can make it a day ahead to avoid the stresses that I always experience before company like cleaning kitchen or house with the kids running around :) I also like making this to bring to someone that needs a meal after having a baby, etc (we have tons of babies born where I live in student housing!) Or, sometimes, I will even just make it for our little family :) Always great as leftovers! My husband loves it.

I like serving this with homeade Lion House rolls (bottom of post). I love dipping bread in this!

Tools that I recommend if you're into fun kitchen tools or just Pampered Chef:

Ultimate Slice 'n' Grate (potatoes)
Chopper (for the onions)
Scissors work great for the bacon and Kale
And, of course a trusty garlic mincer ( I love my Pampered Chef one, because I don't have to peel it!)
Oh, and a shredder if you want to get really nifty and use it for sprinkling Parmesan Cheese on top just before/after serving (Ya! Like they do in Olive Garden!)

I believe that these tools make this meal easier and faster to make, if not even a little more fun :)

Zuppa Toscana (From the Olive Garden)

1 lb. ground Hot Italian sausage
½ lb. bacon, chopped
7-9 medium potatoes, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced or shredded
11/4 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 cups kale leaves, chopped
4-5 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth - enough to just cover the potatoes & onion
1 pint or less heavy whipping cream
Salt & pepper to taste

(Optional: grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top after serving)

Brown sausage & bacon. My friend that gave me this recipe says: "I microwave the meat in separate dishes in 3 min. intervals and drain the fat after each interval. Usually cooks in 6-7 min." (I actually bake my bacon in the oven for 30 minutes on 350 in a broiler type pan lined with foil) Set aside. Place broth, potatoes, garlic & onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until onions and potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon. Simmer 10 minutes. *Add kale and cream, season with salt and pepper. Heat through and serve.

*If you are making this a day early, stop here. Don't add the Kale and Cream until you reheat it the next day. I let mine cool a bit before putting it in the refrigerator.

Lion House Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or bread flour

Method:
In large bowl or electric mixer, combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add 2 cups flour; mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. (Dough will be getting stiff and remaining flour may need to be mixed in by hand). Add about ½ cup flour and mix again, by hand or mixer. Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff (It is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour).

Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour about one tablespoon of vegetable oil all around sides of bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. (This helps prevent dough from drying out). Cover with plastic and allow to rise in warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes.
Scrape dough out onto floured board. Turn dough over so it is floured on both sides; gently flatten to about 1 inch thick. With rolling pin, roll out to a rectangle about 18 inches long, 8 inches wide, and ¼ inch thick. Brush with melted butter. With pizza cutter or very sharp knife, cut dough in half to make two strips about 4 inches wide. Make cuts through strips of dough every 2 inches, making about 18 pieces of dough.

Starting with short end, roll up one piece of dough, with butter on the inside. Place roll on parchment-lined pan with other short end down on the paper. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Be sure all rolls face the same direction on baking pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light to medium golden brown. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter. Serve with Honey Butter. Makes 1 to 1 ½ dozen rolls.

Helpful Tips for Making Rolls
Always add flour gradually and keep dough as soft as you can handle. A soft dough will produce a lighter roll.
It is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour called for in the recipe—add only enough flour to make dough manageable.
To shorten dough's rising time, use one of these methods:
1) When dough is thoroughly mixed, oil bowl and cover dough with plastic wrap. Fill sink or larger bowl with about 2 inches of hot water or enough water to come about half or three-fourths the way up outside the dough bowl. Place bowl of dough in bowl of water and allow to rise until double in size.
2) Just before mixing dough, turn oven on lowest possible temperature. Place a pan of hot water on bottom oven rack. When dough is thoroughly mixed, place in oiled bowl. Cover dough with plastic wrap; place in oven. Turn oven off, shut oven door, and allow dough to rise until double in size, about 50 to 60 minutes. Shape or cut into desired rolls. Place rolls on greased or parchment-lined pans and allow to rise until double in size. Bake according to recipe.
Brush top of rolls with butter when first taken from oven.
How to consistently make attractive, good-tasting rolls? Practice! Practice! Practice!

Honey Butter

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup honey
Method:
Whip softened butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and honey gradually. Beat for 20 minutes. Makes 1 cup.

Cherries Jubilee Cheesecake Bars

Cherries Jubilee Cheesecake Bars

Cherry cake mix and frosting make this 3-step recipe a no-fuss alternative to traditional cheesecake.
Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:3 hr 5 min Makes:36 bars

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® cherry chip cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cherry frosting
3 eggs

1. Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, beat dry cake mix and butter with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly; reserve 1 cup. In bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan, press remaining crumbly mixture.
2. In same bowl, beat cream cheese and frosting with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs until blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumbly mixture.
3. Bake about 45 minutes (about 42 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until set; cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled.

For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.
Store covered in refrigerator.

I made this for Easter Breakfast and it was yummy

Cream Cheese Stuffed Cinnabundt
20 Rhodes Bake and Serve Rolls, thawed on the counter for about 1.5 hours
1 lb. light brown sugar
2 sticks salted butter
4 Tbsp. cinnamon sugar
8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
In a bowl, combine cream cheese with 1/4 cup brown sugar and combine well with spatula. Cover and place in refrigerator.
Lightly coat bottom of bundt pan with cooking spray.
Melt butter, then add remaining brown sugar and stir well. Bring to a light boil to caramelize then pour 1/3 of the butter/brown sugar mix across bottom of bundt pan.
Remove cream cheese mix from refrigerator. Take one roll at a time into your hands and pull outward on sides to increase size slightly. Place approximately 1 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture into middle of roll. Fold dough around the mixture, pinch closed, then roll into a tight ball. Evenly place 8 balls across bottom of bundt pan.
Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of sugar/cinnamon.
Pour second 1/3 of the brown sugar/butter mixture over 8 buns.
Repeat process with remaining 12 dough balls for second layer. First the dough balls, 2 Tbsp. sugar/cinnamon and finally the remaining butter/brown sugar mix.Let rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour then bake for 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
You may need to lay a piece of foil over top of pan after 40-45 minutes if buns start looking well done.
Remove from oven then immediately turn over onto large plate. Remove bundt pan. Serve warm or room temperature.