Author Archives: Susan Davis Faulkner

This wonderful dish was first introduced to us by Betty (Boddy) Davis, otherwise known as Grandma Betty. It immediately became a family favorite that we have turned to countless times. It is that perfect cold entree to serve on a hot day.

Ingredients

2 cans refrigerated crescents

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

1 cup mayonnaise (Grandpa Bob preferred 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup Miracle Whip)

1 package dry Ranch Dressing Mix

grated cheddar cheese

Mixture of fresh vegetables, according to taste and preference. Some favorites are sliced zucchini, sliced cucumber, sliced scallions, diced bell pepper, broccoli floret bites, cauliflower floret bites, grated carrots, diced onion, sliced mushrooms.

Unroll crescent bread dough from tube and fit as a single full layer on a cookie sheet. Bake according to directions on can. Remove and allow to cool at room temperature. Refrigerate, if time allows.

While cooking and cooling bread, beat together cream cheese, mayonnaise and Ranch Dressing. Refrigerate while cutting vegetables.

Spread chilled cream cheese mixture on cooled bread. Layer with any selected variety of vegetables desired.

Sprinkle with grated cheese. Immediately cut and serve.

I’m personally not a big fan of “Mexican Food”. My husband, Dave, grew up just this side of the Mexican border and he can’t get enough of the stuff. Several years ago we went to southern California to enjoy his high school class reunion and someone brought out a big pot of soup. In my book soup is okay and probably ranks a little higher than Mexican fare in general but I did find it odd that there was some excitement over a vat of offered soup. Dave encouraged me to try it. I was shocked. The flavors were bright, crisp, varied, and deep. I had never heard the word “Posole” before, but suddenly I found a Mexican dish I could add to my limited supply of enjoyable Mexican food. Posole is not a popular dish in the Pacific Northwest so I had to find a way to repeat the flavor the best I could by cooking it at home.

Ingredients – Step 1

2 lbs pork shoulder (any pork roast works, but it should be lean and boneless)

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

5 peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed

pinch oregano

Ingredients – Step 2

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

2 15.5 ounce cans white hominy

1 cup canned chopped green chilies

32 ounces to 64 ounces chicken broth

Ingredients – Step 3

radishes

cabbage

cilantro

onion (white or green)

avocado

lime

corn tortillas

Directions

Place pork roast in dutch oven. Cover with water. Quarter onion and place one clove into each quarter. Take the skin off of the garlic. Place everything in Ingredients list for Step 1 in the dutch oven with the pork. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let gently boil for 1 hour.

Remove pork and let cool so that it doesn’t burn your fingers. Set the remaining broth to the side. Cut the pork into about 1/2 inch pieces. In the same dutch oven heat the olive oil. Dice the onion and the garlic. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add the remaining spices from the Ingredient list for Step 2 and cook for 1 minute. Add the pork, hominy, green chilies and chicken broth to taste. You can also use the broth from Step 1. Again, bring to boil over medium heat and let gently boil for 1 hour.

Prepare all of the items in Ingredients for Step 3 while soup simmers in Step 2. Place each in a separate serving bowl. Slice radishes thin. Shred cabbage. Remove stems from cilantro and cut the leaves in very small sections. Dice the onion. Dice the avocado. Cut the limes into sections. Warm the corn tortillas.

Serve soup warm with the various garnishes listed in Step 3 on the side, allowing each person to put their personal selection of items in their bowl on top of the soup.

Enjoy!