Spanish Rice

(start 45 minutes before serving)

Heat 1 c rice in 1 T of oil or butter, add a clove of pressed garlic, 1 t salt. When rice is hot add 1 can Mexican style stewed tomatoes (picky eater, puree them) or diced tomatoes with chili peppers (don't have to puree) bring to a boil. Add 2 cups hot chicken broth, return to boil, cover and put in preheated oven 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Stir in frozen peas and carrots and cook for another 10 minutes.

Butterhorns

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour
Dash salt

FROSTING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
In a large bowl, beat butter and cheese until blended; Combine flour and salt; gradually add to cheese mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Roll each into a 12-in. circle; cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide ends and place point side down 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Combine the frosting ingredients. Spread over warm rolls. Cool completely; store in covered containers. Yield: 3 dozen.
(Taste of Home Recipe)

Ruby Rice

Festive rice! Great to serve during the holidays!

In a large saucepan, heat 1 T. oil, add 1 large onion finely chopped and cook until translucent. Add 1 c. of rice, 1/2 t. ground sage, 1/4 t. of corriander, 1/8 t. of cinnamon, 1/2 t. salt. Stir over medium-hot heat until rice is slightly brown.

Remove from heat, add 2 c. chicken broth. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Stir in 1/4 c. toasted pine nuts (or almonds) and 1/2 c. of dried cranberries, 1/4 c. chives, chopped.

Serves 6

Bar-b-que Beef Sandwiches

Cook seasoned stew meat in 280 degree oven for 3 hours, or until meat pulls apart easy. (you can do this ahead of time and freeze)

Put cooked meat in a crock pot add 1/2-2/3 cup of bar-b-que sauce per lb of meat to moisten meat. Cook 2 hours on low.

Buy hoagie rolls or rolls of your choice. Butter rolls and toast under the broiler. Serve hot. Have everything else ready before toasting the rolls.

Great with fruit salads. potato salads, chips, etc...

Beef Tacos

Seasoned stew meat, add 1/2 c water, cover with lid and cook at 280 degrees for 3 hours, or until tender with a fork. Break it up.

Make salsa(or serve separately so everyone can choose their toppings)
tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, onion, jalapeno pepper.

Start warming the tortillas

For a side dish, open a can of refried beans, top with mozzarella cheese, and heat for 5 minutes in microwave.

Beef Stew

1 can cream of mushroom soup, whisk 2/3 can of milk and 1/4 c water in bowl, and pour over seasoned stew meat, and cook covered at 280 degrees for 3 hours. If meat breaks apart, it is done, if not, cook 1/2 hour longer. (for large family add 2 cans of soup and 2 cans of gravy)

In a 4 qt saucepan, combine 1 can Franco American gravy with stew meat. Add 2-4 cups beef bouillon (canned or cubed)
I like to boil the veggies separate.
Cut 4 potatoes small, boil with only enough water to cover the potatoes, until tender, about 7 minutes. In another pan cook carrots. 1/2 c water, 1/2 t salt, 5 peeled and cut carrots. Cover and cook about 7 minutes. do not discard juice from potatoes or carrots, add it to the stew. Add 1 c frozen peas also.

Stew Meat and Mashed Potatoes

1 lb stew meat, seasoned salt, pepper, Lawry's seasoned salt, garlic, (or Chicago steak seasoning)
1 can cream of mushroom soup mixed with 1/2 c milk

Cook covered for 3 hours at 280 degrees.

Remove from oven and break with fork. If it isn't tender and doesn't break apart, cook longer. Add 1 can of Franco American beef gravy & up to 1/2 can water.

Half hour before it's done, heat salted water. Peep and cut potatoes, add potatoes to the boiling water, and cover. When water boils again, reduce heat and cook until potatoes are tender and pierce easily with a fork. Cooking time for potatoes vary according to size cut, generally 8-12 minutes. Drain and whip potatoes adding a small amount of milk.

30 Minute Skillet Spaghetti

1 pound ground beef
3 cups water
2 cans (11 1/2 oz each) tomato juice (about 2 3/4 cups)
1 (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 T. dried dried minced onion
1-2 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. dried oregano
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. garlic salt
1 package (7 oz.) spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat no longer pink; drain. Add the water, tomato juice, tomato paste, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Add uncooked spaghetti. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the spagetti is tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Texas Sheet Cake

1 c. water
2 cubes butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon

Bring to a boil the butter, water, and cocoa. Then pour over the flour and sugar. Beat together well. Add the lemon juice to the milk then add to the 1st mixture along with baking soda, salt, cinnamon, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well then pour into a large greased cookie sheet (jelly roll pan). Bake at 375˚ for 20-25 minutes.

Icing
1 cube butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1/3 c. milk
1 box powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups)
1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix the butter and cocoa together and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat well. Mix in nuts and spread on the warm cake.

Blackberry Pie

4 cups fresh/frozen blackberries
1 cup sugar
5 T. flour
dash cinnamon

Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes or until juices start bubbling through crust.

(See No Fail Pie Crust recipe)

No Fail Pie Crust

Mix to size of peas:
1 1/4 c. shortening
3 c. flour
1 t. salt

In a cup, stir with fork:
1 egg
5 1/2 T. cold water
2 t. vinegar
Make a hole in flour mixture, pour in liquid, stir 4-5 times, mix the rest with hands pushing gently into one ball. Divide into 4 balls (beginners, 3 balls). Roll out as needed. Balls can be frozen.

Preheat oven to 425
Cook 10-12 minutes watching carefully

Jan's Bundt Cake

Mix wet ingredients on low
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup softened butter
1 t. vanilla
3 large eggs

Add dry ingredients
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 cup sugar

Mix on medium for 3 minutes. Spray pan well with Pam.
Cook 325 for 60 min. or until toothpick comes out clean. Add lemon juice and zest to about 1 cup powdered sugar. Drizzle over cake.

This cake gets moister 2nd day, if there is any left.

(You can substitute orange juice and zest for lemon)

Best Ever Lemon Meringue Pie Filling

Bake a 10" pie shell

For the filling, cook large lemon pudding as directed, except add 1 cup sugar

Let cool 15 min (cover with saran wrap)
Fold in 1 cup sour cream
Top with meringue, cook as directed on package.

(lots of times, lemon pie is too sweet. In spite of adding the extra sugar, the sour cream makes this pie great!)