Hunt Country Marinade

This has become a great favorite here. Beez found it on Epicurious.

3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsulfured (light) molasses
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon crushed juniper berries or 2 tablespoons gin
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 2x1-inch strips orange peel (orange part only)
3 2x1-inch strips lemon peel (yellow part only)
8 whole cloves
8 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves, broken in half
3/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.)

Marinate poultry 2 to 4 hours and meat 6 to 12 hours in refrigerator. Drain marinade into saucepan. Boil 1 minute. Pat meat or poultry dry. Grill, basting occasionally with marinade.

Elva's Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:
2 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbl. butter
1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. dry yeast (1 tbl.)
1/2 cup lukewarm water

1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
6 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup cut-up raisins
1/2 cup currants

Lemon filling prepared from pie filling mix, cooled. You'll need about 2 cups, which is what one box makes.

Directions:
Add the sugar, butter, and salt to the milk, stir and cool to lukewarm. Add yeast that has been dissolved in the water, stir well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Knead 5 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Pinch off small balls, about half the size you want the buns to be. Slit tops with the sign of the cross. Let rise until light on a greased cookie sheet.

Brush tops with beaten egg yolk mixed with a bit of water. With two teaspoons, pull top of each bun apart and add a heaping tsp. of lemon filling. Bake in a preheated 350 F. oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

When cool, spoon a cross of white icing on each bun. (Icing: powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla).

Fresh Blueberry and Cranberry Relish

This recipe appeared in our local newspaper, The Las Cruces Sun-News, at Thanksgiving time.

1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh orange juice
8 ounces fresh cranberries
1 tbl. orange zest
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the berries soften, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and chill. Best made in advance to let flavors blend.

Makes twelve 1/4 cup servings.

Beef Enchiladas

Beez found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. It's always a great success when he makes it for potlucks with our friends.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 (1.5 ounce) package dry enchilada sauce mix

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until beef is evenly browned and onion is tender.
2.	Prepare the enchilada sauce according to package directions. Pour 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3.	On each flour tortilla, place an equal portion of the ground beef mixture and about 1 ounce of Cheddar cheese, reserving at least 1/2 cup of cheese. Then tightly roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the baking dish.
4.	Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and olives.
5.	Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is thoroughly melted.