This cookbook contains recipes that have been tested and refined to please even the most discerning expert or master shooter. Many have been stolen from moms and grandmothers. However, the statute of limitations has expired and we can no longer be prosecuted. Even so, I've taken the precaution of renaming the recipes to protect the innocent. Where possible I've given a short story or a history of the recipe.

This cookbook is a work in progress. Shooters around the country are invited to contribute. You may remain anonymous but will receive credit for your contribution.

APPETIZERS

BARBECUE

BEANS

Recoil Beans
(Hearty Baked Beans)

This dish is full of all sorts of beans -- great Northern, red kidney, garbanzo and limas. Tossed with a mixture of bacon, molasses, cider vinegar, brown sugar and Dijon mustard make up these quick-and-easy baked beans.

Ingredients

Heat oven to 375 °F. Combine bacon and onions in Dutch oven; cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden. Stir in garlic, molasses, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add beans. Bring to a simmer; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour mixture into a deep 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake 45 minutes, stirring twice, until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

BEVERAGES

BREADS

High Ladies Award
(Linda's Award Winning Biscuits)

These biscuits won a 4-H competition in Kansas a number of years ago. And to me they are the best that have ever passed my lips. I like to get them hot out of the oven and slather them with butter and honey.

Ingredients

Cut shortening into the flour mixture. Add 2/3 cup milk and stir. Knead 8 or 10 times. Roll to ½ inch thick. Place on un-greased sheet. Bake at 450 °F for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 16 medium biscuits. (Increase milk to 1 Cup for drop biscuits)
 

CASSEROLES

Run & Gun Casserole
(Ham & Egg Brunch Casserole)

Prepare the night before and you will be delighted with the result when you bake it the next day.

Ingredients

Line a well buttered 9 x 13 pan with about half the bread pieces. Sprinkle with cheese and ham or sausage. Mix together eggs, milk and melted oleo and pour evenly over cheese and ham. Top with other half of the bread pieces. Cover and let stand in refrigerator over night. Bake at 375 °F, 35 to 45 minutes.

COOKIES

Steel Plates
(Mabel's Sugar Cookies)

The recipe for these cookies has a note that they are "Very Good" and the recipe is dated April 3, 1952.

Ingredients

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs. Sift dry ingredients 3 times; combine thoroughly with egg mixture. Add vanilla. Role in waxed paper and store in refrigerator to chill thoroughly.

Roll out dough very thin on well floured board: cut out cookies. Bake on greased baking sheets in a moderate oven 375 °F, 6 to 10 minutes.

Double Chocolate Chip Mocha Cookies
Richard Scholtz

I got this recipe from Chocolatier magazine, and this has probably become my favorite cookie.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and coffee granules (you may have to mash them through the sieve). Set aside.
In an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix well. Add Kalua and mix to incorporate. Slowly add flour (if you don’t you will cover your kitchen in brown dust) and mix until combined. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the lined baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes (stick towards 10 minutes). Cool slightly and remove to wire rack.

Makes 5-6 dozen, depending on size.
 

DESSERTS

Down Zero
(Gary's Dirt Cake)

I don't remember where I got this recipe but I had a really interesting thing happen the first time I made it. There was a genealogy lecture at the local community building and those attending were asked to bring a covered dish. I arrived a little late with my dirt cake in a flowerpot with a spray of plastic flowers. I set the desert on the table with the rest of the food and went on in to the lecture. When we broke for lunch, I could not see my offering. When I inquired and described the desert to the server, a funny look came over her face and she reached beneath the table and produced it, profusely apologizing saying she thought is was simply a decoration. It got rave reviews from all present.

Ingredients
 

Grind Oreo's in food processor or blender until it looks like dirt. Mix pudding, milk, powdered sugar (optional, I leave this out because I think it is sweet enough), cream cheese and whipped topping in a separate bowl. Line an 8-inch flowerpot with aluminum foil. Layer Oreo's and pudding mixture, beginning and ending with Oreo's. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve then add artificial flowers and serve.

