HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS

This was my first attempt at homemade flour tortillas and I was "stunned and amazed" at how easy they were!! Since there is just two of us at home these days, I have wasted a ton of money on commercial tortillas that never get used. I buy a package of 12...use three or four and put the rest in the freezer. I don't know how many partial bags of ice crusted tortillas I've thrown away over the years, but not any more!! Fresh tortillas are so much tastier than commercial ones.

While this recipe makes about eight 8" tortillas, it is also a wonderful convenience not to be stuck with "one size fits all" tortillas. For example, you could make half full size tortillas and half "toddler size" tortillas. I think the little ones would get a kick out of that.

This recipe produces a dough that is very easy to work (feels almost like Play Doh) and it fries up in either a dry pan (if you are watching calories) or in vegetable oil if you are looking for a nice and flaky tortilla. Hubby gave the flaky style both thumbs up!!

 4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cold shortening (or bacon grease)
1½ cups hot water

Put first 4 ingredients in the food processor and pulse until well mixed. Add hot water while machine is running. Turn machine off when dough comes together. Remove dough and knead about half a dozen times or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and roll into balls about the size of a small golf ball. Roll out tortillas (starting in center and rolling outwards, turning often).
To cook the tortillas, the recipe says to use a cast iron skillet, but I found it hard to regulate the temperature (it got too hot) so I used an electric skillet instead. I'm sure with practice, the cast iron skillet would be the way to go. I fried the ones I wanted to eat in a dry skillet, but to get the big flaky bubbles, fry them in a little vegetable oil. Keep the tortillas warm in a kitchen towel while you cook the others.
NOTE: I made a half recipe for just hubby and myself and it gave me five nice big tortillas. It is such a great dough, I'm sure you could double the ingredients as well if you are cooking for a crowd.

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SUPER DOOPER EASY PEACH CAKE

I hope you try this super-dooper easy peach dessert. It is sweet, fruity, full of fall flavor and mixes together in just minutes, so it would be great for last minute company!! This dessert is "over the top" delicious when served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!!

4 tablespoons butter melted
¾ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
3 cups sliced ripe peaches (3 to 4 peaches)

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a square or round 9" baking dish with vegetable spray (I used a 9" springform pan). In a medium size bowl, mix first 8 ingredients until smooth. Spread into prepared pan and set fruit slices on top (I cut my peaches a little thick). Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until browned and bubbly (I baked mine for the full 60 minutes).

Excellent served with whipped cream or ice cream.

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CHICKEN BAKED POTATOES and CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

This weekend was cold, rainy, gloomy and leaf-less; without falls bright yellow leaves everything looks so dreary. We've had several hard freezes and the snow line on the mountain behind our house is creeping very near; it won't be long. To celebrate the completion of our annual "winterizing", we decided to enjoy a lazy weekend. Saturday, I put chicken breasts and veggies in the crockpot and at dinner time, I just thickened the broth and served it on split baked potatoes.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups chopped veggies
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
4 cups good quality chicken broth (not bullion)
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of poultry seasoning
pinch of dried basil
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Saute onions in a little butter until they mellow, then put everything in the crockpot and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours (check for chicken tenderness at 6 hours). You want the chicken to be nice and "fall apart" tender. Thicken broth and serve over large baked Yukon gold potatoes that are cut in half.

DAY TWO

On Sunday, I used the crockpot leftovers for another lazy day meal:

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

 



My mother made wonderful chicken and dumplings, so our Sundays dinner was a trip down memory lane for me...Hubby, not so much. He courageously gave the dumplings a taste then gave me one of those squinty "I don't think so" glances and politely moved the dumplings over to the side of the bowl and ate everything else. Oh well, I enjoyed them thoroughly.

In a saucepan, cook 3 diced potatoes in seasoned (salt & pepper) chicken broth. Add them to the crockpot leftovers. For chicken and dumplings you want a liquid that is the consistency of gravy. If your leftovers seems to thick, add just a little bit of the chicken broth you boiled the potatoes in. If it seems too thin, thicken it with a little bit of corn starch slurry. When your gravy is the right consistency, bring it to a strong simmer.

