Mexican Red Rice

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 teaspoon garlic fresh
• 1 /2 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and fry onions till brown. Add garlic. Add rice and cood till stightly brown. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
2. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Moist Sweet Cornbread

Yield:10-12 servings

Ingredients:

1 c. cornmeal
3 c. flour
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 T baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 c veggi oil
1/3 c. melted butter
2 T honey
4 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 c. whole milk

Preheat oven to 350* and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir all the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Pour the batter into the greased dish and bake for 45 minutes. You want it to be turning golden and show some cracks.

Asian Mushroom Soup

2 T minced ginger
2 T oil
1 small onion cut in half and thinly sliced
1 small red Bell pepper cut in thin slices
1 green bell pepper cut in thin slices
8 oz Shitake mushrooms sliced and cut into 2 inch lengths
2 boxes chicken stock (64 oz total)
3 T soy sauce
1 T fish sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp chinese five spice
1 6.75 oz pkg thin rice sticks

Soak package of rice sticks in hot water for at least 10 min. Drain and chop in thirds.

Cook ginger in med in large soup pan with oil till slightly browned. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes till softened (not browned). Add peppers and cook for 3 more minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low/med for 15 minutes or until rice noodles are tender.

Stroganoff Meatballs

Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 - 5

Meatballs:
1 1/2 ground beef
2/3 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 T worcestershire sauce
1 c bread crumbs
1 egg
3 Tbs ketchup

Sauce:
1 med yellow onion, diced
16 oz white mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
2/3 c cooking sherry (you can buy non-alcoholic)
3 c chicken broth
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c butter
5 Tbs flour
3 Tbs fresh dill or 2tsp dry
10 oz sour cream

Meatballs:
Preheat the broiler on low. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Form 1"round meatballs (I use a 1 inch scoop) and place on a foil lined baking sheet (you may need to baking sheet and bake one sheet at a time). Broil for about 12-15 minutes until browned and cooked all the way through. Drain and set aside.

Sauce:
Soften onion in olive oil in a large pot over med low heat for about 6 minutes. Add mushrooms and soften for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Add sherry and bring to a low boil. Allow most of the sherry to reduce and be absorbed by mushrooms, about 5 minutes, and stir frequently. Add butter and let melt. Add flour and cook for one minute. Add broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a low boil, stirring often and mixing well. Add dill, sour cream and whisk again until sauce is smooth. Add meatballs to pot and simmer on low for 20 - 30 minutes. Makes about 50 meatballs.

Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Easy Yeast Rolls

Time: 2 1/2 hours
Yield: One dozen

1 c. warm water (115*)
1 pkg active dry yeast ( or 2 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbs soft butter
3 Tbs sugar
2 1/2 c flour
Butter spray or oil or melted butter

In a stand mixer with dough hook dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let stand for 5 minutes. Add butter, salt and flour slowly. Blend for 3-4 minutes. Dough will be sticky. Turn onto a floured surface and knead adding a little flour at a time until smooth, soft and not sticky. Place dough ball in a large oiled bowl then turn over so that both sides are oiled. Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled. Punch down and tear off balls, coat them in oil or butter and place in a 10 in greased round pan or muffin tin. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pork Chile Verde Stew

Serves 6
Time: 3 1/2 hours

2 1/4 lb Pork Shoulder (or pork butt) fat trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" chunks
2 T oil
salt and pepper
granulated garlic
2 med onions coarsely chopped
1/2 recipe chile Verde

Sear the pork chunks in a frying pan with the oil and salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Brown in batches so that you do not overcrowd the pan. Place browned pork in a crock pot on low. Cook the onions in the pork fat till limp and add to the crock pot. Pour chile Verde over the pork and cook for about 3 hours. Serve with tortillas and mozzarella cheese or over rice.

Pad Thai

Serves 4 large portions

1 lg chicken breast, cut in 3/8 in strips against the grain
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 T canola oil
salt
pepper
1/2 lb rice stick noodles (5mm)
1/4 c soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T rice vinegar
Juice of one lime (optional)
1/8 c water
1 zucchini cut in half and sliced 1/4 in thick
3/4 lb bean sprouts
2 bunches green onions coarsely chopped
1 c chopped peanuts (optional)

Cook chicken on high in large frying pan or wok with oil till browned, add garlic half way through cooking. Place rice noodles in a large bowl of warm water to soften, about 10 - 20 min. Combine all wet ingredients in a small bowl. Add half of the soy mixture to the chicken. Add softened rice noodles to the pan and cook for 5 min. Add zucchini and remaining soy mixture and cook for 3 min. Add most of the green onion, and bean sprouts, reserving some for garnish, and cook for another 3 min until all ingredients are warmed. Sprinkle with 1 T more soy sauce and 1 T oil. Mix and dish out onto plates. Top with peanuts , reserved bean sprouts and reserved green onions.