Spanish Rice

My family loves Spanish Rice. It can go with so many dishes. Although this recipe calls for canned Mexican-style diced tomatoes,  we often use our home canned tomatoes and salsa juice. When preparing this meal, make sure there is enough liquid in the pan. You need enough liquid to completely cover the rice. 

Sometimes, our rice does not get soft within that time limit, so we will keep adding tomato juice or water to our rice and continue cooking it with the lid off. Depending on the amount of heat you want, you can omit the jalapeno peppers.

Ingredients

1/4 c. butter
1 c. uncooked rice
2 14 1/2 oz. can Mexican-style diced tomatoes
3/4 c. tomato juice
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Melt the butter in a medium size pot.  Add the onions, garlic and jalapeno pepper. Cook and stir until softened.

Stir in the Mexican-style diced tomatoes and tomato juice.When it is heated through and starting to bubble, add the rice.Bring to a boil. turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Serve with some sour cream, or cheese if desired.

 Macaroni Salad With Bacon

Macaroni Salad with Bacon is a different way to make a traditional macaroni salad. This is a very versatile recipe. You can add different vegetables, like peas, to the dish.  Switch out the bacon and use ham, diced chicken, turkey, or salami. You can also add some cheese to this salad for another different flavor and variation.

Ingredients

2 c. uncooked macaroni
1 tomato, diced *see note below
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/2 Tbs. sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. vinegar
1/2 to 1 Tbs. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced (optional)
1 lb. bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

Direction

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.  Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the tomato, celery, sweet pepper, carrot, and onion to the macaroni. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the macaroni and vegetable mixture and toss to coat. 

Refrigerate for 24 hours for the flavors to mingle for the best flavor. Just before serving, mix in the crumpled bacon.  Place the sliced boiled egg over the top.  Serve and enjoy.

* If someone does not like tomatoes, you can cut them in slices and arrange them over the top or omit them.

** You can also add some cucumber slices in the salad.

Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Breasts

 

This BBQ chicken recipe is one of our favorites.  If you want a little more spice in your barbecue sauce, add some Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. The chicken stays tender and juicy, while the sauce gives it some kick and flavor.

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves or 3 lbs. chicken thighs, and/or legs
1 medium-large onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. vinegar
3 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. molasses
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 - 2 tsp. garlic powder
1 - 2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. 

In a cast iron skillet, pour in a little bit of oil to coat the bottom. This keeps the chicken from sticking. Fry the chicken over medium heat until nicely browned, turning as needed.   Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer to the baking pan.

Add the onion to the skillet that you cooked the chicken in pan. Add more oil if needed. Fry the onions until tender over medium heat. 

Add the water, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and ground mustard to the skillet. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Pour over the chicken. 

Turn the chicken in the sauce so that all sides are coated with the barbecue sauce.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and internal temperature reaches 170°.  Spoon the barbecue sauce over the top occasionally, so the chicken has a great BBQ flavor.

Remove from the oven. Serve and enjoy.

* You can also substitute some of the ketchup with your favorite BBQ sauce. 

** If you aren't in a hurry for making supper, you can bake the chicken in the oven at 180° for 4 or 5 hours or until the internal temperature of 165°. Cooking the meat, low and slow, helps tenderize the meat, and it keeps it juicy.

 Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars

Delicious pumpkin pie flavor and pecans on the top. This recipe is so easy to make. It is the perfect dessert for fall.

Ingredients

1 -15 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 - 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. sugar or use 3/4 c. brown sugar and 3/4 granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 to 1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box yellow or butter cake mix
1 c. butter, melted
1-1/2 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped

Frosting

 1 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 12 oz. pkg. frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.  Add the milk and blend well. Pour into the prepared pan. 

Sprinkle the cake mix over the top of the pumpkin layer. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the pumpkin/cake mix layer, but do not mix it in. 

Sprinkle the top with the chopped pecans.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. 

Prepare the frosting.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping. 

Frost the pumpkin Frost dessert. Store in the refrigerator.

