Open mouth. Insert chopsticks.

Cranberry Hootycreeks are the most amazing cookie. Yummm…white chocolate and cranberries. For us, the ingredients take a bit of planning since they are not all available here, but this cookie is worth the wait.

INGREDIENTS

• 5/8 cup all-purpose flour (5/8 = 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (chopped candy bar)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
   
2. Combine all dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Mix well with dry ingredients. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
   
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks. Devour.
   

Just so you don’t think we live off of desserts.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 (7 ounce) cans whole green chile peppers, drained (about 30 large green chili’s, 泡辣椒)
* 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about a pound of mozzerella cheese)
* 8 ounces Longhorn or Cheddar cheese, shredded (not available here)
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk (or milk)
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Lay half of the chilies evenly in bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and cover with remaining chilies. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and flour, and pour over the top of the chilies.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, pour tomato sauce evenly over the top, and continue baking another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and serve.

Here are the layered chilies ready for the 1st round of cooking.

A simple enchilada sauce. I use it in place of the tomato sauce in the chili relleno casserole to add a little kick.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup New Mexico or California chili powder (start with 1/8 cup and add to taste)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
2. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.