Milanesa

My neighbor, Cynthia made this one time for me and we love it and it is usually one of those quick, easy fall back meals for me. Cynthia is from Monteray, Mexico. Her dad owned several different restaurants and she now owns her own taco grill. Not a shabby reference when recommending recipes. My family loves this. I don't think Brock claimed to be allergic once tonight. Ford is not a fan of the salsa on top so, substitues it for barbeque sauce. I have no idea if that is good or not but, considering he adds barbeque sauce to everything he eats, I wouldn't recommend it.

Milanesa is actually a cut of meat. You can ask for the cut at your local grocery store's meat department. If you are lucky, which I have been on occasion, they will know what you are talking about and be able to do it. If you live near an H.E.B., they actually have them pre-breaded and ready to cook (at least mine does). They are pretty inexpensive. I can buy a package of 3 for approximately $7. 3 is plenty for my whole family. We usually cut them in half.

If you don't have an H.E.B. you need a really thin cut (milanesa cut) piece of steak. Bread the steak however you like. Cynthia used crackers. Fry the meat in a little oil. It will cook pretty fast becuase it is so thin. Now, the yummy part, which seems weird and I was so unsure of at first...Salsa, mine of course! Spread a little salsa on top and squirt some lemon juice on top of the salsa. Delicious!

Carolyn's Atomic Salad

My friend Carolyn makes this awesome salad. It's everyone's favorite and shows up at every event. For some reason it always taste best when she makes it but, I still try. The dressing is the secret and is also fabulous on pasta. The recipe makes enough to use on a couple of different salads. It will keep in the fridge for a week or two.

Atomic Salad

Atomic Salad Dressing:

1/2 - 3/4 cup extra light olive oil
2-3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. original Kraft Parmesan cheese
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 dash finely ground mustard

Combine salad dressing ingredients and shake well.

Green Salad:

1 head green leaf lettuce
cherry tomatoes, halved
seasoned croutons
avocados, diced

For green salad, combine: 1 head green leaf lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, croutons, and avocados. Immediately before serving, add dressing to salad and toss well.

Sarah's Chicken Pot Pie

I got this recipe from my friend Sarah. She tutors my son, Ford and it used to kill me when I'd walk into her house and smell this baking. I finally got up the nerve to make it, always assuming it would be too much work. It's not! Brock spent the entire time I was baking this proclaiming profusely that he was allergic to pies. Once he tried it, he said "I like this Sam I Am! I want pie every night." The good news is, it makes enough for two pies. Great for those nights when you have to cook for someone else also. I froze my extras this time, we'll see how that works.

I've gotten a couple of recipes from Sarah that are my all time favorites....one of them a bacon wrapped meatball that I'll have to make soon because, just thinking about it has my mouth watering!

Sarah took a combination of several recipes to come up with this version so, the directions are not exactly step by step. Basically, cut up your vegetables and cook until tender (or use frozen like I did this time).

Deep Dish Chicken Pot Pie

3 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken

1 cup sliced cooked carrots (I actually substituted corn this time)

1 cup cubed, cooked potatoes

1 cup frozen green peas

1 medium onion, diced and cooked

6 TBS. butter or margarine

1/2 cup flour

2 TBS. chicken bouillon granules (Sarah uses chicken base because she likes it better, I've done it both ways)

1/2 tsp. pepper

4 cups milk

2 pie shells (I use Pillsburys pie crust, I think they are the best...even better than my mom's. Sorry mom!)

In a large sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour, salt(I realize salt is not in the above ingredients, I just threw some in) bouillon, and pepper. Over medium heat, gradually add milk. Cook and stir with a wire whisk until mixture thickens and bouillon has dissolved. Combine vegetables, chicken, and sauce. Pour into prepared pie shell. Cover with remaining pie shell. Be sure to cut vents in top pie shell. Bake 40 minutes until golden.

Cherry Chocolate Fudge Cake

This cake is another favorite from my Durning House cookbook. The cherry pie filling makes it very moist and once again...It is very easy to make.

Cherry Chocolate Fudge Cake

Cake:
1 Devil's Food cake mix
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
2 eggs
2 tsp. almond extract

Mix first four ingredients; pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Frosting:

5 T. butter

1/3 c. milk

1 c. sugar

1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

1 tsp. almond extract

Mix butter, milk and sugar; bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and almond extract. Frost while cake is warm.

