You will need

• refried beans
• grated cheese we like the Mexican blend
• sour cream
• guacamole
• diced onions
• diced tomatoes or salsa
• chopped fresh cilantro
• optional is cooked ground beef
• optional is cooked rice
• corn tortillas

Prepare your refried bean however you like, adding optional items if desired. For each serving, add beans then cheese then each topping as desired, usually after the cheese we add onions, sour cream, salsa then a spoon of guacamole and some cilantro. Remember anything fresh and green makes it look gourmet. We serve this with corn tortillas that have been cut in 1/4 ‘s and fried in hot oil and are served still warm.

This dish is a meal in itself.

This is just a menu idea would you like to see it made into an ebook with step by step instructions and pictures?

When it is cold or windy or rainy, ok I guess anytime except a hot summer day, I love soup!! My ultimate comfort food, well except for some dark chocolate. We have been working an a new soup book for my bookstore, a compilation of yummy soup techniques. This is what we did yesterday.

To our large crockpot we added

• diced raw potatoes
• chunks of broccoli tops
• 1 package of cream cheese cut in chunks
• a package of cooked bacon pieces
• enough whole (at our house fresh) milk to cover it all
• a dash or two of soul seasoning (healthy seasoned salt sort of)

we turned it on high and ran out the door to go get a horse, about 3-4 hours later we returned and served it up with a half cup grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream topping each serving. It was INCREDIBLE!!! I cannot wait to make it again and will probably add more veggies.

This is just a menu idea would you like to see it made into an ebook with step by step instructions and pictures?

this is more of a menu idea rather than an exact recipe, start with 1 large baked potato per person then prepare several sides, and toppings, you can even use leftovers

• butter or ranch dressing or cheese sauce, or even gravy
• bbq pork or beef or diced cooked chicken
• vegetables, lots of cooked or raw diced vegetables
• grated cheese
• sour cream
• chopped chives
• bacon bits
• anything else that sounds good

Let each person load on what they want! Works great when set up like a salad bar or when the sides are put on a lazy susan in the middle of the table. Enjoy! This can be as healthy or extravagant as you choose it to be. Also great with a salad and some homemade bread.

This is just a menu idea would you like to see it made into an ebook with step by step instructions and pictures?

• 12 med size fresh tomatoes
• 3 large peeled cloves of garlic
• 1 large onion
• 1 bunch of fresh cliantro
• large handful of peppers, 6-10 your choice, we use jalapenos, cayenne, gypsy, poblano, and Anaheim, sometimes habanera
• salt to taste

you will want chips to eat it with, we cook our own, see note below

Start by washing all of your ingredients. We will be using a food processor with the bottom mixing blade. Not the slicer or shredding disc. We will be using the pulse button.

Step #1 – Start with 6 of the tomatoes cut in half, cover and puree by pulsing several times, then put in mixing bowl.

Step #2 – Place garlic and cilantro in processor, cover and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Add to mixing bowl.

Step #3- Add all peppers, if big then cut in half or quarters, also add onion, peeled and quartered. Cover and pulse until chopped.

Add to mixing bowl.

Step #4 – Add remaining 6 tomatoes quartered, cover and pulse slightly only until diced in large chunks.

Add to mixing bowl.

Final step – Mix well and add salt to taste. Then refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors blend.

Homemade salsa is great on many things but best with home cooked tortillas. Take a stack of corn tortillas and cut the whole stack in 4ths using a butcher knife. Then separate and cook each in hot oil. We use a deep fryer and tongs. Be careful and only cook for a few seconds each. Drain on paper towels. You will think you are eating in a Mexican restaurant! Ole!

you will need

• large flour tortillas, 1 per serving
• cooked rice, about 1/2 cup per serving
• diced veggies, squash, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, onions, peppers, whatever you like or is growing in your garden
• diced fresh tomatoes
• olive oil or butter

combine and sauté or stir fry your diced veggies using the butter or oil, all except the tomatoes, set those aside, brown your tortillas in a skillet

on a tortilla add veggies, cooked rice and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper or maybe even teriyaki sauce and fold one end over slightly then roll like a burrito, or eat like a large taco

yummy, fast, healthy, and cheap! but be forewarned your family may want seconds

preheat oven to 350 degrees     

In a blender add all eggs, and peppers and 1 and 1/2 bunches of spinach. Blend well, then place in mixing bowl and add rice and remaining spinach, stir well. Take baking dish and add butter, place in oven until butter melts, then pour in mixture. Bake until firm, approx 20 minutes, remove and spread cheese on top, then bake until bubbly. Enjoy!

6-8 servings

mix well in very large bowl or pan, then proceed with dressing

add the following to blender and blend

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T soul seasoning or some sort or pepper blend

mix well then pour over cabbage mixture, let set about three hours in fridge, mixing once per hour, serve cold

I love salads but I do not especially love making them. I don’t like the bagged greens as much as the fresh in a bundle ones. I especially like fresh spinach and either butter lettuce or green leaf. One huge helper has been this trusty salad spinner. I got one for us and another for my married daughter. You simply rinse your greens then tear them up and put in the spinner, add more water and spin! It spins the excess water right off so you don’t have soggy greens and your dressing isn’t runny and watered down. Then you can add all of your chopped veggies and some dressing and wa la! A wonderful salad! We only like to make as much salad as will be eaten at the meal, but we do go ahead and do the whole amount of greens and keep them in the spinner in the fridge. They keep well this way without getting soggy . So yeah unsoggy salads work for me!

• approximately 2 dozen pieces of okra
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup corn meal mix ( if you can’t buy it, make your own with equal parts flour and corn meal)
• vegetable oil about 2 T
• couple shakes of Cajun spice

Cut the ends off the okra and cut the okra into thick slices or chunks about 1 inch thick. Add to beaten egg in mixing bowl. Mix well. Then add Cajun spice and corn meal mix. stir well until evenly coated. Heat a skillet to med hot and add oil, then add okra, let cook for a minute or two then turn with spatula. Turn occasionally until evenly browned.  It cooks pretty fast. Serve and enjoy!