Creamy Red Potato Salad

This is in the June/July 2012 issue of Taste of Home. I made it this past Memorial day. We had a little BBQ at my mom's. I have my normal, go to potato salad, but decided to try this one. It was delish. Big hit. Everyone loved it. Wasn't very hard either. Now I can say I have 2 different go to potato salad recipes.

2 1/2 lbs small red potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slice

Vinaigrette
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Salad
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups sliced radishes (I left out since no one in my family likes them)
2/3 cups thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup minced parsley
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Place potatoes into a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-18 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain.

Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients. Pour over potatoes; toss gently to coat. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

In a small bowl, combine mayo and sour cream; stir in radishes, onions and parsley. Add to potatoes; mix gently. Top with eggs. Chill until ready to serve.

Chipotle Cheeseburger

I got this recipe from the taste of home magazine the feb/march 2010 issue. I was delicious. I didn't use ground beef, I used ground turkey. It was still good.

You can go to www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chipotle-cheeseburger.aspx

Saucy Barbecued Ribs

I was a little skeptical about making ribs in the slow cooker. But with how easy it seemed, figured, what the hey. Let me tell you, this where moist and tender, fall of the bone good. My kids could not stay out of them Had to put some away just so my husband had some when he got home. The only thing I didn't like was there wasn't enough in the end, no left overs :(. 

3 1/2 pounds pork loin baby ribs or pork spareribs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup water

1 1/3 cups barbecue sauce

Spray the inside of a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Cut ribs into 2-3 rib portions. Place ribs in cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in water. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove ribs from cooker; place in shallow pan. Drain and discard liquid from cooker. Brush both sides of the ribs with barbecue sauce. Return ribs to cooker. Pour any remaining sauce over ribs. Cover and cook about 1 hour or until ribs are glazed and sauce is desired consistency. 

*optional- Just before serving, sprinkle ribs with green onions. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have to admit I LOVE slow cooker recipes. I love to use my slow cooker in the summer, anything to keep from having to use the stove or oven. My family all love tortilla soup. When I found one for the crock-pot, how could i resist? So simple and yummy.

1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast; cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp dried minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
1 carton (32oz) chicken soup
4 corn tortillas (6 inch) cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup cilantro
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream- if desired


Spray 3 1/2 - 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix up all the ingredients except the last 3. Cover; cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Stir in Cilantro. Increase setting to high. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer. Garnish with cheese and sour cream.

Agua De Horchata

This is more known as rice water or rice milk. There was this little burrito place back in Kansas that had this and it was my favorite thing to drink. I would crave it if I went to long with out any (hehe). So also made this for Cinco De Mayo. I can literary drink this stuff every day.

3/4 cups rice
2 tsp ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
11/2 tsp good vanilla
1/2-3/4 cups sweetened condensed milk
water, as necessary

Rinse the rice in a colander. Place in a blender and ass enough water to cover by an inch; soak 5 or 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and cinnamon, blend until finely ground. Drain the liquid through colander into a pitcher.
Return the ground rice to the blender. Add the condensed milk and about 2 cups water and blend again. Darin into the pitcher. Discard and remaining rice.

Tamales

I made these Tamales for Cinco De Mayo. This was the first time ever making the. Its alot of work and time, but well worth it. 

 Red Sauce
15 large dried chilies (such as Anaheim, new Mexico, California, or pasilla)
4-5 garlic cloves
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
2 tsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp olive oil or 2 tsp melted shortening

Remove stems and seeds from dried chili peppers. Place peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in 350 degrees oven for 2-5 minutes or until you smell a sweet roasted aroma, check often to avoid burning. Remove from oven and soak in enough hot water to cover for about 30 minutes. Put peppers and 2 1/2 cups of the soaking water into a blender (save remaining water). Add garlic, cumin and salt. Cover and blend until smooth. In a 2qt sauce pan, stir flour into oil or shortening over medium heat until browned. Carefully stir in the blended chili mixture. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until thickened (if sauce gets to think, stir in up to 1 cup of the remaining soaking water).

