Best Damn Borracho Beans Period!

These are the beans I made for Ky and Kristin's wedding for the pulled pork nacho's

2 lbs pinto beans (washed and sorted)
2 small white onions
2 fresh jalapenos
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 small roma tomatoes
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
3 ham hocks (I used bacon*)
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
2 Tablespoons bacon drippings
12 ounces chicken stock
12 ounces dark beer (optional) Mexican beer like negro Modelo is preferred

1. Bring beans to boil in 8-10 cups of water. Remove from heat and cover. Let the beans soak for 30-45 min. until the beans start to swell from the water infusing into them.

2. Strain the beans.  Add 8 cups of water to drained beans and bring to boil.

3. While beans are boiling, trim the ham hocks of fat; leave fat in large pieces. Cut the meat into small bite-size pieces. Put all into pot. Remove fat and bones when your beans are tender and done.

4. Chop all veggies into small pieces. Combine veggies, meat, fat, and spices into large stock pot or dutch oven and simmer for at least 2 1/2 hours. Remove fat when finished. Taste, add more seasoning if needed.

*I cook the bacon until half way cooked then add the onions and garlic and finish cooking the bacon until crisp then add to the beans with other veggies.

I also add if I have it Goya brand ham flavoring and Goya sazon. It really improves the color and flavor. But this is optional.

Other optional things to add would be Mexican oregano and chopped green peppers.

Greek Salad

Greek Salad


6 large ripe but firm tomatoes
2 jars artichoke hearts
2 cans medium black olives
1 large cucumber
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 medium white onion
Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, basil, feta, garlic and Parmesan to taste. I like to use herb le Provence if available instead of the others.

Wash vegetables. Cut everything except olives and spices in chunks, not slices. Even the onion. Toss everything together. Add oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Add a couple Tablespoons each of vinegar and olive oil. Toss again. (Add what ever vinegar and oil that you need, I usually use more).

Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oats (quick or rolled)
1 cup peanut butter

Cream together butter and sugars. add eggs and beat well. Blend in peanut butter. Stir in flour, soda and salt. Add oats and mix well. Add vanilla. Spread into a greased 9x13 pan bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. (until light brown. Spread with peanut butter then chocolate butter cream frosting

Onion Rings

Onion Rings

Batter

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk, more as needed

salt and pepper to taste.

Dry bread crumbs (Panko)

I also added some paprika and a little bit of garlic powder.

Directions

Prepare some oil to fry the onion rings in.
Slice a large onion and separate the rings (tip: if you let the rings soak in ice cold water for about 10 minutes you are able to remove the inner skin of each of the rings this helps to keep the onion from pulling all out when you take a bite).
Mix together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, egg, milk, and salt and pepper into a batter that should resemble a pancake batter, if you like really crispy rings make the batter a little thicker.
Dip the rings into some flour (seasoned if you like) than into your batter, let the extra batter drip off and dip into the bread crumbs.
Fry until golden brown about 3 minutes on each side.

For a little extra treat, take some guacamole and put into the center of each of the rings freeze for about an hour or over night bread and fry just like you would with normal onion rings.

Cabbage Stew

Cabbage Stew
recipe credit South Your Mouth

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces (Kielbasa is fine)
1 onion, chopped
1-2 carrots, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
3-4 tablespoons bacon grease (can substitute butter)
1 small head of cabbage, chopped into 1" pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
6 cups chicken broth
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 10.5-oz. can cream of celery soup (cream of chicken works great)
opt. dash of cream

Saute sausage in vegetable oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven until nicely browned. Add onion and carrots and continue cooking until onions are semi-translucent. Add bacon grease, cabbage, salt, pepper and garlic and continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes.

Add chicken broth and potatoes and stir well. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer stew for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream of celery soup, reduce heat to low, cover and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes.

I really loved this soup. It's fast and inexpensive. You can make substitutions also if you don't have something on hand. The addition of a dash of cream to your bowl of soup just makes it creamier and richer but is not needed.

Cashew Turkey Salad

Cashew Turkey Salad

recipe from Christi Stone

Serves 12

3 Romaine lettuce hearts, cut up

4 Cashews

¾ Cup Craisins

2 Apples, cut up

2 Pears, cut up

4 oz (1 cup) Swiss Cheese, cubed or grated

Cooked Turkey or Chicken (optional)

(I used ½ of the already cooked whole turkey breast found at Costco- probably was about 2 cups of cut up meat) The original recipe did not have the meat in it.)

Dressing

¾ Cup Canola oil

2/3 Cup Sugar (I did not use quite that much sugar)

1 Tbs Red onion finely grated

1 ½ tsp salt

2 Tbs Poppy Seeds

1 tsp Ground Mustard

1/3 Cup fresh Lemon Juice

Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken

adapted from pinterest recipe
serves 3-4
Ingredients

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/3 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped or sliced
1 green pepper, chopped or sliced
1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped

sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider or white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion salt*
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 1 tablespoon cold water

Instructions
1. First prepare the sauce, Add sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion salt, and ketchup to a medium sauce pan. Stir and Bring to a boil. In a small bowl whisk together the 1 tablespoon corn starch and cold water until dissolved. Add to sauce pan and stir until thickened, then reduce to low heat.
2. Add chicken pieces and corn starch to a large ziplock bag. Seal and shake to coat chicken. Drizzle a large pan or skillet with oil. Add coated. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add peppers and onions. continue to saute over medium heat until Chicken is browned and cooked through.

3. Add sauce to chicken and peppers. Stir to coat well. Serve warm with cooked rice if desired.

*If you don't have onion salt, use garlic salt or Jane's crazy mixed up salt instead or garlic powder, and use onion powder instead of garlic salt.
If you like sauce...double the sauce recipe.