Life
Two Many Cooks in the Kitchen
Mishell Lynch and Kris Macon
Recipe Archive
March 2005
***
SPAM-n-Bean Tacos
1 (12 oz.) can SPAM Luncheon Meat*
2 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 - 4 fresh serrano peppers, chopped**
3 cups cooked and seasoned pinto beans (with some juice)***
fresh flour tortillas
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Cut SPAM into
1/2-inch cubes and heat in oil until slightly browned. Add onion and
peppers and cook until onion is transparent, stirring often. Add
prepared beans to skillet and begin mashing all with a potato masher.
Continue mashing until desired consistency is achieved. Heat thoroughly
and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve on fresh hot tortillas.
Grated cheddar cheese and lettuce, tomatoes, taco sauce and spanish rice
are great extras.
Feeds 6 or more.
* The store brand of luncheon meat is fine and I prefer the
"lite" versions.
** Serrano peppers are milder than jalapeno peppers, but you
still need to be careful when handling them. The quantity you use will
determine the "temperature" of your tacos.
*** Homemade pinto beans are best, but canned are OK, too.
***
Cookies-n-Cream Cake
1 box (18 1/4 ounces) white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 cup coarsely crushed cream-filled chocolate
sandwich cookies (approx. 8)
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil
and egg whites. Beat on low speed until moistened; beat on high for
additional 2 minutes. Gently fold in crushed cookies just until blended.
Pour into two greased and floured 8-inch round baking pans. Bake at 350
degrees for 30 minutes or
until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10
minutes; remove from pans to wire rack to cool completely.
Creamy
Frosting
4 to 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Additional cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies for decorating
In a medium mixing bowl, beat sugar, shortening, milk
and vanilla until smooth. Generously spread between the cake layers,
around sides and top. Decorate the top with halved cookies and the sides
with crushed cookies, or use your imagination to create your own unique
presentation.
Makes 12 good sized servings.
***
Skor
Bar Cake
1 box of German chocolate cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 - 12.25 oz. jar of caramel topping
4 Skor (or Heath) bars
1 regular-sized carton of whipped topping
Prepare and bake cake according to box directions in
a 13 x 9 pan. Combine milk and caramel together. While cake is
hot, poke holes all over top of cake with a fork. Pour milk and caramel
mixture over the top of cake.
When cake is cool, cover with whipped topping and sprinkle
crushed candy bar over top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
***
Orange Glazed
Treasure Bread
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated orange rind)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans*
1 stick margarine or butter
3 ounces cream cheese (not softened)**
2 cans (10 count each) buttermilk biscuits
Lightly spray a bundt pan
with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine
orange zest, sugar and pecans; set aside. In another small
microwave-safe bowl, heat margarine (covered with paper towel) in
microwave on 50% power for about 40 seconds or until completely melted.
Cut cream cheese into 20 somewhat equal pieces. One at a time, flatten a
biscuit with the palm of your hand, place a slice of cream cheese in the
center, then fold the biscuit in half around the cheese and seal edges.
(Or, soften the cheese a bit and spread some inside each biscuit.) When
all of the biscuits are prepared, dip each one in the melted margarine
and then in the sugar mixture. Place the biscuits in the bottom of the
prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over the top
and pour remaining melted margarine over all. Bake in the center of oven
for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you
prepare the glaze.
Glaze
2 tablespoons orange juice, slightly warm
1 cup powdered sugar
In a small mixing bowl or 2-cup
measuring cup combine orange juice and powdered sugar, stirring until
smooth. Invert bread onto serving platter and drizzle glaze over top.
Serve warm. Don't try to slice, just pull apart. Makes 20 individual
treasures, but serves 6 to 10 people.
* You can omit the pecans, but don't get too much sugar
mixture on the first few biscuits or you will run low toward the end.
This method is delicious as well!
** Experiment with the two options for the cream cheese to
discover which one you prefer.
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