Rib Roast with Horseradish Sauce

These recipes are directly from Lawry's the Prime Rib:

Ingredients:

• 1 standing rib roast (4-rib)
• Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1 bag rock salt (4-5 pounds)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle fatty cap of roast with Seasoned Salt. In heavy roasting pan, spread rock salt evenly over bottom; place wire roasting rack on top of salt. Place the roast on rack, fatty side up. 
2. Make sure no salt actually touches the beef. 
3. Insert meat thermometer in thickest part of meat, making sure it does not touch a bone. 
4. Roast in preheated 350 degree oven until thermometer registers 130 degrees for rare, 140 degrees for medium, or approximately 20-25 minutes per pound. 
5. Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before carving. 
6. Slice across the grain. 
7. Discard rock salt.

Horseradish Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp. Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 2 tbsp. prepared horseradish
• Dash Tabasco sauce

Directions:

1. Whip cream until stiff peaks form. 
2. Fold in Lawry's Seasoned Salt, horseradish and Tabasco until well mixed.

Nita doesn't even like horseradish, but she likes this sauce.

Garlic-Roasted Fingerlings

I had never heard of fingerlings before - saw them at Whole Foods and found that we both love them.

Garlic Roasted Fingerlings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mixed fingerling potatoes - Russian banana, French, Austrian crescent and ruby crescent - cut into 1 inch chunks (if you've never used them, you will be surprised that the ruby crescent is totally red inside and out)
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. sear salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp. minced thyme
• 1 tsp. minced garlic - or more if you like it

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme in a large bowl. 
3. Add potatoes and mix well until all are coated.
4. Arrange potatoes on large baking pan - one layer deep. 
5. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove foil and roast potatoes for 30 minutes.
7. Remove pan from oven and spread garlic evenly on all potatoes. 
8. Return to oven and roast an additional 10 minutes to make sure the garlic is not burnt.

For the leftovers, add some dill and serve with salmon.

Leek gratin

Leeks are another food we never tried until the past few years. They make a wonderful addition to my onion soup (you can see that recipe elsewhere in my blog site). This is one recipe I followed nearly exactly as I saw it in the Food magazine. I just cut it in half for the two of us and served it with a rib roast. They went very well together.

Ingredients:

• 4 leeks, cut in half lengthwise and rinsed - white and light green parts only
• 1 cup heavy cream
• sea salt
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Roman cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place leeks and cream in large skillet and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
3. Bring to a boil over medium high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer covered for 5 minutes. 
4. Uncover and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes to make sure leeks are tender.
5. Transfer leeks and sauce to a shallow baking dish. 
6. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 35 minutes.

Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

Nita and I have never tasted turnips as far as we can recall, so this was an experiment that worked wonderfully. Turnips are a great complement to the sweet potatoes with their taste similar to carrots. I considered using Swiss cheese, but decided to use Gruyere since I have never used it, either. Nita loved this dish that I served with an herb-crusted rack of lamb.

Ingredients:

• 1 large turnip - peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch
• 1 large sweet potato - peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch
• sea salt
• black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. butter cut into small pieces
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray 8-inch square glass baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. Arrange one layer of sweet potato and turnip overlapping slightly. 
4. Season the layer with salt, pepper and flour. 
5. Repeat to make four total layers. 
6. Place pieces of butter throughout the top layer. 
7. Slowly pour broth over the mixture. 
8. Cover with foil and cook about 35 minutes. Vegetables should be slightly crispy.
9. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. 
10. Remove foil and cover the top with the cheese. 
11. Bake 15 minutes more to get the cheese melted and golden.

Cold Weather Black Bean Chili

Cold Weather - Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can Ro*tel or Hatch Chilies
• 1/2 cup cooked whole-kernel corn
• 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and cook on low heat about 30 minutes.
2. Serve with chopped onion and oyster crackers
3. Second day - add 1/4 lb. cooked ground beef for variety.
4. If you like, you can add other ingredients like olives, zucchini and carrots.

This can also be done in a slow cooker to get all ingredients' flavors more thoroughly combined. You can also top with onions, cheddar cheese or sour cream.

If you have leftovers, blend in a blender and serve with tortilla chips.

