Southwest Avocado & Bean Dip.

Southwest Avocado & Bean Dip

1/2 cup chopped avocado
1/2 cup sour cream
3 TBSP lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 can (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen corn, thawed
1 tomato, chopped
2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro

Mash avocados in large bowl; stir in sour cream, lime juice, cumin and salt. Add all remaining ingredients except chips; mix well. Refrigerate briefly, then serve with chips & crackers.

Crock-Pot Mac & Cheese.

Crock-Pot Mac & Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

2 10-ounce bricks sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 5 cups)

Dash of paprika

In a large 4-quart crockpot sprayed with cooking spray, mix the macaroni, milks, eggs, butter, salt, pepper and all but ½ cup of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Turn off the crockpot, stir the mixture, and serve hot.

Chicken Chili Verde.

I devised this one myself, and am in love with it.

Chicken Chili Verde

4 boneless chicken breasts, diced to bite-size
8-10 boneless chicken thighs, diced to bite size
1 16 oz. jar Herdez salsa verde
7 oz. can diced green chilis

3 onions, chopped coarsely

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can chicken stock

1 1/2 TBSP cumin
1 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste

Mix all together and bake at 350 uncovered for about two hours. Serve over rice.

Scotty's Shrimp & Rice.

Scotty's Shrimp & Rice

Generous amount of olive oil(about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 bell peppers, chopped
4 garlic cloves
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch of green onion tops, chopped
5 stalks of celery chopped

12 oz. cream cheese

2 cans original rotel

3 lbs shrimp (or crawfish tails)

Saute veggies in olive oil. Blend rotel and cream cheese in blender. Add mixture to veggies. Saute shrimp in separate pan in butter until pink. Then add shrimp to sauce and cook for one more minute. Serve over rice.

Scotty's Shrimp Pasta.

Scotty's Shrimp Pasta

2 large onions, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic
1 package of fresh sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cps olive oil
1 stick butter
Tony Chachare's Original seasoning to taste (generous amount)
1 can black olives (optional)
Parmesan cheese
Pasta, your choice, cooked
2 lbs shrimp (I usually cut in half)

Saute onions, celery, garlic, and mushrooms in olive oil and butter. Season with Tony's. Simmer while cooking pasta. Turn heat up before adding shrimp. Cook shrimp until pink. Serve over pasta and top with parmesan cheese.

Bread in a Bowl #2.

This one makes white bread, or can be used as the base for sweet rolls.

Bread in a Bowl, #2

1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup veg. oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 TBSP salt
4 cups high gluten flour
2 packages dry active yeast

In a medium mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix together, gradually adding hot water until the mixutre forms a kneadable ball. Knead five minutes in the bowl, using enough flour tokeep dough from sticking to your hands. Cover. Allow to rise on counter until doubled. At this point, dough can be punched down, covered and put into the refrigerator for up to four days.

For jalapeno-cheddar bread:

1 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup canned jalapenos

Use half of the dough flatten into 1/2” thick square.

Cover with cheddar cheese and sliced jalapenos. Work cheese and peppers into the dough until they are evenly dispersed. Roll and shape into a loaf folding in the ends. A round loaf works nicely. Place on greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise until double. Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or when golden brown and hollow sounding when thumped.

Bread in a Bowl #1.

This recipe makes wheat or oatmeal bread.

Bread in a Bowl
1 cup whole wheat flour OR 1 cup quick cooking oats
3 cups high-gluten flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBSP Sugar (brown or white)
2 TBSP Oil
2 TBSP Active dry yeast (or 2 packages).

Mix all these ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Add hot tap water gradually until you get a knead able ball of dough. Knead about 5 minutes. If it is too sticky, dust your hand with flour as you knead. (Kneading goes best if you hold the bowl with your non-dominant hand while kneading with your dominant). Allow dough to rise in warm place until size has doubled. At this point you can cover and refrigerate for a day or two if you want, or shape into loaves, put on a greased cookie sheet or in greased bread pans (2 medium sized), and allow to rise until doubled. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until bread is brown and hollow sounding. This dough can also be shaped into buns. Using a small amount shape into balls and let rise on a greased cookie sheet.

Death by Breakfast.

