Saturday, May 21, 2011

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have tried many different chocolate chip cookie recipes but I always go back to this one. The Russell's have used this recipe for as long as I can remember.


Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cup chocolate chips - one whole bag
Additional options - nuts of any kind
Oatmeal - if you add oatmeal, subtract the same amount from your flour. My sister, Tyre recommends 1/2 cup. (I have also seen some odd people blend their oats before adding them)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine flour, soda, salt - mix together, set aside. In a bowl combine sugars, add butter - mix until creamed together. Add eggs and vanilla - mix. Add flour to sugar mixture - mix. Add chocolate chips - mix. Bake for 22-24 min.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Cafe Rio Barbacoa Pork

If you've never made this YOU MUST MAKE THIS IMMEDIATELY!!  So Kindra's post got me motivated to take pictures this time.  Cafe Rio Pork has been my FAVORITE meal for about a year now. I make it in large quantities so I can enjoy it day after day for 3 meals a day. :)  We triple everything, except the dressing.  There's plenty of that in a single batch.

You can make this into a Cafe Rio Salad or Burrito(same basic ingredients). We make ours with tortillas, beans, rice, pork, cheese, and dressing. You may also include pico, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, tortilla strips, and coijta cheese. I think the basic combination of flavors is so perfect, I like to keep it simple. We buy the raw tortillas from the grocery store. They are wonderful. If they aren't available in your grocery store(usually by the cheese and such) try this tortilla recipe.





Cafe Rio Pork
Feeds 4-6   Time: 5 hours + Marinade


2 lbs Pork*
1 1/2 + 1/2 + 1/2 cans Coke
1 + 1/4 c light brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10 oz Can) Old El Paso red enchilada sauce

Marinate Pork, 1 1/2 cans coke and 1/4 c brown sugar in a ziploc bag for a few hours or overnight.

Drain pork and place in a crock pot on high with 1/2 can coke, water and garlic salt for 3-4 hours(or until it shreds easily).

In a blender combine 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1 c brown sugar.

Drain pork again, shred, and place in crock pot with blended ingredients. Cook for 1 more hour.





*I have heard recommendations for several different types of pork. Boneless pork ribs for example, we tried it, tastes great. We've also tried several different types of pork roasts (whatever is on sale, picnic, sirloin, rump, shoulder). They ALL Worked great!! The only kind of pork that I have found that DOES NOT work, is the kind that isn't cooked enough. If your pork won't shred, cook it longer. If you're using a roast, cut it up into baseball sized chunks. It helps it to cook faster. I did about 6 lbs of meat. I cut it up into chunks and it cooked nicely in my crockpot in about 5 hours plus the additional 1 hour. Please keep in mind, I'm not a pork expert. If you're aware of a pork that wouldn't work, don't try it :) But feel free to leave a comment and save someone else the trouble :)





Black Beans
Makes 2 cups


1 T oil
1 t cumin
1 t minced garlic
1 can black beans
3/4 t salt
1 1/3 c tomato juice
3 T chopped fresh cilantro

Heat pan, add oil, garlic and cumin on medium. Heat until the cumin is fragrant. Add beans, salt and tomato juice. Bring to a boil. Simmer on med-low for 20 minutes. Add cilantro before serving.







Cilantro-Lime Rice
Makes 3 cups


1 t butter
1 t minced garlic
1 t + 1 T lime juice
1 c rice
1 1/2 c chicken broth
3 T fresh chopped cilantro
2 t sugar


Heat butter and garlic in pan. Add rice, 1 t of lime juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Combine sugar, cilantro and 1 T lime juice in a small bowl.  When rice is finished, add it to the rice and fluff.

Julie's Cooking Variation: Bring 1 1/2c chicken broth to boil. Add 1 c rice. When it comes back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20min. Combine garlic, sugar, cilantro and 1 T lime juice in a small bowl.  When rice is finished, add it to the rice and fluff. 








Cilantro Ranch Dressing
Makes 1 quart or 32 oz



1 pkg (3T) Traditional Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (not buttermilk)
1 c mayo
1/2 c buttermilk
2 tomatillos, husks removed, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 t minced garlic
juice of 1 lime (3 T)
1 jalapeno, diced (remove seeds, if you don't like spice)

Mix ingredients together in a blender.  Refrigerate.  Let it sit overnight, if you have time.
Yum!




Adapted Slightly From Favorite Family Recipes

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Naan the Best so Far

Naan

submitted by Mom May 1, 2011

Naan is a type of flat bread, like pita, but softer. I have been looking for a good recipe for Naan for awhile. We love it at our favorite Indian restaurant "Seva".  Dad found this new recipe. July 6, 2019.
 Naan

1 t sugar 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 c warm water
2 1/4 t yeast
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 T oil
3 T melted salted butter

1.  In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together.  Stir to combine well.  The yeast will be activated in about 10 minutes.
Add dry ingredients and mix.   Add yogurt, yeast and oil. Knead dough until shiny and smooth about 3-4 minutes.  Use bread mixer, ex.  Kitchen Aid.
Cover dough, let rise until double.
2.  Divide dough into 8 equal portions.  Roll dough into a 8" circle using a rolling pin.
3.  Heat skillet( preferably cast iron), over high heat and lightly grease skillet with oil so it won't stick to pan.  Put dough into skillet until it puffs up and browns, then flip and cook other side. Remove.
Brush melted butter on Naan while hot.