The Plain Truth
Recipes
PORK
Church Picnic Pork Chops
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt
1 tablespoon chipotle chile
1 tablespoos ground dried mild to medium hot red chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
4 bone-in center cut pork chops, 1 inch thick, 10 to 11 oz each
Vegetable spray
Your Favorite Barbecue Sauce
Directions:
At least 2 hours before and up to 8 hours before you plan to grill the pork chops, combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
Coat the chops with the spice mixture, place them in a sip-top plastic bag and refrigerate.
Fire up the grill and bring the temperature to medium.
Remove the chops and let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Sprite the chops with oil and transfer them to the grill.
Grill them uncovered for 20 to 23 minutes, turning three times while cooking.
Rotate the chops a half turn each time for crisscross grill marks.
The chops are done when barely white at the center with clear joices. (Don’t confuse the colors of the rub and the juices)
Serve the chops hot with barbecue sauce on the side, if you wish.
Makes 4 servings.
BEEF
Beef Oxtail Stew
2 lbs Beef Oxtail
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 8oz can of tomato paste
½ cup of cilantro
¼ cup green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 can crushed tomato
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 quarts of water
Directions:
Wash and dry the oxtails and coat with garlic and onion powder. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil and brown the oxtails. Drain the grease and pour in water.
In separate frying pan, stir fry the finely chopped garlic, cubed onion, chopped green onions. Pour in the boiling oxtail. Reduce heat to medium. When oxtail is half done (approx 1 ½ hour) pour in tomato sauce and crushed tomato. Salt to taste.
Note: Veggies can be added at this point. Serve with rice.
By reducing the liquid to gravy like it can be served like meatballs.
Beef Chuck Short Ribs – Bone in
Directions:
Heat oven to 325 degrees – trim excess fat
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat.
Brown meat.
Add ½ cup broth (juice or water)
Add vegetables (your choice)
Cover tightly – Simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours or until juices thicken for gravy.
SEAFOOD
Fish Ceviche
2 lbs fish filets, cut in bite sizes
8 cloves finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
¼ bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Note: If you really want to kick it up, replace jalapeno with habanero or combine the two if you like it HOT, HOT.
Baked Fish in Sauce
2 lbs. Fish fillets
1 cup chopped onion
½ cups chopped parsley
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ cup of oil
2 small cans of tomato sauce
Directions:
Wash fish, place in a flat pan and pour lemon juice, let sit for 15 minutes then pour out the juice, do not rinse.
Mix onion, parsley in a shallow baking dish. Lay fish over the mixture and season (sprinkle) with salt and pepper. Cover with oil. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Pour the tomato sauce over (covering) and bake for 35 more minutes. Remove.
PASTA
Santa Fe Shrimp Pasta
1 lbs linguini noodles, cooked according to the package instructions
1 ½ lbs of shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 Jar of Alfredo Sauce
1 1.25 oz of taco mix
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
Boil water for linguine noodles, add salt. Cook noodles according to the package instructions.
While the noodles cook, heat the frying pan with oil and butter, add shrimp and cook till no longer translucent and lightly pink. Sprinkle taco seasoning over the shrimp, stir until coated. Add alfredo sauce, stirring well. Heat until hot, toss sauce into cooked, drained noodles. Serve hot.
SOUPS
Black Bean Soup
2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound black beans, soaked overnight, drained
1 ham bone, cracked
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ cup sherry, or dry white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Saute onions and garlic in butter until transparent.
Combine with beans, ham bone, celery, bay leaf, and 2 quarts of water in the crock pot. Cook on high, covered for 2 hours, then on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Remove ham bone and bay leaf.
Puree soup and return to pot. Add sherry, salt and pepper and heat through.
Serve in soup bowls garnished with jalapeno.
Miscellaneous
Pepperoni Pizza Wraps
½ cup pizza sauce
4 (7 or 8 inch) flour tortillas
4 oz.(1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
½ (3.5 oz.) package pepperoni slices
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degreesF.
Spread pizza sauce evenly over tortillas to within 1 inch of edges.
Sprinkle each evenly with cheese. Arrange ¼ of pepperoni slices down center of each tortilla.
Roll up each tortilla; wrap each in foil.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.
Vienna Mac and Cheese
1 (7.25 oz) box macaroni and cheese dinner
2 (5 oz) cans Armour Vienna Sausage, drained, sliced
Directions:
Prepare macaroni and cheese according to package directions.
Stir in sausages and heat through.
Variation:
Substitute 1 (12 oz) can Armour Treet or Premium Luncheon Meat, cut into ¼ inch cubes
Chicken
Spicy Buffalo Wings
20 to 30 chicken wings
1 stick (melted butter)
1 bottle Red Hot sauce
Cajun seasoning (your choice)
Directions:
Cut wings in 2 pieces, season with Cajun seasoning and put in a bowl.
Mix butter and hot sauce.
Pour over seasoned wings and stir.
Cover and marinate overnight or let sit for at least 8 hours before frying in hot oil.
Chicken Fajitas
4 large, skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, rinsed and patted dry
Cajun seasoning
1 jar (7 oz) or l cup roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained
*Cooking oil
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 can (14 ½ oz) mild or medium salsa (fresh, ready cut tomatoes, with onion, jalapeno or mild peppers)
Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to taste
Flour tortillas, warmed
Oriental
Beef Lo Mein
1 lb. Flank steak, cut in half lengthwise then sliced across the grain in thin slices
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
½ lb. Fresh Chinese egg noodles (lo mein noodles)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons oil, divided
2 carrots, cut julienne
8 leave Chinese cabbage or romaine lettuce, cut in crosswise shreds
1 small (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
Directions:
Mix beef with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry, and the cornstarch. Let stand 20 minutes.
Combine remaining soy sauce and rice wine with oyster sauce and sugar. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles, stirring to separate. Cook about 2 minutes, until al dente.
Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok. Add carrots and stir fry 1 minute. Add shredded cabbage or lettuce and mushrooms and stir fry 1 minute or longer. Remove
Heat another tablespoon of oil in a wok. Add beef mixture and stir fry until browned, about 2 minutes. Remove.
Wipe out wok. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Add noodles and stir fry until they are heated through. Stir in vegetables and beef. Add sauce and stir fry to mix well.
Serves 4
