Recipes.html

Go to your favorite meat counter and buy a 6-7 pound pork butt. This is the upper part (or butt end) of the shoulder.

The dry rub: take 1 teaspoon of each item below and put into a shaker can, so that the rub can be sprinkled evenly over the meat.

Table of Contents: Braised Pork Butt Collards Peach pie Burrito fix'ns Homemade Fruit Cake Becky's Mint Julep Orange/Pineapple sherbet Tea Cookies Becky's Pickled Okra Simple Stuffed Mushrooms Terry's Simple Salsa	Mexican Cornbread Becky's Chili Boone Tavern Spoon Bread Hot Fudge Pudding Cake Becky's Peanut Butter Cookies Beaumont Inn Corn Pudding Dirt Pie Red Lobster's Garlic Biscuits Krispy Kreme bread pudding Neiman-Marcus cookies Old-Fashion Irish Tater Cakes Tex-Mex Lasagna	Cajun Red beans & Rice Becky's Fried Green Maters Bonnie's Quick Peanut Brittle Quick Brunswick Stew Winslow's Peach cobbler Becky's Hot Tamales Becky's Wilted Kale Spicey Guacamole Moscow mule Peanut butter balls Freaky Fritos Mounds bars by Becky Gourmet Tater pancakes

Salt (I use the lite salt with Sodium Chloride AND Potassium Chloride. Lowers sodium content in food)
Black pepper (fresh ground if you can)
Garlic Powder (not salt)
Onion Powder (again not salt)
Cumin
Chili powder
Poblano chili powder (since I grow these, I dry and grind them up in a coffee grinder)
Cayenne pepper powder (same as Poblano)
Dry Mustard
Paprika
Sweet n Low (yes, I'm counting a few calories here. You can use 1 cup of sugar or brown sugar instead)
Coriander (grind seeds fresh)

Allspice (grind fresh, will sweeten the meat up)
Curry powder (for an India/Asian flavor)

After you rub down your butt with the mixture above, chop up some fresh Rosemary and Thyme and cover the butt on all sides. Don't be shy with the herbs. Place in a 10 inch 6 qt dutch oven, an 8" meat trivet (see photo at right), so that the meat won't burn to the bottom. Add to the dutch oven, your butt and 1 can of classic Coca Cola or (my favorite) Diet Ginger ale. Put on the lid and cook slowly over a campfire, or on the stove, on low to medium low, for 4-5 hours. Must be at a slow simmer!!! Once tender, you can slice and eat as is,.... OR you can carefully remove it from the dutch oven, place on the swing-out grill, and smoke over a very low wood fire, for at least 1 hour, turning every 30 minutes. You will get a nice "bark" on the butt and even more layers of outdoor flavor!!!

Okay,...when cooking your butt (see above) you will notice lots of great juices in the dutch oven. Ladle out this fabulous liquid to cook your collards in. It's already seasoned, except I add Cayenne pepper for MORE heat. My personal preference, you don't have to add it. Simply add your favorite type of onions, cut up into chunks, and whatever peppers you have. I love the poblanos. Cook (simmer) on low heat, either on stove or over the campfire, until tender. Takes about 45 minutes for a good mess, in a 10 inch dutch. Taste and season more, if need be. [back to top]

Out of my freezer, I get a quart zip lock bag full of peaches. Previously, I picked, peeled and sliced them, then froze with a tad of lemon juice and Splenda mixed in.

First, I thaw the peaches slowly in the microwave, or you can thaw overnite in the refrigerator.

Next, I use the cooked method of preparing the peaches for the pie. I saw this method used on the Food Channel's special program: "Chuckwagon cookoff." There is an annual competition in New Mexico, that judges Chuckwagons and chuckwagon cooking, which included preparing a dessert with dried apricots. Pretty fascinating to me, but I digress. We're baking a peach pie today, but I will use the method the cooks used on the apricots.

Take your thawed peaches and put into a pot on the stove, over medium heat. In a 2 cup measuring cup or bowl, I add 1 cup Splenda, 1-2 Tablespoons of flour, and 1/2 teaspoon each of freshly ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Add more if you want, but fresh ground or grated REALLY beats out the stuff that's been sitting in the can at the grocery store. To these dry ingredients, add a pinch or two of salt and mix. Add to your heating peaches and bring to a simmer. Taste!! If you like your pie really sweet, add more sweetener. What you taste now, will be what the pie tastes like later. Once the mixture meets your liking, set aside and let cool,....or if you are like me,...in a hurry,...I put ice in the sink with water, and quick chill the peaches to room temperature.

