it's Recipe thuRsday: Homemade Corn Tortillas and Refried Beans

June 11, 2009

These tortillas are so delicious when they're fresh! I have a large electric griddle that can fit 8 tortillas at a time for a quicker production. If you don't have a griddle, get your two largest skillets ready. And, again, this is a very quick and easy assembly, right from your cupboard.

Tortillas:

Follow the directions on the package of Corn Flour (Maseca brand is really good) that you bought.

For 8 tortillas the directions on my package were...

Combine 1 cup of Maseca with 1/8 tsp. of salt and 2/3 cup of water. (I also added about 1/2 tsp. of powder garlic for more flavor.) Mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes to form a soft dough.

Divide dough into 8 equal balls. Cover them with a damp cloth so they don't dry out. Line a tortilla press with 2 sheets of thick plastic wrap. Place each ball between plastic and press until tortilla measures 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Carefully peel off plastic wrap. (I don't have a tortilla press, so I sprayed two pieces of wax paper with cooking spray, placed a ball of dough between the papers, and rolled it flat with a rolling pin. I had to spray before each tortilla so they wouldn't stick. It also helped that I cut the pieces of wax paper to be just an inch or so large all around than the tortilla so it was easier to peel it off.)

Preheat ungreased griddle, skillet, or comal on medium-high heat. Cook tortillas for 50 seconds. Turn, then cook the second side for another 50 seconds. (I like to cook them for about 2-3 minutes per side to make them more stiff for scooping with, instead of wrapping.) Cover tortillas with cloth napkin to keep soft and warm.

Refried Beans:

Pour contents of one can of refried beans into a pot. Add a little water (a Tbsp or 2), stir, and allow to come to a simmer. Stir frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Pour the contents of one can of diced tomatoes into a strainer and strain very well. You can even use a spoon to gently push as much water out as possible. Add the tomatoes to the refried beans. Add 1/2 to 1 tsp. of salt, 1 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp. of black pepper. Let it warm through, then as it cools it will thicken more. Garnish with 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped.

Put a nice big spoonful of refried beans on your plate, top with avocados and sour cream, and scoop with your tortilla. Yummy!

it's Recipe thuRsday: "Broccoli Lo Mein"

June 4, 2009

This recipe calls for beef, but my husband can't handle beef, so we use chicken. It's a very tasty dish. My kids will eat broccoli because of it! I use frozen broccoli, but once the broccoli in my garden is ready, I'm using some for this recipe. Can't wait!

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
from Family Fun Magazine

8 ounces thin spaghetti, broken in half
1 tsp dark sesame oil (I use canola oil and saute 1 Tbs sesame seeds for a minute or two)
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 cups chopped broccoli (or one small bag of frozen chopped broccoli)
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 TBS peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces sirloin tips, cut crosswise into thin strips (or 3 chicken breasts)
3 TBS beef broth (I use a chicken boullion cube and 3 Tbs of warm water)
3 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS brown sugar (I use Sucanat, evaporated cane juice)
1 TBS oyster sauce

1. Stir spaghetti into a pot of lightly salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain noodles well, then return to pot and toss with sesame oil. (I toss with plain canola oil and save the sesame seeds for step 2.)

2. Heat vegetable oil (and sesame seeds) in wok/ large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes.


Add the ginger and garlic and continue stirring while mixture cooks for another 30 seconds. Add the sirloin (or chicken) and cook, stirring often, until no longer pink.


3. In a small bowl, mix the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and oyster sauce. Add the soy sauce mixture and the pasta to the wok/ skillet and continue cooking, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes, or until everything is heated through. Serve Lo Mein hot!

it's Recipe thuRsday: Pasta Tuna Salad

May 28, 2009

We all really like this recipe. It's light, cool, and great for a summer meal!

PASTA TUNA SALAD

From COOKS.COM

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1 1/2 c. small pasta (shown above is medium shells, I've also used corkscrew and macaroni)
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed (and when my garden starts producing peas, I will be putting them in fresh!! I've also used canned peas.)
1 1/2 c. chopped carrots, uncooked
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
2/3 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar (I use fructose)
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 small can tuna (I put 2 cans for a more filling dinner main dish, and maybe add a little more mayo)

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Cool (rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well). Thaw peas completely; drain well. Combine cooled pasta, peas, carrots, onion and tuna in a large bowl; mix well. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, dill weed, salt and pepper in a small bowl; blend well. Pour mayonnaise dressing over macaroni mixture; toss lightly. Chill. Garnish with paprika and serve on lettuce leaves if desired.

NOTE: Add up to an additional cup of mayonnaise if salad is not served immediately.

You could use 3 cups of thawed frozen peas and carrots combination instead of using the fresh carrots.

One cup of cooked chicken, cooked beef or sliced cheese may be substituted for the tuna.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Also, this last time I made this salad I chopped up some fresh spinach and added that in, too! It was really good! (More calcium!)

it's Recipe thuRsday: Lentils and Rice

May 21, 2009

This is a very simple recipe with a nice, rich flavor. I usually serve it with either brown rice, for more nutrition, or with jasmine rice, for more flavor.

Lentils are such a wonderful food because they are high in protein and have no saturated fat (no fat at all, in fact). They also are a good source of iron. Lentils are a great alternative to meat. We have chicken or turkey in our dinners a couple times a week and rely more heavily on legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fish for protein.


Lentils

1 c. dry lentils
2 1/2 c. water
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. Salt

Bring to boil, then turn to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add: 1/4 c. ketchup
2 Tbsp. Molasses
1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/2 tsp. Mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve with rice.