Tijuana Tacos or carne asada tacos

 There are American tacos (shredded cheese, lettuce and ground beef) :(
or
there are authenitic Mexican tacos wheich we got used to living in San Diego and travelling to Mexico so much.

So here's the real deal:

Soft corn tortillas (if possible, buy these in a hispanic market and not a grocery store)

thinly sliced grilled beef (I use London broil cut)

pico de gallo (finely chopped red onion, cilantro and diced plum tomato - firm,  jalapeno pepper , salt and pepper, and a touch of lime juice

guacamole (smashed avocado, a little garlic salt, and some fresh salsa)

chopped cilantro

Slice the beef and grill hot and fast
have other ingredients ready
grill the tortillas quickly also and then assemble the tacos.

goes great with Spanish rice and black bean salsa

Chicken Soft Tacos

4 frozen boneless chicken breasts
1 jar (26 oz) salsa
1 cup sour cream
flour tortillas

Place chicken in greased slow cooker. Pour salsa over the top. Cover and cook on hi 6-8 hrs. or on low for 10-12 hrs. Shred the chicken  by pulling apart with 2 forks. During the last hour of cooking, stir in sour cream. Makes 6-8 servings

Sunday Crock Pot chicken

boneless chicken breasts or cut up, bone in breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 C sour cream or 8 oz cream cheese




Place chicken in crock pot and add remaining ingredients except sour cream or cheese.
Cover and cook on hi for 4 hrs or low  for 6-8 hrs. One hour before serving, stir in the sour cream.

Serve with "smashed potatoes" and a green vegetable

Crock Pot Burritos

1 # cooked and drained ground beef (gravel)
2 16 oz cans of refried beans
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
                                      1/2 C water
                                       flour torillas

Combine all ingredients except tortills in greased slow cooker. Cover and heat on low 6-10 hrs Spread hot bean mixture on tortillas and fill with favorite burrito toppings. fold and enjoy.

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

I think this is the kids' favorite thing that I make.
I would make a lot at one time, in pie pans and everyone wanted the middle! We had these every Christmas morning.

In a large bowl combine:

2/3 C powdered milk
1 C sugar
2 squares margarine
2 C boiling water

Soften 3 T yeast in 1 C warm water and let sit a couple of minutes

Add yeast to 6 beaten eggs, than add to milk mixture

Add 1 T salt

Sift enough flour into milk mixture to make a soft dough. Beat thoroughly. Turn out onto floured board and knead barely enough so that it can be handled. (very soft)

Place in a greased (oil) bowl. Grease the top of the dough.
Cover and let rise tll double (about 30 min)

divide the dough into 2 parts. Let one part sit while you roll the other

Roll onto counter into a rectangle shape ; about 1/2 in thick (no more)
brush on butter, then sprinkle on brown or white sugar, then cinnamon.
Roll up and cut into 1 inch rolls

I always used oiled round pie tins because when I've used a cookie sheet or cake pan, the inside ones are undercooked. Each tin fits about 7 rolls. The rolls should barely touch each other so that ther is enough room to rise. Put in a warm place to rise.

350 20-25 min ....Drizzle with thin frosting after they come out.

Frosting: cream some butter, add a couple drops of vanilla, and a good amount of pd sugar. Add milk to desired consistency.

Sugar Cookies

My mother's recipe

1/2 C butter

1 C sugar

1 egg or 2 egg yolks

1 T cream or milk

1/2 ts vanilla

1/2 ts salt

1 ts baking pd

1 1/2 C flour

For richer cookies, increase butter to 1 C and add 1 egg yolk

Beat sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla,

then add the rest, spoon out dough onto cookie sheet

Flatten a little with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Add more flour for rolled cookies

