Oatmeal Crispies

Oatmeal Crispies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 cups Quick Oats
1 cup cup-up dates (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

Cream together shortening, sugars; beat in eggs, vanilla. Stir together flour, salt, soda. Stir into creamed mixture. Stir in oats, dates, & nuts. Form into small balls. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 about 10 minutes, or until lightly brown. Cool slightly before removing to cooling rack. Makes about 6 dozen.

Cherry Pecan Cookies #2.

Cherry Nut Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, finely chopped
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preparation:
Place shortening, butter, vanilla, sugars, and egg in a bowl and beat. Add nuts and cherries; mix well. Sift together dry ingredients; mix about half of the sifted mixture into the batter. Add remaining sifted mixture; knead dough with hands until smooth. Pack firmly and shape into two 2 by 2-inch bars. Wrap bars in waxed paper. Chill until firm. Cut in 1/8-inch slices and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 6 to 8 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen.

Shrimp "Rosemary"

I would have wagered real money that this recipe was among the earliest ones recorded on this blog. But, after a special request for this as part of Christmas, I was sent searching all sorts of old archives for it. Which also means that it has been YEARS since I made it. And that is truly unfortunate. It's simple and delicious!

1 stick butter
1 package Newburg sauce mix
1 pint half & half
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 TBSP tomato paste
garlic, to taste
2 pounds cooked & peeled shrimp
Angel hair pasta

In a large skillet, melt the butter and add sauce packet. Stir in half & half slowly until thickened. Add tomato paste and parmesan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the shrimp. Continue simmer while cooking pasta. Serve over cooked pasta.

Isabelle's Recreation due to Newburg sauce being discontinued: (version as of 7/31/22)

SEASONINGS (these all go in at once)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder 

1 tsp old bay 

1/2 tsp paprika 

1/2 tsp ground mustard 

1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary 

1 tsp fresh chopped thyme 

1 tsp Worcestershire 

2 pounds medium shrimp, cooked

1 pound angel hair pasta, cooked 

6 tablespoons butter 

Seasonings as listed above

2 minced Shallots 

2 tbs all purpose flour 

3 tablespoons tomato paste 

1/4 cup sherry 

1/4 cup seafood stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half

5-6 oz shaved parmesan

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over medium heat and whisk in all seasonings. Add the shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. This will be a thick pasty mixture. Add in sherry and seafood stock and whisk until combined. Slowly add in heavy cream while whisking followed by half and half and simmer until thickened. Reduce heat to low and whisk in Parmesan. Season to taste. Add shrimp and pasta and serve! Top with green onions. 

Chile Relleno Casserole

Chile Relleno Casserole

5 small cans whole green chilies
8 oz monterey jack cheese, shredded
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
1 can evaporated milk
3 eggs
2 TBSP flour
1 can enchilada sauce

In a 9x13 pan, place single layer of chilies. Top with half of each cheese, then top with another layer of chilies. Mix milk, eggs, and flour, then pour over the chile/cheese. Top with remaining cheese. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. (Optional spice: use taco seasoned shredded cheese & add jalapeños.)

Coconut Cashew Brittle.

Coconut Cashew Brittle

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 TBSP butter
1/2 cup water
2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 each vanilla & coconut)
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups unsalted roasted cashews


Butter two 15x10x1 pans and set aside. Combine cashews & coconut and spread on another large pan and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350, toasting coconut, but taking care to not let the coconut burn. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Add the butter and stir until it is melted. Then cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 300 degrees. Remove from heat, and quickly stir in baking soda, extract(s), cashews, & coconut. Pour half of mixture into each pan and very quickly flatten with a buttered spatula until 1/4 inch thickness. Cool completely, then break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Cheesy Jalapeño Dip.

This will change your life.

Cheesy Jalapeño Dip

2 packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded & diced
1 4 oz. can chopped jalapeño peppers
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
4-6 diced green onions
1/2 cup mayo
6-8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Topping:

1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 stick butter, melted


Stir together all dip ingredients. In a medium bowl, melt butter, then stir in panko & parmesan. Spread dip into a 2 quart casserole dish, then cover with topping. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, just until the topping starts to brown and the sides are bubbly. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, and baguette slices.

My Cole Slaw.

This is totally dependent on getting a very fine grate on the cabbage, preferably with a food processor. You want it really tiny.

Cole Slaw

1 large head of cabbage, first few leaves & stem core removed
8-12 ounces sweet pickle relish
2 medium carrots, grated
at least 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vinegar

Grate the cabbage & carrot with a food processor, then stir in all other ingredients. May have to adjust mayo & sugar to taste.

