Beef and Butternut Squash Chili

Again, I made a huge quantity. Feel free to cut it down:

2-3 lbs. ground beef
2 chopped peppers (I used all 4 colors, 1/2 pepper of each color)
2 chopped onions
5 minced garlic cloves
1 large can stewed tomatoes
1 can whole tomatoes
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
3 C. kidney beans (or cans - I used 1 each of light red, dark red, and white kidneys)
2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2-4 C. beef broth (or more, depending on desired liquid level of finished soup)
1-2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1-2 Tbsp. chili powder
2-3 C. frozen corn
other seasonings - I added SPG and garlic salt

Brown hamburger; drain well. Saute onion and peppers in olive oil. Add all ingredients except frozen corn. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in corn and cook just until corn is tender (not even 5 minutes).

It was deliciously savory and offset nicely by slices of French baguette spread with Irish butter.

Thank you, Christine, for this delicious recipe!

Copycat Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Soup)

When I make this, I make a huge quantity. You can cut it down to size according to what your family needs. The quantities are very loose, as I just sort of throw it all together and make as much as I want.

1-2 lb. Italian sausage (I use mild.)
at least 5-6 large baking potatoes, cut in half and sliced into 1/4 in. slices
2 large onions, chopped
1 C. crumbled bacon (or more)
4-5 cloves minced garlic
5-6 C. kale or Swiss chard (I use the entire huge bag of kale from BJ's)
1-2 quarts chicken stock (see recipe here)
1-2 C. heavy whipping cream (I use 1 C. whipping cream, and the rest half and half.)

Cook sausage in cast iron skillet like you would hamburger... press out of casings and cook until crumbly. Drain.

Place onions, potatoes, broth, and garlic in large soup pot, and cook over medium heat until potatoes are done.

Add sausage and bacon. Season with SPG to taste. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Turn heat to low and add kale and cream. Heat through and serve. (Don't cook the kale... just add it to the hot liquid and then serve, so it stays kinda firm.)

Yum, yum, yum!

Cinnamon Rolls

Elanore's birthday breakfast request, which we shared with some folks who wanted the recipe...

DOUGH:
yeast (1 pkg, or 1 scant Tbsp.)
1 C. warm milk
1/2 C. sugar (I use 1/3 C.)
1/3 C. butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 C. flour

If you have a bread machine, process above ingredients in whatever manner your bread machine requires. If not, dissolve yeast in milk. Add other ingredients. Mix well. Knead dough into a large ball. Rise 1 hour.

Process dough in one of two ways, depending on if you want huge Cinnabon-style cinnamon rolls, or smaller-sized ones. For the former, roll the entire ball of dough into one rectangle, 21 in. long by 16 in. wide, 1/4 in. thick. For the latter, divide the dough into two balls, and process them similarly, but the rectangles will be less thick.

Spread softened butter (1/3 C. total) over entire surface of the rectangle(s). Sprinkle with a mixture of 1 C. brown sugar combined with 2-3 Tbsp cinnamon.

Roll rectangle (from the 21" side) to bottom edge. For huge rolls, cut the single roll into 1 3/4 in. slices and place 6 per baking pan. Bake 15-18 minutes. For smaller rolls, cut each of the two rolls in half and then in half again and then in thirds to make 12, and place in rows of four on a baking dish. I use a Pampered Chef stoneware bake pan. The small ones bake in less time... maybe 10 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees.

Once slightly cooled, frost rolls with icing. (See recipe below.)

ICING:
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 box cream cheese, softened (I use Neufchatel.)
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar (I don't use this much.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt (opt., I omit)

Combine ingredients and beat icing until fluffy. Coat rolls.

It is our family's tradition to make these rolls on Easter morning. We make a "cross" out of frosted cinnamon rolls (on a large rectangular platter), and we make a "tomb" out of unfrosted ones stacked up on each other. (The "stone" rolled away is made of sausage patties.)

Tango Stew

Veal Marengo - original recipe here
Marengo, à la [muh-RENG-goh]
A veal or chicken dish in which the meat is sautéed in olive oil, then braised with tomatoes, onions, olives, garlic, white wine or brandy and seasonings.
Sometimes scrambled eggs accompany the dish. It’s said to have been created by Napoleon’s chef after the 1800 Battle of Marengo.
2¼ lb. cubed stewing meat - veal, lamb, chicken, pork (use some bones)
6 Tbsp. flour
salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp. oil
1 C. onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste*
1 C. diced tomatoes*
1 C. dry white wine
3 C. beef broth

1 C. white mushrooms, quartered
1 C. pearl onions (opt.)
12 – 15 Kalamata olives (opt.)
1/2 C. chopped fresh parsley, as needed

In a bowl, toss veal in seasoned flour to coat.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and brown veal cubes.
Transfer veal to a slow cooker.
In the same skillet, over medium-high heat, cook onion, garlic, tomato paste and tomatoes.*
Add white wine and reduce by half.
Stir mixture into the slow cooker and add beef broth.
Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.
Add mushrooms, pearl onions and olives.
Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes.
When meat is done, adjust seasoning and check consistency of sauce.
Stir in chopped parsley.
Serve over your favorite pasta noodles.
*We used a whole can of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz), a whole can of tomato paste (6 oz) and a can of Rotel diced tomatoes (10 oz). All these (except the last item) are in lieu of, not in addition to, the items of the recipe. For wine I took the cheapest Chardonnay. It hurts to take a real good wine for cooking, unless, of course, you're sipping while you're cooking.

Nanny's Cheese Grits

6 C. water
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 C. quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 sticks butter (I use only 1)
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. Tabasco
1 lb. Velveeta, cubed

Cook grits according to package. Add butter and cheese. Stir until melted. Add seasoned salt, Tabasco, and eggs. Bake uncovered 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Aunt Kim's Monkey Bread

My sister's children called these "Monkey Balls" when they were little, and somehow the name has stuck. It is about as junky and unhealthy as they come, but inevitably one of my children asks for it each year for a birthday breakfast. This year is no exception.