Dumplings
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon chicken bullion granules
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup milk
pinch of poultry seasoning

Mix everything JUST UNTIL MOISTENED and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Drop heaping teaspoons of dumpling mixture onto the SURFACE of the simmering gravy. Put a TIGHT FITTING lid on the pan and cook for 15 minutes (do not peek). At the end of 15 minutes, test the dumplings for doneness with a toothpick. If they are not cooked thoroughly, put lid back on and cook another 5 minutes. Spoon gravy over dumplings before serving.

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CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE PIE

A graham cracker and chopped peanut crust, covered with a rich chocolate ganache layer, then topped with a layer of sweet, creamy, peanut butter mousse. Does it get any better than that? This no-bake pie is easy to make and totally satisfying!!

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup honey-roasted peanuts finely chopped
6 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
1½ cups whipping cream (divided)
(1) 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
(2) 3 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)
¾ cup creamy peanut butter

Mix graham cracker crumbs, chopped peanuts and melted butter. Spread on the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9" pie plate (set aside).

Microwave one half cup of whipping cream for 2 minutes (on high). Stir in one half cup of sweetened condensed milk and the chocolate chips. Stir until very smooth. Pour evenly over graham cracker crust bottom and chill for an hour (I put mine in the freezer for 20 minutes).

In a medium size bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Beat in the remaining sweetened condensed milk and the peanut butter. Whip until this mixture is very smooth (it will be thick). In a large bowl, whip the remaining one cup of whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the cream cheese-peanut butter mixture (by hand). Keep folding gently until everything is well blended together. Spoon over the chilled chocolate layer. Chill for about 4 hours or overnight.

 NOTE: This would be very good with a chocolate graham cracker crust as well.
 

NOTE: This would be a great dessert for the holidays. I picture it in small, individual dessert dishes.

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SEAFOOD BAKED RICE

1½ cups raw long grain rice (not instant)
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups favorite veggies chopped (see note)
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1½ pounds of cleaned shrimp
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese shredded

Cook the rice, 1 tablespoon butter, veggies (but not the mushrooms), salt and pepper in the chicken stock (I used a basic frozen mix of corn, peas, beans, carrots). After it is cooked, fluff rice with fork, and let it rest (covered) for 10 minutes to make sure all of the broth is completely absorbed. Cool completely (this can be done ahead of time).

In a wok, saute the minced garlic in a tablespoon of butter. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until tender. Scoot the mushroom-garlic mixture over to the side of the pan and lightly saute the shrimp until it starts to turn pink. Add 1 cup of cream, 1 cup of chicken broth and cooked rice to the pan. Cook for a few minutes or until the sauce is hot. Stir in one cup of shredded cheese. Place this mixture in a greased 9 x 13 pan and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Delicious!!

NOTE: The possibilities of this recipe are endless. It would be good with any kind of veggies, seafood, chicken or ham.

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CREAM CHEESE SPRITZ COOKIES

Spritz cookies are one of the simplest cookies you will find and they come in many flavors. Our favorites are chocolate, butter and cream cheese. Traditionally, they are shaped with a cookie press, but if you do not have a cookie press, you can shape them in 1" balls and flatten them with a flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar. They are crispy, sweet and light as air.

 

 

2½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter (room temperature)
3 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar until it is light and fluffy (about 3 or 4 minutes). Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Add flour ½ cup at a time until well blended. Dough will be quite stiff.

Roll dough into logs and place in your cookie press (follow cookie press directions). If you do not have a cookie press, just roll them into 1" balls and flatten with a fork or the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake cookies at 375 for 10 to 12 minute

Hubby likes his plain, like this:

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PIZZA ROLLS - A QUICK PARTY SNACK

What do you make, when you should have gone grocery shopping yesterday, and hubby says "whats to snack on?" Hmmmm, well, I did a quick check of what I had on hand and came up with this idea. The possibilities are endless; tuck in a few chopped mushrooms or pieces of broccoli, or if you aren't in the mood for pizza, fill them with cooked chicken and Alfredo sauce?

This really isn't a "recipe" as much as it is an idea. Make sure you buy the large egg roll wrappers (they are great to have on hand since they stay good in the fridge for a long time).
First, sliver the pepperoni and shred the cheese. If you use any other meat or veggie, make sure you cut it fairly small so that the cheese and sauce can melt around it (the filling will get hotter if you keep the ingredients on the small side as well).

