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This dinner is one that I make fairly frequently. I call it the cowboy dinner. My father spent the first quarter of his life in Texas. That stays with you and a little bit of it gets passed down. I love spicy, smoky, salty foods. The brisket recipe is from my aunt Joyce. It is so simple that you don’t really need a recipe. Simply know that if you put a beef brisket into a Reynolds oven bag and pour over a mixture of equal parts liquid smoke (1/2 bottle) with Worchestershire sauce and let it bake for 4 hours at 300 degrees, you will have a delicious piece of beef. Aunt Joyce served it on New Year’s Day with black-eyed peas (which I cannot abide) and it has become a favorite of mine. She sliced it across the grain. Mine sometimes comes out more like shredded beef instead of sliced beef, but the taste is fabulous so who cares?
I serve my brisket with Ranch Beans, a recipe that originally came out of Sunset Magazine, I don’t know when. The original recipe says that it serves 6, but really I think it serves 12, so I only make a half recipe anymore. That is what I am going to tell you about.
In a few days I look forward to heating up my leftover brisket and ranch beans, rolling them into a tortilla with grated cheese, jalapenos, and spiced sweet potatoes and chowing down. Amazing. Tonight I am serving the brisket and beans with corn bread muffins and BLT salad.
Put 1/2 # dried pinto beans into pan and cover with water to at least 2” above the beans. Bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand at least 1 or up to 4 hours; drain beans and pour into bowl.
In the same pan, stir 1/8# (3-4 slices) chopped bacon over medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Discard fat, if any. Add 1/2 small onion and 1 clove garlic; stir and cook until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 1 Tbsp. chili powder. Add beans, 1-3/4 cups water, and pepper to taste.
Cover and simmer until beans are tender to bite, about an hour.
Add 4-oz. (half of an 8-oz. can) tomato sauce. If beans are soupier than you like, boil, uncovered, over high heat until liquid evaporates to suit your taste;
stir occasionally and reduce heat as mixture thickens. Add salt to taste.
Ranch Beans Ingredients
½# dried pinto beans
1/8# bacon, diced
½ of a small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
Dash pepper
½ can (4-oz.) tomato sauce
Salt
This recipe is based on one found in my church’s old cookbook. It was submitted by my friend Jonna’s sister. Everyone at my house loves this. I don’t make it often because it takes awhile to prepare and bake. The original recipe calls for a 5-1/2 oz. pkg. dry hash brown potatoes with onion. Betty Crocker brand used to make it, but it was discontinued. I’ve tried several other brands of dried hash browns and as long as you keep it to approximately 5 oz or an amount that the package says serves 4 people, you’ll be fine. I like to add a pinch of dried toasted onion, too.
Prepare about 5-oz. dried hash browns according to package directions. While that is underway, start preparing the next part.
In a large saucepan make a roux of 4 Tbsp. butter, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper
Stir in 2 cups milk. Cook and stir constantly until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup sour cream and 2 Tbsp. snipped parsley or parsley flakes.
Stir the hash browns into the sour cream sauce.
Pour into greased 9×13″ baking dish and smooth it with spatula to evenly distribute in the dish.
Layer 8 slices Canadian bacon or ham lunch meat or leftover ham slices along the center of the dish decoratively. I used ham lunch meat rounds, folded into quarters, for today’s illustration.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and, using a tablespoon, press 8 indentations into the hash browns.
Carefully crack an egg into each indentation.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until eggs are set. Serves 4 hungry people or 8 other types. Really good with a bit of Tabasco splashed on top.
Gold Rush Brunch Ingredients
Apx. 5-oz. dried hash brown potatoes with onion
4 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. snipped parsley (or parsley flakes)
8 slices Canadian bacon or bacon lunch meat
8 eggs
This recipe is based upon one found at Taste Of Home. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like these very much. I like to serve these with enchiladas and rice.
Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds into the trash. Place the jalapeños into an ungreased 15×10” baking pan or on a baking sheet.
In a small bowl combine 8-oz. container herb and onion cream cheese, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup chopped green onion.
Spoon into the jalapeño halves.
Top with shrimp in a decorative manner.
Bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until jalapeños are tender. Yield 18 appetizers.
Jalapeño Cheese Boats Recipe
9 jalapeño peppers
1 8-oz. container spreadable herb and onion cream cheese
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup sliced green onions
¼# small cooked shrimp (salad shrimp)
Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds into the trash. Place the jalapeños into an ungreased 15×10” baking pan or on a baking sheet. In a small bowl combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese and onions. Spoon into the jalapeño halves. Top with shrimp in a decorative manner. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until jalapeños are tender. Yield 18 appetizers.
Foods Passion 