refried bean burritos

Tonight for dinner we ate bean and cheese burritos. The thought of just refried beans slapped into a tortilla shell smothered in cheese didn't completely set well with me... so I spiced up the idea with veggies and hid them in the beans so the Mr. McKay wouldn't feel obligated to remind me that he doesn't love to eat such green foods... The beans turned out amazing... I had kids and a husband eating bowls full... And so I never want to forget how I made such goodness. Here you go... I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion

1/2 yellow bell pepper

1 small zucchini

2 small jalapenos

1/4 C chopped celantro

1- 2 C arugula

Celtic sea salt

pepper

olive oil

1 can great white northern beans

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

3 oz cream cheese

Begin your refried bean experience by:

chop all veggies small

in a fry pan, saute onions in 3 T olive oil until they become translucent. Add remaining ingredients and saute until soft! Pepper and salt to taste. (I have fallen in love with Celtic Sea Salt... I will never go back to regular salt... This stuff actually pulls flavor out of your food!)

Drain beans thoroughly! AS IN... NO LIQUID!!! (or you will have refried bean soup!)

In a separate pan, heat up beans with 3 oz cream cheese until cheese is melted.

in a blender pour veggie mix and puree. Pour hot beans on top and blend together. Not too long or the beans will turn into soupy mix. Though the flavor will be right, it is difficult to get the consistency right for burritos. However, if that happens, no biggy... just make cheese crisps and dip them into the bean dip!

pour refried beans back into the pan to keep warm while making burritos. I use whole wheat tortillas and sometimes put in a scoop of brown rice. YUMMY!

*Some reasonable garnishes would be celantro, Rosie's homemade salsa, a dobber of sour cream and fresh avacado. Is your mouth watering yet?

Yummiest pie crust EVER!

I've never been a lover of pie. It is simply because mum made wonderful cake... and since the pie crust always tastes like cardboard, I opted to pass over the pie and head straight for the cake. But, my service in the Young Women program pushed me to learn how to make pie one day... that was so I could teach the girls how to make them! I was determined to make a pie that was worth eating! If this was their beginning of good pies then by golly!... it better be worth the calories and also taste good to their future wee ones and manly husbands! So I made up this little recipe by joining a few cookie and pie crust recipes which landed in taste bud delight. If I do say so myself, it was the best pie crust I've ever eaten... Hope you'll enjoy every last flaky bite! This recipe is dedicated to all my lovely young women in the Lazona ward. Because I love them with all my heart I would do anything in the world for them. ANYTHING! Even learn to make pie.

Ingredients:

1/2 C Cornstarch

1 C powder sugar

2 3/4 C flour

1tsp salt

2/3 C oil

1 C butter (melted)

3Tbsp water

1tsp vanilla

To make pie dough:

mix all dry ingredients: cornstarch, powder sugar, flour, salt.

then add all wet ingredients and stir: butter, water, oil, vanilla.

Let pie crust sit for an hour. At this point if the dough isn't formed enough to roll out, then add another 1/4 C of flour.

Dough will make one closed pie and one open pie.

Split into 3 balls. Roll ball between wax paper. Bake according to pie directions.

Artichoke parmesan sourdough stuffing

Debbie gave me this recipe. 'nuf said! Honestly... don't put it in the bird! I believe this originated in Sunset magazine (Nov 2008). I made it last year for my fabulous husband's parents when they joined us for dinner. It was delish! serves 12 (makes 10 C) Time 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

1Lb mushrooms, rinsed, ends trimmed, and sliced
1 Tbsp butter
2 onions (3/4 lb. total), chopped
1 C chopped celery
2 Tbsp minced garlic (fresh)
About 2 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 loaf (1lb) sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-in cubes
2 jars (6 oz each) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves or 3/4 tsp crumbled dried rosemary
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lg egg

Steps to Prepare:

1) In a 12-in frying pan over high heat, cook mushrooms, butter, onions, celery, and garlic, stirring often, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 15 min. Pour into a large bow. Add a bit of broth to pan and stir to scrape up browned bits. Add to bowl.

2) pour 2 C broth into bowl and add bread, artichoke hearts, and Parmesan, poultry seasoning, and rosemary; mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make a well in stuffing. Add egg and beat with a fork to blend; mix egg with stuffing.

