Tortillas

THIN TORTILLAS
3 Cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup luke warm water

WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups warm water

TORTILLAS LIDIA
6 cups flour
3 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup shortening
Warm water (approx. 3 cups..add till desired dough consistency)
(*cook about 20-30 seconds on either side*)

TORTILLAS USING OIL
6 cups flour
3 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup oil or
3/4 cups shortening/lard
1 /2 to 1 3/4 cups warm water
(*cook 20-30 seconds on either side*)

FOR ALL RECIPES:Combine salt, flour and baking powder. Cut in shortening with fingers till powder consistency. Add water a little at a time as you mix lightly to get a workable soft dough. Knead for at least 10 mins. Cover and allow to rest 30 minutes, or for best results for 2 or more hours. Heat grill to medium-high. Form dough into balls (*about 1-inch thick and 2-inches wide for an 8-inch tortilla) before or after allowing it to rest. With rolling pin, roll out individual circles of dough on floured board, turning over and around 4-6 times and coming to a complete circle. Place on hot grill and cook (*no oil or grease needed*) about 1 minute on one side, tortilla will puff up in bubbles throughout it. Turn over and cook about another minute, will be light brown. The longer dough was allowed to rest the less time it will need to be cooked.Use to make burritos with or use as bread. Especially good as a snack hot out of the grill and spread with some butter. Can save in a plastic bag.

TO REHEAT:Heat grill to hot and place tortilla on it, turning once to heat both sides. No oil or grease needed. Or very carefully turn several times over open flame.

*IF YOU'RE OUT OF BAKING POWDER*You may substitute baking soda instead of baking powder!

Berry Cream

This cream mixture is very versatile. I've poured it into a graham crust and made a frozen pie. Can also be used as the cream mixture for trifle, or put into waffle bowls, or frozen in muffin liners for mini desserts. I bet it would be really good without the crushed cookies as a layered cup with whole nilla wafers, then cream, then berries, etc. I also like to eat it alone as a great pudding.

Makes approx 2 cups mixture

1 pkg cream cheese
1 cup cold milk
1 3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 c. thawed whipped topping
20 nilla wafers (or I use lorna doone shortbread cookies), coarsely broken
1 cup sliced strawberries, whole raspberries, or whole blueberries (or can use a berry mix)

Beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix. Beat 2 minutes. Stir in whipped topping, cookies, and berries.

Italian Cheese & Pesto Sandwiches

Sliced Italian bread or a sturdy french bread
brush outsides with butter (no substitutes!)
spread prepared pesto on one side of bread
place shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top of pesto

Bake sandwiches on crinkled tinfoil on a baking sheet for 30-40 min at 300 degrees, flipping once. Or can toast on griddle.

Homemade Tomato Soup

I serve these with Italian Cheese & Pesto Sandwiches - which are also listed on this site.

Preheat oven to 450
Toss together and roast in shallow pan for 40 minutes:
8-10 Fresh tomatos on the vine (garaden fresh or Hot house), quartered
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
salt and black pepper

Saute in 2 T olive oil about 5-7 minutes
1 large chopped white onion
then stir in:
2 c. water
2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
roasted tomato mixture
Bring all to a boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Puree soup in blender until smooth, or chunky as you like.

Garnish with:
1/2 c. cream, milk, or half&half
fresh basil

Sloppy Joes

I hate buying canned sauces, never knowing what's REALLY in them. Here is a simple, quick recipe that tastes GREAT!

1 lb hamburger
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Brown meat. Add onion, mustard, worcestershire, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, salt, green pepper, garlic powder and celery. Reduce heat to low, cook approx. 40 minutes with lid on, stirring occasionally.

Praline Pecan Sauce

2 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until smooth and syrupy. Serve warm. Store leftover sauce, covered, in the refrigerator.

*From Down Home with the Neelys

WHITE CHOCOLATE, MACADAMIA NUT, DRIED CHERRY COOKIES!

I betcha can't eat just one of these cookies! When you bite into this cookie, you will be in cookie heaven. The rich chocolate and crunchy macadamias, along with the tart dried cherries is scrumptious. This cookie is buttery with brown sugar goodness. From: Here

YOU WILL NEED:

*3/4 Cup lightly packed very fresh dark brown sugar
1/2 cup quick (1-minute) oatmeal
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 ounces good quality white chocolate chunks or chips
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup dried cherries
*make sure they are fresh, I like the sunkist brand

*DIRECTIONS:

1. Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the brown sugar, oatmeal, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process 21/2 to 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to pulse. The oatmeal must be very finely ground.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4. In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and corn syrup together on medium low speed, mixing until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the oatmeal - sugar mixture in three additions and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute longer. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients one half at a time, and mix just until blended. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate pieces, cherries and the macadamia nuts.

5. Drop 1 1/2 inch mounds of dough, about the size of a large walnut, from the tip of a tablespoon onto cookie sheets, about 3 inches apart. Scrape down the side of the bowl occasionally to ensure even distribution of the chocolate, cherries and nuts. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a golden brown. To ensure even baking, toward the end of baking time rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. Do not over bake.

6. Remove the cookies from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Using a metal spatula, carefully loosen. Transfer to cooling racks. Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper. These cookies can be frozen. Enjoy!