March Madness Party Mix

Ingredients:

3 cups corn chex
3 cups rice chex
2 cups whole wheat chex
2 cups mixed nuts or just peanuts or almonds or walnuts or pecans or any nuts you like!
2 cups bite-size pretzels, everything is optional here of course, i like pretzels in the mix, some do not!
2 cups garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular bagel chips, again optional
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter, melted
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional of course but creates an addictive flavor
2 teaspoons seasoned salt, Himalayan salt or just regular salt, and some ground pepper if you like.
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon hungarian paprika, (i use the hot kind)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, mix everything up, the chex, mixed nuts, pretzels and bagel chips. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a bowl and mix in the worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder and a good pinch of pepper. Pour the butter over the cereal mixture, tossing well for 3-5 minutes or until the cereal mixture is evenly coated.
4. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes (or just start eating! becareful, it is hard to stop once you start!). Store in airtight container, great for gifts and snacking.

Zucchini Pancakes

 Ingredients:

2-3 medium zucchini
1/4 cup grated red onion
2 large eggs, tightly beaten
6 to 8 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
salt and pepper to taste
Unsalted butter and vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Grate zucchini into a bowl, stir in onion and eggs. Add 6 tablespoons flour, add the baking powder, salt and pepper.  (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the remaining flour to thicken.)

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 teaspoon of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of oil together in the pan.  When the butter is hot, but not smoking, lower the heat and drop a heaping spoon of batter into the pan.  Cook the pancakes about 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned.  Place the pancakes on a on wired rack on sheet pan and keep warm in the oven.  Add more butter and oil and continue making pancakes until all the batter is used.  The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30-45 minutes.  Serve them hot with some cucumber yogurt sauce or tzatziki sauce.

Super Bowl Party Food!

Spicy Cheesy Wafers

No one will believe you made these! and they are so easy to make:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, soft
splash of Worcestershire sauce
2-3 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning (to taste, use other spices if no Old Bay)
salt and pepper
1/2 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, get a block and shred it-always better than pre-shredded!
1/4 to 1/2 a cup crushed pecans, other nuts can be substituted but I prefer pecans.

Blend flour and butter in a bowl, mix in Worcestershire sauce and seasonings and cheese.  Form into 1-inch diameter rolls.  Wrap and chill at least 1 hour, slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.

Top slices with pecan pieces on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until wafers start to brown around the edges.  Remove and cool on towel or cooling rack.  This recipe made around 2 dozen for me.  Enjoy!

Hot n Cheesy Crab Dip

 I have used cheddar, pepper-jack, gruyere, velveeta cheese and also a mixture depending what is on hand.

Ingredients:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces Sour Cream
8 ounces shredded cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
a splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 pound crab meat, picked clean
additional cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 375
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the crab meat and the cheese for topping.
Fold in the crabmeat
Put mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes, sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 more minutes.

Serve with an assortment of crackers, veggie sticks, chips, etc... 

SuperShrimpBowl Dip!

 A quick dip you can put together for the Superbowl or any occasion!

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked shrimp
1/4 cup catsup or sub sriracha
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
some minced onion and/or green onion
splash some Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
shake some OLD BAY seasoning in
*I also like to add horseradish, but this is optional

Easy preparation, just cream the cheese and catsup and add all the ingredients and mix well.

Serve with crackers, potato chips, veggie sticks, etc..

30 Cheese Souffle

 Ingredients:

8 large eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup Sour Cream
some milk
salt/pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
splash some Tabasco or your flavor hot sauce
a dab of some butter
grate Cheese, maybe cheddar
more grated cheese, say Gruyere
even more cheese, try some Muenster
what, more cheese?  try new flavors or stick to these 3 staples

Get a nice souffle dish that will hold this concoction.

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350

Blend together, the Eggs, Sour Cream, and Milk, then add the pepper, mustard, nutmeg and Tabasco.
Brush the butter inside the souffle dish good, then layer the cheese in the and pour the egg mixture gently over the top of all the cheese, leaving about 3/4 inch of spae at the top to prevent spillage.