Makes 50 - 60 small cookies

375 - 8 min

Snickerdoodles

1/2 C shortening

1/2 C margarine

2 3/4 C flour

2 eggs

2 ts cr of tartar

1 ts soda

1/4 ts salt

1 1/2 C sugar

Roll into balls. roll in 2 T with 2 ts cinnamon. Place 2 in apart

400 for 8 min. till lightly browned makes 6 doz

My mother's white cake and Hungarian Icing

My favorite cake growing up! It was all about the icing for me, very dense like a ganache almost. Mom always made this on one layer, in a cake pan.

white cake

2 cups sifted swandown cake flour

3 ts bak pd

1/4 ts salt

1/2 C butter or shortening,

cream together with 1 1/4 C sugar

add

3/4 C milk

1 ts vanilla

2 egg whites (fold in at the end) beaten first? save yolk for icing

Bake at 360, 20-25 minutes

Hungarian Icing

3 squares bitter chocolate ( melt over hot water, db boiler)

1/1/2 C icing sugar (pd sugar)

2 T hot water

3 yolks

4 T butter

Pumpkin Bread or cake

350 45 min

Mix:

1 yellow cake mix

1/2 ts ginger

2 ts cinnamon

1/2 ts nutmeg

1/2 C white flour

Blend in:

2 eggs

3/4 C water

1 can Libby's pumpkin

1/2 C nut (opt)

My mother's Oatmeal Cookies

This was my my favorite cookie growing up. Mom made them all the time. Maybe she made them so often because she knew I loved them??

1 egg
1 C sugar
1/2 C solid margarine
1/2 C melted margarine
1 T molasses
1/4 C milk
1 3/4 C rolled oats
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 ts soda
1 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts salt

Beat egg and add the rest. For a thicker cookie, increase to 2 C oats and 1/3/4 C flour.

325 for about 18 min.

Ice Dream Treats

This was one of the kids favorite summer treats. I made these all the time.

1 tub cool whip
24 graham crackers
2 1/2 C milk
1 large box chocolate pudding

Mix pudding and milk , let set up and then add the cool whip.

Spread the mixture onto graham crackers 1/2 in thick and top with another graham cracker to make ice dream sandwiches. Press lightly and smotth around edges with a spatula. Freeze until firm about 3 hours. Variation: sprinkles or chopped nuts on the sides.

Twinkie Dessert

1. in a large pyrex cake pan layer split twinkies, gooey side up

2. layer of lg box vanilla pudding (mixed)

3. layer of sliced bananas

4. layer of cool whip

5. layer of sliced strawberries (cut side down)

chill till serving

Bahmi

1/2 # bacon

thin spaghetti noodles

a couple of leeks

bean sprouts

thin sliced cabbage

minced garlic

sambal oelek

ketjap

Boil up the noodles, undercook them a little. Strain but don't rinse.

Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry up in a wok.

Remove the bacon and let sit on a paper towel to crispen up.

In the bacon grease, put in 1-2 ts sambal, 2 ts wet minced garlic, a little ketjap and a pack of Bahmi goreng spices, (I usually softed the rehydrate the spices in a little bowl first, let it sit a minute ) Mix together and then add the chopped leeks and the cabbage. Stir fry quickly.

When the vegetables look wilted begin to add the noodles, the crumbled bacon and lastly the sprouts. Salt to taste. Add a little pepper also And add more ketjap to taste.

When it tastes right, add the sprouts, stir a bit and serve.

Serve with cucumber with seasoned rice wine vinegar, little salt. pepper, and a pinch of sugar

Serve with Pinda sauce also.

Grandma Boot's Potato Salad

The uniqueness of this salad is the methos of preparation, not the ingredients.