Tap-and-Rack Pecans
(Sugar-And-Spice Pecans)

I traded my dirt cake recipe for this. I thought it was a fair trade.

Ingredients
 

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Add pecans; stir until evenly coated. Spread in a lightly greased, foil-lined 15x10x1-inch jellyroll pan. Bake at 275 °F for 50 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan, and cool on wax paper. Store in an airtight container.

Southern Pecan Pie
Richard Scholtz

This is possibly the best pecan pie recipe I have ever tried. It has a better consistency and tastes more like a praline rather than corn syrup, which happens to be the main ingredient in most pecan pies. Those made with corn syrup taste too, well, syrupy, and lacking a dimension and any flavor (Shut up with the snide comments.) Do this recipe some justice and get some good quality pecan halves from someone who raises pecans. If you can find someone with a commercial orchard, see if they have Cheyenne, this is the best variety for eating. They are worth the price. This recipe is courtesy of the Houston Junior League Cookbook, copy write 1992.

Mix brown sugar, white sugar, and flour. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and melted butter, beat well. Fold in pecans. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in 375 degree oven for 40-50 minutes.

Chocolate Pie
Richard Scholtz

This is another of my mom’s recipes, and there are variations of it floating around. You can change the pudding layer to other flavors of pudding, or use different kinds of canned pie fillings. It is very easy, but takes some time to allow for cooling and setting up of the different layers.

Crust:

Combine ingredients and press into 8x12 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool completely. If you proceed with a warm crust, you will have a mess.

First Layer:

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over crust.

Second Layer:

Combine pudding and milk. Spread over cream cheese layer. Let set. Top with additional whipped topping. Grate chocolate on top for garish (Omit if you use something other than chocolate pudding for second layer). Keep refrigerated.

EGGS

FISH

FRUITS

High Senior
(Grandma's Candied Apples)

Found this in my wife's recipe box. It's an old one.

Ingredients
 

Combine sugar, water & cinnamon candy. Boil 5 minutes. Add apples and cook slowly until tender. A stick of cinnamon or extract and red food coloring may be added. Sliced apples may be used.

MEATS

Fifty Caliber Meat Balls
(Gary's Secret Recipe)

I have a passion for pasta and just about anything Italian. The first time I made this recipe everyone loved them. I've made them now for over 20 years. Combined with great spaghetti sauce it is an unbeatable combination.

Ingredients
 

Finely chop the sweet onion and sauté in a large skillet with 1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Sauté onion until translucent then remove from the pan and put aside.

Next in a large bowl combine the meat, egg, onion and pickle juice. When fully mixed, combine the bread that has been crumbled by hand. Wet hands and form golf ball size meatballs and place them in the skillet used to cook the onions. Add freshly ground pepper to taste and cook covered on medium heat. After 5-10 minutes, drain grease from skillet and return to cooking uncovered. Turn meatballs frequently until browned on all sides. When finished, drain in bowl with paper towels in bottom. Set aside until pasta is ready or add to pot with spaghetti sauce.

Orange Pork Chops

The other white meat. This is a really simple and great tasting main dish.

Ingredients
 

First brown pork chops on both sides on top of stove then place pork chops in oven proof pan and cover with the mixed ingredients. Bake at 350 °F for one hour.

Hondo High School Enchiladas
Richard Scholtz

Some people bemoaned cafeteria food when they were in school, by the Hondo High School cafeteria made pretty decent food when I was in school. Their claim to fame was enchiladas. When they served enchiladas, everyone was in line to eat that day. My dad would even come up to the high school and eat lunch with my mom, and my dad has a pretty discriminating taste when it comes to Tex-M ex. My mom managed to acquire the recipe from the cafeteria ladies and I have made them ever since. There is not a lot of measuring to this, so I just make them by taste. Adjust the seasonings to your preference.

Sauce:

Split the onion into two equal parts and reserve half for tortillas. Combine all ingredients except cornstarch in a medium pot and add water to just cover ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil and cook until meat is done. This needs to be the consistency of a thick gravy. If it is too thin, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch in ½ cup of water, and add a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Fry the tortillas two at a time in hot peanut oil for about two seconds per side to soften. Drain onto paper towels.