Now, for the crust!! I cheat, and use store bought! Sorry,....I can't make pie crust as good as that in the frozen dessert section at the store. Anyway, take your pie crust and fill with the peaches. I add about 4 pads of real unsalted butter on top, and THEN take another pie crust and put on top of that. Crimp the edges, and put a couple of slits in the top to vent steam. Last thing I do is brush on some water (or egg), to the top of the crust, and sprinkle on some sugar to make a slight glaze. Either put your pie into a 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes, OR you can cook at the campfire using the 12 inch Dutch oven. To load up your pie, put in the bottom of the oven, the 8" meat trivet (see photo above).

Then take enough heavy duty aluminum foil and fold into a long strip. Place in the middle of the dutch oven where the ends go up the sides. This is your pie removing system. Once the pie is done, all you have to do is remove the lid, grab both ends of the Al foil, and pick up the pie. As for the cooking part, use wood coals or charcoal to place under the oven and on top of the lid. This is an art, so it will take some practice to see how much heat to apply. I usually put 5 charcoal briquettes on the ground, then put the oven (with the legs) on top of the briquettes, then put 15 to 20 briquettes on the lid. Every 10 minutes, turn the oven 90 degrees to the right and the lid 90 degrees to the left, to keep the pie away from hot spots and thus prevent burning!! This is important!! Once brown, remove, cool and enjoy!! [back to top]

Becky's Burrito mixture. (make in advance and store in sealed containers. Freezes well!)

Another versatile item I put together, is this simple mixture. I submitted it to the Quarter Horse Journal a few years ago, for their "Show Food" page. This is an excellent thing to have at horse and/or dog shows, where you can grab a hearty meal or snack. All you need is a microwave to heat it up.

Take 1 pound of ground chuck or cubed raw chicken meat, brown in a skillet, ADD, any or all of the following:

1 onion, chopped up
3 minced garlic cloves
2 Jalapeno peppers, chopped up
1 poblano chili pepper, chopped up
1 tablespoon of Cumin
1 tablespoon of Chili powder
half jar of pecante sauce, add more if you like more liquid
Salt and pepper to taste.

optional items:
small can of kidney beans
leftover rice
small can of corn
The great thing about this mixture is that it's so easy to make different Southwestern entrees out of it. Here is how I use it:

Burritos:
microwave, steam or quick fry in oil or Pam, your corn or flour tortillas.
place some of the mixture in middle of tortilla, and add any or all of the following:
chopped Jalapeno peppers
chopped green onions
chopped cilantro
grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (this is my favorite, use what you like)

Roll up tortilla and eat,.....OR
place in a baking dish, several burritos side by side, cover with pecante sauce and grated extra sharp cheddar cheese,
then bake at 350° until bubbly. Makes good enchiladas.

You can also fry the rolled up tortilla (use large flour for this, and tuck the ends inside) to make a chimichanga OR fold
it over in half, grill and make a quesadilla with it.
However, my favorite dish, using this mixture, is for my sinful Super Nachos!!!

Take tortilla chips and spread out on a foil covered cookie sheet. Add small amounts of the mixture to the chips, getting some on all, along with chopped up Jalapeno peppers, green onions, kidney beans, and cilantro. Pile on the grated extra sharp cheddar cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is melting and starting to bubble. Remove from broiler and add dollops of sour cream, and enjoy!! [back to top]

A Holiday treat with a bad reputation is the "FRUIT CAKE". Yes, I know, there are very few folks out there, that actually like the usual "store bought" fruit cake you get as presents, from distant family members, and next door neighbors during the month of December. HOWEVER, I have found a great recipe for really GOOD fruit cake. This recipe comes from the Food Channel's Peabody award winning program "Good Eats" with University of Georgia Alum; Alton Brown. From his Christmas program, "It's a Wonderful Cake," he has developed a terrific fruit cake to be enjoyed anytime of the year. Here's the recipe, and how "I" make it! (this is also a great healthy snack at horse shows)

Take the following dried fruits and place in a large sealable container:
8 oz bag of dried berry assortment (cherries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries)
4-6 oz of cut up dried apricots
8 oz of golden raisins
8 oz of currants
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Mix the fruits in the container and add 1-1¹/2 cups of Bacardi Gold Rum, enough to cover fruit. (use apple juice as an alternative) Stir, seal on top, and let set overnight so that the fruit rehydrates.