15 red potatoes
12 hard boiled eggs
3/4 C sweet pickle relish
2 C mayonnaise
1 1/2 T mustard
2 ts celery salt
1 1/2 ts seasoning salt
4 chopped green onions
1 T pickle juice

Boil and cool potatoes completely.
Separate the cooked egg yolks from the whites.
Beat together the egg yolks, relish, mayo (real), salts, onions, and pickle juice (or vinegar).
Chop the whites and fold into the yolk mixture. Peel and dice potatoes and fold into salad mixture.
Cover and chill overnight to blend flavors.

warning: 440 calories per serving

Mom's Christmas Ribbon Salad

2 (3 oz) packages lime jello
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows cut in pieces
1 cup pineapple juice
1 (8oz) pk cream cheese
1 (16 oz) crushed pinapple
1 cup cool whip
1 (3oz) lemon jello
2 (3 oz) cherry jello

Dissolve lime jello in 2 cups hot water then add 2 c cold water. Pour into a 14x10x2 clear pyrex pan or glass pedestal bowl. Chill till set.
Dissolve lemon jello in 1 cup hot water in top of dbl boiler. Add marshmallows, stir to melt.
Remove from heat. Add drained pineapple juice and cream cheese. Beat till well blended and stir in pineapple. Cool.

Fold in cool whip. Chill till thickened then pour over the lime jello. Chill till almost set.
Mix cherry jello and chill till partially thickens then pour over the pineapple layer. Chill till firm.
(I like to make this with 1/2 the middle)

Sweet Potato Souffle

This is a standard - gotta have - southern dish courtesy of Lynn Cook

TOPPING
2 lb sweet potatoes
3/4 CUP FROSTED FLAKES ) MIX 2 ING.
1/2 stick butter
1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR ) TOGETHER
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs

1/2 STICK MELTED BUTTER ~~ SIMMER FROSTED FLAKES MIXTURE AND COOK TOGETHER ON STOVE 'TIL MELTED.
1/2 tspn vanilla
CINNAMON TO TASTE

MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER, ADD TO GREASED CASSEROLE DISH
COOK FOR 20 MINUTES AT 350*, ADD TOPPING ADN COOK ANOTHER
10-15 MINUTES (UNTIL BROWN AND CRISPY!)

Melissa's Pumpkin Bars

Melissa B Nash: This is the BEST recipe ever! My friend Megan made it for a party while we were in LA, and now I make it for all of our Holiday gatherings! It is soooo easy too!


6 EGGS
1 ½ C OIL
3 C. SUGAR
1 ½ tsp VANILLA
1 LRG CAN PUMPKIN
4 ¼ C. FLOUR
1 ½ tsp BAKING SODA
1 T CINNAMON
1 ½ TSP SALT

Mix the first 5 ingredients together. In a separate bowl combine the next 4 dry ingredients and fold into the first mixture. Pour into greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 30-40 min.
Let cool. Frost with the following mixture;

1-8oz pkg cream cheese
1 cube butter
1 box (I lb) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Southern Style Stuffing

This recipe is from Lynn Cook and is delicious

1 pkg Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing

1 pkg Pepperidge Farm Herb stuffing

2 large cans (qt size) chicken broth, heated to a low boil

2 sticks of butter

1-2 large sweet onion, chopped

1 large stalk of celery chopped

Pour the dressing into a large bowl, season with salt, garlic pepper and poultry seasoning

(note - the herb dressing is lightly seasoned so be careful not to over season.)

Melt butter and saute onions and celery till tender.

Add butter and vegetables to heated broth

Pour liquid over the dry dressing and mix thoroughly. Season to taste.

Pour into a greased casserole diah, smooth it out and lightly butter the top.

Bake at 350 for 20 -30 min until the top is golden brown

Mom's Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding is a traditional British side dish with roast beef. My mother never really made it but I was introduced to it through my friends who had British descent mothers. There is just something about the flavor when you have good gravy to sog it in.!

The yorkshire pudding batter needs to be cold. Make it a day ahead and refrigerate.

beef roast
2 cups flour
1 ts salt
6 large eggs
2 1/2 c milk
Sift together flour and salt. Place in bowl; make a well, and place eggs in center.
Slowly whisk in 1/2 c milk.
Gradually whisk in remaining 2 cups milk. Cover with plastic; chill in fridge at least 4 hours, or overnight.
When roast is finished, set oven, at 425. Deglaze the pan, pour 1/4 c of the pan drippings into roasting pan. Don’t use it all because you still need some to make gravy.
Heat pan and drippings until very hot, about 5 minutes. Remove batter from fridge and whisk well.
Quickly pour into hot pan. Cook until crisp and golden, 20 - 30 min. Serve warm with prime rib or another beef roast.

