Index

Spinach and Mushroom Salad | Jellied Cranberry Salad | Brine for Turkey | Apple Praline Pie | Baked Orange French Toast Bananas Foster French Toast | Chicken Florentine | Chicken Scaloppini | Glazed Lemon Carrots | Grits and Greens Herb-Crusted Pork | Parmesan Mashed Potatoes | Spinach and Artichoke Dip | Spiral Reuben Bites | Potato Gratin with Sage & Onions Cheesey Asparagus Casserole Italian Smoked Sausage & Lentil Soup | Shrimp & Portabella Farfalle | Dianne's Black Olive Meatloaf

Jellied Cranberry Salad

2 cups fresh Cranberries
2 Oranges, unpeeled, cut into eights and seeded
1 Carrot, scraped and cut into pieces
1 cup Pecans, chopped
3/4 cup Sugar
1 can Crushed Pineapple
2 3-ounce packages Raspberry Gelatin
1 cup Boiling Water
1 cup Cold Water
Lettuce leaves

In food processor, add cranberries, orange segments and carrots. Pulse until finely chopped. 
Combine with sugar, pineapple and pecans.

Dissolve gelatin in the boiling water and stir in cold water. 
Add to cranberry mixture and stir well. Pour into 6-cup mold (sprayed with Pam). Chill until firm.

Spinach & Mushroom Salad
w/ Creamy Warm Bacon Dressing

6 - 8 ounces Baby Spinach leaves, stems removed
4 - 6 ounces Mushrooms, sliced 

Creamy Warm Bacon Dressing
6 slices bacon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup Miracle Whip
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Raspberry vinegar
1 - 2 Tablespoons sugar (add 1 & check for
sweetness, I aim for a sweet/tart
taste and usually add 2)

Fry bacon until crisp and drain. Pour off all but
a tablespoon of grease. Sauté' the minced
garlic over medium-low heat until translucent.
Add the Miracle Whip, milk and the raspberry vinegar.
Whisk until smooth. Add sugar to taste. Chop
bacon and add to dressing.

Brine for Turkey

2 gallons water
2 cups Kosher Salt
1 cup Sugar
2 cups Jack Daniels or Wild Turkey

Combine, stir until dissolved. In a container just large enough to hold turkey (deep stock pot, small cooler, etc.), place the defrosted turkey and cover with the brine. Chill in refrigerator for 24 hours. Roast as directed.

Apple Praline Pie

1 package (15 ounce) refrigerated pie crusts Filling:
6 cups Granny Smith Apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Flour 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 tablespoons Butter or Margarine Topping:
1/4 cup Butter or Margarine
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Half and Half
1/2 cup chopped Pecans
Prepare pie crest according to package directions for two crust pie using 9" pie pan.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon and salt. Toss lightly. Spoon into crust lined pie pan. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Top with second crust and flute edge. Cut several slits in top crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven. Topping: In a small saucepan, melt butter, stir in brown sugar and half and half. Slowly bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans. Return to oven for 5 minutes. Cool one hour. Pam Seymour Milledgeville, Georgia

Baked Orange French Toast
(4 servings)

4 large Eggs
2/3 cup Orange Juice
1/3 cup Milk or Half & Half
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
8 1/2-inch-thick slices Italian or French Bread
(I use 4 1" slices and bake until puffed.)
1/4 cup Butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped Pecans (optional)
Orange Syrup:
1/2 cup Butter or Margarine
1/2 cup Sugar
1/3 cup frozen Orange Juice concentrate

Beat eggs, juice, milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg until combined. In a 13X9X2-inch pan, place bread slices in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.

Place butter in a 15x10x1-inch pan. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven, tilt pan to spread butter over bottom. Place bread slices in a single layer on top of melted butter. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle pecans evenly on top of the bread slices. Bake 10 minutes more or until nuts are lightly toasted and toast is golden. (You can tell it's done when the toasts puff up.) Serve with Orange Syrup.

