2 pounds tripe

1 calfs foot

1 pound posole — frozen

1 large onion — chopped

3 cloves garlic

Dried mild red chile 1/2 tsp oregano

salt — to taste pepper — to taste

Cut the tripe into bite-sized pieces. Soften the chile in hot water. Remove the stem and seeds (if desired) and mince. Throw everything into the crock pot and cook all day.

Note: The calfs foot is to add additional richness to the broth. The calves feet I buy are big so I use only one. You can also use pigs feet or a marrow bone. Since all of these ingredients will not fit into my crock pot I make this in two days. On the first day I cook the bone/feet in water to cover. This makes the broth. I remove the bone/feet and strain the broth. You could easily throw a carrot and a few stalks of celery in for more flavor but this is not commonly done.

The second day I make the menudo. I like the tripe cut up into tiny pieces (real men like big chunks.) Often tripe is pre-cooked to some amount of doneness before you purchase it. It helps if you know how long it was cooked. If you don know, cook it all day on the low setting. You can use canned hominy if you wish.

I use a mild red chile and use a lot of it. It gives a nice color. Since my husband does like seeds I must be carful about picking them out. But many cooks just snap off the stem of the dried chile and grind the pod in a mortar.

Some people add coriander. Many people add some green chile

4 pork loin chops — about 5 oz. each

8 ounce pkg. mixed whole dried fruit — (1 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons orange marmalade

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

5 1/2 ounce can apricot nectar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Place pork in 3 1/2-4 quart crockpot. Layer dried fruit evenly over pork. Mix brown sugar, marmalade, vinegar, ginger and nectar; pour evenly over mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 6-7 hours or until pork is slightly pink when cut near bone. Remove pork and fruit from slow cooker with slotted spoon, cover and keep warm. Pour juice from slow cooker into 1 quart saucepan. Mix cornstarch and water; stir into juices in saucepan. Cook over High heat 4-6 minutes, stirring constatnly until thickened and bubbly. Serve with pork nad fruit. Serves 4. Per serving; 445 calories, 70 CFF, 8 g fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 145 mg sodium, 73 g carbohydrate, 25 g protein Diet Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 5 fruit Note: The large pieces of dried fruit hold up better than the diced fruit in the long cooking. Betty Crocker Casseroles and One-Dish Meals #142, p. 82 MC formatting by bobbi744@acd.net ICQ#2099532

3-4 lb venison chuck roast

2 Sliced onions

2 Bay leaves

12 Peppercorns

12 Juniper berries (if desired)

6 Whole cloves

1 1/2 c Red wine vinegar

1 c Boiling water

2 ts Salt

2 tb Shortening

12 Gingersnaps, crushed (3/4c)

2 ts Sugar

Place venison roast in a glass or earthenware bowl or baking dish with onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, berries, cloves, vinegar, boiling water, and salt. Cover tightly and refrigerate, turning venison twice a day for at least 3 days. Never pierce the meat when turning. Remove venison from marinade and reserve the marinade. Cook venison in the shortening in a heavy skillet until brown on all sides. Add the marinade mixture. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until venison is tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hrs. (Crockpot on high all day…. works) Remove venison and onions from skillet and keep warm. Strain and measure liquid in skillet. Add enough water to liquid to measure 2 1/2 cups. Pour liquid into skillet. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir gingersnaps and sugar into liquid. Cover and simmer 3 minutes. Serve venison with onions and gravy. Baked potatoes and Citrus salad are serve withs….