Munchy Crunchy Good Stuff

My friend Melanie made this a few years ago and everyone I know has fallen in love with it. It is delicious and it makes a ton. I use a big canning container to mix it in. I used bigger boxes of cereal than I was supposed to on this batch so, it is not the usual clumpy, sticky, gooey deliciousness that it usually is but, still pretty dang good. One of my friends leaves out the coconut and substitutes M&M's instead. I happen to be a fan of coconut so, get it when I can. And yes, Munchy Crunchy Good Stuff is the name and I don't think any other name would suffice.

Munchy Cruncy Good Stuff

Recipe by: Melanie Pope

1 small box Rice Chex

1 small box Corn Chex

1 small box Golden Grahams

1 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup coconut

2 sticks plus 2 Tbsp. butter (not margarine)

1 1/2 cups light karo syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar

Mix cereal, almonds and coconut in large metal bowl.

Melt butter, then add karo syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Pour over cereal and mix well. Keep in a covered container.

Empanadas

Empanadas are one of my favorite meals. My friend Penny taught me how to make these years ago. She had to learn from her Panamanian husband. I used to love to show up at her house on empanada day. I chose not to fry them and baked them instead. Of course this does kill some of the fabulousness but, they are still good baked and maybe I'll live a day longer.

First of all, you will have to make a trip to Fiesta. When I go, I stock up on the shells and the Sofrito. I asked Penny about 20 times what Sofrito was the first time I went. I then walked around Fiesta on the cell phone telling her to tell me again. I just didn't get it. I think I gave up and had to go get a visual at her house in order to finally find the stuff. Sofrito and empanada shells are sold together in the freezer section. And sorry but, this is not an exact recipe.

Empanadas

Penny Burns

Sofrito

Empanada Shells

1 lb. Hamburger meat

Potatoes

frozen peas

frozen corn

pretty much anything that you think would be good in an empanada

Start by peeling and boiling some potatoes. While they are cooking, brown your hamburger meat and add Sofrito. I used about half the container for 1 lb. of meat. Add some peas and corn and diced potatoes to the meat mixture. Place a spoonful into the shell and fold in half. Press sides together to seal.

Have one of your fro-headed kids crimp the sides with a fork to make them look fancy.

Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or until they start to brown.

Monkey Bread

I used to make this when I was a kid and loved it. I have never made it in my adult life and when I saw it on Pioneer Woman, I had to give it another try. Unfortunately, it is not on any diet I've ever heard of so, I did not have even a small bite. It must have been good though, because the kids went through it pretty quick. I just recently have forbidden my husband from Saturday donut runs and I'm sure these weren't much better than donuts but, we have to start slowly, right?

Monkey Bread
Pioneer Woman Cooks

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
2 - 3 tsp. Cinnamon
3 cans of Buttermilk Biscuits (the non-flaky ones)
1 cup Sugar!

Melt brown sugar and butter in pan.

Cut each individual biscuit in quarters. Place in plastic zip loc bag and add cinnamon and sugar. Shake bag until biscuits seperate and are coated in cinnamon and sugar. Dump biscuits in a bundt pan. Pour brown sugar and butter mixture over biscuits. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes. You want the top to be a deep, crispy brown.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Rice

I'm making this with the hope that my dear friend will see it, get really hungry and want to drive all the way from San Antonio to have some and then stay long enough to help paint my kitchen!

Let me start by saying that I am not a Cafe Rio fan. I don't dislike it but, there is something ingrained in me to have a little attitude towards anything that evolves in Utah. I have eaten there twice and let me just say, it is no Pappasitos! But, I have friends that rave about it so, I've given it a try. I actually tried this a few months ago for my good friend in San Antonio who loves Cafe Rio. I followed the recipe from My Sister's Cafe the first time. This time I'm trying the recipes from The Girl Who Ate Everything. While I can't really compare it because I've only eaten at Cafe Rio a couple of times, I thought TGWAE was a little better and I'm hearing that it is closer to the real thing. This rice was phenomenal. Of course, I absolutely love rice and could eat it every day. The only thing I would do different would be to double it. I didn't think it made quite enough.