Orange Syrup: While the toast is baking, combine the 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup of orange juice concentrate. Cook and stir over low heat until butter is melted and all is combined. Remove from heat. Whisk until slightly thickened. Serve warm. Makes 3/4 cup.

Bananas Foster French Toast
(Serves 4 - 6)

4 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 large ripe Banana, peeled, cut in half and sliced lengthwise
Dash Cinnamon
2 tablespoons Banana Liqueur
1 tablespoon Dark Rum
3 large eggs
1/2 cup Half & Half
1 tablespoon Banana Liqueur, or 1/2 teaspoon Banana Extract
2 slices Italian Bread 1" thick
A little extra Butter for sautéing banana and the toast

Whisk together the eggs. half & half and banana liqueur. Soak bread slices for 15 to 20 minutes. (You can give them a gentle squeeze to give the soaking a kick-start.) While the bread is soaking, melt brown sugar and butter in a flat skillet. Sprinkle with the cinnamon. Pour in banana liqueur and rum. Simmer and stir for about 1 minute.  In a buttered skillet over low to medium-low heat, cook soaked bread slices 8-10 minutes then turn and cook for about 5 more minutes. You want it golden brown and it should start to puff up when cooked through. Just before the toast is done, melt a little butter in a small skillet and add the banana. Sauté over low heat for a minute on both sides, just until banana is tender and starting to brown. Pour sauce over banana pieces.  Plate your toast and arrange 2 banana pieces on each. Top with the sauce. This same sauce with the bananas over ice cream is for the classic Bananas Foster. 

Chicken Florentine

2 10-ounce packages chopped Spinach, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons Flour
1 teaspoon Accent (optional)
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Cayenne
2 cups Milk
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 cups cooked Chicken, cut into chunks
1 - 1 1/2 cups soft bread, torn into small pieces
1-2 tablespoons Butter

Place the spinach in the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart buttered casserole. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Let bubble one minute, stirring constantly. Add spices and milk. Stir constantly until mixture thickens. Add cheese and chicken/ Pour chicken mixture over spinach. Top with bread crumbs and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until casserole is heated completely through. If bread crumbs need additional browning, place under the broiler for a minute or two. 

This can be prepared at least one day ahead. Do not add bread crumbs until ready to bake. If refrigerated, 
extend baking time.

For a special company dinner, sauté chicken breasts whole and slice on the diagonal.. Form individual beds of the spinach, top with sliced chicken, top with the sauce and then the bread crumbs and dot with butter and bake as directed. Bake 30 minutes. Lift with spatula and place on plates.  Chopped spring onions make a nice garnish.

Chicken Scaloppini with Gorgonzola Sauce

2 cups canned Chicken Broth, low-salt
1 pound Chicken Breasts
All-purpose flour for dredging
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 cup Whipping cream
3/4 cup Plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
6 tablespoons Fresh Basil, chopped 
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
2/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Boil the 2 cups of stock in a medium saucepan until reduced to one cup, about 10 minutes. With a very sharp knife, slice chicken  in half horizontally. Place chicken pieces between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound until no more than 1/4 inch thick. Dredge chicken in the all-purpose flour to coat, shake off  excess. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in heavy skillet over medium-high-heat. 

Working in batches, add chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter and tent with foil to  keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil to skillet as necessary.  Add reduced stock mixture to skillet,  then cream, 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 4 tablespoons basil and tomato paste. When this starts to bubble, reduce heat and simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup Gorgonzola; stir until melted. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, 
2 tablespoons basil and 1/3 cup Gorgonzola. 

If you love pasta, this is excellent over just about any cooked pasta. Add a side 
dish of steamed vegetables and a crusty French  bread. 

