Misc

My Favourite Granola (to date!)

This granola is crisp, flavourful, and addicting. Have fun mixing up the nuts and seeds. Enjoy it with your favourite milk poured over top for a delicious breakfast. Next time, I might try adding an extra 1 tablespoon of brown rice syrup to help it clump up a bit more as this granola was not as clumpy as I wanted it to be. It will keep for about 1 month refrigerated in an air-tight container.

Yield: ~6 cups

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 2.5 cups rolled oats (regular not instant)
• 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp ground flax
• 2 tbsp sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt

Wet: (See note below)

• 3-4 tbsp brown rice syrup (I used 3 tbsp, but next time I will use 4 tbsp so it clumps more)
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp applesauce, unsweetened
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Add-ins:

• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup raisins
• handful pepita seeds

Directions: preheat oven to 300F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the wet ingredients. Stir well. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a very large mixing bowl, Mix together the dry ingredients.

Add the wet mixture (while still warm!) over top the dry mixture and stir well. It will be very thick and hard to stir, but keep at it until everything is thoroughly combined.

Spread onto a pan lined with parchment paper or a non-stick mat and bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 300F. Remove the pan from the oven every 15 minutes and give the granola a good stir to ensure even baking.

Allow to cool for 20-25 minutes on the pan before serving. The granola will stiffen up as it cools. Makes about 6 cups and will keep for 1 month in the fridge in an air-tight container.

Note: You can probably substitute the brown rice syrup and agave nectar for other liquid sweeteners, although please note that the flavour and crispness will change.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

4 c old-fashion oats

1 1/2 c sliced almonds

 1/2 c packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 c vegetable oil

1/4 c honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c raisins or dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees 

In a bowl mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.  n a saucepan warm the oil and honey.  Whisk in vanilla

Carefully pour the liquid over the oat mixture.  stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand.  Spread granola in a 15x10 inch baking pan

Bake 40 mins, stirring carefully every 10 mins.  Transfer granola-filled pan to a rack to cool completely.  Stir granola in raisins or cranberries.  Seal granola in an airtight container or self-sealing plastic bag.  Store at room temperature for 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months.

Courtside Carmel Corn
6 its popped popcorn
2 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c butter or margarine
1/2 c corn syrup

Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.  Boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in:
1 tbl vanilla extract ann
1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix Well: Pour over popcorn and stir.
Put popcorn on onto 2 greased 13x9x2 baking pans.  Bake uncovered at 250 degrees for 45 mins. Stir every 15 minutes
Cool completely, store in airtight containers or plastic bags.

Salted Caramel Popcorn

 (6 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

 Serves: 15

 Prep Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 20 cups popped mushroom popcorn 
• 3 cups of Peter’s Caramel
• 8-10 Tbsp heavy cream
• 2-3 Tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (don't use table salt)

INSTRUCTIONS

1

For the popcorn, pop enough so you have about 20 cups. We suggest the mushroom popcorn because it puffs up so round and beautiful, the perfect vessel for all the caramel and salt. Put the popped popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. 

2

Use a plastic or silicone microwave-safe bowl to melt the caramel in small increments. We suggest going in 30-second bursts and stirring between each one for smooth and consistent heating. 

3

Once the caramel is at a good consistency, add the heavy cream and stir until it is incorporated. Add 1 Tbsp of the salt to the caramel mixture and stir it in. 

4

Next, drizzle the caramel over the popped popcorn. Here you can use a spoon to stir it all together or you can get another large bowl to use as a lid and shake the popcorn up until it is covered. 

5

Sprinkle the last bit of salt over the top of the popcorn to taste and shake or stir to distribute. This is where you can decide just how salty you want your popcorn to be. 

NOTES

This recipe is for a very generous batch of popcorn, because we are usually feeding a crowd. But you could easily cut it in half for a smaller batch and adjust the amounts to the kind of sweetness and saltiness and caramellyness you prefer. You do need to use a coarse salt for this recipe. If all you have is table salt, you will want to adjust the amounts down to teaspoons. When it comes to this popcorn, there is no right or wrong way to make it!

Mexican

Taco Bake 

Easy meal that will soon be a household favorite!