3) Preheat oven to 325 degrees to 350 degrees. Spoon stuffing into a shallow 3 qrt (0x13 dish) casserole. For moist stuffing, cover with foil; for crusty stuffing,k do not cover. Bake until hot or lightly browned, about 50 min.

Make ahead: up to 1 day ahead, make stuffing, put in casserole, cover, and chill. Allow about 1 hour to bake.

Don't forget the potatoes...

Don't forget garlic mashed potato delights. These beauties are HEAVENLY!

WARNING:

If you make these you will be invited to re-make them next year for your food assignment also.

Aunt Sherry's yams

As young children we couldn't even wash down candied yams with sparkiling apple cider... they just never tasted right. No offense to those of you who look forward to marshmallows on your yams... Needless to say, there was always a left over pan of yams on the Thanksgiving table. Every year mum talked us into trying "just one bite". How could she ask us to eat them when she didn't even eat them herself? Then one year Aunt Sherry had the assignment for yams. Ever since then, there are just not enough. They are a family favorite, even among the wee ones... The only other recipe that even rivals is Rosie's yams and quinoa... I'll try to coax her into posting them before the big feast! Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

5-7 yams (peeled and cut to boil)

chicken bullion

brown sugar

salt

1/2- 3/4 C walnuts

1 C butter (melted)

To Make:

boil peeled and cut yams in chicken bullion water until soft (about 10-15 min)

place in a 9X13 dish

sprinkle with brown sugar (more or less for sweet taste)

lightly salt over top

sprinkle chopped walnuts over entire top of yams (again, to taste)

drizzle butter over the top and watch them yams begin to soak in such delight!

* Preheat oven 325 degrees F

Bake @ 325 degrees F for 20 min

Lettuce Wraps

I got this recipe from the Internet and changed it up a little bit! It was sooooo good.....move over PF CHANG!


To start with:


Grill 2 or 3 Chicken Breasts

(The recipe said to cook them in a pan on the stove. Chicken RARELY tastes good like this. If you grill your chicken until it is cooked but NOT overcooked it is so much better on the grill. Be careful though.....you can also get DRY chicken from overcooking it on the grill.)


After I cooked it I cut it into some big chunks and then got out my chopper. You know what a chopper is ...... right? Here you go.... Chop the chicken until it looks like chicken in a lettuce wrap! Don't chop it to much or it will turn to MUSH!

Stir Fry Sauce

1/4 c. water
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. chili oil (I got this at Fresh & Easy because it was so much cheaper there)
1/2 tsp. minced ginger

Put all ingredients in a pan except for water and cornstarch. While heating mix together water and cornstarch and then add while stirring.

In a skillet saute: 3 green onions, 2/3 cup shredded carrots (I bought them already shredded), and 1 can water chestnuts (chopped with chopper) for about 5 minutes. Then add the chopped chicken and stir fry sauce and 1/4 c. sliced almonds.

Serve on head lettuce or butter lettuce.

Dipping Sauce

1/4 c. water
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sesame seed
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1 dash red pepper flakes
1 dash parsley

Prepare this exactly the same way as the Stir Fry Sauce.

Veggie and Tofu lo mein with Teriyaki

This little ditty is soooo tasty. I dare you to make it... your taste buds will par-tay and your heart will thank you. This, my friend, is brain food!Teriyaki sauce:

(to mix up and set aside for later)

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black strap molasses
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Lo Mein/ Stir Fry

1 medium white/yellow onion -sliced thin

1 red bell pepper- sliced into thin strip about 1/2" long

1 1/2 C chopped purple cabbage

4 carrots- peeled and sliced

1 zucchini- peeled and sliced into small sticks

2 celery sticks- cut small

6 mushrooms- sliced

1/2 bunch fresh spinach-washed and chopped (large)

Saute veggies in 1/4 C olive oil while Adding 1 pkg. Tofu Lo mein noodles and 3/4 of Teriyaki sauce and 2 eggs. Cook over Medium heat for 10-15 min.

Serve with brown rice. You can use the remaining sauce to pour over dish if you don't have enough.