Bizcochitos

Originally from: Junior League of Albuquerque cookbook, circa 1987… provided by Karen M. 

Hot Mama Grade: A 

 

Peppermint Brownies

Originally from Karen M.

Sara’s Peppermint Brownies

Brownie:

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup nuts

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 sq melted chocolate

1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring

Beat together eggs, butter, and sugar. Add in peppermint and chocolate, followed by

flour and nuts. Bake in 8”x8” pan at 350F for 25 minutes. Don’t overbake! Allow

brownies to cool completely before frosting.

-

Frosting

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp cream

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp peppermint flavoring

Green or red food coloring, if desired

Beat together above ingredients, frost brownies in pan, refrigerate before final chocolate

layer.

-

1 square melted chocolate

1 tbsp butter

Melt together butter and chocolate, drizzle evenly over brownies, tip pan around until

completely coated. Refrigerate until chocolate is hardened before cutting.

Hot Mama Grade: A-

Hot Mama Notes: These brownies are very tasty. Intense mint flavor. They are VERY rich. I used pecans as my nuts. I think I might 1.5 or 2x the Frosting next time. Also maybe make the last chocolate layer thicker so it drizzles better. This recipe is not quick and easy, though. Thus A-. It takes a long time to bake, and I baked the brownies WAY longer than 25 minutes. Probably almost 15-20 minutes more. They were full on unbaked when I took them out at 25 minutes.

Maybe next time I will try to cover 100% at the final layer by tipping. I did not use good coloring, but that would be a festive thing to do at Christmas. 

Sausage Tortellini Soup

Originally posted by: https://thecozycook.com/sausage-tortellini-soup/

Ingredients

1 pound ground Italian sausage, hot or mild

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon oregano

1 pinch cayenne, optional

1 teaspoon hot sauce

½ teaspoon mustard powder

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1 cup heavy cream

5 cups chicken broth

2 cups kale, chopped

2 cups refrigerated tortellini, just under 10 oz.

Salt/ to taste

Instructions

Note: The mustard powder and hot sauce are so subtle in this soup but help enhance the other flavors, so although you may be hesitant to add them, I highly recommend it!

Remove the casings from the sausage if you purchased links. Cook and crumble the sausage and diced onions over medium-high heat until the onions are softened and the sausage is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Drain grease. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.

Add basil, oregano, cayenne, hot sauce, mustard powder, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Add the chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.

Add the kale and tortellini and simmer for 3-5 minutes. (If your tortellini needs longer cooking time, add the tortellini first, then the kale during the last 5 minutes.)

Taste the soup and add salt if desired. Start with ¼ tsp and add more after that if needed.

Transfer to serving bowls and serve! (This is great with Garlic Bread with Cheese!)

2-3 cups of Spinach can be used instead of kale, stir it in once the tortellini is cooked and let it wilt, about 30 seconds.

Hot Mama Grade: B+

Hot Mama Notes: I used 3 cups spinach as I don't care for kale. I used Louisiana hot sauce, and put 2 pinches of cayenne. I used spinach cheese tortellini by.  It was a 20 oz package, and I used short 2/3. But in hindsight, I should have put all of I the package in there!  I had no red pepper flakes. This soup is very creamy. I think I would like it better with less cream (maybe 1/2 c less), and instead add potatoes to thicken the broth. My boys liked this okay, but honestly, they probably would have liked plain tortellini just fine, too, ha! The spiced sausage is very good! A good dish, but not sure I will make it again!

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Originally posted by: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15057/overnight-blueberry-french-toast/

Ingredients

French Toast Casserole:

• 12 slices day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

• 12 eggs, beaten

• 2 cups milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ⅓ cup maple syrup

Blueberry Sauce:

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup water

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

• 1 tablespoon butter

• Lemon juice, some

Directions

1. Prepare casserole: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in the dish and top with cream cheese cubes. Sprinkle blueberries over the cream cheese, then top with remaining bread cubes.

2. Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and syrup together in a large bowl until well-combined; pour over the bread cubes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Remove casserole from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

4. Bake casserole in the preheated oven, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking until center is firm and surface is lightly browned, about 25 to 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare blueberry sauce: Mix sugar, water, and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in blueberries, reduce heat to low, and simmer until all the blueberries burst, about 10 minutes. Stir in butter.

6. Serve portions of casserole on plates and pour warm syrup over top., 

Hot Mama Grade: A-/B+

Hot Mama Notes: I made a half portion in a 9x9 inch pan and covered it with foil. I used 8 slices of bread, a wonder-type honey wheat variety. I used frozen blueberries. I almost used frozen strawberries, but then I found the blueberries in the freezer! :) decided to add 1/8 c powdered sugar on top after reading the reviews, but I don't love cinnamon, so I didn't add that. 

