Pork Verde

Another little treasure for the Crockpot.  I will get this ready the night before and stick it in the fridge.  My hubby will put it on the next morning, and dinner is done when I get home.  It's  a beautiful thing.  My Dad loves this one, too- just like mom use to make!

3 lb. pork sirloin roast, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup minced cilantro
2 ears of corn, remove kernels
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. vegetable oil
1 large can of green enchilada sauce (or 2 small ones)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped **
flour tortillas (for serving)

In a large skillet, saute the pork and onions in small batches in the oil until browned. Transfer to the Crockpot. Next, in the same pan, saute the corn kernels, and garlic for a little bit. (It's ok if there are a few onions left in the pan- It's all good!) Add the cilantro and wilt. Add corn/cilantro/garlic mixture to meat in the Crockpot. Add the enchilada sauce and jalapenos. Stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is tender. Serve wrapped in tortilla.  YUMMY!!

**Callie's notes:  I am a total lightweight, and LEAVE OUT the jalapenos.  There is enough heat for me in the enchilada sauce, but if you like heat- by all means add the jalapenos! Ole!

BBQ Pulled Pork/Chicken in the Crock Pot

I can't trace the lineage of this recipe, but it is on the new side of our repertoire. Maybe the last 10 years or so?  It is great for making ahead and feeding a crowd.  We have had it for a lot of large family gatherings.  I have even used this same method/recipe with chicken breasts, and shredded that when we had a crew of people here helping us move into our new house.  I also try to buy the pork/chicken when it is on sale, and cheap.

BBQ Pulled Pork (or chicken)

3 lb pork tenderloin or roast (or boneless breasts, if you are going that route)
1-1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/4 cup of honey
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
pepper to season
1/4 cup flour

Place meat in crock pot.  Mix 3/4 cup of BBQ sauce, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over meat.

Cook on low 8-10 hours.

Using a fork (or two), shred meat into bite size pieces.

Mix flour with remaining 3/4 cup of BBQ sauce, and gradually stir into juices. Increase setting to high, cover and cook 15 minutes longer.


*Notes:  Like I said before, you can use pork or chicken.  If I am having a party, I will often double the recipe, and sometimes make it the day before, refrigerate, and re-heat in the crock-pot.  Makes party day a little easier.  Enjoy!

Grandma Bailey's Fry Bread

Crisp and tasty and WAY better than the junk you get at the fair, Grandma's Fry Bread is delicious and so versatile!  You can top these little breads of goodness with cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, honey or all three for a tasty breakfast or dessert. You can also make them a little bigger, and top them with beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes... you name it... for a yummy -and cheap- "Navajo Taco" dinner. My Uncle Bud remembers Gram making them for breakfast when he and Mom were little. We had a fun time making (and eating) them when he and my Aunt Lorie visited this weekend.  Good times!


Grandma Bailey's Fry Bread
4 cups of flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup dry, powdered milk
2 cups water
Mix dry ingredients. Add water. Mix with hands, adding more flour if necessary. Pinch off pieces of dough & flatten with hands. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Heat 1 cup of oil or shortening in a heavy skillet or pot to about 375 degrees. The oil should be about 1" deep or so. Pat down dough again into large or medium circles about 1/4 in' thick. (I am a cheater, we used a floured rolling pin.)

Brown on both sides in the hot oil. Drain. (I used a small pot so I wouldn't have to use so much shortening.) We just fried them one at a time.)

Again, you can top these lovelies with powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or honey for a sweet treat.  Or you can make it a meal by using it for a base for beans, cheese, even shredded beef.

Makes 2 dozen- 5" rounds, but we halved the recipe yesterday, and it worked great.  A half recipe made 9 of these 6" babies, which was perfect for an afternoon snack! 

Em had fun cooking with Uncle Bud!!


When I taught 4th Grade.. (oh... 10 years ago???) ... Mom and I made up the several batches of the dough, rolled it into 150 balls and covered them with greased wax paper. The next day I took them to school for Arizona Day.  We had a fry bread station and let the kids flatten them and Mom helped with the frying. They loved it!!!

