Mom's Sopaipillas (aka, "Sopillas", as we call them)

Salsa: 

3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (or 1-16oz. can tomatoes drained/chopped)
1-4oz. can green chili peppers (seeded, rinsed, chopped) OR 1 finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
*Let stand @ room temp while making sopaipillas.

Filling: 

1. Brown sausage (pork) or chicken filling.  (I use 1-2 lbs. of Italian Sausage, and remove them from the skins and break apart with spoon while browning).
2. Stir in Ortega taco sauce (I usually use 1 entire jar).
3. Shred cheddar cheese (or Monterrey Jack).

 Sopaipillas (Bread):

1 Pkg. active dry yeast
3/4 C. lukewarm water (110 degrees)
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 C. flour
1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1. Dissolve yeast in water.  Add oil; set aside.
2. In mixing bowl: stir together flour, salt, and baking powder; add yeast mixture and stir.
3. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 15-20 strokes until dough forms ball.
4. Divide dough into 12 parts and shape into balls.  Cover and let rest (not touching) 10 mins.
5. On lightly floured surface, roll out balls into 4-in. circles (keeping rest of dough covered between rolling).
6. Place one at a time in deep hot fat (vegetable oil, 365 degrees).  When dough rises to surface, immediately spoon hot fat over until dough puffs.  Continue frying, turning once until golden (2-3 mins. each).
7. Once removed, place on paper toweling.

*Serve by cutting a slit in the bread to make pockets, and stuff with meat, salsa, cheese, and avacado if available.  Serve at once!  YUMM!  (Posted by: Marya)

Grilled Pork with Lemon-Garlic Sauce

1/4 c olive oil
2 t paprika
1 t sugar
1/8 t pepper flakes
6 garlic cloves
3 T lemon juice
1 T parsley
salt and pepper
1.5 pounds pork cutlets or chops.

1. Coombine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and microwave until bubbling - 15 to 30 seconds. Reserve 2 tablespoons oil for later. Add lemon juice to the remaining oil in the bowl and stir in, along with salt and pepper.

2. Dry pork with paper towels, cutting slits into the fat every inch so they dont' curl while cooking. Season with salt and pepper and rub the 2 T oil mixture onto them.

3. Prep the Grill. Cook first side until lightly charred and the side starts to cook. Then flip and finish cooking on the other side (should only take a few minutes but depends on the thickness.)

4. When done with meat, tent with foil and do potatoes. To serve, drizzle meat juices from plate and lemon-garlic sauce over chops and enjoy.

Grilled Potatoes

1.5 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes or small red potatoes
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper

1. If using Yukon Golds, cut into horizontal slices, 1/2 inch wide. If using small red potatoes, just halve.

2. MICROWAVE all ingredients, covered, in a bowl for 4-7 minutes, or until they begin to soften (not too soft as you want them to hold together but not raw anymore.

3. Grill over hot coals a few minutes per side until well crisp on each side. These things are so tasty they don't even need ketchup.

Grandma Gross's Lamb and noodles

Leg of Lamb roast
Garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
2 Lemons
Dried Parmesan
1 pound Penne Pasta

1. Cook lamb as specified on package but if no directions, cook 45 minutes per pound at 325.
2. To prepare roast, lay in pan fat side up. Cut several lines through the fat so that the knife mark cuts throuh to the meat - lamb fat is tough. Then cut 2 garlic cloves into pieces and rub cut ends all over lamb. Stick into the knife cuts in the fat.
3. Add a sprinkle of salt, a few shakes of pepper and lots of oregano. Then squeeze 2 lemons over the roast. Add more oregano. It seems like you're adding too much but you're not, trust me.
4. Place in the oven for specified time. When its done, take out, let lamb rest on a cutting board (covered loosely by foil) and cook noodles. When noodles are done, drain and pour them into the juices in the pan. Stir around in the lamb fat, adding parmesan, lemon and oregano as needed.


Economical note: This meal costs about $30 which is pricey but it really ends up serving 8 people so its a great company meal or if there's just one of ya, store and freeze portions for much cheaper lunches than eating out - that is unless you work for Google.

Angie's Artichoke Italian Chicken & Pasta (Camerato Recipe)

Remember this is the original portions which would feed a big family...aka the Cameratos.

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine all ingredients in a roasting pan with a cover:

2-3 lbs cubed chicken

3 jars (glass) of artichoke hearts with seasonings - do not drain - cut into pieces (1-1 1/2 inch)

2 cans diced olives

3 jars roasted red peppers in oil. Drain and cut into pieces.

2- 3 Italian season packets - Good seasoning is the brand (*Follow directions on back for the olive oil, balsamic, &water proportions PER packets used.)

Bake for 45 minutes covered, and an additional 20 minutes UN-covered (and then check that chicken looks thoroughly cooked).

"The beauty of this is the more you marinate the better. So you can prep this all and keep it in the fridge and just turn the oven on and make noodles the next night." --Angie Heiberger.

Strawberry: TIPS from MOM.

In my convo with Mom for making strawberry pie and jam she informed me of a few tips:

1. When you have a large stock of fresh berries, store in refrigerator in a sealed container to maintain freshness for longer.
2. Also, store fresh berries uncleaned. Always clean the berries in tubs of cool water just before you use them in a recipe for best results.
3. If you want freeze fresh berries just to have on hand for occasional desserts or meals: fill half a container with fresh berries and top with a cup of sugar, then finish filling the container and top with another cup of sugar. When all of the sugar is absorbed, seal container and freeze.
   

Mom's Strawberry Pie

Cook the crust by itself (aka, make two pies at once, or half Mom's pie crust recipe). Don't forget to STILL poke holes in the crust with a fork before baking.

FILLING: Take one quart of berries and...

1. Clean half of the quart of berries and set aside to dry.
2. Combine: 1/2 quart of berries (the other half) mashed, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 3 Tbs. cornstarch.
   
3. Cook on medium heat and stir. *The mixture will thicken as it nears a boil, and when the appearance suddenly changes from "cloudy" to clear and thick, remove from heat.
4. All the mixture to cool.
5. Place the cleaned berries on the bottom of the crust, and pour the cooled mixture on top to complete pie.
   

*Keep refrigerated, and don't forget: this is not a long lasting pie. It will turn soggy after just a few days, so plan to make and eat in 1-2 days.