Cinnamon Ribbon Bread

2 ¾ cup flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¾ cup margarine

1 ¼ cups sugar, divided 3 eggs

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. cinnamon  

½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until well 

blended.  In a large bowl, beat margarine and one cup sugar until creamy and light.  

Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla until well blended.  Beat in flour mixture and 

sour cream, alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar and the cinnamon.

Spoon 1/3 of the batter into a greased and floured 9” x 5” loaf pan.  Sprinkle with 1/3 

of the cinnamon mixture.  Repeat twice more with remaining batter and cinnamon 

mixture.  Sprinkle the top of the bread with pecans, pressing them in slightly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.  Cool bread 10 minutes on wire rack then 

remove from pan.  Cool completely before serving.

Comment:

Green Beans and Tomatoes

¼ cup olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

4 cloves garlic, minced  

2 cups chicken broth

2 lb. frozen cut green beans (Like Italian style)

14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Directions:  In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.   Add onion and 

garlic, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are tender.  Add 

green beans, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a 

boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes to reduce liquid.

Comment:  Eric loves this dish.  Frequently served on Thanksgiving.

Chilaquiles with Chicken & Green

Chili-Tomatillo Sauce

1 bag of tortilla chips (light and no salt)

3 ½ cups green chili-tomatillo sauce (recipe follows)

1 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken

1 small onion, cut in slivers

2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Sour cream to garnish

Directions:  Grease a 9” x 12” baking dish.  Layer one-third of the chips on the bottom 

of the dish.  Drizzle with some sauce, followed by half of the chicken, half of the onion, 

and a third of the cheese.   Repeat for another layer.  Top with remaining chips, more 

sauce and remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees until golden and bubbly.  Serve with 

sour cream.

Green Chili-Tomatillo Sauce

2 T. vegetable oil 1/3 cup finely chopped onion

2 T. minced garlic ½ cup thinly sliced green onion

1 ½ cups peeled, rinsed, quartered, fresh tomatillos, or Canned & drained

1 ½ cups roasted green chilies, hot or mild

¾ cup chicken broth ½ cup heavy cream

1 T. salt, or to taste Fresh lime juice to taste

Directions:  Heat oil in saucepan and sauté onion for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic, cook 2 

minutes more, stirring occasionally.  Pulse the tomatillos in a food processor until finely 

chopped.   Add to saucepan, tomatillos, chilies, green onions, chicken broth and cream; 

bring to boil and lower heat so the sauce is barely simmering.  Cook for about 40 

minutes.  Season to taste with salt and lime juice.

Comment:  Tomatillos are a green fruit that can usually be found next to the tomatoes.  

The amounts of this dish are somewhat arbitrary.  You may want more chips or cheese 

or chips or onion in your layers.  As it cooks, the chips assume a noodle-like texture.  

It’s a New Mexican lasagna.  Fun recipe Elizabeth and I discovered on our Santa Fe 

Cooking School adventure.

Strawberry Jam

2 pints fresh strawberries (2 cups crushed)

4 cups sugar

1 pkg. Sure Jell Fruit Pectin

¾ cup water

Jam jars

Directions:  Clean strawberries.  Discard stems. Crush strawberries one cup at a time 

with a potato masher for two cups total.  Do not puree.   Some pieces of fruit are 

desirable.  

Put crushed fruit in a large bowl.  Add exactly 4 cups of sugar.  Mix well.  Let stand 

for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Stir 1 box pectin and ¾ cup water in small saucepan.  Pectin may start out lumpy.  

Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  

Remove from heat.

Stir pectin into fruit mixture.  Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and 

no longer grainy, about 3 minutes.

Pour into prepared jars leaving ½” space at top for expansion during freezing; cover.  

Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until set.  Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.  

Store in freezer for up to one year.  Thaw in refrigerator.

Comment:  This is the freezer jam recipe used by Mom. Be very exact with 

measurements or the jam will not thicken.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin

1 tsp. whole cloves

1 pork tenderloin

3 Bay leaves

1 T. olive oil

½ tsp. whole peppercorns

1 tsp. dried sage

2 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. salt

Directions:  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Finely grind the cloves, bay leaves and 

whole peppercorns using a mortar and pestle.  Toss with sage, sugar, and salt.  Pat 

the spice mixture evenly onto all sides of the tenderloin.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tenderloin and 

sear on all sides – about five minutes. Transfer to the oven and roast until the 

tenderloin’s internal temperature reads 140 degrees or about 20 minutes. Transfer the 

meat to a clean cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Comment:  Ground cloves and pepper may substitute for whole cloves and 

peppercorns.  It may take a bit more olive oil to properly brown the tenderloin.  If 

you have a large tenderloin, you may need to double the spices.  Do not overcook!  It 

is important to let the meat rest prior to slicing.