In one corner of the wrapper, stack meat first, then cheese and sauce on top, then fold the point of the corner over the filling and tuck in the sides of the wrapper and roll them up. When you are done rolling, you will come to the pointed corner of the wrapper. "Glue" the wrapper point onto the pizza roll with a slurry of flour and water (should be the consistency of Elmer's Glue).

Fry these pizza rolls in canola oil at about 350 degrees. Watch the first few carefully since they brown very fast. If they seem to be browning too fast, turn the heat down a little.

These are addictive, and we enjoyed them dipped in ranch dressing.

NOTE: If you need a pizza sauce recipe, I hope you will try mine (CLICK HERE)
NOTE: If you need a ranch dressing recipe, I hope you will try mine (CLICK HERE)

NOTE: These can be assembled early in the day and refrigerated until it is time to cook them.

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OPEN FACE SURIMI MELT SANDWICHES

I don't want this to sound like a commercial, but I would like to say something about Alaskan surimi (I get the impression some people aren't familiar with it). Surimi is made from boneless, skinless Alaskan Pollock fillets that are cooked and flavored with crab meat, then pressed into various shapes. Surimi can be used in place of crab or shrimp in almost any recipe. It comes in 12 ounce and 16 ounce vacuum packed pouches. Just make sure it says "made from Alaska Pollock" because I can not vouch for any other kind.

I use surimi because it is not only economical, but it comes pre-cooked and is great for a super-fast meal (hot or cold). This open face surimi melt sandwich is quick, filling and easy.

Surimi Melts
12 ounce package of crab flavored surimi (flake style)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped chives or green onion
1/3 cup low fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
3 slices of bacon fried crisp
3 English muffins split in half
2 cups shredded cheddar or pepper-jack cheese

Rough chop the surimi and mix it with the chives, mayo, Dijon, lemon pepper, crumbled bacon and 1 cup of shredded cheddar or pepper-jack cheese until well blended.

Lightly toast the split English muffins and then top with the surimi mixture (divided equally).
Top mixture with the rest of the shredded cheddar (or pepper-jack) and broil these open face sandwiches until the cheese is melted and the sandwich is hot.

NOTE: Makes six sandwiches, 300 calories each.

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PIZZA-STUFFED PEPPERS

In a recent issue of Pillsbury's Pot Pies & Casseroles cookbook, I found a recipe for Pizza-Stuffed Peppers, made with orzo pasta instead of rice, which intrigued me. They were very easy to make and were quite good. This would be a great recipe for kids. 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
4 cups boiling water
6 small bell peppers
10 ounces ground turkey
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
15 oz. of pizza sauce
1½ cups mozzarella shredded
1/2 cup water

Cook the orzo in 4 cups boiling water for 3 minutes (see note). Drain and rinse with cold water then set aside. Cut top off of bell pepper and clean out seeds and membranes, rinse. If pepper does not sit straight, trim a little off the bottom.
Brown ground turkey and pepperoni over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until turkey is not longer pink then drain well. Stir in pizza sauce, 1 cup of cheese and the partially cooked pasta. Divide mixture evenly between the bell peppers.

Spray a 5-6 quart slow cooker with vegetable spray and pour in 1/2 cup water. Stand filled bell peppers upright in slow cooker, replace bell pepper tops. Put lid on and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Just before serving, remove pepper tops and top with remaining cheese, cook 5 to 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

To remove bell peppers from slow cooker, lift out with large slotted spoon, using tongs to support peppers (do not squeeze).

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I didn't make mine in the crockpot. Instead, I pre-cooked the empty bell peppers (wrapped in plastic wrap) for 3 minutes in the microwave. I then filled them with the filling mixture and baked them in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. I then topped them with lots of cheese (more than the recipe calls for) and baked them another 5 minutes or so until the cheese was all melty.

NOTE: There are several ways to pre-cook the empty bell peppers before you fill them. You can blanch them in boiling water, but I find that microwaving them works better.

