Navajo Tacos and Indian Fry Bread

 Tacos:

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef

1 16 oz can refried beans (we use reasonable equivalent amount of dehydrated refried beans and rehydrate them in the process)

1 envelope taco seasoning mix (

1 1/2 cup water

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 c water

vegetable oil (for frying)

Toppings:

Sour cream, lettuce (shredded), cheese (shredded), tomato (diced), Onion, chopped, Salsa and/or pico de gallo

In a frying pan with a lid, thoroughly combine ground beef (raw), refried beans (if using reconstituted start the refried beans rehydrating first), taco seasoning mix, and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until liquid is reduced and mixture is thick. (Approx 20 min or so while you make the Indian Fry Bread.) In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; mix well.  Add water gradually, forming a stiff dough. Pull off egg-sized balls of dough and quickly roll, pull, and, on a floured surface, pat them out into large, plate-ssized rounds. They should be thin in the middle and about 1/4 inch thick around the edges. Using a fork, poke holes in the dough to prevent bubbles from forming. In a skillet, heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil. Brown dough circles on each side until golden brown. Use a fork to poke any bubbles that may form. When golden brown, lift from oil, shake gently to remove bulk of oil, and place on paper towels to drain. Spread meat/bean mixture on Indian Fry Bead and top with your favorite toppings. Makes 10 servings.

The first time we made these was for part of Melissa's Personal Progress goal to plan and cook meals. While it is a favorite (and the first recipe she asked for when she went away to college) that first time making it was memorable because in the process of cooking the fry bread Melissa got terrible burns on her hands--she'll show you the scars.

We have made it with pre-cooked ground beef and just mixed it in and while it is different it still works.

Gingersnaps modified by Brett

 

GINGERSNAPS

 

1½ cup shortening

2 cup brown sugar

½ cup molasses

2 eggs

±4 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

 

Cream together shortening, brown sugar, molasses, and eggs until fluffy. Stir dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. Form into small balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place balls evenly spaced on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Let cool for 3-5 minutes.

 

Notes: I usually add the flour one cup at a time until I get the texture I want―firm enough to form into balls but not so firm that it is dry and crumbly. I also usually start with baking them at 9 minutes and then watch them with the oven light to pull them out at just the right moment. They are done when there is a good amount of cracking across the top of each cookie. If you wait until the edges start to darken, they will be overdone, and the bottom will be too crispy.

 

Take a picture of this recipe and make them for your friends. They make the perfect fall and winter treat!

Lemongrass Curry Chicken

 

Lemongrass Curry Chicken

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds chicken breast sliced into bite sized pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger grated
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 onion diced
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 tbsp lemongrass paste
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• pinch red pepper flakes
• I added 2 cups shredded brussels sprouts and 1 cup chopped red and yellow peppers
• Serve with:

• 2 cups Jasmine rice 
• Naan, cilantro, lime juice

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, and onion. Saute until onion has softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add in coconut milk, chicken broth, lime juice, lemon juice, lemongrass paste, curry, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Whisk until well combined.
• Stir in chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Then, stir in red pepper, cauliflower, and snap peas. Simmer, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes.
• Serve over rice and/or with naan. Top with cilantro and lime juice if desired.

Carrot Pineapple Cake

The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups oil. Lemon glaze recommended (3/4 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup grated carrots and 1 Tbsp lemon juice). Also works well in cake pans with cream cheese for our classic Easter rabbit head-shaped cake. This was a favorite at the Blackham home, I think we got the original recipe from Aunt Mary.

Serves 16

3 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 can crushed pineapple, (8 oz)

3 each eggs

1 cup cooking oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

2 cups carrots, grated

Mix together dry ingredients. Drain pineapple; reserve syrup. Add pineapple syrup to dry mixture, add eggs, cooking oil, and vanilla; beat 3 minutes. Stir in pineapple, nuts, and carrots. Bake in greased and floured 12-cup bundt pan at 325 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours or until cake tests done. Cool in pan 10-15 min; turn out on wire rack or serving plate.

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Per serving: 336.2 Calories; 16.2g Fat (42.7% calories from fat); 3.6g Protein; 45.4g Carbohydrate; 34mg Cholesterol; 356mg Sodium

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

 

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

·    1 tablespoon olive oil

·    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

·    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

·    1 cup raw cashews

·    2 green onions, sliced

FOR THE SAUCE-

·    1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

·    4 tablespoons ketchup

·    4 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

·    2 tablespoon brown sugar

·    6 cloves garlic, minced

·    2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

·    1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional or sweet chili sauce, or garlic chili sauce

DIRECTIONS:

To make the sauce, whisk together soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in a small bowl; set aside.

 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

 

    Combine cornstarch and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with cornstarch mixture.

 

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.

 

Place chicken into a slow cooker. Stir in soy sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 hours. Stir in cashews and cook on low heat for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with green onions, if desired.

 

Chicken Noodle Soup

 

Chicken Noodle Soup

Servings: 6

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 25 minutes

Ready in: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced carrots 
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onions 
• 1 1/4 cups diced celery 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 tsp each chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz rotini pasta
• 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken 
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

1.                  Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

2.                  Add carrots, onions and celery and 4 minutes, then add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.

3.                  Stir in chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4.                  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer until veggies are almost tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.

5.             Stir in noodles, cover and boil over medium heat until noodles are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes (or as directed on package). 

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

 

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Prep Time: 15 minutes

 

Cook Time: 30 minutes

 

Resting Time: 10 minutes

 

Total Time: 45 minutes

 

Ingredients

·         4 Tbsp olive oil, divided (I used mushroom sage olive oil)

·         2 slices bacon, chopped

·         6 oz brown mushrooms, thinly sliced

·         1/3 cup onion, chopped, (from 1/2 small onion)

·         1 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided

·         1/2 tsp black pepper, divided

·         1 garlic clove, minced

·         1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to garnish (I didn’t use parsley)

·         1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, silver skin removed

Instructions

Stuffing for Pork Tenderloin:

1.       Preheat oven to 400˚F. In an oven-safe large skillet over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp oil with chopped bacon and and cook until browned (3-4 minutes). Add sliced mushrooms and chopped onion and sauté 5 minutes or until soft. 

2.       Season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, chopped parsley and minced garlic. Cook another minute stirring constantly then transfer to a plate. 

How to Stuff Pork Tenderloin

1.       Remove Silver Skin from Pork Tenderloin. Cut a slit all the way down the long end of your tenderloin, making sure not to cut all the way through. Open tenderloin like a book, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet until 1/2" thick without tearing through the meat. 

2.       Spread mushroom mixture evenly over the surface of the tenderloin, leaving 1/2" at the borders. Roll tightly starting with the long end (hot-dog style) and secure the ends with 6-7 toothpicks. Poke toothpicks through parallel to each other to create a flat cooking surface. Season all over with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. 

3.       Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, place tenderloin in the skillet (toothpick-side-down) and sear about 2 minutes per side (6-8 minutes total). Transfer the skillet with the tenderloin to the oven and bake at 400˚F for 18-20 min or until an instant read thermometer reads 145-150˚F in the thickest portion of the meat.

4.       Transfer to a cutting board, brush with the pan drippings and rest 10 minutes before slicing into rings. Brush with pan drippings for more flavor and garnish with parsley if desired.