In the Kitchen With Melinda Wolff

 in Favorite Recipes / Now Magazines by

These recipes were contributed by Melinda Wolff, a Burleson resident, and originally appeared in the BurlesonNOW October 2015 issue.

Cranberry Bacon Cookies
Makes approximately 30 cookies.

  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/2 cup potato starch
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/2 cup cranberries, dried and chopped
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Mix and cream first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl.
  3. Mix and sift together next 6 ingredients in a smaller bowl.
  4. Add dry mixture to wet mixture slowly and integrate by kneading dough.
  5. Add crumbled bacon and chopped cranberries and knead mixture together.
  6. Dust fingers with tapioca flour and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

 

Crock-Pot Cochinita Pibil

  • 1 4-lb. pork loin
  • 2/3 cup juice from 2 fresh oranges
  • 1/3 cup juice from 2 fresh limes
  • 1/4 cup citrus vinegar
  • 3/4 100-gram block Achiote paste
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. coriander
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 Tbsp. Lizano Sauce
  • 24 fresh tortillas
  • 8 oz. pickled onions
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 lb. Cotija cheese
  1. Cut or poke holes throughout pork loin.
  2. Blend/pulse the next 8 ingredients in a blender until they become a smooth juice.
  3. Place pork loin into a Crock-Pot. Pour juice mixture over the meat; cover and put in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. After overnight marinating, cook on low in the Crock-Pot for 8 hours. Serve with fresh tortillas, pickled onions, cilantro and Cotija cheese.

 

Melinda’s Immune Booster Tonic
Useful to ward off nasty colds.

  • 1 ginger tea bag (or 1 tsp. ginger root, freshly shaved)
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. organic honey
  • 2-4 black peppercorns
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • 8 oz. water, boiling
  1. Place all ingredients in a mug and fill with boiling water.
  2. Stir well and sip gently.
  3. Tip: place fresh ginger shavings or ginger tea bag and peppercorns in a fine mesh tea ball strainer for easier drinking/sipping!

 

Melinda’s Green Beans

  • 1 large white onion, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 10-oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 10-oz. can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 2 lbs. fresh green beans
  1. In a skillet, sauté chopped onion in butter or olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and continue sautéing another 1-2 minutes.
  2. In a large pot, add fire-roasted tomatoes, Ro-Tel and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
  3. Add sautéed onions and garlic, salt, pepper and green beans, with ends trimmed. If green beans are not covered by juice, add water until covered. Once at a rolling boil again, place lid on pot and reduce to a simmer.
  4. Simmer for 45-60 minutes until green beans are tender. Season to taste.

 

Banana Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 3 dozen.

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 8 oz. butter
  • 1 large banana (the riper the better)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 16-oz. bag chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In a bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Sift and set aside.
  3. Combine sugars with egg, butter, banana and vanilla in a separate mixing bowl; mix well. Slowly add dry ingredients while mixing until all is incorporated.
  4. Add in both flavors of chips, and then mix well.
  5. Form ping pong ball-sized dollops, space 1 1/2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes.