Jambalaya

 Ingredients

1 large onion chopped

1 clove garlic minced

1 large green pepper chopped

1 stalk celery diced

2 T. oil or bacon grease

2 teaspoons minced parsley

½ lb. ham cubed small

½ t. thyme 

2 large bay leaves

2 t. salt

1 t. Tabasco

1 15oz. can diced tomatoes

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

2 cups water

2 c. uncooked rice

½ - 1lb. smoked sausage (like hillshire farm) cubed

1 lb. cooked chicken breast cubed (or shrimp)

 

Instructions

Cook onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery in oil for 2 minutes.  Add parsley, ham, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cook 2 more minutes.  Add salt, Tabasco, tomatoes w/juice, tomato sauce, and water.  Simmer 2 minutes.  Add rice.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.  Add chicken and smoked sausage.  Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer-until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.  6-8 servings

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons flour (whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour blends all work!)

• 2 tablespoon ground chili powder (scale back if you’re sensitive to spice or using particularly spicy chili powder)

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste

• Pinch of cinnamon (optional but recommended)

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 cups broth (vegetable or beef)

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. This sauce comes together quickly once you get started, so measure the dry ingredients (the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and optional cinnamon) into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the tomato paste and broth near the stove as well.

2. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes, so be patient and don’t step away from the stove!

3. Once it’s ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.

4. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will thicken some more as it cools.)

5. Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt, if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two). Go forth and make enchiladas! Makes enough sauce for a 9x13 pan of enchiladas

Reunion Spaghetti

• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• 1 14.5 oz. can of crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• 10 oz. hot Italian sausage crumbled (approximately)
• 1 t. Oregano
• 1 t. Basil
• 1 t. Dried garlic
• 2 T. minced onion flakes
• 2 T. parsley flakes
• 1 t. Salt
• ½ t. Sugar 
• 1 16 oz package spaghetti noodles

In a large saucepan brown the Italian sausage (you can use link sausage, just peel off the skin and break apart in the pan as you brown it).  If there is a lot of grease after it is browned, drain it off or use a ball of wadded up paper towel to soak it up.

Add the canned tomatoes and spices and bring to a simmer.  Turn down low and simmer for at least a half hour or up to an hour.

While the sauce simmers, bring a pot of water to boil, add a teaspoon or two of salt to the water.  When it reaches a boil, turn down to medium heat and add the noodles and cook according to the package directions, usually about 9 minutes.

Serves 8

Notes:  I did this recipe (times 4) for the 2026 reunion so it was 6 28oz. cans total of tomatoes, half tomato puree, half crushed tomatoes. When you make it, any combo should do and you can substitute tomato sauce or petite diced tomatoes, the substitutions will affect the texture (be more watery) and taste a little different but should still be good. You could do two 28 oz. cans and add just a bit more of the spices and feed 10.

I usually use ground beef but the Italian sausage was on sale so a good bit cheaper and hey, added flavor.  For the reunion, it wasn’t too greasy so I didn’t drain any of the grease after browning it.

Buffalo Chicken

Ingredients

• 20 chicken wings (or 1 dozen drumsticks)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon hot sauce, divided
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter 

Directions

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
2. Place the salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, and vegetable oil in a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated.
3. Place the flour, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder in another resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Pour the chicken wings from the first bag into the flour bag, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Place the wings onto the prepared baking sheet rack, and place into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.
5. Melt the butter in a medium microwave safe bowl. Whisk in the hot sauce. Dip the wings into the butter mixture one at a time, and place back on the baking sheet rack. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, about 1 hour.

Chicken Tikka Masala

 Ingredients:

1 1/2 Lbs chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces

(Marinade)

• 1 cup plain yoghurt
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 t. red pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger

(Sauce)

• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, cubed (optional)
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1c. heavy whipping cream

Put the chicken in a dish or large ziploc bag, and add all of the marinade ingredients: yoghurt, lemon juice, cumin, red pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, salt, & ground ginger.

 Put in the fridge for 1-2 hours then discard the marinade. Grill or cook the chicken in a high sided skillet about 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink inside. For the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper,and jalapeño and cook till tender.  Add coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala, garlic, and salt. Stir to combine. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.  Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and stir in the cream . Serve with white rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Cafe Rio Burritos

CAFÉ RIO BURRITOS

Noah 

(This recipe is a pain because there is a lot of steps, but Noah loves it—so I always try to make a pan for that night and freeze another pan for later.)

