Quick Sourdough Bread (Mom's Pick)

3 T. instant potato flakes
3/4 c. sugar
2-1/2 c. warm water, divided
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 c. plus 2 T. oil, divided
1 T. salt
6-7 c. bread flour
2 T. butter, melted

1. Mix potato flakes, sugar, 1 cup warm water and yeast in a large bowl.  Cover and let stand overnight at room temp.
2. In the morning, combine 1/2 cup oil, salt, 1-1/2 cups warm water and flour; stir into the yeast mixture.
3. Cover and let dough double in bulk; punch down and divide into thirds.
4. Knead each third 6-8 times; shape into loaves, and place each in greased 8"x4" loaf pans.  Brush tops with remaining oil.
5. Let rise until double in bulk; bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter.  Makes 3 loaves.

Grandma Dougoveto's Judy Frosting (for Angel Food Cake)

1 cup powdered sugar (*heap just a little)
2 squares of baking chocolate (*UNsweetened)
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

1. Melt chocolate and butter on really low heat.
2. Meanwhile, place sugar, egg, milk and vanilla in a small plastic bowl; DO NOT mix yet.  Also, prepare a LARGER bowl (that will fit the sugar bowl) of cracked ice and a little water at this point (for step 4).
3. When chocolate is melted, take off heat and stir a little to cool a bit.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture over the sugar mixture and place THAT BOWL in a bowl of cracked ice & a little water.
5. Beat until spreading consistency (the more you beat, the more the constancy will alter).

One Pot Cilantro Chicken And Rice

Ingredients

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• 1-1/2 cup basmati rice
• 3 cups water (or make 1 cup of the three chicken broth)
• 3/4 pound of raw boneless breast of chicken, cut up into 1" sized bites (or I have done with cooked, cubed chicken)
• 1 large onion - diced
• 1 cup carrots - shredded fresh carrots (roughly 4-5 carrots)
• 3 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 bunch of large cilantro - rinsed well
• 4-5 scallions minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

How to make it

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1. In Pot, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil and put heat under pan on medium.
2. Add diced onions and let sweat for at least 5 minutes.
3. Once onions are almost translucent, add chicken and with wood spatula (preferred) stir chicken around pot till almost cooked and no longer looking pink. Add the second tablespoon of olive oil if you have to.
4. Add garlic and cook for one minute more.
5. Add rice (no water yet) and all remaining seasons - leaving some of the scallions and chopped cilantro for plating.
6. Stir rice well into mixture making sure it is well coated with the olive oil and seasonings.
7. Cook for two minutes, stirring the whole time.
8. Next add your water and/or broth. Do not stir!
9. Let come to a boil, then turn down heat till on very low.
10. Place lid on top and set time for 10 minutes.
11. After ten minutes, with a spoon, gently push rice aside and check on water - has all water evaporated? - Then move onto next step. If not, let cook a few minutes moire, till all the water has evaporated.
12. OK, take those 2 paper towels folding them over in half and place on top of pot, just under lid. Put lid back on pot over paper towels.
13. This will allow any extra steam to be soaked up by the paper towels.
14. Let sit for five minutes and call troops to the table.
15. When ready, fluff mixture with fork.
16. When serving and plating add the additional cilantro and minced scallions on top of dish and serve. Enjoy with a side mixed green salad!

AWESOME to make with all of that leftover cilantro after making guacamole!
 

Mom's Salsa (Sue Fitzpatrick's Recipe)

10 cups tomato (boil water, and submerge tom. for 1 minute; remove and peel; dice)
2 cups celery
2 cups green pepper
2 cups onion
1 tsp. parsley
1 Tbs. canning salt*
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne (ground) red pepper
1 Tbs. vinegar

*Mom starts by just putting in half the salt, and working his way up to that (or may be too salty).

1. Add all of the ingredients to the pan, and simmer 20 minutes (Mom simmers longer...until it looks right).
2. At the end, Mom mashes the final product with a potato masher.