Place the dish in the pre-heated oven, then pour the remaining mixture to fill to the very top of the dish.

Bake for 50 ish minutes or until the souffle is golden brown and puffs up like a dragon, or a balloon, usually about 2-3 inches above the rim.

Cheese, Eggs & Spice, 3 simple things that can create quite this delight!  Enjoy!

Mushroom and Onion Muffs

 INGREDIENTS:

6 cups of almond flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp of baking soda
¼ cup of Olive oil
1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
1 large red Onion
1 ½ cups of mixed mushrooms of your choice, the wilder the better
(2 Eggs, optional)
Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Start by sautéing onions in the pan with olive oil. Then add the mushrooms. Sautee for about 15 minutes.

In a bowl add all of your dry ingredients together. If your using eggs, add your eggs in and mix together.

Then pour in your onions and mushrooms and stir. All ingredients should be added and stirred together. 

Simply use your hands and make big balls of muffins to put into your muffin container. Once all the muffins are ready to go place them in the 350 degree preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. 

Salt and Pepper Shrimp with NOLA BBQ sauce

Salt and Pepper Gulf Shrimp

Salt and Pepper Gulf Shrimp Ingredients

·        8 head-on shrimp (body peeled)

·        1/2 cup corn starch

·        1/2 cup flour

·        2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

·        1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·        2 green onions (sliced thin)

·        16 ounces corn oil

·        6 ounces of NOLA BBQ Sauce

Directions:

1.     Combine flour, salt and corn starch. Toss shrimp in flour mixture. Heat oil in heavy sauce pot to 350 degrees. Fry shrimp in oil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and allow to drain on dry paper towel. Toss cooked shrimp with cayenne, garlic, green onions and white barbecue sauce.

Sauce Ingredients

·        NOLA BBQ Sauce

·        6 ounces white Worcestershire sauce

·        16 ounces Abita SOS beer, or another similar wheat pilsner

·        1 ounce hot sauce

·        2 cloves garlic (minced)

·        1 ounce rosemary (chopped fine)

·        4 ounces heavy cream

·        4 ounces butter

·        1 tablespoon black pepper

·        1/2 ounce oil

·        Salt to taste

Sauce Directions

1.     Heat oil in sauce pan, on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add beer, allow to reduce by 1/2. Add Worcestershire, cream and hot sauce. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Slowly stir in the butter then add rosemary and pepper. Season with salt to taste.

Recipe credit: Chef Christopher Lusk, Café Adelaide, Louisiana chef, 2010 Great American Seafood Cook-off.

Mock-Souffle

This super easy main dish looks and tastes just like a souffle, but it's so easy to make.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes

EASY CHEESE SOUFFLE

Ingredients:
• 8 slices white bread, buttered and cubed
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 5 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• dash white pepper
Preparation:
In 2-1/2 quart greased souffle dish, place half of the bread cubes and top with half of the Cheddar cheese and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan. Repeat layers, using the rest of the Cheddar cheese and 2 more Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese, and press down gently so all of the food fits within the dish.
In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients except for the remaining 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese, and beat well with wire whisk or eggbeater. Pour this mixture over bread and cheese in souffle dish. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the dish and sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or the souffle is puffed and golden brown and until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve immediately. 6 servings

