White Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 c Crisco
1/2 c butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour, split
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
6 oz white chocolate, chopped into chunks
3/4 cup chopped dried red tart cherries (a little more than half a 6 oz bag)
sliced almonds for garnish
fleur de sel for garnish

Cream fats and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla.  Reserve 2 Tbsp of flour and sift the rest with powder, soda, and salt.  Add dry ingredients to batter and mix just until combined.  Add oatmeal and mix just until combined.  Toss white chocolate chunks and chopped cherries in a small bowl with 2 Tbsp of flour until coated, then stir in flour, white chocolate, and cherries.  Scoop in 1 1/2 Tbsp balls, flatten a bit with damp fingertips and top with 5-6 sliced almonds and a few flakes of fleur de sel.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Mexican Chicken Pressure Cooker Casserole

2 1/2 cups prepared white, brown or green chile rice.
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 lbs of pressure cooker chili lime chicken, cooked with 1 4-oz can diced mild green chiles then shredded or chopped
1 cup of shredded cheese
toppings like:  diced avocado, lime squeeze, cilantro, sour cream, black olives or thick tortilla chips

In a casserole dish combine rice, beans, chicken and juices.  Top with shredded cheese and bake at 425 until cheese is melted, 5 minutes (You may need to bake longer if casserole is made-ahead and ingredients need to get hot  If so, cover with foil to prevent cheese from browning).

Green chile rice

1 Tbsp canola oil or rendered bacon fat
2 Tbsp finely diced white onion
1 cup long grain white rice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, heated to steaming
1/2 cup green salsa (I like Herdez salsa verde)
1/2 tsp salt, optional depending on saltiness of chicken stock
cilantro, washed and minced, for garnish
squeeze of lime, for garnish

Heat oil on med-high heat until shimmering.  Add onion and saute until translucent and soft.  Add rice and saute until rice turn white, stirring constantly to avoid sticking.  Add garlic and spices and saute briefly (until fragrant).  Pour in hot stock, salsa, and salt (if needed) and deglaze pan a bit.  Bring to a rolling boil, cover and reduce heat to low for 20-25 minutes.