Recipes

Recipes this month were contributed by members of the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota.

Steak Quesadillas
by Jesse Shirek

Jesse Shirek is the president of the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota and has this to share about himself: Anyone who knows me well would tell you that I love to cook. One of the most motivating things about cooking is the opportunity to experiment with ingredients. I am a creative person and love to put my own twist on a recipe, so I’m sharing my steak quesadilla story and recipe with you. It's become a go-to recipe in our home, and I'm excited to share it with my Federation family.

When my wife Sherry and I were first dating, she came to visit me in North Dakota from the East Coast over Easter weekend. One night we were both starving, and earlier that day I made some pico de gallo. As you can imagine we were craving some Mexican food to go with our chips and pico. I thought I would try something for the first time. After throwing some ingredients together and a few minutes of cooking we had a delicious meal, and I had Sherry fooled into thinking I am an amazing cook. Please, don’t tell her how easy the recipe is.

Ingredients:
8 ounces cooked sirloin steak (you can substitute cooked pork or chicken)
1 red bell pepper sliced
1 onion sliced
8 ounces shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
4 8-inch tortillas
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sauce: (you can substitute 1 cup salsa for the sauce)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper-optional
1 cup beef broth

Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl; stir well and set aside. Set frying pan on a burner and set it to medium heat, adding enough oil to coat pan. Add onions and cook for ten minutes or until onions are soft, stirring occasionally; add red peppers and cook for five more minutes. Add sauce or salsa to the pan; stir and let most of the moisture evaporate from the pan. Add the steak and stir for one minute. Remove pan from heat. Arrange four tortillas on a baking sheet, and spoon the steak mixture on one-half of each tortilla; top with cheese and fold each tortilla in half. Bake for ten minutes or until tortillas are crisp.

Pico de Gallo
by Jesse Shirek

Ingredients:
6 tomatoes diced
1 quarter onion diced
2 jalapeños cut fine
1 clove garlic minced
1 bunch cilantro chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Lemon juice added to your taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir well, and refrigerate for one hour. Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips.

Corn Casserole
by Sherry Shirek

Sherry Shirek has been the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota First Lady for less than a year. She has also served on the affiliate board as the secretary since 2016. Sherry is our affiliates “social lady” as she loves to plan social events during the holidays. She also has been the chair of the convention planning committee since 2017. Sherry grew up in the Boston area, and as we know, some Boston folks have difficulty pronouncing the letter R.
No, it’s not a con casserole for prisoners; this corn casserole has been served at Sherry’s New England family Thanksgiving feasts for generations. The tradition continues as the hot dish has now made its way onto the family Thanksgiving table in North Dakota. Maybe it can become a traditional side dish during your family’s Thanksgiving dinner too. It smells amazing while cooking and warms your belly. This recipe is shared with the Federation family with love.

Ingredients:
3 cans (14.75 ounces) cream-style corn 
3 large eggs
6 slices of white bread with crust
French’s original crispy French-fried onions 

Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). In a large casserole baking dish add the three cans of cream-style corn and three eggs. With a fork, beat the eggs into the creamed corn until well blended. Two slices at a time, break up all six pieces of bread into three-inch pieces and pile on top of the egg and cream corn mixture. With a fork, gently push the bread into the mixture and move around until bread is saturated and evenly distributed. Place your casserole dish, uncovered, on center rack in oven. Bake for one hour. Use a fork to check the center. The casserole is cooked thoroughly when the middle is slightly firm and no longer a soft liquid texture. Top off casserole with French fried onions and let sit ten minutes before serving. Enjoy! This recipe can be easily adjusted to a larger or smaller dish. The formula is one egg and two slices of bread per can of cream-style corn. Adapt cooking time accordingly. Makes six servings.

Coconut Cream Pie
by The Shireks

When Sherry and Jesse bought their first house, their realtor bought them a coconut cream pie from the local bakery just a couple of blocks away. This delectable treat was a first for the couple and left them wanting more. Sherry altered a recipe she found online, and now this delicious pie has been a favorite during the holidays at the Shireks’ home since 2014.

Ingredients:
One 9-inch pie crust cooked
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 and 1/2 cups Half & Half (can substitute with 1 cup milk and 2/3 cups heavy cream)
1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 eggs beaten
3/4 cup white granulated sugar 
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh whipped cream (can substitute with Cool Whip) 

Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Spread shredded coconut evenly on a baking sheet. Bake two minutes, then using a spatula, flip coconut and bake another two minutes or until golden brown. Remove coconut from baking sheet and place on a plate to cool. Set aside. In a medium saucepan combine Half & Half, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and flour then mix well. Bring to a boil over low heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in ¾ cup toasted coconut and vanilla. Reserve the remaining coconut to top the pie. Pour the filling into the pie shell and chill until firm (about four hours). Top with whipped cream and sprinkle remaining coconut over top.

Fresh whipped cream: Place metal mixing bowl and metal whisk in freezer for 10-15 minutes. Add two tablespoons of sugar to bowl, and add in one cup heavy whipping cream. Whisk just until the cream reaches stiff peaks.

My notes: Electric beaters often come with metal whisk. For pie filling, use fat-free Half & Half, low-fat sweetened coconut milk to cut calories and fat. Use light or nonfat Cool Whip instead of fresh whipped cream.

Crockpot Hamburger Soup
by Charlene Ota

Charlene serves as an officer on the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota Board of Directors and is married to Milton Ota, the immediate past president.

Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef (you can brown the beef before adding to the soup, or add it in raw, even frozen).
4 cups beef broth
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, peas, corn, carrots)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 chopped onion
1 chopped red pepper
About 2 tablespoons chili powder (more or less depending on your taste)
A little salt and pepper
About 5 ounces cooked macaroni (added at the end)

Method: Put everything in the crockpot except the pasta. Cook on low for about five to six hours. If the hamburger was not cooked before adding to the soup, use a fork to break up the hamburger. Cook the pasta and add to the soup. Makes about six generous servings. I put some sour cream and shredded cheese on my bowl of soup, too.

Paxton’s Pork Chops
by Paxton Franke

Paxton Franke is a student at North Dakota State University and works as a CNA [certified nursing assistant]. He has just recently found the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota, and we are so glad to be connected with him.

Ingredients: 
6 pork chops 
2 7-ounce containers of Dijon mustard 
Juice from 2-3 large lemons 
Olive oil 
Rosemary 
Salt and pepper 

Method: The best way to prepare these is to dry any excess moisture off the meat with a paper towel. Salt generously and add a few dashes of pepper for good measure. Take a large casserole dish and cover the bottom with olive oil. Squeeze in your lemon juice and whisk it with the mustard. Add some freshly chopped rosemary and mix all the meat and sauce into the dish. Use your hands and spread it around! Take a few full sprigs of rosemary, give them a good smack and spread them around the dish. Finally, if you’re feeling extra fancy take some lemon wheels and lay them underneath the meat for some extra aroma. Let sit up to 24 hours. Bake at 400 degrees. Pork chops should read 140 degrees before they are ready to be taken out of the oven. Cover with some aluminum foil and let sit for five minutes to let the meat relax and reach that magic 145-degree temperature. Best served with a healthy dose of a citrusy medium-bodied white wine.