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IMATATION CRAB CAKES
3 slices of good bread
1 large stick of celery
1/4 of a medium sized sweet onion
1 pound package of imitation crab meat
1 6-oz. can drained crabmeat
1 4-oz can of mild chopped green chiles
2 large eggs
Dill weed
1Tbsp. sugar
Salt and pepper
2 or 3 shakes of Tabasco or Cajun Sunshine
Breadcrumbs
In the food processor, crumb the bread slices. Then mix all ingredients well and add enough mayonnaise to hold the mixture together. Sorry I don't have a measurement but I do it in increments. Add a scoop of mayo, mix it in and then usually at least one more. Too much and you can't make patties. Then make a patty, press into any commercial seasoned breadcrumbs, coat well and fry in about 1/4 inch of hot peanut oil. They are kind of fragile so they need gentle handling. If you try to turn them and they bend, don't, flip them until you're sure they are crispy and golden on the bottom, then they will turn easily. Fry over medium heat until they are golden on both sides and hold together. Drain on paper towels and serve with fresh lemon wedges. They really are amazingly good. Don't leave out the sugar, it's important.
PECAN SHORTBREAD
2 cups flour, sifted
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup pecans finely chopped
Combine flour, butter and 3/4 cup of the confectioner's sugar together and blend with a mixer, add extracts, salt and pecans and continue mixing until a dough forms. Shape dough into one-inch balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minute or until lightly brown. Dust with the remaining 1/4 cup of confectioner's sugar when cooled.
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE MUFFINS
Ingredients:
1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup strawberry jam
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together egg milk, brown sugar, butter, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
4. Spoon half of batter into muffin cups. Top each portion with 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture and 1 teaspoon jam. Spoon remaining muffin batter on top.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove muffins and cool on rack. Store in airtight container.
SUGAR-FREE BANANA YOGURT PIE
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 frozen bananas, peeled and chopped
1 cup evaporated low-fat milk, chilled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 banana, finely sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions:
1.Combine the rolled oats, dates, vanilla extract and orange juice in a blender and blend for 3 minutes until mixture sticks together. Press the mixture thinly around the sides and base of a 9 inch pie dish and refrigerate.
2.Pour boiling water over gelatine, stir to dissolve, and set to cool.
3.Place frozen bananas in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add milk and blend for 3-4 minutes. Add extra vanilla and yogurt and mix well. Add dissolved gelatine and water. Pour mixture into the base of the pie dish and refrigerate until firm.
4.Soak the extra banana in the lemon juice, slice and place on top of pie. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.
COQ au VIN
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
10 chicken thighs (or cut of choice)
1/2 cup leg ham, chopped
1 cup small button mushrooms
2 cups red wine
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Heat oil in a large pan. Cook onion until softened. Add garlic and chicken. Cook chicken until lightly browned on all sides. Remove chicken from pan, set aside. Add ham and mushrooms to pan. Cook 1 minute. Return chicken to pan with wine. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Blend cornflour with water until smooth. Gradually stir into wine sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens. Simmer 3 minutes. Add parsley just before serving. Serve with rice, salad and crusty bread.
NOTE: This dish can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated if desired. The flavour develops beautifully.
PECAN AND APRICOT MUFFINS
1 1/2 cups white wheat self-raising flour
3/4 cup bran
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 oz. (60g) butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Place all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter, buttermilk and eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix until all the ingredients are just combined. Spoon mixture into greased muffin pans and bake in a pre-heated oven 350F (180C) 25 minutes. Makes 8-10 muffins.
24 HOUR SLAW
1 Large head cabbage
5 Medium onions
Shred cabbage (I use a food processor) and chop the onions. Mix together in an air-tight container.
Dressing
1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil (Olive is better for you)
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. celery seeds
2 tsp. Lite Salt
Combine these ingredients in sauce pan and bring to boil. Pour over cabbage and onions. DO NOT toss now. When ready to serve, toss well. Can be kept for 3 -4 weeks in refrigerator.
OK CAFE® COLLARD GREENS
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 medium onion -- sliced lengthwise
1 ham hock
1 quart water
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 pound honey
5 pounds collard greens * -- washed, stems removed, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
* (or use a 3-pound bag of pre-washed and stemmed collard greens)
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ham hock and cook, stirring constantly, until onions become translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the water, salt, pepper and honey and bring to a boil.