In a 2 qt sauce pan, melt 1 stick (8 Tbs) of Butter, add your Fruit (including liquid) from above, and add 1 cup of Apple juice. (you can use other juices also, like Cranberry) While that's starting to heat up: Gather up the following dry ingredients:

6 Allspice berries
4 Cloves
1 tsp Cinnimon
¹/2 tsp Nutmeg
¹/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup Splenda or sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 ¹/2 tsp salt
1 ³/4 cup All Purpose flour (I mix half and half AP flour and whole wheat flour for this)
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1-1¹/4 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts and/or pecans)

To your sauce pan with the fruit, add:
6 Allspice berries and 4 Cloves: (grind up fresh in a coffee grinder.)
1 teaspoon of Cinnimon (grind up fresh, buy the sticks)
1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg (grate up: buy the nuts).
Ginger
Splenda

Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-10 mintues to get everything hot and dissolved.

Put some ice in the sink with some cold water and cool the sauce pan to room temperature.

Add your flour, salt, soda and baking powder to cooled mixture and stir to combine. Then add 2 eggs, chopped nuts and stir again. Batter should be thick.

Have one large or three small non stick loaf pans ready, sprayed with Pam. You can even use cupcake tins with papers for extra small cakes.

Have your oven set to 325°F and a tray of hot water on the bottom rack. Your loaf pans will set on the top oven rack, over the water. This moisture helps the cakes from cracking wide open. There will be some cracking though. Bake until toothpick comes out dry, approx 45 mins to an hour depending on the size of your loaf pans.

Remove from oven and spray with more Rum or apple juice to moisten the top. Do this several times while cooling.

This cake is actually better the next day and freezes well. You can even toast a slice in a toaster oven, and put a dab of butter on it for breakfast!!

This is one of the common recipes for this great drink. Take a Highball or Old-fashion 8 oz glass, and put 1 heaping teaspoon of powdered sugar (or Splenda) in the bottom and toss in 4-6 medium mint leaves. (I have peppermint plants outside in my herb garden, they are easy to grow.) Take a spoon or a muddler (a pestle-like thing to grind stuff in drinks) and grind up the mint with the sugar. Add 1 jigger of water and 1 jigger of your favorite whiskey or bourbon (Makers Mark is the best) or scotch etc. and then add lots of high quality ice with a sprig of mint to garnish. Perfect for sipp'n and watching the sun set, with friends and family.

Summertime Orange/Pineapple sherbet

This is a great treat/dessert for the longer summers here in Georgia. I saw this recipe in a magazine 20 years ago, and it's soooo simple, I couldn't believe it.

2 liter Orange Crush soda
1 6-8 oz can of crushed Pineapple
1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

That's it!!! Mix in a large bowl, add to your large electric ice cream churn and voila', a half gallon of good eat'n.

NOW,...... if you don't have one of those large old fashion ice cream churns,....which I don't, use a nice electric countertop 1.5 quart Ice cream machine, which can be found at many mega marts. I got mine from a good cooking web site: www.Cooking.com

I modified the above recipe to not only make it in smaller amounts, but also less caloric. Mix the following items in a bowl and freeze as per the machine's directions:

³/4 qt of Diet Orange soda
¹/2 of a small can of crushed Pineapple (unsweetened and pulverized in a food processer)
2 Tablespoons of Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
¹/4 cup Splenda

Other options to use instead of pineapple, can be some Georgia peaches (see above) and I've used bananas! Make sure you freeze the fruit before you puree' them in a blender or food processor. Freezing ruptures the cell walls and makes for a smoother sherbet. Just thaw enough to get them into the processor and hit the liquify button.

This is a recipe originally found in my Aunt Bonnie's Church cookbook. Specifically, the 1978 edition of Alice Saunders Christian Society family recipes. This following recipe (Honey Pecan Balls) is from Mrs. Granville Trimble:

2 C finely chopped pecans
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C honey
2 C sifted AP flour
1 C shortening
1/2 tsp salt

Cream shortening and add honey. Add flour, salt and vanilla. Mix well and add nuts. Form into small (1 inch) balls and place on a greased or non stick baking sheet. Bake at 400° F for 10 minutes or until starting to brown. Roll in powder sugar while hot and once more when almost cool.

NOW!! I have altered the above recipe to make it a tad more healthy. I personally use butter instead of shortening, I like the flavor of butter. Next, I substitute for the honey, 2/3 C of Splenda and cream that with the butter. I also use half AP flour and half whole wheat flour. Otherwise, the recipe is the same. These cookies also freeze well. Make great holiday gifts when mixed with the fruit cake above. [back to top]

This microwave canning method for Okra is so simple and so great, you won't believe it.

