In a large bowl, mix together:
1 can pinto beans w/ jalapenos- drained
1 can black eyed peas w/ jalapenos- drained
1 can white corn- drained
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped pimentos

In a small sauce pan, combine the following and bring to boil, stirring, then cool:
1/2 vegetable oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine the veggies in large bowl, add the cooled dressing mixture, and let marinate overnight. Drain before serving. Serve with “Scoop” chips.

In large pot, over medium high heat, add and brown:

2 pounds ground beef (80/20)

Cook beef until just no longer pink, breaking up with a large spoon.  Season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium.  Add:

4 minced garlic cloves

1/2 diced red onion

5 celery stalks, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tomato, diced

Cook for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften.  Add:

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 cup BBQ sauce (store bought or home-made)

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons of water

Bring to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once mixture has thickened slightly, reduce heat and add:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

! tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.  Remove cover and cook an additional 10 minutes or until mixture has thickened.  Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro.

Serves 4-6

In a small bowl, whisk together:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons paprika
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade and refrigerate. Pour the remaining marinade over 2-3lb boneless pork loin roast in a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate over night, turning once. Take meat out of refrigerator about 1/2 before you want to start cooking.

If cooking in the oven, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pork loin roast in a roasting pan, fat side up. Pour marinade over roast and cook until meat thermometer reads 150-155 degrees. Start checking the temperature of the meat after an hour (should take about 1 and 1/2 hours). Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest about 10 minutes. Slice meat and either pour 1/4 cup separate marinade over the meat, or serve separate marinade along side the meat.

If grilling, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Sear the pork over the hottest part of the grill, on both sides, cooking for about 10 minutes total. Relocate pork to a cooler part of the grill and cover. Turn once, about half way through roasting (about 45 minutes of cooking). Once meat reads 150-155 degrees remover from grill. Cover with foil and let rest about 10 minutes. Slice meat and either pour 1/4 cup separate marinade over the meat, or serve separate marinade along side the meat.

Serves 8

Baked beans are a great side dish to serve at any picnic or BBQ.  They are an easy side dish to make and go great with burgers or ribs.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a medium sized casserole dish, mix together and set aside:

3 cans white beans, such as navy (rinsed and drained)

1 and 1/4 cup chicken broth

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook:

4 slices of bacon, roughly chopped

Once bacon begins to release it’s fat, add to the skillet:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

Cook bacon, oil and onion for about 5-7 minutes or until onion begins to soften.  Stir in:

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon dry mustrad

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Stir to combine.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Pour bacon mixture over bean mixture in the casserole dish and stir to combine.  Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 1 hour.   Remove lid or foil and stir, adding more chicken broth if needed.  Continue to bake with no lid or foil for about 30 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.

Serves 6-8

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slit and rinse:

1 can (28oz.) of Ortega whole green chili

Make sure to remove all seeds and allow chilies to drain on paper towels.  Meanwhile, on a cutting board, slice  8oz. of Monterey Jack cheese into long wedges small enough to fit into chilies.

Arrange chilies in a shallow casserole dish, filling each chili with a wedge of cheese.  Cover stuffed chilies with:

1 can (14oz.) tomato sauce

6 oz. of sliced and cleaned white mushrooms

Cover with any left over cheese.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese has melted.

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

1-1 and 1/4 lb ground chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bunches of green onions, chopped

zest from 1 lemon

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

with a large spoon, mix all ingredients together and then form into four equal sized patties.  Refrigerate patties for at least an hour before cooking and up to overnight.  Before grilling or pan frying over medium heat, brush burgers with a little olive oil and cook for about 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through.  Place burger on toasted bun, then top each with:

1 romaine lettuce  leaf, cut in half

1 tablespoon of Caesar dressing

Serves 4

In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil and cook over medium heat.  Once oil is warm, add:

1 onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Once onion is soft and garlic is golden, reduce heat to low and add:

1 can (16oz) chopped tomatoes, drained

2 cans (4oz) chopped green chiles, drained

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Stir occasionally and keep heat on lowest setting or simmer.  Meanwhile, in a *double boiler, stirring occasionally, melt:

2 pounds Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks

Once cheese is melted, add to onion garlic mixture and continue to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve immediately along side chips or over vegetables or transfer to crock pot on warm setting for buffet style eating.

Makes 6 cups

*For a full description of double boiler, see Chocolate Brownie Lava Cakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Salt and pepper 2 pounds of washed chicken tenders.  In a large shallow dish, put:

1 cup flour

Coat chicken in flour.  In another separate large shallow dish, mix together:

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

In a food processor, on low speed, mix toegther:

2 cups corn flakes (regular or honey-nut)

1 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons grill seasoning, (any kind is fine, I use McCormick’s Steak Seasoning)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Once mixed, transfer breading to a shallow dish.  Dip floured tenders first into egg mixture and then breading mixture and arrange on a nonstick baking sheet.  Bake chicken about 15-17 minutes or until cooked through.  Can be served hot or cold.

Serves 4-6

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat.  Put:

1/4 cup ranch

in one dish.  And put:

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

in another dish.  Dip chicken tenders (about 1 pound total), one piece at a time, first into the ranch and then into the bread crumbs.  Add to heated oil and cook, covered, for about 12-15 minutes.  Turn only once, otherwise bread crumbs will come off the chicken.  Serve warm.

Makes about 8 chicken tenders

In a small bowl, mix together:

2 cups ketchup

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon onion powder

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Once mixed pour over:

2-3 boneless pork roast, any cut, in a crock pot

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 5-7 hours or until pork starts to fall apart.  Using a fork pull meat into shreds.  Serve warm.

Serves 6-8

Adapted from William Sonoma, The Gourmet Slow Cooker, Volume II