Chapter 5

Psycho Studios: The Sprinkler
Chapter Five
1.1.2024 / Happy New Year!
Editor – Mr. Z / Content
Research & Editor – Mr. W / Content

Psycho Studios is an independent Film/TV production company. A multimedia
platform with a podcast as well as this newsletter. Feel free to reach out to Psycho
Studios through their website / email.
Psycho Studios – Film/TV Production – Phoenix Arizona
Psycho Studios Podcast [Access on Spotify & our website]
Psycho Studios: The Sprinkler [Newsletter]
Phoenix Arizona
Email – psychostudios66@gmail.com
Website – psycho–studio.com. [Access to our audio only YouTube channel
available here.]
Instagram – psychostudios66
X [Formerly known as Twitter] - @Psychostud666

Forward
Mr Z. and me are a father & son team that started our production company about
two years ago. We are working on the next phase of the production company and
look forward to being involved in feature film making. We rolled out a podcast and
newsletter to give our audience a means to hear where we are headed and what we
are experiencing. The newsletter [The Sprinkler] is fun, informative and value add
for our psychos! We remind our audience that we leave politics at the door. We
want our energy to be positive and wellness based. Humor is in our DNA, along
with creativity and a thirst for good film, music and food. Our foundation is built
on the horror genre, with other genres in our repertoire too. We hope you will join
us monthly as we explore different ways to enrich our lives and have some fun with
exploring the human race.

We bring old school and contemporary to the table. Topics we explore on our
podcast will be front and center here as well. We will add practical value add life
skills to the newsletter to make it worth everyone’s while!
Mr. Z & I are authentic & lucid and we operate with the credos of “do unto others”
as well as “be cool to one another”.
We want to connect with people, and be present while we enjoy this journey. We
have embarked on something that is moving in a direction that affords us to display
our creativity and love for film & music.
We have a contrasting way in which we were brought into this world and our
perspectives meld in a way that is entertaining, rewarding and beneficial to those
that trust sage advice.
Come with us as we explore ways to live in the moment and appreciate all we have,
rather than what we have not.
Our goal is to move The Sprinkler to a subscription-based newsletter sometime in
2024. We are talking less than $10 per month for a 13-month subscription. The
banner below speaks to what the content will be in each chapter of our newsletter.
We are confident that if our subscribers follow our wellness &  practical life skills,
they will save hundreds to thousands annually and reduce stress! The 13-month
subscription will include a special holiday issue to include cocktail & food recipes,
guest writers regarding wellness. And a 13-month printable electronic calendar
comprised of original photography by Mr. Z. We will share an update about the
subscription when we are ready to roll it out.
Welcome psychos one and all! Happy New Year!

The Sprinkler
Film – Music – Autos – Some Sports – Wellness – Commentary – Headlines &
Practical Life Skills
This special holiday issue of The Sprinkler will have an abbreviated menu.
1.1.24
We have two film reviews.
Special guest writer for our Wellness section.
Brief commentary.
And 6.5 outstanding cocktail recipes from Mr. Z! Plus:

13 random recipes from our friends & Mr. Z & Mr. W.
Last but not least a free electronic/printable calendar. This is a 2024-2025 13-
month calendar. It really is more a work of art than “just” a calendar. It contains 13
original photographs from Mr. Z’s extensive collection!
Happy Holidays!

Film
We have two film reviews to close out the year:
Saltburn – Hard R / NC17/127 minutes
[Mr. Z will share his review of Saltburn in next month’s podcast]
Mr. W – 6.5
This is an Amazon/MGM production.
This film has had a great deal of buzz, which they say is always a good thing. The
two articles I read on this film singled out a couple of scenes and made them bigger
than the film. To each his own. Maybe those scenes were less shocking based on my
life experiences, regardless two scenes do not make a movie. There was also a great
deal of feedback about it being directed and written by a woman. Emerald Fennell
is very talented. I appreciate all women; I feel articles should celebrate the artist
and not their gender. As the little girl (Julia Butters) in Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood’s character (Trudy Frazer) states to Rick Dalton, “actress is non-
sensical”. They are actors – period.
This is a unique across the pond acting piece. British to the tenth power. The acting
is very good, from the smallest character to the main ones. It’s an eclectic ensemble
and one that folks in the U.K. are most likely very familiar with. The story is tried
and true – the poor and or reclusive wanting to be with the popular and rich.
There are a few nice twists and the movie is visceral and very well written. The
cinematography is beautiful! The scenes in question will be left out, for a number of
reasons. I will say those scenes were neither perverse or repellent. I truly loved how
real the movie felt and spoke.
There are a few lapses, but overall, the dialogue is spot on and smart! Shout out to
Amazon (MGM) studios for producing a film like this and not editing it!
This one is worth a watch! [No kiddos]
Eat the rich?!

