Fried Green Tomatoes

My girlfriend, Judy, brought me some green tomatoes!  For once, I wrote down what I did and here's the recipe ...as good as my grandmas, but not quite as good as my moms ..

1 large egg, lightly beaten (I use Eggbeaters)

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3-4 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
• 
  
• Vegetable oil (Oh so much better if you use bacon grease!!)
• Salt to taste

1. Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
2. Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.
3. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/2 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
4. Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

Argentina Cheese Bread

1 egg (room temperature)
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup milk
1-1/2 cups tapioca flour (*See Below)
1/2 cup packed grated cheese (I used Mexican farmer's cheese - queso fresco)
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a mini-muffin tin.

Put all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.  *NOTE:  batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Fill muffin tin HALF FULL (this bread sometimes triples in size!) and bake in oven 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Eat while warm or reheat later in microwave.

Tapioca flour can be found in the international section at most large grocery stores.

Better Than Sex Cake

1 yellow cake mix (butter type)

1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple (with juice-do not drain)

1 cup sugar

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

2 3 oz. instant vanilla pudding

3 large bananas

1 large Cool Whip

2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

Cook cake according to directions on box in 9" x 13" pan.  Let cool, the punch holes in top of cake with toothpick.

Mix the can of pineapple with juice and 1 cup sugar.  Boil for 5 minutes (stirring often).  Pour over top of cake while cake is still warm.

After the cake has cooled, cream pudding and cream cheese together and spread mixture over top of cake.  ** NOTE ** add enough milk to the cream cheese mixture to make a smooth, spreadable consistency.  Usually about 1/2 cup milk.

Place sliced bananas on top of cream cheese mixture.  

Spread a thick layer of Cool Whip on top of bananas.

Top with chopped pecans and coconut.

Chicken Sauce Piquant

1 T. olive oil

4 whole chicken breasts, skinned and boned

2 large onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. all purpose flour

one 8 oz. can tomato sauce

2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 1 can petite diced tomatoes)

1/8 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped greeen onions

3 T. very finely chopped fresh parsley

2 c. hot cooked rice

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Add the chicken and brown it on both sides.  Remove the chicken and set aside.  Add the onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in the flour and cook for 10 minutes, or until brown, stirring constantly.  Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, basil and red and black peppers.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken, cover and continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.  Add the green onions and parsley and cook for 1 minute.  Serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Turkey Sausage

1 lb. fresh ground turkey breast
1 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. Truvia sweetener
2 Tblsp. water

Mix all of the ingredients well with hands and form into patties.  Sear patties and add 1/4 cup water to pan.  Cover and cook on low heat until done.  Seasonings can be adjusted to taste.  Makes 8-10 patties.

Great crumbled up with scrambled Eggbeaters!!

Dreamsicle Pudding

1 pkg sugar-free instant orange flavored Jell-O
1 pkg sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 small container fat-free Cool Whip

Dissolve Jello-O in 1 cup of very hot water. Add another cup of ice cold water or crushed ice. Let sit for 5 minutes.
With mixer, blend in the pudding mix. Stir in the oranges. Fold in the Cool Whip. Refrigerate at least 2 hours prior to serving.

Nick Dyer's Mormon Funeral Potatoes

From my nephew Nick!!  These are so yummy ...

1 30-ounce bag frozen shredded (not diced!) hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream*
2 oz. cream cheese*
1 cup grated cheddar*
one-half cup melted butter*
1 onion, chopped finely & sauteed
2 cups lightly crushed cornflakes
salt to taste

Lightly crush cornflakes to about half original size. (Some people like them really fine and other people enjoy non-crushed at all. I like them best in the middle. :D ) Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Blend well, but don’t use an electric mixer – you want the potatoes to retain their shredded shape. Pour potato mixture in a large oblong pan. (I used a 9x13 glass baking pan.) Sprinkle crushed cornflakes on top and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until center is completely melted. My original recipe said only 30 minutes, but it was COMPLETELY not ready at that time. Serve hot.

