Homemade Glass Cleaner

I have tried a number of recipes for window cleaner through the years, but this one wins.....for now. This recipe can go head to head with the store bought cleaner. I actually prefer it, especially when you read the list of ingredients in the store bought version! Did I mention, you will save a bundle too?

Window Cleaner

1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup water
1 TBSP Vinegar

Mix ingredients together and pour into your spray bottle. Your empty glass cleaner bottle works great.

You say taquito, I say enchilada....

I made the filling for freezer beef taquitos last week. I should have read the fine print. The recipe called for the taquitos to be fried when you were ready to use them. I hate frying food! But I had already wrapped and rolled a fair number of them.
A couple of days later I decided to use the rolled "taquitos" as enchiladas instead..... let me just say, I have never eaten so many beef enchiladas in my life! Truly! They were delicious. I have made freezer enchiladas before and frankly they always taste just slightly mushy to me. Still yummy, but mushy. The nice thing about this recipe is you can use them as either taquitos or enchiladas. And I had dinner in a baking dish and in the oven in literally 5 minutes flat. So here is the recipe......

Beef Taquitos/Enchiladas

2 lbs beef chuck
2 T oil (more if you need it)
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 medium onion, diced
7 oz can chopped green chilies, undrained
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup water
salt to taste
24 corn tortillas

In a dutch oven or skillet, heat oil on medium to medium high heat. Brown roast in hot oil on all sides, adding more oil if needed. Place roast in a crockpot along with the onion soup mix, onion, green chilies, bay leaf, pepper and water. Cover and cook for 4-6 hrs on high or 6-8 on low, until beef is very tender. Cool beef and shred. Add any remaining juices back into the beef. Don't overdo this though. You don't want soup. Add salt to taste, if needed.

To assemble the rolls:
Between two paper towels, heat in the microwave approximately 4 corn tortillas. It will take about 15 seconds.Spread 2-3 TBSP of filling of meat mixture on corn tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet, on a piece of wax paper. If you need to, stick a toothpick through the roll to keep it held together. Keep them loosely covered with a piece of saran wrap or a towel while you work. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling until you have used it all. Place tray in freezer. Freeze in a single layer until they are firm enough to be placed in a ziplock bag. Make sure you take the toothpicks out after only about a 1/2 an hour though or you won't get them out in one piece.

When you are ready to use them for a meal:

For the taquitos...

Extra ingredients needed:

Cooking oil
condiments

Directions:

Thaw taquitos slightly. Heat 2-3 inches of oil on medium-high in a stockpot or dutch oven. Fry taquitos a few at a time for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and heated through. Use slotted spoon to remove taquitos; drain them on paper towels Serve immediately with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or whatever you like.

For enchiladas...

2 cans of enchilada sauce - or whatever amount of sauce you prefer
shredded cheese - at least 8 oz
diced onion
sour cream, gaucamole, or whatever condiments you want to serve with the enchiladas

Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Place enchiladas in pan. Pour your favorite store bought enchilada sauce over the top, or take a bit more time and make your own. Sprinkle onions over the top, this is optional. Sprinkle shredded cheese over entire dish. Cover and bake until heated through, approximately 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven. Let them cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

**I had to borrow the picture. I couldn't find my regular camera so I took one with my camera phone, but it did not turn out.

A Tale of Two Cakes.....

I made this cake last week for my friend Jane's Birthday. It is the Tuxedo cake from The Pastry Queen Cookbook. But here is the problem....I wanted one too! It just looked so good! It would be wrong to send something off without knowing if it tastes good....right? I mean, what if it was horrible? What if it made you sick? What if....
I made cake #1 with the intention of it being my "tester cake". I wasn't completely thrilled with the outcome of the recipe. I was being over the top, I know this comes as a shock :) . I was convinced it was not just right because of the way you added in the baking soda. The vanilla, salt and baking soda were the last three ingredients added to the cake. The baking soda was not mixed in with anything. So on to cake #2 I went. I was so pleased with the way the batter turned out and was sure this was going to be perfect (except for that little voice inside my head that told me to get rid of a little bit of the batter).....and then I turned the oven light on.....only to see Mount Vesuvius had erupted in my oven!! I am NOT kidding!!! There was hot batter flowing over the edge of one of the pans!! FLOWING!!!! I opened the door of the oven, only to have the batter change course and pour out the door and onto the lower oven! It was a mess of epic proportions. But I must say, well worth it in the end! I kept that cake. It was just a two layer, rather than the three layer it was supposed to be. The cake was yummy and looked lovely. It did not last long at all. Owain and Ross have both requested it for their Birthdays. I will definitely make this again....minus the eruption!! Although I must say my boys looked at me adoringly for actually making a real, live volcano in the house! I will post the recipe this weekend.