Walden – R/102 minutes.
Mr. W – 6.5
This was distributed by Uncork’d Entertainment.
This was a little nugget I stumbled across in the wee hours the other night. It is a
small but delicious little film. It’s different, and has a real nice pace and tone to it.
The title character is played by Emile Hirsch. [Girl Next Door – Jay Sebring in
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood]
Emile is perfect in the role, and I would imagine we will see more and more of this
actor as time moves forward. Overall acting was very good, it is primarily an acting
piece of a thriller. There are some low spots with the acting as we move through all
the characters. There is a nice twist, which many will see coming. The story is cool,
and there are limited continuity issues. Solid cast. The pace does slow a little about
¾ of the way into the film. The so-called romance that blossoms is awkward and
we are left to allow it to simply fade into the ethernet. The ending is a bit corny and
or expected. It is one of those films where you go, “that was a nice flick” when the
closing credits roll. This is also worth a watch!

Commentary
This will be short & sweet. The country and the world continue to face
unprecedented challenges. We ask everyone to live in the moment, show &  share
gratitude and be cool to one another.
We wish all of our psychos a safe & happy holiday season and New Year!

Mr. Z and Mr. W see a 2024 with opportunity, creativity, positivity and gratitude!
2024 is going to be very special!
Cheers to an exceptional 2024 to all!

Closing
Thank you for taking the time to read the special holiday Chapter Five of Psycho
Studios “The Sprinkler.” We look forward to sharing great stories, ideas and
suggestions along with humor and insight! Future issues will be part of a monthly
subscription fee on or around Spring of 2024. For less than $10 per month you will
enjoy all our great topics and more specific practical life skills that will save you
easily 5-10x the subscription cost & reduce stress! Details will be available on our
website when we roll this piece out later in 2024.
Be safe and stay psycho! Happy New Year!
We would love to hear from our audience. Comments, feedback & suggestions are
welcome!
Email us at - psychostudios66@gmail.com
Reach us at our website - psycho-studio.com.
This is a work in progress and our podcast, newsletter and more can be accessed
through our website! We make announcements on Instagram and X! [when we
drop new content].
 
Mr. W ~ Mr. Z
Psycho Studios ~1.1.2024
2024 is going to rock!