3 cans canned biscuits
1 C. sugar/2 tsp. cinnamon - mixture to roll them in
1 stick butter
1 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Break (or cut, for ease) biscuits into fourths. Roll in sugar mixture and stack in well-buttered Bundt pan. Pour extra sugar mix from rolling over top. Meanwhile, melt butter. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Stir until just boiling, then drizzle over mixture in Bundt pan. Bake for 35 mins. at 350 degrees. Turn upside down onto plate and serve warm by "slicing"/pulling apart and spooning onto plates.

Brunch Casserole

Everyone in the world probably already has this recipe, but I'm making it this weekend at the Beach House and I didn't want to have to take my recipe card with me. So, here it is...

6 slices store-bought bread, crusts removed
6 eggs
2 C. milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard (opt.)
1 lb. sausage, fried & drained
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 C. onion, chopped

Mix eggs, milk, salt, and (opt.) mustard. Set aside. Butter one side of each slice of bread and make a bottom layer in a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with sausage and cheese. Pour egg mixture on top. Cover and let stand in refrigerator overnight. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until center is set.

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

This is perfect for when I find that I have too many peppers on hand, either from a bountiful garden harvest or from an overzealous, duplicate Costco purchase.

The original recipe is from my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book under "Stuffed Green Peppers." When I search online, there are only different recipes from them for stuffed peppers, so I suppose they've updated it several times since my "new" cookbook was published in 1989! It's a classic, though, and so easy. We love it!

We make this version instead of stuffing the filling inside whole or half peppers, as is traditionally done. We like it better this way.

Of course, to feed my large family, we need a large quantity. The recipe appears below in two versions: the first is already doubled(ish), the second is already quadrupled(ish). The original is half of the first, and fits in one 11x7 pan. One of these years I suppose that size will be right again for just the two of us, but for now, it's large quantities around here.

Casserole for 4-6 (Makes one 9x13 pan.)
This is the original post from 2009.

3-4 sweet bell peppers, coarsely chopped into chunks
2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 15-oz can tomatoes, undrained
2/3 C. long-grain rice
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper (or SPG)
1-2 C. shredded cheese (calls for American; I use the 2 C. Kraft melting blend bag)

1. First, cook the meat and onion in a skillet and drain.
(Often, I cook large batches of meat ahead of time and freeze them in 2-lb. quantities. If I've done this, I'll thaw it out and just saute the onion in olive oil and combine them. I like this better because the onion retains its flavor better and I don't have to drain grease out of the meat on the cooking day.)

2. Stir in undrained tomatoes (smash them up in small pieces with your fingers), uncooked rice, Worcestershire, basil, 1 C. water, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. (I use 1 tsp. SPG)

3. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until rice is tender (usually 20-30 mins.)

4. While that is cooking, I chop the peppers into chunks and generously line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with them. (You could easily half the recipe and use an 11x7 for a smaller family.) You want them on top of each other and almost halfway up the side of the pan. I always spray the pan first, but don't know if you'd really need to. By the time I finish getting the peppers ready, there are usually 5-10 minutes left on the timer for the meat mixture, so I put this pan of peppers in the preheated oven for a couple of minutes to soften them up just a bit.

5. When the meat/rice mix is ready, I stir in 1/2-1 C. of the cheese, then spoon the entire mixture on top of the peppers. I top with the remaining cheese from the package (usually about a cup) and put it back in the oven to melt the cheese. They originally suggest putting the meat mixture on it, baking it at 375 for 15-20 minutes, then topping it with cheese. I find that if I pre-soften the peppers just a tad the way I mentioned, this cooking time is overkill and I just go ahead and put the cheese on and stick it in the oven for a very few minutes until it is nicely melted. Everything else is hot and ready.

Casserole for a Crowd (Makes two 8x12 pans.)
This is a duplicate version I accidentally posted in 2015. It has morphed a bit over the years.

6-8 large sweet peppers of any color combination or variety
3 pounds ground hamburger (or combination of hamburger and Italian sausage)
1 large onion, diced
2 15-oz cans tomatoes, broken up (undrained)
1 1/2 C. long-grain white rice (uncooked)
1/4 C. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dried basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning
2 C. water
2 tsp. SPG (homemade salt/pepper/garlic salt blend)
2 C. sharp cheese, shredded (I use a combination of sharp cheddar and parmesan, but any will do.)

1. Remove stems and guts from peppers, then cut into generously sized squares. Layer them in the bottom of 2 greased 8x12 pans. (If you're not going to pre-cook them a bit as indicated above, don't double them up too much or they won't cook well.)

2. Cook the meat(s) and onion until meat is done and onion is tender. Drain fat.

3. Stir in undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, Worcestershire, basil, water, SPG.

4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

5. Stir in 1 C. of the cheese. Spread this filling mixture on top of the uncooked peppers in your casserole dish(es).

6. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until heated through and peppers are crisp-tender.

7. Top with remaining cheese and let stand 1-2 minutes before serving.

Shrimp and Feta Casserole

2 eggs
1 C evaporated milk
1 C plain yogurt
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 lb swiss cheese, shredded
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb angel hair pasta, cooked
1 16 oz jar salsa (I used the yummy fresh kind from the produce section of Publix)
1 lb medium shrimp, uncooked and peeled (I used the frozen bag that has about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of an 8 x 12 dish with cooking spray. In separate bowl, blend eggs, milk, yogurt, feta cheese, swiss cheese, basil oregano and garlic. Spread half of pasta over bottom of baking dish. Cover with salsa. Add half of shrimp. Spread remainig pasta over shrimp. Pour and spread egg mix over pasta. Add remaining shrimp and top with mozzarella. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken With Pasta

6 to 8 boneless chicken breasts (I sliced them into about 9 big strips each breast)
8 oz cream cheese
2 C fresh mushrooms sliced (big slices)
1/2 stick butter
1 pkg dry Italian dressing (Good Seasons)
1 C White wine or white cooking wine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 box bow tie pasta

Cook chicken, cream cheese, mushrooms, butter, Italian dressing, wine and mushroom soup in crockpot on low for 8-10 hours, stirring occasionally (my new crockpot is SO hot that I only cooked it 4 hours on low and it was plenty!!) Serve over cooked and drained pasta.

