Alisa's Refried Beans

This one one of Alisa's staple dishes for her family--it works great in burritos or as a dip for chips.  You can substitute the pinto beans for black beans as well and use them whole in salads. 

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
2 fresh jalapeno peppers; seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic
5 tsp salt
1 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
9 cups water

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 8 hours (or less--until done).  Once the beans have cooked, strain them and remove the liquid.  Mash the beans with a potato masher or immersion blender, adding the reserved water as needed to attain the desired consistency.  Or serve whole in salads after removing the onion pieces. 

Danish Pastry

Laurie's Recipe

2 yeast cakes (2 TBP).                             **2 cubes butter (1 cup) room temperature

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 cup water 

Dissolve Yeast with sugar in water.

3/4 cup cold milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

Add Yeast mixture to above...then add:

2 cups flour

Mix well. Then add 1 more cup of flour (making a total of 3 cups flour). The dough should be very soft. Set in fridge overnight or in the freezer for 1/2  hour or until dough is stiff.  Divide the dough in half and roll one half thin. Spread 2/3's of the dough with 3 tbsp. of butter (cut in thin slices). Fold 1/3 side without butter on top of 1/3 with butter. Fold the 1/3 side that is left with butter over that. Roll the dough thin. Fold and spread two or more times the same way until the cube of butter has been used. Roll out in a rectangle and cut into 8 strips. Twist each strip and make a horseshoe knot and place on a restaurant size cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Make a dent in each knot and fill with a jelly of your choice. Pile the streusel on top. (See streusel recipe below)   Repeat with the other half of the dough. Let raise until double in size...about  2-3 hours. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter

2 cups flour

Blend with pastry cutter. Add a dash of cinnamon. The topping should be a fine, crumbly texture.

Optional: drizzle with powdered sugar frosting after baking while still warm.

You can also make the pastries the night before. Follow directions up until you've put the streusel on... cover the pan with saran wrap and place immediately in fridge to prevent raising. In the morning take out and let raise...bake as directed above.

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

 PREP TIME15 minutes

 COOK TIME30 minutes

 TOTAL TIME45 minutes

 SERVINGS8 servings

 AUTHORCatalina Castravet

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup is a hearty and creamy take on America’s favorite cheeseburger. The soup is full of flavor, easy to make and comforting.

Ingredients

• 12 slices bacon chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium sweet onion chopped
• 1 cup carrots shredded
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1-3/4 pounds cubed peeled potatoes about 4 cups
• 3-4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 16 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (or 1/2 pepperjack cheese)
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

• In a large sauce pan or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving 1/4 of the drippings in the pot.
• Add the beef to the pot, don’t move it or break it for 3-4 minutes, so it gets nice and brown. Start crumbling the beef and cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium low, add the butter and once melted, add diced onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rest of the veggies: carrots, celery and potatoes. For extra flavor, cook the veggies for 7-10 minutes until tender or proceed to adding the chicken broth.
• Add 3 cups of chicken broth and the dried herbs: red pepper flakes, parsley, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir and add back in the beef, stir and if the soup is too thick, add one more cup of broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream and heavy cream. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese until it melts.
• Stir in 3/4 of the bacon.
• Serve garnished with the remaining bacon and fresh parsley.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 566, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 44g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 1198mg, Potassium: 591mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 3660IU, Vitamin C: 8.4mg, Calcium: 492mg, Iron: 2.5mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

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Julie's Chocolate Mousse Pie

8 oz. German Sweet Chocolate

4 TBSP sugar

6 oz. cream cheese softened

1 16 oz. carton cool whip (thawed)

2/3 cup milk

1 Baked pie crust

Prepare  9 inch pie crust or graham cracker crust

Heat chocolate with 4 Tbsp of the milk on low heat stirring constantly until chocolate is melted. Beat sugar into cream cheese and add remaining milk. Add chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in cool whip. Pour into a baked pie (or graham cracker) crust and freeze for 4 hours. Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving.

Teriyaki Chicken and Noodle Bowl

4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless (can use breasts)
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
3 large carrots, sliced thinly
1 red pepper, sliced
8 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 16 oz. package angel hair pasta....cook as directed
*Can add other vegetables like broccoli and yellow squash or zucchini squash

Teriyaki Sauce

1 1/2 cups cold water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder or fresh garlic
3 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. sesame oil

To make sauce place cold water, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil in a saucepan.  Combine cornstarch with brown sugar and stir into liquids. Stir together and heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickens.

Pour olive oil in frying pan and cook chicken. Remove chicken from pan and cook vegetables. Add more oil if needed. Cook until tender. Place chicken back in pan with vegetables and add sauce. Serve over angel hair pasta...or rice .

Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

1 small spaghetti squash, about 4 cups cooked
4 oz. chicken breast, cooked and shredded
4 oz. canned green chiles, chopped
2 -3 oz. cream cheese (low fat)
1/4 cup black beans 
1/2 cup enchilada sauce, red or green
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
green onions to garnish

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the spaghetti squash face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.

Combine shredded chicken, green chiles, cream cheese and black beans.When squash is finished cooking, use fork to loosen squash from the  "skin"...giving it the spaghetti appearance. Place half of the chicken mixture in each one. Top with 1/2 of the enchilada sauce and half of the shredded cheese.

Turn oven to 350 degrees. Return stuffed spaghetti squash back to oven and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken mixture is heated through. Top with green onions, salt and pepper to taste.
Clean and simple.

Kim's Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
8 chicken breast

Marinate overnight. Can grill chicken breast whole or cut into cubes for kabobs