spaghetti squash to try

Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds, brush with olive oil, and roast face down for 35 - 45 minutes,,,,depending on size,
Cook until shell is soft with a poke...pokey test.
Tip: squash is easier to cut if microwaved for 1 minute...poke shell with fork first!

In the meantime, fry some bacon. 1/2 a pound?
In the residual grease, sauté some diced onion onion....red onion?
Add a bag of baby spinach.
Season w/ salt and pepper to taste. (Nutmeg?)
Add a dollop or 2 of ricotta cheese.
Stir and set aside. Dice bacon.

Use fork on squash to separate fibers to create "spaghetti" strands.
Add spinach and ricotta mixture.
Top with bacon and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Return to oven until melted and hot all the way through.

Try w/o ricotta...substitute a pat or 2 of butter.

Note: squash, bacon, onion, and Parmesan make a really nice flavor combination. Spinach and bacon make a great flavor combination. The spinach adds protein and nutrients. Hadn't though to try spinach and spaghetti squash together.

Recipe was viewed on Tim Farmer's Country Kitchen, but at this time, was not available on website. Will check back.

Miss Daisy's Beef and Cabbage Casserole

Watched "A Chef's Life" and saw this recipe. 

It looked good, so I gave it a go today.

I had a large package of ground beef, so just took a bit out of the pack....perhaps a pound, maybe less.

Added 1/2 an onion when meat was browned.

Added not quite 1/2 a head of cabbage to my casserole pan...used a disposable.

Salt & Pepper.

Then added a layer of Yukon gold potato slices.  Salt & pepper.

Added 1/2 a can of diced tomatoes to hamburger mix, plus 1 can of cream of celery and a can of cheddar cheese soup.

Spread mixture over potato and cabbage.

Followed Vivian's baking directions.

Things I would do differently:

I might add more meat. But, if we are downplaying the meat portion and focusing more on the veggies, then I would season the ground beef. A little Lawry's Season Salt would have gone a long way.

I also think it could use some garlic....a sprinkle, or a bit of minced in the sauté.

Some chopped carrot mixed in with the cabbage would add some color.

I made the casserole in the morning and popped it in the oven after work.  I think upping the temp to 375 would have helped the cooking process...cabbage was still a tad too crunchy after an hour of cooking as prescribed.

Another thing I was concerned about is liquid coming from the cabbage. It was a little watery.

I don't see anyway to prevent...a glass casserole dish instead of an aluminum disposable might have conducted the heat better (better evaporation) and perhaps cut the milk going into the burger/soup mixture.

I also topped with a bit of grated cheese...just a quick minute or 2 more in the oven.

Leftovers...think I'm going to try wrapping in puff pastry. Individual parcels, seasoned, and perhaps a bit more cheese...Swiss and gruyere? Avoid excess liquid.

MISS DAISY’S BEEF & CABBAGE CASSEROLE 

We received a ton of requests for Miss Daisy’s beef and cabbage casserole that was featured on our “A Casserole Says Plenty” episode. Miss Daisy was so gracious to provide it to our viewers. If you make it, be sure to post some pictures on our Facebook page. We’re sure Miss Daisy would love to see them and so would we!

• Lightly sauté chopped bell pepper and medium onion in 1 TBS olive oil (or you can use ½ to 1 stick of butter instead). Set aside.

• Brown 1 ½ lbs. of ground beef or chuck. Drain fat.

• Put approximately 3 cups of chopped cabbage in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.

• Thinly slice 3 medium potatoes (approximately 3 ½ cups) over layer of cabbage.

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• Add 1 can of cheddar cheese soup and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup along with ⅓ cup of milk to ground beef along with the sautéed bell pepper and onions. Stir well.

• Pour mixture over potatoes.

• Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

• Then remove the tin foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

A Note from Miss Daisy "I vary this recipe considerably, depending on how many people I am cooking for. Feel free to adjust the amount of cabbage, potatoes, etc. This is a good dish for covered dish dinners. Still tastes good, even at room temperature. Enjoy!" 

Caribbean Cornbread

By Leslie in Texas

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Servings: 9

ABOUT THIS RECIPE

"Pineapple is the surprise ingredient in this Caribbean-style cornbread! Originally from a food section newspaper article about a restaurant in Anguilla. It's delicious with ham and will go well with summer barbeques!"

