Crabmeat Mornay.

I also just got the excellent little book, "Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, & other Southern Specialties", which is a collection of essays about Southern life & food, accompanied with recipes. Bookcloseouts.com once again provided this jewel, for the crazy price of $3.99. After tasting this, my wife's eyes rolled back in her head and she expressed a possible need to change her underwear.


Crabmeat Mornay


1 stick butter
1 bunch green onions, chopped with some green tops included
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
6-8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated Swiss cheese
1 TBSP dry sherry or 1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 pound jumbo lumb crabmeat (I used the less expensive claw meat)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Toast points and/or tart shells

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour. Add the cream and whisk until smooth. Stir in the grated cheese and blend until smooth. Add the wine, cayenne, and salt; then gently fold in the crabmeat and parsley. Serve in a chafing dish with toast points, or fill small tart shells.

Artichoke Cream Soup.

I just got Party Receipts from the Charleston Junior League this week, and then unexpectedly needed to host a party. I made this, and it is delicious. It's a wonderful special occasion soup. (As of today, October 10, 2009, Bookcloseouts.com has a few copies of this amazing party cookbook for the ridiculous price of $3.99. This is where mine came from!)

Artichoke Cream Soup

3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
6 TBSP butter
6 TBSP all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground thyme
2 14-oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
2 cups half-and-half
2 egg yolks, beaten
lemon slices, for garnish
chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large stock pot, saute the onions, celery, and bell pepper in the butter until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth and lemon juice, stirring until blended. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and chopped artichoke. Cover and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the half-and-half and egg yolks and mix well. Pour a small amount of hot soup into mixture and whisk to combine. Add the mixture into the hot soup, whisking well.

Remove the bay leaves. Blend the soup well with an immersion blender (or in batches using a blender or food processor) until smooth. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon & parsley. If soup needs to be reheated, do not let it boil.

Cherry Pecan Cookies.

A local bakery in Mobile, which is really an institution around here, makes an unbelievably delicious cookie that has finely chopped cookies & cherries in it. It's my most favorite cookie in the world. I would love to have the recipe, but they do not offer a cookbook. I ran across this recipe, and will try it soon to see how close it approximates the perfection that slides of out the Pollman's ovens every day.

Cherry Pecan Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup diced maraschino cherries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Dice the cherries and chop the pecans. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the vanilla, cherry juice, and egg, beat until thoroughly blended. Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together to mix evenly. Fold the cherries and pecans together so that the cherries share their juice with the nuts. Stir the cherry/pecan mixture into the dry ingredients to mix evenly. Add the flour/cherry/nut mixture to the butter & sugar mixture, 1/2 at a time, mix thoroughly. Drop onto a non-stick baking sheet by the rounded tablespoonful. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.

*A 10-oz. jar of maraschino cherries yields a generous 1/2 cup - use them all! I get the chunk size and appearance I like by cutting each cherry into 8 pieces. The cookie bakes up pretty high. For a flatter cookie, flatten the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness after dropping it onto the pan.

Tomato Bacon Casserole.

Tomato Bacon Casserole

8+ slices bacon, cooked
2 bell peppers
2 small onions
2 large cans(28oz) diced tomatoes
1/2-2/3 cup brown sugar
8 slices white bread toasted

Cook bacon & set aside. Add bellpepper & onion & saute. (Garlic if you like). Add tomatoes & brown sugar, S&P to taste. Simmer until some of the juice has cooked down ( 10 +min). Add crumbled bacon & crumbled toast. Put in casserole and bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Almond Buttercrunch.

Almond Buttercrunch

A toffee/brittle style candy.

1-1/2 cups whole blanched almonds, chopped
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
8 ounces semisweet chocolate squares

Place chopped almonds on a cookie sheet then bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and water in a medium heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes (until reaches 300 degrees if using a candy thermometer), stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the toasted almonds. Pour into a buttered 1 pan spreading quickly and evenly then cool. Turn out onto wax paper. Melt chocolate squares in the top of a double boiler over hot water then remove from heat. Spread half the melted chocolate over top of candy and sprinkle with 1/2 of the nuts then let stand 20 minutes. Let set for 20 minutes then turn candy over and spread with remaining chocolate and nuts. Let stand until set. Break into pieces.