3 cheese souffle

Three-Cheese Soufflé Recipe
Servings: Makes 1 souffle (serves 4) Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes
Recipe by Jim Tuttle of Mount Dora Historic Inn
Ingredients:
7 large eggs
4 ounces sour cream
1/3 cup whole milk
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon Tabasco (or other hot sauce)
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 ounce grated cheddar cheese
1 ounce grated muenster cheese
1 ounce grated gruyere cheese
equipment needed: one medium soufflé dish (holds approximately 22 ounces, for Williams Sonoma brand, it's the #4 size)
Directions:
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Using an electric blender, blend together the eggs, sour cream and milk for 30 seconds. Blend in the black pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg and Tabasco.
Brush the butter all over the inside of the soufflé dish. Layer the cheese in the soufflé dish, then pour the egg mixture gently over the top. Leaving 1-inch of space at the top to prevent spillage as you carry it to the oven.
Place the soufflé dish in the oven, then carefully pour the remaining egg mixture to fill to the tippy top of the dish.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes—the soufflé will be golden brown, puffy like a balloon, and will have risen up to three inches above the ramekin.
Basically, shredded cheese goes into the bottom of the souffle dish, eggs are cracked into a mixing bowl, beaten. Then spices are added to the mixture and beaten one more time. Pour that egg mixture into the souffle dish and bake!

Wrightsville Beach Oyster Stew ◾1 cup (2 sticks) butter ◾4 small onions, chopped ◾1 bunch celery, chopped ◾8 ounces sliced mushrooms ◾¼ teaspoon minced fresh garlic ◾1½ cups all-purpose flour ◾1 (2-ounce) jar pimientos ◾1½ teaspoons thyme ◾1½ teaspoons pepper ◾1¼ teaspoons salt ◾8 cups milk ◾8 cups heavy cream ◾1 gallon shucked oysters with oyster liquor Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic, and sauté until tender. Reduce heat to low. Add flour, undrained pimientos, thyme, pepper, and salt. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk, cream, and undrained oysters. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the edges of the oysters curl. Do not boil. Ladle into soup bowls. Yields 10 to 12 servings.

Turkey Pot Pie (watchin calories)

In an effort to still have "comfort" food and still watch calories, I made a Turkey Pot Pie and it was delicious:

Turkey Pot Pie

2 cups Roasted Turkey Breast 352 calories
1 can Cream of Celery Soup 181 (1 cup)
1/2 cup skim milk 45 cal
1 medium Yukon Gold potato (diced) 100 cal
1 small Vidalia Onion (diced) 60 cal
1/2 cup green peas frozen 62 cal
3/4 Pillsbury Pie Crust (1 piece) 600 cal

Mix ingredients together, place in casserole sprayed with Pam. Top with pie crust to cover top of pie.

Place slits in pie crust.

Bake at 350 until crust is crispy brown.

Divide into four servings.........about 350 calories each.

St. Patrick Day Corned Beef n Cabbage

On March 16th every year, fill the bottom of your crockpot insert with onions, carrots and celery.
2 onions,
4 ribs of celery
4 carrots
In large chunks
Take your brisket out of packaging. Salt, pepper, and garlic, rubbing all over. Cut in half if necessary to fit in crockpot. Put on top of vegetables. Take the seasoning packet that came with the brisket plus two bay leaves and put over the top of the brisket. Then add about 1 and a half bottles of Killian's beer. (Or closest kind on sale at FL that week-Killian's was $9.59/12)

Put top on and leave in refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, put insert in crockpot and turn on Low. Go to work and relax. The house is not burning down. You can go home and check at lunch or call Webb and he will do it. (ha)

When you get home at 5:00 or so, cut up potatoes (or use small red ones), put in with meat and turn on High. Let those cook a while, then add cabbage on top to get it "steamed". Depending on how you like your cabbage can take from 15-30 mins.

Broccoli & Sundried Tomato Cornbread

1 package of Jiffy cornbread mix
4 eggs
half stick (4 tbsp) melted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup sundried or oven dried tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups of fresh steamed broccoli florets, chopped (10 oz. frozen chopped broccoli can be substituted)
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
Butter and grease a loaf pan (or line with parchment paper....easier), and spoon batter into pan.
Bake 40 minutes at 400
serve warm but also good the next day and the next!

Sunny Skillet Breakfast

Ingredients

• 3 (8-oz.) baking potatoes, peeled and shredded (about 3 cups firmly packed)*
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place shredded potatoes in a large bowl; add cold water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes; drain and pat dry.

