Beef Enchiladas

My family loves these enchiladas. They are spicy and full of flavor.  If you want a recipe that is quick and easy, this is the one.  Serve with refried beans and Spanish rice, and you have a great meal.

Because my son did not like beans at all, I had to get crafty. I mashed the beans up and added them in the recipe for added flavor.  He never knew the difference and both my kids thought they were the best.  They ask me to make this recipe often!

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 hot peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 can Mrs. Grimes Spicy Hot Chili Beans in Chili Sauce
enchilada or tortillas, warmed
salsa
shredded cheese
sour cream
tomatoes, diced
shredded lettuce

Directions

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown ground beef, onion, hot peppers and garlic until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease.

Mix in chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.

In a separate bowl, mash up the Mrs. Grimes Spicy Hot Chili Beans in Chili Sauce with an immersion blender, or you can use a regular blender. Blend until most of the beans are mashed.  Pour this into the ground beef. Bring to a bubble and then turn the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes. 

Heat  enchilada shells. You can heat them in the microwave, but I heat mine in a skillet and turn the enchilada once when it begins to brown. 

Place the enchilada on a plate and add some of the beef and bean mixture.  Add some shredded cheese and salsa if desired.  Roll up the enchilada and tuck in the ends. Top with more salsa, cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Some people bake their enchiladas, but I do not. I serve mine this way and my kids love them.

 

BBQ Texas Chicken

My kids and I love BBQ chicken. We used to buy the dry mix that you shake with the chicken in a bag and then put it in the oven to bake.  But those got expensive to buy, and they don't taste as good as they used to. It is easy to make barbecue sauce at home, and it tastes so much better, too! It really doesn't take a lot of time to mix some up. 

Serve BBQ chicken with coleslaw, baked beans and mashed potatoes for a delicious easy to fix meal that your family will enjoy.

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut up
1 to 2 Tbs. oil or shortening
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 c. celery, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/4 c. ketchup
1/3 c. vinegar
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. butter
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown both sides of the chicken in oil. Remove from the skillet and place in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan in a single layer. 

In a saucepan, combine onion, celery, garlic, brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, dry mustard, cayenne, ketchup, vinegar, water, butter and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter is melted.

 Spoon the BBQ sauce over the chicken. You can keep some back to serve with the chicken when it comes out of the oven.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Notes:

If you have a large skillet that you are browning the chicken in, no need to remove the chicken pieces and use the baking pan.

Slow Cooked Italian Beef

 The roast is tender and juicy and has a delicious Italian flavor. Serve the shredded beef on rolls or buns for an easy meal. To complete the meal, have a salad and mashed potatoes or French fries along with a bowl of peas. For dessert, have some cut up fruit.

Ingredients

2 to 3 lb. rump roast
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 c. water
1 pkg. Italian dressing mix

Directions

In a sauce pan, combine salt, parsley, garlic, pepper, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and Italian dressing. Pour in the water, stirring to mix.

Bring to a boil. Pour over rump roast in a crock pot. Cook until fork tender, about 8 to 10 hours on low, or bake the rump roast in a covered Dutch oven at 200° for the same length of time. 

Remove from oven. Shred the beef with a fork and return to the crock pot or oven and cook another 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Serve on hard rolls. You can add sautéed mushrooms, green peppers, onions, or cheese on top.

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is another handwritten recipe  from my mother's recipe box. The handwriting is not hers and there is no name on it, but the recipe card bears the stains of being used a lot. I remember these cookies while growing up. They were always a special treat for an after school snack or for after coming in from playing outdoors. She always packed some in my dad's lunch box, so he would have a delicious treat while hauling gravel.

Ingredients

1 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
1 pkg chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Beat margarine, sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and eggs until creamy.

Stir in baking soda, salt and flour.  Stir into the batter until moistened

Mix in oatmeal.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from oven when the cookie edges start to brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

 

Tender Juicy Pot Roast With Gravy

 

You can get a tender, falling apart pot roast by cooking it low and slow.  By baking at a lower temperature, the meat will cook evenly throughout.  

If you bake the roast at 350°, it will get done faster, but the interior is not going to cook at the same temperature as the outside of the pot roast. This results in uneven heating or cooking. The exterior will be well done while the center is still rare.  By cooking at a higher temperature, your results may turn out to be a dried out, tough pot roast that no one will like.