Café Rio Lime Cilantro Rice

2 Tb. Butter
pepper to taste
1 ¼ rice
juice and zest 1 large or 2 small limes
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
2 Tb. chopped cilantro
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cumin

In a skillet melt butter with rice, add liquid, and other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes. (I threw everything in my rice cooker and cooked it that way).

Cafe Rio Pork Roast

This is a really good roast. I'm still trying to figure out the whole Cafe Rio craze and while this is good, I think what gets me is the roast itself. Roast is for carrots and potatoes. Roast is for barbeque. Roast is not for tortilla shells. Fajita meat has already perfected that role. Do I really need to remind anyone of Lupe's Tortilla? And, let's be honest here, between the rootbeer, brown sugar and honey, this is really more of a dessert. Of course, that being said, dessert for dinner never hurt anyone and it is still good. I will keep cooking it and serving it in my tortillas. But, please people, if you want to talk good Mexican food, lets keep it in the state where it was intended. Let's keep it Tex-mex and let's keep it fajita.

Café Rio Pork
4 lbs. pork roast
4 cups root beer
5 cans tomato sauce
2-4 Tb molasses or honey
3 tsp. pressed garlic
½ tsp. salt
1 1/2 - 3 cups brown sugar
pepper to taste
4 tsp. cumin

Cook pork roast in crock pot 8 hours in a little water. In the morning pull apart with fork and drain all the water. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook another 4 hours in crockpot.

For salads serve in the following order:

tortillas (I warm mine in foil pans like cafe rio in the oven with cheese)

cheese

black or pinto beans

lime rice

shredded chicken or pork

red and green leaf lettuce, shredded

sprinkle crunched corn strips on top

grated Parmesan cheese

sides of:

pico de gallo

guacamole

fresh cilantro

fresh lime slice

tomatillo dressing

Durning House Chicken and Rice

This is another favorite recipe I got from the Durning House. It's easy and I always have the ingredients. I make it a lot when we have company or need to bring a meal to someone. It's one of my kids and my husbands favorite meals.

Creamy Chicken And Rice
4 c. cooked rice
1/2 c. butter or margarine, divided
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. milk
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 to 5 c. chicken, cooked and cubed
12 oz. process American cheese, cubed
2 c. sour cream (16 oz.)
1 1/4 c. butter-flavored crackers, crushed (about 32)

Spread rice into a greased, shallow, 3 qt. or 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, bouillon, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; add chicken, cheese and sour cream; stir until the cheese is melted. Pour over rice. Melt the remaining butter; toss with cracker crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 425 for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

York's Rolls

York decided last summer that he wanted to learn how to make yeast rolls. I've never been able to make anything that contains yeast so, have been pretty happy someone in this house decided to tackle the task and I am now eating homemade rolls to my hearts content instead of waiting patiently for one of my friends to bring me some on a whim.

York says the big secret to making rolls is patience. It's pretty comical to watch him get these to rise. They need to be warm and our house is not warm enough so, he usually puts them in the garage to rise and has even at times put them in the car so, he can punch them down during church.

Lion House Dinner Rolls

2 c. warm water
2/3 c. nonfat dry milk
2 T. dry yeast
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 - 5 1/2 c. flour

In a large bowl of electric mixer, combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 c. flour. Mix on low speed of mixer until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. (Dough will be getting stiff and remaining flour may need to be mixed by hand). Add about 1/2 c. flour and mix again, by hand or mixer. Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff. (It is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour). Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour about one tablespoon of vegetable oil all around sides of bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size. Sprinkle cutting board or counter with flour and place dough on floured board. Roll out and cut/roll rolls into desired shape (see below). Place on greased baking pans. Let rise in a warm place until rolls are double in size. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until brown. Brush with melted butter while hot.

Shaping Lion House Rolls - with rolling pin, roll dough out to a rectangle about 18 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 1/4 an inch thick. Brush with melted butter. With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut dough in half to make two strips about 4 inches wide. Make cuts through strips of dough every 2 inches, making about 18 pieces of dough. Starting with the short end, roll one piece of dough with butter on the inside. Place roll on greased baking pan with other short end down on the pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, and brush finished tops with melted butter.