*Do not use low-fat versions of these ingredients. Low-fat sour cream and cheddar will not melt, and margarine has water in it.

~~~~
Ask and ye shall receive, Aunt Dianne!!! I changed a couple things today - used cream of mushroom instead of chicken since my dad is vegetarian and put an extra layer of grated cheddar under the corn flakes. Also, some people put 1/2 cup ...chopped green onions and/or sauteed celery into these things. (I didn't think of the green onions today and am not a huge fan of the celery, so neither made it into the final pan.)
Also, I baked them covered for thirty minutes and am now baking them uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes. (Keeps the top from being TOO crunchy.)

CREAMED CABBAGE

This is a great recipe for cabbage from an Enola Prudhomme cookbook (sister of Paul Prudhomme)!!

1 Small head cabbage, coarsely chopped (about 6 cups)
2 T reduced-calorie margarine
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped celery

1 10-1/2 oz. can reduced-calorie cream of mushroom soup
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic

1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
     Place the cabbage in a large bowl and add enough water to cover;  let soak for a few minutes to clean the cabbage, then drain and place in a 1-1/2 quart baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM.  Set aside.
     In a medium saucepan over high heat, melt the margarine and add the onions, bell pepper, and celery.  Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.  Add the next 5 ingredients and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat and pour over the cabbage.  Sprinkle with the paprika and black pepper.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.  Each serving:  92 calories, 2 gm fat

Pork Tenderloin

Dianne Ledet

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

1/4 tsp. celery seeds

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

4 pork tenderloins (1 oz. each)

1 cup very finely chopped onions

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 Tblsp. dry sherry

1 can beef broth

1 green bell pepper, loosely chopped

1 red bell pepper, loosely chopped

In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Mix well

and sprinkle over both sides of the pork; set aside.

Spray the inside of a medium skillet with PAM and heat

til very hot over high heat. Add the pork and cook for 10

minutes, or until brown on both sides, turning often.

Add the onions and bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes,

stirring often. Dissolve the cornstarch in the sherry and

add to the skillet along with the beef broth. Cook for 5

minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Personal Notes: Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc ... but

be careful when doubling or tripling pepper!!!

Tomato-Basil Soup

4 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped, or canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 cups tomato juice OR part tomato juice and part vegetable or chicken stock
14 washed fresh basil leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound sweet, unsalted butter
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

NOTE:  Use only FRESH basil ... no substitute will taste the same!

Bean Dip

If you're kin to me ... you have pinto beans left over from time to time!  Here's a great way to use them.


1 can (16 ounces) refried beans OR 2 cups left-over pinto beans, smashed

1 cup picante sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
 3/4 cup sour cream
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Tortilla chips and salsa

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until heated through, stirring once or twice. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa. Yield: 4-1/2 cups.

Mac and Cheese

8 ounces (2 C.) dry Elbow Macaroni
2 Tbsp. Nonfat Dry Milk
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 Tbsp. Butter, melted
1 1/4 C. boiling water
3 C. (12 ounces) grated Velveeta, divided
1/4 tsp. Salt

Put Velveeta cheese in freezer for about 10-15 minutes to make it easier to grate.  Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix dry milk, flour and butter. Gradually add boiling water, beating constantly. Add 1-1/2 cups cheese and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in macaroni, 1 cup of the remaining cheese and salt. Transfer to lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Continue baking 1 minute, or until cheese melts

Parmesan Pork Tenderloin

12 oz. pork tenderloin
2 large egg whites
1/4 c. Italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
3 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
salt & pepper
1 Tblsp. olive oil

Slice tenderloin into 12 rounds.  Put rounds between waxed paper and smash with a meat mallet to about 1/8" to 1/4" thick.

Beat egg whites in a small, shallow bowl and mix in 1 Tblsp. water.  In another bowl, mix breadcrumbs with Parmesan.  In a third bowl, place the flour and season with salt & pepper.  Dredge pork through flour -- then in egg whites -- then in breadcrumbs, patting to be sure it sticks.

Heat olive oil in non stick skillet to medium high.  Cook the cutlets until golden brown (about 2 minutes/side).  Add another tablespoon olive oil if necessary.

Pork 'n Beans

One (1 pound, 15 ounce) can of pork and beans (total 31 oz.)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ketchup