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canned cream-style corn
• 1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese or 1 cup mild white cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Butter and flour a 9-inch square glass cake pan (you can use a metal pan but the recipe states that glass works better).
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.
5. While mixer is running, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add corn, pineapple and cheese; mix to blend.
7. At low speed, add flour mixture and mix until well blended.
8. Pour batter into pan and bake until golden brown around edges and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Page 2 of 2Caribbean Cornbread (cont.)

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving Size: 1 (164 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 9

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Calories 461.1

 

Calories from Fat 245

53%

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Total Fat 27.2g

41%

Saturated Fat 16.1g

80%

Cholesterol 159.4mg

53%

Sugars 19.4 g

Sodium 870.8mg

36%

Total Carbohydrate 47.5g

15%

Dietary Fiber 1.9g

7%

Sugars 19.4 g

77%

Protein 9.4g

18%

© 2017 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. http://www.food.com/62444

Alfredo - by request

I have one recipe written down that I refer to often because I can't remember some of the technical how-to details from one time to the next.  I made it recently and took the leftovers for lunch.  A co-worker has asked for the recipe, so now it's time to commit it to the site for future reference.



Alfredo Sauce [ with Chicken and Broccoli]

1 pint heavy cream
1 stick [plus some] butter
5-8 oz grated Parmesan cheese [Refrigerated grated parms are normally 5 oz. This amount is good for the sauce, but you might want a little extra for garnishing.]
3-4 cloves fresh minced garlic
1 small onion, diced.
2 -3 stalks of celery, diced.
Broccoli florets [I used dehydrated broc. the last time, but fresh or well thawed and drained frozen will do.]
Chicken [I used left-over chicken breast smoked on our Cobb grill.  You could  bake a couple of lightly seasoned breasts before hand or dissect a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for convenience.]
1lb. pasta of choice
Salt & Pepper to taste.
Fresh parsley, finely chopped.  [Optional]

Prepare/cook chicken.  Once in bite-sized bits, set aside.
Lightly steam fresh broccoli, or thaw and drain frozen.  Set aside.
Boil 1 lb pasta.  Drain and reserve 1 cup liquid.  Set aside.

In large skillet/frying pan, add 1 tbl. butter on medium heat.  Add a small amount of olive oil if available to keep butter from burning.
Add onion and celery to the pan.  Stir and cook 1-2 minutes then add garlic. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes or until vegetables start to get soft.
Add cream and stir.  Bring to a boil.  Stir often.
Reduce heat.  Let cream reduce for 5-6 minutes.  Lid off.

Add remaining butter.  Stir.
Heat should be very low before adding the next ingredient!
Slowly stir in Parmesan cheese.
Taste and adjust seasoning - salt & pepper
Add broccoli.  
Add chicken.  **Note:  You could leave broccoli and chicken out and serve on top or to the side of the alfredo pasta.
Stir in pasta.  Add reserved cooking liquid as needed for consistency.

Serve with a sprinkle of Parm, a crack of black pepper, and a dusting of fresh parsley.
Good with crusty garlic bread.

Parmesan Pork w/ Cheese Tortellini and Spinach

This yummy dinner kind of came together by accident. I was doing a grocery shop for all those little things we like to have on the boat but were out of...provisioning. But since I was in the store, I might as well pick out something for dinner. I eyed up a Hormel Parmesan Crust Porkloin and decided that would be easy enough to throw on the grill.


Now for a side item. Since we've gotten the new Cobb grill, Jeff has done a lot of the cooking which I greatly appreciate...but it means we've had a lot of corn on the cob and baked potatoes - those being the obvious choices for throwing on the grill. Not tonight, though, I was picking out something different. The Parmesan crust suggested Italian so I picked out a roasted garlic and cheese tortellini and went back to the produce section for a bag of baby spinach...that should make a nice side dish.


By the time I got home from work a little after 7, Jeff had the pork started. Time to relax, have a cocktail, and enjoy the breeze and the sunset. The great thing about this new grill is that you can cook very slowly with it if you chose and as neither of us were hungry, we took our time cooking the tenderloin. I'm sure you could just follow the directions on the label and cook it in the oven as suggested.

