Bisquick Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 c. bisquick or flour
1/2 c. milk
1 t. salt
3 eggs
3 c. finely shredded uncooked potatoes (can use frozen hashbrowns, slightly thawed)

Directions:

Stir bisquick, milk, salt, and eggs in large bowl until blended. Stir in potatoes. Pour a little less than 1/4 c. batter onto hot griddle, spreading slightly to 4-inch size. Cook until edges are dry. Turn and cook until golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Tip: We also add cheese, green peppers, ham cubes, and other fixin's to the batter.

Submitted by Linda Perkins

Egg Rolls

Ingredients:

vermicelli bean noodles - 1/2 of 8 oz pkg
one head of cabbage
2 c. bean sprouts
green onion
yellow onion
TYJ spring roll pastry
eggs
ground pork
1 t. fish sauce
1 t. oyster sauce
2 t. pepper
MSG, optional
potato
1/2 lb. ground pork

Directions:

Soak vermicelli in water (about enough to cover the noodles in the bowl and they will reconstitute). Wash bean sprouts. Peel and then grate potato. Cut cabbage in half and then shred with a peeler (can use knife if you'd like). Grate onion with peeler.

Strain vermicelli and cut noodles about 5 inches. Add pepper, 2 eggs, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and pork. Combine all ingredients together in bowl.

In separate bowl, beat 1-2 eggs (can do with fingers). Lay one pastry layer on cooking sheet. Brush with eggs (can do with fingers, also). Place about 1/4 of cup of vermicelli mixture on egg roll and tightly roll up (like a burrito). Brush some egg to seal flap of pastry closed.

Heat pan of oil and fry egg rolls until they come to the top of the oil.

Italian Skillet

Ingredients:
14 oz. veg. broth
8 oz. orzo pasta
15 oz. black beans

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano
2 c. broccoli, cauliflower, carrots
2 T. fresh parsley (optional and I leave out)

OR

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
2 c. zucchini and squash or corn
cumin to taste
1/4 c. taco seasoning
garlic powder

Directions:

Cook orzo pasta in vegetable broth until al dente. Add tomatoes and heat 5-10 minutes longer. Add remaining ingredients. There are two variations here. The first three ingredients go with both and then there is an Italian version or a Mexican version.

submitted by Erin Gilbert

Basic Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• ½ whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cups Long Grain Rice
• 1 can Rotel (10 Ounce)
• 1 can Whole Tomatoes (14.5 Ounce)
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (more If Needed)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Ro-tel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky.

Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately.

***I use brown rice and double or quadruple the water - I keep adding water occasionally until it's done. Also, I sometimes just use the plain tomatoes rather than the Ro-tel to have it less spicy depending on who is going to eat it.

submitted by Janis Hansen, from thepioneerwoman.com

Refried Beans without the Refry

Ingredients:

1 onion, peeled and halved

3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and

chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black

pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional

9 cups water

Directions:

1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.
2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

submitted by Janis Hansen, from allrecipes.com