Course Main Dish  Prep Time 20  minutes  Cook Time 10 minutes  Servings INGREDIENTS 1 lb Ground Beef 1 pkg Taco Seasoning 2/3 cup Water 1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup 1/2 cup Milk 8-12 oz Shredded Mozzarella I often use cheddar cheese & it still turns out great! 1 bag Fritos Chips I use the Chili Cheese flavor - but regular would be fine too

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Brown the ground beef and prepare taco meat according to the seasoning packet.
3. Pour enough Fritos into a 9x9 pan to cover the bottom.
4. Top with prepared taco meat. 
5. Combine soup and milk in a sauce pan over medium heat. Heat until smooth. 
6. Top the taco meat with cheese sauce.
7. Top with shredded cheese (8 to 12 oz depending on how cheesy you want).
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes- until bubbly.
9. You can serve as is, over lettuce, or with desired toppings

CREAM CHEESE BEAN DIP

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Our new favorite dip - Cream Cheese Bean Dip! Recipe includes sour cream, cream cheese, Mexican cheese, refried beans, and salsa.

Author: Lil' Luna

Recipe type: Appetizer

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 - 16 oz. can refried beans
• 4 oz. (1/2 bar) cream cheese (softened)
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 cup mexican cheese
• Salsa (a few TB - ¼ cup of your favorite kind) - optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat to 350.
2. Combine beans, sour cream, and cream cheese in a bowl until well combined. Add taco seasoning and salsa.
3. Pour into 8x8 pan. Top with cheese and bake for 25 minutes.
4. Serve hot with tortilla chips. ENJOY!

KILLER BEAN DIP

PREP TIME: COOK TIME: 10 MINSTOTAL TIME: 10 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 (1-oz) package taco seasoning
• 1-1/2 cups salsa
• 1 (16-oz) package Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 (28-oz) can refried beans

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef; drain.
2. In a large pot, combine cooked beef, taco seasoning, salsa, Velveeta and refried beans. Cook on low for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted and dip is warm.
3. *Slow Cooker directions: Place cooked beef, taco seasoning, salsa, Velveeta and refried beans in slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.*

Restaurant-Style Salsa

28 oz. can whole tomatoes undrained 2 10-oz. cans diced tomatoes and green chilies undrained 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic minced 1 whole jalapeno pepper seeded 1/4 tsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves packed juice from half of a lime

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all the ingredients in a large blender and pulse about 10-15 times, or until you achieve the desired consistency.
2. Serve with tortilla chips.

Restaurant-Style Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes (drained)
  
• 1 small onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (roughly chopped)
• 1/2 cup cilantro (mostly leaves, discard thick stems, but thin stems are ok)
• 1-2 chipotle peppers (from can)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into food processor or blender and blend until desired consistancy. Taste salsa and, if necessary, adjust seasonings or ingredients. Serve as a condiment or as a dip with tortilla chips.

5 INGREDIENT CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

• 1 (19-20 oz) can enchilada sauce
  
• 8 packaged flour tortillas
• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I just bought a rotisserie chicken and shredded it)
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 6-ounce bag shredded Mexican blend cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Pour 1/4 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of of a 9x13" pan.
3. Divide the chicken and the red bell peppers evenly between the 8 tortillas (about 1/2 cup of chicken per tortilla). Add 1-2 tablespoons of cheese to each tortilla, pour about 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce in each tortilla, then roll up and place in the pan (making sure that the seam of each tortilla is face-down in the pan so that they don't come unrolled).
4. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving.

Recipe Type: Main Dish

NOTES

To make these enchiladas a freezer meal:
Follow instructions through step 4, then tightly wrap the entire pan with foil, crimping to seal around the edges to prevent freezer burn. Or to freeze smaller portions separately, scoop the enchiladas into individual lidded freezer-safe containers before storing.
These enchiladas will last for 3 months in the freezer.
When ready to eat, remove enchiladas from freezer 24 hours before consuming and place in the fridge to thaw. Follow cooking instructions as directed.

OVEN BAKED BEEF TACOS RECIPE

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning (or 2-3 tablespoons of Homemade Taco Seasoning)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 12 hard taco shells
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil and add onion and garlic ? saute for about 5 minutes until soft.  Add beef and taco seasoning, cooking until meat is browned. Add beans and salsa.  Mix well and let cook for a couple of minutes so that the flavors can meld and the mixture can thicken.
3. In a large 9x13" baking pan, line up all the taco shells. Fill each one with a couple of scoops of the beef mixture and pack down into the shell. Repeat until all the shells are filled. Top each taco with shredded cheese.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes (or until all the cheese is melted).
5. Serve with your favorite taco toppings (tomatoes, lettuce, olives, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo , hot sauce, or whatever you like!).

Salsa (Lisa)

2 cans Diced Tomatoes

1 can Rotel (Mild)

1 small onion

1 bunch cilantro

1/2 Jalepano Pepper

3 tsp Minced Garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp sugar

3 tbl lime juice

In a blend mix Onion, Cilantro, Jalepano Pepper, Garlic, Cumin, Sugar and lime juice.  After well blended add diced tomatoes and Rotel.  Do not over blend.

