Taco Stack-ups

Taco Stack-ups

source:  My mom

Layer on a dinner plate:

1-2 handfuls of Fritos corn chips

1 cup of Chili, canned or left over

1-2 spoonfuls of grated cheese

1 handful of shredded lettuce

1 spoonful of chopped tomatoes

1 spoonful of diced cucumbers

1 spoonful of chopped avacado

½ cup ranch dressing

Drizzle with salsa, or taco sauce.

My mom used to make this all the time.  It's easy and a hit with kids.  I've added the avacado myself because I really like it!

Brown Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles

source:  The Recipe Critic

Ingredients: 

• 2½ cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, sliced
• 1¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup caramel squares, cut into ¼’s
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Coarse Sea salt for sprinkling on completed cookies

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, cinnamon, and set aside.
2. To brown the butter, heat a medium saucepan to medium high heat. Add the sliced butter, whisking frequently. You will notice the butter starting to become frothy on the top and brown specks will start to form along the bottom. You have to watch it closely because the turn happens quickly and you don’t want it to burn. You will start to smell a nutty aroma and once it turns to a brown color, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
3. While the butter is cooling, cut the carmel squares into ¼’s.
4. In a stand mixer, combine the brown butter and brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar. (The ¼ cup sugar will be used for rolling in the cookies). Mix until blended and smooth.
5. Beat in egg, yolk, vanilla and yogurt and mix until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients until combined.
6. Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
7. Once you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Measure about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball and place 1-2 caramel squares inside, wrap the cookie dough over the caramel and roll back into a ball. Make sure it is completely covered so that the caramel won’t stick to the pan.
8. Mix ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and roll each cookie in the mixture. Place on a cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. (I used course sea salt)
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly brown. The centers will be soft. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

 These are incredible.  They turned out great.  I love the sea salt 

 Original recipe:  http://therecipecritic.com/2013/07/brown-butter-salted-caramel-snickerdoodles/

 

Curried Carrot, Sweet Potato, and Ginger Soup

 source:  health.com
 Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots 
• 3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato 
• 1 1/2 cups (1/4-inch) sliced peeled carrots 
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 
• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Heat oil in a large pot (I use my stockpot) over medium-high heat.
2. Add shallots; saute 3 minutes or until tender.
3. Add potato, carrots, ginger, and curry; cook 2 minutes. 
4. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stir in salt.
5. Pour half of soup in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Repeat procedure with remaining soup.

This is really yummy.  If you follow the link to the original recipe, you may notice that I dropped the amount of curry significantly.  The original was so spicy that even I was tearing up eating it.  (I'm supposed to be the spicy food eater.)  But the texture is great, and the flavor is just right for a winter dinner.


A tip:  I didn't want to miss out on the nutrition of the potato skins, but I also didn't want to find chunks of potato skin in the soup after blending.  I came up with a nice compromise.  Use the small side of a vegetable grater to remove the skin from the potatoes, and add the grated skin along with the potatoes.  It goes pretty fast and we didn't get any chunks!

original recipe:  http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000000521968,00.html

Lentil Stew

16 oz. Lentils

5 pieces Bacon and Grease

4 large Grated Carrots

1 Onion – diced

3-5 T. Vinegar

1 package Franks

Salt and Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients except Vinegar and Franks into large pot.

Cover in water and cook for 1 hour

Add Franks and Vinegar

Cook a little longer and chow down!

This is Lyz's Great Grandma Lillian's recipe, widely renowned by her posterity.  

It also works well with a meaty ham bone in place of the bacon and franks. (But cook the bone the whole time.)