2 ½ lbs. pork, chicken, or beef

1 pkg large tortillas

2 (15 oz.) can mild enchilada sauce (at Café Rio they use the green stuff—we’ve always used red though)

½ c. brown sugar

1/3 lbs. shredded Monterey jack cheese (or just whatever cheese you’ve got)

2 cans black beans

1 ½ c. rice

1 bunch cilantro, chopped (optional)

Meat Portion

Cube 2 ½ lbs. or pork and place in crock pot with 1/3 c. water. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Remove, drain and shred pork into a large mixing bowl.

** Or, we really like to use chicken (just boiled and then shredded) and beef will work too.**

In a separate bowl mix ½ to ¾ of the enchilada sauce with ½ c. brown sugar. We like the sauce pretty sweet so we add a bit more sugar (to taste, if you will). Pour sauce over meat and mix well.

Other Fillers

Cook rice as you normally would. We use jasmine rice. For extra flavor you can add chicken bouillon cubes to the water, or cook the rice in chicken broth.

Drain and heat 2 cans black beans on the stove top or in the microwave (when I use only one I always end up with too much meant and rice and not enough beans.) Season beans with salt, pepper, garlic, etc. (I’ve even added bacon and a little of the enchilada sauce to the beans.)

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan. Pour ½ c. of sauce into the pan (again we like all the sauce to be sweetened, so I add some brown sugar here too, a bit less than I add to the meat sauce though—but it’s not what the real recipe calls for). Fill each tortilla with cheese, rice, cilantro, beans, then meat. Roll and place in pan. Top burritos with remaining sauce and cheese. Heat through (approx. 20 minutes.)

Garnish burritos with lettuce, tomatoes, avocados or guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

Turkey Roll-Ups &/or Chicken Puffs/Pillows

TURKEY ROLL-UPS & CHICKEN PUFFS/CHICKEN PILLOWS

Georgia & Shauna

I combined these recipes, because they are the same thing, I just took the “healthier/tastier” options on both of them and made them one recipe.

2 cups/3 lbs. cooked chicken (I boil this with chicken bouillon, garlic salt, and salt and pepper)

1 Tbsp. butter

6 oz. cream cheese

½ tsp. pepper

4 oz. can mushroom pieces

2-3 packages or crescent rolls

More melted butter

Seasoned bread crumbs

Sauce:

1 can cream of mushroom/ chicken

½ tub of sour cream

1 soup can of milk

Optional – lemon juice

Melt together butter, cream cheese and pepper. Stir in mushrooms and chicken. Roll out crescent rolls. Put spoonful of chicken mixture on wide end of triangular roll. Roll up the roll; pinch sides to seal shut. (There is no neat way to do this, just try to incase the chicken mixture in the crescent roll. No matter how bad they look, they turn out looking fine after being cooked.)

Dip in melted butter. (I forgot to do this once, and have never done it since, I just roll in crumbs and call it good). Roll in seasoned bread crumbs (I don’t ever season them either, I just use regular bread crumbs). To make your own bread crumbs, add parsley, oregano, and pepper to your bread crumbs.

Bake at 350º for about 17 minutes.

For gravy, mix cream of chicken/mushroom soup with milk, sour cream, and lemon juice. Pour over puffs before serving.

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork Fajita

SLOW-COOKER BARBECUE PULLED PORK FAJITA

Amber

1 pork boneless loin roast (2 ½ pounds), trimmed on fat

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cups barbecue sauce

¾ cup Old El Paso Thick n’ Chunky salsa (or whatever salsa you have around)

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 bag (1 pound) frozen stir-fry bell peppers and onions

½ tsp. salt

18 flour tortillas (8-10 inches in diameter)

Shredded cheese, if desired

Guacamole, if desired

Sour cream, if desired

Directions:

1.      Place pork in 3-4 quart slow cooker. Place onion on top. Mix barbecue sauce, salsa, chili powder and cumin in small bowl; pout over pork and onion.

2.      Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8-10 hours.

3.      Remove pork from cooker; place on cutting board. Shred pork, using 2 forks. Return pork to cooker and mix well. Stir in stir-fry vegetables and salt. Increase heat setting to High. Cover and cook 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and vegetables are tender.

4.      Using slotted spoon to remove pork mixture from cooker, fill each tortilla with ½ cup pork mixture. Serve with cheese, guacamole and sour cream.

Stroganoff

STROGANOFF

Gramma Mary

 

1.      Cut fat and junk from round steak and slice in very thin strips.

2.      Brown in fry pan with 2-3 sliced onions, salt and pepper and mushrooms if desired.

3.      Add one container sour cream and one can mushroom soup.

4.      Eat over egg noodles or rice.

Creamy Italian Chicken

CREAMY ITALIAN CHICKEN

Esther

 

4 boneless chicken breasts

½ cup water

1 pkg Italian dressing mix

1 can cream of chicken soup (don’t add milk)

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese

 

Cook chicken, water, and dressing mix in a crock pot for 4 hours on LOW. Mix soup and cream cheese. Add to chicken in crock pot. Cook for 1 to 2 more hours on LOW. Eat over pasta or rice.