Molasses Cookies

cream 3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar

add 1 egg
1/4 cup molasses

sift together and mix into creamed mixture
1/2 ts salt
2 cups flour
1 ts soda
1 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts ground ginger
1/2 ts ground cloves

form into 3/4 inch balls, then roll in sugar. Do not squish!
Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. Do not over cook

Makes 4 dozen

Grandma's pink and green Butter Cookies

2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c br sugar divide dough in half and add green and red food coloring
2 eggs
1 ts vanilla roll in logs, chill or freeze then slice when ready to bake
4 c flour
1 ts baking pd
1/2 ts salt

325 for 10 minutes

Grandma Boot's Butter Cookies

Grandmas always liked to make family their favorite cookie when they visited. This was mine.

1/2 cup cornstarch
1 c flour
3/4 c real butter
1/2 c sugar

Cream the butter and sugar. Add dry ingredients until you have a nice and smooth dough.
Divide dough in four equal parts about 2x4. Cut in 10 pieces, roll flatten a little.
Bake at 325 about 8-9 min. until edges are lightly browned.

When cooled dip one end in melted chocolate. Sprinkle with hail or other sprinkles.

Shanna's Blueberry Jello Mold

FIRST LAYER

1 envelope of NO flavor gelatin MIX GELATIN AND WATER (until gelatin is dissolved)
1/4 cup COLD WATER BOIL HEAVY CREAM AND SUGAR, THEN ADD GELATIN MIXTURE
1/2 pint HEAVY CREAM LET CHILL IN FREEZER 20 MINUTES, THEN ADD SOUR CREAM
1 cup SOUR CREAM AND VANILLA. POOR INTO MOLD AND PUT IN REFRIGERATOR
3/4 cup SUGAR TO SET FOR 1-2 HOURS.
1 TBL VANILLA


SECOND LAYER

1 pack RASPBERRY JELLO BOIL WATER, ADD JELLO AND TAKE OFF HEAT ONCE DISSOLVED.
1 cup BOILING WATER DRAIN BLUEBERRIES RESERVING THE JUICE. ADD BLUEBERRIES
1 15oz CAN OF BLUEBERRIES AND JUICE TO JELLO. CHILL IN FREEZER FOR 20- 30 MINUTES.
3/4 cup BLUEBERRY JUICE POOR INTO MOLD WHEN FIRST LAYER IS READY.

Green Bean Cassserole Extraordinaire

Ok, so this is the BEST green bean casserole ever! Now, I am not a green bean fan..but I LOVE this. In fact both of my very very picky sisters who also don't like green beans, couldn't stop eating this. Try it for Thanksgiving dinner, I promise it will be a hit! Oh, and the best part is that you can prepare this in 5-10 minutes! Melissa Nash

Step 1
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
4 (14.5 ounce) cans of french style green beans (drained)

Step 2
2 cups cornflakes cereal (crushed)
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven 350. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish
Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a large skillet. Stir in flour to make a paste. Blend in sour cream in the paste, stirring constantly. When the mixture is hot and bubbly, remove from the heat, and stir in the swiss cheese. When the cheese is melted, add the green beans, stir till coated. Pour the entire mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin

Shanna makes this for our Thanksgiving dinner every year

4 slices of bacon
1 large onion
1 clove of garlic
2 lbs fresh brussel sprouts (trimmed and halved)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup unsalted butter
5 TBL flour
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 TBL dijon mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
paprika for garnish


1) Heat a large skillet and crisp- cook the bacon. transfer bacon to a plate and set it aside. Pour off all but 2 TBL of bacon fat from pan. Add onions to the pan and saute over medium heat for 6-7 minutes; add the garlic for the last minute. Scrape the onions and garlic into a large, shallow casserole and spread them evenly. set aside.