Wellness Corner

Article by special guest writer: Christina B / 12.2023 The Sprinkler -

2023  Finding Inner Peace Is there a topic that you enjoy so much, that you could talk about it all day? Maybe friends or family members don’t relate to your love for the topic, but man, it just lights you up? That is what the human psyche and well-being are for me. I don’t have any degrees or certifications in this area. I simply find it fascinating. In my free time, I find myself listening to or reading anything that will improve my quality of life, specifically my overall well-being. Through the journey of self-discovery, I have come to know that my nature is to take information that I find valuable in my life and share it with others to enrich theirs. That is why I am sharing with you today. There is a common behavioral model used in psychology, called the Cognitive Behavioral Model. It suggests that there are 3 components that make up our emotional experience, including our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Our thoughts create our feelings, our feelings create our actions and our actions create our results. Studies have shown that our root beliefs and perceptions about ourselves and the world are formed from our experiences between the ages of 0 and 7. The reason for this, in short, is because our brain wave patter is different than what it is after the age of 7. Prior to turning 8, the brain is in more of a relaxed, meditative state, where the child is constantly learning. Have you ever heard the term “their brains are like sponges”? They are watching, observing and feeling their environment, without consciously creating their belief system. This is great if the root beliefs are supportive to living a happy, fulfilling life. What if some of those beliefs aren’t conducive to that? As far back as I can remember, I was an approval seeker. My fear of not being good enough, created an anxious child, seeking solace through the approval of others. This fear manifested in anywhere from studying frantically to cleaning my friends play room to receive praise from their mother. We kids get creative! I moved into adulthood, carrying this fear and anxiety into my relationships, including all 3 failed marriages. Although I had made attempts throughout my life to learn how to live differently, through Personal Development courses, it wasn’t until the 3rd divorce that I desperately took a look at my beliefs and whether they were serving me. Have you ever heard the Tony Robbins quote, “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change”? That is where I was. I married a man who was newly sober from heavy drug addiction. I was drawn to the spiritual and emotional connection that  we had, that I had never experienced with anyone else. I thought that would carry us through. Boy was I wrong. Two weeks after marriage, he relapsed. I naively thought I could just help him get sober and he could get back on track. The longer I spent with him, the more enveloped I became in his life of compulsively seeking relief through drugs. I can humbly admit, I had chosen to make resolving my spouse’s drug addiction more of a priority than mine and my son’s well-being. This was textbook co-dependent behavior. After several years of sleepless nights, bailing him out of financial situations (draining my savings), living on the defense to protect myself, I slowly lost myself. In my darkest moment, I prayed that my life would just end or I would have the courage to end it. Positive affirmations and prayer were not enough anymore. I had to get out. How did I do this? I started accepting my spouse’s behavior and the situation I got myself into. I started taking responsibility for my choices, including how I responded to my spouse’s behavior. I felt better when I responded with strength and with love, as I imagined Jesus would. As I practiced this, I started drawing boundaries and slowly started to take my power back. I found inner peace amidst the chaos and was able to gain clarity and strength to file for divorce. Contrary to what many of us have thought, acceptance does not mean we condone or agree with everything that happens. Instead, we stop arguing with reality and make peace with what is, creating space for positive action to be taken. Victor Frankl, a holocaust survivor, once said, “Between stimulus and response there is space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”. SUGGESTIONS 1. Make the commitment to taking responsibility for your inner peace, no longer giving your power away to others or situations. What others do or say is their responsibility. How you respond is yours. 2. Practice allowing space between the physical sensations you feel and your response. A. Pause B. Take a slow breath in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat this a few times. This will not only allow space for your response, but it also promotes relaxation. 

Video by Dr. Weil

Practice being the observer. - Observe what you are telling yourself and the physical sensations 4. Practice scheduled mindfulness meditation 5-10 minutes a day. It is ok if you feel uncomfortable while doing it, stick with it, practice makes progress.

Practice reframing your unhelpful thoughts

Cocktails – Mr. Z’s top 6.5
“Cocktails: the elixir of good times & great conversations!”
1-Whiskey sour 

The whiskey sour is a sour cocktail made with whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup**. It’s often
served with an egg white foam; in which case it’s sometimes called a Boston Sour. The earliest
mention of this classic cocktail was in the 1862 book The Bartender’s Guide: How to Mix Drinks
by Jerry Thomas, so it’s been around for centuries.
The ingredients for making a whiskey sour are simple. It’s the list of International Bartender
Association’s IBA official cocktails list, meaning it has an “official” definition. Here’s what you’ll
need for this classic sour cocktail:
 2 oz bourbon whiskey: as high quality as possible. (You can use any whiskey, but we prefer
the flavor of bourbon.)
 1 oz lemon juice
 ¾ to 1 oz simple syrup
 Orange or lemon peel and cocktail cherry, for garnish
Adjust the sweetness level in a whiskey sour to fit your tastes. A classic sour formula is 2:1:1,
which means 2 oz spirit, 1 oz citrus and 1 oz sweetener. We prefer a whiskey sour with ¾ oz
syrup, which lets the whiskey flavor shine. But if you prefer a sweeter cocktail, use up to 1 oz
syrup.