2. Melt butter with oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in shredded potatoes and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or until potatoes are golden and tender.

3. Remove from heat. Make 6 indentations in potato mixture, using back of a spoon. Break 1 egg into each indentation. Sprinkle eggs with pepper and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.

4. Bake at 350° for 12 to 14 minutes or until eggs are set. Serve immediately.

*3 cups firmly packed frozen shredded potatoes may be substituted, omitting Step 1.

Veggie Confetti Frittata: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2, sautéing 1/2 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms with bell peppers and onion. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 cup sliced ripe black olives, drained, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained. Whisk together eggs, pepper, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt; whisk in 1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in skillet. Bake at 350° for 9 to 10 minutes or until set. Cut into wedges, and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings. Prep: 20 min., Stand: 5 min., Cook: 16 min., Bake: 10 min.

Fig Preserves

Old fashioned recipe for fig preserves.

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds figs, peeled or unpeeled
• 6 pounds sugar
• 3 lemons, very thinly sliced, seeds removed

Preparation:

Wash, drain and stem figs. Pour sugar over figs and let sit overnight. Cook over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved; reduce to low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add lemon slices. Cover and cook until figs are transparent and the syrup is thick, 2-3 hours. Remove from heat, pack in hot, sterilized jars and seal according to manufacturers directions.
Makes 5 to 6 pints

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage

CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE

Ingredients: Large beef brisket, corned Dozen or more small onions, peeled 2 pounds of potatoes, at least One head of cabbage, cut into large wedges Some water

Condiments: Hot mustard Horseradish

“Cover half the onions and the brisket with water in a large pot with a steady lid; put the pot on the back of the stove and simmer slowly for several hours. When the meat is penetrable by a dull fork in the hand of a weak small child, then your work is nearly done. Put the brisket on a warm platter and boil the cabbage wedges in the pot liquid 15 minutes. At the same time, boil the potatoes and the rest of the onions in a separate pot of water, 10 minutes or so. Add the onions and potatoes to the platter, and serve all with a glasheen of stout or whiskey. You’ll have a noisy party soon enough.

"“Corned beef and cabbage is a dish with roots in New England, rather than in Ireland. Imagine if you can the amazement of the American cousins when they visit the ould sod and discover that no one there has much opinion of corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day. Still, it is a grand dish if eaten once a year on the Seventeenth of March, particularly if stout and whiskey are served." ~ Martin Finnucane

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

EASY BLACKBERRY COBBLER

3 c. blackberries 3/4 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
1/4 lb. butter

Melt butter in 8 x 8 pan.

Mix blackberries and 3/4 cup sugar.

Mix flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and milk.

Pour mixture into melted butter; spread evenly.

Pour berry mixture on top.

Cake should cover the berries and be golden brown when done.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

Serve warm with milk on top or ice cream.

Payday Extravaganza aka Splurging

Standing Rib Roast
with YORKSHIRE PUDDING
compliments of Jake Horowitz, Thanks Jake!
If the English can do this, you can, too.
Important. Read the label to determine the weight of the roast. Multiply the weight by 17 minutes for rare, 19 minutes for medium rare, 21 minutes for medium, and so forth. 28 minutes for well done. (Some very agreeable people overcook their roast beef . Just fancy.) Weight x Minutes = Total Time in Oven. Pre-heat the oven to 550 F. Wipe the roast with a damp cloth, and dust with salt and handmilled pepper. Set roast, bone side down, in a roasting pan. Put the roast in the hot oven and start the clock. After fifteen minutes, turn down the thermostat to 300 F. Do not open the oven door to have a little peek. There’s not much to see, and you’ll spoil the effect of the oven gradually cooling to 300 – it should not happen all at once. For the last ten minutes, raise oven temp to 450 F. At the end of allotted time, take the temperature of the thickest part of the roast: 140 for rare, 150 for medium rare, 160m for medium, 170 for medium. Or don’t take the temperature (living on the edge). You’re not done yet. Remove roast to a warm platter, cover with foil tent for 25 minutes before carving. Do not touch it with a knife for twenty-five minutes.

