Cousin Linda's Taco & Burrito Meat

This is a nice mixture of meat and vegetables

that is tasty in tacos and burritos.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (15%)

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium celery stalks, diced

1 1/2 medium potatoes, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

3/4 cup water

small flour tortillas and/or corn tortillas

2 cups finely grated cheese

chopped lettuce

chopped tomatoes

Method:

Brown the meat together with the onion and minced garlic. Stir the meat so that it crumbles into smaller pieces while cooking. Add all of the ingredients, except for the water. Stir to mix. Add the water and stir to blend. Cover and cook until the liquid is reduced. Remove the lid and allow to simmer uncovered. While the meat is cooking, heat tortillas, one at a time, to soften. in an ungreased frying pan. Set aside in a covered pan. Serve the meat mixture with tortillas, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Great for tacos and burritos. Makes lots!

Note: Cousin Linda received this recipe from her good friend Kaye. We had enough filling to serve 15 - 18  people. This mixture could also be used inside of enchiladas.

                                          Cousin Linda and my husband, Greg.

Elegant Champagne Cupcakes

These light and luscious cupcakes are so simple to make.

Gold sugar sprinkles and gold foil wrappers add a touch of elegance.

Cake Ingredients:

1 box Pillsbury white cake mix (or other brand without hydrogenated palm oil)

1/2 cup canola or other vegetable oil

4 egg whites

1 cup champagne

24 gold foil cupcake liners  

NOTE: Follow the ingredient amounts, on the back of the the cake mix box, for the eggs and oil, if it differs from this recipe. Substitute champagne for any water that the mix requires. 

Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

6 Tablespoons champagne

6 cups powdered sugar

gold colored sugar sprinkles

Method:

Preheat oven according to package directions.

Place cupcake liners in muffin pans.

Follow the package directions to prepare the cake batter; substituting champagne for the amount of water the box calls for. Divide the batter evenly into 24 lined muffin cups, each about 1/2 full.

Bake according to package directions, approximately 20 -  25 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cool 5 - 10 minutes in pans, then place on a rack to finish cooling.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and shortening, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

With mixer on low, add the 6 tablespoons of champagne. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating to mix well, after each addition.

Place frosting inside of frosting bag with the piping tip of your choice.

Pipe frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes, starting at the center, swirling out, and then swirling back into the center, creating soft pretty peaks.

Sprinkle with gold sugar sprinkles. If you have a storage container, of the correct size, place the cupcakes inside and cover. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve the cupcakes.

Notes: 
I topped these elegant golden champagne cupcakes with very slender "sparkler" candles 
from Walmart. I purchased the gold foil cupcake liners and gold sugar sprinkles from 
Michael's Craft Store. 

For a recipe that uses 4 egg yolks, please see "Grandma Winifred's English Chess Tarts".

Mock Abalone

This is a different, simple and delicious way 

to prepare chicken breasts.

Ingredients:
4 boneless & skinless chicken or turkey breasts
1/2 cup clam juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
mixture of panko (or cracker crumbs) and whole wheat flour
cooking oil
tartar sauce or cocktail sauce

Method:
Prepare either tartar or cocktail sauce and chill to blend flavors. Pound the poultry breast until flattened. Marinate overnight in mixture of  juice, sauce and garlic. Remove and roll in crumb mixture. Fry quickly in very hot oil, turning once. Do not overcook. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar or cocktail sauce.

Tartar Sauce

Ingredients: 

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely minced dill pickle

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced chives

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill.

Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chili sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon  horseradish

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 green onion sliced. (or 1/4 teaspoon instant minced onion)

several dashes of Tabasco or hot pepper sauce to taste 

Method:

Combine all ingredients. Cover and store in refrigerator, for up to two weeks.

Note: My husband wasn't certain that he would like the taste of "Mock Abalone", but he was pleasantly surprised. The meat had a great flavor. It was very tender and moist.

Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob & Fresh Asparagus

Delicious Sweet Corn & Fresh Asparagus!

Corn Ingredients:

Fresh corn

olive or canola oil cooking spray

sea salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Heat oven to 450°. Place one oven rack in lowest position in oven. 

Place second rack two levels above the first one.

Husk corn and remove silk.
Place each ear on a 12-inch square of aluminum foil. 

Spray cooking spray on all sides of ears. 

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
Place sealed ears of corn directly on bottom oven rack. 

Bake about 20 minutes or until corn is tender.

Asparagus Ingredients:

Fresh asparagus

olive oil (1 teaspoon for 6 spears)

lemon juice

freshly ground Himalayan pink salt or sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

ground coriander (or other fresh, or ground, herbs of choice)
3 - 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)
halved or whole garlic cloves (optional)
grape tomatoes, (optional)

Method:

Cut the thick tough ends off of the asparagus stalks.

