Creamy Rice Pudding

 

1 ½ cups cooked white rice

2 cups milk, divided

1/3 cup white sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 large egg, beaten

1 Tbsp. butter

½ tsp. vanilla

Optional ingredients: cinnamon, cardamom, almond extract, raisins

 

Combine rice, 1 ½ cups milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan on medium heat. Stir until begins to thicken and add cornstarch and stir. Cook about 15 minutes total, stirring frequently. When thickened, place egg in a small bowl and put some hot pudding in with the egg and stir it. Then put egg back into the main pot to cook. (This is called tempering the egg so it won't immediately cook when added to the hot pudding.) Stir in other half cup of milk and stir. If adding extra spices, like cinnamon or cardamom, add them and cook a little longer, about a minute or so. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla (and almond extract if using). Stir in raisins if using. Serve warm or room temperature.

Beef, Bean and Cheese Burritos

 I made this recipe up and it is pretty darn delicious! We took these burritos camping and reheated them in a pan on a gas stove. Not ideal, but it did work!

One medium potato, grated

½ onion (white or yellow) diced

Refried beans (either one can or one cup mixed refried beans from the Home Storage Center)

1 can beef, rinsed and drained of most fat (1 ½ to 2 cups)

1 can green chilis (either 4 oz. or 7 oz. is fine)

1 cup pecante sauce or salsa

½-1 cup cheddar cheese (or a cheese you like)

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

½-1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

In large hot skillet, cook potatoes until they begin to get tender. Add onion and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes more or so. Add chilis, beans, salsa and spices. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Add more cheese if needed. Taste and add whatever more you want of any spices or salt and pepper.

Put portion of mix on a tortilla and roll up--this depends on how large your tortillas are. You want enough to make it worth a burrito, but not so full that you can't roll it up. In the large burrito tortillas, I put probably between half and ¾ cup of mix in each one. I freeze my burritos so I can have a quick meal when I need one. Reheat in microwave for 2 minutes.

Yellow Scratch Cake Mix

 Making a cake mix from scratch was a crazy-easy endeavor! I may never purchase one again!

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. (1/4 cup) softened *butter, room temperature

Mix dry ingredients together and then cut in the butter with a pastry blender.

*To make this recipe dairy-free, use melted coconut oil instead of butter and mix thoroughly with a fork or mixer.

For cake:

1 recipe of above cake mix recipe

1 cup water

2/3 cup oil

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla powder

Mix ingredients together and put in oven at 350 degrees. Depending on the size and shape of pans, the time will vary. Cupcakes are likely 15-17 minutes. Cakes in two 9x9 pans should be closer to 25 minutes. One large 9x13 pan may be 30 or so minutes. Cake should be slightly golden on the edges and a toothpick inserted should come out clean.

Egg Yolk Bundt Cake

 

Okay, this is a goofy picture of this cake...my husband put these candles on it for his son's 25th birthday! 

10-12 large egg yolks

1 ½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon or other extract (I usually add some almond)

1 ¾ cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp salt

¾ cup milk or heavy cream

½ cup oil (I used melted coconut oil)

1/3 cup softened butter

Beat together yolks, sugar and extracts in mixer until light. Add oil and butter and mix together. Sift or stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk in three additions to the yolk mixture. Oil or butter and flour a Bundt pan. Poor mixture into the pan and bake in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Ranch Veggie Salad

I found this on one of my favorite recipe sites, thestayathomechef.com

I have made it several times since finding this recipe!

Salad

16 oz. (1 lb.) rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 cup broccoli, chopped

8 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed

1 medium English cucumber, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1/2 medium red onion, diced

Ranch Dressing

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp. granulated garlic

1 Tbsp. dried parsley

1 Tbsp. dried chives

1 Tbsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

Cook and drain pasta.  Mix the vegetables into the pasta. Mix together all the dressing ingredients and pout over the pasta and veggies. Stir to coat with dressing. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator and serve cold.  

Asian Dressing Sweet Potatoes

 

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
3-4 bunches baby bok choy
½-3/4 cup Asian Style Sesame Vinaigrette dressing (I used Simple Truth brand) You can use honey soy ginger sauce as well.
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Place sweet potatoes on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 25 minutes at 450 degrees, tossing the potatoes halfway through baking to ensure even roasting. Chop bok choy while sweet potatoes are baking.  Sauté potatoes in the dressing, adding the bok choy. Cook until sauce is reduced and bok choy is done. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top for garnish.

 

This recipe can be doubled or tripled, as one bottle of dressing is 12 ounces.

Honey Soy Pork with Rice

 

4-5 (about four inch in diameter) boneless pork chops
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup diced onion
1 cup honey
¼ cup ketchup
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced (or ½ tsp. powder)
2 tsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2-3 Tbsp. cornstarch
Optional: sesame seeds and green onions for garnish

I add a 10-12 oz. bag of steamed broccoli and one red pepper coarsely chopped and sautéed into the sauce with the chicken at the end.

In the insert of a pressure cooker, place pork chops on small rack. Combine soy sauce, onion, honey, ketchup, ginger, garlic and sesame oil and pour over pork in pressure cooker. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes (7 minutes if pork is frozen). Press cancel. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release remaining pressure manually. Remove pork chops to a cutting board, leaving liquid in cooker. Cube the pork with a knife. Measure cornstarch in a small bowl. Press sauté on the cooker and add cornstarch to the cooker containing liquid. Stir (I use a silicone covered whisk) until thickened and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Press cancel. Put pork back in the insert with the broccoli and red pepper, if using. Serve over hot rice or noodles.