Pound Cake.

I saw this recipe in a newly acquired cookbook full of marvelous recipes. It is made differently than any that I've seen before, and I have no doubt that it is delicious!

Pound Cake

2-2/3 cups sugar
8 medium eggs, separated, at room temperature, or 7 large eggs
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup light cream or half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon mace
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-x-5-inch loaf pans.

Measure out 6 level tablespoons sugar into a cup or bowl. Beat the egg whites until they begin to form peaks; then gradually beat in the 6 tablespoons sugar. Place this sort-of meringue in the refrigerator until you need it.

In a large bowl, cream the butter well. Gradually beat in the rest of the sugar and the salt; then beat in the egg yolks, two at a time.

Add the flour and the cream alternately to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Add the mace. Whip until the batter is as light as possible, about 10 minutes at medium speed. Then fold in the egg-white mixture and the vanilla. You'll feel as if you're trying to fold egg whites into cement, but persevere.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or just until a cake tester stuck in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes; then invert onto the rack and re-invert onto another rack so the cake will cool right-side-up.

Council House Cafe Mississippi Mud.

This is decadent beyond measure! You really can serve it over ice cream to cut the sweetness! (See Creamy Cabbage Souprecipe below for info on the Council House Cafe in French Camp, Mississippi.)

Mississippi Mud Cake

Cake:

1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 & 1/3 cups flour
Pinch of salt
1 & 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 & 1/2 cups miniature marshmallow

Preheat oven to 325˚. Melt butter and cocoa together. Remove from heat; stir in sugar and beaten eggs; mix well. Add flour, salt, pecans, and vanilla; beat for two minutes. Pour batter into a buttered 13 X 9 X 2 baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows on top of warm cake and then cover with frosting.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons Coke OR Coffee
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 16 oz. package confectioners sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

In small saucepan, combine butter, coke OR coffee, and cocoa. Bring to a boil. In a mixing bowl, pour boiling liquid over confectioners sugar. Add chopped nuts and mix well. Pour over cake while still warm. 12-15 servings. Vanilla ice cream makes it even better.

Art Smith's Almond Brittle.

Art Smith's Almond Brittle

2.5 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup Agave syrup
1 Cup toasted almonds
1 tablespoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Semi sweet chocolate, melted, for garnish

Bring ingredients to a boil, cook to hard boil state, till syrup makes a hard ball and is amber. Stir in toasted almonds and the remainder of the ingredients. Pour on well oiled sheet pan, and carefully with forks pull till thin but being VERY CAREFUL not to burn yourself. Cool, till crispy. Once cool break into pieces. Drizzle with melted semi sweet chocolate and allow to dry.

Brine for Chicken.

Brine for Chicken

Makes 1 1/4 cups

1 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
5 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. black peppercorns

Place the salt, sugar, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and 2 cups cold water into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

When brining chicken use a nonreactive pot or plastic container. Completely submerge the poultry in cold water and weigh it down with a plate. Add the brine and cover. Let the chicken sit in the brine for at least two hours, preferably overnight.

Art Smith's Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits.

Art Smith's Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits
Created by Chef Art Smith

Makes 12 biscuits

These biscuits give a warm welcome to diners at Art Smith's Chicago restaurant, Table Fifty-Two.

2 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. (2 ounces) cold butter
4 Tbsp. (2 ounces) goat cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
Extra butter to grease pan and top biscuits
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 425°. Place one 10-inch cast iron pan into the oven while it is preheating. Place flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl. Cut in the butter and goat cheese. Make a well in the middle of the ingredients and pour in the milk. Stir until the mix is moistened, adding an extra tablespoon of milk if needed.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and place a tablespoon of butter into it. When the butter has melted, drop 1/4 cupfuls of batter into the pan, (use a muffin scoop to drop the batter if you have one). Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter. Bake from 14–16 minutes until browned on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Enjoy warm!

Council House Cafe Bread Pudding.

Excellent! (See Creamy Cabbage Soup recipe below for info on the Council House Cafe in French Camp, Mississippi.)