This turned out well. I do think a thick Italian bread would have been better, but this was fine. I think whipping the cream cheese with powdered sugar would be a good plan, so that you can carry an even layer vs chunks of cream cheese. My oldest loved it and had seconds. My youngest thought it was too sweet (I am surprised!!). I am glad I made a half batch to try it out. I will say I don't think it is any less work than making French toast in the morning, but it is nice to have it done all at once! 

Comments to incorporate:

Use Italian bread from the bakery (French bread seemed like too much crust), or brioche, or challah. I also whipped 1 1/2 bricks cream cheese w/ 1/4 cup confectioners sugar and spread it over the cubed bread. I used frozen blueberries (thawed) and only 10 eggs. I also made sure to press the bread down so that everything got french toast consistancy. The syrup is delicious!! I made 1.5 times and poured 2/3 of it over the dish and the other 1/3 was put on the table for those who wanted a little bit more.

After placing the first layer of bread, sprinkle with cinnamon for more flavor.  After reading many reviews, I decided to mix 1.5 blocks of cream cheese with 1/4 c. of powdered sugar and then spread it on the bread. I thought it was still hard to spread, so next time I will add a little milk to thin it out. Maybe also a dash of vanilla.  I used frozen blueberries (thawed) & they worked well. You could also definitely use more than a cup in the middle of the french toast.  After placing the 2nd layer of bread, sprinkle with cinnamon again. I thought the blueberry sauce was lacking a certain wow factor, so I added a little fresh lemon juice

Before refrigeration.

After baking. 

My photo. 

Their photo:

Goulash

Originally posted by: https://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/old-fashioned-goulash/#mv-creation-110-jtr

HOW TO MAKE GOULASH

1. The macaroni is cooked separately, so follow the directions on the box to cook that.  Because you bake the pasta for a few minutes to blend all of the flavors together, you want to under cook the pasta by 3 minutes. 
2. Use a large skillet or even a dutch oven to brown the ground beef and onions together until the beef is cooked and the onions are soft. 
3. After the onions are soft stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute until it starts to get fragrant.
4. Add in Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and the diced tomatoes and mix until everything is combined. You can really use any combination of tomato products that you have.  If you don’t like chunks of tomatoes, just use all sauce.  If you have fire roasted tomatoes in your pantry, use them!
5. Add in the seasonings and taste to adjust.  Start with just a little salt and add more if you think it is necessary. 
6. Once everything is cooked stir in the cooked pasta and cheese until everything is combined. 
7. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and everything is hot and bubbly.  If your pan is not oven safe transfer to a casserole dish to bake. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans petit diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook macaroni for 3 minute less than the box directions.  Drain. 
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add ground beef and onions to the pan.  Break beef apart, cooking for 6-7 minutes until browned.  Drain any fat.  
4. Mix in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 
5. Add in worchestershire sauce, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Mix until combined.  
6. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste.
7. Mix in cooked macaroni and cheddar cheese. If skillet is heat safe, you can place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.  Or transfer to casserole dish and bake.

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: My eldest chose this as a recipe to make for a school potluck themed for the great depression. He made it himself. The kids love this meal! I will definitely make it again. It looks simple and easy while still being tasty! 

Austrian Coffee Cake

From: Husbands that Cook

Hot Mama Grade: A-

Hot Mama Notes: This is a good coffee cake recipe. Maybe not the best ever, but very tasty and pretty easy to make. The authors doubled the topping amount, but I think I would leave it as the original amount if I make this again. A very tasty coffee cake! :) 

Vegan Paella

From: Husbands that Cook

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: I must say I've had good luck with the recipes from Husbands that Cook! This recipe is very good. Almost like a risotto. I used short grain rice, as I did not have arborio rice available. I left out the capers, as well, as I did not have them, and I don't think they add much in general. Frys doesn't carry piquillo peppers, so based on researching substitions, I used jarred mild banana peppers and jarred Roasted red peppers (based on the recipe book recommendation). The main flavors of the dish are the artichoke hearts and the pickled peppers. I will add chicken for my kids that like everything with meat!! I would make this again. Lots of chopping.

One-Pot Pasta Primavera

From: Husbands that Cook

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: This recipe is very good. I would make it again. It is a lot of chopping, but I guess any whole food type recipe will be that way. I do like the one pot. I did worry, but it turned out well! I did add an extra cup of water out of fear! I think when I serve this to my kids, I will make some chicken and add it, as my kids like meat with their vegetables. The one tiny pepper adds a lot of flavor and punch!