Glazed Lemon Carrots
(Serves 4 - 6)

2 cups Carrots, cut in julienne strips
4 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Light Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Paprika1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon fresh minced Parsley

Cook carrots in boiling salted water until just fork tender. Do not overcook!! Drain carrots and set aside. Melt butter in sauté pan, add both sugars, paprika, and lemon juice; mix well. Stir in carrots, shake pan to completely glaze carrots. 
Place in serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

Note: The carrots can be cooked early in the day and glazed at serving time. This is a good vegetable to serve with 
dishes that have cream sauce or gravy.

Grits and Greens

1 cup Whipping Cream
1 cup Grits
1 pound fresh Collard Greens
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
4 cups Chicken Broth, divided
1/4 to 1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Butter or Margarine
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
Garnishes: Chopped Bacon or Ham

Combine whipping cream and 3 cups chicken broth in large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir in grits. Cover and cook stirring frequently on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Add milk if necessary. Remove and discard stems and any spots on collard leaves. Wash and drain. Cut into 1/2" strips. Combine greens and 1 cup chicken broth in large skillet. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain well on paper towels. Add butter, cheese and pepper to grits, stirring until butter and cheese melt. Stir in greens. Cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly heated. Add garnishes.

Pam Seymour Milledgeville, Georgia

Herb-Crusted Pork with Apricot Sauce
(Serves 6)

1/4 cup mixture of coarsely chopped fresh herbs
(rosemary, sage, marjoram and thyme will do, or any of the above)
1 tablespoon stone-ground Mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon sugar (optional)
2 pork tenderloins or center cut pork loin (3 - 4 pounds)

Sauce:
3/4 cup dried apricots
boiling water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
(Serves 6)

Preheat the over to 450 degrees.  In a food processor fitted with a steel blade or a blender, combine the herb mixture, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Process until the mixture forms a paste. Rub the paste over the entire surface of the pork, making sure to distribute it evenly. Place pork on a rack of a roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove the pork from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Sauce: Place the apricots in a mixing bowl and add enough boiling water to cover them. Soak until the fruit has softened. Reserve the soaking water and transfer the drained apricots to a food processor or blender. Blend the apricots until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, soy sauce, cinnamon and salt. Add some of the reserved water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin the sauce if desired. Place in a small saucepan and heat until just warm. Serve with the herbed pork.

Note: When roasting pork tenderloins, tuck that small end under 2 or 3 inches. the added thickness will keep that small end from coming out overdone.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
(Serves 4)

4 tablespoons unsalted Butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped Fresh Rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1 1/4 pounds baking Potatoes
peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1/2 cup warm Milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (2 ounces)
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Salt

In a small bowl, blend the butter with the rosemary. In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return to the pan.

Add the warm milk and Parmesan to the potatoes and mash them with a potato-masher or hand-held mixer. Season with salt and pepper and top with the rosemary butter.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 can (13 ounce) Artichoke Hearts, drained
1 package (10 ounce) frozen chopped Spinach, thawed and drained & squeezed with paper towels
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a one quart baking dish. Chop artichokes finely in a food processor.  In a bowl, mix together chopped artichoke, spinach, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of the Monterey Jack cheese. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake in center of preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes.

Spiral Reuben Bites
(64 appetizers)

1 sheet Puff Pastry (8 1/2 ounces) thawed
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
6 slices Swiss Cheese
6 slices deli Corned Beef
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Caraway Seed

Roll pastry to 12 X 10 inch rectangle. Spread mustard evenly over pastry leaving 1/2 inch clearance on one 12 inch side. Top with cheese and corned beef but leave the 1/2 inch clear side uncovered. Cut in half crosswise to form 2 (10 X 6 inch) rectangles. Roll up each rectangle from  short, covered end, jelly-roll fashion. Pinch seams to seal. You will need that 1/2 inch of uncovered dough to make a good seal.  Cut each roll into 16 (1/4 inch thick) slices. Place slices on lightly greased baking sheets; brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with additional mustard. Rolls may be wrapped and frozen at this point. To serve, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Slice and bake as above.