You can omit the frosting and just serve this with a dollop of whipped cream, or with a scoop of ice cream and maybe even a little caramel sauce drizzled over the top!

 

Home-made Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Garlic Pull-Apart Bread is delicious with soups or anytime you want to eat some bread. And who can resist pull-apart garlic bread?  

Ingredients

1 c. warm water
1 pkg. yeast or 2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. butter or olive oil
1 c. milk, warm
2 1/2 tsp. salt
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 c. flour

Topping

8 tablespoons butter melted
4 tsp.  parsley 
1 tsp. oregano
4 or more cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt

Directions

Grease 2- 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast and sugar. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes so the  yeast will bloom and show that it is alive.

Mix in butter, milk, salt and 3 cups flour with a wooden spoon or you can use an electric mixer with the dough hook attached.. Gradually add the rest of the flour. When the dough becomes too stiff to stir by hand, turn out onto a floured board or countertop. Gradually add the rest of the flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. Kneading time can take about 10 minutes.  Set aside to rest while you make the topping.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the parsley, oregano, and garlic.  Set aside.

Take some dough and form it into a 1-inch ball between the palms of your hands.  You may need to flour your hands to keep the dough from sticking to them. Dip the balls into the butter mixture and then place them into the prepared loaf pans. Cover loaves with a tea towel and place in a warm location.  Allow to rise until doubled in volume. It can take about an hour. 

Bake at 350°for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and while the bread is hot, brush the tops with some melted butter and then sprinkle with salt. 

** If using an electric mixer to make the bread dough, have the dough hook attached. Gradually add the rest of the flour and allow the mixer to knead the dough for 87 to 10 minutes. The dough should no longer stick to the sides of the bowl when it is kneaded enough. 

** You can use fresh parsley and oregano if you have it handy. 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped, and 2 tablespoons oregano.

Savory Salisbury Steaks With Mushroom Gravy

My dad made this meal and it was so delicious.  Moist, juicy burgers with a mushroom gravy. Add some mashed potatoes and you have a great meal.  

If you don't want to make gravy from scratch, you can use a package of brown gravy mix. Also, you can also add a can of cream of mushroom soup to the gravy mix as well if you want to change it up for something different.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1/3 c. breadcrumbs
1 small onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. ketchup
1 egg
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Gravy

3 Tbs. butter or the grease from frying the burgers
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, ketchup, egg, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well and form into 4 burgers.

In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, cook patties over medium heat until a thermometer reads 160°, and juices run clear. It can take approximately 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove the burgers from the pan and cover to keep warm while you make the gravy.

In the same pan you fried the hamburgers in, you can use the hamburger grease, or you can drain that off and use 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic to the pan. Saute the vegetables until they are tender and brown.

Stir in the flour. Cook for one minute to remove the flour taste.

Slowly pour in the beef broth, stirring constantly with a whisk to keep it from lumping.  Cook until the liquid thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the Worcestershire sauce.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Return the burgers to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top.  Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until heated through.

Classic Chili Soup

Chili soup has always been a favorite of mine when I was growing up.  Instead of store-bought tomatoes in a can, my mom always used tomatoes she grew in the garden and canned in Mason jars.  She would always add some hot peppers to her chili to give it lots of flavor and spice.  I carry on this tradition of my mother's cooking. We grow a garden every year with plenty of peppers and tomatoes. Then, we preserve as much as possible until the frost takes the plants out.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 or more jalapenos, chopped (Optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. cumin
2 1/2 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (Optional)
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with or without green chilies
1 (15 oz) can chili beans, undrained *we use spicy chili beans in ours
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven, add the ground beef, onion, bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic. Cook until the beef is browned and no longer pink.

Stir in the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper until well combined.

Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chili beans, beef broth and tomato sauce. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil.   Lower heat, or you can put this in a crock pot to cook.  Cook low and slow for the best flavor, stirring occasionally.   Or if you don't have the time, simmer the chili for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. 

Serve and enjoy. 

We like a spicy chili, but if you do not, omit the jalapenos and cayenne pepper. Sometimes, we add a squirt of catsup to our chili as well.  It just gives something to the flavor.