I ran across the recipe, and it was called "Jambalaya Grits." I changed the name to more accurately reflect the dish.

Death by Breakfast

2 pounds quick grits, plus water & milk for preparing
½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
Creole seasoning, to taste
White pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large can condensed milk
1 pound smoked sausage, cut crosswise into slices or diced
1 pound ham, cut into small dice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces crab meat (optional)
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
8 ounces Colby/Monterey jack cheese, grated
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated

Cook grits according to directions on package, but instead of using water, use ½ water & ½ milk. Set aside. Grits should be thick; you can add more liquid later if needed.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium/high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, Creole seasoning, white pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and ham and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped tomatoes; cook for 2 more minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil; add grits. Add shrimp, crab (if using) and cheeses. Stir until grits are tender and creamy and cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes. Serve hot, using a crock pot to keep temperature right and to make transport easy.

Curried Fruit.

Curried Fruit

1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 small apricot halves, pitted and peeled
2 pears, peeled, cored and quartered
2 peaches, peeled, cored and quartered
20 maraschino cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Stir 1 stick of butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon curry powder and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Combine all the fruit in a large baking dish and stir together with remaining ingredients. Sprinkle butter mixture over fruit and bake in preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting often.

Weidmann's Remoulade.

Weidmann's Remoulade

1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 c salad oil or olive oil 
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 drop oil of mustard
1 cup creole mustard
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon green onion tops, chopped.
Season to taste w/salt & pepper. 
Add dash worcestershire sauce & 1/2 cup dry sherry wine. 


Mix well the garlic, paprika & mustard. Alternately, add oil & vinegar til well blended. Add celery, onion & a little parsley. This is enough for about 2 lbs of boiled shrimp. You can marinate the cooked, peeled shrimp in the sauce for several hours and serve on shredded lettuce. Makes about 6 servings. Or the sauce can be used as dip for the shrimp. 

Cherry Christmas.

This one has been lost for a long time. I have just run across it, two weeks too late. Oh well, there's always next year.

Cherry Christmas

2 cans pie filling (we use cherry, hence the name)
1 box yellow cake mix
Cinnamon, lots
Butter, about 2 sticks, cut into pats to cover
Pecans, or other nuts as desired

In bottom of 13x9x2 pan, spread pie filling. Cover with yellow cake mix. Sprinkle lots of cinnamon on top. Cover surface with nuts. Place pats of butter on top. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Caramel Icing.

I got this one from a friends' mom in the Mississippi Delta. It makes a perfect caramel cake.

Caramel Icing


1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 cup light brown sugar (light)

1 stick butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Heat first 4 ingredients until disolved.  Bring to a rolling boil; cook for one minute.  Take off heat, add vanilla and beat until right consistency to spread.  If mixture becomes too thick for spreading, add a small amount of milk-being careful not to add too much at a time.

Cheesy Zucchini Soup.

Cheesy Zucchini Soup

2 medium zucchini, grated
2 medium carrots, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter
4 TBSP flour
1 quart chicken broth
4 oz. grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup milk
Salt & Pepper

Place grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Drain well. Saute veggies in butter until limp. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for five minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add chicken broth and stir until smooth. Add grated cheese and stir until melted. Add milk. Season to taste. Do NOT boil.

Shortbread Toffee Squares.

Shortbread Toffee Squares


Shortbread:
1/2 stick butter
4 TBSP sugar
1 cup self-rising flour

Toffee:
1/2 stick butter
2 TBSP sugar
1 14 oz. can condensed milk
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, melted in 1 TBSP water

Cream butter & sugar, then blend in flour. Spread into greased 8-inch square pan, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Mix together butter, sugar, cond. milk, and pecans and cook, stirring until mixture leaves sides of pan. Stir in vanilla. Pour over the baked shortbread. Cool, then spread melted chocolate over the toffee.

Paloma.

My new favorite cocktail. It's dangerously good.

Paloma

1 1/2 oz. white tequila
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
Grapefruit soda (in the hispanic section of a really good grocery; I get Jarritos brand at Publix. If unavailable, use fresh grapefruit juice, a little sugar, and club soda)

Mix together in a highball glass with lots of ice.