Lily’s Family’s Secret Rum Ball Recipe 2 Cups finely chopped vanilla wafers 1 Cup finely chopped walnuts (food processor works excellent) 1 Cup powdered sugar + some 2 Tblsp. cocoa 2 Tblsp. white corn syrup ½ Cup dark rum ¼ Cup brandy Mix ingredients well. Shape into 1” diameter balls. Roll through additional powdered sugar to make fancy. Keep in tightly sealed container for a minimum of 1 week. Greta’s Grandmother’s Crust-Free Pie Preheat oven: 350° 2 eggs ¼ Cup flour 1 tsp. Vanilla 1 Cup sugar ¼ Cup butter 1 Cup milk ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. ground clove 1 Tblsp. raw oats Beat eggs. Add flour, vanilla, sugar, butter, milk, cinnamon and clove. Mix well. Lightly fold in raw oats. Pour into two greased pie plates and bake at 350° until light brown, 30-40 minutes. Susan’s Slow-Cooked Pork and Jalapeños Simmer sliced onions and jalapeños in hot oil until onions are translucent. Add a pound of boneless pork ribs reduced to chunks dusted dust with flour and spices (black pepper, garlic salt and cilantro). Once pork has been browned, add water to cover, simmer until tender. Used as filling in soft tacos, burritos, fajitas, tamales or omelets. Susan’s Frijoles in Thick Queso Bean Soup Wash and sort package of pinto beans. In heavy kettle with capacity of at least 3 times the amount of beans, boil 1 part beans to 2 parts water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Allow to stand for 1 hour. In meantime sauté onion, garlic clove and cilantro in separate skillet. Add stewed tomatoes, 4 bouillon cubes, black pepper, crushed red pepper and some slow-cooked pork and jalapeños. Add skillet combination to bean pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1½ hours or until tender. Add package of soft crumbled Mexican queso in last 15 minutes. Stir often until melted. Garnish servings with finely chopped cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, and tortilla strips. Kimberly’s Guacamole 3 ripe avocados ½ Cup Best Foods mayonnaise ½ Cup 4% large curd cottage cheese ½ Cup sour cream 2 tsp. powdered garlic 1 Tblsp. black pepper Drizzle of sea salt to taste ¾ cup medium hot salsa 1 lime Mash avocados with fork. Add remaining ingredients. Drizzle with fresh squeezed lime juice. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Serve with salted tortilla chips Emilio’s Virgin Margaritas ice fresh lime juice fresh orange juice sour mix Shake together 1 part lime juice, 1 part orange juice and 3 parts sour. Strain into glass rimmed with lime peel, salt outside only. Garnish with lime twist on fancy toothpick and thin party straws.
Susan’s Mother’s Tamales Pork Filling: 1 pound boneless pork ribs/cut into ½ inch chunks 4 Tblsp. olive oil Salt and pepper 1 can stewed tomatoes 4 diced garlic cloves 4 dried chili peppers/seeded and stemmed 50 dried corn husks Masa Dough: 4 Cups Masa harina 1½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 2 Tblsp. softened lard 3½ Cups room temperature milk Drizzle pork liberally with salt and pepper. Cover with water and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes. Drain. Heat oil over medium high flame before adding pork. Now sauté until light brown. Flake into finer chunks. While corn husks soften in hot water for 30 minutes... Roast peppers over gas flame momentarily on both sides. Submerge in hot water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain. Puree together ¼ Cup reserved drained fluid, roasted peppers, canned tomatoes in juice and garlic until consistency of thin paste. Use more reserved fluid as necessary. Combine pork and sauce. Simmer over medium flame 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Combine Masa harina, salt and baking soda. Mix in lard. Gradually beat in milk (approx. 5 minutes with electric mixer) until dough becomes batter consistency. Pat corn husks dry. Tear some into strips for ties. While carefully spreading each husk with 1½ Tblsp. Masa, keep edges of husk clean and free of Masa (1 inch of husk edge, as well as 3 inches from pointed edge of husk). Top Masa spread with 1 tsp pork filling. Place 1 Tblsp. dollop of Masa on top of pork filling. Fold corn husk lengthwise, covering filling. Fold pointed end onto fold. Bring last edge of husk over point and tie together with corn husk strips. Line steamer with corn husks. Place two layers of tamales (folded sides down). Cover with another layer of corn husks. Steam under lid until firm. About 1-1½ hours. | 
