Huevos Rancheros with Pulled Pork

Notes from Liz
When you make Pulled Pork with Carolina Barbeque sauce, make a double recipe and freeze some in 2 cup portions...or use left overs to make this tasty breakfast.

Liz making tortillas in Mexico-a real Gringo

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 can black beans

4 TBS chopped pimientos

3 tsp chopped chiles (your choice)

1/2 cup sour cream

4 tortillas, lightly browned

2 cups pulled pork in Carolina Barbeque Sauce

Preparation

Heat one can of black beans with pimientos and chiles. Keep warm on low heat.  Lightly brown  4 tortillas in a lightly greased skillet or on a griddle.  Heat pulled pork in Carolina Barbeque Sauce until bubbling. Beat 4 eggs and scramble in a skillet on medium heat.  Assemble:  Tortilla on bottom layer, pulled pork in barbeque sauce on next layer, black beans, scrambled eggs and top with sour cream.

Serves 4 ( easily adjusted for 1,2,or 3)

Supreme Sugar Cookies

Just like Poinsettias,  Sugar Cookies go with Christmas

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter
granulated sugar for sprinkling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg together ( in food processor). Sift flour, soda and cream of tarter into bowl of food processor with butter, sugar, vanilla and egg. Mix well in food processor until dough forms.  Chill dough for two hours before rolling out to cut.

Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface.  Dip cookie cutter in flour to cut shapes.  Place cookies on lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 5-8 minutes until edges are lightly browned.  If you do not want to ice the cookies, sprinkle with granulated sugar before baking. Cool completely before icing.

Icing for Cookies

1 egg white, room temperature, whipped
2 cups 10x sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 stick softened butter

Beat egg white and vanilla and butter, slowly add softened butter.  Add food coloring if desired (separate icing into smaller batches if several colors are needed.

Ice cookies with knife, let air dry before you put them in a storage container.

Notes from Liz


In our family, we only make trees, no stars or bells or angels, only trees.  It started when all the other shapes were left uneaten (I think yellow or red wasn't appealing-green trees were the most in demand) So, after all these years, only trees for Christmas Sugar Cookies.  This sugar cookie makes great halloween cookies or Thanksgiving Cookies but we like trees the best.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

Reba in 2010-She still loves Christmas

2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz (1 package) white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries or Sugared Cranberries (See Desserts)
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl.   Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla using a mixer.  Beat in eggs.  Gradually stir in flour mixture.  Add cranberries, white chocolate, and almonds.  Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Notes from Liz

The fresh cranberries are better because you can taste the preservatives in the dried berries.

Hungarian Kipfels

Reba in 2007-12 weeks old

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs sour cream
2 cups flour
2 cups powdered sugar
Apricot or Seedless Raspberry preserves

Preparation

Take butter and cream cheese out of the refrigerator.  When completely room temperature cream together with salt and sour cream. (You can do this in the food processor)  Add flour slowly until the dough is formed.  Roll dough into two balls and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. You will roll the dough between wax paper (lightly flour wax paper) until it is about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut dough into diamond shapes (about 3 inches from point to point). Place a small amount of preserves onto each triangle.  Roll the diamonds into crescents.  Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil, reflective side down.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar immediately.  These are delicious when warm and they keep for several days.

Makes about 3 dozen

Notes from Liz

This is our traditional Christmas Cookie but they are good anytime of the year.

Christmas Salad

Ingredients

2 red onions

Christmas Cheer

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup blue cheese

1/2 cup dried cranberries or

1/2 cup Sugared Cranberries (see Desserts)

3 cups endive

3 cups baby arugula

Preparation

1 or two days ahead:  Chop two red onions and add 1 cup vinegar. Let sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours.

Put ½ cup olive oil in plastic container with tight fitting lid.  Add 1 cup blue cheese crumbled.  Seal and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.

Hydrate dried  ½ cup dried cranberries with ½ cup boiling water or use Sugared Cranberries (see Desserts)

Mix 3 cups torn endive pieces with 3 cups baby arugula.

Before serving, Mix cranberries and greens with drained onions and blue cheese/olive oil.  Serve all at room temperature.

Serves 8 -10

Notes from Liz

Most of this salad can be made ahead and tossed just before serving.  The red onions and endive with arugula makes a pretty Christmas dish and delicious too.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Good for the holidays or anytime

Ingredients

1 1lb medium mushroom
(the secret is to buy fresh, not packaged
in plastic)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 small green pepper, finely chopped
3 Tbs butter
1 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme leaves crushed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs butter

Preparation

Buy the freshest mushrooms, wash and dry thoroughly.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Twist stems from mushrooms, leaving caps.  Finely chop tender portions of stems to equal 1/3 cup.  Cook and stir chopped ( I use electronic food chopper for onions and peppers) mushrooms, onion and green pepper in 3 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes.  Stir in bread crumbs, salt, thyme, turmeric, and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon butter in shallow oven proof pan.  Distribute melted butter on the bottom of the pan.  Fill mushroom caps with stuffing mix and place in ovenproof pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Turn oven to broil and broil mushrooms 3-4 inches from heat for 2-3 minutes (carefully monitor the broiling).  When mushrooms are browned on top, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10 for appetizers

Beef Stroganoff

If the weather outside is frightful, Stroganoff inside is Delightful!

Ingredients

1 lb beef sirloin steak or tenderloin

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup minced onion

2 Tbs butter

1 1/2 cup beef stock

2 tsp ketchup

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

3 Tbs flour

1 cup dairy sour cream

4 cups hot cooked egg noodles or rice

Preparation

Cut meat diagonally into very thin slices.  Cook and stir mushrooms and onion in butter until onion is tender: remove from skillet.  In the same skillet, brown meat lightly on both sides.  Set aside 1/2 cup beef stock; stir remainin beef stock, ketchup, garlic and salt into the skillet.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes.  Blend reserved 1/2 cup bouillon and flour (NOTE:  Add flour on top of boullion and blend with whisk) Stir flour/stock mixture into skillet.  Add mushtooms and onio.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.  Put skillet back on very low heat and heat until heated through.  Server over hot noodles or rice.

