Tamales

Ingredients:
For the The Meat Filling:
(4 pound) beef chuck roast
•1 tsp salt
•1 tsp black pepper
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1 large onion, chopped
•2 (7oz) cans diced green chiles
•2 tablespoons chili powder
•2 (5oz) bottles hot sauce (I like Franks)
•1 tablespoon garlic powder
•water & 1 beef bouillon cube

For the Masa Dough:
•3 cups lard (or vegetable shortening, although it won't be as moist)
•1 tablespoon salt
•9 cups masa harina
•5 cups beef broth
For the wrapping:
•3 (8oz) packages corn husks

Instructions:
Salt & pepper the chuck roast on each side. Heat the olive oil in a skillet, and brown the roast on each side. Place the roast in a slowcooker & top with the onion, green chiles, chili powder, garlic powder, & hot sauce. Pour in enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast & toss in the beef bouillon cube.

Cover & cook on high for 6 hours, checking to be sure there is always at least a small amount of liquid in the bottom. Reduce heat to low & continue cooking for another 2 hours.

Shred the meat, and let it cool. Taste it, and add more hot sauce if you want it spicier. I like mine plenty spicy. I refrigerate mine overnight & assemble the tamales the next day.

Soak the corn husks in a large container full of warm water & allow to soak for 3 hours.

Now, for the masa. Place the lard & salt in a large mixing bowl & beat on high speed until fluffy. Add masa harina & beat at a low speed until combined. Pour in beef broth a little at a time while mixing until the masa is the consistency of soft cookie dough.

Drain water from husks. One at a time, flatten out each husk, with the narrow end facing you, and spread about 2 tablespoons of prepared masa mixture onto the top 2/3 of the husk. Spread about 2 tablespoons of meat mixture down the middle of the masa. Roll up the corn husk starting at one of the long sides. Fold the narrow end of the husk onto the rolled tamale & tied with a piece of cooking twice or a small strip of corn husk.

Place tamales in a steamer basket in a stockpot. Steam over boiling water for 1 hour, or until masa is firm & holds it shape.

Make sure the pot doesn't run out of wa

Apple Cake

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 medium to large lemon
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large, tart firm apple (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, and cut into1/2-inch dice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch springform pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and grated lemon zest, and mix well. Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until just incorporated. Add buttermilk, and stir well. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and stir to blend. Add diced apples and stir until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan, spread it to sides of pan with a rubber spatula. Batter will be thick.

Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick or cake tester inserted in middle of cake comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool.

Crepes

Courtesy of Susan's Kitchen.


Crepes:

4 eggs

1/2 c butter, melted

1/3 c sugar

1 c flour

1 c milk

1/4 c water

1 tsp. vanilla

dash of salt

In a blender place all ingredients, except flour. Blend. Sprinkle in flour, blend until incorporated. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Remove from refrigerator and blend for about a minute. Heat 8-inch non-stick skillet. Butter pan (about a 1/2 tsp).

Pour 1/4 cup of batter into skillet. I pour straight from my blender container. Just make sure there is enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan with a THIN, THIN, THIN layer of batter.

SWIRL pan around until bottom of pan is covered with batter.

COOK for about 30 seconds, or until edges easily lift up with spatula.

FLIP, COOK for 5-10 seconds. Crepe should slide right out of pan.

Use wax paper between crepes. My crepes never actually make it to the plate.

Makes 18-20 crepes.


Cream Filling:
1 c sour cream

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese SOFTENED

1 c powdered sugar

SOUTHWESTERN CHILI CON QUESO PASTA

1 lb. Pasta (penne)
1 1/2 lbs.  ground beef

or 1lbs beef 1/2 lbs sauage
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. ground coriander
2 tbsp. chili powder
Ground black pepper (to taste)
1 large onion, chopped
3 (or more) garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cups cilantro, chopped
1 can (14 oz)  fire roasted diced tomatoes


Cook pasta . While that’s cooking, chop your onions and jalapeno.  Cook the hamburger until it starts to brown and then toss in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook for another 5-7 minutes. Drain & return to skillet. The recipe called for 3 cloves of garlic. Add cumin, coriander, and chili powder.  Mix well and remove from heat.  Make sure the meat is evenly coated with spices.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and then add  flour. Mix until it looks like paste.  Then whisk in the milk until it starts to bubble. Add cheese & cilantro.  When the cheese is melted, add in the diced tomatoes and mix until combined. Now take the hamburger  add it to the drained pasta. Pour the queso sauce on top of that and stir until combined. Serve!

EASY POTATO SOUP

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded/cube hash browns
3 14oz. cans of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 pkg. cream cheese don’t use fat free it will not melt!

Combine everything in a huge pot EXCEPT for the cream cheese. Cook for 1 hours on high heat. About 10-20minutes before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted. Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or chives!

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Makes 20

Ingredients

3 cups finely ground cookies (12 ounces), such as graham crackers or chocolate wafers, or a combination

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup pecan pieces

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly splash a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheet evenly with water, then line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter until combined. Evenly press onto bottom and up sides of prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool, about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle cooled crust evenly with pecans and chocolate. Pour condensed milk over the top, spreading to cover completely (do not let it drip over the edges). Sprinkle with coconut.

Bake until coconut is toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Trim edges, if desired, and cut into equal-size bars.

Cook's Note

Sweetened condensed milk is made by heating whole milk and sugar until much of the liquid has evaporated. Do not substitute evaporated milk, which is unsweetened.