Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 c. oatmeal
2 c. nuts, chopped
1 1/2 c. water
2 c. raisins
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Mix together dry ingredients (flour through allspice) in a separate bowl. Add to wet mixture. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine the water and raisins. Bring to a boil, boil for 1 minute. Sprinkle baking soda over raisin mixture and pour over dough. Add oatmeal and nuts and mix well. Place spoonfuls of dough onto greased baking sheet. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Sukothai Pad Thai (with Anne's notes)

½ C white sugar (I use a scant ½ c otherwise I think it’s too sweet)
½ C white vinegar (I use 2 tbsp lime juice and then fill the rest of ¼ c up with rice vinegar)
¼ C soy sauce (I fill half the ¼ C with soy sauce and the other half with fish sauce)
2 tbsp tamarind pulp (I don’t put this in. Can add 1tbsp of lime instead, but I don’t because I use lime with the vinegar.)
1 (12 ounce) package rice noodles (linguine style is what I like)
½ C canola oil (can also add a couple drops sesame oil if you have it but I don’t usually add it.)
1 ½ tsp minced garlic
4 eggs
1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu (I use chicken. I cook two breasts and cook them before adding. You can use pork or shrimp too.)
1 ½ tbsp white sugar (I omit this. Like I said, even the ½ C makes it too sweet for me.)
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ C ground (or chopped) dry roasted peanuts
1 ½ tsp ground, dried oriental radish (I omit this.)
½ C chopped fresh chives (I use green onion and probably put in 1 C)
1 tbsp paprika (I use 1 tsp chili powder instead….better flavor)
2 C fresh bean sprouts
I also add about 1 C shredded carrots


1. To prepare Pad Thai sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, blend sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and tamarind pulp.
2. Cook rice noodles until soft; drain. In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, warm oil and add garlic and eggs; scramble the eggs. Add tofu (cooked chicken) and stir until well mixed; add noodles and stir until cooked.
3. Stir in Pad Thai sauce, 1 ½ tbsp sugar (which I omit) and 1/1/2 tsp salt. Stir in peanuts and ground radish. Remove from heat and stir in chives (or green onions), carrots, bean sprouts and paprika (or chili powder which I prefer) You want this vegetables warm but crisp so you add them at the very end.

Marsmallow Caramel Puffy Balls

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cube (1/4 pound) butter
1 package Kraft (or Brach's Milk Maid) caramels, unwrapped (approximately 48 caramels)
1 package large marsmallows, cut in half
1 box Rice Krispies, emptied into a bowl

Combine sweetened condensed milk, butter and caramels in the top of a double boiler and melt until smooth. Reduce the heat to low and keep the double boiler on the heat throughout the process.

Dip each half marshmallow in caramel until completely coated, rotating to drip off excess. Drop the caramel-coated marshmallows into the bowl of Rice Krispies and cover completely, making sure not to touch hot caramel with your hands. Remove from bowl and place on a cookie sheet. Enjoy the warm, melty goodness.

As a note, it is easiest to dip using two fondue forks, one to spear/dip and the other to faciltate removal. Also, the Rice Krispie bowl works better if it is wide rather than deep.

Cafe Rio Pork

4 lbs Pork Roast
4 cups Root Beer
5 cans Tomato Sauce
2-4 Tbls Molasses (depending on the taste you like...i use 4)
3 tsp pressed garlic (i used minced and it works fine)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 tsp Cumin
pepper to taste

- Place Pork and about an inch of water in the bottom of the crock pot and cook for 8 hours
- Pull apart the pork with a fork and drain the water out of it (drain well or it'll be too watery at the end and just soak the tortillas)
- Add in the rest of the above ingredients
- Cook for another 4 hrs