Beefy Mexican Soup (EDITED)**

This one is originally a Hamburger Helper recipe. But it could be altered if you didn't want to use Helper. It would take a little time to get the spices right and of course you would have to add pasta. Have fun!

Beefy Mexican Soup

1 Pound Ground Beef or Turkey
1 Medium Onion, chopped (about ½ Cup)
¼ Cup Chopped Green (Bell) Pepper
1 Package Hamburger Helper mix for Chili Tomato or similar flavor because Chili Tomato is hard to find.  Chili Mac will work.
5 Cups Water
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder (or more to taste) **I use a tablespoon but that's just me.
½ Teaspoon Garlic Salt (or more to taste)
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 16 oz. Can Whole Tomatoes (or can use chopped)
1 8 oz. Can Whole Kernel Corn
2 Tablespoons Sliced Pitted Ripe (Black) Olives

Cook and stir ground beef, onion and green pepper in Dutch Oven (large sauce pan) until beef is brown, drain well. Stir in Sauce Mix, water, chili powder, garlic salt, salt and tomatoes (with liquid). If using whole tomatoes, break up with fork. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in macaroni (from boxed mix), corn (with liquid) and olives. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Garnish with corn chips, etc., if desired. Makes about 9 cups.

Mini Pizzas

This one is pretty easy. It's one that can be customized as needed. It's a lot of fun to make.

Mini-Pizzas

Canned Biscuits (the cheaper, flatter kind and not the Grands style)
Spaghetti Sauce, whatever brand you want to use.
Shredded Cheese, I usually use a combination of cheddar & motzerella
Toppings as desired. You can use cut up lunch meat, the original recipe called for salami, or pepperoni. Or not! Add whatever veggies you want, onions and bell peppers are pretty much in everything I cook so of course they will be on any pizza I make! Olives, mushrooms, etc. Use your imagination and have fun. This one is a great one to get the kids involved with, and it can be slightly messy but that makes it more fun.

Flatten biscuits out on a GREASED cookie sheet, even if the biscuit directions say ungreased. Trust me on this! Spoon sauce on top of each biscuit, top each with other ingredients, cheese last is how I usually make it but cheese can be on first. Cook according to time/temperature directions on biscuit can.

You could also use English muffins, etc., instead of the biscuits but the cooking time will have to be adjusted down considerably because the biscuits are uncooked.

(Edited X 5) Crock Pot Soup, Vegetable Soup, Beef Vegetable Soup (5th Edit is Very Important!)

This is my speciality, it's probably my signature dish. Mom taught me how to make it, but she was making it up as she went along and it turned out pretty good. I've tweaked it a little bit. It can be made without the beef, if you prefer vegetable soup, but you'll have to use a soup stock as a base. I use a bullion cube in mine which adds flavor but because I use the beef in it, I don't feel like it needs any more stock. And, before I forget - as various members of my family will attest to: IT WORKS JUST AS WELL WITH VENISION (DEER) AS IT DOES WITH BEEF! But I suggest that you tell people that before you serve it to them. Unlike me. Well, Robyn, I thought you knew it was deer meat before you ate it! Sorry!

Measurements are approximate, I have a big crock pot so I use closer to 2 lbs. meat.

Crock Pot Soup

1 to 1 ½ lb. Boneless Stew/soup Meat
1 Can each: Whole-Kernel Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Lima Beans (or whatever you like) DRAIN VEGETABLES – DISCARD JUICE.**(See third edit)
2 to 3 Carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped (or can use 1 can)
2 to 3 Stalks Celery, sliced or chopped
½ Chopped Onion

1/2 Chopped bell pepper

1 Can Diced or Crushed Tomatoes (or can use whole tomatoes, but if I do I put them in the blender) (Not Rotel tomatoes although they might make it taste pretty good)
1 Beef Bullion Cube (don’t forget!)
2 to 3 Potatoes, peeled and chopped or sliced (or can use 1 can)

Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Parsley, Oregano, Basil and/or any other spices, amount varies to taste.

Water to fill level on crock pot. The water amount needs to be at least the same as the beef ideally. But add water to where it's at the rim of the crockpot.

Cook on high for 1 hour, stir well. Then on low “overnight” or for several hours until the meat is done.

This is a really good cold-weather meal. It also freezes wonderfully.