To assemble enchiladas:

Place a tortilla in 9 ½ x 13 ½ baking dish. Put about one tablespoonful of meat mixture on tortilla with a pinch of onion and cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas. You can get about 20 enchiladas in the dish. Pour remaining meat over top, sprinkle with onions and then cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with beans and Fritz’s salsa (I tried it, it’s good.)

Makes about 8-10 servings.

Mozzarella Meat Whirl
Richard Scholtz

If you are tired of the typical bland, no flavor meatloaf, give this one a try. It’s a little different. My mom makes this and there are very few leftovers.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix beef, breadcrumbs, egg, mustard, pepper and salt just to combined. Spread onto waxed paper to about the size of a 10x13 inch rectangle. Evenly arrange cheese, leaving about a 2 inch border, and sprinkle with parsley. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long edge, and transfer to a 9.5x13.5 inch baking dish, seam side down, and seal edges. Mix water, worcestershire, and ketchup, and pour over top of roll. Bake at 375 for about one hour and ten minutes, basting every 20 minutes or so. If some cheese leaks out, don’t worry, it happens to me all the time. Serve with buttered noodles.

Serves 4-6.

Parisa
Richard Scholtz

WARNING: THIS DISH CONTAINS RAW MEAT. IF YOU HAVE ANY HEALTH PROBLEMS, ARE PREGNANT, OR A WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM, YOU SHOULD NOT EAT THIS. IF YOU GET SICK, DON’T COME TO ME CRYING AND SUE ME. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS, PLEASE CONSULT THE FDA WEBSITE WWW.FDA.GOV, FOR FURTHER HEALTH WARNINGS ABOUT CONSUMING RAW BEEF.

With that out of the way, all you people who eat raw oysters, rare steaks, and liver pate, quit your complaining. Yes, there is a slight chance you can get sick. That is why you must follow these directions to the letter.

Now, for some history. This dish, called Parisa, originates in Medina County, where we have a large contingent of French-German Alsatians. The brought this with them from the old country. It is basically an appetizer that is typically served at weddings or anytime people gather for a party and drink beer. I have never seen this outside of Castroville, Rio Medina, Quihi, or Hondo. I have yet to meet anyone who has gotten sick, probably because most people eat this right away and handle it property. If you don’t want to try and make this, you can find it made at the Super S in Castroville, the Rio Medina Store, or Hernandez Grocery in Hondo (call Hernandez first to make sure they are making some, they do it on Saturday morning). Make sure you buy a lean roast like a round roast, and sterilize you cutting board and anything that will come in contact with the meat. Don’t mess around with this. Use the utmost care in keeping everything sterile. Whatever you do, don’t substitute ground beef from the store. Ever wonder why they tell you to cook hamburger to well done? It’s because they grind everything together, so you get the outside that MIGHT have some microbes on it. If I haven’t scared you off yet, here’s the recipe.

Begin by trimming approximately ¼ inch off of entire roast. Grind in a meat grinder or food processor (remember that sterilizing thing I mentioned). Mix remaining ingredients. The limes increase the acidity, thereby reducing some of the risk of contamination. Refrigerate immediately for at least 4 hours before serving, and serve in a bowl in an ice bath. Serve with saltine crackers and with plenty of cold beer. DO NOT KEEP ANY LEFTOVERS.

PASTA

POULTRY

SALADS

Non-Threat
(Easy Salad)

This recipe comes from a dear friend and former neighbor Doris Cross. This dear lady is now 99 years old. She was known in her day as a great cook.

Ingredients
 

Prepare Dream Whip according to instructions then whip in cheese. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Chill and serve.

Marinated Vegetable Salad
Richard Scholtz

This one comes from my grandmother. It’s so easy, is very colorful, and feeds an army. It’s best made a day ahead to allow it to marinate (or macerate, as it’s technically called for vegetables, but who really cares).