Nanny's Ambrosia

Iivo's mother requested this recipe from my mother. (She makes it every year at Thanksgiving. My kids love it. It is almost more like dessert than a fruit salad.)

1 cup mandarin oranges (1 small can, drained)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pineapple (not crushed, but yes drained)
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup sour cream (I use half plain yogurt.)

Mix all together and serve chilled.

Cheri's Yummy Homemade Limemade

Again, from my friend Cheri. I'll post for her...

So................your Sonic drinks put me in a mood for a limeade after you left and I was thinking I'd head down there for happy hour, not knowing it had already passed. Then I tried to get Tashia to get me one on her way home, but she was late for another outing and I couldn't even get my very adventurous neighbor to get her feet out of her pond long enough to run down there. I lost my motivation to head out, but found a great recipe. It's a bit different, but so lovely....I'm sure I'm hooked.

1/2 c lime juice (I used bottled)

2 c water

1/4 - 1/2 c sugar

5 or so ice cubes

1 1/2 c frozen fruit

Put all in the blender except the ice cubes. Add them one at a time after initial blending. The fruit I had was a mixed bag of raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry. I only had a cup of fruit and it was plenty. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm. I still served it over lots of ice.

Emeril's Chicken & Rice Soup

From my friend Cheri, who hasn't gotten up the nerve to post here yet... so I'll just post it for her:

I just took the rest of this soup out of the freezer and I'm sending the recipe to you both because we have spoken about chicken soup sometime recently....

As I recall, I did not follow the first step of sautéing the carcass, but it was the spices and especially adding shredded cabbage that "wowed" me. I don't think I added any of the other assorted veggies that time, just the onion, carrot, and celery. I can't wait to try it again though with spinach and zucchini. I'm sure I used brown rice.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 chicken (3 pounds) boned, skinned, and visible fat removed, diced, (save the bones and carcass)
• Essence, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups assorted chopped fresh vegetables, such has beans, zucchini, yellow squash, or cabbage, small dice
• 1 1/2 cups torn spinach leaves, cleaned and stemmed
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• 3 quarts chicken stock
• 1/4 pound long grain white rice, uncooked

Directions

In a large sauce pot, heat the olive oil. Season the chicken with Essence. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, bones and carcass and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the meat and bones are brown. Remove the bones and carcass. Add the onions, celery, carrots, green onions, garlic, parsley, basil, and bay leaves. Season with Essence. Sauté the vegetables for 4 minutes. Add the chopped vegetables, spinach, and crushed red pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock and rice, bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Reseason if necessary. Serve hot.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Mrs. Cover's Baked Brie

Layer 8-10 filo leaves that you have painted with melted butter.

Place cheese topped with fresh berries which you can toss in cinnamon sugar or leave plain.

Fold filo over berries until sealed.

Layer a few more buttered leaves on top if needed to seal it well.

Brush with melted butter, place on cookie sheet, and bake at 375 for 30 to 45 min. until you see cheese start to bubble out.

Enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

This is a birthday-morning favorite around here, from my great-cook friend Janet. Since the original recipe is in my husband's nearly illegible hand, and my kitchen helpers are having a hard time reading their father's handwriting, we are re-typing it here.

3 C. old-fasioned oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. melted butter (This is 1 stick, although I use a bit less.)
1/2 C. brown sugar (The recipe originally called for 1 C., but I use half.)
2 eggs, beaten
1 C. milk
dried fruit (optional)

Stir together oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, mixing well. Set aside. Melt butter in 8x12 pan (in oven or microwave); turn to coat bottom and sides. Pour remaining melted butter into a large mixing bowl and add brown sugar. Stir to mix well, then add eggs and milk and mix again. Stir in blended dry ingredients (and optional dried fruit, if desired), stirring to soak and coat well. Pour into buttered pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

We serve in bowls topped with cold milk. It does set up enough to serve on a plate like a casserole, if you prefer, but it will be crumbly as you eat it.

Homemade Playdough

This is the best homemade playdough recipe I've ever found, compliments of my friend Jan.

You will want to make one full recipe per child who wants to play.

(I usually double the recipe to make two batches at once, using a large Dutch-oven sized soup pot.)

Combine in large saucepan:
1 C. water
1/2 C. salt
1 C. flour
1 T. oil
2 tsp. cream of tartar

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a solid ball. (This happens quickly, after only about a minute.)

Dump out to cool on waxed paper. Be careful - it will be very hot at first, but it cools quickly. Give it to them while it is still warm, though; this is the best part!

Store in airtight container for repeated use.

You may knead food coloring into the dough when cool, if colors are desired. My kids always prefer the natural color, though, as they are usually pretending in the play kitchen to bake bread, cookies, pizza dough, doughnuts, etc. (Note: playing this way when young easily segues into really baking when one is older!)

Baked Rice (Can Be Vegan)

1 - 2 chopped onions
1/4 C.  butter or coconut oil (I omit this)
2 cups of rice (any kind will do)
3+ cups of veggie broth (tad more if using whole grain rice)

1) Preheat to 375 degrees. 

2) Dry sauté onion  (or oil, if using) with SPG. 

3) Add rice and stir to heat and lightly brown. P

4) Transfer to  9 x 13 dish. Pour boiling broth over rice. 

5) Bake covered until rice is tender. (It will take at least half an hour, usually closer to an hour.)

Pflintzen (Can Be Vegan)

These Russian pancakes have been a fun weekend staple in our home forever... Iivo remembers having them, made by his grandmother Helde, growing up...

