ARROZ CON CUMINO

(from the kitchen of Justina Baza)

Justina taught me how to make this rice one day when we lived in Southern Monterey County.  As Relief Society President I would visit her and she would offer me delicious things to eat.  I altered the original recipe. She began by frying a half onion in oil without chopping it and then removing it. She would then fry the ground beef in more oil.

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 Tablespoon oil

2 Cups rice

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

4 cups water

 

Brown ground beef. Set aside. Sauté dry rice in saucepan with oil until slightly browned. Stir in onion and spices and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add beef and water. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or just until the water is absorbed.

 

BACON WRAPPED CHEESESTEAK MEATLOAF

 

2 green peppers, chopped into strips

1 white onion, thinly sliced

1 lb. ground beef

1 teaspoon basil

2 Tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon grill mates black pepper mix

15 slices provolone

20 pieces of raw bacon

 

Sauté the peppers and onions.  Mix the ground beef with spices. On a sheet of tin foil press the beef into an even rectangle. Lay slices of provolone across the middle and top with the peppers and onion mix.

Gently roll the meat up from the smaller end of the rectangle, using the foil to push it into a large sausage shape. Lay the strips of bacon across another sheet of tin foil and repeat, rolling the bacon over the meat roll. Bake at 350, covered, for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for a further 30 minutes.

 

 

BARBARA’S CROCK POT CHOCOLATE PEANUT CLUSTERS 

2 lbs. salted dry-roasted peanuts

4 oz. German’s sweet chocolate (about 4 squares)

1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

2 1/2 lbs. white almond bark

 

Put peanuts in the bottom of a 4 quart slow cooker. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the chocolate chips and then the almond bark. Set temperature on low and cook for 3 hours. DO NOT STIR the mixture. After 3 hours, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into cupcake pan liners using about 2 tablespoons per liner. (May be scooped out onto parchment paper instead. Do not let them touch.)  Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners.

 

 

“Can’t Tell They’re Gluten Free” OAT MUFFINS

(Makes 12 muffins)

3 Cups rolled oats (vitamixed 20 seconds on high)

½ Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 Cup milk

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs*

1/3 cup oil

 

Grease muffin tins. Do not pre-heat oven. Combine dry separate from wet ingredients. (*If egg substitute desired, add instead 1/2  teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients and 2 Tablespoons vinegar to the wet.) Thoroughly whisk dry ingredients to remove lumps. Slowly incorporate dry into wet mixture. Immediately fill muffins tin and place in bottom rack of cold oven. Turn on oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow muffins to sit in tin for 5 to 10 minutes on kitchen counter before removing from tins and placing on cooling rack. Note: Oats tend to soak up liquid so batter should not sit or be saved for later; bake and save finished product instead of saving batter. Baking slowly, by placing in a cold oven allows the dough to bake thoroughly as the oven heats, instead of ending up with a soggy, raw center.  

VARIATIONS: To create a different flavor, add any of the following to dry ingredients before combining with wet ingredients.
1 cup berries, sliced strawberries, nuts, diced apples, or dried fruit.
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
¼ teaspoon ginger, all spice, or nutmeg.
3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled.
½ cup shredded cheese
lemon or orange rind, grated; replace vanilla with lemon or orange juice.
1 banana, sliced into small pieces (either add to dry, or mash and add to wet ingredients mixture)

 

“Can’t Tell They’re Gluten Free” OAT PANCAKES
 Makes 4 (6-inch) pancakes.

2 cups rolled oats, Vitamixed to flour (10 seconds on high)

2 teaspoons baking powder

Optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs* (see note for substitutes)

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

 

Mix together all wet ingredients, separately from dry ingredients. Whisk dry ingredients to remove lumps. (*If egg substitute desired, add instead ¼ teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients and 1 Tablespoon vinegar to the wet. ) Combine the wet with the dry.  Cook pancakes immediately on low heat (325), on greased griddle, flip to other side when small bubbles appear on the surface and edges are browned.  If the batter thickens, add water or milk.

 

CEVICHE

(Citrus-marinated fish – always loved this stuff!)