To pickle, use 2-3 inch long okra. Wash okra, cut off the stem to 1/2 inch, and place in a wide mouth ¹/2 pint clean Mason jar. I first load the okra in the bottom of the jar, stem end first, on the bottom, and then finish loading the jar with the pointed ends between the first loaded okra. Keep pushing the okra into the jar until completely full, leaving a half inch space at top. Next, add to the jar, 1 fresh clove of garlic, half a Habanaro chili pepper and 1 small sprig of Dill. In a 16 oz measuring cup, take 1/2 C of water and 1/2 cup of white vinegar (you can use cider or rice if you want) and heat in a MICROWAVE until boiling. Remove, and while over the sink, slowly pour the hot liquid into your okra packed jar, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch head space at the top of the jar. Put the whole jar back into the microwave and continue to heat until the liquid starts to boil again. Remove with oven mitt, and seal the jar opening with a new lid. I place the jar upside down on a wooden cutting board for a couple of minutes to get the lid hot, and then flip upright until the lid seals. I then date the jar and let sit on a shelf for a couple of weeks until opening. The okra stores well for, at least, a couple of years, and with it being so easy to can, you only have to grow okra every other year! This method also works for pickled wax and green beans.

Take several (8) button type of mushrooms and select the ones that have 2-3 inch wide caps. Remove the stems with a spoon (I use a grapefruit spoon) and chop them up on a cutting board. Mince up a couple of slices of onion and 2 cloves of garlic. To a small skillet, add 2 tbsp of butter, melt and sauté the stems, onions and garlic for a couple of minutes over medium heat. Next add a couple of tbsps of Stovetop Cornbread stuffing, that has been crushed up into small bits. Add enough stuffing to absorb all the butter, and then remove from heat. (Notice there is no salt and pepper added to the sauté pan. The cornbread stuffing has lots of seasoning already, but if you want to add more salt and pepper, go ahead) Add to the mixture 2 tbsp of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Don't use the pre-grated stuff in the green can from the store. Buy the good cheese at fine Deli departments!!! (yes, it's worth it!!) Take your 2-3 inch caps and place on a baking sheet, open side up. Take a small dab of butter and place into the caps. Then spoon in the stuffing mixture on top, and bake for 10-15 minutes in a 400°F oven, until the mushrooms are cooked, but still firm. You can add any type of cheese, I prefer using Parmigiano Reggiano, even though it's usually $15/lb. You could even add a sauce and some Mozzarella cheese on top. [back to top]

You will need to mix in a large sealable bowl:
1 large can of whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large Vidalia or Red onion, coarsely chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 Jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro, add more if you like
Salt and pepper to taste

For dipping chips, chop up everything and put in the bowl. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, to let flavors meld. This will be good and chunky. If you want smoother salsa, put all the ingredients into a blender or food processer. Pulse until you get the consistancy you want. This keeps well in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving for dip.

Salsa options to add to the above recipe:
-You can use fresh tomatoes if you have them. Beefsteaks and Big Boys are good
-Add 2 tomatillos, husked, washed and coarsely chopped
-2 tsps of lime juice
-1 Tbsp of Mexican oregano
-1 tsp of ancho chile powder
-1 Tbsp Canola oil [back to top]

First take some good stone ground cornmeal. You can get this over the internet. As a second option, the standard corn meal from your local grocery store. Third option, you can use self rising cornmeal, and omit the baking powder above. If you don't use buttermilk and just whole milk, then you can cut out the soda also.

Dry ingredients: Measure up the desired amount of cornmeal depending on the size of your baking pan. (2 cups is a good start) If not using self rising, add 1/2 tsp of soda and 1/2 tsp of baking powder. Add a Tablespoon of sugar or Splenda, 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Stir to mix all the dry stuff. Then add your milk and eggs, and stir until the mixture is thick. Let set for 15 minutes to let the cornmeal hydrate, and if the mixture gets dry, add more milk to thin, until it is a tad stiffer than cake batter. Add your onions, garlic, peppers, corn and cheese, mix to incorporate and put into a greased baking dish and bake at 350F, until a toothpick come out clean. Cool, cut and enjoy! [back to top]

You will need:

3 lbs of beef chuck cut up into 1 inch cubes (you can also mix in pork and lamb!)
2 Tbs of olive or peanut oil
2 onions chopped
6 cloves of garlic
   Put these spices into a grinder and pulverize:
     1 Tbs dried oregano
     1 Tbs paprika (sweet if you got it)
     1 Tbs whole coriander
     1 Tbs cumin seed
     1 Tbs chili powder
     1 Tbs cinnamon (use the stick) If I think of it, I might add a tad of nutmeg also
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 chipotle chile, chopped
2 poblano peppers or Anihiems, chopped up
2 jalapeno peppers chopped up (yes, I like it hotter than normal)

2 large cans tomatoes, chopped, OR you can add a can of salsa and 1 Tbs of tomato paste
1 bottle of your favorite beer (I like a nice wheat ale)
1 tsp sugar or Splenda
2 Tbs masa harina, OR a large handful of corn tortilla chips (Doritoes) coarsely broken up.
AS you can see, there are NO BEANS in competition chili!!

