Mexican Stew

This recipe is from Mark's family. It's a great way to have "Mexican" food that isn't loaded with fat. Enjoy a whole grain benefit by serving with whole-wheat tortillas. Yummy!

Mexican Stew

1 lb. lean stew meat (beef), chopped into small chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 heaping tbsp cumin
1 can Rotel (chopped tomatoes and green chiles)

Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in *pressure cooker on medium high to high heat. Brown meat and onion. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to cover meat. Cook under pressure (10 psi) for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then run cold water over lid before releasing pressure.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes.

Serve with warm flour tortillas.

*If not using a pressure cooker, cook the meat and onion until the meat is starting to get tender and then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes.

Lemony Launch into Spring Recipe

I made these yummy lemon cookies over the weekend. The recipe is based on the recipe in the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion cookbook. I hope you will enjoy them.

Lemon Coolers

3/4 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon rind/zest or
1 teaspoon lemon rind/zest and 1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, salt, baking powder, lemon zest and lemon oil. When the mixture is creamy, add the sugars, a bit at a time, beating until fluffy. Finally, mix in the flour. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop out a tablespoon of dough for each cookie and roll into a ball. Place the balls on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten each cookie to about 1/4 inch thickness using the bottom of a glass dipped in confectioners' sugar.

Bake the cookies 1o to 12 minutes, until they are very lightly browned on the bottom and edges.

Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Carol's notes:

• I use the lemon zest and lemon flavoring. I made my last batch without lemon zest and they were wonderful.
• I use 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/4 cup salted butter to make the 3/4 cup butter.
• When I see just a tiny bit of browning on the edges, I take the cookies out. In my convection oven, that was at about 6 - 7 minutes.
  

Fall Favorite Recipe: Great for Cooler Days!

This is one of our family favorites.

Simple Green Chile Stew

3/4 lb pork loin or rib meat
1 onion, diced
2 cups water
1 TBP salt or to taste
1 large baking potato, diced
1 clove garlic
1 cup green chiles
1 tsp mexican oregano
1/8 tsp dried cilantro
onion powder to taste
garlic powder to taste

Use spice grinder to grind mexican oregano and cilantro. Set aside. Dice pork into 1/2 thick pieces and brown in hot saucepan. Add onion. Cook until meat is brown and onions are transparent.

For cooking under pressure:
- Add enough water to cover meat.
- Cook under pressure (10 psi) for 10 minutes
- Cool 5 minutes
- Rinse under cold water
- Release pressure
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer to desired tenderness.

To continue cooking without a pressure cooker, add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 to 2 hours. Try not to let the stew come to a hard boil.

Carol's comments:

• I use frozen green chiles, a mixture of hot and mild. I get these at Kroger.
• I use the pressure cooker and then simmer for about 1 hour.
• I heat a little oil in the sauce pan before adding the meat.