Beef Taquitos

I have never been a big fan of taquitos but the kiddos just love them. I made beef this time around but think chicken would be even better. You have to have a "no fear" kind of mentality when cooking these puppies! Hot oil burns, or so I have been told. This meal takes a little planning but is really worth the time. I served our taquitos with rice and of course my favorite, pinto beans. This is What's Cookin on this ice storm warning day, I just hope for the foot of possible snow they are predicting instead.


Needed:
1 3 pound beef roast
3 whole jalapenos-I used canned ones that I pickled but fresh is fine too
1 purple onion-diced
2 bunches of cilantro-chopped
5 T salt
5 garlic cloves-smashed and peeled
5 T black pepper
Water
10 corn tortillas
Oil


Place all of the ingredients in a soup pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat with lid on until roast falls apart. I cooked this one for about 4 hours. Now remove roast from broth and shred roast.

Now wrap three of your corn tortilla in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30-40 seconds. They should be rollable now. Place about a 1/4 cup of the meat in the middle of each corn tortilla and roll up. Pour oil a quarter of the way up in a heavy bottomed skillet, I used my cast iron. Heat oil over medium heat. Lay each taquitos seam side down. Fry for 4 minutes or until golden brown and then turn and repeat. Serve with salsa, sour cream, pico.

Banana Pound Cake

I really like a good moist pound cake but add banana to the mix and I am in heaven! This cake has the moistness that I look for in a pound cake but with a banana bread twist. The caramel icing is the BOMB, it is OFF THE HOOK and all the those other annoying phrases that are used to describe great food!! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek along with several pots of hot tea!

Needed:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
5 eggs
1 vanilla bean-scraped
1 cup chopped pecans

Icing:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cream

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in your Kitchen Aid mixer bowl. Now beat together 1 1/2 cups butter, and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the bananas, followed by the eggs, one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat vanilla bean scraping with the last egg. Now add flour one cup at a time, mixing until it is fully mixed in. Fold in the pecans. Now pour the batter into prepared bundt pan. I really butter and flour the heck out of mine and never have a problem with anything sticking.
Bake at 325' until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

To make icing:
Heat 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugars have dissolved, then gently simmer for 1 minute. Pour over baked cake while still in the pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Sweet Potato Pie

You may think that sweet potato pie tastes just like pumpkin but you are wrong!! Sweet potato pie, if made correctly has a totally different taste than pumpkin. Yes, it is made like a pumpkin pie but the end result is different. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3 Baked sweet potatoes or 3 cans of sweet potatoes drained

3 eggs-I use free range

1 can evaporated milk

1 t salt

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 T butter

1 t vanilla

Mash your sweet potatoes with both sugars, salt, and butter. A few lumps are fine. Now add your eggs, vanilla, and evaporated milk. Stir very well. Now pour into a chilled pie crust. Bake at 425' for 20 minutes and them lower oven temperature to 350' and continue to bake for 40 minutes. You want to be able to insert a knife and have it come out clean in the center of pie. 1 hour was fine in my oven. Serve warm with whipped cream!

Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

I am always looking for something different to do with boneless, skinless chicken breast. We always have Paul Newman's Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing in the fridge, makes a great dip for grilled chicken strips or nuggets. I decided to try it on some chicken breast that I was getting ready to put in the oven. After all of the little sample takers made a pass, I barely had any left for the salad. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.



Needed:



4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts-thawed

1 T salt

1 T black pepper

1 bottle Paul Newman's Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

2 T Lemon Pepper Seasoning



Coat chicken rather heavy with the salad dressing and season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Bake on parchment paper at 435' for 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Slice and serve on top of salad. We used Paul Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar Salad Dressing to top off the salad, a good combo.

Sweet Potato Balls

These are a good side item for ham but also make a great fork appetizer. They are pretty darn healthy too! This is a plus this time of year right after the big holiday season. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 cans sweet potatoes-drained of any liquid

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 can pineapple rings-drained of any juice

Mix sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and 1 cup of coconut together and set aside. Now place pineapple rings on a 9x13 baking pan. Make a ball out of sweet potato mixture and then roll that ball in the additional cup of coconut and place on top of pineapple. Bake at 350' for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

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