Shakshuka

This recipe is based on several recipes I found online.  I added kale to make this a more complete meal.

Servings: 4-6

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed & chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder (NOT ground chile!)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• pinch of dried chili flakes
• 6 large eggs
• 1–2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• fresh black pepper, to taste
• feta or goat cheese (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat up oil in a 10 inch cast-iron (ideal) or large skillet over med-high heat.
2. Sauté onions for 3-5 mins or until translucent.
3. Add in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add diced tomatoes, kale and spices.
5. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 5 mins or until the broth has thickened.
6. Create small “wells” for the eggs with a spoon or ladle. Crack eggs directly into the wells.
7. Cover with a lid or with tin foil and let cook for about 10 mins for over-easy eggs or longer for more firmer yolks. Watch closely until desired egg consistency has been reached as each pan/stove top is different.
8. Top with fresh parsley and black pepper. Top with crumbled feta or goat cheese, if desired.
9. Serve immediately with fresh crusty bread or pita for dipping.

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18 Egg Casserole

Adapted from One Hundred Dollars a Month.
Servings: 8

 

INGREDIENTS
18 Eggs
1 ½ cups Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella cheese*, shredded
1 cup milk or yogurt
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
½ cup green chile, chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ onion, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
a dash of hot sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.

2. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

3. Pour into a greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish.

4. Bake, uncovered for 50 – 60 minutes or until the center is set.

5. Cool slightly. Serve warm.

 

Portuguese Sausages

 

Chouriço (shure–REET–zo):

This is probably Portugal’s most popular sausage. A dry sausage similar to Spanish chorizo, chouriço is very garlicky, red-brown with paprika, and sold in links about 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. In contrast to Spanish chorizo, chouriço has considerably less paprika and much more garlic and black pepper. In addition, lots of Portuguese red wine is splashed in to round out the flavor.

 

Linguiça (lin-GUEE-zah):

This dry sausage is not, as has been written, made of tongue. It consists of coarsely chopped pork shoulder, plenty of garlic and paprika. Its shape, rather like a long and slender lingua (tongue) explains the name. It is brined before smoking making it more flavorful and tender. 

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Pecan Pie

This is my favorite pecan pie recipe.  The lemon juice cuts thru the sugar a little so that the filling is not cloyingly sweet.

Servings: 6-8

INGREDIENTS
1 cup white corn syrup
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice
3 eggs
1 cup pecan halves
9″ pie crust, unbaked

1. Combine all ingredients except pecans & pie crust.  Mix until well blended.
2. Stir in pecans.
3. Bake at 425℉ for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 325℉ and bake for 35 minutes or until set.

• Double filling for a 10″ deep dish pie crust.
• You can use chopped pecans – it will still taste great but it will not be as pretty. 

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Acapulco Beef with Cornbread Dumplings

Adapted from The Ground Beef Cookbook by Joanne Waring Lindeman. I changed the beef to a combo of beef and pork and changed the seasoning.

Servings: 6

 

½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes*, undrained
1 – 6 oz can tomato paste
½ cup green chile, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder*
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Cornbread Dumpling batter

1. Saute beef in a hot skillet until browned. Remove from pan.
2. Add onion to skillet and cook until softened.
3. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant.
4. Return meat to skillet and add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Drop dumpling batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into the hot meat mixture. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
6. Cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Cornbread Dumplings

¾ cup flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¼ cup shortening
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
⅔ cup milk*

1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in cheese & cilantro.
4. Add milk and mix until moistened.

• I prefer “petite diced” tomatoes which are cut into appx ½” pieces. 
• Use chili powder, a blend of chiles, cumin, oregano and other spices, NOT ground chile such as cayenne.
• You can replace the milk with buttermilk or sour milk.
  

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Chili Powder

This recipe can be found on many different sites online. 

Yield: 1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS
1⁄4 cup sweet paprika*
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Store in an airtight container. 