Creamy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Several years ago, I visited my cousin Jenny in Dallas. While there, we ate at a restaurant called the Durning House. I loved it and they sold their recipes...bonus! It has been one of my favorite cook books over the years. I ordered one for my mom and a good friend of mine ordered several for herself and family. One of my favorite Young Women requested these enchiladas the other day so, here they are. Wish I was cooking them for you, Heather! They are pretty easy and very forgiving. There are so many different cheeses in them that if I leave out a couple of things, it doesn't matter at all! Anything is good with cheese on it right? Today I left out the green chilies because as usual, I was out. I'm pretty much always out of something or other.

Creamy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

1/2 can green chilies, chopped

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 can green chilies

1 tsp. coriander

1/2 c. onion, chopped

4 c. chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 pkg. flour tortillas (I always use Guerreros)

1 c. each: monteray jack and cheddar cheeses, grated

1/2 tsp. cilantro

1 (8 oz) ctn. sour cream

Topping: Heat cream of chicken soup, 1/2 can green chilies, coriander adn cilantro, jack and cheddar cheeses, and sour cream in double broiler (I just use a pot...I have no idea what a double broiler even is), until hot. Do not boil.

Filling: Mix 1/2 can green chilies, chopped onion, chicken and cream cheese well, and fill flour tortillas with this mixture. Top with topping and place in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Add 10 minutes to oven time if it was refrigerated. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Our Salsa

Every year for Christmas we make salsa to hand out to our friends and to a few people that we need to bribe ourselves back into favor with. We make this salsa all year long but, in mass during Christmas time. I'm going to have to come up with a new large container for mixing it because the one we use has become Darby's foot icing bucket.

People are always asking for this recipe. It was originally a recipe from my friend Penny Burns but, we've made a couple of changes. Be warned, it has great results! This salsa has gotten us on some great Christmas treat lists! Mainly, Sister Oettli's tamale list...The highlight of our Christmas.

For all of you who have been under the mistaken impression that the Richards put in a lot of work for this salsa, I'm sorry to say, it is not more complicated than it is. Absolutely no cooking or canning. So, eat it right away...it won't last forever.

Salsa

Penny's base:

1 can stewed, mexican-style tomatoes

3 roma tomatoes

1/2 white onion

1 hungarian pepper (we use, what I call, banana peppers)

5 slices of jalapenos (I don't actually count out the 5 slices)

garlic salt

We add:

minced garlic, cilantro, fresh squeezed limes (no exact measurements)

Put everything in a blender and mix. The secret ingredient: Lime tortilla chips, preferably Tostitos.

Chocolate & Butterscotch Chip Cookies

These are our new favorite cookies. They are delicious! I got the recipe from "The Girl Who Ate Everything". She calls them Liberty Square cookies but, since I'm pretty sure that has something to do with BYU, I'll call them something else for my own purposes.

This recipe makes a ton of cookies, another thing I love about them. There is plenty to share while leaving plenty for me and my family. I sent about half with Darby for her basketball team and we still had plenty for that after church sugar rush that we always need.

While cooking them, I mentioned to York that the reason they were so good was that they called for 4 sticks of butter. Brock heard me and a little later he announced to some electricians that were here, that he was making cookies. They asked what kind and he said "a good kind! They have 4 pieces of butter!"

Chocolate & Butterscotch Chip Cookies
by Stephanie Jensen

1 lb unsalted butter (4 sticks )
2 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 T vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
6 C. flour
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips ( or you can do both bags chocolate chip and don't add the butterscotch chips)
12 oz. butterscotch chips

Mix everything but chips. Fold the chips in. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Do not overcook. Sometimes I use parchment paper to make sure they don't stick. This recipe is very touchy. Follow it exactly or it won't turn out.

Macaroni and Cheese

I am constantly looking for a good homemade mac and cheese. I've tried several and they never turn out very good. I found this recipe on "The Pioneer Woman Cooks". For those of you who have never heard of her blog, she is AMAZING and her blog is hilarious, actually making her recipes enjoyable to cook! And, if you still don't feel like cooking, it's still an entertaining read.

York does not enjoy mac and cheese. This is a rarity because, as I've said, he'll eat just about anything. I'm pretty determined to find a recipe that even he will like. So, I tried it and he said it was alright and even added that it had good flavor. My kids seemed to really like it. I actually received a "thanks for dinner" from an eleven year old boy. Words not heard very often from him! My four year old, who usually claims to be allergic to my cooking, said "I don't think I'm allergic to this!" Of course, 4 bites into it, he claimed he was full and after the usual lecture about not asking me for anything else tonight, he left a mostly full plate. 30 minutes later, he was hungry again and begging for bubble gum.

Macaroni & Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
1 egg, beaten
1 pound cheese, grated (1 pound is 2 cups for those of you who would need to look this info up!)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
*Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme


Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.In a small bowl, beat egg.In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.Add in cheese and stir to melt.Add salts and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDER SALT.Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.