 

1 lb. firm white fish

1 small onion

1 clove garlic

4 or 5 sprigs of cilantro

1 small hot chili

¾ cup lime juice (about 8 limes)

¼ teaspoon salt

Pepper, to taste

 

Cut fish into ½ inch cubes. Mince the onion, garlic, and chili coarsely. Chop the cilantro very finely. Juice the limes; strain to remove the pulp and seeds. Shrimp can be substituted for the fish. Mix all of the ingredients and refrigerate tightly covered for at least 3 hours. Serve with corn tortillas, tortilla chips, or crackers.

 

FRIJOLES ALA ELENITA

(from the kitchen of Elenita Darling)

Country of origin: Mexico

Elenita Darling is my cousin that lives in Mexico City.

4 Cups pinto beans

1 or 2 Tablespoons Baking soda

1 onion

1 Tablespoon salt

1 lb. bacon

1 lb. chorizo sausage

1 8oz. can tomato puree

1 bunch cilantro

 

Wash beans thoroughly by placing beans in a colander in the sink and running water over it while washing the beans by hand, rinsing through several times, making sure they are completely clean. Soak beans in tall stockpot overnight with baking soda.(It is said that the soda removes some of the gas.) Make sure water covers beans allowing them to still be covered with water after doubling in size during soaking process. In the morning, drain into colander and rinse thoroughly. Pour beans into pot. Add whole onion, salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft, 1 or 2 hours. Remove whole onion. While beans are cooking, fry bacon in pan. Drain grease and set bacon aside. Fry chorizo in pan and cut in pieces. Drain grease. Mix in bacon and cook in pan until it all combines. Drain grease. Add tomato puree. When tomato mixture changes color add diced cilantro. Up to this point, beans should still be soaking in its broth. Add the tomato mixture to the beans. Let boil and simmer. Stir well. Serve with tortillas.

 

 

 

 

 

MARSHMALLOW CARAMEL RICE KRISPIES

From the kitchen of Marci Rainey

 

1 bag of large marshmallows

1 12 oz. bag of caramels

1 can of condensed milk

1/2 cup of butter

 

Place marshmallows in the freezer.

In sauce pan, melt butter, caramels, and condensed milk. When caramel mixture is all melted together, using a fork, dip the frozen marshmallow in the caramel. Immediately roll in caramel mixture. Place on wax paper.

 

 

NANCY’S ICE CREAM

(Nancy Frost’s recipe that she shared with me when we lived in Kelseyville)

 

2 quarts half and half

(8 Cups/ 64 oz)

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

3 Tablespoons vanilla

6 eggs

Mix and pour into ice cream maker. OPTIONS: Crushed cookies, crushed candy bars, fruit, chocolate chips…

 

 

SCALLOPED SWEET POTATOES (Betty’s Version)

(Substitute oat flour, replacing wheat flour)

 

2 pounds yams, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 Cup butter

1 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Sweet potato topping:

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup rolled oats, (Vitamixed into flour)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup pecans

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Peel and boil yams in a large pot until soft, about an hour. (Yams take longer to cook than russet potatoes.) Drain and mash. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat to blend. Pour into prepared baking dish.

Prepare topping:  Blend topping ingredients to a consistency of wet cookie dough. Drop by spoonful evenly on top of yams. Connect the dollops to create a smooth topping.  Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees until brown and crusty.

 

 

ZUCCHINI PIZZA

 

3 medium zucchini, grated

2 eggs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 Cup grated Parmesan

3 Cups mozzarella, shredded

1/4 Cup cornstarch

Salt & black pepper

Dried red pepper flakes

 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dry grated zucchini by wringing out with kitchen towel. Mix together zucchini with eggs, garlic, oregano, Parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and cornstarch. Sprinkle with salt and pepper according to taste.

Spread on baking sheet as if creating a crust. Bake at 400 degrees until golden, about 25 minutes. (Variation: could additionally add pizza toppings: pepperoni, chicken, onion, bell pepper, etc. before next step of topping with cheese.) Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella, red pepper.