Couscous Salad

I crave this salad often. If you like Greek salad, you will like this!

3 heaping serving spoonfuls of couscous (plain, or herb & garlic)
1/3 c black olives
1/2 red tomato, diced
1/3 c crumbled feta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice

Mix it up and enjoy!!

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

This is a great make-ahead recipe especially if you are feeding a big crowd.

Make enough potatos for about 10-12 people. Mash with one package of cream cheese and one cup of sour cream. Spoon into a casserole dish and cover the top with a layer of butter or margarine. Bake in the oven for 1 hr at 350 F. They come out creamy and amazing!

Tarrogon Chicken

This recipe is quick and easy, and for those two reasons, it is possibly my most used chicken recipe. Tasty too!

1/4 c butter, melted (or extra-virgin olive oil)
1/4 Dijon mustard
1 tbsp tarragon
5 or 6 chicken quarters

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the butter, Dijon and tarragon. Brush over chicken on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hr or until done.

Crackling Cornbread

1 c stone-ground cornmeal
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 c granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk (or 1 1/2 c milk with 1/2 c yogurt)
1 c crisp-cooked bacon, diced
6 tbsp sweet butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 inch-square baking pan.

Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl. Then stir in buttermilk, bacon, butter and egg. Mix gently.

Pour batter into the prepared pan, set on the middle rack of oven and bake for 25 minutes. Cornbread is done when edges are lightely browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into 3-inch squares to serve.

9 squares

Tip: Sprinkle sugar on top of cornbread

Sloppy Joes

An all-time childhood favorite- fast and easy! My husband loves these, and it's the only sloppy joe recipe we'll make. Delicious!

2lbs ground hamburger
1/2 c diced onion
1 can tomato soup
1/4 c ketchup
1 tbsp vinegar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic
1 can pork n' beans (optional)

Brown hamburger and saute onions, add everything else... let simmer 5 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns and enjoy!

Black Bean Chili

Nice change from "normal" chili...I love this stuff! You need the black bean sauce made to make this.

2 lbs ground beef
3 c onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced
1-28 oz can diced tomato
2 c black bean sauce
1 c salsa
3/4 c water (unless black bean sauce is thin)
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1-4oz can green chili peppers
2 c frozen corn

Brown ground beef. Drain. Saute onions and green pepper. Combine all ingredients. cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Black Bean Sauce

YUMMY!! This is my mom's recipe that she put together. I always find that I need way more water than that. Basically, when I soak the beans for 12 hours, I fill the bowl to the top with water once the beans are in it. Before I cook them, I pour some of the water off. While I'm cooking, I keep a close eye on the beans, because I often have to add more water to them, too. When they're done, drain some of the water off into a bowl before you mash them. Then add the water as you mash, if you want a thinner sauce. If you freeze some of the sauce, you'll probably have to add water to them when you reheat, as it will be a dryer consistency.

5C black beans
7C water (or more....don't let the bean soak all the water up and go dry)
3 tbsp lemon juice

Soak the beans for 12-24 hours before cooking. Then simmer for 2 hours. Add chopped onion (I use two), green pepper, diced (I only use one whole pepper), 5 cloves garlic, crushed, a bay leaf, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 2 tbsp parsley, 3 tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp hot sauce and the juice of one lemon. Simmer for another 1/2 hour or until beans are soft. Mash to desired consistency, adding or draining bean water to get it.

Serve on rice with sour cream, sliced green olives, diced onion, chopped tomatoes, salsa, tortilla chips, etc. Be generous with the toppings!

Baked Meatballs

These are so GOOD and super easy to make! Leftovers freeze great!

Ingredients
1 c milk
1/2 c finely chopped onion
4 egg or 8 egg white
2 tsp salt (optional)
6 slices bread, crumbled (white or wheat- good with both)
3 lbs ground beef or ground turkey or ground pork (or any combination)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Combine milk, onion, eggs and salt. Stir in bread crumbs and let stand for 5 minutes. Crumble in the ground meat, and mix thoroughly. Shape into 8 dozen small meatballs 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on baking pans and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until done.

Chili Chicken Enchiladas (serves two)

These are rich, tasty and easy to make. Great on the second day, too!

1/4 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 c chicken broth
1-4 oz can chopped green chilies
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp pepper
1 c shredded Montery Jack
1/2 c sour cream
2 c chopped, cooked chicken
4 (8") flour tortillas
Sliced ripe olives, chopped tomatoes and green onion (optional) for garnish

Saute onion and garlic in butter. Combine flour and broth until smooth; gradually add to pan with onion. Stir in chilies, coriander and pepper. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or untile thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 c cheese and sour cream, until cheese is melted. Combine hicken and 2/4 c sauce. Place about 1/2 c chicken mixture down center of each torilla. Roll up and place seam down in greased 11x7 (or whatever size you have!) baking dish. Pour sauce over enchiladas. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer.

Great-Grandma's Surprise Tarts

Oh-so-good! These tarts are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. To the few of you who will stumble across this humble blog in search of yummy eats: this is the first time I have ever handed this recipe out. I have coldly ignored the pitiful victims of their sugary goodness, selfishly hoarding the list of ingredients in my binder of family secrets. Sometimes I just want to keep a good thing to myself. It felt good being the only family that could provide the world with a mouthwatering dessert that would keep them begging for more. Granted, there are likely to be other similar, if not identical recipes somewhere. But I beg the privelege of releasing it under this title, for the first time ever, "Great-Grandma's Surprise Tarts."

You will need:

2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c white sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c coconut
pinch of salt
raspberry jam

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT the raspberry jam. Line 12 muffin tins with pastry. Spoon a teaspoon of raspberry jam into each pastry-lined tin and spread it out a little on the bottom. It doesn't need to be perfect. Top with the coconut mixture. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before enjoying your first, and surely not your last, mouthful.

Baked Parmesan Chicken

THE ULTIMATE shake n' bake, this recipe is delicious!! My family loves this recipe and they request it often. Serves up great with potatos and veggies. Definitely a comfort food!!

1/2 c fine cracker or bread crumbs
1/2 c parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano

3 lbs. chicken or cut up chicken wings
1/4 cup butter (or margarine), melted

Combine first 9 ingredients in bowl - stir well. Brush chicken with melted butter. Coat with crumb mixture. Arrange on foil-lined baking sheet and bake @ 350* for about 1 1/2 hours or until tender.