Western Hospitality Casserole

An easy recipe that is filling and delicious. It is comfort food that your family will love. 

Instead of buying already cut up beef stew meat, just buy a roast and cut it up yourself. You can save a lot of money by doing this. This recipe can be doubled to serve at least 12 people.  It can also be frozen, before you add the cheese, so you can serve it later. Just defrost and then bake.

Ingredients

1/3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
2 lbs. beef roast or beef stew meat 
1 Tbs. c. oil
2 garlic cloves
6 Tbs. tomato paste
2 c. beef bouillon or dry red wine
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaves 1
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms 
1 (4 oz.) pkg or 2 c. uncooked egg noodles
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine flour and salt in a shallow bowl or pan. Cut beef roast into 1-inch cubes.

Dredge the beef cubes in the flour and salt mixture, shaking off the excess.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Carefully add the meat and cook the meat until browned, flipping them over to brown all sides.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, beef bouillon, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cover. Simmer for 90 minutes or until beef is tender. 

Remove bay leaves.  Stir in mushrooms.  

Cook noodles according to pkg directions.  Drain. Add noodles to the beef mixture.

If your Dutch oven is oven safe, bake the beef mixture for 1 hour. However, you can also pour the meat and noodle mixture into a 12 x 8-inch pan. Cover with foil or a lid.

Bake for 1 hour.   Uncover and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Bake for another15 minutes.

Notes:

You can replace 2/3 cup of the beef bouillon with dry red wine. Do not use cooking wine because that is too salty. Use the wine that you like to drink for a great flavor.

Blonde Brownies

Instead of making the traditional dark chocolate brownies, switch it out and try blond brownies. They have a buttery, butterscotch, and vanilla flavor.

Ingredients

1/3 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. nuts, chopped (optional)
1 c. white or dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar with a wooden spoon. 

Beat in egg and vanilla.

Stir in baking powder, soda, salt, and flour.  Mix well.  

Add the mixed nuts.

Spread batter in prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should just be starting to turn golden brown.

You can also add the white or dark chocolate chips in the batter instead of sprinkling them over the top.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Moist, tender pork loin chops with a sweet and sour sauce.  This simple, no fuss recipe is so easy and one that your family will love. Serve with broccoli or mixed vegetables and serve over rice or noodles.

Ingredients

6 boneless pork loin chops
1 Tbs. cooking oil
1 onion, sliced into half rings
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. chicken or beef bouillon or water
2/3 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. cornstarch
4 Tbs. cold water
1 small bag of frozen broccoli or mixed vegetables (optional)
Hot cooked rice

Directions

Season both sides of the pork chops with black pepper.  

Over medium heat, in a heavy cast iron skillet, add cooking oil.  Carefully place the pork chops into the pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn the pork chops over and fry the other side until lightly browned.  Remove the pork chops to a plate and keep warm.

Add the onion, sweet bell pepper, and garlic cloves. Sauté the vegetables until they are tender. You may need to add a little more cooking oil to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  

Add bouillon, cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Make sure to scrap the bottom of the skillet, so you can get all the flavored brown bits off  because that is where the flavor is. 

In a cup or a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water.  Stir until the mixture is smooth. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the skillet, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.

Return the pork chops to the pan. Add the frozen broccoli.  Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the broccoli is hot.

Deluxe Hash Browns

Deluxe Hash Brown Potatoes

We love hash brown potatoes! This is a recipe I remember my mother making so to me, it is comfort food.  Frozen hash brown potatoes, cheese, sour cream and butter. If you want a meal that goes together quickly, this is definitely the one.

Ingredients

1 (2 lb.) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of potato soup
1 c. sour cream
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 c. Colby cheese cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
paprika
2 c. crushed cornflakes
1/4 c. melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 300° .

In a large bowl, combine thawed hash browns, melted butter, 2 cans of cream soups, sour cream, onion, shredded Colby or cheddar cheese, salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture into a 3-quart casserole dish or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.  

Sprinkle paprika over the top.

Add the crushed cornflakes over the top of the hash brown potatoes evenly.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter.

Cover and bake for 1hour.  Remove cover and bake an additional 30 minutes for a crispier top.

Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes:

You can mix or match the cream soups. You can use cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of broccoli, etc.

Not only that, but you can also skip the crushed cornflakes and use Crispy Fried Onions instead.

For a little spice, add a can of sliced jalapenos.

If you want some meat, fry up some ground sausage. Drain off the excess grease and mix that in with the hash browns.

Hacienda Chicken

 This is a flavorful, easy dish to prepare. Instead of making the same old chicken recipe all the time, take it to another level!

Ingredients

3 Tbs. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
1 c. water
1 sweet bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (2.5 oz.) can sliced mushrooms
1 Tbs. parsley
1  tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 chicken, cut up
1 c. rice
1/2 c. sliced olives

Directions

Melt butter in a heavy cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.  Add onion, and cook until lightly browned.

Add tomatoes, water, green pepper, garlic, mushrooms, parsley, and paprika.

Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. 

Arrange the chicken in the skillet. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat.  Simmer for 1 hour.

Add rice and olives.  

Cover and cook for 1 hour or until the rice is done, and the chicken is tender.  Serve and enjoy!

French Salad Dressing

Tangy French Dressing is so easy to make up.  In just a few minutes, you can have homemade salad dressing to pour over your salads, vegetables or to pour over meats. 

Ingredients

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. ketchup
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. light olive oil
1/2 c. sugar (or to taste)
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

In a blender or food processor add mayonnaise, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar, onion, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed, chili powder, dried mustard, salt, and pepper.  Process until smooth.

Taste the dressing.  If you want it tangier, add more vinegar. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar.  

Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.  We use a mason jar to store our French dressing in. Place in the refrigerator.

Best if chilled for 2 hours before using.  Will keep up to 2 weeks.

 Ribbon Loaf  Sweet Yeast Bread

These are just like the rolled cinnamon rolls, but folded into thirds and cut so they look like ribbons in the pan. They are tender and light and so good. They will disappear quick!

Ingredients

1/2 c. hot tap water
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. lukewarm milk
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. softened butter or margarine, or cooking oil
7 to 7 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
butter, softened

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbs. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbs. milk or half and half

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease two 8 or 9-inch square pans, or use a cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar.  Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes in a warm location. This will tell you if your yeast is active and good to use.

Stir in milk, salt, eggs, butter and 2-cups of flour. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer that has a dough hook.  You can also mix this by hand using a wooden spoon.  Continue to add the rest of the flour until a soft  dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to knead by hand, or continue to knead the dough with a mixer.  If kneading by hand, knead for about 8 minutes to 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic, yet it should be slightly tacky.

Place the dough into a greased bowl. I use the bowl that I mixed the dough in. Cover with a tea towel or a sheet of  plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size. This takes about 90 minutes. Punch dough down and let rise again until almost doubled. This time, it only takes about 30 minutes. 

Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half of the dough into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. 

Using a pastry brush or your fingers, rub the softened butter over the surface of the dough. 

Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the butter.

Fold over the dough into thirds to make a strip, 15 x 4-inches. Cut dough into 20 equal parts.  

Stand the dough close together in two rows in the prepared pan. The cut ends should be facing upwards. 

Cover and let rise in a warm location for about 60 minutes, or until doubled in size. 

Repeat directions with the other half of the dough. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until browned. 

May frost if desired.

In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla.  Gradually mix in the milk until you have a smooth, medium thin consistency. You want to be able to pour it over the rolls and not spread it like a cake frosting.

Pour over warm rolls.