(We double this recipe for our family of six. Doubled, it yields around 15.)
Here is the regular recipe (not doubled):

2 eggs (use flax eggs* for vegan)
2 C.  flour (any combo: unbleached & whole wheat, ground oats & gluten-free blend, etc.) 

2 C. milk (nut milk for vegan)
1/2 tsp. salt
oil for pan frying (or use a non-stick skillet if avoiding oil)

1) Combine ingredients in a blender or use a hand beater until smooth.

2) Heat 10" skillet until medium hot. 

3)  Add approximately 1 tsp. oil to skillet (if using), then pour in about 1/4 C. batter, tilting skillet with left hand to allow batter to run all over entire surface in a thin layer. 

4)  Turn when underside is browned (after a minute or two). Remove to serving plate to keep warm. 

5)  Repeat with remaining batter, adding small amount of oil to hot skillet each time (if using). Finished pancakes should be thin and slightly crisp on the edges. 

6)  Traditionally, each person adds filling, rolls the pancake with a fork, then cuts into bite-size pieces.

Traditional filling:
cottage cheese
lemon juice
sugar
Add small amounts of lemon juice and sugar to cottage cheese to make a slightly sweet filling. 

Vegan filling:

plant-based yogurt

The lemon juice and sweetener will thin it out too much, so we just use the plain yogurt as the vegan filling.

7) Roll filling inside pflintzen, then top with honey, syrup, fruit sauce, or strawberry jam (our personal favorite).

This particular recipe (the traditional variety) is adapted from Helen and Adam Mueller and was published in the More With Less cookbook, a personal favorite.

*Flax Egg (substitute for egg in vegan baking)

1 Tbsp. flax meal (ground raw flaxseed)

2.5 Tbsp. water

Combine and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Aunt Kim's Chicken Fajitas

boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
sliced peppers (green, red, orange, yellow)
onions, sliced or chunked
Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (see below)
SPG (see below)
Sprinkle chicken liberally with Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (see below), then saute in olive oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Remove from pan and saute peppers and onions, also in olive oil, with some SPG (see below).

Stuff into small flour tortillas and serve with any of the following suggested sides and/or toppings:

rice
corn
sour cream
chopped cilantro
salsa/pico de gallo/tomatillo sauce/salsa verde
grated cheddar or monterey jack
avacado/guacamole
chopped fresh onion/tomato/lettuce
whole black or pinto beans/refried beans
pickled or fresh jalapenos
Really, whatever you like with Mexican food.

Yum!

Emeril's Southwest Seasoning:
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. dried oregano

SPG:
SPG is a homemade seasoning made of equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic salt. I buy the huge sizes from Costco and mix them all together in a large plastic container and keep it on hand at all times. I use it when cooking just about everything!

Hearty, Healthy Chicken Stock/Soup

This is about as dull as they come, but it is an absolute staple in our home, so I figured I'd include it. (Plus, I need to link to this post from the other Blog post about the dog!)

I make this whenever we eat/use a rotisserie chicken or two from Costco (relatively cheap, already prepared, and isn't made with any preservatives). Put the two chicken carcasses (I don't bother to pick them so very thoroughly) into a heavy stock pot with the following:

2 chicken carcasses with a bit of meat left on them
enough filtered water to cover them
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery sticks, coarsely chopped

Put all in the stock pot and let stand for 30-60 minutes. Then bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 6-24 hours. The longer you cook it, the richer and more flavorful it will become. I usually leave it at least overnight, and usually also all day the next day.

About ten minutes before finishing, add a handful of fresh parsley (I have this in my garden), which will impart additional minerals and flavor to the broth.

After this process, the smaller chicken bones will be very soft and can be "smooshed" between your fingers and put on the dog's food!

Strain out all the bones and vegetables and reserve the broth.

I keep some of the it in a large jar in my fridge at all times, freezing the rest. If the refrigerated broth doesn't get used within a week, I will freeze it then. (This is very rare! Think of how many recipes/dishes call for chicken broth! No more nasty bouillon cubes or pasty broth paste...)

It makes a delicious chicken soup all by itself, with either rice or noodles cooked into it with some onion, celery, and carrots. Season liberally with Jane's Crazy Mixed-Up Salt, and you're all set!

The recipe for the chicken stock is from the cookbook Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

Remember, "Good broth resurrects the dead" (South American proverb).

Opa's Grilled Pizzas

Recipe for dough for crusts:
2 tsp. yeast
4 1/2 C. flour (I use between half and all whole wheat*.)
2 tsp. each salt, sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4 C. warm water
* If all whole wheat, add gluten (1-2 Tbsp.) and allow several hours for dough to rise.

After dough is nicely risen, punched down, and risen again, divide evenly into number of pizzas needed. (This recipe makes 8 large individual pizza crusts the size of a dinner plate.)

Place on grill over low to medium-low indirect heat to lightly cook crusts... don't overcook, as they will be going back on the grill once topped.

Have each individual make their pizza with the toppings they want... we love to have available:

pepperoni or sausage
grilled veges (onions, peppers, broccoli)
artichokes
fresh spinach
fresh tomatoes
fresh mushrooms
olives (green and black)
pineapple
cheeses (monterey jack, mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar, feta)

Place topped pizza back on the grill until the cheese is nicely melted and the pizza is heated through. Be careful not to leave it long enough to burn it on the bottom.

These are absolutely delicious and very fun! We had these for the first time the night we got Little, four years ago...

Emi's Cranberry Muffins

2 cups flour
1/3 cups brown sugar
1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 orange juice
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
3 ounces orange flavored Craisins
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (use the zest of a whole orange if you use plain Craisins)
chopped nuts

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients together in the order that is written. Spoon into a greased muffin tin and bake at 4oo degrees for 20 minutes or so.

