Monday - August 30, 2010

Yep, I know already! I'm a slacker.


I have excuses....
.

1) 30 yr High School Reunion (still recovering from that adventure)
.

2) Celebrated my parents 45th Wedding Anniversary (I know, the dates don't add up)
.

3) I had laundry to do & ironing
.

4) I found this recipe....




Slowcooker or Crockpot Tamale Pie

1 Lb ground beef (I used 2lbs)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder (I used 1 Tbsp)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (14.5 oz) rotel tomatoes w/ green chilies (I used medium)
1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn, drained (I used sweet corn)
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce (I used medium)
2 green onions, fine chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (I forgot to get any at the grocers and used 1 Tbsp dehydrated cilantro)
1 package (8.5 oz) cornbread/muffin mix
2 eggs
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Mexican Cheese blend
Sour cream and additional minced fresh cilantro, optional

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper. Transfer to a 4-QT clow cooker; stir in beans, tomatoes, corn, enchilda sauce, onions and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through. (I did 1.5 hrs on high, I'm impatient).

In a small bowl, combine muffin mix & eggs; spoon over meat mixture. Cover & cook 1 hour longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream and additional cilantro if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

I found this recipe in my Taste of Homes Magazine. VERY TASTEY!!!!

While this says it's a slowcooker recipe. I see no reason not to speed things up in a dutch oven. Next time, I will.

I hope you ALL enjoy this little jewel as much as we did. *smack, smack*

Sunday - August 8, 2010

Friday night I had dinner and drinks with a couple of friends from high school. It was GREAT to see them! I had a wonderful time and have to repeat the experience VERY soon. They both looked GREAT and have been living wonderful lives. Exceptional ladies with exceptional children...would we have anything less?!

We talked and talked and talked, I REALLY hope we can plan something again, soon!

One of the things we talked about was, of course, cooking. Another was the collection of family recipes, which I am glad to say, is still alive and well! We discussed canning, baking and everyday meals. And the obsession of recipe collection from the internet.

We even discussed our happy mistakes. You know the ones where you only partially read the instructions and the results are actually better than the "right" way?

So, today I will be sharing a hamburger recipe that I only half read. The original recipe was in the June 2010 issue of Southern Living.

Sweet & Savory Burgers

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 lb. ground beef

Mix well and divide and form 8 burgers. Place in a refridgerator container overnight (or at least for 4 hours).

Sauce

1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup hot red pepper jelly

Mix well and serve on top of burger.

Toppings: grilled sweet onion and grilled pineapple slices.

So as it turns out...all of the ingredients listed before the ground beef were SUPPOSED to be a marinade. I mixed all of those ingredients with the ground beef. It turned out that they ARE the BEST burgers I've ever had. Mom & Dad love 'em, the kids love 'em. This recipe has become a stapel in less than a month. I have already made and frozen about 8 dozen. Mom only has four burgers left and I have 6 left in my freezer. And really, before this, I wasn't a big burger fan. But these sweet and savory burgers, are still juicy when you reheat them in the microwave for lunch the next day!

Share some of your happy mistakes with the rest of us!