Cilantro leaves and lime wedges to garnish. Maybe even some sharp cheddar cheese, or a teaspoon of sour cream.

Take the olive oil, place in a large Dutch oven or stew pot, heat up on med high and add onions and garlic until both are soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove from heat and put onions and garlic in a bowl. Put Dutch or pot on heat and brown your inch cubed beef, a small handful at a time, removing to cool with the onions. After all beef is browned, deglaze Dutch or stew pot with the beer and add back, the meat and aromatics. Add the peppers, tomatoes, sugar, spices and black pepper. Stir and let cook for one hour. Add the tortilla chips and cook for another hour. Taste and add salt if needed, along with more spices to suit you taste. Stir enough to break up the meat until it is shredded well. Serve with cilantro, lime and/or cheese or sour cream.

3 C. milk
1 ¹/2 C. corn meal
2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
2 tbsp shortening (can use butter)
1 tsp salt

Stir meal into boiling milk. Cook until thick. It should look like mash potatoes. Remove from fire and let cool. Add salt, baking powder, shortening, and the well beaten eggs. Pour into greased casserole dish (or 6 ramekins) and bake for 30 min at 350 degrees. Serve hot as a savory side dish or serve hot with honey (my favorite) or a berry reduction sauce with some powdered sugar. For a lighter bread, I will separate the eggs and whip the egg whites until stiff, and then fold them in last, to make the bread more soufflé-like.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar 2 tbsp cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Blend in milk and shortening, stir in nuts and pour into ungreased square 9x9 inch pan. Stir together the brown sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa, and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Pour the hot water over the entire contents of the pan. Bake 45 minutes. While warm, spoon cake into dessert dishes and spoon sauce over each serving. Great with ice cream or whipped cream.

Mix the shortening, PB, both sugars and egg until smooth. Blend in flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until it can form a smooth ball that won't stick to your hands when you roll it. Heat oven to 375 degrees and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on a baking sheet and with a fork dipped in flour, flatten in crisscross patten. Bake for 10 min or until starting to brown.

2 pkg instant Chocolate pudding mix
1 C powder sugar
¹/2 stick butter
1 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese
1 carton of Cool Whip
1 lb package of Oreo cookies

Prepare pudding in a large bowl as per box instructions, then mix in the cool whip. In another bowl, mix cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Grind up Oreos coarsely, in a food processer or place in a zip lock bag and whap it with a rolling pen. (Excellent for stress relief!!) Combine the pudding with the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Layer in the red clay pot (lined with aluminum foil) starting with the Oreos and alternate pudding, Oreos, pudding, Oreos, until the pot is full, with Oreos on top. Chill until ready to serve. At that point, stick a couple/three sprigs of mint to make it look like a plant in a flower pot, and stick in the top layer, a clean garden trowl to serve guests.

Mix these into the dry Bisquick mix and then add water or milk to create a stiff dough that you can spoon out on a baking sheet. Bake until brown.

2 dz Krispy Kreme doughnuts (or any other glazed doughnut)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk, there is a difference!)
8-9 ounces of fruit cocktail (undrained)
2 eggs beaten
9 ounces of raisins
pinch of salt
1-2 tsp cinnamon (grind fresh in coffee grinder)

Butter a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Cut each doughnut into 6 pieces and place in dish. Mix condensed milk, fruit cocktail, eggs, raisins, salt and cinnamon and pour on doughnuts. Allow to stand until doughnuts have soaked up the liquid. Bake at 350 degrees, for about an hour or until center has jelled. To make sauce, melt butter and slowly stir in confectioners sugar. Add rum and heat until bubbly and pour over cooked doughnuts just before serving. (16 servings)

2 cups butter
24 oz chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 8oz Hershey bar (grated)
5 cups oatmeal (blended)
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender or food processor until it is fine like flour. Cream butter with both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, salt, baking powder, soda and oats. Add chocolate chips, hershey bar and nuts, mix and roll into balls. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Finely chop onion, chives, bell pepper, green chiles and/or shredded cabbage or cheese (optional)

2 cups cold mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¹/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
1 ¹/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Stir desired optional ingredients into mashed potatoes. Divide into 8 equal portions. Pat with your hands into rectangular patties a half-inch thick.

