Marguerite’s Brownies

6 eggs
1 stick butter (she used Parkay margarine and called Parkay butter)
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
salt
vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs, and beat well. Add dry ingredients. Bake in a 9×11 pan at 325 degrees.

Meatloaf with Green Chile

Heat a large saute pan, then add:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Cook until onion is clear, about 5 minutes. Cool.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together :

2 eggs
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley (optional)

Add:
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground lean beef
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 cup Parmesan
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
Cooled vegetables
1/2 cup of diced roasted peeled green chilies (I usually double this, depending on the heat of the chilies)

Mix until combined. Mold in a parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet or in a loaf pan.

Whisk together:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Brush this mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1-1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf rest before slicing.

Barron BBQ Sauce

This sauce is really good with country pork ribs. It is thicker than my Dad’s Mitchell BBQ Sauce, and should be painted on the seasoned ribs with a brush after they have already slow cooked for a couple of hours. Cook at a low temperature for another 30 – 45 minutes, turning them and brushing more sauce on every 10 minutes.The sauce will bake on without burning. It is also very good as a side to your favorite rib, steak or chop.

Pour into a stainless steel saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until onions become transluscent:

3/4 cup whiskey
1/2 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced

Into a 2 cup glass measuring cup, add:

1/3 cup Bragg’s apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 Tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons smoke sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice concentrate
1 teaspoon or more Sriracha hot sauce (to taste) I like it spicy!

When onions are done, add the contents of your glass measuring cup to the skillet, then pour into the same cup:

2 cups ketchup

Pour the ketchup into the pan, stir to blend the ingredients, and simmer the mixture for at least 20 minutes. The slower the simmer and the longer the time, the better it will be. When through simmering, put an immersion blender into the mixture and further break down the chunky pieces of onion and garlic. This makes the sauce taste better, but I kind of like some bits of onion to be visible. Place sauce in jars and store in the refrigerator overnight for the flavors to develop. It is better the next day and keeps on getting better! Yield: 3- 4 pints

This sauce should be used as a glaze, or a side. It gives a very pretty glossy redness to the meat when used as a glaze.

Garden Vegetable Soup

I want to learn to make a vegetable soup like Sue’s. So one day I was researching vegetable soups (not the correct approach, but I am what I am), and I ran across an Alton Brown recipe from 2004. This soup is not like Sue’s, but it is simply outstanding. I could not believe there was no meat or fat (beyond the olive oil) in the soup – it tasted so rich and flavorful, it didn’t seem like it was possible that it was made from 100% vegetables – but it is. This recipe is going on my very short list of favorites.

My changes to Alton Brown’s recipe: I used turnips instead of potatoes because they’re more flavorful and they stand up to liquid better; I added zucchini to the recipe because I like it in soup; and I changed parsley to cilantro just because I roll that way. Oh, and I bumped the garlic by 50% just on general principle. I used organic vegetable broth (the recipe calls for chicken or veggie) because I liked the idea of it being 100% vegetables. HEB Central Market makes an outstanding organic vegetable broth.

Garden Vegetable Soup
Based on a recipe from Alton Brown, 2004
Prep Time: 40 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately 3 medium leeks)
3 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds (approximately 2 medium)
2 cups peeled and diced turnips (3/4″ cubes)
2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 cups zucchini, chopped into quarter rounds (approximately 2 medium)
2 quarts organic vegetable broth
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat.
2. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the carrots, turnips, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer.
5. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, zucchini, and pepper.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and add the cilantro and lemon juice.
8. Season, to taste, with kosher salt.
9. Serve immediately.

Hook Family Chocolate Roll

This is THE famous chocolate roll recipe, graciously provided to me by the Hook family.  Cake!  Chocolate!  Whipped cream!  Sounds like perfection to me.  It’s like a giant Little Debbie, and that’s a wonderful thing.

Cake:
6 tablespoons cake flour (sifted before measuring)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten until thick
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 squares unsweetened chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Melt chocolate and set aside.  Sift flour, measure, and sift again with baking powder and salt.  Beat egg whites until stiff, and gradually add sugar.  Fold in egg yolks.  Add vanilla and fold in flour gradually.  Fold in melted chocolate until mixed.

Grease and line a half sheet pan (18″ by 13″) or jelly roll pan (15″ x 10″) with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  Pour cake batter into pan, leaving 1/2 inch space from batter to edge of pan.  Bake 7 minutes at 325 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

While the cake is cooking, dust a clean cloth with powdered sugar. (* NOTE: The more sugar you spread over the cloth the easier it will be to get the cake off it later).

Turn warm cake out onto prepared cloth; remove lining. Trim the cake edges with a scissors if you wish. Starting with the long side, tightly roll up cake with cloth. Transfer cake, seam side down, to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream filling.

Filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks.

Final assembly FINALLY!
Unroll cooled cake; remove cloth. Spread whipped topping over cake to within 1/2 in. of edges. Re-roll cake; place seam-side down on a plate. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting, either homemade or store bought.

Chopped salad

This is a basic iceberg salad with a little update.

1 head iceberg lettuce, sliced in 1/2 inch strips, then rough diced by chopping crossways
4-5 green onions, sliced thin on the diagonal
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped roughly
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (may serve separately for those who don’t eat tomatoes)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 lemon, juiced over the salad

Chop and combine in a salad bowl. Serve with homemade bleu cheese dressing or dressing of your choice. Fresh salsa is good!

If you have leftovers this will keep for a day or so especially if the tomatoes are kept separate.