**Here's my second edit! I have a new crockpot, it's the biggest one I could find and holds 7 quarts. It's BIG. For a larger crock, I would suggest using 2 bullion cubes or a larger amount if you use loose bullion, possibly as much as a tablespoon but this is one thing that you will have to adjust as you go along. You can't add and taste, so you have to finish the recipe & the cooking process and then adjust the next time. Also, since there is more room I will add a lot more potatos and carrots, as well as more celery and probably onion too.

**Here's the 3rd edit:  I made it with frozen vegetables.  I used 3 packages of mixed veggies, probably about 16 oz. each.  It did work, it actually tasted better but the veggies should probably have been let to sit and warm up a little bit before I tossed them in the crockpot.  The outer "heating unit" got a lot warmer than the crock and I turned it down after about 45 minutes.  Then it cooked on low with a few stirrings all day, as usual.  I probably will reduce the amount of water the next time, it cooked over a little bit.  Also, I'll probably use single vegetable packages, one each of green beans, peas, corn and possibly lima beans.  The mixed veggies worked but there were too many carrots and since Otter's allergic to them, she always takes them out - the frozen package carrots were tiny.  So I'll keep using fresh carrots, the rest of the vegetables that were fresh to start with will stay that way.  (SEE THE 5TH EDIT!)

**Here's the 4th Edit:  I added 1 can of Rotel tomatos to it.  This is in addition to the canned tomatos already in the recipe.  It turned out really good, slightly spicy but not overpowering.  But you will definitely notice the spicy flavor of the Rotel.  I used Hot Rotel, but there are milder versions.  You could probably use any brand of spicy tomatos, but a True TEXAN only uses Rotel.

 

**5th edit:  Don't use frozen vegetables unless they are well-thawed and are not cold at all.  Otherwise, you might just wind up with a cracked crock because of the cold/heat difference.  I did and my crockpot had to be replaced.  It will still work well with frozen vegetables, just make sure that they are not frozen anymore and not cold at all.

My Comment on Sugar Cookies, Etc.

For some reason, Blogger won't let me leave a comment the regular way so here's my answer to Kid # 3's comment:

OK, It's fixed. I don't know what Blogger was doing last night but it does act up and post multiple times.

Kid # 3 is Froggy's daughter, FYI. The recipe I have is the one that my Mom wrote down for me and that's probably the # of eggs she used. I haven't made it in years, I'll probably make it soon and I'll see if it works with 2 eggs or needs an addition.

Aunt Jessie's Cookies, Sugar Cookies, Cut Out Cookies, Drop Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a basic sugar cookie recipe, but it can also be used as cut out cookies with the addition of a little more flour. Also it works well as drop cookies and is wonderful with chocolate, etc., chips added.

I don't know if the recipe originated with our Aunt Jessie or not, but this is what we've always called it.

Aunt Jessie’s Cookies

400 degrees, 12 – 15 minutes on greased cookie sheet. Can also be prepared and dough left overnight in refrigerator.

2 Cups Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Shortening

Mix above ingredients together. Add:

2 Eggs

Stir well. Add in alternates:

3 ½ Cups Flour, with 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda added to flour
½ Cup Buttermilk

(If making cut out cookies, use 4 Cups of Flour). Can add chocolate chips, nuts, etc.

Can use ½ Cup regular Milk with Lemon Juice added as a substitute for the Buttermilk.

This recipe is really a fun one to use if you want to use cookie cutters and then after baking they can be iced. This is what we always made our Christmas cookies with.

Pinto Beans

Beans, a South Texas staple! There aren't really any measurements with this one, it's kind of up to the cook how much to make. Beans are sold in bags of various weights.

Pinto Beans

Clean beans and rinse well. (Cleaning means rinsing them under running water and getting any debris out such as the occasional pebble).

To cook beans, put beans in cooking pot and cover with (at least) 1” of water. (Actually, I usually cover it with a few inches of water since the beans will absorb some of it). Cover pot, bring to a rolling boil, turn off the stove, uncover pot and let it sit for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, bring it to a boil again. More water may need to be added at this point. Add a pinch of Baking Soda. The beans will boil up a little when the baking soda is added. Add seasonings – ham, bacon, etc. and salt – salt is a necessity! Boil uncovered for 2 hours, not a rolling heavy boil. Water will need to be added on a regular basis, try to keep the water level at about the same all during the cooking process.

Of course, beans go best when served with shredded cheese & chopped onions on top and fresh corn bread on the side.

Uncooked Cookies (Edited)

Edit: Please see Froggy's comments before you attempt to make this one. She's made it several times.

These are about as easy as it gets. And they are delicious!