Heat the oil with the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Mix flour with salt and pepper in a shallow plate. Dredge the potato patties well in the flour mixture. Slip the patties into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until they have formed a golden crust, 10 to 15 minutes, turn and cook the other side until browned. Makes 8 servings.

1 ¹/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup red and green bell pepper strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
¹/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 or 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, drained
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican mix cheese
Salsa, chopped cilantro, chopped avocado and/or additional sour cream (optional)

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle on cumin and chili powder. Stir in chiles, sour cream and soup.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup of the soup mixture on the bottom. Top with 6 tortillas, cutting them into quarters so you can place the triangle sides into the corners. Top with 1 cup of the chicken and 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture on top. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with optional garnishes as desired. Makes 12 servings.
Per serving: 610 calories (65 percent from fat)

Combine all the ingredients, except the pork and ice, into a 2 qt saucepan, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and maintain a simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the ice and stir to cool. Once cool, place the pork and liquid into a 1 gallon zip top bag and remove as much air as possible. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 days, turning the bag occasionally. Use within 2 weeks or remove pork from liquid and freeze.

The Red Beans:
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces of the pickled pork from above
3 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme (I use fresh thyme also!)
1 tsp hot sauce (or more depending on your taste)
¹/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more depending on your taste)
2 qts water
1 lb red kidney beans, rinsed and clean of debris

Place the vegetable oil in a 7 qt dutch oven and set over med high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, salt and black pepper to the pot. Cook, while stirring, until the onions and celery are semi-translucent and the bell peppers are tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add the pork, bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, water and beans to the pot and increase the heat to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for another ¹/2 hr or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking.

For Rice:
3 cups water
1 Tbs butter
2 cups long-grain rice (I like brown long-grain)
¹/2 -1 tsp kosher salt

Prepare rice during the last 30 munutes of cooking the beans. Place the water into any vessel to heat to a boil. While water is heating up, place butter into a 3 qt saucepan over med heat. Once the butter starts to bubble, add the rice and stir to combine. Add the salt and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Carefully pour the hot water over the rice and stir. Decrease heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until done. Put rice in bowl and spoon beans on top. You can even add other toppings like, green onions, cheese, sour cream, etc.

I use the 3 station dredge method:
1st bowl: All purpose flour with some salt and fresh ground pepper.
2nd bowl: whole eggs, beaten smooth (some folks use buttermilk, ...your option)
3rd bowl: Japanese Panko Bread Crumbs with some Cumin, dried ground Thyme, garlic powder and some white ground pepper.
Cut your green tomatos into ¹/4 inch wide cross slices and put into bowl 1 to cover with flour. Then shake off excess flour and dip into egg in bowl 2. Let excess run off and place into bowl 3, with the Panko crumbs, to completely coat. Heat a large cast iron skillet with ¹/4 inch of Canola oil to 350 degrees F and fry each slice until brown. Flip to brown the other side and then place on a cooling rack to drain.

1 cup sugar
¹/2 cup Karo syrup (don't get the cheap stuff, it will clump)
1 cup raw Spanish peanuts (don't get the other types of peanuts, this is the best!)
1 tsp Vanilla extract (don't use the imitation stuff!)
1 tsp butter (I use real butter, not margarine)
1 tsp baking soda
9"x12" or larger, cookie sheet pan

So simple "a caveman can do it". Mix in a microwave safe 2 qt bowl, sugar and Karo syrup, until uniform. Heat in the microwave, on high, for 4 minutes. Yes, it will rapidly bubble and look dangerous, but don't touch it until the 4 mins are up. Take oven mit and remove from microwave (it's very hot). Add the peanuts, stir until uniform, and heat again, for 4 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in the butter and vanilla, until uniform, and heat in microwave, on high, for 1 minute. Add the baking soda and stir quickly until the white foam is uniform throughout the hot mixture, be careful, it is like lava in this state. Quickly pour this lava onto the cookie sheet pan and spread out as thin as you can. Let sit until it's at room temperature, and then break up into smaller pieces. ENJOY!!