Bread Pudding

Pudding:

1 gallon french bread, torn into chunks
2 quarts milk
4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons vanilla
6 eggs
4 peeled and diced apples
1 cup raisins
1 stick melted butter
Cinammon to taste (about 2 tablespoons)

In a very large mixing bowl, mix sugar and cinammon. Add vanilla, eggs, raisins, and apples. Add milk and bread cubes. Spray a large baking dish with Pam and pour the melted butter into it, spreading it evenly. Pour mixture into baking dish and bake at 300˚ for one hour and 45 minutes. Serve pudding warm with sweetened condensed milk drizzled over the top. Vanilla ice cream makes it even better. THIS RECIPE CAN BE EASILY HALVED.

Council House Cafe Potato Soup.

This soup used to haunt our dreams. We would drive down just for it! The soup is served with some pieces of the homemade bread, and dipping them into this soup is divine! (See Creamy Cabbage Soup recipe below for info on the Council House Cafe in French Camp, Mississippi.)

Creamy Potato Soup

4 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons parsley
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine potatoes, celery, onion, water, and salt in a large dutch oven.
Simmer covered for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in remaining ingredients; return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until soup is thoroughly heated. Makes about 7 cups.

Council House Cafe Broccoli Salad.

This salad is so good, it is ridiculous! (See Creamy Cabbage Soup recipe below for info on the Council House Cafe in French Camp, Mississippi.)

Broccoli Salad

3 stalks broccoli, trimmed down to crowns

Dressing:

Stir together:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2-3 TBSP white vinegar
Then add:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 diced red onion
1/2 cup bacon, fried and diced (I cheat and use the canned real bacon in the salad dressing section.)
3 roma tomatoes, diced

Pour dressing over broccoli crowns and mix well. Serve over lettuce leaves, if desired. Salad will last several days in the refrigerator.

(I find that it is best to make the dressing a little bit ahead of time so that the sugar fully dissolves. I don't like it to be grainy. The vinegar really helps this process.)

Council House Cafe Creamed Cabbage Soup.

There is a little place on the Natchez Trace in Mississippi called French Camp. Blink, and you will miss it. I don't think that there is even a traffic light. It is the home to French Camp Academy, a school for kids whose family is in crisis. They operate a tiny little restaurant in an ancient building called the Council House Cafe. They have a very limited menu, offering deli-style sandwiches on homemade bread, broccoli salad, and a soup of the day. They also have some of the best Mississippi Mud and Bread Pudding that you can find. When we lived in Starkville, we would make the almost-hour drive down regularly for lunch. The food is unbelievable, and the prices are crazy low for the amount of food provided. And the setting can't be beat! At one time, they sold packets of their recipes on index cards. I've run across them, and am putting them here. But, if you are anywhere nearby, stop by for lunch or an early dinner. The homemade bread alone is worth the stop. And if they are still selling the recipes, pick up a packet. The profits go to a great cause.

Creamed Cabbage Soup

Two 14 1/2 oz. cans chicken broth
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped

1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups light cream
1 cup milk
2 cups fully cooked ham, cubed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Parsley to garnish

In a large soup kettle or dutch oven, combine broth, celery, cabbage, onion, and carrot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to form a smooth paste. Combine cream and milk, and gradually add to flour mixture, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened; continue cooking one minute longer. Gradually stir into vegetable mixture. Add ham and thyme, then heat thoroughly. Garnish with parsley.

Preserving Figs.

This week, a dear friend brought fresh figs from her father's tree. After extensive research, we chose two preparation methods: Fig Preserves & Fig Jam.

Over four hours of processing resulted in the production of four, eight-ounce jars of the Whole Fig Preserves.

The Fig Jam, however, was quick, easy, and tasty. Our thanks to our Knitter friend for the figs as well as the Jam recipe!

Fig Jam

2 qt. (about 5 lbs) figs

3/4 cup water

6 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

To prepare:

Pour boiling water over figs - let stand 10 minutes.

Drain, stem & chop (if desired - or leave whole and let them cook down)

Measure and add 3/4 cup water and the sugar to figs.

Put in a large pan & slowly bring to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking.

Add lemon juice and cook 1 minute longer.

