mmmmm... roast

Like I need to post another recipe for all the world to see, but I feel very strongly about roast beef. My roast is different than what my mom used to make when I was a kid. I use a crock pot, and it's awesome! So step 1, procure yourself a nice 2-3 pound roast from your local grocery store. When you're ready to cook it try to cut off the big pieces of fat that may be on it. Fat on steaks, good. Fat on roasts, bad. Step 2, in your large crock pot add a pound of baby carrots then about 6 or 7 medium sized potatoes that are peeled and cut up into halves or quarters. Gently place the roast on top of that. Slice an onion about a third the way down so you have some nice onion rings. place those on top of the roast. Fill up the crock pot about 3/4ths the way up with water. Step 3 here you can get creative according to your likes. I like spicy food so I'll use Grill Mates Spicy Steak seasoning. Liberally apply that on the roast, followed by salt and pepper. If spicy isn't your thing then you can use italian seasoning and/or a half a stick of butter.
Step 4, set the temperature to high and let it cook for about 4 hours. After than turn it to low and add water as needed so the top of the roast doesn't dry out. The roast will be very tender when it's done, so pull it out with two pair of tongs. Scoop the potatoes and carrots into a serving bowl and you're good to go! I would recommend serving it with corn, a nice garden salad and chilled fruit punch kool-aid.

Old School Peanut Butter Bars

Warning! The following recipe is more addicting that drugs, alcohol and red rope licorice combined!!! Behold! The long lost recipe that your lunch lady used when you were a child for those supremely tasty Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups oatmeal
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter

Mix together and bake in a lightly greased 13" x 18 1/2" pan at 350^o F for 15-20 minutes (underbake). When cool spread with a thin layer of peanut butter then frost.

Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp cocoa
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk

mix

Using a pizza cutter works pretty well in slicing up the pan. We usually do a 4 x 6 grid yielding 24 squares. Now if you are on any kind of diet or trying to eat healthy I'll tell you right now this is not a good idea to make. But is it delicious? Oh man, give me a half gallon of milk (because these things are very rich) and a couple of squares and I'm in heaven. So enjoy in moderation, yeah right, just make enough so that everyone gets their fill :)

How to make my Darn Fine Salsa

I can now say my homemade salsa is award winning. I made some for a combined youth activity in my ward where people got to try different foods from around the world. My salsa actually brought home two awards, one for the hottest food, and the other for food we hope we never ever have to eat again. Noobs. So here's how to make my salsa: First off, since I got rid of my stone bowl (molcajete) from Mexico I've been using a cool little salsa maker that Melissa got me. I think it's a tupperware or pampered chef unit, but anything like this Salsa Maker will be good. I'd stay away from blenders unless you want to be able to drink your salsa through a straw. All my salsas have the same base to it, then from there you can make it as hot or mild as you like.

3-4 small tomatoes (Romas work very nice)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon salt
1+ Tablespoon garlic powder

From here you can differentiate your salsas and let your inner Mexican go loco! For a milder yet delicious salsa add

1/2 cup chopped onions
2 jalapeños with the seeds removed

More spicy? Try no onions and 3 chili serranos.
Want more hair on your chest than Sasquatch? 3-4 Habaneros, Cayenne peppers and squeeze a lime into it.

More ways to spice things up? There are three ways I can prepare the tomatoes and chilis. First is raw. Just clean them with water, remove any stems and you're ready to go. Second is fire grilled. I'll put them on my BBQ on the middle rack at medium temperature until the skin on the tomatoes break and the skin on the chilis begin to blister. After they cool down then just peel off the skin and add them to the mix. Third, lightly fried. John if there is a better cooking term for it let me know. Just add a little bit of cooking oil to a frying pan and then add in the tomatoes and chilis. You'll get the skins peeling off like the second method, but not as bad. Once you're done wipe off the excess oil. There is something about the added heat that makes it a little more spicy, but whatever method you use will still yield some seriously tasty stuff. Word of caution: Clean your hands and arms off with soap when you are done. Repeat. Few things in life are as unpleasant as chili juice in your eyes. If your mouth is burning from the salsa, try drinking milk or eating a piece of bread or tortilla, but don't drink water. Also, adding salt and/or lime juice will lessen the strength. I imagine mangos would also work. You could also add cilantro if you like.

There you have it folks. Mighty fine salsa that can be served at your next social event. Disfruta!

By Popular Demand: Taco Soup!

Grandma Taylor's Taco Soup

1 pound ground meat

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 15oz can corn

1 15oz can kidney beans

1 can tomato sauce (8 or 16 oz)

1 15oz can mexican stewed tomatos

1 package of taco mix

1 dollop sour cream

1-2 cups shredded cheese

1 bag o' fritos

Directions: Brown meat. Drain. Add onions. In large pot add meat, onions, full can of corn, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes and taco mix. Rinse the kidney beans then add them to the mix. Cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes. Serve in bowl or other soup holding device. Add cheese, sour cream and fritos (I like to crush them before I add them to the mix) Enjoy!!!