Butter Chicken

 

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 large boneless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 3/4 cup fresh cream
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

 

Directions:

1. Slice chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.
2. Combine spices and salt and toss chicken pieces until well coated.
3. Saute onion and garlic in butter.
4. Saute the chicken each side until golden brown.
5. Stir in the cream and tomato paste.
6. Cover pan and simmer for about 10 minutes until cooked through.
   
   

Upside Down Spaghetti

UPSIDE DOWN SPAGHETTI

Georgia

1 lb. ground beef
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 lg. prego spaghetti sauce

1 (8 oz.) sour cream
Grated mozzarella cheese

Cook meat and add sauce. Place half of the cooked spaghetti in 9x13 in. pan. Add half of sauce mixture. Mix cream cheese and sour cream; place on top, then layer rest of spaghetti, followed by rest of sauce. Add grated mozzarella on top. Bake at 325º for 30 minutes covered. Bake additional 15 minutes uncovered.

Bean Tostadas with Avocado Salad

BEAN TOSTADAS WITH AVOCADO SALAD

Ralphie

 

Ingredients

·         Tostadas

·         3 to 4 corn tortillas

·         ½ tablespoon olive oil

·         1 cup cooked black beans

·         ¼ cup bean liquid or water

·         1/2 cup salsa

 

·         Salad

·         2 cups lightly packed shredded lettuce

·         1 avocado, cubed

·         1 ounce cojita cheese, crumbled

·         1 tablespoon lime juice

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         2 teaspoons honey

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

·         Cilantro, lime wedges, to garnish

 

Instructions

1.      Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush tortillas with olive oil. Place on a baking tray; bake until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

2.      In a skillet, heat the black beans, liquid and salsa until boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the majority of juice has been absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.

3.      For the salad, combine lettuce, cubed avocado and crumbled cheese in a bowl. Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over salad, then toss until coated.

4.      Top the tortillas with a layer of black beans, then salad. Serve with extra cheese or lime wedges as desired.

Canned Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

CANNED HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Georgia

 

50-60 Roma tomatoes (13 lb. 2 oz. of tomatoes)

4 green peppers

1 whole garlic

3 lbs. yellow onions

4 sticks celery

1 pint vegetable oil

8 small cans tomato paste

½ cup salt

1 ½ c. sugar

2 Tbsp. fresh basil

2 Tbsp. oregano.

 

Slip skins on tomatoes, and cook down for 2 hours.

 

Sauté green peppers, garlic, onions, and celery. (I definitely did NOT use that much oil, and you’ll have to sauté in batches)

 

Puree vegetables in blender, and add to tomatoes. (After I added the vegetables to the tomatoes, I would scoop out some and put it in the blender, and keep doing this until the sauce was to the “chunkiness” I wanted)

 

Then add tomato paste, salt, sugar, basil, and oregano. (I don’t like how much sugar it calls for, next time I’ll be cutting the sugar in half probably)

 

Cook all together for 2 hours, until desired consistency.

 

Steam can for 20 minutes. ( I only have a water bath, so I water-bathed the pints for 50 minutes, and the quarts for 55 minutes.)

 

Good luck! It’s super yummy~!

Quick Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

QUICK WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA CRUST

Georgia

 

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 package active dry yeast/instant yeast

¾ tsp. salt

1 cup hot tap water (120-125 degrees)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (canola or olive oil work well too)

1 Tbsp. honey or granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. gluten (optional)

 

To prepare pizza dough, stir whole wheat flour; lightly spoon into a measuring cup and level flour.

 

In large mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, yeast and salt. Blend in water, oil and honey or sugar. Stir by hand vigorously until all ingredients are well mixed; about 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise to desired size.

 

Place dough in greased jelly roll pan or 12-14 inch pizza pan. Press dough to cover bottom of pan and up sides to form a rim.

 

Some people prefer to “pre-bake” the crust for about 3 minutes before adding the toppings. Crust will be “crispier” than if not pre-baked.

 

Add pizza sauce of your choice and your favorite pizza toppings; bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and toppings are done.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

BAKED CREAMY CHICKEN TAQUITOS
Whit

 

(italics are our changes)

 

Recipe by OurBestBites.com

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese (Neufchatel is okay)                          1/2 t onion powder
1/4 C green salsa (we’ve done red)                                               1/4 t granulated garlic
1T fresh lime juice                                                                           3 T chopped cilantro
1/2 t cumin                                                                                        2 T sliced green onions
1 t chili powder                                                                                (can skip this)

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese (or whatever you have)

small corn tortillas
kosher salt (regular salt works too)
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.