Cony's Corn Bread

Warning-  this one goes fast- so you better make plenty.

Heat oven to 400degrees F

In a large bowl, cream together:

2   Eggs
1 C Buttermilk
3/4 C Melted Butter

Add the following:

2 C sifted Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/3 C Cornmeal
14 oz can of Cream style Corn

optional- add 1/2 c frozen corn

Pour into a well greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  Bake for 20 min or until a toothpick insterted in the middle comes out clean, or watch for the top to be kind of browned and with a few slight cracks.

Butter the top after removing from oven (if desired- I didn't when I made this for Thanksgiving.


Totally awesome on its own-  but you can serve it with Honey Butter if you feel like it.

Sweet Potato

3 C   mashed Sweet Potatoes
1 C   sugar
1/2  tsp  salt
2      eggs
1  tsp cinnamon
1  tsp  cloves
1/3 C melted butter


Mix all ingredients together and put in a buttered 9x9 baking dish

Make topping.

Topping:

3/4 C brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1 C chopped pecans
1/3 C soft butter

Mix topping ingredients and put over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

4 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed ( I chose low sodium)
3 cups of fat free vegetable broth
1 1/2 to 2 cups of chunky salsa
2 tsp ground cumin

***if desired**1 or 2 additional cans of beans, drained and rinsed, reserved

sour cream and sliced green onion for garnish.

In a blender or processor, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. I had to do two batches because it was too much for one- so I did 2 cans beans, 1 1/2 c of broth, half of the salsa and cumin. Blend until smooth and put in a sauce pan. Repeat with rest of the remaining ingredients except for your reserved beans.

***If you want whole beans in your soup, add the reserved beans, and if not- that is okay too.

Heat through over medium heat and serve with garnish.

C. Rio Black Beans

C. Rio Black Beans

2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced (please- use fresh, it really makes a difference)
1 tsp Cumin
1 can (approx 15 oz) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 Cup Tomato Juice
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 TBSP fresh Cilantro, chopped

In a Non-Stick skillet, warm Olive Oil over medium heat. Add Garlic and Cumin and heat until you can smell it (just a minute or two- do not burn the garlic, you will be sad) Add Beans, Tomato Juice, and Salt. Stir and warm until heated through. Just before serving, add the Chopped Cilantro.

Mexican Sides - Rice, Pico De Gallo, Cebiche, Green Salsa

Here are a few authentic recipes gathered by the DR from some of the work crews when we lived in Oregon-

Rice-
fry in a small amount of butter for a few minutes before cooking. Then cook as usual using 2/3 part water and 1/3 part tomato soup-


Pico de gallo (fresh salsa)

2 Tomatoes- finely chopped
1 yellow onion- finely diced
jalapeno- thinly minced- to taste
cilantro- finely minced- to taste
black pepper- to taste
salt - to taste
1/2 to a whole lime- juiced

Mix all ingredients and adjust the flavor-



Cebiche

Shelled, Uncooked Shrimp
Lime juice
same ingredients as pico de gallo except the lime juice for that
shredded carrots

place shrimp in bowl, cover in fresh lime juice. Cover bowl with tin foil and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Take out and drain lime juice. Add vegetables. Put back in freezer for about 10 minutes. Serve on tostada.


Green Salsa

12 Tomitillo (sp)
2 fresh jalapeno peppers
Salt
Finely Chopped onion
Finely chopped Cilantro



These are not the most thorough recipes as they came directly from some of the mexican workers and the DR's writing- but they are close enough.

Chicken-Pasta Salad

12 oz elbow macaroni
10 oz canned chicken
1 C frozen peas
1 C chopped tomatoes
1 C chopped cucumbers
1 C grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 C mayonnaise (or more- I use more because the DR likes really moist salads)

Cook pasta. Place frozen peas in the bottom of colander. When macaroni is cooked, pour over the peas in the colander. Run cold water over both until cool. Drain well. Put in large serving bowl. Add Chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers. In a separate bowl, season mayonnaise- make it a little saltier that you would think because it gets diluted in the salad. Right before serving, add the mayo dressing and the grated cheese.

Baked Beans

BAKED BEANS ALA ME
60 oz approx of Canned Pork and Beans ( I use 4 cans of 15 oz Van de Kamps)
2 large onions- chopped
2 large green peppers- chopped
1 cup light brown sugar- packed
1 cup HUNTS ketchup- like it better than Hein z
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lb of Bar S Bacon- cooked and chopped ( I do NOT cook it until it is burnt- that ruins the beans)- I actually like to cut the bacon partially frozen and then cook it-


Combine all ingredients. The original recipe calls for an awful lot of cooking time- which I personally don't care for and apparently neither do a lot of you- so I cook them for about an hour at 350- covered for about the first 40 min, then uncovered for the last 20 or so- but this is a totally flexible deal- if you have less time- cook at a higher temp- say 375 or 400 for 30 - 40 min and the uncovering is totally up to you, they are a bit more liquid if you don't. I have to say- several people have tried and actually ruined this recipe- I was shocked- but there you have it- MY version of the baked beans. ( The original recipe calls for 325 for 2 and a half hours- covered- then 30 more minutes uncovered- but I think it is way too cooked at that point- but to each his or her own)

Hawaiian Coleslaw times Two

Hawaiian Cole Slaw

2 C. head cabbage – shredded
½ C. celery – chopped
⅔ C. fresh pineapple – diced
2 TBS mayonnaise
⅛ tsp. salt
1 TBS fresh pineapple juice

Mix all ingredients together. Serve cold. This is a good dish to serve with barbecued fish.



Hawaiian Cole Slaw II

1 small head of cabbage (red or white)
3 or 4 TBL mayonnaise
1 (12-ounce) can crushed pineapple (can substitute pineapple tidbits)

Slice cabbage very thin and cut into ½ inch pieces. Place in bowl. Add pineapple and enough mayonnaise to moisten. Refrigerate and serve cold.