2-New York Sour

The New York Sour is a well-known variation on the whiskey sour that floats a layer of red wine
on top. It’s thought to have been invented by a bartender in the 1880’s in Chicago, earning the
name the Continental Sour. It was later picked up and made popular by a bartender in New York
City, hence its modern name. The first print mention of the drink with the name “New Your
Sour” was in the 1934 book, Mr. Boston’s Bartender Guide.
The whiskey sour is a classic cocktail that’s on the list of International Bartender
Association’s IBA official cocktails. Add a layer of wine and you’ve got this classic red wine
cocktail! The New York Sour ingredients are:
 2 oz bourbon whiskey
 1 oz lemon juice
 ¾ to 1 oz simple syrup or maple syrup
 1 oz red wine
Use a dry red wine like a Malbec, Pinot Noir, Grenache, or Rioja Tempranillo. The classic
whiskey sour is sometimes served with an egg white foam topping. We usually leave it off our New
York Sour, but it can add another beautiful layer and creamy body to the drink.

3-Moscow mule

ingredients
A Moscow mule is a classic cocktail invented in the 1940’s, made with vodka and ginger beer and
traditionally served in a copper mug. It’s part of a family of cocktails called bucks, which

are drinks made with liquor, ginger ale or ginger beer, and citrus juice. So, the drink is also known
as a vodka buck! The ingredients for a Moscow mule recipe are:
 2 oz vodka
 4 oz ginger beer
 ½ oz lime juice

4-Old Fashioned

ingredients
The Old Fashioned gets its name because it started as literally the cocktail. That’s right: the first
cocktail in existence! The definition of the word cocktail was first documented in 1806 in a New
York paper The Balance and Columbian Repository, calling it a “concoction of spirits, bitters,
water, and sugar,” essentially a recipe for an Old Fashioned. Once more cocktails came along in
the 1880’s, they needed a name for that original whiskey cocktail. The “Old Fashioned” was
born.
The ingredients in an Old Fashioned include:
 Bourbon or rye whiskey
 Sugar cube
 Water
 Angostura bitters
 Orange peel

5-Gin fizz

ingredients
The gin fizz is a classic cocktail made with gin, lemon, simple syrup and soda water. The first
printed recipe for a gin fizz was in an 1876 cocktail book, and the drink rose to mass popularity
starting in the 1900’s. It’s a textbook sour cocktail that includes citrus, liquor and sweetener. An
egg white is the magic behind that classic frothy foam topping.
For the sweetener for the gin Fizz, you can use either the standard simple syrup or maple syrup as
a natural sweetener. The gin fizz ingredients are:
 2 oz gin
 ¾ oz lemon juice
 ½ oz simple syrup
 1 egg white
 Soda water

6-White Russian

ingredients
This White Russian recipe is a three-ingredient drink that’s beyond simple to make. It’s one of
those cocktails you can build in the glass: no cocktail shaker or mixing glass required. The White
Russian ingredients are:
 2 ounces vodka
 1 ounce coffee liqueur (Kalua is tasty)
 1 ounce heavy cream

6.5-Boilermaker

ingredients
This last so-called cocktail comes from Mr. W. His family would consume these at most get
togethers and when they would hit the corner bar back in Wisconsin. It’s a simple but effective
drink. A working man or woman’s cocktail. Don’t forget to drop the filled shot glass into the beer
and pound it!
 1 ounce of your favorite whiskey [in a shot glass]
 1 glass of your favorite beer [leave room for the shot glass]
 Some like to salt the beer with just a dash

As the hard charging ‘80s band Ratt sang in their hit “Got me on the Line”
“Well cocktails for two, me and you”
Hand crafted cocktails are not as complicated as they sound. With a good basic bar set along with
some good spirits, ice and fresh garnish you & your guests will be grateful you took the time to
make these tasty beverages from scratch!
Remember to drink responsibly, and never drink & drive.
Cheers to the New Year!
Keep at the ready:
**Simple Syrup is called for in many cocktails. This can be purchased from your local spirits
store, by why? Simple syrup is one part water to one-part granulated sugar. Heat in small sauce
pan until sugar is dissolved. Keep in Mason type jar in the fridge.
We also suggest keeping fresh squeezed lemon juice on hand. This can be kept in a Mason type
jar as well in the fridge.
Mr. Z

Psycho Studios presents the 13 random recipes for the holidays.

These recipes were shared by various friends of ours and we are sharing with all of
you. Given the cost of dining out, not to mention a number of challenges beyond
just the cost of going to a restaurant; Mr. Z and Mr. W have shifted a few years ago
to cooking home fresh meals on a consistent basis. Mr. Z is our resident chef and
with his two newest cooking tools he received for the holidays, he is ready to take
his chef skills to a new level.
Thanks again to all who submitted a recipe!
Cheers to bringing in the New Year with some home cooking!

