December 3: Funnel Cakes

My mother use to make these. This is her recipe. This is a very fun food for making memories. I love them!

1 egg

2 TB sugar

2/3 c and 2 TB milk

¼ tsp salt

1 1/3 c sifted flour

¾ tsp baking powder

Beat the egg and add the milk. Sift the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together. Add egg mixture. (It will be about the consistency of hot cake batter.) Beat until smooth.

Holding your finger over the bottom of a funnel, pour the batter into it. Drop batter into hot oil, swirling it into circles and other interesting shapes. Make each cake about six inches in diameter. Fry in about 1 to 1 ½ inch oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

December 2: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

Today is my birthday and I need to post a recipe that I adore, so here it is. About 10 years ago I was in Moab, one of my favorite vacation spots, and was at a festival where these burritos were being sold. Sweet potatoes and black beans are two of my favorite foods and they are very nutritious. They may sound strange to serve together, but they are delicious. I wanted this recipe so I watched how they where being made and came home and did it myself. I have been making them ever since. I have a second recipe that I have since found online. I love them both..

Recipe 1:

1 yam or sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 small onion, diced

2 TB taco seasoning, about 1/2 commercial pkg

Olive oil

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 TB chopped cilantro

10" tortillas (I like whole wheat)

Favorite toppings: salsa, sour cream, tomato, lettuce, lime, cheese

In a medium bowl combine sweet potato, onion, taco seasoning and about 2 TB olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread on a large cookie sheet. Roast for 30 minutes at 375 stirring half way through the cooking time. Toss the black beans and cilantro with the sweet potato mixture. Scoop mixture onto tortilla. Add toppings. Roll up. Serve.

Recipe 2:

Cooked black beans

Cooked sweet potatoes or yams

Salsa

Spanish rice

Grated Cheddar cheese

Whole wheat tortillas

Smear some sweet potato on warmed tortilla shell. Add beans, rice, cheese, and salsa. Roll up. Serve.

December 1: Fudge

Let's start the Christmas holiday month off right with a classic favorite recipe, fudge. Look no further for a fudge recipe. This one is the best one ever. It is rich and creamy and so simple! My mother-in-law gave this recipe to me years ago. I make it every year. Merry Christmas!

Mix 2-12 oz. pkgs. milk chocolate chips with 1 can sweetened condensed milk and 3 TB butter. Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir until well blended and it is smooth and shiny. Add a sprinkle of salt and 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix well. Pour into a buttered 8x8 pan. Chill until firm. Cut into 1 inch squares.

November 30: Oreo Cookies

From another good friend, Janell, that I met while living in Boise, comes this loved cookie recipe. So simple! For Christmas, color the frosting pink and add some peppermint flavoring.

2 chocolate cake mixes

1 c butter, softened

4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together. Roll into small balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes at 350. Let cool on cookie sheet. Spread frosting between 2 cookies. Store in a airtight container in the fridge.

Frosting

8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

¼ c butter, softened

3 2/3 c powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together.

November 29: Refried Beans

We lived in Boise for 5 years, while there I taught many cooking classes, one of these classes was on beans. My friend Mary shared this recipe with me during one of these classes. I loved it because you do not have to soak the beans. It is so simple, you just throw everything in a crock pot and let it cook all day and then blend it. It can be used for tostadas, burritos, nachos or any recipe that requires refried beans.

4 c pinto beans

1 lg can tomato sauce or whole tomatoes

1 onion, chopped or dried onion equivalent

2 sm dry red chilies or 2 tsp dry chilies, opt

4 TB chili powder

4 garlic cloves or garlic powder

2 tsp salt

2 TB brown sugar

Wash and check beans for rocks. Put in crock pot and completely cover with water. Add remaining ingredients. Cook 8 hours. Add water as needed. When the beans are tender, mash them right in crock pot with a potato masher or hand blender, or leave whole.

November 28: Perfect Oatmeal

I love oatmeal in the winter time! This is a great recipe for the perfect bowl of oatmeal. I found it in a Salt Lake newspaper many many years ago. I have also listed some great oatmeal topping ideas.

Here are tips for a perfect bowl of oatmeal. One cup of oats cooked in two cups of water will yield about 1 ¾ c oatmeal. Bring water to brisk boil, stir in old fashioned, not quick, oats, cook for two minutes, making sure the water returns to a boil for at least one minute. Cover, remove from heat and let sit for eight minutes. Oat flakes will be cooked but separate, not mushy.

Toppings and Oatmeal tips:

Fresh berries

Brown sugar

Agave nectar

Apples

Toasted coconut

Nuts

Honey

Yogurt

Raisins or crasins

bananas

maple syrup

Use apple juice in place of water for cooking

November 27: Poppy Seed Cake

"The Lion House Cookbook" is definitely one of my favorite cookbooks. This recipe comes from that book. Enjoy!

1 pkg yellow cake mix

½ c water

1 pkg (3 oz) instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 tsp rum flavoring

½ c butter, melted

4 eggs

¼ c poppy seeds

1 c thick sour cream

Combine cake and pudding mixes, eggs, sour cream water, rum flavoring, butter, and poppy seeds in large mixing bowl. Blend well on low speed, then beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour batter into well-greased and lightly floured Bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. Turn out onto cake rack and cool completely. Sift a lightly dusting of powdered sugar over cake, if desired.