NOTE: If you use my method of baking these bell peppers, cook the orzo for the full 9 minutes before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. I also added about a cup of chopped mushrooms to meat mixture during the last part of its cooking time.

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FUN FOOD FACTS & OUR DOG CHLOE

This is our dog Chloe, she just turned five. Our oldest son calls her "his youngest sister" (insinuating that we treat her like a human lol). We bought her from puppy rescue when she was just 6 weeks old and (by the look of the doggie toy basket) she has the run of the house. Her mother was a registered black labrador and her father a Jack Russell Terrier...so, she looks like a lab and is smart like the Jack Russell. She is a sweetie!!
I've put together a list of fun food facts that I hope you will find some use for:

1. Did you know that the pre-shredded cheese in the supermarket is coated with potato starch or powdered cellulose to keep it from clumping up? No wonder freshly shredded cheese tastes better (and melts better).

2. If you have a problem with meatballs crumbling when you brown them, chill them in the fridge for half an hour before you fry them.

3. Keep a small box of powdered milk in your pantry. It is always good to bake with in a pinch. If a cake or cookie recipe calls for cream, you can use the powdered milk (using only half of the water) and it will work.

4. Do you have toddlers at home? Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays then pop them out and store the cubes in a freezer Ziploc type bag. The smaller size microwave quickly and they make a great no-fuss lunch for your little ones.

5. Does a recipe call for just a few drops of lemon juice? Poke a lemon with a fork and squeeze out what you need, then seal the fork holes with a little butter and put back in the fridge.

6. Cottage cheese and sour cream last longer if you store the containers upside down (I put mine on a dish just in case there is something wrong with the container seal).

7. If you live in a "non-corn growing state" like I do, fresh corn on the cob can be less than primo at times. A spoon of sugar in the boiling water will give your corn a great fresh taste. This works great for fresh broccoli too.

8. When making a recipe that has blueberries, raisins, chocolate chips, etc. in it, coat them with flour before you fold them into the batter. It will keep them from sinking to the bottom of your cake.

9. If you are caramelizing sugar for a recipe, make sure you use a bright/light colored pan so you can keep an eye on the color of the sugar.

10. To keep bananas from turning brown, wrap them in a dark plastic trash bag and keep them in the vegetable crisper of your fridge. They will stay bright yellow for several days.

HAVE A GREAT (and safe) WEEKEND !!

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VEGGIE CALZONES

Lately I've been making calzones. They are a very versatile "hot sandwich" and since they require small amounts of filling...they are a good way to us any leftovers on hand. Hubby loves big meat sandwiches, so I've made them with leftover BBQ chicken, steak & cheese, ham & cheese, crisp bacon & cheese and yes, pizza goodies.

Personally, I like my calzones stuffed to the brim with veggies and a little pizza sauce & cheese. I have found, through trial and error, that you have to saute your veggies until tender then drain them well on a paper towel. If you don't, you will get a soggy-bottom crust on your sandwich. Any veggies will work. Roasted veggies are excellent, so are grilled veggies. Tonight I was lazy, so I just sauteed some broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, green onions and kidney beans, but usually, the more veggie variety the better.

I use my regular bread dough recipe (CLICK HERE) and jazz it up with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder(add seasonings when you add the liquid in the recipe).

Normally, I would rather cut my arm off than show anyone my oven, but I wanted you to see MY secret for getting a pizzeria style pizza crust. It doesn't look like anything special, but it is truly the best way to cook pizza at home.

My hubby came up with this idea about 10 years ago when I was complaining that my pizza stone wasn't working the way I wanted it to (I wanted a crispy crust with nice pillowy edges). He cut a 1/4" thick piece of steel (to fit my oven) and I seasoned it like a cast iron frying pan. After you have seasoned it, you never grease it or wash it again, just wipe it off.....nothing sticks to it.

I preheat my oven (and the steel sheet) to 450 degrees and use cornmeal on my pizza peal so that the prepared pizza (or calzone) will slide off directly onto this sheet of hot steel (no pan). Bake for 8 minutes, then switch the heat to broil and (watching it carefully) let it broil for about 2 more minutes or until it is the color you want. It works great...no more doughy "steamed" crusts.