Quick and Easy Brunswick Stew

From my horse show friend, Mary Ann Topper, of Dawsonville, Georgia: "I don't like to cook, but this was so easy, I thought even I could do it. We REALLY liked it!" 1 can Castleberry's B'Bcue Beef (or whatever brand they have) 2 cans Castleberry's B'Bcue Pork. 1 can CREAM STYLE corn. 1 can DICED tomatoes (use juice also) 1 small onion chopped. 1 Tablespoon mustard (or more if you want) A little salt and pepper. Put it all in a pot and cook about 30 minutes until the onion is done. That's it!!!!!
Having a glass of wine during preparation is optional! :)

The following is Bo Winslow's (renown outfitter and horseback trail expert) recipe for "Back country" peach cobbler:

· 6-16-oz. cans yellow peaches-completely drained

·         1 box yellow Jiffy Cake Mix
·         1 cup crushed pecans
·         1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
·         1/8 cup butter (squeeze type is easiest)
·         1 can Sprite

A #12 Dutch oven is ideal for this recipe. Drain the six cans of peaches (you can save this juice and cook it down for syrup for pancakes in the morning). Put peaches in Dutch oven. Sprinkle cinnamon and about 1/8 cup of dry cake mix on top of peaches. Mix 1 can of Sprite, pecans and cake mix in the actual box (we are saving on dishes here). Don't worry about a good mix on this as a little dry powder is good.

You will want to bake this in your Dutch oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour at 350 degrees. (You can check at 45 minutes and see if cake mix is done.)

If cooking at home, this will work just fine in your oven. If using coals, there are several ideas on how many coals to use. For 350 degrees, I would recommend you place 18 coals on the lid and six underneath the Dutch oven (remember, we want to cook from the top and not the bottom). You will want to leave the lid on for the entire 45 minutes before you check. Looking in will lose valuable heat. You will want to turn the Dutch oven about a 1/4 turn every 10-15 minutes, as well as turn the lid the same. This will help keep even heat on your cobbler.

You can experiment with this recipe. I have used Dr. Pepper and Mt. Dew - between the sugar and caffeine you will be up all night!

(Becky's note: If you have a smaller 8" dutch oven, like I have, you can use half of each of the ingredients, and feed a smaller crowd!! I also use diet Ginger Ale instead of Sprite. Cuts some calories but still has flavor.)

Prepare the pork just like the original method above for braised pork butt. Once cooked, shred into a pan and add crushed garlic cloves, minced onion, cilantro, cumin and some pecante sauce. Add more cayenne pepper if you want it with more heat. Mix and cook until the onions and garlic have blended with the pork. Add anything else if you feel the need. Otherwise, let cool and start to prepare to make tamales.

For the masa dough:
Many mega marts have a hispanic food section now, which is nice for folks like me who like the food!!
While in this section of the store, buy:

You will also need:
Crisco shortening
Chicken broth or bouillon cubes
granulated garlic
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne Pepper (I grow, dry and grind this up)
Ancho (poblano) pepper (I grow, dry and grind this up)

First open you bag of dried corn husks and put in a large pot of warm water, to soften for at least 10 minutes.
Next, mix up your masa flour with the other dried ingredients: the dried peppers, granulated garlic, cumin and salt/black pepper. Then mix in the Crisco as per instructions on the Masa bag. Instead of water as a liquid, add chicken or beef broth. If you don't have any, bouillon cubes are still better than water. Mix this flour with liquid until it looks like biscuit dough. Not too runny, but stiff enough to form a ball without crumbling. Once your dough is ready, and your husks are soft and easy to fold, place the husk flat on the counter, widest end closest to you. take about 2 tablespoons of dough and spread it out evenly on the bottom half of the husk. (widest half) Take 1-2 Tbs of the pork mixture and place in the middle of the spread out dough where it reaches from front to back. Pick up your husk and fold one side up and around to the other side, surrounding the pork with dough. Tuck in one side of the husk under the other side, and then take the tail (narrow end) of the husk and fold over the seam you just created encapsulating the pork. Place in a steamer basket with the rest of your tamales and cook for 1 hr. Remove from steamer, remove husk and place tamale on plate with a nice covering of Salsa Verde. (or any other sauce you like) Enjoy!!

Pick several leaves of Kale, wash and pat dry with a paper towel.
Set a cast iron skillet on a med high setting, on the stove and heat.
As it's heating, add a tablespoon of real butter, and a tablespoon of good olive oil. (bacon grease is a good option)

Slice up the kale into 1 inch strips, and when the skillet is starting to smoke, add the kale and start turning with a pair of tongs. There will be alot of popping noise! It's loud!! Don't walk away, keep tossing with the tongs to keep from burning. This goes fast. As your tossing, add a good pinch of Kosher salt (or sea salt) and some fresh cracked pepper. Keep tossing until the kale looks soft, but still has that bright green color. Take a taste to see if it's soft enough and has the salt you require. If not, keep cooking and add anything else you would like to this dish. Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is very good and some green onions. Add anything to it, your choice. All this cooking takes 1 minute, so be ready to add stuff and toss before the Kale goes into the skillet. Kale is chucked full of iron and calcium, so dig in,...it's good for you!!

