Pancakes

 There is nothing like pancakes from scratch. I grew up on them. They are easy to make and more filling than ones made from a mix.

You will need a skillet or preferably a griddle.


Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons cooking oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl mix together the egg, milk, and oil.
Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened.

Heat and lightly grease your griddle.
For standard size pancakes pour 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle.
If you want dollar size pancakes, use 1 Tablespoon  for each one.
Cook for about 2 minutes. The top of the uncooked pancake will form bubbles all over.
Flip the pancake over and cook for another 2 minutes. Both sides will be golden.

You will get 8-10 standard size pancakes or 36 dollar size.

Onion Rings

Who doesn't love a good onion ring? I just love them. I could eat them all the time. I don't. But I could.


If you have a deep fat fryer, use that. If you don't heat your oil in a deep pan over medium high heat.


Ingredients:

2 large yellow onions
1 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup  or so water- you may need a little more or a little less

oil in your deep fryer or heat 1-2 cups in a pan on the stove

Peel and slice the onions into rings. Not too wide, but not really narrow either.
Set aside.
Heat the oil on the stove until hot. It is hot enough when a little batter dropped in sizzles and bubbles rapidly. If using the deep fryer, heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, whisk together, the flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Gradually add the water. It is the right consistency when you can drizzle the batter from a spoon.
One by one, dip the onion rings into the batter and drop them carefully into the oil.
Fry until golden brown and crispy.
It only takes a few minutes.
You will have to fry them in batches. You don't want to crowd the pan or the oil temperature will lower.
As each batch comes out of the fryer, drain on paper towels and keep them warm in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven.

This will serve 6-8.

Nachos

Who doesn't love a good plate of nachos? Dress them up as much or as little as you like.

This is my version and it is super yummy!

You will need a heat proof platter about 12"-14" in diameter.
Fill that with tortilla chips.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and put the chips in to warm while you get the toppings ready.


Topping Ingredients:

1/4 lb. ground beef
salt
pepper
cumin powder
chili powder

Cheese Sauce-
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour
dash salt
dash pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tablespoons sliced black olives
1-2 Tablspoons sliced jalapenos or serranos
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa

Brown the meat and season with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder.
Set aside but keep warm.
Make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and let it bubble for a minute.
Watch so it doesn't burn.
Add 1/2 cup milk and stir til it thickens.
If it thickens too much add the other 1/4 cup milk.
Once it bubbles, stir in the cheddar cheese until smooth.
Take the platter of chips put of the oven.
Pour the cheese sauce over the chips.
Sprinkle the meat over.
Follow with the olives and peppers.
With a small spoon, dollop sour cream over the nachos.
With another small spoon, drizzle the salsa  over everything.

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican lasagna is a nice change from your traditional lasagne.

It is made with flour tortillas instead of noodles.

Try it and you will not be disappointed.



Ingredients:

1 package flour torillas- you will need 8
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup salsa
15 oz. tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 cups cheddar-jack cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need a 13"x9" baking pan.

In a skillet, brown the meat. Add the taco seasoning, salsa, and tomato sauce.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
While that simmers mix the cottage cheese, eggs, and oregano in a bowl.
Cut or tear 3 tortillas in half and line the bottom of the baking dish.
Stick another whole tortilla over the middle of the pan.
Spread half the meat sauce over the tortillas.
Spread the cottage cheese mix over the meat.
Arrange the other 4 tortillas over that mixture following the same way as the first time.
Spread the rest of the meat sauce over that.
Top with the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Can serve up to 12 people.

Lattice Crust

A lattice crust is a top crust that looks like the crust has an open weave.

These days you can buy a template to cut the top crust to look like it's a lattice crust.
But, you can also do it the old fashioned way.

You start with making simple pie crust for a two crust pie.

Roll out the top crust and fit it into the pie pan like normal.

For the top crust, roll it like normal and take a pastry cutter and cut the crust into strips about 1/2" to 1" wide.

Fill the bottom crust with your filling.

Now to start your lattice top crust, lay the strips across the pie, spacing them apart how you like.

Now, fold back the strips of every other one half way.
Lay a strip of pastry across the strips that are over the pie.
Roll back the pastry strips that are stretched out.
Stretch out the strips that had been rolled back at first.
Lay another pastry strip across the pie.
Repeat those steps til you have half the pie complete.

Now, roll back half the strips on the other half of the pie and follow the steps above.

You can criss cross the pie how many times you want.
If you want the lattice closed, put the strips really close together.
If you want it wide open, space the strips wider apart.

Kolaches

Kolaches are Czech pastries. They are pieces of bread-like dough filled with preserves or jelly and baked.

My mom used to make these a lot while I was growing up.

Makes 36 kolaches.


Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 cups warm milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract-optional
1-1/2 Tablespoons dry yeast
5-6 cups flour

approximately 1/2 cup fruit preserves or jelly


Cream the sugar and shortening together in a large bowl.
Beat the eggs and add to the creamed mixture along with the milk, salt, and optional lemon extract.
Add the yeast and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add the flour and beat in.
Knead for a few minutes.
The dough will be slightly sticky.
Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Punch down dough.
Grease cookie sheets and divide the dough into 36 equal pieces.
Roll into balls and put on baking pans at least 2 inches apart.
Let rise 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make an indention in the dough. Make it wide and deep.
Put about a 1/2 teaspoon preserves in each kolache.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the kolaches start to turn a golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack.

Use whatever type of preserve you want. In the picture I have used gingered pear jam.
This works best to make by hand. Using a stand mixture will cause you to need more flour and the dough will be way too sticky.

Jalapeno Cheddar Buffalo Burgers

These are my jalapeno cheddar buffalo burgers. You can make them with beef though. They are great.


Ingredients:

1 pound ground buffalo or beef
4 Jalapenos or Serranos, sliced OR chopped with membranes removed if you don't want so much kick
3 oz cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes. If you use shredded, the cheese just completely melts into the burger as is cooks.

salt
pepper

Combine, the meat, peppers, and cheese and form into 4 or 5 patties.
Cook in a skillet over medium high heat until done. Or grill them if you like.
Salt and pepper one side before turning over and cooking the other.

Serve with hamburger buns.