2) Trim the brussels sprouts, then cut them in half lengthwise. Steam the sprouts for about 5 minutes and drain. spread brussels sprouts over onion and garlic mixture in casserole dish. Heat oven to 375*.

3) Combine the milk and chicken broth in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

4) Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring over medium heat, for about 1 minute, until the flour is light golden brown. Whisk in half of the hot milk and broth. Heat and whisk for a minute or so, until thick. Add the remaining liquid and cook for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently.

5) Whisk in the Parmesan cheese, mustard, salt, thyme, and pepper. Pour sauce evenly over the brussels sprouts. Mince the bacon and sprinkle it over the sauce. Sprinkle evenly with the cheddar cheese and dust lightly with paprika, if desired.

Chocolate Mousse Balls

I make these every Christmas!


1 8oz bar of chocolate
7 oz defrosted Cool Whip

Melt the chocolate on low in microwave. Add cool whip. stir, and chill. The less cool whip you add, the firmer this will be.

When firm. scoop out with a teaspoon and rolled in finely chopped walnuts. Store in the fridge.

Sweet Chex mix

This is a VERY popular recipe that Nikki makes. You just can't stop eating this stuff!

1 # butter

3 cups brown sugar

1 cup Karo syrup

1 ts vanilla

1 ts baking soda

2 15 oz boxes of rice chex mix cereal

Bring the butter, sugar, and syrup to a boil

Stir in vanilla and baking soda

Pour onto cereal, mix and lay out on counter top till dry.

O Henry Bars

My grandfather, Henry Kyle, would always have an O Henry chocolate bar for me every time I came to visit. So naturally I loved O'Henry bars. This recipe tastes just like the candy bar.

mix in a pan and bring to boil...

1 cup sugar and 1 cup white Karo syrup

add...

3 cups rice crispies

1 cup raw peanuts

1 cup creamy peanut butter

spread in a buttered 8x12 pan

melt in double boiler...

1 6oz pk chocolate chips

1 6 oz pk butterscotch chips

spread, cool, cut in bars

My Favorite Lasagne

This is the only recipe I have ever used

prego traditional sauce
cooked lasagne noodles
mozzarella cheese
ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese (real)
2 eggs
gravel (precooked and frozen hamburger meat)

layer in a pyrex pan:
prego
1/3 of the cooked lasagne noodles
1/2 the ricotta (mixed with the eggs)
1/3 mozz
more sauce
parm cheese
repeat...

Shredded Beef Burritos

Slow cook a pot roast (in salsa opt) Cook long and slow till is shreds
roll in a tortilla with salsa and quacamole

Couldn't be easier !

Lorna's Indonesian Stir fry

I make this all the time! eat with sticky rice OR noodles (vermacelli works well)

Stir fry in a little olive oil and butter, sambal and minced garlic (at least a ts) and ketjap, thin sliced London broil or chicken

when cooked to desired doneness (it should be just barely cooked to remain moist and tender)
move to a plate for a minute

In the remaining juice, stir fry the vegetables; onions, red peppers, and peas pods or broccoli

add some more water with beef bouillon to the mixture, heat through and add back the meat.

Serve a scoopful into bowls of Nashiki sticky rice

Grandma's Dutch Hache

This traditional Dutch recipe makes use of left over steak or roast. She made it for us every time we came to visit from California because she knew we loved it. I never cooked it while she was alive. I always just let her do it. I regret that now.

10 potatoes (approx)
2 onions
cold cooked steak or roast
1 bay leaf

2 T vinegar
2 T sugar
pinch nutmeg (nutmeg goes in just about everything Dutch)
2 T cornstarch

Melt butter and saute the onions till clear
Add 1/4 C water. Put lid on and simmer 10 min.
Take lid off and brown a little.

