Huevos Rancheros

Ingredients:
1 TBS oil
1 C onion, chopped
1 can Original Rotel
1 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cayenne
3 TBS Cilantro, chopped
4 corn tortillas
Butter
4 fresh eggs
Pkg. Shredded Four Mexican cheese
Queso fresco, crumbled
1 can refried beans

Instructions:
Sauté onions in oil until soft. Add Rotel and dry seasonings. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and let simmer while you do the rest of the cooking, stirring occasionally. Reduce to warm after it has been simmering for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste if needed.

Heat refried beans in small pan, and keep warm on low heat.

Heat the oven to 150°F, place serving plates in the oven to keep warm. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high. One by one fry the tortillas in the pan, a minute or two on each side, until they are heated through, softened, and pockets of air bubble up inside of them. Remove and stack them on one of the warming plates in the oven while you continue cooking the rest of the tortillas and the eggs.
In the same skillet used for the tortillas, add a little butter to the pan, about two teaspoons. Heat the pan on medium, then crack 4 eggs into the skillet and cook until yolks are thick and runny.
To serve, spread some refried beans on each tortilla, then add egg. Top with sauce, cheeses, then sprinkle with cilantro.
I have wanted to taste Huevos Rancheros since I moved to texas 24 years ago....so, I decided to make them for brunch this morning, and created this recipe. Muy bueno! Give them a try, amigo!

Mrs. Raff's Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1 14 oz. can condensed milk
1 tsp. lime zest
½ C freshly squeezed key lime juice
1 Graham cracker crust, or baked pie shell
Whipped cream, optional

Instructions:
Beat eggs well with wire whisk; mix in condensed milk. Add lime zest and juice; mix well. Pour into pie shell; use prepared shell, or make your own. (Recipe follows). Chill well to allow pie firm up. Garnish with whipped cream and a lime slice, if desired.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust:
Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients; press into bottom and sides of pie pan. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes.
This recipe is from my beautiful granddaughter, Emily. She is a newlywed, and made this yummy pie for her first dinner guests. Way to go, Emmy...I hope you will enjoy cooking as much as I do!

Rice with Ginger and Carrots

Ingredients:
1 C of basmati rice
2 C chicken stock
2 tsp. of olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled & grated
1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled & minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper (or more if desired)
3 TBSP. fresh cilantro, chopped
4-5 green onions, sliced
Put rice and chicken stock in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and steam for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender. Add the carrot, ginger, and garlic to the onions and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice to the mixture along with the cilantro, salt, pepper, and dash of cayenne pepper. Stir gently so all ingredients are well combined. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately.
This is a great side dish for Asian Style Pork Chops or Ginger Chicken. Adapted to my taste from a For the Love of Cooking recipe. Very good!

Pan Grilled Asian Style Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce, or to taste
1 TBSP hoisin sauce
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp. soy sauce
2-4 thick cut boneless pork chops
1 tsp. oil

Instructions:
Combine first seven ingredients together in a zip lock bag, mix them thoroughly, then add the pork chops and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Heat the grill pan and 1 tsp. oil over medium high heat until hot. Add the pork chops. Cook for 5-6 minutes then turn, and cook for 5-6 minutes more, or until the pork is cooked through. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.
I found this recipe on For the Love of Cooking, a really good food blog. I served these with Rice with Carrot and Ginger, and homemade Egg Rolls. A very tasty meal!

Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1/2 medium Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
2 small carrots, grated
½ can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
½ C chopped mushrooms
½ pound ground pork, cooked
2 green onions, thinly sliced
3 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce (may use low sodium)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 package egg roll wrappers (refrigerated kind)
1 egg white, beaten
4 cups oil for frying, or as needed

Instructions:
Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Pour in beaten egg and cook, without stirring, until firmed. Flip the egg over and cook for an additional 20 seconds to firm the other side. Set egg pancake aside to cool, then finely chop. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in cabbage and carrot; cook for 2 minutes to wilt. Add water chestnuts, mushrooms, cooked pork, green onions, soy sauce, salt, sugar; continue cooking until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in sliced egg, then spread mixture out onto a pan, and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
To assemble the egg rolls, place a wrapper onto your work surface with one corner pointing toward you. Place about 3 tablespoons of cooled filling in a heap onto the bottom third of the wrapper. Brush a little beaten egg white onto the top two edges of the wrapper, then fold the bottom corner over the filling and roll firmly to the halfway point. Fold the left and right sides snugly over the egg roll, then continue rolling to the top corner. Seal the egg roll with the egg white. Repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers, covering finished egg rolls with plastic wrap to keep from drying out. Heat about 6-inches of oil in a wok or deep-fryer to 350*. Fry egg rolls 3 or 4 at a time until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
I saw a recipe for eggs rolls on allrecipes, and changed it to suit my taste. They take a lot of prep, but are worth it! Go ahead, give them a try. My guys gave them an A+!