Pour into hot jars, boiling hot, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes in hot-water bath. Yields about 5 pints.

Whole Fig Preserves

8 cups firm fresh figs

8 cups boiling water

2 2/3 cups granulated sugar

4 cups water

1 lemon, unpeeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine figs and boiling water. Cover and let stand at room temp for 15 minutes. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again.

In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, 4 cups water, and lemon slices. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil hard, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard lemon slices. Reduce heat to medium-high and return syrup to boil. Add 2 cups of the figs and boil until figs are translucent. Using a slotting spoon, remove figs to a shallow pan and repeat with remaining figs, working in 2 cup batches until all figs are translucent. Boil syrup until thickened. Pour thickened syrup over figs. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours.

Prepare canner, jars, & lids.

In a large stainless steel saucepan, bring fig mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and skim foam, if necessary.

Ladle hot preserves into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot preserves. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar, screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait five minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.

Peaches 'N Cream No-Bake Cheesecake

We had this yesterday, and it was absolutely the best peach dessert I have ever had! Granted, it was made with the best possible fresh peaches, and the recipe was altered (see changes in bold below).

Philadelphia Peaches 'N Cream No-Bake Cheesecake

Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 4 hr 15 min Makes: Makes 16 servings, 1 piece each.

Ingredients:
2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 cup sugar, divided
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Peach Flavor Gelatin (use 2 packages)
2 fresh peaches, chopped (use more like 10 peaches for a total of 4-6 cups, chopped)
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, thawed
Make It!

MIX graham crumbs, margarine and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

BEAT cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add dry gelatin mix; mix well. Stir in peaches and whipped topping. Spoon over crust; cover.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Substitute: Prepare as directed, using 1 drained 15-oz. can peaches.

Everything Yummy Cookies

The first time I helped prepare food for the youth group at church, one amazing mom brought a giant batch of homemade cookie dough and baked the cookies to make the meal special. While searching for her recipe, I found this article which had included her cookies as part of hurricane prep!

From the article:

Andolyn Fitzgerald says when a hurricane is brewing her family starts baking cookies. She says the cookies have become a tradition "because if you lose power, have to eat a lot of peanut butter and can't shower, at least you can still have the thrill of delicious cookies."

Andolyn's Everything Yummy Cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (to boost nutrition, I replace some of this flour with wheat germ and soy flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinammon
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup Turbinado sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups oats
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, chips, raisins, and nuts; mix well. (Try not to eat all the raw dough before some make it into the oven) Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12 to 13 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Champagne Chicken.

CHAMPAGNE CHICKEN

8oz chicken tenderloin
1 cup all purpose flour
1tsp lawrys season salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup mushrooms sliced 1/4 inch
1/2 cup artichoke hearts rough chopped
1 tbl spoon sundried tomatoes
1 tbl spoon green onions
1 cup champagne
4oz unsalted butter
2oz oil oil

For seanoned flour:
In mixing bowl combine flour, lawrys and paprika and blend thoroughly.

In sauté over medium heat add oil and 1/2 of the butter and heat until bubbling. Lighly dredge chicken tender in seasoned flour and shake off excess. Place in sauté pan and cook until golden brown when finished set to the side on plate. Return pan to stove and increase heat to high add 1/2 champagne and mushrooms, artichokes, sundried tomatoes to pan and sauté until pan is almost dry. Add remainder of champagne and reduce by half remove from heat and add rest of the butter slowly stirring. Salt and pepper to taste pour contents over top of the chicken and garnish with green onions.

Watermelon Basil Margaritas.

Watermelon Basil Margaritas

7 1/2 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed, fruit cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tsp. superfine sugar
6 ounces (3/4 cup) silver tequila
24 basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
3 ounces (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) triple sec
6 cups small ice cubes

Place 24 watermelon cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover, and freeze at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).

Puree remaining watermelon and the sugar in a blender until smooth. Pass through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl. (You should have 3 cups.)

Place tequila and basil in a glass pitcher, and crush with a wooden spoon. Stir in watermelon juice and triple sec.

Crab Cake Salad.

Link here to get an awesome looking crab cake salad recipe.