Alternate: Sliced Roast Beef with Horseradish Sauce spread and Swiss Cheese. Serve with more horseradish sauce.

Potato Gratin with Sage & Onions
1 Tablespoon unsalted Butter
2 Vidalia (or any sweet onion)Onions, chopped
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh Sage
2 pounds Potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 7 cups)
1 1/2 cups Water
1 1/2 cups Whipping Cream
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and 2 tablespoons sage; saute' 5 minutes. Add potatoes and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until water is absorbed, about 8 minutes. Do not let potatoes get brown. Add cream, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until potatoes are tender and top is golden, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sage. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Cheesey Asparagus Casserole

2 Tall cans Asparagus Spears
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/3 cup Minced Onions
1 2 ounce jar Chopped Pimentos
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 bag Potato Chips, crushed
3 tablespoons Melted butter

Drain asparagus spears well and lay out on paper towels. Cut off any tough ends. Slice spears in 1 - 2 inch pieces. Spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole with Pam. Please half the asparagus in the casserole; top with half the soup. Spread the soup over the asparagus. Add half the onions, pimentos, and cheese. Add the second half of the asparagus, then the second half of the soup. Top with the remaining onion, pimentos and cheese. Sprinkle the crushed potato chips over all and drizzle the melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until casserole is hot and chips are a golden brown. This is the dish that I have to make every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last Christmas the "kids" asked if I had gotten the ingredients for it and when I said I hadn't planned on making it they sent up a great cry. I ran to the store to get the ingredients.

Italian Smoked Sausage & Lentil Soup

1 pound Smoked Sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 pound of dried Lentils
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 cup chopped celery 1/3 cup chopped carrot
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups water

Rinse lentils, place in 4 quart saucepan with 1 quart of water and simmer for 30- 40 minutes or until tender. Drain. Slice smoked sausage in 1/4 inch slices and cut each slice in half. In a Dutch oven, saute sausage over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, add onions, celery and carrots and saute another 5 minutes. Add lentils,tomatoes, vinegar, 3 cups water, salt and pepper. Simmer one hour, or until vegetables are tender. Test for seasoning. Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty French bread or Parmesan Toasts (see Bread section)

Shrimp & Portabella Farfalle

1 pound large Shrimp
2 cups Water
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
6 Plum Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
12 ounces Baby Portabellas or Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon Black Pepper Salt to taste
1 pound Farfalle (bowties) or Fettuccine
1 cup Mascarpone (Italian cream cheese)
Fresh Basil, shredded, to garnish

Peel the shrimp. If necessary, make a shallow cut along back to remove intestinal vein. Save shells for stock. To make the stock, crush the shells and place in saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, until reduced by half. Strain and discard the shells. To make the sauce, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add tomatoes and tomato paste. Turn heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, pepper and stock. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes, then add salt to taste. Keep warm over very low heat. Cook the farfalle in boiling salted water for 8 -10 minutes or until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, heat remaining oil in skillet until very hot, then add shrimp and cook for about 1 minute on each side, until they turn pink. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot. Add the sauce and mascarpone and toss. Garnish with the shredded basil. 6 servings Note: If you like your pasta very "saucy", omit 2 to 4 ounces of the pasta. Vegetarian alternative: omit shrimp, use vegetable broth, increase mushrooms.

Dianne's Black Olive Meatloaf

2 pounds lean Ground Beef
1 cup chopped Onions
1 clove Garlic, minced
3 Bacon sliced, halved
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon EACH dried Basil, Oregano & Salt
1 6 ounce can Pitted Black Olives, drained
1 8 ounce can Tomato Sauce

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients except olives, bacon and tomato sauce. Reserve 5or 6 olives for garnish. Mix remainder into meat mixture. In a 9 X 13-inch baking pan, shape mixture into a 4 X 12 inch rounded loaf. Pour tomato sauce over loaf. Lay bacon slices across loaf. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Garnish with reserved olives. Slice to serve hot or cold. Makes 8 servings.