Hazelnut Fudge

Originally from:Husbands that Cook Cookbook

Hot Mama Grade: B

Hot Mama Notes: I need to remember 2 things when making fudge. 1. Fudge is a ton of work!! 2. I don't even like fudge that much.  Sigh. Plus, even though I was being careful, I was not careful enough. I was tired and instead of putting 2/3 c evaporated milk in the pan, I put the full 12 Oz can. Oops. :/ so then I was scrambling to double all the other ingredients to salvage the fudge. Also, I hate candy thermometers, incessant stirring, and the heat! :(. I had a taste test, and it seems OK. But I swear. Never again! It's just not worth it!! 

Life-changing Corn Bread

Originally from:Husbands that Cook

Hot Mama Grade: B

Hot Mama Notes: This corn bread is really more like corn cake. And it is very wet. I am not sure I like the moistness. I ate mine with a spoon. Plus, it needs to be refrigerated, or it goes rancid in a few days (vile smells). I don't think I will make this again!

Cauliflower Chick Pea Curry

Originally from: Husbands Cooking Cookbook 

Hot Mama Grade: A-

Hot Mama Notes: This curry is good. Better with chicken in it!! I used canned chicken because I was too tired to cook up chicken, but it would be even better with fresh cooked chicken. This recipe makes a ton of food! We ate it Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before finishing it. I should have used a less spicy curry powder, but what I had was penzeys hot curry powder, so that is what I used. I didn't add the pepper.

Spicy 5 Bean Chili

Originally from: Husbands that Cook Cookbook

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: This is an excellent chili recipe! I am really impressed by how tasty it is! It is easy, but a lot of chopping. Also, it has all the beans!! But they are balanced by the abundance of vegetables. I also added a pound of ground beef. It was a great addition. I will definitely make this recipe again! The kids like it, as well, and that is a tall order!

The only substitution I did was great Northern beans for white navy beans. I served with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and tortilla strips. I omitted the hot pepper, as I worried it would be too hot. I used one can of rotel seasoned tomatoes and one Hunt's first roasted chopped tomatoes. These together with the smoked paprika added lots of great flavors! 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip "Bunko" Cookies

Originally posted by:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/spoonuniversity.com/recipe/a-bunco-dessert-turned-family-favorite-cookies/amp

Ingredients

• 1/2 1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 2/3 cup oats
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips measure with your heart

Instructions:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350° and get out your ingredients.

Step 2

Cream butter until smooth with no lumps (should not be longer than 1-2 minutes).

Step 3

Add the sugars and combine until no lumps.

Step 4

Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.

Step 5

Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined.

Step 6

Add flour slowly and combine.

Step 7

Add oats and chocolate chips (amounts as desired).

Step 8

Roll cookie dough into balls, separated by 1.5 inches or more.

Step 9

Bake at 350° Farenheit until golden brown (15-18 minutes).

Step 10

Enjoy!

Hot Mama Grade: B

Hot Mama Notes: These cookies are okay, but not amazing. I would not make this recipe again, I have better ones.  The kids seem to like them. I doubled the batch, but only used 1.5 the amount of oats. I also added more butter, another half a stick of butter, so 0.25 cup. Because the batter looked like it was crumbly. 

TikTok Peanut butter Cookies

Ingredients :

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg 

Directions:

Mix well & roll into balls.

Press down w/ fork. 

Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 min

Hot Mama Grade: B-

Hot Mama Notes:These were not good. I have a simple better crocker recipe with just a few more ingredients (like FLOUR!), and the cookies are infinitely tastier and they don't fall apart. I added milk chocolate chips. These cookies easily took 18 minutes or so to bake. I kept checking them every 2 minutes. They tasted off. Too peanut buttery. And they didn't stay together. I would not make these again. 

Oat Waffles

Hot Mama Grade: D

Hot Mama Notes: Well, these were no good. I would never make them again. Neither the kids nor I liked them at all. And I added sugar and cocoa to try to make them taste better. No dice. I used while cows milk. 