Sue’s Spectacular Spaghetti Sauce

When Dude and Dude’s sister visited Sue during summer 2010, they thought it would be a wonderful experience to make some incredible spaghetti sauce. Thanks to Sue for leading the way for a new generation of cooks!

Ingredients:
1 medium/large onion (diced)
2 carrots (peeled and grated)
2 stalks of celery (diced)
4 cloves of minced garlic
2  cans of crushed tomatoes (26 oz/can)
1 can of tomato puree (6 oz)
1 lb Italian link sausage
4 slices bacon (diced and browned)
3 stems rosemary (diced)
1/2 box chicken broth (around 16 oz)
salt and pepper to taste
Italian seasoning to taste
wine to taste

Directions:
Brown the bacon and the sausage in a skillet. Sauté vegetables in the big stock pot, using olive oil. Salt and pepper the vegetables as you sauté them. Once they are wilted and translucent, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, and cooked meat. Simmer on medium low for 2-3 hours. Add wine to taste midway through simmer. Make sure to check the pot and stir it occasionally. Serve over al dente spaghetti. On top of that spaghetti, you can put grated cheese of choice to taste.

(Note: you can substitue browned hamburger for the Italian sausage, but if you do, make sure to add red pepper flakes to the hamburger)

Calabacitas con Elote

I love to make this dish after visiting the farmers market for locally grown, fresh produce.

Ingredients:
3 ears of fresh corn
3-4 yellow or zucchini squash (or a mix)
2 roasted Anaheim peppers, peeled and chopped (or substitute 1 can of green chiles)
1-2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
Queso Fresco (can substitute mozzerella or monterey jack for queso fresco)
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

Directions:
Cut corn from the cobs.  Dice the squash.  In a skillet, saute the onions in the butter or oil until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the squash, garlic, and corn, and saute until the squash is tender.  Add the chiles and top with the queso fresco (or cheese of your choice).

How simple is THAT!

Ancho Sweet Potatoes

I made this on Saturday for my sweetie and his dear friend.  It accompanied a Texas-flair dinner of fish tacos and and calabacitas con elote(squash and corn).  The sweet potatoes were the bomb!  I used two ancho chiles to keep the heat level low – use more if you want it little spicier.

Ingredients:
3 large sweet potatoes
2-3 dried ancho chiles
1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half, or milk
1 tablespoon butter
salt to taste

Directions:
Bake the sweet potatoes until soft and let them sit until cool enough to handle.  Tear the ancho chiles open and remove/discard seeds and stem.  Cut or tear the chiles into pieces.  Bring the heavy cream and anchos to a boil and immediately remove from heat.  Let this mixture stand at least 1/2 an hour; stir occasionally to make sure that the anchos are somewhat immersed in the cream.  Puree the mixture in a blender – this results in a delicious, creamy, ancho paste.

Peel the sweet potatoes and lightly mix with the ancho cream and salt.  Place into a casserole dish, top with dabs of butter, and bake at 350 until hot (about 20 minutes).

Posole

I made this for Mitchell while he was home last week – he loved it and asked for me to post the recipe.  So here it is   Posole is SO cussing delicious.  And it’s very forgiving.  Feel free to make substitutions or throw some other things in (black beans or some sweet corn would be yummy).

Red chile sauce:
1 1/2 cups boiling-hot water
1/4 large white onion
about 5 ounces (around 8 dried chiles), ancho, or guajillo, or new mexico red chiles
2 cloves garlic (from whole head; the rest will go into the posole)

Posole:
1 large head garlic
2 quarts chicken broth, beef broth, or water
3-4 pounds pork shoulder or butt roast, fat trimmed, and cut into chunks
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
Prepared Red chile sauce, or substitute 2-3 cans of red enchilada sauce
2 can green chiles (optional); or substitute Hatch chiles or roasted anaheim chiles)
3 teaspoons salt
2 30-ounce cans hominy, drained, or dried hominy that has been soaked overnight
1 can Rotel tomatoes (optional)

Soak dried hominy, unless you are using canned hominy (dried is better though!):
The day/night before you plan on making posole, start soaking the dried hominy in water.  You will need to use ALOT of water as the posole will soak it up and swell up big.  That’s what she said.  Generally I add enough water to the container with the posole in it so that the posole takes up 1/3 and water 2/3 of the total level…

Red chile sauce instructions:
Tear the chiles apart by hand; remove and discard the seeds and and stems.  Place the chiles in a bowl and cover completely with boiling-hot water. Soak chiles, turning them occasionally, for 30 minutes. Cut onion into large pieces and in a blender purée with chiles and soaking liquid (do not drain the chiles before pureeing), 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt until smooth. For a shortcut on the red chile – simply substitute 2-3 cans of red enchilada sauce.

Posole instructions:

Thinly slice remaining garlic. In a heavy skillet over high heat, preheat a couple of tablespoons of oil and brown the chunks of pork with sliced garlic. High heat results in nice crusty brown bits on the pork.  This is what you want. Remove from heat.

In a big soup pot – add chicken broth, pork, oregano, cumin, red chili sauce, green chilis (optional), salt, homony, and Rotel tomatoes (optional). Gently simmer the posole, uncovered, until tender, at least 1 1/2 hours.  Your cooking time will be longer if you started with dried hominy – taking at least an additional hour.  But this is not rocket science – simmer it until the hominy is tender and the house is fragrant with the wonderful spicy smell….and adjust seasonings to your own tastes.

Optional Accompaniments:
diced avocado
chopped white onion
cheese
sour cream
tortilla chips or strips