Wrappa 'da Bean Dip (it's a dip... or is it burrito stuffin'?)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups canned black beans, drained and mashed
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup seeded and diced jalapeno pepper (optional)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Tortilla chips or burrito wraps

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In 2 quart casserole dish, combine first seven ingredients. Sprinkle with green onions, olives, and Montery Jack cheese. Cover, bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake for and additional 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips OR wrappa it up in a burrito! ;)
(Or microwave on high for 4 minutes instead of baking in conventional oven.)

Pumpkin Cake ~ the best!!

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
a little bit of allspice to taste (optional)
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 pound canned pumpkin

Combine dry ingredients (first 6) and wet ingredients (last 4) together separately. Add the wet stuff to the dry stuff, and stir together. Next, bake in a GREASED 9x13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. This cake is delicious with homemade cream cheese frosting. See next line for the recipe.

8 ounces soft cream cheese
1/2 cup soft butter
1 box confectionery sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream the cream cheese and the butter together. Now add the sugar and the vanilla. Next, if you chose to use nuts, either blend them in or sprinkle them on top of your frosted cake. Enjoy!!

Cheri's Griddle Cakes (VEGAN)

2 cups corn meal
2 cups flour (GF is fine)
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 eggs (use egg substitute for vegan)
2 cups milk (plant-based is fine)
1/4 cup olive oil (can be omitted, or subbed with tahini)

Combine dry ingredients (first 5) and wet ingredients (last 4) together separately. Add the wet stuff to the dry stuff, and stir just until moistened. Cook on a griddle like regular pancakes and eat. These griddle cakes already have syrup in them, so they make a wonderful no-mess breakfast on the way to school or work. They are also excellent served as a cornbread substitute. Enjoy!!

Yum Yum Pancakes

1/4 C. sugar
4 C. flour (We use all whole wheat, freshly ground.)
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp.salt
2 eggs
3 1/2 C. milk
1/3 C. oil (We use olive oil.)

Combine dry ingredients (first 4) and wet ingredients (last 3) together, separately. Add the wet stuff to the dry stuff, and stir just until moistened. Cook on a griddle like regular pancakes and eat.  Serve hot with butter and a light dusting of powdered sugar (Mom's favorite-tastes like funnel cake) or honey, syrup, peanut butter, anything you like!! ;)

NOTE (from Laurie): This is a modification from a delicious recipe from an old friend, aptly dubbed "Donna Webb's Pancakes."  The original recipe appears below, for those of you disinclined to use whole wheat flour.  (If you can't get it freshly ground, I'm with you.  It must be freshly ground to taste light and delicious. if you use 100% whole wheat!)

Donna Webb's Pancakes (original version):

2 C. self-rising flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 C. milk
3 Tbsp. oil

SPG (Salt-Pepper-Garlic) Seasoning Blend

1 pound sea salt
1 pound black pepper, finely ground
1 pound garlic salt (with or without added parsley)

SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) is a homemade seasoning blend made of equal parts sea salt, ground black pepper, and garlic salt. I buy the huge sizes from Costco and mix them all together in a large plastic container and keep it on hand at all times. I use it when cooking just about everything!

Sirje's Indian Food

For those interested in Indian dishes, check this out.

Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

1/2 lb. grated imported Swiss cheese
(Jarlsberg is relatively cheap at Costco.)
1/2 lb. grated Gruyere cheese
(If you find this cheap, let me know!)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cloves garlic (1 crushed, 1 minced)
1 C. dry white wine
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp kirsch (imported cherry brandy)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
nutmeg

In a small bowl, coat the cheeses with cornstarch and set aside.

Crush one clove of garlic and rub the inside of the fondue pot with it.

Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice to the fondue pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Add minced garlic. Gradually stir the cheese into the liquid. Once melted and smooth, stir in kirsch, mustard, and nutmeg.

Serve with chunks of crusty bread and Granny Smith apples. Fondue forks are a must.

Movie Night Macaroni & Cheese

This is the easiest homemade mac 'n cheese we make. It is fun for movie night, served in front of the screen in a bowl, topped with "hot dog octopuses." (See beneath.)

1 12-oz. box pasta (we usually use whole wheat shells)
1 1/2 C. whole milk
1 1/2 C. chicken stock
3 large eggs
3/4 tsp. onion powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar or combination)
homemade bread crumbs (opt.)
paprika (opt.)

Preheat oven to 375. Boil pasta in salted water as directed, cooking just till al dente. While pasta is cooking, whisk together next six ingredients. Pour milk mixture over cooked pasta in sprayed 9x13 pan. Blend in 2 C. (or tad more) cheese, then top with remaining reserved cheese. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and paprika.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

For fun, top with Hot Dog Octupuses:
Take a Hebrew National brand small-size hotdog. Leaving a 1-2 inch section at one end, carefully slice down the length of the rest of the hotdog. Divide it lengthwise into eight sections, carefully being sure that all the "legs" remain attached to the "head." Place the hotdog on a paper plate in the microwave for about 30 seconds or so, and watch as it "curls up" into an octopus shape.

Tracy's Sloppy Joes

This is the only Sloppy Joe recipe my family will let me make. Most others are "way too sweet," they say. The original recipe (see beneath) is compliments of Mike's mom.

Large Batch:
2-3 lb. ground beef (use 70% lean - drain off grease that cooks out)
1 large onion, chopped
16-24 oz. canned tomato sauce
3-4 Tbsp. yellow mustard
salt & pepper to taste

Brown onion in butter and remove to plate. Brown the ground beef and drain if needed. Mix in other ingredients and bring to a boil. (I tried not doing this, and just cooking the onion at the same time as the hamburger, but it isn't as good!)

Serve on hamburger buns or potato rolls.

Small Batch (Original Recipe):
1 lb. ground beef (use 70% lean then drain off the grease that cooks out)
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard (make a little pinwheel instead of measuring)
salt & pepper to taste

Crunchy Salad

(really cheap... really yummy... a very great last-minute meal option...)