For calzones, you will need a ball of yeast dough about the size of a hardball. Roll it out to a nice thin circle. Place a mound of sauteed, and drained, veggies on one side of the circle and top them with 1/4 cup of pizza sauce (CLICK HERE FOR MY PIZZA SAUCE) and a serious hand full of grated mozzarella cheese. Fold the "empty" side of the calzone over the filling and pinch the edges together. Once pinched together, roll the pinched dough edge back onto itself to form a very tight seal. Using scissors, snip several vent holes in the top of the calzone. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes or until nice and golden. Just as soon as they come out of the oven, brush them with butter and sprinkle with parmesan and coarse salt.

VEGGIE CALZONE CUT IN HALF

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PINEAPPLE-PECAN CUPCAKES

A few days ago, Donna, over at My Tasty Treasures, posted a yummy looking recipe for Pineapple Pecan Cake. Today, I decided to cut her recipe in half and make cupcakes instead (half of the recipe makes 15 cupcakes).

With my "tweaks" I was aiming for sort of a pineapple upside down cake flavor, and it worked!! I love recipes like this, they go together with just a bowl and a spoon... and couldn't be easier.

ULTRA MOIST

Here is Donna's original recipe, and my tweaks are in blue:
2 cups all purpose flour (1 cup)
2 cups sugar (1/2 cup white + 1/2 cup brown sugar)
2 teaspoons baking soda (1 teaspoon)
2 eggs (1 egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter extract
20 ounce can crushed pineapple (8 oz. can)
1 cup chopped pecans - toasted (2/3 cup)

Stir everything in a large bowl, just until moist. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan (I used paper-lined cupcakes) and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes (I baked my cupcakes for 18 minutes).

NOTE: Do not drain the crushed pineapple.

FROSTING
8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
1 stick of butter (softened)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon (yes tablespoon) of vanilla
Mix until smooth

NOTE: These cupcakes are exceptionally moist even though they have no oil or butter in the batter. They actually taste a lot better at room temperature than they do when they are hot.

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RICE STUFFED MUSHROOMS

The origin of this recipe is fairly humble: Hubby was hungry for steak and I was not, so I stuffed some large button mushrooms full of leftover spicey red  rice and topped them with Monterrey Jack cheese and baked them. They were so good, I ate way too much...the rest of them I re-heated (microwave) for lunch the next day and they were excellent.

I used a melon baller to scrape out the gills of the large mushrooms which made a nice pocket for the rice.
 

I stuffed the raw mushrooms full of (cold) red rice. Place the stuffed mushrooms in a 9 x 13 baking dish and top with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

I use leftover spicy red rice,

here is the recipe:

1 cup raw white rice (not instant rice)
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
1 tomato can of water + ½ cup

4 ounce can of mild green chili's

1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 cup red kidney beans

Heat the canola oil, then add the raw rice, onion and spices. Saute this mixture until the onion is transparent and the rice is opaque. Add the red bell pepper, kidney beans, the whole can of diced tomatoes (plus the juice) plus 1 full can of water and another 1/2 cup of water and the mild green chili's. Stir well and bring to a boil, stir well, put tight fitting lid on the pan and turn the heat down to a low simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes (don't lift the lid), then turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Fill the prepared mushroom caps with the rice mixture and top with cheese.

Bake in pre-heated 350 oven for 15 minutes then turn on the broiler for a minute or two (to get some color on the cheese) and serve.

Delicious and good for you if

you go easy on the cheese.

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CHOCOLATE-VANILLA CHEESECAKE

I served this delicious new recipe last weekend. Hubby and I couldn't stop nibbling on it. It has a bottom chocolate layer and a top vanilla layer, then I topped it with my newly discovered cream cheese-whipped cream. Talk about a one-two punch!! It is super quick to make and baked up without a single "crack".

CHEESECAKE
4 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
(2) 8 ounce cream cheese (divided)
1/2 cup sugar (divided)
2 eggs (divided)
(1) 6 ounce Oreo pie crust
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Microwave the chocolate (on high) for 1½ minutes (stirring every 30 seconds) or until completely melted. My microwave only took about 50 seconds.

