Jamaica's Chili Baked French Fries

potatoes, washed well
chili powder
cumin
dried rosemary
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes into thin rectangles. Leave on the skin. Coat with olive oil and season to taste (a little goes a long way). Bake on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil approximately 20-25 minutes, turning once.

Jamaica's Garlic Parmesan Kale

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 slices of bacon (optional)
1 bunch of kale, rinsed and torn off the stalks into bite size pieces
1/2 t crushed red pepper
shredded Parmesan cheese, to taste
olive oil
salt and pepper

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with olive oil and heat to medium low. Add garlic and bacon and mix until garlic is golden and bacon is crispy. Add kale, red pepper, salt and pepper and mix to coat with oil. Cook approximately five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and add shredded cheese to taste.

Grandma Jacobs Carrot Cake

1 1/4 Cups Oil (use vegetable or canola)
4 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Salt
3 Cups of Grated Carrots
2 Cups Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Cup chopped nuts (Grandma used Walnuts)

Using a mixer combine oil, eggs , sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix in remaining ingredients- pour into greased pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until springs back when touched. Let cool before frosting.

Frosting-
1/2 stick of Butter
2 -8OZ pkgs of Cream Cheese
Dash of Salt
2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Cream first 3 ingredients - gradually add powdered sugar. I like to beat it well and get it really fluffy and add a little cinnamon and nutmeg. You can add chopped nuts to the top of the cake after frosting.

Homemade Stock-Any kind

Take the biggest pan you have and fill with water- for chicken stock- add chicken pieces or whole chicken- we like white meat so I use bone in breasts for this. Sometimes I use legs or thighs and make the stock then give the meat to the puppies as a treat. Anyhoo, set the stove to medium and add a couple of celery stalks, a couple of carrots (clean but not peeled), onion (cut in half but not peeled) or you can use onion powder, garlic (to taste) or garlic powder, salt and pepper. Let simmer for several hours and then strain everything out. Remove the meat from the bones and discard and the veggies and bones. If you want vegetable stock just use the vegetables but more of them. So good and so easy. MUCH cheaper than buying canned or boxed stock.

Grandma Jacobs Chicken and Noodles- Yummmm

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup Water
3 Eggs
1 TBLS Oil (any kind, olive, vegetable, canola etc...0
1 Tsp. Salt

Combine flour and remaining ingredients and blend at low speed. Beat 2 minutes. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto floured board or counter (Mom used an old tablecloth but I think that is messy and not necessary). Knead in enough flour until to make a soft dough-not too sticky but like a baby's bootyhind. Don't over work the dough - be gentle but firm. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out and cut with pizza cutter. Mom liked the noodles as thin as possible- you can roll to your liking. Once rolled use a bench scraper and release any noodles that are sticking and keep them from sticking together by flouring as you go- be sure to be gentle with them. At this point you can cook them or freeze them. This recipe doubles well so while making the mess you might as well make a double batch. Mom would make a double batch and freeze one and cook the other. To cook- use either home made stock(recipe to follow) or buy boxed stock from the store- either way you gotta cook chicken if you want her authentic chicken and noodles. Get the stock to a rolling boil and drop the noodles gently into the liquid. Once you get all the noodles in reduce the heat and simmer gently. Low and slow is the process here- the longer you can cook the better. On average about 2-3 hours. At the end Mom always added a can or two of cream of chicken soup to add richness. I suspect she added a stick of butter also but she would not have admitted it- she did something to make them especially good- mine never turn out as good as hers were. Maybe it was LOVE!

Jamaica's Hummus

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 C olive oil (approximately)
1/2 t cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in food processor on low. Add more olive oil (if needed) to achieve desired texture.

Jamaica's Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

2 medium onions, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C olive oil
1 t dried rosemary
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/2 t dried basil
5 large cans crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Coat the bottom of a large stock pot in olive oil and heat on medium-low. Add onions, pepper, garlic and spices. Cook until onions are clear and garlic is golden. Add tomatoes. Cook covered for 4-12 hours. Serve immediately. If freezing, cool the entire batch. Fill quart size freezer bags half full (to allow for expansion). To reheat, simply peel off freezer bag and cook covered over medium heat for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Pie

1 package cream cheese, softened
2 cans pumpkin
1/3 C sugar
1/4 t salt
2 eggs
3/4 C half and half
2 T butter, melted
1 t vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t nutmeg

Stir cream cheese with hand mixer or Kitchen Aid until smooth. Add pumpkin and stir until combined. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed. Bake in pie crust (if desired) in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I highly recommend serving cold with whipped cream.

Note: I made this with one egg one time because I ran out. It doesn't work.

Jamaica's Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix (+ eggs and oil per box directions)
1 lg. can pumpkin pie mix
1 tub cream cheese frosting

Mix cake mix according to box directions. Mix in pumpkin pie mix. Bake according to box directions. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Jamaica's Chili Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

3 C pumpkin seeds, washed
1 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t crushed red pepper
1 t black pepper
1 T kosher salt
1 t dried rosemary
2 T canola oil

Mix all ingredients. Spread seeds on ungreased baking sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes (stirring once half-way through) or until seeds are lightly crisp.