Large Recipe (serves six generously as a main dish)

2 heads Romaine lettuce, finely shredded
1 bag pre-shredded slaw mix (finely-shredded cabbages & carrots) - very cheap at BJ's
2 C. sunflower seeds (or you can used sliced almonds in a pinch) - very cheap at Dollar Tree
6 Tbsp. sesame seeds - cheap in bulk at Farm Fresh
3 pkgs. crushed Ramen noodles (discard powdered sauce packets) - cheap anywhere!
(OPT.) rotisserie chicken to serve on the side if it is a main dish - cheap at Costco and BJ's

Mix all above together. Top with a dressing of:
3/4 - 1 C. oil
4 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 + C. red wine vinegar - cheap at Ollie's
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

(The original recipe calls for you to also add one seasoning packet from the Ramen noodles to this dressing, but the MSG bothers one of my daughters so I skip it.)

Also, I often make this for the kids and me as a lunch-on-the-go by grabbing two pre-fab shredded slaw bags and skipping the Romaine. If I pre-make the dressing, I can grab it all as ingredients and put it together at lunch time in a jiffy.

It is tasty, but no longer "crunchy," as leftovers. The Ramen goes soft and mushy and seems more like soft noodles after a few hours of sitting.

Basic French Bread

My friend Elizabeth's recipe...

By whatever method you create your homemade dough (whether you use a Kitchen Aid, you throw it in a bread machine, or you're old school and insist on nothing but a large wooden bowl and your hands), make the following into a nice dough:

yeast (1 scant Tbsp.)
4 1/2 C. flour (may use any proportion of whole wheat)
1 1/2 C. warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. gluten (only needed if using >50% whole wheat)


When dough has been double-risen and punched down, divide it in two and roll each out into a large rectangle. Then "roll up" the rectangle along the long edge, into a long tube-like shape. Pinch and seal the edges and bake in a French bread pan at 425 degrees until done. (Use your nose - maybe about 15 minutes.)

Pepperoni Bread / Rolls

People ask us to bring these to every event we attend where food is expected. Folks ask about the recipe all the time, but then decide it is "too much trouble" to make them for themselves and order them from us instead. (See the Little Biscuit Bakery website.)

For those of you who bake, this recipe is actually very easy. It is only "too much trouble" for those who are too busy for, or intimidated by, home baking.

Begin by making the recipe for Basic French Bread, but use garlic salt instead of plain salt and add grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning to the dough, if desired.

When dough has been double-risen and punched down, divide in two and roll each out into a large rectangle. If desired, spread the dough with pesto or lightly-beaten egg, but it isn't necessary. Top with a layer of pepperoni slices (or salami, or sausage, or spinach, or some combination thereof) and a layer of cheese (mozzarella or monterey jack work best).

If making "Pepperoni Bread" (a bit like a large stromboli), fold the large rectangle into thirds and seal the edges. Cook on a large baking sheet at 400 or so until the top is golden brown and you smell the bread is done. (This will be around 25 minutes, maybe.)

If making "Pepperoni Rolls" (individual, like cinnamon rolls), roll the large rectangle into a tube-like shape. Slice into individual rolls (about 1/4" thick) and place flat side down on a baking sheet. Top with tiny bit more cheese and bake at 400 or so until bubbly and baked, about 10-15 minutes, maybe.

One-Step Bean Guacamole

This was originally our friend Ms. Christine's recipe, but since I make it all the time now, my family calls it "O's dip."
'ding 3

1 avocado
1(15-oz.) can kidney beans
1/2 c. red salsa
1 to 2 T. chopped cilantro (opt.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Coarsely mash together the avocado and beans. Stir in salsa. Season to taste.

Seven-Layer Cookie Bars

This was originally our friend Ms. Christine's recipe, but I have become famous for making it.
'ding 2 (Philip)

NOTE from Laurie: This is a quick and easy recipe when you need a sweet treat to share, but they are very sweet (what my family calls "sicky sweet"!) and I can't really eat them if they're made according to the recipe. When I make them, I cut the quantity of both types of chips by half.

1 stick butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 C.  bittersweet chocolate chips (Sicky sweet—use significantly less!)
1 C.  butterscotch chips (Sicky sweet—use significantly less!)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 can sweetened condensed milk

In square metal pan, melt butter. Stir in graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle with layers of the following: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and pecans. Pour the milk over this. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool and then cut into small squares. (They are very rich!)

Mom’s (Susanne's) Southwest Chicken and Broccoli

I got the basic part of this recipe from the Internet and can't remember where; however, I've altered and adapted it, so I'm now claiming it as my own.
:-)

Ingredients:
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 6-8 oz canned chopped green chiles (depending on can size)
• Small amount of chicken stock or water and bouillon
• 1/3 C heavy cream
• 1/3 C shredded cheddar or jack cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt, pepper
• ½ to 1 whole package frozen broccoli florets (or use fresh broccoli)
• *Optional garnishes

Preparation:
1) Heat large skillet with oil.

2) Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Saute' till brown on both sides, adding onions and broccoli about half way through.

3) Add garlic and cook for another minute.

4) Deglaze the pan with the little water + boullion or chicken stock.

5) Add cumin, green chiles, and cream, and simmer until chicken is done and sauce is thickened.

6) Top with cheese, and serve when cheese melts. Suggestion: Serve over brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

*Optional garnishes: avocado slices; cilantro; green onions; chopped tomatoes; sour cream

Makes 3-4 servings

Mom's (Susanne's) Mexican Rice

To be served with Susanne's Chicken Enchiladas and Ranchero Sauce.

Main Ingredients:

1 cup long grain white rice (not short grain)
2 cups water
2 tbl. (or so) oil
½ tsp. salt
½ cube Knorr chicken bouillon
½ tiny can tomato sauce

*Optional:
½ chopped tomato
Mixed vegetables, a handful (or about 1/3 cup)
diced bell pepper
diced onion
browned hamburger (or any other meat)

1. Brown the rice in the oil over high heat. Don’t burn it. To keep it from burning, make sure you put in plenty of oil and stir CONSTANTLY, scraping around the bottom of the pan with each pass of the spoon. When it’s browned, remove the pan from the heat.