Twice-baked Sweet Potatoes

Yes, you read that right. I never thought of it either, but decided to try it when I saw a recipe in a magazine. As usual, I didn't follow their recipe, but adapted it for my taste. Quantities here are for one potato which is 2 servings.

Ingredients (amounts depend on size of potato and your taste):

• 1 sweet potato
• butter
• sea salt
• black pepper
• bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Prick the potato skin with a fork or knife in about 5-6 places. 
3. Bake until tender - about one hour. 
4. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides leaving about 1/4 inch inside with the skins. 
5. Place flesh in a food processor and mix with butter about 2 minutes until smooth. 
6. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. 
7. Spoon into the skins. 
8. Top with bread crumbs and drizzle melted butter over them so they will brown. 
9. Bake about 10 minutes until the topping is golden.

If you like, there are several things you can add to the mixture. I really like the taste of sweet potatoes, so I didn't add anything. Some people may like to add goat cheese, chives, marshmallows, pecans or brown sugar.

Bean Chowder with Turkey

Bean Chowder with Turkey

Ingredients:

• 3 cans (15.8 ounce) great northern beans
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 onion - chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 small chicken sausages Italian style of your choice
• 3 cups turkey - mix dark and white meat - diced
• minced parsley
• butter
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Drain the liquid from 2 of the cans of beans and discard
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1 tsp. butter. 
3. Add garlic and onion and sautee for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the beans, including the liquid from one can, tomatoes and sausages.
5. Cover and cook on medium low for 15 minutes.
6. Add the turkey and cook 5 more minutes to warm the meat. Season to taste, including sea salt and black pepper and parsley if you like.
7. Transfer about 4-5 soup ladles of the mixture to an oven safe bowl for each serving. Spread breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle melted butter to coat the crumbs.
8. Place the bowls on a cookie sheet and broil on high for about 4-5 minutes until the breadcrumbs are brown.

Total servings = 6. Since there are only 2 of us, we separated the remaining 4 servings into 2 packets and put them in the freezer for 2 more winter meals.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/8 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Cut a large sweet potato into wedges about 1/2 inch thick
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
3. Coat rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray. 
4. Add 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and coat the potatoes with it. 
5. Arrange in a single layer with the oil, sea salt and pepper. 
6. Bake about 40 minutes flipping once after 20 minutes
7. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. 
8. After about 8 minutes, the foam will subside and the butter will turn a golden brown. 
9. Mix it with 1/8 cup of sour cream - whisk to mix well. 
10. Serve as a topping or dip for the potatoes.

Simple Stovetop Goulash

Simple Stove-top Goulash

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tbsp. sea salt
• 1 cup elbow macaroni

Directions:

1. Cook meat and water in a Dutch oven until meat is thoroughly cooked and broken apart - about 10 minutes. 
2. Add all other ingredients and cook, stirring often, until macaroni is cooked - about 20-25 minutes.

4 servings.

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced leek, white and light green parts only - about 1 large leek
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 14 ounces chicken broth
• 1 cup no-fat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon black ground pepper
• 20 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
• 1/4 cup low-fat olive oil based mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Cover chicken with water and cook on stove top about 15 minutes. Drain and cut into bite size pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. 
3. Add leek and salt. Cook until softened, not brown, about 4 minutes. 
4. Add flour and stir to coat the leek. Add broth, milk and pepper and simmer.
5. Add broccoli then return to simmer. 
6. Remove from heat and mix well with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and mustard.
7. Pre-heat oven to 375. 
8. Place half the broccoli mixture in a 7 x 11 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray or coated with olive oil. 
9. Top the broccoli with the chicken then top the chicken with the remaining broccoli mixture. 
10. Spread an even layer of the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top. 
11. Bake about 25 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta. I used shells, but would prefer egg noodles. I just didn't have any on hand :)

Potato Salad

Potato Salad
There are a lot of good recipes available for potato salad. This is just my version.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 pounds small red potatoes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 hard-boiled eggs - chopped fine
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces 
2. Boil about 20 minutes. 
3. Drain and place in large bowl.
4. Combine olive oil, dill, lemon juice, salt, pepper and egg. 
5. Whisk to mix. 
6. Pour over the potatoes. 
7. Add green onions and toss to mix well. 
8. Refrigerate until very cool before serving.