Tortilla Soup

Originally from:

https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/dehydrated-tortilla-soup/

https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/vegan-mexican-tortilla-soup/

Ingredients:

1 (15oz) can black beans

1 (15oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes

1 cup frozen roasted corn

1 small onion

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno

2 vegetable bouillon cubes

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cumin

Tortilla chips

2 tablespoons oil

Or

1 tablespoon grapeseed, coconut, or sunflower oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pasilla pepper, a green bell pepper works here, too, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped into ½ inch cubes

1 serrano pepper, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

½ - 1 teaspoon chili powder, depending on spice preferences

3 cups water or vegetable broth

1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes

½ cup of canned or frozen corn, optional

1 (15 oz) can of black beans

½ teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

For serving:

Avocado, cubed

Tortilla chips

Freshly squeezed lime juice

Red onion, diced

Cilantro 

Directions:

Dice the onion, de-seed and chop the jalapeno, and drain the black beans.

Place beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno on dehydrator trays. Keep everything in thin and even layers.

Dehydrate at 135F for 8-12 hours, until everything has dried.

Divide the dried ingredients into 2 servings, adding 1 vegetable bouillon cube, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp cumin per serving. Pack tortilla chips and oil separately.

In camp, add the soup ingredients into a pot with 12 oz. water. Simmer until the beans and corn are soft, adding more water if needed (about 10 minutes).

Stir in a tablespoon of oil and top with the tortilla chips.

Or

Add oil to a pot and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about five minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the peppers, zucchini, and serrano pepper and saute another 4-5 minutes.

Add the cumin and chili powder and stir to coat, continually stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, add the water or vegetable broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and add the beans and corn, if using. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful.

Serve with desired toppings (but definitely don’t forget about those tortilla chips!)

Hot Mama Grade: A-

Hot Mama Notes: This is more of a chicken chili than a soup. Pig close, I did only put in 2 cups of vegetable broth instead of 3! I topped it with shredded Cheddar, guacamole, and mini tortilla chips. I would have used sour cream, but we were out. I used 1 yellow squash instead of zucchini. I used fresh cilantro and half of one large jalapeño. 1 cup of corn. Basically the first ingredient list with also squash and no dehydration. I did use 2 gloves of fresh garlic, minced. I used 2 cups water and 2 veg boullion cubes. The kids liked this. I would make it again. I don't like it better than the red lentil chili. And again, the fire toasted chips tomatoes add lots of great flavor! :)

Red Lentil Chili

Originally posted by: https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/red-lentil-chili/#recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 tablespoon oil (olive) 

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced bell pepper (green) 

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

2 cups sliced zucchini

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 14oz can kidney beans, drained (light red) 

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 + cups vegetable broth or water (14 oz +) 

1 cup red lentils

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, peppers, and salt and saute until beginning to soften. Add zucchini and cook until vegetables are soft and beginning to turn golden in spots. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Add the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, and 2 cups broth, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then add the lentils. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, adding more water if needed. Stir in sugar and adjust seasoning to taste. Remove from heat.

Hot Mama Grade: A 

Hot Mama Notes: This recipe was really good! Surprisingly so. I normally don't like chili much, but the fire roasted tomatoes really added a ton of flavor. Also, I liked the red Lentils. I did add a pound of ground beef to appease my kids and add a bit more heartiness. It didn't detract from the recipe at all, but I'm sure the recipe would be just as good without the meat. I started by browning the ground beef. Instead of draining the oil as I usually would, I sautéed the onions and peppers with the beef after it was browned. I did add some olive oil when I put in the zucchini because it was getting dry, and I didn't want it to stick to the pan. I also added seasoned salt and pepper at that time. Otherwise, the recipe is as written. I used a 14 oz can of vegetable broth plus maybe another half cup of water. 20 minutes did the trick. Yum! I will definitely make this again. :) Even the kids liked it, and when it comes to healthy meals, they are super picky! Definitely make sure to use the fire-roasted tomatoes! :) 

Eggroll in a Bowl

From: Work Cookbook

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: This recipe is really good! I'm really happy with how it turned out, and it was pretty easy to make, too. Not as quick as I was hoping, but not too bad at ~30 minutes. What I like about this recipe is all the veggies. The kids liked it okay. They didn't hate it, anyway, so that is a win. :) I think the kids would have liked the filing better in an eggroll, ha! I will definitely make it again. :l

Chocolate Protein Balls

From: Will Run for Doughnuts Cookbook by Rachel Wyman

Hot Mama Grade: B+

Hot Mama Notes: These are okay but not my favorite. I like some of the other protein ball recipes I have made better. I wanted to try them because they are chocolate. I added chocolate chips, a handful. I also used about a half cup less of the oats and added chia seeds and ground flax instead, about 1/3 cup then topped off the rest with oats. I also used nutzo butter for the nut butter, plus an extra couple tablespoons of jif smooth peanut butter.