Uncooked Cookies

2 Cups Sugar
1 Stick Butter
½ Cup Milk

Boil above ingredients for 3 minutes. Add:

3 Cups 3-Minute Oatmeal
4 Tablespoons Cocoa
Chopped Nuts if desired
Place on greased cookie sheet, let harden.

Then you eat them. Like I said, easy! :) And again, I don't think it will work as well unless you use real butter or possibly margarine. But not the butter substitues.

Spanish Rice. Two Versions

Here's the original recipe, as dictated by my mother many years ago.

Spanish Rice

1 Cup Crushed Tomatoes
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Rice

Sauté in butter or oil:

½ Onion, Chopped

Combine onion and rice mixture. Add:

½ Teaspoon Salt (optional)
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder (can vary amount)

Cook 20 minutes over medium heat. May need to add a little more water.

Here's the 2nd version, which is mine and what Otter refers to as Nuclear Rice.

Spanish Rice

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes (you can use more than one can)
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Rice

Sauté in olive oil:

½ to one whole Onion, Chopped (I like a lot of onion)

Combine onion and rice mixture. Add:

AT LEAST 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder and frequently quite a bit more. This is one of those times when I don't measure, I just toss in a lot of chili powder and eventually it looks like it's the right color. This one takes practice, but Mom taught us to cook without having to measure all the time. (Drives Bill nuts when I don't measure!)

Cook 15 - 20 minutes over medium heat. May need to add a little more water.

If you've gotten it hot enough to burn your taste buds off, it's nuclear. Bill frequently pours picante sauce on top of it, even when it's so hot it's already melting through the bowl it is being served out of.

Plain Cake

This is basically a pound cake. It's very good, especially toasted and buttered. And Jelly of any flavor is always good on it. It's great for breakfast, if you're in a hurry. But the best way is still to slice it as soon as it's out of the oven and slather on the butter!

Plain Cake

350 degrees, 50 minutes, loaf pan

1 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons Shortening

Cream sugar and shortening together. Add:

1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Stir well. Add alternatively:

2 Cups Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Cup milk.

Can also be used for cupcakes. Makes 21 cupcakes, fill cups ¾ full, bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I don't usually alternate the flour/baking powder and milk. I just toss it all in and stir, and it is just as good.

Bachelor Stew (Edited) (Edited Again)

Edit: Froggy suggested garlic & parsely. Considering that I use those in nearly everything I cook, I guess I forgot to add them in here!

2nd Edit: We tried something new, I put a little soy sauce on the stew after it was cooked. It was pretty good.

Bill invented this recipe. It's called Bachelor Stew because when he was a bachelor, he had to learn to cook to keep himself alive. This one is actually pretty good. It's a really good recipe for cold weather. I usually use more onion and bell pepper. Also, you can use two regular cans of mixed vegetables or one large can (drain if you use canned vegetables) in place of the frozen veggies. Also, the water can be increased if you'd prefer more soupy stew. It's great served over cooked rice. It freezes wonderfully, on the rare occasions when there is any left that is! And the simmer time can be adjusted up or down, I don't usually let it simmer that long.

Bachelor Stew

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 pound bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of water
1/4 small onion, chopped
1/4 small bell pepper, chopped

Brown beef with onion and bell pepper. Drain. Add rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Brownies

This is one of Mom's recipes, I don't know if she originated it or if she got it somewhere. But it's the BEST brownie recipe EVER. I use carob powder when I make it, because of Otter's chocolate allergy. Sometimes I'll throw in about a half cup of carob chips - they're basically the same as chocolate chips so chocolate chips would work just as well. I don't usually frost it and it is gone pretty much as fast as it shows up. I don't usually add nuts although it is very good with them. Otter makes this one frequently.

Brownies

350 degrees, 30 minutes

2 Cups Sugar
½ Cup shortening

Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add:

4 eggs

Mix well. Add:

½ Cup Milk
½ Cup Cocoa (or Carob)
2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Mix Well. If desired, add ½ Cup Chopped Nuts.

Frost while hot, if desired.

(And it's especially good served with ice cream!)

Monkey Bread

This one is for Froggy. She requested that I post it, which I was going to do later on. But since she likes it so much, I decided to move it to the top of the list.