About 10 servings.

Cauliflower and Rice

Cauliflower and Rice

Ingredients:

• 4 tsps. vegetable oil
• 1 large head of cauliflower, cored and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• sea salt
• pepper
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk or cream

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tsps. vegetable oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or similar large pot
2. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, until browned in spots
3. Transfer cauliflower to a large platter and season with sea salt and pepper to taste
4. Add 2 tsps. vegetable oil to the pot
5. Add onion to the pot and cook until translucent - about 5 minutes
6. Add rice to the pot and cook until rice is coated with the onion and oil mixture - about 2 minutes
7. Add broth and milk (or cream) and bring to a boil
8. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed by the rice.
9. Layer the cauliflower on top of the rice and onion mixture. Do not mix it together.
10. Transfer pot to a pre-heated 400 degree oven and bake about 15-20 minutes.

Variation: Add other seasonings to taste, such as curry (which I don't like)

Swiss Zucchini Bake

From Taste of Home 2011:
Swiss Zucchini Bake

Ingredients:

• 2 small zucchini - halved lengthwise and sliced medium thickness
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. ground dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (divided use)

Directions:

1. Steam zucchini and onion until crisp but tender - about 4-6 minutes; drain.
2. In a separate bowl - combine eggs, broth, Italian seasoning, mustard and pepper.
3. Layer half the zucchini and onion in a 1-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray or oil. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Swiss cheese. Repeat the layer. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

2 servings.

Sour Cream Cucumbers

From Taste of Home 2011:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• pepper to taste
• 4 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced with rings separated

Directions:

1. Combine sour cream, vinegar, sugar and pepper in a bowl. 
2. Stir in cucumbers and onion. 
3. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours before serving.

8 servings.

Beef-stuffed Zucchini

Beef Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese for mixture
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese for topping

Directions:

1. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; cut a thin slice off the rounded bottom of each so it will sit flat; scoop out the pulp
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place zucchini on large pan. Heat for 10-15 minutes depending on your crispness preference. I did 10 minutes to keep it crisp.
3. Brown the ground beef and onion. Mix all other ingredients (except the cheese for topping) in a separate bowl. When ground beef is done, add the mixture.
4. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the ground beef mixture into each zucchini shell. Reduce oven to 400 degrees. Top each filled zucchini shell mixture with the remaining cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Redfish Parmesan

Ingredients:

• one large fillet of red fish - cut in half
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup cracker meal or bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 1/2 tbsp. basil
• 1 tbsp. parsley
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Set aside 3 separate medium sized bowls for mixtures.
2. Bowl 1: 1/2 cup flour or meal
3. Bowl 2: combine 1 cup milk (or half and half) with one beaten egg
4. Bowl 3: combine spices and cheese
5. Pre-heat stick-free skillet to medium high. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/8 lb. butter.
6. Coat each fillet in the flour bowl 1, then dip in the milk and egg mixture in bowl 2. Then coat with the dry ingredients from bowl 3.
7. Saute in the skillet until the fish is flaky and the covering is golden - turning over once.

Simplest Veggies

Simplest Veggies

Ingredients:

• I know it works with asparagus, potatoes and green beans. I cannot imagine a vegetable that would not taste good cooked this way.

Directions:

1. Simple put some olive oil in a pan 
2. Add veggies and garlic 
3. Cook to your taste. 

You can cook them on the stove-top or in the oven - your choice.

Stove-top Chuck Roast

Stove-top Chuck Roast

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless chuck roast
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion cut in 1/2 inch slices
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp. beef bouillon
• 3 garlic cloves
• your choice of vegetables (1/2 inch cubes) 
• suggestions include potatoes, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, celery, turnips, or whatever you prefer

Directions:

1. Brown the roast in a Dutch oven. 
2. Remove the roast and place the veggies in the Dutch oven, then place the roast on top of the veggies. 
3. Add water and bouillon and bring to a boil. 
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. (If you like some of your veggies crispier, consider adding those in the last 1/2 hour of cooking.)
5. You can make gravy from the leftover juices by adding 3 tbsp. of corn starch and cold water. Bring to a boil and stir until thick to your preference.

