Black Bean Couscous Salad

by Jenny G.

INGREDIENTS :
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I used juice of 1 lime)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained (I only had 1 and it seemed sufficient)
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Special Potatoes

by Valerie Halladay

6 to 7 potatoes
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup butter
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
16 oz sour cream
10 oz sharp cheddar grated

Bake potatoes in oven just until tender. Grate potatoes into a 13X9 inch cake pan. In sauce pan heat & stir butter and cream of mushroom soup until fully combined. Remove from heat and mix in sour cream and green onions. Pour mixture over potatoes. Top with grated cheese. Cover with foil and put in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

The recipe makes a lot of sauce. If your pan is not full to the top with potatoes I would half the sauce (soup, butter & sour cream) so you don't have more sauce than potatoes.

Meatloaf

by Valerie Halladay

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb ground maple flavored sausage
1 cup V-8
¾ cup oats (quick or regular)
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tbls dried onion
1 tbls Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar

Mix beef and sausage until well blended. Add the remaining ingredients (except ketchup & brown sugar) and mix with hands until well combined, but don’t over mix. Place mix in a glass loaf pan. Top with ketchup and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Place a cookie sheet under the pan to catch the sugar that boils over. Cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This is actually Stephanie W. recipe - Valerie

1 c BBQ sauce
1 c ketchup
1/4 c brown sugar
1/8 c. red wine vinegar
2 T dijon mustard
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. garlic powder

4 lbs of pork

Cut pork in to chunks pour sauce over and simmer until fork tender. Shred and serve on sandwich rolls.

Cafe Rio Salads

by Valerie Halladay

Sweet Pork
6 lbs pork
1 can coke
16 oz can red enchilada sauce
2 cups brown sugar
Cut up pork into chunks. Cover with water and simmer for several hours until fork tender. Shred pork put in crock pot cover with mixture of coke, enchilada sauce & brown sugar. Simmer on low until ready to serve.

Cilantro Lime Rice
(I double this to match the amount of meat)
1 cup uncooked rice
1 tsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp grated lime peel
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
Combine rice, butter, garlic, lime peel, pepper and brothw in a 2 or 3 quart saucepan. Bring to boil; stir once or twice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 min. or until rice is tender and liquid absorbed. Stir in cilantro. (makes 3 cups)

Southwest Dressing
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 pkg Hidden Valley Fiesta Dip mix
2 cups milk
2 cups mayo
Cilantro
16 oz avocado chip dip (not zesty)
2 limes
Mix dressing mix and dip mix with milk and mayo. Add cilantro to tastes, add juice of two limes and avocado dip. refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Makes over a quart of dressing.

Flour Tortillas
Buy uncooked tortillas and cook right before serving (grill them over a skillet for 1-2 minutes)

To assemble
Place ingredients in the following order:
1. Flour tortilla
2. Lime Rice
3. Black beans, rinsed, drained and warmed
4. Sweet Pork
5. Romaine lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, etc
6. Southwest dressing
7. chips (if desired)

Tortilla Soup

by Valerie Halladay

Saute- 1/2 chopped yellow onion
4 chicken breast - cooked, and cut into small pieces
2-3 cans chicken broth
2 cans small white beans
2 cans corn
2 small cans diced chilies
1 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 clove minced garlic

Mix all ingredients together and cook 15 to 30 minutes until warm.

Optional: add on top Monterey jack/cheddar cheese, limes cilantro, tortilla chips, salsa and/or sour cream.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

by Valerie Halladay

6 medium whole chicken breast, skinned and boned
6 slices of Swiss cheese
6 slices of cooked ham
3 T all purpose flour
1 t. paprika
6 T. butter
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple juice or even water
1 chicken flavor bouillon cube
1 T cornstarch
1 cup heavy or whipping cream

1. Spread chicken breast flat; fold cheese and ham slices to fit on top; fold breast over filling and fasten edges with toothpicks.
2. On waxed paper mix flour and paprika; use mixture to coat chicken pieces.
3. In 12-inch skillet over medium heat in hot butter cook chicken until browned on all sides. Add wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low cover and simmer 30 minutes or until fork-tender; remove the toothpicks.
4. In cup blend cornstarch and cream until smooth; gradually stir into skillet. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and becomes a smooth cream sauce; serve over chicken.

I like to serve with rice since you have all of that rich sauce.