Monkey Bread

2 - 4 cans biscuits, any variety (small biscuits work best)
1 1/2 cups melted butter (I sometimes use the low fat butter substitute)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans or walnuts) This is optional, you can skip the nuts if you don't like them

White sugar and additional cinnamon to toss the biscuits in

Cut the biscuits into small pieces, at least 4 piece per biscuit. I usually cut mine up into about 6 pieces each. Toss the pieces in the white sugar/cinnamon mix until they are coated. Place biscuits in a greased pan (I use an olive oil based non-stick spray - it doesn't take much). Combine the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnanom - I melt the butter in a sauce pan and then add the sugar & cinnamon, then stir it over low to medium heat unti is mixed well and smoother. Then add the chopped nuts. Pour over the biscuit pieces. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes - the time may need to be adjusted up or down depending on your oven. The important thing is to get the biscuits baked because half-cooked biscuits are gross! For the regular recipe (2 cans of biscuits) I use a square baking pan and if I double it (4 cans), I use a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish. The original recipe called for a bundt-style cake pan to bake it in and then inverting over a plate to serve. I suggest you just use a baking dish, otherwise you will have a big, sticky mess on your hands. And the floor! The brown sugar mixture makes a syrup and it is very good. However, if you use real butter forget about watching your fat intake. Even with the low-fat substitute, it's probably not the most healthy meal so we don't make it too often. It's been suggested to me that we top it with whipped cream, which would probably be delicious. But I haven't tried that.

Ice Box Cookies

These are Bill's great-Grandmother's cookies. Yes, the recipe really does call for a pound of butter. Real butter, not the fake stuff! He's made it with soft "healthy" butter substitute before, it makes the cookies very soft. But check the package if you decide to substitute, not all of the butter alternatives will work for baking. And yes, it really does take that much flour. They are very good, they are a slightly sweet-spicy cookie. They won't last long. They can be a pain to mix, so if you have a big mixer now is the time to use it. The nuts can be left out or a different kind can be used.

Here's the recipe:

Ice Box Cookies1 pound butter (2 cups equals 1 lb) (soften butter slightly)
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
teaspoon cloves
1 cup chopped nuts (Walnuts work best)
6 or more cups flour
Mix all ingredients together, except flour. Once thoroughly mixed,add flour in 2 cup increments.

Divide dough into equal parts. Roll in waxed paper, 1" thick rolls. Place in refrigerator over night.

To bake, slice in 1/4" thick slices. Place on cookie sheet leaving 1/2" between cookies.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Makes 12 dozen. Uncooked cookie dough can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Peach Cobbler (Edited)***

I've thought long and hard about the first recipe. And I realized today that it needed to be one of Mom's. This one was probably Dad's favorite, the tradition was that he would always be the first taster. Dad had a huge sweet tooth. The rest of the tradition is that he always tasted a corner, Mom made her cobbler in a 13 x 9 baking pan and we always knew that Dad had found it because the rectangle was always missing (at least) one corner! So, here goes. It's easy. It's good.

Peach Cobbler

350 degrees, 30 minutes, 9 x 13 pan

1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Sugar
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder

Mix above ingredients. Add:

1 stick melted butter

On top of mixture, pour 1 large can of peaches (can use other fruit).

5 minutes before it is done, sprinkle top with sugar and cinnamon. Put back in oven for remaining 5 minutes.

Mom probably used oleo, margarine to all the non-Texans. I don't know if the healthy version would work since some of them are not really good to cook with. You can also use other fruit besides peach. And I would suggest experimenting with fresh or frozen fruit but I'm not sure of the amounts.

And it's also very good if served still warm and topped with ice cream.

***Froggy had slightly different instructions than the one I had, both recipes are from our mother and she probably just left something out when she was writing it out for me.  Here's Froggy's addition:

In the pan you are going to bake the cobbler in, put 1 stick of "butter". preheat oven. While oven is preheating, place pan

in oven and let butter melt. While it is melting mix the other ingredients, except for peaches.

Pour your mixed ingredients into the melted butter. Make sure it covers entire pan. Then put the peaches all over the pan. Then cook. 5 minutes before it is done, put a mixture of cinnamon and sugar over the cobbler.

(Someone has to eat one corner out by being sneaky. That is when we say that the mouse has been in the cobbler.)

Introduction

This blog is mainly going to be used to post recipes and related information. Lables will generally be the name of the recipe, and possibly some of the ingredients as well as categories such as Main Dishes, Desserts, etc. Any suggestions will be welcomed! I might not follow them, but I'll read them at least. It won't be updated on a regular basis, but check back often. If you have a recipe you want to add, please email me instead of leaving it as a comment. Although comments are welcomed.