Fresh Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound diced asparagus (cut 1/2 inch off ends first)
• 1/4 cup diced purple onion
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 hard-boiled egg diced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

1. mix well
2. serve cold

Vinaigrette can be used instead of olive oil

Salmon

This is our favorite way to fix salmon.

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Coat bottom of glass baking dish with a small amount of olive oil
3. Sprinkle enough dill to cover the salmon. 
4. Cook salmon to your desired wellness. We prefer well done, so that takes close to 30 minutes

About 5 minutes before ready, cover salmon with Vidalia onion dressing

Another Ro*tel dish

I made this up, so you can only blame me if it doesn't work out for you.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 can Ro*tel or Hatch Original Chiles and Tomatoes
• sea salt
• black pepper
• cumin
• chili powder
• green onions

Directions:

1. Brown one pound ground beef. Add one can of Ro*tel Original chiles and tomatoes. Season to taste with sea salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Add sliced green onions.
2. Prepare your choice of a pasta. I use egg noodles, 3 cups. Cook per instructions.
3. Mix preparations well and serve with refried beans.

On the second night, I warmed the mixture in the oven with a cover of shredded 4-Cheese Mexican blend

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

Adjust this recipe to fit your needs. For just the two of us, I only use one large organic sweet potato, cut into 1 inch wedges.

Ingredients:

• organic sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch wedges
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. bourbon
• sea salt
• black pepper

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes into a glass baking dish. 
2. Add 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons bourbon. 
3. Season with sea salt and black pepper and toss to coat all of the potato wedges. 
4. Bake on 400 until slightly tender and glazed - about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. 
5. Toss every 20-30 minutes to keep the bourbon and sugar coating even. 
6. If desired, you can stir in 2-3 tablespoons of room temperature butter when serving.

Grouper - or most any mild white fish

Ingredients:

• grouper, cod, tilapia, bass or whatever type of mild white fish you prefer
• 1 egg, beaten
• cornmeal
• flour
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• canola oil

Directions:

1. mix cornmeal and flour (enough to coat however many filets you are fixing) with the egg in a zip-lock baggie; 
2. add sea salt and black pepper; 
3. add the fish fillets no more than 2 at a time and toss about until the filets are totally coated; 
4. transfer to an electric skillet with pre-heated on medium high mixture of canola oil and olive oil; 
5. cook until golden brown

Hush Puppies

I mixed several recipes for this one and added some of my own ideas.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 coup cornmeal
• 1 quart oil (canola or peanut)
• diced jalapenos to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the eggs, sugar, jalapenos and onion, then blend in the flour and cornmeal.
3. If you don't have self-rising flour or self-rising cornmeal, add 2 tsp. baking powder.
4. Drop the batter into the fryer by rounded tablespoons (I like them larger than most - use a teaspoon if you want them smaller) after the oil reaches its full temperature. Do not crowd the fryer - cook only as many at a time as will float freely to the top without touching each other. 
5. Fry until golden brown (you may need to turn some over if they are cooking unevenly). 
6. Drain on paper towels and serve while hot.

These went great with grouper, but any other fish can accompany them.

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Ingredients:

• 1 head cabbage, cut into 1 inch slices
• Olive oil
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tbsp. olive oil.
3. Lay cabbage in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Brush each slice of cabbage with olive oil, add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Add other seasonings to your taste.
6. Roast about 35-40 minutes until cabbage is still slightly crispy (more if you want it softer). Edges should be golden.

Creamed Spinach

Bechamel Sauce:
Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp. butter
• 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

1. In medium large pan, melt the butter then add the flour and stir until smooth.
2. Cook on medium for about 6-7 minutes. Mixture should turn light, golden sandy color.
3. Heat the milk in a separate pan until nearly boiling; add milk 1 cup at a time to the mixture and whisk constantly as it thickens. Bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes - constantly stirring. Add salt.

Spinach:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 lb. fresh baby spinach

Directions:

1. In large pot, bring water and salt to a boil
2. Add the spinach, cover and cook on low about 3 minutes. (The spinach is good to eat already as is). 
3. Drain spinach in a colander and press out as much liquid as possible.
4. Pour 1 1/4 cups of the Bechamel sauce over the spinach and mix well until every leaf is coated.
5. Reserve remaining Bechamel sauce for other creamed dishes such as peas or potatoes.