3 1/2 lbs pork shoulder or 3 1/2 lbs pork butt, trimmed of fat and cut up 
10 cups water 
1 medium onion, quartered 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
3 1/2 teaspoons salt 
4 cups red chili sauce (listed above) 
3/4 cup shortening 
6 cups masa harina 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
50 dried corn husks (about 8 inches long) 


In a 5 qt Dutch oven, bring pork, water, onion, garlic and 1 1/2 salt to boil. Simmer covered, about 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender. Remove meat from broth and allow both meat and broth to cool. (Chilling the broth will allow you to easily remove the fat if you desire to do so). Shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding fat. Strain the broth and reserve 6 cups. In a large sauce pan, heat the red chili sauce and add meat; simmer, covered for 10 minutes. To make masa beat shortening on medium speed in a large bowl for 1 minute. In a separate bowl, stir together masa harina, baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt. Alternately add masa harina mixture and broth to shortening, beating well after each addition. (Add just enough broth to make a thick, creamy paste). In the mean time, soak corn husks in warm water for at least 20 minutes; rinse to remove any corn silk and drain well. To assemble each tamale, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture on the center of the corn husk (each husk should be 8 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top. If husks are small, overlap 2 small ones to form one. If it is large, tear a strip from the side). Place about 1 tablespoon meat and sauce mixture in the middle of the masa. Fold in sides of husk and fold up the bottom. Place a mound of extra husks or a foil ball in the center of a steamer basket placed in a Dutch oven. Lean the tamales in the basket, open side up. Add water to Dutch oven just below the basket. Bring water to boil and reduce heat. Cover and steam 40 minutes, adding water when necessary.
To freeze these for future meals, leave them in the husks and place them in freezer bags. To reheat, thaw and wrap in a wet paper towel and reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes for one or two or re-steam them just until hot.

Corn and Chile Taco Salad

This stuff is delish. I could not stay out of it. Beats the everyday boring side of corn.

1/4 cup green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
4 ears of corn, I used 2 cans of corn instead
Juice of 1 lime
1 (4.5oz) can chopped green chilies
1/2 cup spicy ranch dressing
8 crispy corn taco shells

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake taco shells 3-4 minutes or until hot and crispy
In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients. Break up taco shells into large pieces. Serve corn mixture over the taco shells

Quesadilla Bake

At the grocery store I go to, every weekend they make samples of recipes. They had this one out one day. My kids and I tried it and loved it. So I took the recipe home and made it along with the corn and chili taco salad. Its another very simple recipe to make.

1/2 cup green onions, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 lb lean ground beef
3/4 cup mild salsa
1 packet burrito seasoning
8 tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese

Preheat over to 400 degree's. In a large saute pan on medium, place ground beef in the pan, cook until no longer pink. Stir in salsa and 2 tbsp seasoning.
Place 3 tortillas in a 13x9 baking dish. Layer half of the beef mixture and one cup cheese; sprinkle with 2 tbsp green onion and repeat.
Top with 2 tortillas; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup green onion and 1 cup cheese. Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly

* i topped with come cilantro and sour cream as well.

Buttery Corn bread

I found this recipe at Allrecipe. They have alot of home cook recipes on there. One of my favorites to check out.

Every since I made this easy corn bread, I can't go back to the box mixes. Made this to go with a dinner over at my mom's. Everyone loved. Had almost none left.

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups milk
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Combine the eggs and milk. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture.
2. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares; serve warm.

Creamed Corn

Been on a bit of a lazy streak with not posting. But I'm back and I'm getting caught up. Have lost of new things I want to try.

I made this awhile ago, just never posted it. It had to be the easiest creamed corn I ever made. Everyone loved it.

1 (10 -16 ounce) package frozen corn, cooked 
water, for cooking corn 
3 tablespoons butter 
3 tablespoons flour 
2 cups milk 
2 -3 tablespoons sugar 
salt and pepper to taste 


Cook corn according to package directions; I use the microwave. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour and blend well. Add milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, and blend with whisk. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir in sugar, salt and pepper. Add cooked, drained corn.