2. After it’s cooled a little, add the water. (If you prefer, omit the boullion cube and just use 2 cups of chicken broth.)

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, including optional ones, if any.

4. Put the heat on high again, and bring the water to a boil.

5. Turn the heat down LOW. When the water calms down a little, put a well-fitting lid on the pan.

6. Don’t stir the rice while it is cooking. Check it after 10 minutes or so just to make sure it isn’t dry or burning. (If it gets dry before the rice is tender, add a little water.)

7. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to cook. If it’s a bit watery, but the rice is tender, put the lid back on, and turn the heat off. Let it stand for another 5-10 minutes or so; it will continue to absorb water for a while, even with the heat off.

*I’ve even added browned hamburger near the end and then topped this with grated cheese at the very last to make a main dish. You could also do it with chunks of chicken or any other bits of meat you like. If you add cheese, make sure you wait until the heat is off; then sprinkle the cheese on top, and put the lid on for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Serve in a plate, as usual, or wrap it up in a flour tortilla. (If you wrap it in a tortilla, you can add lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and/or a mild salsa, even beans, and have a very hearty burrito.) Best cheese choices: Quesa Fresca (Mexican), Monterey Jack, Mozarella, Cheddar (not the best, but if you’re a cheddar lover, not bad), Provolone

Mom’s (Susanne's) Ranchera Sauce

Ingredients for the Slow Method (easy/quick method at the end)

Main Ingredients:
1 tbsp. margarine or butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped green chiles (*jalapeño)
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:
1. Combine margarine and flour in a medium-sized skillet and cook at medium heat just for a minute or so.
2. Add the onion, chiles, and tomatoes and cook until the onion is tender.
3. Stir in seasonings and the broth and simmer for 10 minutes at low heat. Set aside.

This sauce can be used over enchiladas or over eggs (for huevos rancheros) or any other way you can think of. Use your imagination!

*Varied amounts of jalapeño can be used, depending on how hot you like it. I use pickled jalapeño slices and only add one or two pieces, chopped, to the sauce. You can use a different type of chile if the jalapeños are too hot or if you don’t like their taste. Diced California green chiles (come in a can) would work as well, and they are milder.

Easy/Quick Version

Instead of doing all the cutting and chopping, use one can of Ro-Tel original (or mild) chiles and tomatoes. Place in the saucepan, with the flour and butter, stir in the broth, and then cook over medium, stirring constantly, until thickened. I find this to be virtually as good, but it takes a fraction of the prep time. You can still add onions and cilantro, if you wish. Just sauté the onion first, and add cumin to the mix before heating.

Mom’s (Susanne's) Chicken for Misc. Dishes

1 small package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or other boneless, skinless chicken, such as thighs fattier than the breasts, but many people prefer them)
Water to almost cover chicken
1 chopped tomato
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1-2 TB olive oil

Begin heating oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, and wait until it begins to sizzle.
Add water to almost cover chicken.
Mix in tomato, salt, and ground cumin.
Cover, and turn heat to low. When ingredients are simmering, cover with a lid.
Allow to simmer slowly, covered, until chicken is falling apart. Check periodically to make sure it doesn’t become dry.
When chicken has reached the falling-apart stage, remove lid, raise heat to medium or medium-low, and allow juices/water to cook off.
This can be used in a number of Mexican recipes, some of which need just a little variation in the spices. Sometimes I add a slice of pickled jalapeno to give it more of a kick.

NOTES:
Also, I use a heavy skillet, but you could use a deep pot. You can also use whole chicken, and instead of putting it into the skillet first, put it into a pot of boiling water, cook it until it’s falling off the bone, then remove and allow to cool. Remove skin and bones, then cook in with the other ingredients (tomato, salt, cumin, olive oil, and just a bit of water). This takes longer and is messier, but it’s cheaper. You also end up with a good batch of chicken broth if you strain the liquids after you remove the cooked chicken.

Mom’s (Susanne's) Enchiladas Rancheras: Chicken

Disclaimer: I do a lot of cooking by the seat of my pants, so you may need to adjust amounts.
:-)

Main Ingredients:
2 dozen corn tortillas
1-1 ½ lb. shredded Monterey jack cheese
2-3 tsp red chili powder
½ sm. Can crushed tomatoes (or low salt tomato sauce)
Approx. 1 cup water
Salt
Prepared chicken pieces (see Mom’s Chicken for Misc. Dishes recipe)—Add about 1- 1 ½ tsp. of ground cumin and a bit of choped tomato to the chicken. You can also add a little salt, to taste, if you like.

Ranchera Sauce (see Ranchera Sauce recipe)

*Optional:
You can add to the chicken filling pretty much anything you want. The following suggestions are fairly safe.
Chopped onion, cooked or raw
Chopped tomato
Sliced black olives
Finely chopped bell pepper

Prepare Your Ingredients:
1. Heat corn tortillas until soft on a large, heavy skillet or heavy griddle. You can also heat them in the microwave. However you heat them, keep them warm as you go. You can do this by keeping them in a folded dish towel.
2. Mix together the crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce), chili powder (chili puro), water and salt to taste. Set aside.
3. Grate cheese and set aside.
4. Put prepared chicken within reach.
5. Have ready an oiled 13X9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil to cover
To Assemble Enchiladas:
6. Dip warm corn tortilla in tomato mixture.
7. Lay tortilla in baking pan.
8. Down the middle of tortilla place approx. 1/3 cup chicken filling and about 1-2 tbl. grated cheese.
9. Fold the sides of the tortilla over (thirds) and then flip the enchilada over carefully so that the open side is down.
10. Repeat steps 6-9 until you’ve used all your ingredients.
11. This dish can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
12. When you’re ready to finish, cover baking dish with foil and place enchiladas in 375-degree oven.
13. Bake for 10-15 minutes (more if they’ve been refrigerated). Test periodically to see if cheese is melting. When it is melted, immediately remove enchiladas from oven. If you leave them in too long, the tortillas will become tough and chewy.
14. Heat ranchera sauce.
15. When the enchiladas are hot, serve on individual plates, covering them with hot ranchera sauce first. Sprinkle with cheese (and sliced black olives if you want).