Delicious Flat Iron Steak

Flat Iron Steak
from allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. flat iron steak
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon (I used Merlot)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (I used sea salt)
• 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard powder

Directions:

1. Place the steak inside a large resealable bag.
2. In a small bowl, stir together all the other ingredients. Pour over the steak in the bag. Press out as much air as you can and seal the bag.
3. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. (I mixed it all together about 7:00 PM and left it in the refrigerator overnight and most of the next day.)
4. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the steak in the hot skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side (for rare), or to your desired degree of doneness.
5. Discard the marinade.

The steak was very tender and tasty. I'm sure the ingredients can be varied, but I would definitely keep the garlic, salt, pepper, chives and olive oil. I might suggest trying different types of red wines to vary the taste, too.

Mexican Variety with Ro*tel

I found this on Ro*tel's web site and modified it.

Ingredients:

• Pam
• 2 pkg. (13.8 oz each) refrigerated pizza crust dough
• 1 15 oz. can Wolf Brand Chili - no beans
• 1 15 oz. can Ranch Style Beans - rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (I use 4 Cheese Mexican blend)
• 1 10 oz. can Ro*tel or Hatch Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, drained
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Unroll pizza crusts. Cut each crust into 4 rectangular pieces, slightly stretching each piece.
3. Combine chili, beans and cheese in large bowl. Spoon about 3/4 cup filling onto one half of each rectangle. Fold dough over and press edges firmly to seal. Gently place pockets on baking sheets. Bake 13-18 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Combine drained tomatoes and sour cream in small bowl. Blend well. 
5. Serve sour cream mixture as a dip for pockets after cooling a few minutes.

MY VARIETY:
omit the sour cream and PAM

1. Mix all ingredients except the cheese together and cook on the stovetop. Heat taco shells and use the cooked mixture as taco filling - topping with the cheese.
2. Don't drain the beans or the chilies. Mix all ingredients together and cook on the stove-top adding a cup of water. Serve as a chili topping with diced onion and cheese.
3. I also added one pound of ground beef to the mixture.

All of these 3 varieties worked out well. This can be one of the meals I have dubbed "progressive". You can start one meal with the chili. Later, drain the mixtures to serve in taco shells.

Texas Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I got this one from Country Magazine - Oct/Nov 2009 edition:

Ingredients:

• 1 whole garlic bulb (or more if you like)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped fine
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Prepare garlic:

1. remove papery outer skin - do not separate cloves
2. cut off top of bulb
3. brush with 1 tsp. olive oil
4. wrap bulb in foil
5. bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes until soft

Prepare onion:

1. cook over low heat in 1 tbsp. olive oil 15-20 minutes until golden brown
2. transfer to food processor and process until fully blended
3. note: I added some fresh cut chives here

Prepare potatoes:

1. cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil (I only washed them; did not peel them)
2. reduce heat - cover - cook for 15-20 minutes until soft
3. drain water
4. add butter, garlic, sour cream, cheese, milk, salt and pepper
5. beat until mashed

The recipe says it makes 6 servings, but those must be large servings :)

Tilapia and mac/cheese

Tilapia with Macaroni and Cheese

The tilapia recipe came from my butcher shop; the mac and cheese recipe came from allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 tilapia filets (4-6 oz. each)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. lime juice

Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper on a large plate. 
2. Dredge fillets in flour mixture coating both sides. 
3. Heat olive oil, lemon juice and lime juice in a very large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. 
4. Cook fillets 2-3 minutes on each side or until done to your preference. If liquid reduces too much, add about 1/4 cup water.

Traditional Macaroni and Cheese


Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups dry, small elbow macaroni, cooked and strained
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 12 oz. can Carnation Evaporated Milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 375
2. grease 2 quart casserole dish
3. combine cornstarch, salt, mustard and pepper in medium saucepan
4. stir in evaporated milk, water and butter
5. cook over medium heat - stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil
6. boil for 1 minute
7. remove from heat
8. stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese until melted
9. add macaroni and mix well
10. pour into prepared casserole dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese
11. bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and turns a light brown