Partially cook the bacon (until it browns slightly but isn't dark-crispy). Mix all ingredients -- beans, sugar, dry mustard, bacon with all the drippings (yes, every single drop), and ketchup into a greased casserole dish. Bake uncovered in a 325° F oven for 2-1/2 hours

Grilled Chicken Salad

Lime Dressing:
1/2 cup lime juice
4 teaspoons honey mustard
7 1/2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Peanut Butter Sauce:
4 tablespoons peanut butter
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons hot water
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon ground ginger

Salad:
mixed greens
carrots
tortilla strips
sliced grilled chicken breast

Mix ingredients for lime dressing, then mix ingredients for peanut sauce. Mix the salad ingredients with the lime dressing. Drizzle peanut sauce on top.

Taco Soup

1-1/2 pounds ground hamburger meat
1 small onion, chopped
1 can pinto beans
1 can creamed corn
1 can diced stewed tomatoes
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 pkg. Dry taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. Dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix.

Saute hamburger meat together with onion. Dump everything in a big pot! Simmer about 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I found this recipe searching on the internet – can’t remember where I got it! It’s been modified from the original.

Thanks, Mary, for reminding me where this came from!  My favorite food blogger ... www.DeepSouthDish.com 


4 large bell peppers
¼ c. EACH onion, bell pepper & celery
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground Italian sausage (I use HOT)
2 cloves garlic
2 c. tomato sauce
1 cup cooked rice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. Tony Chachere’s
½ c. water
1 can Rotel tomatoes (or petite diced tomatoes)
1-2 Tbsp. panko bread crumbs
Grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the peppers lengthwise and scrape out seeds and ribs. Bring a large pot of water to boil and drop the pepper halves in allowing to parboil for only 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Saute onion, celery and bell pepper in 1 Tbsp. olive oil and stir in tomato sauce. Cook for 15 minutes. Set aside until needed. Can substitute 2 (8 ounce) regular tomato sauce if needed.

In a large skillet, saute 2 Tbsp. onion in 1 Tbsp. olive oil until tender. Remove the sausage from the casing and add it and the ground beef to the skillet; cook until browned, breaking up into small pieces. Drain well if needed. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add ½ cup of the tomato sauce, reserve the remaining sauce. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until sauce is heated through. Stir in rice, salt, pepper, and Tony’s seasoning. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and place peppers in the dish. Scoop the beef and rice mixture evenly into each pepper half, topping each off until you use all of the filling.

Mix the Rotel tomatoes with the remaining tomato sauce, and spoon evenly over the tops of each pepper and sprinkle each with bread crumbs. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until peppers are tender and filling is heated through. Remove, add cheese to top, and return to oven until cheese melts.

Pork Tenderloin

1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
4 pork tenderloins (1 oz. each)
1 cup very finely chopped onions
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tblsp. dry sherry
1 can beef broth
1 green bell pepper, loosely chopped
1 red bell pepper, loosely chopped

In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Mix well and sprinkle over both sides of the pork; set aside.

Spray the inside of a medium skillet with PAM and heat til very hot over high heat. Add the pork and cook for 10 minutes, or until brown on both sides, turning often.

Add the onions and bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Dissolve the cornstarch in the sherry and add to the skillet along with the beef broth. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.  Serve over rice.

Bruschetta

From my bridge friend, Mary S

Sliced sourdough bread (or those little "party" loaves)

Drizzle olive oil over bread (I use the Pam olive oil spray)
Saute ½ c. onion & 2 garlic cloves in olive oil with salt & pepper
Spread onion & garlic on bread
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on bread
Spread drained Rotel over bread
Sprinkle with basil then parmesan

Drizzle olive oil over all

Place under broiler till cheese is brown.

Goulash (Macaroni & Meat Sauce)

1-1/2 c. uncooked macaroni
2 Tblsp. butter
2 c. finely chopped onions
1/2 c. finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
2 c. beef stock or water
1 small can tomato paste
4 medium tomatoes peeled, seeded and cubed (about 2 cups) OR 2 cans Ro-Tel OR 2 cans petite diced tomatoes

Cook the macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Melt butter and add the onions, bell pepper and celery;  saute 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.  Add the beef and spices.  Cook, stirring for 15 minutes then stir in the stock, tomato paste and tomatoes.  Cover, reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often.  Add the macaroni and cook for 10 minutes;  remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes, allowing the macaroni to absorb the meat flavor.

NOTE:  If your family doesn't like spicy, omit the red pepper and use either fresh tomatoes or the petite diced tomatoes.