Sharon Flack's Chicken, Cheese and Broccoli

This casserole full of yumminess comes from mom's cousin Sharon (Flack) Hall.  We first had it while visiting Sharon at the "camp" in Fair Haven, New York.  The house has been in the Flack family for longer than I know, and is nestled dreamily on Lake Ontario.  The view is out of this world beautiful, and is one of my favorite places on Earth.

Another tidbit about this one-dish wonder is that my niece, Brynn actually competed in the Kids' Pillsbury Bake-Off with this recipe here in Phoenix about 10 years back.  There were about 12 kids or so who competed.  She didn't win, but this recipe is a winner in our family ever since!


Sharon's Chicken, Cheese, and Broccoli
3 packages frozen broccoli (drained)
3 cans of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
4-5 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
3-4 cups (or so) SHARP cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix soup, mayo, and 2 cups of cheese.
Place broccoli, and chicken in the bottom of oblong casserole dish.
Spread mixture on top, and sprinkle with
remaining cheese.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly.

Notes: uh... this ISN'T  a low fat recipe, so don't kid yourself.  Also,  I use cream of chicken, and cut the mayo down to 1 cup. Also, spray your dish w/ Pam, and make your life easier.

London Broil

We aren't big ham lovers, and we just had turkey at Thanksgiving, so to the recipe box I went to find a tasty dinner for Christmas.  I made Mom's London Broil for Christmas last year, and everyone enjoyed it. So, why not do it again?  Some of you might think it odd to grill on Christmas, but this IS Arizona... but this can be (and is) enjoyed year round in any neck of the woods.

I use a top round London Broil cut of meat, which is often on sale. The one I bought was only $2.49 a pound, and will feed the whole family (with leftovers) for under $10.  (Don't tell!) The key to London Broil is the marinating... so you have to plan ahead.  :-)

Mom's London Broil
Marinade London Broil in the following for 24-48 hours:
     1 cup soy sauce
     1/2 cup water
     1/4 cup lemon juice
     1/4 cup honey
     2 stalks green onions, chopped
     1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Cover and place in the refrigerator.  Turn every 6-8 hours or so.
Cooking Instructions: Microwave meat for 5 minutes.  (I know... shameful... but it helps cook the inside so it won't get too crispy on the grill.)   Grill meat until medium-rare.  Slice meat crosswise (1/2" slices) to serve. Yummy!

*Mom's recipe says you can broil it, too.. but we usually grill it.  :-)

Sausage, Peppers and Pasta

This is a recipe that mom had in her box that is from an old magazine.  I am not sure which one, but mom wrote "Keeper!!!" (yes, 3 exclamation points) on it. We had it tonight, and Brandon agreed.  It is a "Keeper!!!"


Sausage, Peppers and Pasta
1 pound smoked keilbasa or Polish sausage
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 of a medium chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 T.  olive or vegetable oil
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 T. oregano
3/4 lb dry angel hair pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. butter

In a large skillet, saute sausage, peppers, onion, and garlic in oil until sausage is lightly browned. Stir in tomatoes and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Stir in cheese and butter. Serve with sausage mixture.  Yummy!

Kam's Roast

Not sure this would really be called a "roast" but that is how mom had it written down.  Even funnier is that this recipe comes from my sister Kam... who will be the first to tell you she does not enjoy cooking.  She says she didn't get the "cooking" gene.  Anyway... this is a great little crock pot gem.  I get it all ready the night before, then Brandon takes it out of the fridge and flips on the crock pot in mid morning. Dinner is done when I get home.  I love it! 

Kam's Roast


Layer the following, in order, in the crock pot.  (I don't like scrubbing, so I usually spray my crock first. )

1 diced Roma tomato
4 potatoes, peeled and chunked
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped

Place 2-1/2 lb round steak (roast) on top.  (I usually trim and cut into pieces.)