To the melted chocolate, add one 8 ounce package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of white sugar and one egg. Beat until well mixed and pour into Oreo crust. In a different bowl, mix one 8 ounce package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of white sugar, one egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and pour over the chocolate filling. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Chill for at least 3 hours then frost with whipped topping and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds.

CREAM CHEESE-WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
(1) 8 ounce package of cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream
toasted sliced almonds

Combine room temperature cream cheese, sugar and extracts in a large mixing bowl. Beat until very smooth. With the mixer still running, slowly pour in the whipping cream (stop once in a while to scrape down the interior walls of the bowl). Continue to beat until cream forms stiff peaks.

This is a very sturdy whipped cream and will not deflate (there is still one piece of this cheesecake in the fridge (calling my name) and the whipped cream still looks as good as it did on Sunday).

NOTE: I did not have an Oreo crust, so I made a graham cracker crust and used a 10" pie plate. I didn't find out, until the cheesecake was in the oven, that an Oreo crust is only 8½" across, so my cheesecake came out a little on the thin side.

NOTE: Next time I make this recipe, I plan on making individual size cheesecakes by baking them in (cupcake paper lined) muffin tins. I am also going to alternate spoonfuls of chocolate and vanilla batter and run a knife through the batter to "marble" it.

NOTE: If you ever forget to bring the cream cheese up to room temperature, use this trick: unwrap cream cheese completely and microwave it on high for 10-15 seconds. (my microwave takes 13 seconds).

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ULTRA TENDER PORK RIBS

This is more of a cooking technique than a recipe. I've made country style boneless pork ribs using this technique for as long as I can remember and they are fork tender every time. I am guessing that most of the experienced cooks out there already know this method, but there might be a few younger ones who would like to try this.

Look for boneless country style pork ribs (the leaner the better) in the meat market. An hour before you want to grill, cut them in to sections about 4" long and put in a large sauce pan and enough water to cover them. Add a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper.

Bring this to a boil on high. After a few minutes, you will see some "crud" float to the surface. Don't get grossed out, but it will look like this:

Skim it off and throw it away (you may have to do this a couple of times). Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and boil for 45 minutes. Pull one of the pieces of pork out of the pan and see if it is fork tender. If not, boil for another 15 minutes (but no longer). Some pork tends to be tougher than others.

Drain pork and put it into a bowl. Drizzle with enough melted butter to coat each piece. Put the pork onto the barbecue grill and coat with your favorite barbecue sauce. Keep turning and basting until the barbecue sauce starts to crisp up on the edges (usually only takes about 10-15 minutes tops.

These ribs are So flavorful and you don't even need a knife to cut them. I hope you will try this technique.

NOTE: Country style pork ribs are usually cut about 2" wide and 10" or so long. Ask your butcher if you can't find them. Make sure you get the boneless ones (better value).

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PITA BREAD

Pita bread made with a bread machine, what could be easier? The only trick is to roll them thin enough (I didn't roll my first batch thin enough and they were lofty little pillows, but bad minimal pockets). The thinner batch made perfect pocket pitas.

This was a quick fun project and the final results were delicious, you will never be happy with grocery store pita's again.

1 and 1/8 cups warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Put everything into the bread pan of your bread machine, select dough setting and start. Let dough going through first rise.

Turn dough out onto your floured counter. Knead dough a few times then divide into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. With a floured rolling pin, roll each ball out into a 6" circle (dough will be very thin). Lay circles on lightly floured surface and cover with a dry light-weight dish towel. Let it rest for 30 minutes or until slightly puffy.

In the meantime, heat your oven to 500 (yep! 500) and place a wire cake rack into your oven (set it right on the oven rack...no pan please). Gently lift a circle of dough and gently place it on the hot cake rack (bake 2 at a time). Bake for five minutes until they are super-puffed and lightly brown. Remove with spatula and place in a brown paper bag (I just used some lunch bags) and make sure you seal up the bag well (I used a chip clip to seal bags) and let the pita's cool in there. I don't know why this step is necessary, but that is what the recipe calls for. They will look like this:

 When they are cooled, you can split them open or cut off one end. We really enjoyed these and I will definitely make these again.


NOTE: I don't have a bread machine, so I just made the dough in my stand mixer and let it rise for about an hour.

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