Gouda Cheese Wrap

Wash and slice 3 unpeeled Granny Smith apples, soak in a stainless steel or ceramic bowl of salt water (about 2 teaspoons per 3 quarts of water; let stand for at least an hour. Drain, pat dry but do not rinse. Remove the wrapping and wax from one disc of Gouda Cheese (not smoked).  Unroll a 4-count package of crescent rolls; mash together to make a round disc.  Roll out with a little flour or on a piece of parchment paper to make an 8-inch circle.  Place cheese in middle of dough circle, pull up sides to wrap like a present. Pinch seams together, place seam side down on baking sheet.  Use a dry pastry brush to remove any excess flour from the top. Bake in 375° oven for 8 – 10 minutes or until nicely browned. Let cool. If cheese oozes out, push back under the cooked disc with a small spatula (no one will ever know).  When cool, place on plate and surround with apple slices.  

 

Creamy Dill Chicken Salad

12 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

1 cup diced celery

 ¾ cup chopped pecans

1 cup seedless grapes, halved

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

¾ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons dried dill weed (not dill seed)

Mix all ingredients together.  Refrigerate at least 8 hours for better flavor.

Yield: 12 – 15 servings.  If not creamy enough, stir in a little more mayonnaise.

 

Laura’s Orange Lemonade

Country Time yellow lemonade mix: enough to make 2 quarts

Country Time pink lemonade mix: enough to make 2 quarts

1 cup sugar

One gallon water

3 sliced oranges

Ice 

Mix lemonade mixes and sugar in gallon container.  Add one gallon water; stir until mixes are dissolved.  Drop orange slices into lemonade. Chill.  Stir again before serving.   Serve over ice.

 

French Fried Eggplant

One eggplant, peeled and cut into strips or rounds

1 tablespoon salt

Water

1 egg white

Cracker crumbs, fine

Vegetable or canola oil 

Salt 

Prepare eggplant.  Soak slices in salted water in stainless steel or glass bowl, weighted down with plate to keep slices submerged, for at least one hour.  Drain, but do not rinse.  Pat slices dry.  Toss in egg white.  Coat with cracker crumbs. Preheat oil in deep pan or deep fryer.  Fry eggplant slices until nicely golden brown on all sides.  Drain on paper towels.  *Or bake in air fryer according to appliance directions with minimal amount of oil. 

 

Ham & Cheese Quiche

1 9-inch deep dish pie shell, thawed

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup ham, diced in small pieces

¼ cup finely sliced green onions, whites and tops

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup low-fat mayonnaise

5 ounce can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 375°. Toss together cheese, ham, and onion.  Spoon into uncooked pie shell. Whisk together remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour over ham mixture in pie shell. Bake 45 minutes, or until golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 8 servings.

 

Black-Eyed Pea and Mustard Greens Soup

¼ cup butter

2 cups diced onions

1 cup diced celery

½ cup diced red bell pepper

¼ cup diced garlic

1 pound diced smoked sausage

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme (or about ½ teaspoon dried thyme)

2 ½ quarts chicken stock

1 pound dried black-eyed peas, washed and soaked

10 ounces cut mustard greens

1 ½ cup diced tomatoes, seeded

¼ cup sliced green onions

¼ cup fresh parsley (or about 1 – 2 tablespoons parsley flakes)

Salt

Pepper

Tabasco

Bring chicken stock to a boil, add black-eyed peas and simmer for one hour. In a large skillet, sauté butter, onion, celery, red bell pepper, and garlic for 5 – 7 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.  Add smoked sausage, bay leaf, and thyme.  Sauté 5 minutes more. Mash ½ of the tender peas and return to pot. Combine vegetable/sausage mixture with black-eyed peas. Stir. Add mustard greens, tomatoes, green onions, parsley, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and thyme sprig before serving.

 

Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

1 ⅓ cups buttermilk

1 large fresh egg

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup melted butter

More buttermilk as needed

In a 2-cup measure mix buttermilk and egg.  In a medium bowl mix dry ingredients.  Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients until fairly smooth.  Stir in ¼ cup melted butter, slightly cooled.  If too thick, gently stir in another 1 -2 tablespoons buttermilk.  Cook pancakes on a lightly greased heated griddle or large skillet.  Spritz a few drops of cold water onto the surface to see if it’s hot enough.  If it is, the water will bounce and sizzle.  Set electric griddles or skillets on 350 – 375 degrees.  Pour or ladle pancake batter in a slow steady stream for desired size (about ¼ cup for average pancake) leaving space between each pancake so they don’t touch.  Serve with butter, syrup, fresh blueberries and sliced strawberries and whipped topping. Makes 8 – 10 pancakes. Double as needed. 

 

Frozen Fruit Salad

1½ cups sour cream

¾ cup powdered sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 banana, diced

20-ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained

¾ cup seedless grapes, halved

½ cup maraschino cherries, drained well and halved

½ cup chopped pecans

Place paper muffin liners in regular sized muffin tin. Combine sour cream and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add salt, lemon juice. Blend in remaining ingredients. Fill muffin wells with fruit salad mix or spread in a 9 x 11 baking dish. 

Cover and freeze.  Makes 15 individually frozen fruit salads.

 

Molasses Cookies

¾ cup shortening, melted and cooled

1 cup sugar

 ¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 teaspoons soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon  

Mix all ingredients together. Chill dough at least 2 hours in refrigerator. Roll into 1” balls, then roll each ball in granulated white sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Do not flatten. Bake in 375 degree oven for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on parchment or waxed paper.

