Beef and Potato Burritos

This is adapted from Martha Stewart's Every Day Food magazine. Basically I've eliminated the jalapeno. My husband can't tolerate the heat. You can find the original recipe here.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 large baking potato (You can also use dehydrated potatoes here. Just rehydrate beforehand and follow the same instructions)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
3/4 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can (14 ounces) chopped tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
Coarse salt
4 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/4 cup grated Monterey Jack
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (optional)
1 lime, plus wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel potatoes; cut into 1/2-inch dice. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add potato; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
2. Add beef and onion; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until beef is thoroughly browned, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice, cumin, paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
3. Heat tortillas, one at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, turning once, until lightly browned, about 10 seconds.
4. Leaving space on bottom and sides, layer tortillas with sour cream, lettuce, beef mixture, cheese, and cilantro, if using; squeeze lime juice on top. Fold bottom upward, covering filling by 2 inches. Fold each side to overlap, leaving the top end open. Serve garnished with lime wedges.

Focaccia

This recipe is adapted from "No Need to Knead," by Suzanne Dunaway. It's a staple at my friend Aundrea's house and has quickly become a staple in mine.

INGREDIENTS: 

2 cups warm water (16 oz at 110 degrees)

1 tablespoon sugar 

2 tsp yeast 

2 tsp salt 

4 cups flour (480 grams)

I highly recommend weighing your flour

Olive oil 

Course kosher salt 

Dried or fresh rosemary

Sometimes I have guests so I make a slightly larger loaf but in the same pan. Here's the measurements If you need a little extra but don't want to make 2 loaves. The instructions are the same, just watch the timing, it may need a few more minutes.

LARGER LOAF MEASUREMENTS

2 1/2 cups warm water (20 oz at 110 degrees)

1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon sugar

2 1/2 tsp yeast 

2 1/2 tsp salt 

5 cups flour (600 grams)

I highly recommend weighing your flour

Olive oil 

Course kosher salt 

Dried or fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place water and sugar in a large bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Sprinkle 2 tsp yeast over top.
2. After it becomes foamy (about 5-10 minutes) stir in 2 cups of flour with a wire whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Mix until combined.
3. Stir in remaining 2 cups of flour with a wooden spoon or dough whisk. Stir for about two minutes or until it makes a loose ball. As you stir, scrape the edges of the bowl so no dry spots remain. The dough will be very sticky and wet.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 50-60 minutes.
5. When the dough has about 15 minutes left to rise, preheat your oven to 500.
6. After the dough is done rising, generously drizzle olive oil over a stoneware baking dish (I use the large stoneware bar pan from Pampered Chef) and brush evenly with a pastry brush to coat.
7. Scrape the dough from the bowl onto the baking dish with a rubber scraper.
8. Generously drizzle olive oil over the dough. Oil your hands, then spread the dough evenly on the dish. Making claws of your hands, tear holes in the dough all over.
9. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon course salt evenly over the dough. Sprinkle dried rosemary over the top of the dough if desired.
10. When ready to bake, adjust the oven temperature to 485 and immediately put the prepared dough in the pan on the center rack for 15 minutes. (You really want the oven to preheat to 500 degrees before lowering it to 485 so the oven doesn't lose too much heat when you put the dough in.)
11. Let the bread sit in the stoneware for 5-10 minutes to cool before removing from the pan. You want the bread to soak up all of the remaining olive oil as it cools. 
12. Remove bread from the pan and place on a cutting board. Slice with an electric knife and serve warm. 
13. The bread will keep in a sealed plastic bag for 1-2 days.

5 Can Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 can diced stewed tomatoes
1 can sliced potatoes
1 can carrots or Veg-All
1 can green beans
1 can creamed corn or corn
1 lb. cooked ground hamburger, or 1 can cooked beef OR 2 cups shredded chicken or 1 can cooked chicken
2-4 cups beef broth OR 2-4 cups chicken broth
Seasonings as desired (salt, pepper, bay leaf, onion powder, garlic powder, etc.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain water from canned vegetables except tomatoes
2. Mix all ingredients in a large stock pot.
3. Heat and simmer for 30 minutes
4. Serve.
   

Mom's Ranch Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo (Best Food's brand)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. accent
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredents in a large bowl or pitcher.
2. Using a wire whisk, stir until smooth.
   

"Cafe Rio" Tomatillo Dressing

I've seen numerous knock off recipes for this using store bought ranch dressing. I tried it and wasn't a fan. I decided to substitute my Mother's homemade ranch in place of the store bought and loved the result. I hope you do too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 jalapeno pepper-keep the seeds if you like it spicy (or 1/8- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper)
2 medium tomatillo's, husked and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
juice from one lime
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp accent
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup mayo (Best Food's brand)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender except the mayo. Blend until just combined.
2. Pour into a large bowl or pitcher. Using a wire whisk, stir in the mayo until smooth.
3. Enjoy!