Recipe #1

Olivye Salad (Russian Potato Salad)
Submitted by: Irina Webster
Ingredients:
4-5 russet potatoes (boiled, peeled and cut into the small pieces)
6-7 eggs (boiled and cubed into very small pieces)
3-4 dill pickles (cubed into small pieces)

2 cups of finely chopped baloney (or cooked chicken, or ham)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 can of green peas (drained)
½ cup of shredded carrot (raw or cooked)
2 cups of mayo
Salt/pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Boil unpeeled potatoes in a large pot for 20-24 minutes. Once cooled, peel the
potatoes
2. Boil eggs for 10 minutes
3. Cube potatoes, eggs, pickles and baloney (or other type of meet) and add
everything in
the big bowl.
4. Chop onions into very small pieces and add to the bowl.
5. Grate carrot into the bowl
6. Add a can of green peas (drained).
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Add mayo (better to do right before serving)
9. Mix all the ingredients so that they are coated in mayo and serve.

Recipe #2

Submitted by: Dani Quintero

Butter Oat Crisp Cookies
Ingredients:
Cream 1 cup butter
½ cup of sugar
Blend in 1 cup flour
1 ½ cup of Oats
1 tsp Almond extract
Drop by teaspoon 2 inches apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Flatten with spoon dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool and
dust with powdered sugar and enjoy them

Recipe # 3
Submitted by Mr. & Mrs. Martin Ochoa

RED POSOLE
Ingredients:
● 6 ounces dried guajillo chile
● Salt, to taste
● 1 large (108-ounce, 6 lb. 12 oz, 3 kg) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
● 3 pounds pork shoulder (preferably with bone), cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes
(can also
use pork shanks), make sure to use a cut well marbled with fat
● 5 whole garlic cloves
● 2 small white onions (one for the soup, one for garnish)
● 3 bay leaves
● 3 tablespoons dry Mexican oregano
Garnishes (can prep while pozole is cooking):
● 1/2 small cabbage, thinly sliced
● 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
● 1/2 white onion, small dice
● 2 avocados, chopped
● 4 limes, quartered
● Totopos/tostada

Directions:
1. Fill a large stockpot with 5 quarts of water and the 3 bay leaves. Set on heat to
bring to a
boil while you proceed with the next steps.
2. Remove and discard the stems, seeds, and large veins from the chili pods. Heat a
cast iron
pan on medium high and heat the chili pods for a couple minutes, until they begin
to
soften. Do not let them burn. While the chilies are heating, bring a medium pot
with 3
cups of water to a simmer and remove from heat. Once the chiles have softened,
add the
chiles to the pot hot water and cover. Let the chiles soak in the hot water for 15 to
20
minutes.
3. Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan) in a
large
sauté pan on medium high heat. Pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels. Sprinkle
them
generously with salt. Working in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan or stir
the meat
much, brown the meat on all sides. Right at the end of browning the meat, let meat
cook for about
a minute.
4. Once the meat has browned, transfer it to the large stockpot of boiling water.
Scrape up
any browned bits at the bottom of the pan and add to the pot as well.
Prepare the red sauce:
In blender puree the chilies, 2 1/2 cups or so of their soaking liquid, salt to taste,
garlic,
oregano, and onion. If the soaking liquid is not enough add some of the pork water
to the chiles to help smooth it out. Depending on the size of your blender you
might to work in
batches.
Strain the red sauce through a sieve, discarding the tough bits of the sauce.
5. Add red chili sauce to the pot with the pork and hominy. Return to a simmer,
lower the
heat to just high enough to maintain a simmer, partially covered.

6. Cook for 2 to 3 hours until the pork is completely tender. Skim away excess fat.
Taste for
seasoning and add more salt & oregano to taste (you will likely need more
than you
expect.)
7. The resulting soup should be rather brothy, as you will be adding a lot of
garnishes so add
more water if necessary.
8. Assemble garnishes:
When getting ready to serve the pozole, you can prep the garnishes (slice the
cabbage,
chop the cilantro, etc.)
To serve, arrange the garnishes in bowls on the table and serve the pozole soup into
bowls. Let your guests pick and choose which garnishes they would like on their
pozole.
Serve with tostada shells (or tortilla chips for a large group).

