No-bake Bars

recipe courtesy of Leesa Wyers,”Cookin’ with Cowboys”

Ingredients:
4 cups Cheerios
2 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
2 cup M & M’s
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine Cheerios, Rice Krispies, peanuts, and M & M’s then set aside. In a medium saucepan bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, then stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredient mixture and toss until coated evenly. Spread in a greased 15 x 10 inch baking pan . Allow to cool then cut into bars.

Curt’s Cowboy Beans

recipe courtesy of Curt Piper, “Cookin’ with Cowboys”

Ingredients:
1 can Bush’s baked beans
1 can chili beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can chopped green chillies
salt & pepper
1 lb. hamburger
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Brown hamburger; drain grease. Mix in onions and chillies. Salt and pepper to taste, then add beans. Stir to boil. Top with cheese and let simmer. Serve on toast or hamburger bun, top with sour cream and enjoy!

Breakfast Packets

recipe courtesy of Kristie Binder,”Rodeo Road Recipes”

INGREDIENTS:
4 medium leftover baked potatoes
1/4 onion, chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/8 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
4 slices bacon, pre-cooked
4 T. butter
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat grill to medium heat. Cut four large squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place potatoes and onions on foil pieces in equal amounts. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle cheeses and bacon on top of mixture. Top each packet with a pat of butter. Bring up foil on sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place on grill approximately 15 minutes

_____________________________________________________________________________

Star Hand Pies

recipe courtesy of Jamie Shields, E-How.com

Ingredients for dough:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
ice water

Ingredients for filling:
6 ounces blueberries, raspberries
16 ounces strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg

DIRECTIONS: Step 1 : In a food processor, pulse flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the ice water and pulse until evenly moistened. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather into a ball. Divide dough half and form two disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Step 2: While the dough is chilling, combine berries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Step 3: Preheat oven to 375F. Remove 1 dough disk from refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough until about 1/8” thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out star shapes. Place stars onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat process until you have used all the dough. Step 4: Remove filling from refrigerator. Place a scoop of filling in the center of each pie bottom. Cover with reserved pie tops and seal by pressing edges together with a fork. In a small bowl whisk egg. Brush sealed pies with egg. Step 5: Bake until berries bubble and crust is lightly browned on top, about 25 minutes.

Scotch Oatcakes

recipe courtesy of Agnes Loeschner, Siri Steven’s grandmother

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 1b. oatmeal (2 cups)
1 cup sifted flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 oz. butter or margarine
1 tsp. soda water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in the microwave, then mix into oatmeal. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/oatmeal mixture, then gradually add the milk. Sprinkle four onto surface then roll out until thin and cut into squares. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

Potato Soup

recipe courtesy of Andrea Wilson, “Cookin’ with Cowboys”

INGREDIENTS:
6 large potatoes
1 can Campbell’s cheese soup
(any variety)
1 medium onion
2 cups milk
3 slices cooked bacon
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Peel and dice potatoes. Fill a pot with 6 cups of water, bring potatoes to boil. Add can of cheese soup. Add milk and chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer about an hour. Serve topped with bacon crumbles and cheese.

courtesy of “Spurs & Spoons Cookbook” I & II (A Buffet of Memories from Karen Womack Vold)

Tres Leche Cake

Ingredients:
1 yellow or white box cake mix
1 can condensed milk
1 condensed milk can full of whipping cream
1 condensed milk can full of half & half
1 small container cool whip or (1 cup whipping cream) if using 1 cup whipping cream then add
(1/4 C sugar)
(1 tsp vanilla to make fresh whipped cream for icing)

DIRECTIONS:
Make box cake as directed on box. Spray a 10x15x1.5” pan and pour cake in and bake according to directions. Let cool. Poke holes into cake with a metal kabob skewer or something similar to make larger holes.
Mix 1 can of condensed milk, same can of whipping cream and same can of half & half together and pour over cake slowly and evenly around.
Ice top with cool whip or homemade whipping cream by beating the  cup left from 1 pt. until it mounds in soft peaks, then add sugar and vanilla and beat until a little stiffer peaks/ (Don’t over beat or you will have butter!) Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
This cake was served at a yard party in Cheyenne by Judy Harrison – Weickum. It is so fabulous, it’s unbelievable that it is so easy to make. Each time I’ve made it, everyone raves over it and wants the recipe.
I even bought a fancy birthday cake fully decorated for a birthday and no one ate it after they tasted this cake!
In 1983 Judy had a partner Glenna Hirsig open a fabulous dress shop in Cheyenne called “The Statement.” It was located in the Hitching Post Hotel. They ran it together for 10 years, then Judy continued for another 15 years. I used to love to shop there annually when we came to put on the rodeo.
I would always find something for those special occasions such as when my husband Harry was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame or my father’s induction posthumously when I made the acceptance speech.
I was disappointed when Judy retired; but after 25 years she deserved to. Now she could have time to make some of her fabulous desserts, but instead tells me she’s looking for a new idea!

