April 8: Oven Rice

This was my mother's recipe.

1 medium onion
1 1/2 c uncooked rice, not instant
celery and green pepper, opt
1 cube butter
2 10 oz cans beef bouillon

Brown onion in butter. Stir all ingredients together and cover. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 350.

February 2: Garlic Mashed Potatoes

From my ward cookbook comes this yummy side dish.

3 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lg head garlic
3 TB cream or canned milk
4 TB butter
1/2 tsp pepper
Salt to taste


Cook potatoes until tender, approximately 20 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, peel the outer skin from the garlic and separate the cloves. Place them in a small saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until garlic is very soft, approximately 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Slip the skins from the garlic and combine garlic with the cream in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Mash the potatoes and add the pureed garlic, butter, pepper, and salt  to taste. 

February 28: Fresh Mango Salsa

Two of my favorite foods, mangoes and jicama, rolled into one great salsa.

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
* 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
* 1/2 small jicama, finely diced
* 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, washed, dried and chopped
* Juice of two ripe limes
* Sea salt

Combine the first four ingredients, then add the lime juice, stir thoroughly, and add sea salt to taste!

May 20: Corn Meal Muffin

From the Albers Corn meal box. This is a moist delicious corn meal muffin. 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or paper-line 24 muffin tins.

Combine dry ingredients together.

Combine wet ingredients together.

1 ½ c flour 

2/3 c sugar

½ c corn meal 

1 TB baking powder 

½ tsp salt

1 1/4 c milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 c oil

3 TB butter, melted

Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Stir until just blended. Pour into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until centers spring back when touched.

April 14: Granola

My niece, Kaytlin, came to spend the night with us and brought some yummy granola that she and her mother made. Here's the recipe for it.

1 1/4 c flour
3 1/4 c oats
1 c pecans
1 heaping c almonds, raw
1 1/3 c sweetened flaked coconut
1.4 c flax seed (optional)
1/8 c oil
1/2 c water
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt

Pre-heat oven to 300. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, nuts, spice and flax seed. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan heat oil, water and sugar until boiling. Boil until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat then add vanilla. Pour sugar mixture over flour mixture and let it sit without stirring for 10 minutes. Then stir until combined. Spread evenly in cookie sheet. Bake 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool and add 1 cup craisins.

May 30: Feijoada- Brazilian Black Bean Soup

This recipe is straight from Brazil. My brother-in-law, Shannon, served a mission there and I assume he brought home this recipe. My sister Robyn is a pro at making it. It is so delicious!

Sort 1 lb black beans. Soak overnight.

Next morning:

Bring the beans to boil in water about 2” above beans.

Reduce heat to low.

Add:

1 chopped onion                                                

¼ tsp garlic powder                                          

Small salt pork   

Ham hock

1 bay leaf                                               

Cook on low heat for several hours.

About 2 to 3 hours before serving, add desired meats or more water, if necessary.

Suggested meats: Italian and/or German sausage links

                      Hillshire Farms sausage cut in 2” sections

                      Unsliced bacon

May 29: Strawberry Tropical Smoothie

3 c pineapple juice

2 c sugar    

3 c hot tap water                                            

3 oz lemonade frozen concentrate   

3 oz frozen orange juice concentrate    

1 qt fresh or frozen strawberries

Freeze pineapple juice in ice cube trays. Stir together sugar and hot tap water.  Let cool.  Blend pineapple juice cubes, orange juice, lemonade, and strawberries. Add water gradually and mix thoroughly. Garnish glass with fresh strawberry, mint or colorful toothpick umbrellas. Makes 10 servings.