• This is an aromatic blend of dried chiles, herbs and other spices that adds just the right level of heat without overdoing it — unlike its fiery chile pepper cousins (cayenne, New Mexico red chile, etc.)


• Smoked paprika can be substituted for part or all of the sweet paprika.

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Sour Cream Pie

This recipe was created by my grandmother, Alicia Goodwine ReVeal.  It does not use commercial sour cream but is a depression era recipe designed to use cream that had soured so that it would not be wasted.  My grandmother said the recipe was a family secret and would not write it down, even for her children.  My father wrote it out after watching her make it several times. 

Servings: 6-8

1 cup sour cream (not commercial)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp flour
9″ piecrust 
whipped cream (optional)

1. Pour all ingredients into the unbaked piecrust and mix. 
2. Bake at 350℉ until it forms a brown spot in the middle. 
3. Cool and serve. Top with whipped cream, if desired. 

• If you do not have cream that has soured, you can create it by adding 1 Tbsp yogurt or buttermilk to a cup of cream then letting it sit out of the refrigerator for a few hours. 

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Orange Mandarin Salad

I am not sure where my mother found this recipe but it has been a family favorite since the early 1970s.  My daughter always puts it on the must-have list for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. 

Servings: 8-10

2 pkg (3 oz) orange jello
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 cups hot water
6 oz can mandarin oranges, undrained
~½ cup nuts, finely chopped

Cream Cheese layer

1. Blend 1 pkg jello, cream cheese, mayonnaise and 1 cup hot water until well combined. 
2. Pour into mold and refrigerate until tacky. 

Fruit & Nut layer

1. Dissolve 1 pkg jello in 1 cup hot water then add juice drained from oranges.
2. Refrigerate until lightly set.
3. Add drained oranges and nuts. 
4. Pour over cream cheese layer and refrigerate until completely set. 
5. Unmold and serve. 

• Pecans or walnuts are good in this recipe but you can use any of your favorites. 
• This looks great using a ring mold. 
  

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Korean Chicken Tacos

Adapted from Asian Chicken Tacos by Serving Up Simplicity. I replaced Sriracha with gochujang, cabbage with broccoli stems and omitted the honey. I also doubled the amount of sauce.

Servings: makes 6-8 tacos, depending on how much meat you want in each

SAUCE

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp gochujang*
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Water

TACOS

• 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
• Broccoli stems, coarsely grated*
• 6-8 corn tortillas, charred
• Cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1-2 limes

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and mix until smooth. Thin with water, if needed.
2. Heat over medium heat until well combined.
3. Toss shredded chicken with sauce.
4. Char tortillas over gas burner or heat in the oven.
5. Spoon chicken onto tortillas and add a generous amount of shredded broccoli.
6. Top with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

• If you’re not familiar with gochujang, it is a Korean fermented chile paste. It is a fiery red color, but the chiles are relatively mild. I use 2 Tbsp – this makes the sauce about as spicy as a medium salsa. You can start with a smaller amount and add more to taste.
• You can substitute coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage for the broccoli stems.
• Add chopped peanuts for an extra crunch.

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Taco Soup

My mother gave me this recipe that a friend of hers had shared. I changed their recipe a little because I think the ranch dressing mix that they added made it too salty. Also, they said to drain all of the canned beans & vegetables, then add water – this seemed ridiculous to me, so I don’t do it.

Servings: 4-6

1 lb ground beef, cooked
15 oz can corn, undrained
2 – 15 oz cans pinto beans, undrained
15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 oz green chiles, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning
Cheddar or Jack cheese, grated
sour cream or plain yogurt

1. Dump all ingredients in a large saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat until heated through.
3. Serve topped with grated cheese and sour cream or yogurt.

• I keep containers of precooked ground beef in my freezer. I use it still frozen – it will be ready by the time everything is heats.  If you don’t have this, you can cook the meat in the saucepan before adding everything else.
• I prefer “petite diced” tomatoes which are cut into appx ½” pieces. You could also use fresh or frozen tomatoes.

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