Mexican Fiesta
This dish is a main staple when it comes to entertaining on the ranch and has been for over 25 years. The hostess usually provides the chili and brown rice and the guests bring one or two of the items listed
Chili
For the chili brown several pounds of ground beef. Add 1 large can of tomato juice, 3 or 4 tablespoons chili powder, 1 or 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 or 3 tablespoons powder cumin, salt and pepper. These spices can be adjusted to taste. Cook this down til volume is reduced
Remaining Ingredients Include:
Brown Rice (amount will depend on the number you’re serving I usually cook up 1 medium pkg and use the leftovers for rice pudding… Shredded Lettuce, Chopped Tomatoes, Shredded Longhorn/Colby Cheese, Chopped Black Olives, Diced Green Peppers, Diced Onions, Chopped Pecans, Canned Mushrooms, Pineapple Tidbits and Coconut. Top With Crushed Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream and Salsa. Don’t leave any of the ingredients off because they all enhance each other!
According to legend, St. Patrick used the shamrock a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish people.
Yorkshire Burgers
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
ground pepper
1 egg
Combine first 5 ingredients and shape into 24 balls. Place in greased 8 inch square baking
Mix next 6 ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour over meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until brown.
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
St. Paddy’s Day wouldn’t be complete around our house without a Blarney Stone. We stumbled upon these tasty cakes at a wonderful bakery in a nearby town some years ago. We’ve tried our hand at making them ourselves and the end result is pretty close to bakery bought
Blarney Stones
4 eggs
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Frosting
7 cups confectioners’ sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups finely chopped peanuts
Directions
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick and light yellow in color about 4 minutes. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined. Beat in milk and butter.
Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Cover and freeze overnight.
* For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. Frost the top and sides of frozen cake squares; roll in peanuts. Place on wire racks to set. Yield: 2 dozen.
Merry Christmas
Try Lenne’s Prize Winning Holiday Bread, They Make Great Gifts
Lenne won champion at the Oklahoma State Fair’s Wheat Heart Contest when she was in high school.
Sour Cream Candy Cane Coffee Cake
1 cup warm water
2 cups sour cream-room temperature
3 tbsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg room temperature
1/2 cup melted shortening cooled to room temperature
6-7 cups bread flour-enough to make the dough easy to handle
Filling
2 oz. toasted almonds or walnuts
18 oz. apricot preserves
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped (optional)
Icing
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp.water
1 tsp vanilla
Mix water, yeast and sugar. Let stand til bubbled. Add remaining ingredients and enough flour to make a thick batter. Blend until smooth then add remaining flour enough to make dough easy to handle. Knead 8-10 minutes. Let rise til doubled. Punch down and divide dough in thirds.
Form candy cane by making a 15x 6 inch rectangle and place on greased cookie sheet. With scissors make 2 inch cuts at 1/2 inch intervals on long sides of rectangle. Spread 1/3 of the filling down the center. Crisscross strips over filling. Stretch dough to 22 inches.
Bake @ 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
While warm, brush with butter and drizzle canes with icing.