While you wait, your 450 F. oven is ready to bake Yorkshire Pudding: make a batter of 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, pinch salt. Put 1/2 cup pan drippings from the roast in a baking pan; or use the roasting pan if it’s not too big. Pour the batter over the drippings and bake 25 minutes at 450 F. It will become big and brown, and will oddly resemble a mammoth pop-over. Cut the Yorkshire pudding into large pieces and serve with the roast; horse radish, roasted Brussells sprouts and potatoes and shallots, and a pint of bitter are recommended. Have a good time.

SPAM & Pineapple Love

1 can SPAM

1 small can pineapple slices

(better in syrup, but own juice healthier)

Whole cloves

Slice Spam loaf into serving slices, not cutting all the way through. On each slice put in whole cloves across the top. Place a pineapple slice between each slice. Pour pineapple juice over loaf and bake. 350 for about 20 minutes.

Remove cloves and serve.

RECESSION MENU ALERT!

In these hard times of high living costs the recipes being featured will hopefully help you get creative in the kitchen with cheap grocery items that you may have never experienced! ENJOY!

Recession Menu Salmon Cakes

1 can salmon, drained

1 small onion grated

1 small potato grated

1/2 cup red pepper chopped

2 eggs

1/4 cup Panko crumbs

salt pepper garlic powder to taste

2 T. Old Bay Seasoning
fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice

Mix all ingredients and chill in refrigerator for an hour or better over night to reduce liquid. When ready to prepare, form a ball and squeeze out any liquid then form into patty and dredge in Panko crumbs. Place in skillet with olive oil over medium high heat. Let brown completely on one side. Turn one time. Serve with cocktail sauce: 1/2 cup catsup, lemon/lime juice and horseradish to desired "heat".

Good served with quick slaw.

2 cups cabbage shredded

(red works well too for a change)

1/2 onion grated

salt

pepper

Packet of Splenda

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix and chill. Can also add celery seed.

Recession Menu Tuna Casserole

Everyone remembers the old Tuna noodle casserole that saved all our budgets as young wives. A can of tuna, a can of soup, some peas, some noodles and leftover potato chips for the topping! For some reason it all worked. We get those old cravings some times, but thankfully we've been able to up the ante a little bit and make it a little more healthy and a little more interesting.

REVISED Glen Lennox Tuna Casserole

1 Cup Noodles of choice (New whole grain make it a little

healthier)

2 T Butter (Smart Balance)

3 T Flour

1/2-3/4 cup skim milk

1 large can chunk white tuna in water (2 "packets")

1 cup green peas

1 cup Gruyere cheese grated

Topping of choice

Cook noodles according to directions, place in colander. In pot met butter and stir in flour to make "paste" and just enough to cook flour to remove "raw" taste. Add milk and bring to thickened consistency. Add tuna, noodles, peas that are just run under some hot water in colander. When mixed thoroughly, add cheese until it melts. You can actually serve this like this or you can put in casserole dish, top with some crushed cracker crumbs, or French onion rings, and a little more cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven just to melt and brown the cheese on top.

Serve with arugula salad and viola! dinner!

Leftovers are even great chilled!

Stuffed Chicken Breast and Couscous

4 split chicken breasts with skin
1 small pkg. goat cheese "log"
8-10 fresh basil leaves, or rosemary or cilantro or a combination of your choice!
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Slide fingers under skin of chicken to loosen.
Season breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder.
Slice goat cheese into little rounds
Put two under skin of chicken (depending on size of split breasts. If smaller, just put one "round")
On top of the cheese spread fresh herb leaves over cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 45-55 mins until brown.

Couscous

1 1/4 cup water
1 cup Couscous
2-3 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
salt pepper

Bring water, bay leaves, salt, pepper, cinnamon to boil.
Stir in Couscous, cover and remove from heat.
Can also use broth instead of water for more flavor.