Cafe Rio Sweet Shredded Pork for Burritos

This sweet shredded pork tastes even BETTER than Cafe Rio, I promise! Use this pork to make giant burritos smothered with Cilantro-Tomatillo Dressing, or an amazing pork salad. Or throw it in some enchiladas. You can't go wrong! It's so easy to make in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. 

Prep Time5minutes mins

Cook Time8hours hrs

Total Time8hours hrs 5minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

 

Servings: 10

 

Calories: 503kcal

Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

For the pork

• 3-4 pound pork butt
• salt and pepper
• 1 (8.25-oz) jar Adobo Sauce
• 1 (12-oz) can Coke (1 and 1/2 cups) (NOT diet! No coke zero!)
• 1 cup sugar*
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

For the Cilantro-Tomatillo Ranch

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (.4-oz) package buttermilk ranch dressing (put it in dry)
• 1 serrano pepper seeded and roughly chopped
• 3 small tomatillos chopped
• juice from 1 lime
• 1/2 bunch cilantro

Serve with

• shredded lettuce
• hot rice
• black beans warmed
• sour cream
• avocados or guacamole
• Cotija cheese

Instructions

Slow Cooker instructions:

• Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• In a medium bowl, combine Adobo sauce, the can of coke, sugar, garlic, cumin, mustard powder, and chili powder. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to try to break up the Adobo sauce. It's stubborn but you don't need to stress about it. Some lumps are okay.
• Pour the sauce over the top of the pork.
• Cover with the lid and cook on high for 3-5 hours. OR cook on low for 8-10 hours.
• Remove to a platter and shred the pork.

Instant Pot instructions:

• In the Instant Pot, whisk together the can of coke, sugar, garlic, cumin, mustard powder, and chili powder. Whisk until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to cut your pork roast into 4 large chunks. Season each one with salt and pepper.
• Place the pork roast chunks in the Instant Pot. Turn them over to coat both sides in the sauce.
• Scrape the entire jar of Adobo sauce on top of the pork. Do NOT add it to the liquid at the bottom of the pot. The Adobo sauce needs to sit on top of the pork, otherwise the mixture will be too thick, and your instant pot won't come to pressure. 
• Seal the lid on top.
• Pressure cook on manual setting for 1 hour.**
• At this point you can either release the lid naturally or follow manual instructions to do a quick release. Be careful! You don't want to get a steam burn.
• Scrape the cooked Adobo sauce into the liquid. Remove meat to a platter and shred the pork. Whisk the adobo sauce into the liquid until smooth. If it seems oily or thin, turn the Instant pot onto the sauté setting and sauté on low for 5 minutes so that it comes together. You can add the meat back in while it is sautéing. (Or just add the meat back in if it doesn't need the sauté.) 

For the ranch:

• Add all the ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. If it is too runny, add a couple extra tablespoons of mayo and blend again.
• Serve the pork with shredded lettuce, hot rice, black beans***, sour cream, avocados or guacamole, and cotija cheese or queso fresco. If you can't find that kind of cheese, shredded cheddar or jack cheese will taste good too!
• Serve with tortillas to make burritos, or serve with lots of lettuce to make salads.

Notes

 *Eric's original recipe actually calls for 1 and 1/2 cups sugar to go in the pork, but I like the sweetness level a little lower, so I used 1 cup. Feel free to add that extra 1/2 cup if you want it very sweet. 

**If you take your pork out and it is not shredding easily, put it back in for another 10 minutes. Pork roast should be cooked in the pressure cooker about 15 minutes per pound, so adjust time accordingly.

***The black beans don't need to be super fancy. I opened the can and heated them with a little garlic (from a jar) and tossed in some of the extra chopped cilantro.

Homemade Churros with Scott from San Diablo Churro

 (No Ratings Yet)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter 
• 1 cup cake or bread flour (10-12% protein)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

1

In medium saucepan, combine water and butter and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Then remove from heat. 

2

When butter has melted, add flour and salt. Stir until there are no clumps of flour and dough resembles a ball. 

3

Transfer dough to a stand mixer or large bowl and mix on low speed to allow steam to escape and cool the dough. 

4

While dough lets off steam, in a separate bowl combine egg and vanilla. 

5

Add egg and vanilla mixture to dough and mix, slowly increasing the speed. Continue until dough is smooth and has a playdough-like consistency. 

6

Place dough in the fridge to cool for about 10 minutes. 

7

Preheat 2-3” canola oil in a frypan to 375*F. Use churro dispenser to gently shape and place dough into hot oil. Fry until golden. Remove from oil to cool and toss with cinnamon sugar.