Jeff got out his newest guitar, and spent a very pleasant evening checking on the pork occasionally. But, now it's gotten late, and I'm still not hungry. We took the tenderloin off the grill and let it rest. I thin sliced it and made Jeff a sandwich...the rest could wait.

The next day, to make dinner quicker and easier, I went ahead a boiled the tortellini for a minute less than the lowest cooking time, drained them, gave them a pat of butter and a dash of salt, pepper, and garlic...then [after sneaking a few] threw them in the fridge for later.

Dinner was a cinch. I heated my large skillet with a bit of oil, ran a knife through the pork slices to make them bite size, and threw them in the hot oil. Next, the tortellini went right in on top. Shake, shake...sizzle, sizzle. After just a minute or 2, I reduced the heat, threw in a large scoop of minced garlic [the kind in oil], tossed in a couple handfuls of spinach and a pat of butter and put the lid on.

One minute later [just enough to be put a wilt on the spinach but not really cook it.] and I was putting dinner on a plate. A quick sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and in Jeff's case, a bit of tomato sauce, and VIOLA!

Jeff told someone today that it was the best thing that he's eaten in months...since he's been doing most of the cooking, I'll take that as a compliment.

It was certainly good enough to fix again...whether or not we do it in the same manner will remain to be seen. I think all kinds of left-overs...steak, chicken, chops...could be used in the same manner with yummy results.

The Guest Menu part 3 [Ribs and Rub]

Another never-fail-favorite when I have people to feed is ribs cooked in the rotisserie.



Yes, we have a rotisserie on the sailboat.



We've all seen the late night infomercial for Ron Popeil's Showtime Rotisserie Grill..."Just set it and forget it!"

Well, Jeff used to have one and gave it away because he thought it was a ridiculous thing to try to make space for in the small confines of a sailboat.
It only took a short period of time before we both missed it enough to order a new one.

It's just hard to screw anything up in one of these things and everything turns out to be delicious, moist and flavorful.

The secret though is in the rub.
A good rub can be made by just simply sprinkling a nice cut of meat with your basic spices...salt, pepper, onion, and garlic or any one of the myriad of spice blends found at your local grocer.

But, I have developed a rub that is my personal favorite and seems to be good on just about everything I've tried it on beef and pork wise. I haven't tried it on chicken or fish.

It all started when Jeff made the java rub from the book "How to Grill" by Steven Raichlen.
I would take some of his rub and mix it with other things of my choosing.
When the rub ran out, I decided to mix a batch of my own.
I looked at the java rub recipe but I don't like the smell of coriander and couldn't see adding it to my recipe.
So here is approximately what I threw together...now, I usually make a container full and use what I need and save the rest for a later date. So, if you only want one application adjust your amounts accordingly.
And keep in mind that I don't measure...we're mostly just winging it here.

2 packs of Starbucks instant coffee [3.3 grams/each makes a cup]
1 Big heaping tablespoonful [from here on to be known as BS] garlic powder
1 BS onion powder
1 BS parsley flakes
1 BS Hungarian paprika...as if there were any other kind.
1 BS Hershey's Special Dark cocoa
A few generous sprinkles of oregano...flakes or ground or both.
Fresh ground pepper until you arm feels like it might fall off...rest, and then add a bit more.
A dash of cumin
A dash of cayenne pepper...flakes or ground or both.

And now for the secret ingredient...drum roll, please...
A BIG heaping spoonful of beef broth granules. I've used Wyler's or Maggi and both have been fine.
This is the whole reason I keep any other salt to a minimum and is probably the only salt the recipe needs. I have been known to add smoked or hickory salt to the mix. If it gets too salty you can always add more of the other ingredients.

Once you've got everything combined, take a fork and smoosh everything together. This will break up the granules and any herb flakes you might have added.

Now you need to lick a finger and give it a taste.
At this point, you're on your own.
Add more garlic, coffee, chocolate, pepper, salt, or anything else your heart desires...to taste.

When you get it how you like it, seal it up in an airtight container and run down to the store for a slab of meat.
Ribs, brisket, London broil, pork tenderloin, Boston butt...whatever you like to cook.


I like to rub the meat the day before I plan on cooking it.
Wrap it up nice and tight and let it just sit in the fridge.



