Fried Cajun Fish

                       I love fish!!!




The seasonings on this is enough to be different and is guaranteed to be on your weekly menu planner.  The recipe calls for firm white fish, which is usually a quick-cooking type fish.  This would include (but not limited to) tilapia, catfish, haddock, grouper, Alaska pollock, and snapper.




Ingredients:

2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chili powder
4 firm white fish fillets
1 tbs oil

Directions:

Mix paprika, black pepper, coriander, cumin and chili powder in a bow. Toss fish in spice mixture. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add fish and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until cooked

Poorman's County Pancaked UnFrenched Toast (Fried Bread)

Ok.....so for those of us who grew up in the Country Life, there were foods that we ate that never seemed to reach the populous. This is one of my County Life dishes. This can be made with what you already have or the ingredients can be bought cheaply.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Slices of Texas toast, French bread, or any thick bread (as little or many as you want)
Butter
Powdered Sugar (or regular)
Cinnamon
Syrup

*Optional fresh or canned fruit

Directions:

I like to mix my cinnamon in my butter and let it set out to soften at room temperature.

Butter both sides of the bread with the cinnamon-butter and fry on medium heat in a skillet (I like cast iron).

 

Once this is browned to desired color, sprinkle on a little powdered sugar to make it purdy.

Arrange on a plate and add syrup.

Although I like mine with just the butter and syrup, an alternate option is to add a little fruit on top; strawberries, blueberries, blackberries (you get the picture).

You can even use canned pie filling. I always keep cans of the mixed fruit, blueberry or cherry pie filling on hand, just in case I need them. These can be purchased at the Dollar Tree for $1.

I also sometimes buy French bread or similar, at Wal-Mart on the “discounted about to expire” rack for 50 cents.

Fried Salt Pork

I like to season with  fatback or salt pork, but I personally don't eat it this way.  My friends thinks the best breakfast (or any meal), consist of salt pork, fried potatoes and homemade biscuits!!

 

 

Select salt pork that has white fat, (if the fat has started yellowing it is rusty and does not have a good flavor). It can be streaked with lean or it can be fatback.

Ingredients:

Salt Pork, ¼ inch thick (allow 3-4 slices per person)

Water

Directions:

Arrange the slices in a iron frying pan and pour water to cover. Bring to boil, to remove the salt. Pour off the water; rearranging the slices and fry as is, or dip each slice in milk and dredge in corn meal or flour before frying. Fry until light brown and crisp

Quick Chicken Tetrazzini

Recipe calls for macaroni, but if you want to get fancy you can use the bowtie pasta. Make the recipe your own by customizing some of the ingredients. I like to use angel hair or regular spaghetti. I am not a lover of canned chicken, but I will buy a rotisserie chicken and use what I need for two or three different recipes. Be Creative!!!

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked macaroni
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
12 ounce can of chicken (I like to buy rotisserie chicken an use as needed)
2 cups of milk
1 cup mushrooms
¼ cup pimientos
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Put alternate layers of macaroni (or spaghetti) and cheese in casserole. Combine chicken, mushrooms and pimientos. Make well in center of macaroni* and fill with chicken mixture. Melt butter, add flour, salt and milk. Pour over mixture and bake at 400 degrees until bubbles. Serves about 6.

*Instead of making a center and filling mixture in, I just spread mine over the casserole and then add the topping.

Creamed Sweetbreads

Found this recipe and thought it looked interesting.  Sweetbreads are the thymus (or pancreas) of  a calf or lamb, or sometimes made from beef or pork.  If you serve this, but do not want to call it sweetbread, another culinary name would be "ris de veau" or "ris d'agneau"

1 lb sweetbreads
3 hard-boiled eggs (chopped)
¼ lb blanched almonds
1 can mushrooms

Soak sweetbreads in cold water for 1 hour. Parboil with slice of lemon for 20 minutes. Plunge in cold water, cut into cube, add hard-boiled eggs chopped, ¼ pound almonds, 1 can mushrooms drained. Mix with a well seasoned cream sauce and serve on toast or patty shells. 4 servings

Barbecue Brisket

 

Simple ingredients and directions.  It just takes awhile for it to cook.  The hardest thing you have to do is wait.  Enjoy!

