Cheddar-Topped Rice Casserole

Here is a tasty dish that is great for using up your leftover rice.  I enjoy dipping tortilla chips in.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 quart (32 ounces) tomatoes, canned
• 2 cups kernel corn
• 1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit

In your cooking oil, saute onion and garlic until onion is tender and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

While onion/garlic is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add cooked onions and garlic and mix well. Spoon ingredients into a nonstick 4-cup baking dish.

If desired, sprinkle grated cheddar cheese evenly over casserole.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Our Best Strawberry Shortcake

Made with biscuit baking mix (such as Bisquick), this is such a pleasing way to dish up a favorite of many.

Ingredients:

Fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries, 1 quart

If you’re using fresh whole strawberries, use a medium-sized bowl and slice the strawberries in half or quarters depending on size. Take about 3/4 of a cup of the strawberries and mash slightly. Add 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar to the strawberries. Stir and refrigerate. This will make a nice saucy topping for your cake.

To make the cake:

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar

Mix all ingredients until soft dough forms. Press in an ungreased pan – I always use an 8″ round pan. You can also use a 8″ x 8″ square baking pan.

Bake at 400° preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until nicely browned on top.

Let cool slightly before slicing.

To serve:

Cut in squares or triangles. Split in cake piece in half. Place in an individual shallow serving bowl. Spoon strawberries over cake. Serve with whipped topping OR pour some milk over the strawberries and cake.

YUM!

Rib Roast with Gusto

Ingredients:

2    tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed

1    tablespoon mustard seed, crushed

3    tablespoons paprika

2    tablespoons light brown sugar

2    tablespoons kosher salt

1    tablespoon garlic powder

1    teaspoon cayenne

1    (10 lb) rib roast, boneless

¼    cup Worcestershire sauce

 
The evening before:

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the peppercorns, mustard seed, paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder and cayenne. 

Brush the roast with Worcestershire sauce on all sides. 

Rub the peppercorn mixture over the roast. 

Cover the roast with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

Before grilling:

Allow the roast to stand at room temperature for 40 minutes before grilling.* 

Heat the grill to medium. 

Grill the roast over indirect heat for 3- 5 hours on medium heat. The internal temperature of the roast should reach 135 degrees when completely cooked. 

Cover the roast loosely with foil and allow to rest 30 minutes before slicing.**

Notes:

*A large piece of meat when cold allows any juices to thicken.  By allowing the meat to stand at room temperature the juices warm up and will allow for the flavor to flow throughout the meat while grilling.  

**A large piece of meat needs to rest after grilling to allow the internal temperature to rise slightly before serving.

Plum Basted Sesame Tenderloin

Ingredients:

 

Marinade:

¼ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil + extra to brush meat

1 tablespoon orange zest, grated

1 tablespoon ginger

2 teaspoons chili peppers, minced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

4 lbs. beef tenderloin

 

Plum Sauce:

4 plums, pitted and quartered

1 cup pineapple juice

¼ cup dry sherry

¼ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon mustard powder

Kosher salt

 

The evening before, prepare marinade:

In a large mixing bowl – Pour the orange juice, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Stir in orange zest, ginger, chili peppers and garlic, mixing well.

 

Place the tenderloin in a zip lock bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Seal and turn several times to coat the meat.

 

Place in the refrigerator overnight.

 

Prepare plum sauce:

In a large saucepan over high heat – Bring the plums, pineapple juice, sherry, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard powder to a rapid boil.

 

Place the heat on low and allow to simmer about 45 minutes or until the plums are falling apart. Sauce will also thicken while simmering.

 

Remove the plum skins from the mixture and allow to simmer until you only have 1 cup of liquid left (about 10 minutes).

 

30 Minutes Before Grilling:

Allow the tenderloin to stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

 

Remove the tenderloin from zip lock bag and brush with the remaining sesame oil and sprinkle with the salt.

 

Heat the grill to medium heat.

 

Grill the tenderloin over direct heat for 20 minutes turning every 5 minutes.

 

Place over indirect heat and continue to grill 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees.

 

Baste the tenderloin with the plum sauce occasionally and turn after each basting.

 

Allow the tenderloin to rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

 

Reheat the sauce and serve on the side or over the top of each slice.