Add 1/14 c water
Add vinegar and thicken with 1-2 T cornstarch to consistency of thick soup.
Season with sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper
Use vinegar last or it won't thicken!

Dutch Croquettes

This recipe says BOOT FAMILY more than any other I can think of

3 T butter
1/2 C flour
1 can corned beef
1 C milk
1/4 ts curry pd
1 T parsley
bag of nasi goreng spices

flour
2 eggs
bread crumbs

in a 2 qt pot, melt butter then add flour, mix till smooth
stir in milk gradually and let thicken, stir constantly
add the corned beef, mix thoroughly
add the spices

The mixture should be thick

Chill in the fridge, roll the logs in your hands , then roll in flour, then the eggs (mixed with a little milk) then roll in plain bread crumbs.

Freeze or chill till ready to deep fry. Fry till golden brown, about a minute

Grandma Boot's oven baked BBQ chicken

2/3 # chicken
1/4 C oil
1/2 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped celery
1/2 C ketchup
2 T lemon jc
1 T brown sugar
1T worsh... sauce
1T vinegar
1 T prepared mustard (yellow)


Brown chicken pieces slowly in oil
place in a baking dish

to the skillet. add onion and celery and cokk until tender
Add the remaining ingredients and 1/3 C water
season to taste and simmer 15 min
skim off excess fat and pour the sauce over the chicken

Bake uncovered 325 for 1 1/4 hour

Saucy Pork Chops

6 pork chops
1 can cream of onion soup
1/4 cup water
1/8 ts. pepper

In skillet, brown the chops and pour off fat. Stir in soup, water and pepper
Cover and cook over low heat 30 min. or till tender. Stir occasionally.

or cook in a crock pot. Sprinkle on a little parsley before serving

Elyn's Autumn Soup

Great on a crisp fall night ...it is not as tomato-y as this photo looks.

1/2 # lean ground beef
1 C chopped onion
5 C hot water
1 + C chopped celery
2 cubed potatoes
some chopped carrots
handful of barley

1 ts salt to taste
1/2 ts pepper
2 bay leaves (remove before serving)
1/4 ts dried basil
1 T beef bouillon granules or liquid bouillon like oxo

Bring to a boil and simmer till vegetables are done.
Add 8 oz tomato sauce and a little sambal (hot sauce)
Add frozen peas right before serving..they will cook in an instant

Roasted Green Beans

put green beans, chopped shallots on a baking sheet
drizzle with olive oil, salt pepper

500 about 8 min.

OR

roast with a little italian dressing drizzled over

Cheese Fondue

The original name of the recipe is Carnaby Street Cook-in...very 60's. This was one of the first things I ever cooked. We cooked it in Home Ec in High School. I made it a lot when we were first married, but Dad wasn't a big fan so I stopped making it. Dad and I once ordered cheese fondue in Switzerland...I hated it. It was full of white wine or something. I still love my little recipe the best.

1 can Cheddar cheese soup (undiluted)
6 oz or about 6 slices of Swiss cheese, cut in cubes or torn slces
1 medium clove garlic. minced or crushed (today I would use 1/2 ts of wet minced garlic.

French bread cubed.

In a saucepan combine all ingredients (Not the bread) Heat slowly till cheese melts.

This is good served with hot cider

Grandma's Dutch tomato soup

This about as Dutch as a recipe can be. Grandma made this all the time! It's a great winter soup along with a grilled cheese sandwich and some fruit.

Take a pound or so of lean ground beef, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Form small balls approx 1/2 in in diameter
drop these into abt 2 qts of hot water in a big soup pot

Add a couple of handfuls of rice (not minute rice)
Add 1/2 chopped onion and simmer abt 20 min.

then add 1 6.oz can tomato paste
Add a little chopped parsley, salt and pepper, nutmeg and some beef bouillon of some kind.

Season by taste