 

Apricot Nectar Cake

¾ cup apricot nectar

3   eggs

¾ cup oil (canola, or vegetable)

1   box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

1   tablespoon lemon extract

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

10 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Grated peel from one lemon

Mix eggs, oil and nectar.  Add cake mix, mix on low for a few seconds, scrape down sides, then continue to mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured Bundt cake pan. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 45 – 50 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to cake plate. Whisk glaze ingredients together. While cake is still warm, pierce top and sides of cake with fork. Drizzle lemon glaze over cake.

 

White Chicken Chili

1-pound cooked chicken breast, shredded 

1 clove garlic, chopped

1¼ cups chopped onion

1  4-ounce can chopped green chilies

1 can diced Rotel tomatoes, original

2 teaspoons dried oregano flakes

1 ¼ teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 cups chicken broth (canned or homemade)

3 cans white beans, Navy beans, or Cannellini beans, drained

4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, grated

Sauté onion and garlic until tender. Mix all ingredients, except beans and cheese, together in large pot. Simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. Stir in beans, continue to cook on low for another 15 minutes or until heated thoroughly.  Top each serving with grated cheese.  

*A combination of white and dark meat is more flavorful.

½ teaspoon ground oregano can be substituted for the dried oregano.

Monterey jack, pepper jack, taco blend cheeses, or a good cheddar are all good toppers.

Or, arrange a platter of other toppers to serve alongside: chopped onion, jalapenos slices, grated cheeses, crushed Doritos or tortilla strips, sour cream, etc.

Also great with Mexican cornbread, cornbread sticks or crackers.

 

Kentucky Cornbread

1 ½ cups self-rising meal

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup mayonnaise

1 cup cream corn

½ cup chopped onion

Sprinkle baking pan (cast iron is best) lightly with corn meal and let brown in oven as it pre-heats (about 5 minutes) to 350°. Mix dry ingredients; mix liquid ingredients then mix them all together. Pour in preheated pan and bake for 45 minutes. Can also make muffins, adjust cooking time to about 30 minutes.

 

Shrimp Scampi

2 pounds unpeeled medium-size fresh shrimp

¼ cup chopped green onions

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

4 cloves garlic, crushed or pressed

¾ cups butter, melted

¼ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¾ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Peel and devein shrimp.  Sauté green onions, parsley, and garlic in butter until onions are just tender.  Reduce heat to low; add shrimp.  Cook, stirring frequently, 3 – 5 minutes. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon, to a warm dish.  Add remaining ingredients to butter mixture; simmer 2 more minutes.  Return shrimp to sauce.  Serve over rice or pasta.  Makes 4 servings, but doubles easily.

 

Chocolate Spiders

Melt 1½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave, about one minute on high, stirring halfway through cooking time.

Carefully stir in one 5-ounce can chow Mein noodles and one cup salted peanuts.

Drop by spider-size spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. 

Refrigerate 8 hours of overnight.  Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Makes 3 dozen.

 

Grilled Mexican Chicken Sandwich

1 ½ tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, or combination

1 teaspoon minced garlic, or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded pepper jack cheese*

⅓ cup mayonnaise

8 slices sour dough bread or 4 hamburger buns

Combine oil, garlic, and spices. Coat both sides of chicken.  Grill 5 minutes per side or until cooked thoroughly. Combine 1 cup cheese (*or cheddar, Monterey jack, cheese for nachos, or mixture) and mayonnaise; mix well. Place bread around edges of grill; toast lightly.  Spread cheese mixture on toasted side of 4 slices.  Return to grill, cheese side up; cook 2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Place grilled chicken on top of melted cheese; top with salsa and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Top with remaining bread slices. 

Cranberry Coffee Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 cups sifted self-rising flour

1 cup sour cream

8 ounces whole berry cranberry sauce

½ cup sliced almonds

 

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch sheet cake pan.  Cream butter in a large mixing bowl.  Gradually add sugar, beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Mix in almond extract.  Stir in flour alternately with sour cream.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Spoon cranberry sauce evenly over batter; spread slightly with the back of a spoon, but do not try to cover batter.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake pulls slightly away from sides of pan.  Drizzle with glaze.  

Smoked Chickens

Soak hickory chips several hours to overnight and prepare smoker for cooking.

Prepare chickens: Select whole 3-pound fryers (Chickens will cook more evenly if they are all about the same size.) Remove giblet parts; cut off wing tips leaving skin intact. Scrape to remove any stray feathers. Rinse carefully and pat dry. 

To each chicken: Coat with 1 – 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil each; rub to coat inside and out. Squeeze ½ large lemon per chicken outside and inside, rub to coat.  Save lemons. Sprinkle lightly inside and out with salt, pepper, and garlic power. Coat heavily, inside and out, with lemon pepper (optional) and Cavender’s Greek Seasoning. Place lemon half in each cavity. Close up opening with skin and tuck in legs and wings. Place in smoker, breast side down; cook per manufacturer’s recommendations. Three 3-pound chickens cook in about 3½- 4 hours in my electric smoker covered with a metal can, but cooking times can vary, depending on outside temperatures. Internal temperatures should reach 160 degrees. Meat is done when legs pull off easily. When done, remove from smoker and place chickens on clean platter. Remove lemon half; wrap chickens with foil, let rest 15 – 30 minutes. Pull apart to serve.  Leaving skin on will help keep the meat from drying out.