Recipe # 4
Submitted by: Carolina Z

Fresh Guacamole
“This recipe is simple, fresh and beyond tasty!”
Ingredients:
Avocados 3-4 large
Juice of 1 lemon
1 red onion or white onion
1-2 fresh jalapenos (or a pepper of your choice dependent on heat level)
1 tomato – diced
Sea or Kosher salt to taste

Fresh ground pepper
Cumin – 1 tsp
Garlic powder to taste
Cilantro – a bundle

Directions:
A good masher and mashing bowl are helpful with this dish Even better: a mortar
& pestle is perfect for this and is widely available!
Peel and remove seed from avocados
Dice onion, jalapenos and tomato
Mash all veggies into bowl
Add seasonings to taste
Sprinkle finished guacamole with lemon juice for zest and to keep fresh
Use tortilla chips, pita chips or use as a topping for burritos, tacos and the like.
Enjoy this amazingly fresh & tasty treat!

Recipe # 5
Submitted by Mr. Z

Stuffed French Toast – Very Special
Ingredients:
 10 bread slices brioche, challah or French bread
 1 cup milk
 5 eggs
 1 tbsp vanilla extract
 1/2 tsp cinnamon
 1/2 cup sugar

 8 oz cream cheese softened
 1 cup fresh blueberries
 1 tbsp unsalted butter for frying
Directions:
Prepare all ingredients. Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk eggs with milk, cinnamon and half of the vanilla
extract.
In a small bowl, whip cream cheese together with sugar and the remaining vanilla
extract. Add fresh blueberries into the cream mixture and stir to combine.
Scoop up a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture and spread it onto one of the
bread slices. Sandwich another slice of bread on top. Carefully dip both sides of
toast into the egg mixture.
On low heat, preheat a skillet with a tablespoon of butter. Place the assembled
Stuffed French Toast and fry until golden brown, then flip over and repeat.
Serve your Stuffed French Toast with some fresh berries and powdered sugar.

Recipe #6
Submitted by Bex

Easy Birria Tacos
Ingredients:
2 tubes of Cacique Beef Chorizo
1 Chuck Roast
1 yellow onion quartered
16 oz Chicken Broth
1 Bunch Cilantro
4 Limes
1 pack of corn tortillas

1 pack of mozzarella cheese
Directions:
To start the Birria, place the chuck roast in a crock pot on low and place the two
tubes of chorizo
on top.
Put in the quartered onion.
Pour in the chicken broth and set a timer for 8 hours.
Once the meat has cooked it should break apart easily and the chorizo is part of the
consume.
Separate the meat and consume, add the meat to a bowl to prepare the tacos.
Leave
consume.in crock pot on warm while making tortillas.
Place a teaspoon of vegetable oil on a pan with medium heat.
Take the corn tortillas and dip them in the consume and then place into the pan
and lightly fry on
both sides. Next add meat and mozzarella cheese to the fried tortilla. Fold into taco
and fry until
crispy on both sides. Repeat.
Serve with chopped fresh cilantro, sliced limes and a cup of hot consume. Enjoy!

Recipe #7
Submitted by Mr. W

Polish Apple Pancakes
Ingredients:
 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
 1 Tbsp sugar
+ 2 tsp active dry yeast
 1/4 tsp salt

 1 ½ cup milk, warmed to 80-90⁰F
 2 eggs, lightly beaten
 1 Tbsp unsalted salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
 2 large apples, (Granny Smith – or your preference)
 ½ c canola oil
 Powdered sugar; dust right before serving