Then through it on the grill, under the broiler, in the pressure cooker or if your one of the fortunate...skewer it up and "Set it and forget it!"

The Guest Menu Part 2 [Lobster Mac & Cheese]

My Mac & Cheese is always a crowd-pleaser and a favorite among our guests. This time I wanted to try something a little more special.

First I bought 2 lobster tails of the Florida spiny persuasion...about a pound a piece and frozen.
I let them sit and thaw while I prepped the other parts of the recipe such as grating the cheese [8oz. of cabot's low fat sharp white cheddar] and boiling the pasta [barilla pasta plus shells to go with the seafood theme.]

Next I steamed the tails in the veggie steamer for about 5 minutes...then dumped them in a colander and covered them in ice to stop the cooking process. The tails were slightly under-cooked...definitely no trying a nibble...but it made them easy to remove from the shells. I gave the lobster meat a quick chop and set aside.

Next I prepped my liquid which consisted of 4 eggs and a quart of fat free half and half. I have had pretty good luck with the fat free stuff although the results would probably be creamy with the regular.

Usually in my mac and cheese, to complement the flavor of the cheddar, I add a dash of Worcestershire and a squirt of good mustard. This time, I thought sherry would be good. I bought cooking sherry at the grocery and although it worked just fine, it is very salty and you have to be careful. Next time, I'll spring for a small bottle of the real stuff and have a sip or 2 of it while everything is baking.

I added maybe a 1/4 cup of the sherry to the egg and cheese mixture with a sprinkle of garlic powder and a dash of pepper.

Now for the cheese part. As I previously mentioned, I grated the block of cabot's but then added to it a bag of the new Kraft cheese with Philly cream cheese...the triple cheddar, I think.
The cream cheese added to the shredded cheese has got me thinking about the next time adding some actual cream cheese to the recipe...perhaps 1/2 the cream and a block of softened low-fat Philly whipped into the egg mixture.
Just something to think about.

So now it's it's time to put it all together.

Melt 1/4 stick of butter in your casserole dish...swish it around and pour the rest into the egg mixture.

First layer 1/3 of the pasta...I tried to make this a smaller dish with more lobster to pasta ratio so I did not use a full pound of the cooked shells. The dog was all for this decision and graciously helped with the extra shells I no longer required.

Next sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese with 1/2 of the lobster. Don't get hung up on the math...it all works out.

Now 1/3 more pasta...1/3 more cheese....the rest of the lobster. Finish off with the rest of the pasta and the last of the cheese. Give it all a good pat and then pour the egg/cream/sherry mixture over the top.

Now bake it according to whatever the other page says or covered for about 45 minutes in a hot oven.

In the meantime melt the rest of that stick of butter, combine with a generous amount of panko, a fair amount of parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle or 2 of old bay.

When the timer goes off, remove the covering and spread evenly over the top.
Bake for another 15 minutes or until it's done.

Let me know how yours turns out.
Mine was quite yummy and I look forward to tweaking the recipe just a bit to make it even more delicious.

The Guest Menu [Part 1 - Shrimps]

As some of you may have experienced, and the rest of you have read about, a big part of a guest's experience on the S/V Thin Line has a lot to do with the food.

Everyone who comes to the Keys wants to eat seafood. I try to accommodate by making a trip to the Keys Fisheries and purchasing a couple of pounds of Key West Pinks.
Here's a bit of history about the Key West Pink variety of shrimp. Accounts vary, but sometime between 1949 and 1958 they were "discovered"...History is a slippery slope. One story claims a fishing boat caught a shark and when they cut it open, it's belly was full of the never before seen shrimp. Another version is that grouper being caught and processed had their bellies similarly full leading to a rich and plentiful shrimping ground off of the Dry Tortugas. The most important discovery about the pinks is contributed to shrimper, Felix Salvador, when he decided to drop his nets at dusk instead of dawn. Legend has it that alcohol might have been involved, but the pinks only run at night. All I know is those shrimp sure taste yummy.