Mix in a bowl and pour over meat:
1 can tomato soup
1/2 can of water
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon basil
1 Tablespoon  oregano

1 Tablespoon parsley
1 Tablespoon  vinegar
salt and pepper

Cook in crock pot on low for 5-6 hours. Just plain yummy. 

My Comfort Food- Chipped Beef on Toast

For most kids (and adults) it is the same.  Your birthday rolls around and you get to choose whatever you want your mom to make for dinner. My mom got off easy.  For me... it was always chipped beef on toast.  I know. It sounds strange, but it is my comfort food.  I would NEVER order it in a restaurant, and like so many things...  I just like it the way my mom made it.  I finally found her recipe.  I am sure when I was younger she would make it on the stove top, but this recipe comes from the cookbook that came with our first microwave.  Early 80's... I am sure. Happy Birthday to me!


Basic White Sauce for Chipped Beef

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
pepper to taste
1 jar Armor dried beef 
bread (for toast)

Directions:

Put the butter in a microwave safe 1 quart bowl and melt on high for 15 to 30 seconds. This may take a bit longer if the butter is cold. Stir in the flour until blended and smooth. Stir in the milk and pepper.

Microwave on high for about 2 minutes. Stir and microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes more or until thickened. Rinse HALF of the chipped beef to remove some of the salt.  Tear the beef into small pieces. Add to sauce.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until desired thickness.

Enjoy!

Mom's Chicken Enchiladas

So, as another family staple I must post the recipe for Mom's Chicken Enchiladas.  I think mom started making this in the 70's when making soup based casseroles were all the rage. Growing up in Arizona, you would think we would be eating Mexican food all the time.  Well we do now, but this was the closest thing we got back then except for a night out to Don Ruben's. You would NEVER find this on a menu in a Mexican food restaurant, but we love it nonetheless.  It can be made to serve a crowd, and is pretty economical, too.  This is one even my sister Kam can make and we always get requests for the recipe.

Chicken Enchiladas
3-4 chicken breasts
2  cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can diced green chilies

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 pkg shredded cheddar cheese
1 pkg (12) corn tortillas
1 T. oregano
onion, salt, pepper

Boil the chicken until cooked, about 20 minutes. (I usually throw some onion, salt, and and pepper into the water to season)  Let chicken cool and shred. RESERVE the chicken broth.  Make "sauce" by combining soup, green chilies, chili powder, oregano, and about 2 soup cans full of the chicken broth. (I strain the broth, but I don't think mom ever did.)

Spray 9 x 13 " casserole dish with cooking spray.  Layer in this order:  tortillas (cut to fit, if needed), soup mixture, pieces of the shredded chicken, then cheese.  Repeat.  In a usual casserole dish, I can get 3 layers.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes @ 350 degrees or until bubbly.  Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until cooked, which is nice for parties.

Grandma's Spaghetti Sauce

Without a doubt this recipe floats to the top when it comes to family favorites.  Grandma Bailey made it before mom did, but for me it tastes the same, and I don't DARE deviate from the recipe.  My Uncle Bud told me that Grandma got this recipe from Italian friends Tony and Noreen Trippe, when they lived in Oswego, NY. Mom was just a little girl when they lived there. According to Bud, they had an Italian restaurant at one time, and this was their sauce recipe.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 small onion- chopped
2 cloves of garlic- chopped

Saute above in large pot with enough olive oil (Pompeian is what mom used) to cover the bottom.

Add:
     1 (28 oz) can of tomato puree
     2 puree cans, filled with water
     1 (6oz) can of tomato paste
     1/2  paste can, filled with water

Add:
     1 palmful (1-1/2 tsp-ish) each of dried basil, oregano, and fennel seeds*
     3 T. sugar
     3 whole cloves of garlic
     few dashes of pepper

Simmer on low for 3-4 hours .

* Mom said don't add fennel if you are adding Italian sausage in later.