Inside Out BLT's

 When I was a kid, my favorite sandwich was a BLT. It's still up there, actually. These colorful babies are from Better Homes and Gardens. I made them for an after-homecoming party we had for my daughter's friends after the dance and they were a hit. I hid a couple for next-day munchies. Who needs a sandwich?

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/3 c. finely chopped romaine lettuce
1 1/3 c. coarse soft bread crumbs
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
3 T. olive oil
8-10 roma tomatoes
mayonnaise
black pepper

Heat oven to 400. In large bowl, combine bacon, lettuce, crumbs, cheese, and olive oil. Mix well. Set aside
Halve tomatoes lengthwise and scoop out seeds with spoon. Brush inside each tomato half with mayo, then sprinkle with pepper.
Mound bacon mixture in tomatoes; transfer to baking pan, lightly greased.
Roast uncovered, 10-12 mins until toasted.  Makes 16-20 appetizers.

Game & Pork Picadillo & Cilantro Sour Cream

 I never thought I would be cooking with wild game meat... not even a pheasant. I never thought I would be asking for an upright freezer for Christmas in anticipation of the elk my husband will be bringing home in a few weeks. I never thought it could taste this good...

2 lb. elk or antelope roast*
1 lb. pork loin (or two thick chops)*
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 T. dried onion flakes, or one med. onion, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika (regular paprika may be used, but try the smoked, aye aye aye)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 14 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (or regular)
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles

Place all ingredients, in order, in crockpot. Cook on low heat, 7 hours, or on high for 5 hours.
When meet tears apart easily, remove to plate and pull apart with two forks. Add back to juices and stir. Meat will absorb most of the juices.
Serve with warm TORTILLAS, CABBAGE SALAD or lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, and CILANTRO SOUR CREAM.

*May also use 1/2 game, 1/2 beef, OR just beef and pork as desired for a total of three lbs. of meat.

CILANTRO SOUR CREAM

1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. salsa verde (I use Herdez brand)
1 T. fresh cilantro, minced OR
2 T. dried cilantro

Combine ingredients in small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ultimate Pumpkin Cookies

These soft, chewy cookies are a gift from my friend Annette Redford, who only lived in Cody a year, then moved away. Just one of those instant friends. I used her for her cookie recipe. *wink*

1/3 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1- 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars. Add egg whites. Mix in vanilla and pumpkin.
Combine dry ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture. Mix well.
Drop by tablespoon on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 mins.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Mandarin Salad

 My sister made this back when I was expecting our second child, and she was expecting her first.  It hit the spot for both of us.  I could have eaten it all summer.  This and pepperoncinis.  Weird.

Dressing:
1/2 c. oil
*1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 c. rice vinegar
2 tsp. fresh dill, minced
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic


Combine and shake together. Chill.


1/2 c. almonds, sliced and toasted.  Spread in pie tin and bake @ 450, 5-8 minutes.
8 slices bacon, fried until crisp and crumbled
4 c. iceberg lettuce, torn
4 c. romaine, torn
3 sm. green onions, thinly sliced
2 11 oz. cans mandarin oranges, well-drained

Toss together well dried lettuces and green onion.  Cover with damp paper towels and chill.
Keep dressing, greens, and oranges chilled until serving.  When ready to serve, place almonds, bacon, and oranges atop greens and pour dressing over all.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

This chewy cookie is modified from My Fannie Farmer Cookbook, held together by duct tape. The duct tape is losing. I prefer my peanut butter cookies chewy and soft and I was so happy to find this one years ago. 

1 c. butter
1 c. applesauce
2 c. chunky peanut butter
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp baking soda
4 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats or rolled whole grain mix

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter, applesauce, and peanut butter together.  Beat in the sugars well, then add eggs and vanilla.  Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to butter mixture.  Mix thoroughly.
Arrange by teaspoonful on cookie sheet.  Press each one flat with a glass or the back of a fork dipped in sugar.  Bake about 7-9 minutes, until firm.

Read and don't give up!

I just received this comment for the Pantry Suggestions page:

Your website is very informative. Thank you for all of your effort. I do have a conflict though. You suggest a Chicken Broth from Pacific Natural Foods. I checked the ingredients on their website and unfortunately they use Autolyzed Yeast Extract in their broth. This is another name for MSG.
Dee

I thought I would post the repy here, though, because it is important. Though Pacific Foods Chicken Broth does contain Autolyzed Yeast Extract, a big MSG ingredient, Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Broth does not. I have a box of the Organic in my fridge right now, so I checked immediately. This is a great example of my urging you to keep reading labels.

However, my mother still reacts to both of these, and makes her own broth from scratch (just boil a chicken, strain and save the broth). I do not react to either of these products, so I include them in these recipes, as this site is for finding convenience while avoiding harmful additives. I just cannot boil a chicken every time I need broth. I do get an almost immediate headache when I have a bowl of soup made with other broths, like Swanson. So I know, of the many products out there we use for convenience, this is a good one. Let your body tell you.

My mother also introduced me to Pacific Foods No Chicken Chicken Broth, a delicious vegetable broth she loves. Unfortunately, nobody sells it here in Cody. Look for it.

You can also always substitute water for recipes calling for chicken broth. You may need to season it a little more to taste. Of course, for gravy that would be gross, so try one of these products, or boil a chicken!

Thank you, Dee, for bringing that to my attention!

Mac-n-Cheese

Every time I ask Maren, the 7-year old, "What should we have for dinner?", she replies, without hesitation, "Macaroni and cheese."
She does NOT mean the box.

4 c. macaroni noodles, cooked following directions on package

3 c. milk
1/2 c. flour
3 c. cheddar cheese, grated (sharp, medium or colby jack works)
1/4 brick cream cheese
1 T. parmesan cheese
1/2 T. salt
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. paprika

Whisk flour into milk over MED HI in a pot. If you have a shaker, shake flour and 2 c. milk until smooth, pour into pot, then whisk in rest of milk. Whisk constantly until it begins to boil and thicken. Turn heat down to MED.
Stir in cheeses and seasonings and stir until smooth and creamy.
Drain noodles and add to pot. Combine and serve.

Add-ins:
1 c. frozen peas
fresh chopped tomatoes
1 T. finely chopped onion

Topper:
Pour Mac-n-Cheese in a buttered casserole dish. In a small bowl combine 1 c. fresh bread crumbs (gently crumble old bread or end pieces between your hands), 2 T. melted butter, a dash of salt, sugar, onion, and garlic powder. Mix well and sprinkle evenly over noodles. Bake in 350 oven for 20 mins. or until topping is lightly toasted. Serve with salad or veggie.

Perfect Grilled Steaks

Any number of your preferred steak cuts.
Whole garlic cloves, minced. I use a stainless steel garlic press. You place the entire clove in the compartment, skin on, and squeeze. Too easy.
I place my steaks in a bowl and mince one clove of garlic per steak, adding it right on top of the meat. At this point, you may also add pepper. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
Then I rub. Each steak gets a massage of little grains of garlic. They smoosh into the grains and crevices of the meat. Not too hard. This is a relaxing, "finding your steak's chi" kind of rub.
Now is when I call my B to get the grill going, and I turn my attention to salads or sides or writing down a scene idea for the book I am working on.
When B gives me the thumbs up, he excitedly takes the meat away, and when he brings back the perfect steaks, we are ready to eat.
SO ready.

*A great trick to avoiding that garlic smell on your hands for the next three days: After handling garlic or onions, squirt a little drop of dish soap on hands and sprinkle liberally with salt. Rub hands and rinse. Salt is a base, and neutralizes the acids in the garlic and onions. Ta da!