The easiest way I have discovered to fix the tasty morsels is to get out the vegetable steamer. Put enough water in a pot to touch the bottom of the steamer. Add a sliced up lemon or lime if handy, and bring to a boil. Substitute beer if you are so inclined. In the meantime, rinse the pinks in a colander, picking out any odd bits, and then sprinkle liberally with Old Bay. When you have steam, dump the pinks. The guy at the fisheries told me I only had to steam them for 3 minutes or so...but I gave mine a toss at the 3 minute mark and continued steaming for another 3. They were some pretty big shrimp [16 to 22 per pound]. Then it was back into the colander for the shrimp and then onto a plate. Serve with hot melted butter, lemon wedges, and lots of napkins. You just can't go wrong with this crowd pleaser.

If you happen to have left-overs...I almost always over-buy and so I usually do...go ahead and peel all the shrimp and refrigerate. I like to get the peeling part out of the way.

Now you have 2 options for leftover sandwiches - hot or cold.
On one of Angela's trips, she took the shuttle back to the airport so I made her a sandwich for the ride. First I cut the shrimp into more manageable bits, then chopped some celery, onion, and a baby carrot or two. Mix with a dollop of mayo, a squirt of lemon, a dash of sea salt, and a crack of black pepper and pile it up on a croissant and viola - a gourmet morsel that you'll probably have to eat with a knife and fork [and extra napkins] but very yummy.

I had the same thing in mind for our last bit of company until Janet announced that she didn't eat cold seafood. Well, pooh.
Fine, then.
Same basic stuff: dice a bit of celery, onion, and a baby carrot or 2 and lightly saute in a skillet with a bit of butter. When that's good and soft, throw in the cut up shrimp and heat just enough to warm the shrimp but not really cook them any further. Spoon on to a nice, toasted bun...publix french hamburger buns are a pretty good choice...and top with a slice of cheddar cheese. I made a bit of a savory dressing by mixing a bit of Ken's Steak House Creamy Caesar with a bit of brown mustard and slathered a bit of that on the bun as well.
Extra napkins, a knife, and a fork are probably a good idea with this one as well.
You could add a bit of color with red pepper or a bit of spinach, but I used what I had on hand and had rave reviews.

Tropical Eggnog

This recipe may be of Puerto Rican origins, but then again, it may not...all I know is that is pretty tasty and I've never had anything quite like it.

Blend in a 2 quart pitcher or a 2 litter bottle:
1 [14oz] can coconut milk
1 [14oz?] can of coconut cream or creme of coconut
1 [14oz] can of sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs

Add first three ingredients and shake well. Add three whole eggs [can be beaten first].
Shake well and refrigerate immediately.

To Spike or Not to Spike...
What a silly question.
The question is WHAT to add to your nog.
Now what you spike your eggnog with seems to be a personal/regional choice.
Some prefer rum. Some bourbon. And some brandy.
I saw a great recipe in the paper the other day for "Eggnog Spike" where you mix 2 cups bourbon, 1 cup rum, and one cup brandy. Add one nutmeg that you smack into 4-5 pieces with a frying pan/hammer, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 7 cloves. The recipe said to cork it up tightly and sit on it for a week...well, we don't have that much time left before the big day so I recommend mixing a batch up tonight and just see how the flavor improves, assuming you don't drink it all in the first sitting. Next year, you can make it up to 3 months in advance...so mark your calendar for October.
Perhaps a double-batch may be in order.
I don't suggest using top of the line liquor for this recipe but I wouldn't use the cheapest stuff either.
I know nothing about brandy, so if anyone can suggest a medium priced brandy with a good flavor, please leave it in comments.
For the rum, I would suggest Cruzan Dark.
For the bourbon, try Old Forrester.

Another tip:
If you don't care about other people drinking your eggnog and their alcohol preferences, go ahead and mix the booze right in and then you can place the concoction in the FREEZER.
This may take a little trial and error to get it just right, but...who cares?
Serve in frosty shot glasses, sprinkle the top with nutmeg, and ho, ho ,ho.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Brixx Pizza

I like pizza. I don't love pizza.
After a slice or 2 I get tired of the same flavor and want something different, but alas, my entire pizza is the same now-monotonous flavor.
So Friday night when my Mother mentioned getting pizza at Brixx's right around the corner from her house I was hesitant, but it was close, I was hungry, and it was getting late.
I thought we'd have to agree on the pizza toppings and I was prepared to acquiesce to more veggies and less meat than I would care for. Imagine my delight when I discovered that the wood fired pizzas at Brixx were 10 inches and made for personal comsumption!
I ordered this one:

Prosciutto
prosciutto and pancetta with whole milk mozzarella cheese topped with fresh arugula and white truffle oil [on a traditional crust lightly brushed with olive oil]

Topped with some freshly grated parmesan, talk about crispy, chewy, fresh, light, salty, peppery perfection!
I ate the whole thing.
After finding a buy-one-get-one-free coupon, Sarah [my Mother] asked me if I wanted to go back a mere five days later. I said sure. I ordered the same pizza. This time it was even better as it came mounded with the spicy arugula dressed with the rich earthy truffle oil to the point I had to fold my slices to keep the cool, crisp goodness on the pizza.
I ate the whole thing, again.

This one might be worth trying to copy at home.

What My Mother Made For Lunch

This is what my Mother made for lunch today and it was yummy. We accompanied it with a nice Candoni Prosecco and used fresh peaches from the farmer's market. Dee-lish!

Thai & Nectarine Salad

Time start to finish: 40 minutes
Recipe makes 4 servings.

1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
3 tbls. reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbls. hoisin
1 tbl. olive oil
2 tsps. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic...minced
1 & 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
4 oz. angel hair...cooked & drained
2 cups sliced, cooked chicken
3 medium nectarines or peeled peaches...pitted and sliced
2 cups baby greens
2 green onions...finely sliced

The dressing: In a screw-top bottle combine broth, soy, hoisin, oils [2], garlic, ginger, red pepper, and blk. pepper. Cover. Shake well and set aside.

In a large bowl toss pasta with 3 tbls. of dressing. Divide pasta among 4 dinner plates. Top with mixed greens then chicken, fruit, and green onions. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

My take:
Don't even think of measuring out that 1/2 tsp of ginger. Jeese.

I think a little more sesame oil would have been good, so proportion out your 2 oils according to taste.

My Mother used Louisiana Hot Sauce instead of the crushed red pepper. I say use both.

I think this dish would be great for a Girl's Night or a picnic layered in individual containers [clear pint/quart take-outs or glass jars] and served with chop sticks.

I also think a more substantial/authentic noodle would be better. My Mother just used thin spaghetti which was good, but maybe a rice noodle or lo mien would be nice.

Cheese Torte

Katherine Doll’s Cheese Torte

Serves 8 to 10

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup minced baby spinach

1 ½ t. chutney (I use Major Grey’s)

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2/3 c. mayonnaise

½ cup pecan pieces

¼ cup finely chopped white onion

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Combine 4 ounces of cream cheese with the minced spinach in a bowl and mix well. Stir the chutney into the remaining cream cheese in a separate bowl. Combine the Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pecans, onion and Tabasco sauce in a third bowl and mix well.

Layer half of the Cheddar cheese mixture, the spinach mixture, the chutney mixture and the remaining Cheddar cheese mixture in the order listed in a 2 cup mold or container. Chill, covered for 8-10 hours.

Invert the mold onto a platter lined with additional baby spinach. Garnish with grapes and strawberries. Serve with assorted party crackers.

Skirt Steak ala Alton Brown

Skirt Steak

The following recipe is for marinated flank steak...I don't cook it the way it's called for - on open coals blown off with a hairdryer. Just a few minutes on each side on a hot grill is sufficient. Tent the meat afterward and let it rest a good 15 minutes or so before cutting. Thin slices on a diagonal would be the preferred method. Another thing I do differently is I marinate the meat for much longer than the recipe calls. Overnight. The meat was tender and flavorful, yet not over-marinated.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

1 hr 15 min

Cook Time:

2 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

8 servings as fajita meat or 4 as main course

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 4 scallions, washed and cut in 1/2 [I just used onion, finely minced]
  
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup lime juice [key lime juice]
  
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar or Mexican brown sugar
• 2 pounds inside skirt steak, cut into 3 equal pieces
• Special equipment: blow dryer

[I added a bit of cilantro as well.]

Directions

Heat charcoal, preferably natural chunk, until grey ash appears. In a blender, put in oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, red pepper, cumin, and sugar and puree. In a large heavy duty, zip top bag, put pieces of skirt steak and pour in marinade. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Allow steak to marinate for 1 hour in refrigerator.

