Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 lbs. plus 2 c. biscuit mix

2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. mashed cooked sweet potatoes

1/3 c. vanilla extract

2/3 c. buttermilk

1. Preheat to 360 degrees F.
2. Combine 2 lbs flour mix, cinnamon, and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl mix sweet potato, vanilla,and buttermilk until totally combined.
4. Combine flour mix and sweet potato mix.
5. Dust surface with biscuit mix and roll dough out. Cut biscuits and place them on a greased 9-in square pan.
6. Bake 20-25 min, until brown on the outside and solid in the center. Glaze with melted butter and serve hot.

"Real Texas Chili"

From: Food Network

3 lb. ground chuck

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 T. chili powder

5 T. flour

1 T. dried oregano

1 t. ground cumin seeds

2-3 cans beef broth

2 small cans drained pinto beans (optional)

Garnishes: sour cream and lime wedges

1. Brown beef in small amount of oil. Drain off fat.
2. Add garlic and cook 2 min.
3. Add chili powder, flour, oregano, and cumin.
4. Cook until meat is well coated. Slowly add 2 cans broth and stir well.
5. Partially cover and simmer for 45 min.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Simmer again for 45 min.

Leftovers are great. Serve with squeezed lime juice and top with sour cream and crusty bread.

Jumbo Shrimp Stuffed with Cilantro and Chiles

Adjusted from: Food Network

8 jumbo shrimp (about 1 1/4 lbs)

1/4 c. fresh lime juice

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 t. salt

black pepper

3 cloves minced garlic

1 large jalapeno, with seeds

3 green onions, with green parts

1 c. chopped cilantro leaves

Tootpicks soaked in water

1. Soak shrimp (shelled, deveined, and washed) in a mix of 1 T. olive oil, 1/2 t. salt and pepper, and lime juice for 30 min.
2. Blend cilantro, onions, jalapeno, garlic, 1 T. oil, and lime juice marinade into a paste.
3. Cut the shrimp open (enough to stuff them, but not cut all the way through) and put the paste inside. Close by using a toothpick soaked in water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Cook shrimp on a dry non-stick skillet until cooked through.

Homemade Argentine Spaghetti Sauce (Tuco Italiano)

From a website that is no longer available

2 lb ground beef

2 T. olive oil

4 hot italian sausages

2 medium onions, chopped

2 carrots, grated

1 green pepper, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 stick of celery

3 T. dried oregano

1 T. dried

2 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

1 c. dry white wine

1/2 c. tomato paste

2 c. tomato puree

1 T. sugar

1. Heat oil in a pot, and brown the sausages in it. Set aside to cool and slice into bite sized pieces.
2. Brown the onions. When they become translucent, add the ground beef and brown. Drain off the fat, and set it aside.
3. Cook the carrots, celery, and peppers in the same pot. When they are tender, add the garlic and ground beef.
4. Add the white wine and all the tomato products. Bring to a simmer.
5. Add the seasoning and sugar. Adjust seasoning as desired. (I like to add extra oregano, salt, and pepper.)
6. Simmer for 45 min. Add sausages in the last 5 minutes of cooking to heat through.
7. Serve on your favorite pasta.

Spinach & Ricotta Pie

From: Italian

8 oz frozen chopped spinach, cooked, drained, and squeezed dry (or already cooked fresh spinach, chopped and drained)

4 oz. ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

1/2 t. nutmeg

2 oz. ground almonds

1 1/2 oz grated Parmesan cheese

2 puff pastry shells, thawed (premade from grocery store)

1 egg, beaten (for brushing on pie at the end)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 deg C). Grease an 8x8 pan.
2. Mix ricotta cheese, eggs, spinach, ground almonds, parmesan cheese, and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. Roll puff pastry out to cover the bottom of an 8x8 pan. Put the pastry shell in the pan. Use a fork to poke holes in it every 3 or 4 inches apart.
4. Fill the pastry shell with the spinach mixture.
5. Roll second puff pastry shell out to cover the pie. Place over the filling and trim the edges.
6. Brush beaten egg over the top. Poke holes in the top shell every 3-4 inches.
7. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 min, and reduce temperature to 375 degrees F for another 25-30 minutes.

Orange Mascarpone Chicken

From: Italian

2 oranges

2 T Marsala or medium sherry

4 skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c. chicken stock

4 T. mascarpone cheese , room temperature (don't substitute with anything else or the texture will be wrong)

2 T. butter

1. Using a fine grater, zest one of the oranges (grate ONLY the orange part off the orange rind.)
2. Juice the zested orange and mix with the zest and marsala (or sherry.) Slice second orange into 4 rings, and cut the rings into 4 segments. Add to juice mixture.
3. Make slits in the chicken breasts and marinate in orange juice mixture for at least 30 min (could be longer.)
4. Melt butter in frying pan.
5. Saute chicken breasts until golden brown on either side.
6. Add marinade to the pan and boil for 20-25 min until chicken is fully cooked.
7. Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone cheese.
8. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Put over low heat for 2-3 min to heat through (DO NOT BOIL).

This dish goes really well with sides of green beans and boiled new potatoes.

Lemon Cake

From: Food Network

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 c. granulated sugar

4 XL eggs, room temperature

1/3 c. grated lemon zest (only the yellow part of the lemon peel, not the white part)

3 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

3/4 c. fresh lemon juice

3/4 c. buttermilk (or milk with a 1 t. of vinegar mixed)

1 t. pure vanilla extract

2 c. confectioner's (powdered) sugar

3 1/2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 cake pan (or two 8x4 loaf pans.)
2. Cream butter and 2 c. granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time.
3. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a third bowl mix 1/4 c. lemon juice, buttermilk, and vanilla.
5. Slowly add flour and buttermilk mixtures to the creamed butter.
6. Spread batter in pan(s).
7. Bake for 35 to 45 min for 9x13 pan or up to an hour for 8x4 pans.
8. Combine 1/2 c. granulated sugar and 1/2 c. lemon juice in a small sauce pan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. After cooling the cakes for 10 min, stab holes in the cake with a knife, then spoon the lemon juice/sugar mixture over the cake.
9. For the glaze combine confectioner's sugar and 3 1/2 T. lemon juice in a bowl. Drizzle over the cooled cake.