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the warm
milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix until the mixture is moistened; your
batter will be thick. Cover the batter and place it in a warm, draft-free
place to rise for 1 - 1 ½ hours.
2. Near the end of the rising time, peel, core, and dice the apples. Once the
dough has risen, mix in the diced apples.
3. Add enough oil to barely coat the bottom of 12” sauté pan (roughly 1 ½
- 2 Tbsp. Heat the oil over medium high heat, until the oil sizzles when
small bit of batter dropped in. Drop the batter by large spoonful into the
hot oil, spreading it out as thin as possible with the thick chunks of apples
until you have a roughly 3-inch pancake. Fry the pancakes for 2-3
minutes over medium-to-medium high heat, until the bottom is golden
and the top is just starting to dry out. Then, flip the pancakes and cook
on the second side for 2-3 minutes, until golden. Remove the pancakes
from the pan to a paper towel lined plate.
4. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, adding more oil as
necessary. (You can keep the finished pancakes on a plate in a 200⁰F
oven to stay warm while you cook the rest. The pancakes are best crisp
and fresh from the pan.
5. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Mr. W’s anecdote: His grandmother used to make these when he was a kid. She
would stand at the stove and make plate after plate. The pancake’s irregular shape
and crispy edges were a symphony to one’s palette. She used spoiled milk and said
it was a secret ingredient. She also used old school lard from the big blue tub. Mr.
W ate these amazingly delectable pancakes with raspberry preserves. No syrup to
cover the subtle flavors released by these scratch pancakes.

Recipe #8
Submitted by Mike Martinez

Pancetta Mac &Cheese
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound rotini macaroni [or whatever noodle type you prefer]
1 - cup diced pancetta
1- quart whole milk [or 2%]
1 stick unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
Ground black pepper to taste
3-4 fresh tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
*Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook ziti
until al dente. Strain and rinse in cool water. In a sauté pan over medium-high
heat, cook pancetta [cubed] until it is crispy and the fat has rendered. In the same
pan, add all of the cheeses, butter, milk, flour; whisk until blended. Season with salt
and pepper, to taste. Slowly add the cooked rotini to the cheese mixture, stirring
gently. Transfer the rotini and cheese mixture to a large baking dish or cast-iron
skillet. Top off with more cheese and the bread crumbs. Top with pancetta and an

extra sprinkle of black pepper. Bake for 24 to 30 minutes. Layer with tomato slices.

Recipe #9
Submitted by Jessica Gaston –

Betty Crocker Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients:
Sweet Roll Dough
1 package reg or quick acting active dry yeast
1/2 C warm water
1/2 C lukewarm milk
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C shortening or butter softened
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/2 - 4 C all-purpose flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, shortening, salt, egg and flour and
beat until smooth. Stir in enough flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn onto
lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 mins. Place in
greased 2 1/2 qt bowl, turn greased side up, cover and let rise until doubled: about
1 1/2 hrs.  
Cinnamon Rolls
1/2 recipe Sweet Roll Dough above
2 Tablespoons butter softened
1/4 C sugar
2 tsps. Cinnamon
Instructions:
Roll dough into rectangle, 15x9 inches, spread with butter. Mix sugar and
cinnamon and sprinkle over rectangle. Roll up, beginning at wide side. Pinch edge
of dough into roll to seal well and stretch roll to make even. Cut into 15 slices and

place slightly apart in greased baking pan, 13x9x2. Let rise until doubled and bake
25 to 30 minutes. 
While warm, frost with easy icing: 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp water. Blend all ingredients and add water to make easy to
spread.  Enjoy with a cold glass of milk or a good old cup of Joe!

Recipe # 10
Submitted by Stephanie Hernandez

Green Pozole
Ingredients:
50oz hominy (yield 1 cup)
2lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 onion
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
Salt (to taste)
1 chicken bouillon (cube of caldo de pollo)
3 jalapeño peppers
2 Anaheim peppers
8 tomatillos
1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Toppings are optional when serving:
Sliced radishes
Diced onion
Diced serrano peppers
Shredded cabbage
Lime wedges (squeeze limes to add juice)