Remove steak from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Using a blow dryer, blow charcoal clean of ash. Once clean of ash lay steaks directly onto hot coals for 1 minute per side. When finished cooking, place meat in double thickness of aluminum foil, wrap, and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Remove meat from foil, reserving foil and juices. Slice thinly across the grain of the meat. Return to foil pouch and toss with juice. Serve with grilled peppers and onions, if desired.

"Adult" Jello

Alright...maybe you shouldn't eat jello for dinner but....
....maybe you should?!

These were very tasty jello shots indeed.

1 - 3 oz. pkg. Tropical Fusion Jello
1 - 3 oz. pkg. Lemon Jello
2 - 3 oz. pkg. Pineapple Jello

Dump all jello into large [64oz-ish] container with lid.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add to jello. Stir.
Now for the good stuff. Stir in:
1 cup 99 Bananas Liqueur
1 cup vodka
1 cup rum [preferably Cruzan...as if there were any other kind!?]
1 cup coconut rum

Stir, stir, stir...especially along the bottom or else you'll get a chewy film on the bottom.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Now gather a few good friends and be prepared to do some serious giggling.
Serve in small paper cups or straight off a spoon.
Enjoy.

Kendra's Key Lime Pie

So...my friend, Kendra, thinks that I think she can't cook so she made us a key lime pie to prove a point. Whether Kendra can cook or not is not up for debate, but she sure can make one mean pie.
Here's a quick, easy recipe developed by Kendra if you'd like to try it for yourself.

1 - 9" graham cracker pie crust [shortbread might be good, too.]
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 - egg yolks
4 oz. [1/2 cup] Key Lime juice

Combine ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour into pie crust.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before refrigerating.
When thoroughly chilled, serve topped with whipped cream & perhaps garnish with a slice of lime.

Yummy, tart, and refreshing. Thanks, Kendra!

Black Beans & Sweet Potatoes

This dish made it's first appearance when we had a fish fry on our friend Colin's boat. A plate of it was taken to Captain Jack, our 88 year old harbor neighbor. He liked it so much he requested the recipe and has since passed it around. Since February 3rd was Jack's birthday, I made up a batch, took him a big bowl of them, and served the rest with our fresh catch and basmati rice to rave reviews from all parties.

I don't like sweet potatoes but this dish is pretty tasty.

2 cans black beans

1 can sweet potatoes [I used a can the same size as the beans...if you like sweet potatoes you could use the larger size can.]

1 can crushed pineapple [once again, I used the same size can as the beans...aprx.]

1 chopped onion

1-2 tsp. cumin

2-3 cloves of garlic

salt & pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in just a bit of butter. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Simmer on low until hot all the way through.

Note: I had celery, so I sautéed some of that with the onion & garlic. Carrots would probably be good added as well.

Mexican Chicken

This preparation came about when I decided to buy the family pack of chicken breast and have Jeff & I eat it all week long.

The first night, I just sprinkled 3 breasts with seasoning and popped them under the broiler for 20-25 minutes. Let rest and then thin slice. I served it with buttered bowtie noodles and steamed broccoli topped with cheese sauce [2% velveeta & skim milk].

The leftover slices of meat provided Jeff with chicken sandwiches for lunch.

The next night, I pulled out a casserole dish, cubed a breast and 1/2, chopped some broccoli, tossed it with a dollop of sour cream, a dollop of mayo, and a good squirt of honey mustard. I then stirred in some shredded cheddar cheese and the topped the concoction with a cup and 1/2 of [prepared as directed...I have a canister and just made 3 servings.] stove top stuffing. Popped it in the oven [375 degrees] for 30-40 minutes and out came a yummy, one dish, no mess dinner.

The third night of our all-chicken all-the-time experiment I had 2 & 1/2 breasts left. I threw them in the pressure cooker with a can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 an onion [diced], and the seasoning mix out of an Old El Paso enchilada kit. Seal the cooker, bring to pressure, and chica [verb; pronounced chee-kah - the process of cooking with the pressure cooker while it makes the "chica, chica" sound. Can also be used as a noun referring to the piece of equipment that makes the "chica, chica".] for 4 minutes. Let pressure drop on it own accord. I did this part early enough in the day that I could just let the pot sit and cool for maybe an hour while I did other things.