Super Potato Salad

Super Potato Salad
(original recipe from epicurious.com but altered for my preferences)

3 1/2 lbs potatoes, cubed and boiled
4 green onions
1 cup (at least) bread and butter pickles
5 bacon slices, fried and crumbled
1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 ounce envelope Ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 tsp dried dillweed
2 T Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper

Mix top ingredients. Create "dressing" with remaining ingredients. Pour dressing over potato mixture and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

Johanna's Homemade Pizza

We went to her house, and her homemade pizza was better than mine... Johanna's Easy Pizza Sauce and Homemade Pizza Dough...

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

If you're looking for a "real" recipe, this is from a friend of a friend... I ate this at her house... It was delicious... Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

In the meantime, I will say that yesterday I made up a very yummy soup that was similar. I was shooting for Crock Pot burrito filling, but it was rather soupy when I finally got home, so I just added some stuff and made it into soup. It was delicious.

Here's what I did, basically, just so I can remember and "get it down" before I forget. If you're game for "winging it," too, then you might want to give it a whirl.

Place 10-20 boneless, skinless thighs (or breasts, or whatever chicken pieces you want) in the Crock Pot with a canned beans (I would have used two, and I would have used black beans, but I only had one and it was pintos, so that's what I did), a chopped onion, minced garlic, and a jar of green salsa.

I put the chicken in semi-frozen, and cooked it all day long on low. When I got home I shredded the meat with a fork and then added a large jar (probably 8 cups or so) of homemade chicken stock, a large can of petite diced tomatoes, a can of hot Rotel tomatoes, some vinegar from the jar of jalapenos, some frozen corn, about half a cup of heavy cream, and various seasonings including Costco's organic no-salt seasoning (a staple around here), a few shakes of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix, cumin, a good bit of Jane's Crazy Mixed-Up Salt (the secret - I've since discovered - to my mother's delicious homemade turkey soup, and a must-have for successful seasoning of most homemade soups, if you ask me), and SPG (a homemade blend of equal parts salt-pepper-garlic salt that we put on absolutely everything).

If I were making this again, with purpose and deliberateness, I would use black beans instead of pintos and canned hominy instead of the frozen corn, since my family prefers those. Chopped celery would also be good in it.

I served it with grated cheese, sour cream, and salsa as toppings; tortillas (we were originally going to have burritos, remember?!) and corn chips were on the side.

Cheri's Spicy Ginger Salad Dressing

This is yummy for that Oriental-style dressing that is always on the salad when you go to a Japanese hibachi restaurant. This is what I tend to serve as a side dish when our friends come over to eat my husband's sushi spread.

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. fresh-ground ginger
3 cloves fresh minced garlic
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. hot chili oil
pinch salt

Susanne's Pintos & Rice (VEGAN)

(a healthy, cheap meal... a weekly favorite for us... I usually double this recipe)

1 pound dried pinto or cranberry beans

1 large onion, diced

1 large bulb of garlic (10 or so whole, smashed cloves per pound of beans)

1 small fistful of sea salt

brown rice, cooked, for serving

cold veggie relish (diced crudités), for topping

pickled jalapeños, diced avocado, salsa (optional)

cheese and sour cream (omit for vegan!)

1) Soak 1 pound dried pinto beans overnight (at least) in water.  (NOTE: It is best if they just barely start to sprout, which they'll do after 12-18 hours of soaking. See below for cheater trick if you're short on time.)

 
2) After they've soaked, pour off soaking water, and bring beans to a boil in fresh water. Turn down and simmer until tender (a couple of hours) with the onion, garlic, and salt. (Conversely, you can cook these in a slower cooker on HIGH for 3 hours or so until tender, or throw them in your instant pot according to the recommended cooking time.)

3) Serve over whole grain rice (brown, brown basmati, or brown jasmine), topped with your choice of cold veggie relish (made of any combination of cucumbers, peppers, onions, celery, and tomatoes), salsa, jalapenos, diced avocado, chili vinegar. 

4) On the side we serve either Cheri's griddle cakes or tortilla chips.

For "homemade refried beans," coarsely smash the beans in a saucepan with some of the broth. Let 'em cook down and bubble a little, stirring often. Add Mexican seasonings to taste. We use these on tortillas as a common "everyday sort of lunch" instead of PB&J sandwiches. I just put this filling on a small fajita-size tortilla with some cheese (omit for vegan), roll it up, and line them up in my toaster oven to warm. Cold, washed romaine leaves on the side, and you're set.

*I may as well include the "cheater" method when you didn't soak them, overnight, because it works and I've used it in a pinch many times.  It is not near as healthy or easy on your digestive system, but you can take dry beans and bring them a boil, turn off the water, let them soak for an hour or two, then bring them to a boil again to cook.  It isn't best, but I do it when I have to!

Brandy's Velvety Pumpkin Bisque

(This is the most-requested recipe every year at our annual fall "soup and dip" gathering...)

4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 minced shallots
2 cans pumpkin
2 C. chicken broth
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 C. Half & Half
chopped parsley for optional garnish

1) In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter and cook shallots until tender, stirring occasionally.

2) Stir in next 7 ingredients until blended and mixture begins to boil. Cook 5 minutes to blend flavors.

3) Add cream and heat through, stirring occasionally.

4) Taste it and add whatever you want, to taste.

5) Serve in bowls with garnish, if desired, or serve it in a hollowed-out pumpkin.