For 1 avacado:
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (yes, I like garlic)

1 Tbsp of minced onion
1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 finely chopped Jalapeno pepper
¹/2 teaspoon dried ground Pablano pepper
¹/2 teaspoon dried ground Cayenne pepper
¹/4 teaspoon lime zest
juice of half a lime
half of a roma tomato, cut in half inch pieces
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Mash up the avacado in a bowl, and add everything but the tomatoes. Once mixed, taste to see if you need anything else. Otherwise, then add the tomatoes and fold in so as to not mash them up. Enjoy!!

One serving in a small mug:
1 ounce of Vodka
¹/2 cup of ginger beer
1 tsp simple syrup (1 cup water & 1 cup sugar dissolved over heat and cooled)
1 sprig of mint
fresh squeezed lime, to taste.

If you want to alter the recipe to suit your taste, go ahead. You can make it sweeter with more syrup and more tart with more lime juice!!

10x powdered sugar

jar of extra crunchy Peanut Butter (I use Jiffy)
one pkg of dipping chocolate (bark or nibs)
wax paper
aluminum cookie sheet
12 inch glass bowl
8 inch cooking pot

Take the glass bowl and place on the top of the pot filled with a couple of inches of water. Turn on stove to medium and allow the water to steam the bottom of the bowl. (double boiler) Take your chocolate bark or nibs and pour into bowl and allow to melt. Once everything has melted and is smooth to stir with a rubber spatula, take the bowl off the pan and set on counter to cool.

In a bowl, take several large spoonfuls of Pnut butter, depending on how many balls you want to make. Then mix into the PB as much powdered sugar as you can. Add ¹/4 cup at a time until the PB turns into a dough that you can shape using your hands and it not stick. Roll out 1 inch balls and put on a cookie sheet with wax paper. I personally place the balls into the refrigerator until the chocolate has cooled down to almost room temps. Once the chocolate is cool, but not starting to set back up, take your PB balls out of the fridge and place on the counter next to the chocolate. Using your fingers, (don't lick them, cause you'll be tempted!!!) take each ball and dip into the chocolate, swirling around to cover and quickly place back on the wax paper. Let set up and enjoy!! WAY GOOD!

Freaky

This is a sweet treat that my cousin, Karen, takes to her daughter's horse shows in West Virginia. Apparently, they are a hit with the Saddlebred crowd. Here is her recipe.

Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam, pour out a 9 oz bag of fritos, bring 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of corn syrup to a boil, take off heat and add 1 cup of peanut butter. Pour over fritos. Melt at least 6 Hershey bars in a double boiler, pour over everything! Put in fridge for at least an hour to set. They're also really good to eat gooey before going in the fridge.

I LOVE Mounds bars. (Most anything with dark chocolate actually) This is a great confection to make for the December Holidays. I thought it would be hard, but after looking at the following recipe, it's not. It was a big hit in everyone's tin of edible goodies.

¹/2 pound butter
3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 pound flaked coconut
¹/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped Walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate bark or nibs to melt and coat

In bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add coconut, milk, walnuts and vanilla; stir until blended. Chill until slightly firm; shape into small logs (¹/2" by 2".) Place logs on baking sheets; freeze. In double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate. Keep warm over hot water. Using your clean hands, dip frozen logs into chocolate mixture and place on waxed paper.. Chill until firm. Package candy in individual paper liners. (May also be frozen.) Yield: about 7 dozen candies.

Here is a great recipe I saw on the Food Network, during a football tailgate episode on Diner, Driveins, and Dives! A gourmet chef in Oakland, CA came up with this, and it is easy and yummy.

For 2 servings:
1 medium Idaho potato grated like hash browns
one fresh egg
half cup of Panko bread crumbs
¹/4 cup of chopped onion
salt and pepper
olive oil

Take all ingredients except the oil, and put into a bowl. Mix well with your hand and put the olive oil into a hot skillet. Divide the mixture into 2 halfs, and put both halves into the hot skillet. Flip when they are brown on the bottom. Serve when the second side is brown. You can add cheese, green onions, sour cream, guacomole or any thing you want, or eat plain. Yum.