Add the collard greens and return to the boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook until tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
NOTE: Yes, the amount of honey is correct (1 pound!). It's sweet,
but, surprisingly, not cloying, as you might assume. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, though, you could certainly cut it back to suit your taste.
CHERRIES AND CHOCOLATE CAKE
3/4 cup shortening
3 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tbs. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/3 cup dairy sour cream
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Grease 3- 9 inch layer cake pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl beat shortening, brown sugar and eggs on high speed for 5 minutes. Blend in vanilla, cocoa, baking soda and salt; mix well.
Add flour alternately with sour cream, beating on low speed until smooth. Pour in boiling water mixing until blended. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 10 minutes.
Light Chocolate Icing:
2/3 cup soft butter
2 lb. confectioner's sugar
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
2 egg yolks
1 tbs. vanilla
about 1/2 cup whipping cream
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter gradually; blend in 1 pound confectioner's sugar. Stir in melted chocolate, egg yolks and vanilla.
Gradually beat in remaining 1 pound confectioner's sugar. Add enough whipping cream to bring to spreading consistency.
To assemble: Spread tops of 2 cake layers with frosting. Sprinkle each with half of chopped cherries and nuts; stack layers top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
CRUSTY CORN CASSEROLE
2 cans corn: 1 creamed, 1 whole kernel with juice (16 oz.)
2 beaten eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 box cornbread mix (8oz)
1 stick butter or margarine
Dash of onion powder
1 tsp. bacon bits, or 1 tsp. finely chopped green pepper
or 1 small jalapeno pepper (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter in 8"x12" glass baking dish in the oven.
Mix all ingredients and pour into hot buttered pan. Bake 1 hour, until crust forms.
BUTTERMILK LEMON PIE
1 9" unbaked pie shell
2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine sugar, flour and nutmeg. Add butter; beat until creamy. Stir in eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 400°F, for 10 min. then reduce heat to 325°F and continue baking for 30 more min.
SWEET MAPLE WINGS
2 1/2 pounds wings, trimmed and separated
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 onion, minced
2 teaspoon Tabasco
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a a bowl. Marinade for at least two hours at room temperature. Saving marinade, put wings on broiling rack and broil until browned and cooked through, (about 20 minutes) basting wings with marinade about every 10 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve.
CHICKEN AND RICE
2 tsp olive oil
2 1/2 lbs skinless chicken pieces, bone-in
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups reduced-sodium, defatted chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2oz) whole tomatoes with juice
2 tbs minced fresh parsley
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a Dutch oven. Brown the chicken pieces in it, then remove them to a plate. Add the remaining tsp of oil. Saute the pepper, onions, and garlic in the oil until the onions are golden. Put all the remaining ingredients except the chicken in this pan. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Break the tomatoes into pieces as you stir. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the chicken into the Dutch oven and stir once through to combine. Cover and bake for 40 minutes or until done. Serves 6.
CHEESE GRITS A LA TEXIQUE
1 cup grits
4 cup water
2 garlic clove; pressed
1/4 lb butter
1/2 lb cheddar; grated
3 egg
1 salt; to taste
1 pepper; to taste
1 parmesan
1 paprika
1 jalapeño pepper; (opt)
Cook grits in water seasoned with garlic and salt according to package. Remove from heat. Add butter and stir to dissolve. Add Cheddar cheese, holding back a good handful to garnish. Now add eggs and mix completely. Salt and pepper to taste. Place in a buttered 2-quart baking pan. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar on top. Sprinkle top with a generous amount of Parmesan, dust with paprika, garnish with jalapeños and bake, uncovered, in a 300 F. oven for 45 minutes.
GEORGIA PEACH SHORTCAKE
8 lg. ripe peaches
3 cup sifted flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 sugar
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/4 tsp almond flavoring
Peel and slice peaches. sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into large bowl; stir in brown sugar. Cut in margarine with pastry blender until crumbly; stir in pecans. Beat eggs slightly with milk; add all at once to the flour mixture. Stir with fork until blended. spread dough on 2 greased 9" pans to within 1/2" of edge. Bake at 450 degrees fro 20-25 minutes or until golden. Sweeten peaches to taste with sugar. Flavor whipped cram with almond flavoring. Plate 1 shortcake layer on serving platter. Top with peaches and whipped cream. Add remaining shortcake layer. Spoon remaining peaches and whipped cream over top layer. Serve immediately.