Crock Pot Cheesy Creamed Corn

Ingredients:
Serves 12
3 pckgs (16oz. each) frozen corn
2 pckgs (one 8oz., one 3oz) cream cheese, cubed
¼ C butter or margarine, cubed
3 Tbs water
3 Tbs milk
6 slices process American cheese, cut into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker; mix well. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Stir well before serving.
This has become one of our favorite ways to fix corn. I’ve only had the recipe a couple of years but it’s easy; can be cooking while I’m working elsewhere, serves a lot and is absolutely delicious. Margaret Mueller from Cheyenne, Wyoming is married to the newly appointed contestant chairman of Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo, 2004. I see her once a year and she always shares a new and wonderful recipe with me. She’s a great cook and I’ve enjoyed everything she’s ever shared.

Nutty Barley Bake

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 C medium pearly barley
½ C slivered almonds or pine nuts
¼ C butter or margarine
½ C minced fresh parsley
¼ C thinly sliced green onions
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) beef broth
Additional parsley, optional

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion, barley and nuts in butter until barley is lightly browned. Stir in parsley, green onions, salt and pepper. Transfer to a greased 2-qt baking dish. Stir in broth. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the barley is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
This is another “Taste of Home” magazine recipe that is a great change from potatoes for a meal. Everyone at our trick riding schools loves it, and it is also popular with the men at horse gatherings and the women at the cowgirl camps. Most people aren’t familiar with how good barley tastes.

Peanut Butter Krispies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C White Karo
1 1/2 C sugar
1 18oz. jar crunchy peanut butter
7 1/2 C Rice Krispies or Special K cereal

DIRECTIONS:
Boil Karo and white sugar together until at the soft ball stage.
Beat in peanut butter and pour over Rice Krispies or Special K cereal mix. Roll into balls and cool on a cookie sheet, covered with wax paper or sprayed.  Makes at least 40. Store in covered container.
This recipe came from my friend Bobbie Fritz – El Paso, Texas. She makes it for her grandkids whenever they go to her house on the lake at Del Rio. Funny thing – the men request them too. They are easy to make and easy to grab and eat on the run like a cookie. They would also be good in our Christmas treat exchange!

Ingredients:
Pork Roast – I cook this very slow (approx. 6 hours) in a crock pot with a can of cream-of-mushroom soup and salt and pepper to taste. I cook until the pork is tender and easy to shred or cube.

1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
2 Tb. Garlic salt
3-4 Tbs. Olive oil
3 c. warm water
6 or so fire roasted mild to medium green chilies (I don’t use canned. I go to the local Farmer’s Market and buy the chili after it’s been roasted  – this is definitely the best)
3-4 Tbs. flour
¼ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chicken bouillon powder  = 1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Shred or cube cooked pork and set aside.

Add some olive oil to the bottom of a large stock pot. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the rest of the olive oil and heat. Add 3Tbs.flour (slowly) to the onions and oil and cook mixture until slightly browned. (add more flour only if needed).
When flour is cooked through, add warm water to make a Roux.
Add salt, pepper, garlic salt, cumin and chicken bouillon powder
Heat on low to medium heat and stir often until the Roux is smooth and bubbly.
(Add more flour mixture  *flour mixed in water* if thickness is not to your liking)

Take off the stem and peel roasted green chilies until the black skin is gone.
Chop or mash chili into small pieces and mix in a pinch (or two) of garlic salt
Add green chili to the Roux.

When Roux is to the right consistency and taste, add the diced/shredded pork. Heat on stovetop for 15-20 minutes and serve with warm flour tortillas.

• 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4-1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 2 (16oz) bottles russian dressing
• 2 cups instant rice
• 2 cups steamed broccoli

Directions:
Grill chicken in skillet. Meanwhile saute apricot preserves and russian dressing on medium-low heat until it has a smooth texture. You can add apricot preserves to taste. Steam broccoli.
Prepare instant rice. When chicken is fully cooked mix with sweet and sour sauce. Serve over  rice with broccoli.