Taco Soup

(adapted from http://crockpot365.blogspot.com) large can diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomatoes with chilis
2 cans kidney beans, drained
2 cans pinto beans, drained
2 cans corn
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix

Mix in Crockpot and cook 7-9 hours on low.

Note: This recipe would be good with ground turkey or beef. It is even better the next day. I topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Fried Ravioli

1 package refrigerated ravioli
1 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 C parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain and dry. Heat non-stick frying pan on med-low with bottom of pan coated in olive oil. Mix bread crumbs, salt and pepper and 1/2 C cheese in shallow dish. Coat ravioli and fry in oil until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Coat ravioli lightly with your favorite pasta sauce and cover with remaining cheee.

Pesto Pasta Salad

(adapted from a Jules Novak recipe)

1 box whole wheat rotini pasta
1 jar Classico Basil Pesto
1-1/2 C cherry tomatoes, halved
1-1/2 C fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 C chives, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. Rinse with cold water to cool. Mix with the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate before serving.

Jules' Nummy Good Oven Baked Ribs

4-5 lbs. rack of ribs, cut into sections
2 cups onions, sliced
2 cups ketchup
2 cups water OR beer
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. dry mustard

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine ketchup, water or beer, worcestershire sauce, vinegar , sugar, salt and mustard. Heat a large oven safe dutch oven to high heat. Add some oil and sear the ribs in batches until all are browned. Return all to pot and pour liquid over all - top with a lid and bake for about 2-3 hours. Let sit on stove to rest for awhile . Falling off the bone deliciousness !
Next day - make a BBQ chicken soup with all of the delicious juices, don't you dare waste them!

Pumpernickel bread with sprheaaad

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
1 loaf of pumpernickel bread
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
3 Tbls. Honey
4- 5 sprigs of Rosemary
Lots of black pepper


Mix ricotta, honey , rosemary and pepper. Toast bread- put dollops of spread on toast and eat.
Yummy!

Jamaica's Meatball Subs

1 lb ground beef
1/4 parsley
1/3 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 jar pizza sauce
Swiss cheese slices
Extra virgin olive oil
rolls
salt & pepper, to taste

Mix ground beef, parsley, bread crumbs and salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat a frying pan with olive oil on medium. Once hot, roll beef mixture into balls approximately 1-1/2" in diameter. Fry in oil until cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Mix cooked meatballs into pizza sauce in a small bowl. Serve sauce covered balls on warmed rolls with Swiss cheese.

Black Bean Dip

(adapted from a Rachael Rogers recipe)

2 cans black beans (one drained)
1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 T cumin
juice from 1/2 lime

Blend in a food processor until desired consistency. Serve with tortilla or potato chips.

Jamaica's Salsa

2 cans stewed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1/2 white onion
1 jalapeno, seeded
salt & pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Serve with Tostito's Naturals Organic Yellow Corn Chips.

Breaded Tofu

(Rachael Rogers' recipe)

1 block extra firm tofu
1/2 C Tamari
1/2 C water
1 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 eggs, beaten
1 C flour
vegetable oil for frying

Drain and dry tofu and cut into 2" cubes. Place in glass baking dish and cover with Tamari and water. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best). Heat vegetable oil in frying pan on medium. Dip marinated tofu in flour, egg then bread crumbs and fry until golden brown on the outside. Let cool on paper towels.

Rainy Day Chili (With Meat)

I made this today since it was rainy this morning. I use every excuse on the planet to make chili !
1 lb. ground meat (chicken, turkey or beef)
1 large onion , minced
1 bell pepper, any color
jalapeno to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder (more if you like it a lot)
2 teaspoons of cumin
Salt and Pepper
Beer
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

Get a large pot hot, hot , hot - add oil (I use EVOO) and add onion, bell pepper and ground meat. Break up the meat but also don't mess with it too much - you want it to caramelize and get delicious brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Once the meat is browned drain off excess fat , if necessary. Add beer to pot and scrape up any brown bits on bottom. Add tomatoes, jalapeno,chili powder, cumin , salt and pepper. Let cook for minimum of 15 minutes and serve with cheese, tortilla chips, corn bread, sour cream or whatever chili fixins you like.

Trailer Park Enchiladas

1 bag corn chips
1 C sharp cheddar or casserole cheese
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can enchilada sauce

Spray 9"x9" glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease with vegetable oil. Add 1/2 of the chips, 1/2 of the kidney beans, 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce then repeat to create a layered casserole. Bake in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and golden brown.

Note: This would be good with ground beef. I like to top with chives, fresh tomato and sour cream.

Jamaica's Chili

2 large cans whole tomatoes (drain one)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cans kidney beans
12 oz. cola
4 T cumin
4 T chili powder
1 t black pepper
1 t red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients and cook on low heat 4-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Do not cover. If liquid reduces too much, add more cola.

Note: I serve over whole wheat pasta and top with sharp cheddar cheese.

Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup

(adapted from http://crockpot365.blogspot.com)

20 oz frozen broccoli pieces
3 C shredded cheese
1 qt vegetable broth
1/2 t nutmeg
2 C milk

Mix all ingredients except cheese in Crockpot and cook on low 7-9 hours. Add cheese 20 minutes before serving.

Note: I prefer to use 2 cups of casserole cheese and 1 cup of sharp cheddar.