The ingredients listed below is what they put into the Taco Soup Mary grew up on as well as did Kelley and Tim. True to the way grandmothers record recipes there are no measurements nor directions. Too bad they said, you should have paid attention those hundreds of times they made it.
This is an original recipe that was handwritten in our recipe book and dated 9-97.
This handwritten recipe is dated July 1997 and inspired by one in Southern Living.
Ingredients
Toss to coat all with the oil and put into a pan to bake at 400° for 30-40 minutes.
While that is baking combine:
Mix, cover, and chill.
The recipe below was published in the Houston Chronicle by Ann Criswell as what the Heritage Society made and served at the Candlelight Tours of historic homes in Sam Houston Park.
Mary wrote this up based on her mother relating what she put into the mix for the salmon croquettes made when Mary was growing up.
Mix and bake.
2/27/2023 – Mary has been making her own cole slaw and potato salad dressings for the past 3+ years and today I found that neither is on this site…or anywhere else. She does not measure anything and so the measurements below are approximations.
Cole Slaw Dressing
Potato Salad Dressing
The potato salad includes fried bacon and drizzle the bacon grease over the salad when the dressing is stirred in.
First made 2/21/2023 – This was an easy side dish with fresh components and good flavor. It was inspired by the recipe here.
6 bacon strips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup sliced fresh portabello mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onions from the greenhouse
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
Lemony, briny and just a bit buttery, this easy fish piccata recipe with pan-seared trout and a lemon piccata sauce comes together in under 30 minutes. https://www.themediterraneandish.com/fish-piccata/
Author: Suzy Karadsheh
1/21/2023 – Mary made this great soup that was rich and flavorful. She was inspired by the recipe here.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups broccoli florets and stems (from about 1 head)
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
cayenne pepper to taste
8-ounce bag of “sharp” yellow Cheddar, pre-shredded (about 2 cups). Use extra-sharp next time
Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, graded, and Green Onions from our garden for topping
Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, sliced broccoli stems, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Added salt, pepper, and cayenne. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Add the half and half, broccoli, bay leaves, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper, and cayenne, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened and the broccoli is very tender.
Whisk in the cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Ladle into serving bowls and top with more shredded Cheddar and green onions.
We added diced ham to each bowl and ladled the soup on top to make it a more complete and hardy meal. Served with our favorite bread from Publics.
1/17/2023 – This was a quicky smoke that turned out well. Smoked 8 country-style pork ribs that were still cold but salted to dry brine on one side and Stubb’s Hot Pork Rub on two sides. The rub was not on the other two sides. They were smoked until the IT was 195° based on one of the RecTeq probes inserted into one of the thicker ribs and near a bone. [Yes, these on-sale ribs from Rouces’ had a few bones.]
They were a bit tough although the flavor was ok.
Should have:
Note that the hot pork rub was only on two of the four sides. They still had flavor but more in line with what folks from around here would like. But, they are going to have to grow up.