Corn Relish

This is from  the BYU Food Blog.

Corn Relish on Nathan's Hot Dog with Hawaiian Bun

1/2 C      Corn cut off of cob

1 Tbsp     Red bell peppers diced
1 Tbsp     Green bell peppers diced
2 Tbsp     Gherkin pickles diced

1/2 C      Onion diced
1/4 C      Tomato diced
1 tsp      Celery seed
2 tsp      Mustard seed
1 Tbsp     Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp     Brown sugar
1 Tbsp     White wine  vinegar
1 Tbsp     Apple cider vinegar
TT         Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the corn from the cobs. Scrape the cobs with a large spoon to remove remaining juices.

In a large saucepan, mix the corn kernels and juice, tomatoes, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, gherkins and onion.

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, celery seed and mustard seed. Pour into the saucepan over vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes.

Transfer the finished relish to sterile jars. Refrigerate until serving.

6 ea      Nathan's all beef dog

6 ea      Hawaiian Hot Dog Bun

2 Tbsp    Butter

Cook hot dog on grill, brush and toast hot dog bun.  Garnish hot dog with desired amount of corn relish.

Soft 7 Minute Frosting

This is a recipe from our friend, Nita. It is a stiff, but soft, white frosting.

Soft 7-Minute Frosting

3/4 cup white corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar (Nita uses 3/4 cup sugar.)
Pinch of cream of tartar
Whites of 2 eggs

Put in a double boiler. Beat 7 minutes or until stiff. (That sounds simple!)

Brown Karo syrup and brown sugar may be used instead of the white.

Will frost a 9" 2-layer cake.

Bean Burrito Bake

Bean Burrito Bake

16 oz. can refried beans

1 cup Bisquick

1/4 cup water

1 pound hamburger, browned

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup salsa

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix refried beans, Bisquick and water. Spread in a 10" pie pan. Layer remaining ingredients in order given. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream, diced tomatoes, lettuce, olives, jalapenos, whatever else you'd like on tacos.

Serves 8.

New Red Cake

Aunt Marie made this cake- New Red Cake- many years before Red Earth Cake or Red Velvet Cake became popular. Thank you, Aunt Marie!

New Red Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring (1/4 cup)
2 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup buttermilk (Real buttermilk is best.  But, if you don't have it, use 1 cup milk with 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar or Lemon juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon vinegar

Cream the shortening, sugar and eggs until light, about 2 minutes. Make a paste of the food coloring and cocoa, add to the eggs mixture. Add salt to flour and add, alternately with the buttermilk. Add vanilla, then add the vinegar and baking soda. Mix in. Do Not Beat! Pour into 3 8" layer ckae pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe shared by Sheila (and Robin).

French Pancakes

This is a recipe the Aunt Beulah made for us when we spent the night. She called them French Pancakes, but we would call them crepes now. I love them! They are my most favorite breakfast!

French Pancakes

These are slices of the French Pancake.

The picture is from Rita's Recipes.

1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
Dash of salt

Mix all ingredients together. Pour thinly into a skillet and fry quickly on both sides. Spread with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up and serve. Yum!

Recipe shared by Robin and Sheila

Chili Relleno Bake

This is a recipe from Betty Brinkerhoff, Dad's cousin's wife. We ate this almost everytime we went to visit Nelson and Betty. Dad loved it!

Chili Relleno Bake

1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 large can whole green chilies
Grated cheese

Brown the hamburger.  Slice the green chilies open and take off the stem. Leave whole, but open flat. In a baking dish, layer 1/2 of green chilies, grated cheese, 1/2 of cooked hamburger, remaining half of green chilies, cheese and hamburger.

Egg mixture:
1 1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup flour
Blend together ingredients, pour over the geen chilies/hamburger layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe shared by Sheila.

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

From Our Best Bites

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

Makes a deliciously huge batch -- perfect to give around the holidays!

Ingredients

1. 16 C popped popcorn* (fresh, or about 2 bags microwave popcorn)
2. 1 lb almond bark
3. 1 6 ounce box candy canes, crushed (about 1 generous cups, Bob's brand are best!)
4. 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil or 2 teaspoons peppermint extract**
5. 3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Place popcorn in a very large mixing bowl.
2. Melt almond bark according to package instructions. When completely melted, add extract or peppermint oil. If using extract, it's normal for the almond bark to seize (get lumpy) which is okay, just stir very quickly, the more you wait the more it will seize.
3. Pour melted almond bark mixture over popcorn and pour crushed candy canes on top. Stir to evenly coat. Pour popcorn out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil and spread out.
4. Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. Let mixture dry completely until chocolate and almond bark are hardened. You may place in the fridge to speed process along.
5. When chocolate is hardened, use your hands to break up popcorn into chunks. Toss in a bowl, a jar, a cute package, or in your mouth!

Notes

1. If you're using microwave popcorn, try to find an unbuttered or "natural" kind because this looks much prettier if the popcorn isn't bright yellow! Lightly salted is fine, I actually like a little salt in there, but avoid heavy buttered.
2. Also, if you can find flavored oils, like you would use for candy making, use them as they will best combine with the almond bark. If using extract, it's not unusual for it to cause the almond bark to seize, but just stir quickly and pour immediately on popcorn. Once distributed it will be just fine.

By Our Best Bites

Creamy Lime Cilantro Ranch Dressing

From Our Best Bites

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Perfect as a dip or sauce too, this creamy Latin-inspired dressing adds a pretty punch of flavor to whatever you are dousing it in!  (Like...your fingers...)

Ingredients

1. 1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (ignore directions on packet)
2. 1C mayo
3. 1/2 C buttermilk (or milk works, too)
4. 1 lime
5. 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6. 1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
7. 1/4 C green salsa*
8. hot sauce

Instructions

1. Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice.
2. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up.
3. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste.
4. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

*A note about green salsa

1. If you're not used to buying green salsa, make sure to sample it first before you put it in the dressing so you know what you're getting into! La Victoria is completely mild, whereas Herdez is much more spicy. I prefer La Victoria, as I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce.

By Our Best Bites