Grape Salad

My dear friend Brenda Pilley of Fort Stockton, TX made this for a school potluck. I was hooked.

Ingredients

1 package, 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 
1 cup 8 ounces sour cream 
1/3 cup sugar 
2 teaspoons vanilla 
2 pounds seedless red grapes 
2 pounds seedless green grapes 
3 tablespoons brown sugar 
3 tablespoons chopped pecans

Procedure

1. Use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until well combined. 
2. Add grapes and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 
3. Before serving, sprinkle with brown sugar and chopped pecans.

Carne Guisada

I miss Mexican food when I'm away from Texas, so I have to make my own. Here's an easy and delicious version of a West Texas favorite. A few months back I posted this on Facebook and had many favorable comments from people who tried it.

Ingredients 

3 lbs meat--stew meat, roast, top round or pork shoulder/butt--cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon oil (lard, bacon grease, etc)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper or jalapeño, diced--I use some of both
3 tablespoons tomato sauce or 1-2 small fresh tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup water or chicken or beef broth/stock--I use chicken broth

Optional: 3-5 peeled, diced potatoes

Procedure

1. In a large pan, brown the stew meat, onions and green pepper (if using) over high heat.
Add the tomato sauce (or tomato), garlic powder (or fresh garlic), cumin, salt and pepper and stir well.

2. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and mix well. Add the water (or stock) and mix well so there are no lumps.

3. Bring to a boil, cover pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 ½ hours, or until meat is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

4. IF adding the potatoes, now is the time. Continue simmering until they are tender.

Serve with flour tortillas or rice.

• Cereal Crack

• I found the recipe for this addictive snack at Food.com.

• Ingredients:

• 8  cups  Quaker Oatmeal Squares Cereal (1 whole box)--Rice Chex could also be used.
• 2  cups pecans, coarsely chopped
• ¹⁄₂ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• ¹⁄₂ cup light corn syrup
• 4  tablespoons butter (margarine ok)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking soda
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt (optional)

Procedure:

1. Heat oven to 250ºF. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Combine cereal and pecans in pan; mix well.
2. In large microwaveable bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup and margarine.
3. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Microwave an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds or until boiling.
4. Stir vanilla and baking soda and optional salt into sugar mixture. Pour over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.
5. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet, spreading mixture in even layer. Cool completely; break into pieces. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Brownie Recipe You All Keep Asking Me For

I found this easy and oh, so good brownie recipe several years ago in a cookbook for Mason jar gift recipes. It's easy to layer in a jar and give as a gift, but I usually just whip up a batch.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup cocoa
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla--optional, but I usually add it.
Optional: pecan pieces, chocolate chips, broken chocolate candy bar pieces

Procedure:

1. In a medium-sized bowl mix the melted butter, sugar and cocoa until no lumps remain.
2. Add eggs, mixing well.
3. Add flour and vanilla mixing well.
4. Stir in any optional items. I usually only add pecans.
5. Place in a well-greased 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan, or even a cast-iron skillet, and bake at 350 degrees until center is set, but not dry. Time will vary depending on the type of pan you used (glass, dark metal, cast-iron, etc.) Try not to overtake.

Boiled Chocolate Icing

I first learned to make this simple icing when I was nine-years old. It was the first icing Mom taught me to make. It's been a favorite ever since. It's delicious over chocolate, white, or yellow cake and with or without the optional pecans

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa--regular or dark
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk--whole milk, canned milk, or heavy cream which I prefer
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Optional: 1 cup pecan pieces

Procedure:

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the milk of your choice, sugar and cocoa. Stir well.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for a minute--a bit longer if you want a thicker/harder icing.
3. Remove from heat and add vanilla and pecan pieces at this point.
4. Stir vigorously as the mixture cools down slightly and thickens. (I've seen some recipes that call for beating the mixture with beaters at this point, but I never have.)
5. Pour/spread mixture over cake just removed from oven. Allow to set.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

I tried this recipe from Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines, and I fell in love. These are the best cookies in terms of texture, appearance, and taste. They do brown differently than my usual recipe, so  I h1ave to be careful to not over bake.

2-1/2 cups flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter at room temperature
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips—I still prefer Nestles.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dough. Read another recipe if you don’t know how.
Bake for 10-11 minutes.
Let sit on baking sheet for 1 minuet.

Dilly Beans

My daughter shared a jar of her dilly green beans with me, and it was love at first bite. We made another batch and experimented with adding cauliflower, carrots and pearl onions. Delicious! 

Supplies and Ingredients

--6 pint jars with self sealing lids and rings

--4/14 pound green beans, cleaned and trimmed to fit the jars

--3 cups water

--3 cups white vinegar

--3 Tablespoons canning salt or natural sea salt

--6 sprigs fresh dill weed

--18 black peppercorns

--1-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (We used sliced jalapeño from the garden.)

--12 cloves garlic, peeled

Directions

1. Prepare your beans and other veggies if you choose to add them. Trim to a size to fit the jars.

2. Prepare the jars and lids for canning. See Ball's Canning Guide if you're not sure how to do this.

3. In large pan bring water, vinegar and salt to boil and stir until salt dissolves. Keep mixture hot.

4. Stuff the jars: 2 cloves, 1 sprig dill wee, 3 peppercorns, 1/16 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1-2 slices jalapeño) to each jar.  Next stuff in veggies as tightly as possible.

5. Using a funnel add liquid mixture to each jar leaving 1/2 inch headspace. DO NOT OVERFILL.

6. Wipe rim of jar with damp clean rag, place seal on jar, and screw on ring.

7. In large water bath canner with boiling water, place jars and add more hot water until tops are covered. Bring to a full rolling boil, cover, and leave for 10 minutes.

8. Carefully remove each jar and allow to cool. Listen for the happy popping sounds as the jars seal.

9. Leave for one week before enjoying.