Glazed Carrots with Bacon and Pecans

This is another recipe I tweaked a bit from The Best Vegetable Recipes. This has to be my favorite way to eat carrots! It's probably not the healthiest due to the bacon in it, but I think the taste of it makes it worth it!

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces (about 3 slices) bacon
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1 pound carrots (about 6 medium), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on the bias
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• Ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Crumble bacon.

2. Remove all but 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings from the pan. Add the pecans and cook until fragrant and slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the pecans to the plate with the bacon.

3. Add the carrots, salt,, thyme, 1 Tbsp. of the brown sugar and broth to the skillet. Bring to a boil, covered, over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are almost tender when poked with the tip of a paring knife, about 5 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to high, and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbsp.

4. Add the butter and the remaining 2 Tbsp. brown sugar to the skillet. Toss the carrots to coat and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are completely tender. Off the heat, add the bacon and pecans and toss. Transfer the carrots to a serving dish, scraping the glaze from the pan into the dish. Season to taste with pepper and serve.

Oven Fries

I got this recipe from The Best Vegetable Recipes and tweaked it a little bit. I've tried to make oven fries a few times and they've always come out a bit limp. These have a few extra steps, but each step is worth it.

Ingredients:

• 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 by 1/2-inch lengths
• 5 teaspoons olive oil
• season salt and ground black pepper

1. Rinse the cut fries in a large bowl or colander under cold running water until the water turns from milky colored to clear.
2. Put 1/2 teaspoon of the oil on each of two rimmed baking sheets (I would recommend lining the sheets with foil. It took a while to get all the oil off the pan during cleaning). Use a paper towel to spread the oil evenly over the entire surface. Place both sheets in the oven (on the lower-middle and upper-middle racks) and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
3. Fit a large pot with a steamer basket and fill the pot with enough water to reach just below the bottom of the basket. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and add the potatoes to the basket. Cover and steam until the potatoes are glistening but still very firm, about 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the pot and spread them out in a single layer on two clean kitchen towels. Pat the potatoes dry using a third kitchen towel.
4. Toss the potatoes and remaining 4 teaspoons oil in a large bowl to coat. Season generously with season salt and pepper to taste and toss again to blend. Carefully remove one baking sheet from the oven and place half of the potatoes on the baking sheet so they are spread out and not touching each other. Place the baking sheet back in the oven and repeat the process using the second baking sheet and the remaining potatoes.
5. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown and have begun to puff, 25 to 30 minutes, reversing the baking sheets (from top to bottom) halfway through the baking time. Serve immediately.

Arepas

This was a part of a typical Saturday morning breakfast in the Zuluaga house...one of the things I've gained from my Colombian heritage. Serve them warm and spread with butter...YUM!Follow package directions as directed on the Areparena, but to each cup of Areparena that you use add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 cup cheese. (Taste a little to see if it has enough salt). I like to use a cheese called cojito (it resembles parmesan cheese) or you can use grated ranchero cheese. If you can't find either of these cheeses, you can use mozerella cheese or do without cheese all together. Once you mix up the dough make them into balls and shape into patties. If dough seems a little dry and cracks while shaping wet your hands and work the water into the dough until smooth. Cook on a hot griddle with a little bit of oil and brown on both sides.

Layered Jello

A Christmas tradition (we do red and green Jello).

• 6 small boxes of Jello
• 1 large container cool whip (room temperature)

1. Prepare one layer at a time.
2. Prepare Jello according to package, exclude letting the Jello set.
   
3. 1st layer: 1 cup and 2 Tbsp. Jello (Pour into bottom of 9 X 13- inch pan). Let layer set in fridge 30-45 minutes.
4. 2nd layer: the rest of the prepared Jello and 1/2 cup cool whip. (Pour on top of previously set layer) Let layer set in fridge 30-45 minutes.
5. Continue until you get to the last layer. For the last layer, add 1 cup Jello and 1 cup cool whip. Let set in fridge for 30-45 minutes.
   

24 Hour Salad

This recipe has been in my family for four generations. We eat it every Thanksgiving.

• 3 Tbsp. vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 beaten egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 large bottle mar. cherries, cut into halves.
• 2 small cans pineapple chunks
• 1 large bag mini marshmallows
• 1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped

Mix vinegar, sugar and egg yolks in pan and cook till thick. Add butter and set aside. In large bowl, mix remaining ingredients. When cool, add egg mixture to fruit and chill 24 hours.

Hot Potato Salad

This recipe is your familiar funeral potatoes. My grandma Becky used this recipe.

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 pint sour cream
• 6-8 medium potatoes, cooked and cubed
• grated cheese
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1/2 cup onion, sauted (optional)

Combine all ingredients and transfer to casserole dish. Can be garnished with cheese or soda crackers sauted in butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Macaroni Salad

• 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• 3/4 cups mayo
• 1 can tuna, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet pickles
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed (I leave these out because I HATE peas, but my mom always put them in the salad.)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and add a small amount of pickle juice to make it creamy. Chill one hour before serving.

Glorified Macaroni and Cheese

• 8 oz. elbow macaroni
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 jar (4 oz.) diced pimiento, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and return to saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Transfer to a 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Lactose free variety: Use lactose free Cabot cheddar cheese. Omit cream of mushroom soup and add an additional 1/3 cup mayo.

Linda's Corn Bread

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and melt butter in an 8x8 inch pan in the oven while mixing batter.
   
2. Mix sugar, baking soda, corn meal, flour, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a smaller bowl, mix the honey, eggs, and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to dry mixture. Mix well.
4. Pour batter in the pan with melted butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
   

Fruit Salad

• 1 can peach pie filling
• 1 frozen bag mixed fruit (any assortment you prefer)
• any other fruit (cut up) you may want in the salad that isn't included in the frozen fruit mix

1. Thaw out the frozen fruit on a large cookie sheet.
2. Once thawed, place frozen fruit, peach pie filling and cut up fruit in a large bowl and mix with spoon.
3. Store in the fridge.

Spanish Rice

• 1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
• 1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 tsp. cooking oil
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 4 oz. can diced green chile peppers, undrained

1. In a large skillet cook onion, sweet pepper and garlic in hot oil until tender. Add chili powder; cook 1 minute more. Stir in undrained tomatoes, rice, chile peppers, 1 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Classic Potato Salad

The BEST potato salad EVER!

• 1 cup mayonaise
• 2 tsp. vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 4 cups potatoes, cooked and cubed (about 5 or 6)
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• paprika

In mixing bowl, combine first four ingredients. Add remaining ingredients & mix well. Lightly sprinkle paprka to garnish. Chill.