Instructions:
Boil the chicken with 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, and add salt about 1
1/2 tablespoons (salt does not have to be exact) - boil for 30-35 minutes; trim the
foam from top of the pot when finished boiling and remove the onion, bay leaves
and garlic cloves; remove the chicken from pot (do not pour out the water);
set chicken aside to cool and then shred the chicken once it is cool enough
* Use the water that the chicken was boiled in for your broth ; typically if you use a
big enough pot, you can leave the broth in the pot and all of the ingredients
(shredded chicken, hominy and salsa) can be placed back in the same pot
Make the salsa:
Clean the tomatillos, put them to boil about 10 minutes or until they turn yellowish
Roast the jalapeños and Anaheim peppers on all sides, turning them occasionally;
once the peppers are roasted you will see them charred, put them directly into a
plastic Ziplock or grocery bag to sweat until they are soft about 5-7 minutes ; once
the peppers are soft, start peeling all the charred skin off, take out seeds from the
peppers. For a spicier taste leave some seeds in the jalapeños
In a blender add, the boiled tomatillos, 2 cups of cooled water used from the boiled
tomatillos, the peeled peppers, cilantro, 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves, chicken bouillon,
cumin, oregano, black pepper, the 1 cup yielded hominy; mix until well blended
In a sauce pan, heat olive oil, use a strainer to add the blended salsa into the pan.
Bring to a simmer (taste the salsa to determine if you need to add some salt, using
salt is optional)
Bring it all together:
In the pot of broth add the hominy and bring to a slight boil (this can be done
while working on blending and straining the salsa)
Once the salsa is at a simmer, continue adding shredded chicken to the pot of
hominy, transfer the simmered salsa to the pot; bring everything in the pot to a low
heat for about 20 minutes to allow all the flavors to come together
After 20 minutes, serve and use any toppings you prefer.

Recipe # 11
Submitted by C. Shelby

PIRATES GUMBO
Ingredients:
2/3 cup oil or bacon drippings
1 cup flour
3 large onions, chopped
3ribs celery, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ large bell pepper, chopped
2 quarts water
3 bay leaves
Tabasco
Salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce
2-3 pounds of okra, cut
2 cans (8-ounce size) tomato sauce
1 dozen raw crabs, cleaned
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
3 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pounds crab meat
Oysters (if you want)
Instructions:
In a large skillet make the roux using oil and flour. Cook until roux is a chocolate
brown color. Add
chopped vegetables and stir until wilted. Transfer to a large combo pot (not iron, as
iron will make the
okra turn black and that would be gross). Add water and bring to a boil. Add
seasonings, including the
okra and tomato sauce. Boil for approximately 1 hour. Next add crabs and shrimp
(but add shrimp 10

minutes after the crabs), green onions, and parsley. Continue boiling everything for
15 to 20 more
minutes. Just before serving add crab meat and oysters. Serve over hot fluffy rice, (I
find Cajun rice in
the box works great!), in gumbo bowels. Bon Appetit!

Recipe #12
Submitted by Mr. W

Caviar Baked Potato
Ingredients:
2 good size potatoes [Idaho or Russet work well]
1 small jar of caviar [We prefer black roe – it’s up to you]
Unsalted butter
Sour cream
Kosher salt
Chives [finely chopped]
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Wash and completely dry potatoes
Bake potatoes in oven [no foil] for about an hour [Can speed this up by
microwaving for part of the time]
Remove potatoes from oven, and cut in half
Fork the potato on both sides
Add unsalted butter to taste
Dash of Kosher salt
Dollop of sour cream

Add caviar – to your liking
Sprinkle with chives
Enjoy! This rich meal is unique – give it a try!

Recipe #13
Submitted by Ali Kmet

Cream Cheese Pound Cake [Frozen?]
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened [+ ¼ cup for topping]
1 cup margarine, softened
1-8 oz package cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped nuts [your choice]
Powdered sugar for dusting
Shortening or cooking spray for pan
Instructions:
Cream butter and margarine until smooth. Add sugar and cream (mix) well. Add
cream cheese and cream (mix) well. Alternate eggs and flour until thoroughly
mixed. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice. Pour into greased and floured tube
pan. Bake for 1.5 hours at 300 degrees. Sift powdered sugar over cake. Topping:
1/4 cup butter – melted. 1/3 cup packed brown sugar. 1/2 cup coarse chopped
nuts. Mix topping ingredients together and pour over top. “We always eat this
frozen!”

Ali’s anecdote: “Back when my great grandma made it, she kept it in the freezer and the kids

didn’t want to wait for it to thaw so they ate it frozen. They liked it! Ever since, we always have

frozen pound cake for holidays.”

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” George Bernard Shaw

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Happy New Year!

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