Serves 4

Notes from Liz

Once, I had a grilled steak left over from a party and I sliced it paper thin and made the Stroganoff.  It was so delicious!

Lime Cilantro Rice with Clams

This is where you find the clams!

Ingredients

2 cups white rice

2 cups Clam Juice

1 pint minced clams with juice

1 cup chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

Preparation

Boil Clam Juice.  Add rice.  Boil for 5 minutes, reduce heat and cover. Stir rice frequently to prevent sticking.  When most of the liquid is absorbed, add lime juice and cilantro and clams.  Cook for 2 minutes until clams are tender but not tough.  Cook on lower heat to avoid boiling, it should simmer for 2 minutes (bubbles around edges but not a rolling boil)

Serves 6-8

Notes from Liz
Depending on the rice you use, you may need more liquid.  Add more Clam Juice.  This recipe is easily multiplied for a crowd.

Christmas Sangria

Ingredients


Carver Cranberry Bog



1 cup Sugared cCanberries

(see Dessert recipes on this blog)

1 orange, sliced thin

1 lemon, sliced thin

1/2 cup syrup reserved from

Sugared Cranberries

2 cups cranberry juice

1 bottle Chianti 

4 oz triple sec 

Preparation

Make sugared cranberries, cool.  Reserve sugar syrup from making Sugared Cranberries.  Mix all ingredients in serving pitcher.  Chill for at least 3 hours.  Serve cold.

Serves 6

Notes from Liz

This can be made a day ahead.  It can be doubled, tripled, etc. 

Lime-Cilantro Rice

Casey and Hedgehog watch us eat the Lime Cilantro Rice

Ingredients

2 cups white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

Preparation

Boil chicken broth.  Add rice.  Boil for 5 minutes, reduce heat and cover. Stir rice frequently to prevent sticking.  When most of the liquid is absorbed, add lime juice and cilantro. 

Serves 6-8

Notes from Liz

If you want, you may use "boil in bag" rice with the same ingredients.  Add lime juice and cilantro after you drain the rice and put into bowl. This goes well with the Pulled Pork and Barbeque Sauce.

Pulled Pork with Carolina Barbeque Sauce

Pulled Pork

Trim the Tree Party 2010

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin
2 cups chicken broth

Preparation

Place pork tenderloin in slow cooker, add chicken broth.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Cool completely.  Pull the port apart.  Add sauce and heat to hot and bubbling.

Carolina Barbeque Sauce

Ingredients

1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 medium onion, minced (you can use electric food chopper)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbs dry mustard or 2 TBS spicy prepared mustard
1 Tbs dark brown sugar
1 Tbs paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup ketchup

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil on low heat.  Add vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, mustard, brown sugar and paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and ketchup, boil until thick.  Combine with pork and serve.

Notes from Liz

You may serve on buns or as a filling for tacos or burritos.  Add other condiments as desired.  You may save some Carolina Sauce for a condiment in addition to the sauce already on the pork.  For our trim the tree party we had a taco/burrito buffet and this was a big hit.

Serves 6-10 (depending on how many side dishes)

Arugula Pesto

Arugula is always my first and last harvest in the garden

Ingredients

5 cups fresh Arugula (Pesto)

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

4 cloves garlic (or more, if you like)

Preparation

Put washed and salad spinner-dried arugula into food processor. Process using sharp blade, slowly adding 1/2 of the olive oil.  Peel garlic and chop in half, add to processor and process until finely chopped.  Add parmesan cheese to processor and process while slowly adding the remaining olvie oil.  The result will be a paste or pesto. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of pesto.  This recipe is easily doubled in one processor.  Best served on freshly cooked hot pasta.  It is also good as a topping for broiling oysters on the half shell-yum!

Notes from Liz
Pine nuts are a traditional part of pesto.  If you would like to add pine nuts, put 1/3 cup pine nuts in a coffee mug with a TBS of olive oil. Stir until well coated.  Place in microwave and heat for 30 seconds.  Check for "browning on the edges" and repeat if not yet toasted.  Add to processor and incorporate into pesto.

The pesto without pine nuts will store for 3-5 weeks in an air tight container in the refrigerator.  The pesto with pine nuts stores for about 5-10 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator. 

Pesto is great for a big family meal or just a few spoons for a single meal. 

Sweet and Sour Salad

Ingredients

1 16 oz can or bag of Sauerkraut 

Winter Ocean in Wellfleet

1/2 chopped green pepper

1/2 chopped yellow or red pepper

1 1/2 cups carrots, grated

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 small jar chopped pimiento, drained

1 medium onion, chopped

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1TBS celery seed

Preparation

Drain sauerkraut and wash thoroughly.  Put in salad spinner and spin to remove excess water.  You may use a electric food chopper for the sweet peppers, celery, and onions.  The carrots should be grated either by hand or in food processor.  Put all vegetables in medium size bowl.  Add brown sugar, olive oil , celery seed, and black pepper.  Mix well.  Refrigerate overnight before serving to make sure the flavors blend well.

Serves 6-8

Notes from Liz

This salad is good to make anytime, but I usually make it in winter when other salad ingredients are not  available.  This is also good for a picnic or outdoor event because it does not spoil easily.  I usually serve it with pork tenderloin or pork shops but it is also very good with hamburgers and hot dogs or sausages.