Mix everything but last three ingredients. Dissolve sugar in vinegar, and mix in oil (yes I know it will not mix in completely, it’s that oil and water thing) and pour over vegetables. Let sit at least 12 hours or overnight is better.

Serves at least 12.
 

SALSA

Fritz's Salsa
(Stolen from Rick and Fina Garza)

This recipe from Rick Garza. I just talked about it and he produced the "old family recipe". It is a hit
at our house and my distant relations in NM fell in love with it. They know salsa.
- Fritz

Wash 6 to 12 serrano peppers (start with 8 the first time and then adjust the quantity to your taste- some people use as many as 20!) and remove the stems. Place the peppers (without stems) in a food processor and grind them to smithereens (15 seconds on the high continuous setting should do). Note: you can use other types of peppers but serranos provide the most consistent and reliable amount of “pepper heat” which allows you to duplicate your results with ease. Serranos also don’t take over the taste of what you pour this salsa on like jalapenos are prone to do.

Start heating a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet and finely chop and then lightly fry about 1/3 to a 1/2 an onion and several (2 or 3) cloves of garlic. Note: it is best to start frying the onion a little before adding the garlic to prevent the garlic from overcooking.

While the frying is going on, pour the entire contents of one No. 2 size can of Hunt’s Whole Tomatoes (about 28 oz can) into the food processor which contains the serrano peppers you’ve just pulverized. Zap the processor momentarily three or four times- the idea is to grind the tomatoes into fairly small chunks but not to totally liquefy the salsa. Note: we usually add some chopped fresh cilantro to the food processor during this last step.

Now pour the contents of the food processor mixture into the skillet that contains the chopped onion and garlic you’ve lightly fried, gently stir, and continue heating over a low flame until the mixture begins to froth lightly at the top. The purpose of heating the salsa to this point is to kill any bacteria that otherwise might cause the salsa to spoil quickly. Heating the salsa like this will allow it to keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator. (Note: Not heating the salsa is still okay but then it will typically only keep one or two days with refrigeration.)

This salsa tastes best cool but my family eats it as soon as it comes off the stove. It’s great with chips, tacos, burritos, tortillas, eggs, beans, rice, sandwiches, you name it.

SANDWICHES

SAUCES

SKILLET DINNERS

SOUPS

VEGETABLES

Plus P Peppers
(Al's Pickled Jalapeno Peppers)

My friend Al is a Dive Master, fisherman, Chief of a volunteer fire department and all around nice guy. He and I have had a lot of adventures and I could fill a book with many funny stories. He knows that I have not yet developed a taste for jalapeno peppers and that is why he sent this.

I (Al) have always liked the flavor of jalapeno peppers. They are usually consistently hot! Many years of experimentation has taught me to "cool" them down so that they're flavor can enhance the food that they complement! Cooking heat will always reduce the "hot factor" and bring out the "unique" flavor that they possess! This recipe is really a neat way to preserve the jalapeno pepper for any table use.

Ingredients
 

In a five quart stockpot bring the 10 cups vinegar & 2 cups water, ½ cup salt, ½ cup Horseradish, and Garlic cloves to a boil for twenty minutes to "mull" the spices. While above ingredients are cooking prepare Jalapenos by slicing them lengthwise and removing the seeds. Leave them intact at the stem end. Process the Mason Jars w/caps and lids for ten minutes in boiling water. Pack each jar with Jalapenos and Garlic cloves. Pour the liquid into each jar, leaving at least one half inch of head space. Cap and tighten the lid "hand-tight". Let the jars cool until you hear each lid "pop" which ensures a seal. It will be evident that a good seal is made by the indention on the lid. If the jar lid does not seal, just put into the refrigerator after it is cooled.

Your Pal,
Chief & Chef Al
 

ETCERTA

No-fail Meringue
Richard Scholtz

Combine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until clear. Set aside to cool. If it gets lumpy, just give it a good stir before you proceed.

Beat egg whites until soft mounds form. Add vanilla and salt. Gradually add sugar and beat well. Combine with cooled gel and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread onto pie covering to edges and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.