Ingredients

1 3 to 5 lb. beef roast (We use what ever is the cheapest.)
salt, pepper garlic and onion powder
2 Tbs. oil
1 to 2 onions, quartered
15 or more baby carrots or 6 large carrots cut into 2 inch pieces
4 or 6 potatoes, quartered or halved
4 c. beef stock or broth (you can substitute 1 cup  broth for 1 cup red wine)
1 tsp. thyme leaves (optional)
1 tsp. rosemary (optional)

Gravy

2 3/4 c. meat broth
1 Tbs. cornstarch or 2 Tbs. flour
1/4 c. water

Directions

Preheat oven to 200°

Pour the oil into the bottom of a Dutch oven or a roasting pan. 

Season all sides of the beef roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.  I did not give amounts for the seasonings. Everyone has a difference preference of who much they want to use. 

Place the seasoned beef roast, fat side up, into the Dutch oven.

Add the onions, baby carrots, potatoes around the beef roast. 

Pour in the beef stock or broth. Add the thyme leaves and rosemary.

Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven. 

Bake 8 to 10 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 145°.  If the roast is larger, it may take an up to 15 hours.  

To make gravy

Remove the meat, potatoes, onions and carrots from the Dutch oven or roasting pan. Try to skim off as much of the fat as possible from the liquid.

Use the meat broth left in the Dutch oven or roaster to make gravy.  You  will need at least 2 3/4 cups broth to make the gravy.  If you don't have enough, just add some more broth. 

Put the Dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour in a 1/4 cup of water.  Stirring constantly, slowly pour the cornstarch mixture in bubbling beef stock. Cook and stir until it is thickened to your liking.  If it does not get thick enough for you, mix up some more flour or cornstarch mixture and add that slowly into the bubbling gravy.

You can also use this same recipe in a slow cooker and get the same results.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

 Ingredients

2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
4 c. whole milk
4 eggs, beaten
2 Tbs, vanilla
4 c. chilled heavy whipping cream or table cream will work as well

Directions

In a large heavy saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Gradually blend in the whole milk.  Stirring constantly over medium low heat, cook until the mixture thickens, about 12 to 15 minutes. ** You can also use a double boiler.  Just combine the ingredients and cook over boiling water, stirring occasionally until thickened. 

Gradually pour a small amount of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs whisking constantly as you pour, so your eggs don't cook.  Slowly pour the tempered eggs into the milk mixture, stirring constantly.  Continuing to stir constantly, cook over low heat until mixture reaches 180°.  The mixture should be thick enough coat a metal spoon when you dip it into the mixture. Do not allow to boil.  **If using a double boiler, cook over boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and transfer contents to a heat-safe bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly.  This step is important because it will give you a smooth ice cream. 

Stir in vanilla and chilled cream. 

Fill your ice cream maker no more than 2/3 full.  Follow the manufacture's directions. For our electric ice cream maker, we use 1 part ice cream salt with 8 parts crushed ice to go between the ice cream container and the outside container.  Refrigerate any remaining mixture until ready to make ice cream again.  

Now most say to remove the ice cream from the ice cream maker and place into a freezer container. Freeze until firm, approximately 2 to 6 hours. However, we could never wait that long.  We always got a dish of ice cream right after it was freshly churned, and it was the best.

 

Lemon Chicken and Rice Dish

This lemon chicken with rice is so quick and easy. If you are working and needing to make supper when you come home, this is a great recipe that your family will love. 

Ingredients

2 Tbs. butter
4 chicken breasts, boneless with skins removed
salt and pepper to taste
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. chicken broth
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt.
1 can peas, drained or 1 c. frozen peas
1 1/2 c. instant rice

Directions

Slice the chicken into strips.  You can leave in strips or cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Season the strips or pieces with salt, pepper and Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add the chicken, onions, carrot, and garlic. Sauté the chicken and vegetables for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine chicken broth and cornstarch.  Mix until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. Slowly pour this into the skillet with the chicken and vegetables.  Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and then cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the peas and then bring the mixture to a boil again. 

Stir in the instant rice.  Cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until water is absorbed.