Put on a foil lined baking sheet.

Drizzle the oil and lemon juice over the asparagus. 

Sprinkle with spices and herbs and cheese. If desired, add garlic cloves. Stir or toss to coat.

Bake for 10 - 20 minutes, on upper rack, above the wrapped ears of corn.(If desired, add the tomatoes the last 5 - 7 minutes of cooking.)

Note: If cooking just corn, or just asparagus, use the center rack of the oven. Corn bakes at 450* and asparagus cooks at 425*. This recipe makes perfect roasted veggies.

Auntie Iris Marie's Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Pie

This simple fruit pie is delicious. It can be served 

plain or with whipped cream and/or ice cream.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, cut in 1 inch pieces

boiling water

1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

1 cup white sugar

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 egg

2 Tablespoons flour

1 uncooked 9 inch pie crust

whipped cream (optional)

Topping:

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

Method:

Preheat oven to 375*.

Place the rhubarb in a glass bowl. Cover with boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Mix sugar, egg, butter and flour, with an electric mixer, until smooth. 

Strain rhubarb.

Gently add the strawberries and rhubarb to the batter and mix. 

Pour into the unbaked pie crust.

Use a fork to mix the topping ingredients. Sprinkle over the uncooked pie. 

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted half way between the center 

and the edge comes out clean.

Cool. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Perfect Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (1/2 butter & 1/2 shortening)

3 - 4 tablespoons chilled water

Method:

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, or two knives, cut in butter and shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Next, use your fingers to continue mixing until the flour resembles cornmeal. 

Sprinkle one tablespoon of the water over a part of the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork.  Push to side of bowl. Repeat until all of the flour is moistened. Form the dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough with your hands. Roll dough from the center to the edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry around rolling pin. Unroll from pin over a 9 inch pie pan. Ease dough into the pie pan, while being careful not to stretch the pastry. Trim dough to a 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate, folding under extra pastry around the edge. Use fingers to pinch dough into a scalloped edge. (Save leftover scraps of dough to make "crust cookies".)

 Notes: When my husband was a child, his mother made "cookies" with leftover pieces of pie dough. As soon as the pie comes out of the oven, I place a tray of crust pieces, sprinkled with cinnamon  or colored sugar, in the preheated oven. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. (Greg is delighted when I do this.)

Best Traditional Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (with buttermilk)

These special oatmeal cookies are my  Father-in-law's 

new favorite. They are soft and not overly sweet.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla

water

1 cup shortening, regular or butter flavored

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

3 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup buttermilk**

2 cups oats

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 375*. Grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper.

Place raisins and vanilla in a small saucepan. Add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Immediately removed from heat. Strain liquid and set raisins aside. 

In a large bowl, beat the shortening and sugar together, until creamy. Beat in the eggs. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend the dry ingredients gradually into the creamed mixture. Stir in the milk, oats, raisins and nuts, if desired.

Drop dough by heaping teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

**Buttermilk is the ingredient that elevates these cookies above others. If you do not have buttermilk in your refrigerator, there is a simple substitute:  For a half cup, place 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar, or lemon juice, in a measuring cup. Add enough milk to measure 1/2 cup. Stir and set aside for for 5 minutes, before using.  

Homemade "Butterfinger" Candy Squares

Auntie Iris Marie was the inspiration for this recipe.

 She asked if I could make a peanut butter candy 

similar to the type her her mother, Jane used to make.
(This candy tastes even better than a store bought Butterfinger candy bar.)

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups natural style peanut butter

1 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Method:

Line a 9 inch square pan with foil. 

Measure the peanut butter and place in a large glass bowl. add the chopped peanuts and salt. Stir.

In a medium saucepan, stir the sugar, corn syrup and water. Add the butter. Bring to a boil over a high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower heat to a medium high heat. Cook without stirring until the caramel reaches 285*. (about 10 minutes)

While the caramel cooks, heat the peanut butter mixture, in a microwave oven, on high heat, until melted and hot. (about 1 1/2 minutes) Stir well.

In a tiny bowl, whisk together the vanilla and baking soda. As soon as the caramel reaches 285*, stir in the vanilla mixture.

Immediately pour into the peanut butter mixture. With a silicone spatula, or wooden soon, fold together as quickly as possible. The mixture should be combined, but not thoroughly blended. It sets up very quickly.

Very quickly pour into the prepared pan. Press into a flat even layer. If desired, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the candy. After the chocolate softens, spread evenly to cover the peanut butter layer.

Cool completely. Refrigerate. Peel off the foil and cut into small squares. 

Save any remaining crumbles of candy. Use as a topping for ice cream. 

Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen pieces.

Candy without chocolate topping.