(If you don't have people who are opposed to raw onion, you can add 1/2 of one to the grating process. A whole one if you really like it, as I do. Also, this page shows exactly what it should like!)

Chicken Tortilla Soup.

I made this one yesterday for Cinco de Mayo, and it was delicious. It makes a LOT. Probably 20 servings. But it just gets better in the fridge!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Either one rotisserie chicken, deboned & shredded OR 5-6 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
Two 32-oz. boxes of good chicken stock (Kitchen Basics brand preferably)
2 medium onions, diced
1 cup rice, uncooked
Two 28-oz. cans petite diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes (I prefer the Mexican flavor)
1 12-oz. bag frozen white corn
1 7-oz. can diced green chilies
1-2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
Juice of two limes
4 TBSP cumin
1 cup heavy cream
Shredded cheese - cheddar, monterey jack, or any sort of blend

Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Fresh cilantro
Salsa
Avocado pieces, or guacamole
Additional shredded cheese

In a very large pot, add two boxes chicken stock and two diced onions. Bring to a boil, then add uncooked rice. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let cook for about 20 minutes, until rice is done. Then add diced tomatoes, rotel, frozen corn, black beans, green chilies, lime juice, cumin, and chicken. Let all simmer together for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream and about 1 cup shredded cheese. (If soup becomes too thick, you can add extra chicken stock.)

Serve over with tortilla chips, with a topping bar of optional ingredients.

(If all of your family enjoys cilantro, then add some fresh into the soup as it cooks. Otherwise, hold it out and use as a topping option, as some people really dislike it.)

Cheese Soup.

Over the years, I have looked for recipes that attempted to approximate the cheese soup found at Swensen's. Expecially now that Swensen's is a very small chain and very difficult to get to from coastal Alabama. I've never found one that was right. However, this one looks promising. I hope to make it soon, and will report back. Hopes are high!

Cheese Soup

3 TBSP unsalted butter
6 green onions, finely chopped (just the lower third or so)
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
6 cups very good chicken broth (Kitchen Basics is my favorite brand)
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pound Velveeta, cut into 1-inch chunks
Black pepper, to taste

Saute veggies in butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add broth & soup, whisking until well blended. Stir in Velveeta, and stir until melted. Add pepper, and reduce heat to simmer, or turn off completely. Do not let this ever approach boiling. Top with chopped green onion tops, if desired.

Plantation Pralines.

I bought a wonderful old Louisiana cookbook, and made this praline recipe within 2 hours of getting it home. It is divine, and not at all complicated.

Plantation Pralines

1 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 large pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cups pecan pieces

In a deep, heavy pot, stir together the sugar, baking soda, and salt; then add buttermilk and combine well. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until mahogany brown in color, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer, or the soft-ball stage, about 10 minutes. (When mixture starts to boil, it will become foamy and double in size for about 3 minutes, then steadily decrease back to original size.) Remove from heat, stir in butter & vanilla, and beat until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the pecans and drop by tablespoons onto wax paper. Allow to cool for a few minutes and harden.

Ruth's Pancakes.

It is exceedingly rare that I simply link back as an entry here, but I LOVE Ruth Reichl, and you need the full experience of reading her description of the world's best pancakes.

Easy Italian Beef.

This was a Pinterest find, and I tried it immediately. It is astoundingly delicious! It's going into regular rotation at our house.

Easy Italian Beef

5 lbs. rump roast or eye of round roast
1 packet italian seasoning mix
1 jar peperoncini peppers
1 bottle beer

Add all to crock pot and cook on high for about 5-6 hours. Shred the meat in the pot with two forks, then continue cooking for another hour. Serve on crusty bread with provolone cheese.

Notes:
The next time I make this, I'm doubling the peperoncinis, adding 6 whole cloves of garlic, and an onion or two cut into rings. Also, you can subtly shift the flavor with the style of beer that you use. This makes a lot, but the leftovers can be added to salads, omelets, and all sorts of things.

Pork Chili.

I got this one from a dear friend after falling in love with the finished product. It's delicious!

Pork Chili

6 pork chops, with bone 

2 large onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

8 cloves garlic, chopped

3 big cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 can beef consommé

⅓ small jar of pickled jalapeños (about ½ cup of peppers and juice)

1 tsp sugar

1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

½ tsp Tony Chachere's seasoning 

Brown meat, then remove from pan. Sauté vegetables with generous amount of olive oil. Add tomatoes, jalapeños (juice and peppers out of jar) and consommé.  Put pork chops back in and let simmer about 2 hours.  Remove pork chops, debone, chop, and add back to chili. Serve with lots of french bread. Rice would also be a good option for serving over.