Now that everything is cool, remove bits of chicken and shred them with a fork. Put back into liquid & gently simmer for 15-20 minutes. The shredded chicken was super tender and soaked up the flavor of the tomatoes and seasonings. Now, it was time to break out a casserole dish and spoon a generous amount of chicken into an enchilada shell. Repeat. Cover with enclosed sauce and shredded cheese and bake as instructed. I served this dish with rice and refried beans...all topped with a bit of sour cream, shredded cheese, and slices of black olives.

There was plenty of meat left-over for another dinner and just last night, Jeff and I had chicken tacos [the kits were buy one get one free]...which ended up being more like chicken taco salads...with baby greens, tomato, avocado, shredded cheese, and just a touch of thousand island dressing.

The chicken recipe is definitely a keeper and super easy. The rest was just an exercise in how many dinners [and lunches] I could make using the same basic ingredients and simple things I had on hand with each meal being unique and different.

Jeff's Mom's Mom's Dressing

Passed down and delicious.

Best if made up the day before and if you designate a man to break the bread into crumbs.

Thank you for the recipe, Denise!

Note - I mixed one can cream of mushroom with one can cream of celery and I add a little milk [enough to get the residual soup out of the can] as part of the liquid. The only other thing I do differently is cook it a wee bit longer. We like the top to be golden and crusty and that seems to take some more time.

MOTHER’S DRESSING

Assemble all ingredients and mix in order listed.

1 Box Sweet Miracle Maize Corn Bread Mix

Mix for a pan of corn break – adding 1 tsp. Sugar – and bake according to package directions. Let cool and crumble.

1 Loaf White Bread (day old, store bread – it doesn’t matter)

Pinch in small pieces. Mix with corn bread crumbles.

1-1/2 Tsp. Sage

2-1/2 Tsp. Poultry Seasoning

½ Tsp. Black Pepper

½ Tsp. Salt

Add above dry ingredients and toss with bread mixture.

½ Med. Onion, Diced

1 Tsp. Celery Seed

1 Stick Margarine

Cook onion and celery seed in melted margarine (in misrowave for 2 – 3 minutes, medium power). Add to mixture.

2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup (Campbell’s Fat Free works fine)

2 Eggs, lightly beaten with fork

Add to mixture.

4 Soup Cans of Hot Water OR Substitute 1 Can of Chicken Broth with 3 Cans Water

Add to mixture, working in with hands as you add liquid. Mixture will be very liquid. This is why it ends up moist.

Place 2 Tbl. Oil in a long pan (approx. 8” x 11” x 2”) to prevent sticking. Add mixture. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes; uncover and bake 30 additional minutes.

Aunt Karen's Chocolate Pie

I haven't gotten a chance to make the pie yet, but here's the recipe so that it is safe and easy to find. I have eaten the pie on several occasions & have helped to make them for a previous Thanksgiving.

~Beat 2 egg yolks and set aside.

Combine in saucepan:

3 tbls. corn starch

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbls. cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

~ Mix together.

~ Gradually stir in 2 cups cold milk

~ Turn on burner - moderate heat.

~ Stir constantly until thick.

~ Simmer one more minute.

~ Stir small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks.

~ Stir egg yolks into hot mixture.

~ Cook one more minute stirring constantly.

~ Turn off heat.

~ Stir in 3 1/2 tbls. butter.

~ Add 1 tsp. vanilla.

~ Stir.

~ Sit entire pan in cold water.

~ Stir.

~ Change water as necessary.

~ Once cool, pour into already pre-pared/baked pie shell.

Ta da - PIE!

Cornbread

This recipe turned out pretty well, so before I lose it:

Preheat oven - 375 degrees.

Melt one stick of butter [1/2 cup] in your baking pan.

Swish around, coat the sides of the pan, and dump butter into mixing bowl...reserving a small amount in baking dish [tbls.]

Now add the rest of the ingredients in order - stirring/whisking before adding the next item.

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups self-rising cornmeal

[or 1 cup cornmeal, 1cup flour, and 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda]

1/2 tsp. salt

Pour into pan and cook 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when stuck in the middle.

The cornbread turned out moist, slightly sweet, and savory.