This can be made using a brisket or round roast. It is also good with or without the BBQ sauce or by reducing the BBQ sauce. Also good for the slow cooker. 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Garlic powder
Season Salt
1/2 bottle Worcestershire sauce
1/2 bottle Liquid Smoke

DIRECTION:

Trim the fat from the brisket or roast. Sprinkle with garlic powder and seasoned salt. On a small roast pour about ½ bottle of Worcestershire sauce and ½ bottle of liquid smoke. Roll in foil and leave over night. Next morning, put in a 200 degree oven for 6-8 hours or until tender. The last hour, pour on a bottle of BBQ sauce. Could be put in a slow cooker all day on low.

Cornish Hens With Wine Sauce

Another recipe that has the "secret sauce".  This one calls for white table wine.  Dare you try regular white wine?!!!!

¼ cup salad oil
½ cup white table wine
1 clove garlic
1 small onion, grated
12 tsp. coarse pepper
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tbs. Cornstarch
2 Rock Cornish hens (can be split in half)
butter or margarine

Mix first 7 ingredients in order listed. Cook until slightly thickened. Set aside. Place hens in shallow pan. Brush with butter or margarine. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, turning and basting frequently with butter. Pour sauce over top. Bake 20 minutes longer. Serves 6-8.

Oxtails

There was a time when you could go to a grocery store and oxtails were cheap because no one wanted them. Then a lot more people discovered that they were really good when seasoned correctly. Now when I go to buy oxtails, I buy one pack at a time, because of cost, and then freeze until I have enough to cook a pot. I cook them once I have gotten 3-4 packs of them so that there is enough. Enjoy!

3 ½ – 4 lbs oxtails
¾ cup chopped onion
1 tbs salt
½ tsp pepper (I like to use a little peppercorns to taste too. Careful these can make it hot)
1 tbs chopped parsley
1 cup diced potatoes
1 tbs garlic
¼ cup Kitchen Bouquet *
¼ – ½ tbs basil
Some people like to add celery and carrots.  I prefer mine without.

*I like to substitute Worcestershire sauce (to taste) for the Kitchen Bouquet, just because I like the flavor it adds to the meat. You can probably do a mix of both, seasoning to your taste preference.

Wash oxtails and put them in water. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook several hours, until done. Stir every once in a while so that all the flavors are mixed well.

When cooking on top of the stove, I use enough water to cover well and a little more, because this will cook down. When I cook in the slow cooker, I use a little less water, just enough to cover oxtails. The less water you have to add during cooking, the more flavor will be retained in the oxtails.

Oven Beef Burgundy

I always head for this dish when visiting my favorite buffet. I love this stuff. I think the Burgundy makes the meat really tender and of course it has that extra little kick that only the “secret sauce” can give it. Delish!

2 lbs beef cubed (stew meat or chuck)
1 tbs Kitchen Bouquet
¼ cup cream of rice
4 carrots sliced
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 cup sliced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsps. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp marjoram
1/8 tsp thyme
1 cup Burgundy or dry red wine
1 can (6 oz) mushroom crowns and broth

 

Trim excess fat from meat and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes. Place in a 2 ½ qt casserole and toss gently with Kitchen Bouquet, coating meat on all sides. Mix in Cream of Rice. Add carrots and remaining ingredients. Mix gently. Cover and bake at 325F until meat and vegetables are tender, about 2 ½ hours. Stir meat every 30 minutes. Serve with potatoes, rice or buttered noodles.

Stuffed Quahogs (Clam)

There are two words in this recipe that I had to look up. You may already know, but I did not.

Quahogs: Clams
Linguisa: A Portuguese Pork sausage that is highly seasoned with such as garlic, paprika, pepper, onions. This could be seasoned with one, some or all of the mentioned ingredients.

This recipe can be made ahead an frozen for later.

 

10 medium quahogs
1 green pepper, seeds removed
½ lb. Linguisa
2 medium onions
1 tbs margarine (butter please)
1 egg
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 pkg. Chicken stuffing mix

Scrub quahogs, add 3 cups of water to kettle with quahogs. Cover tightly and heat until shell open. Remove quahogs from shell, save broth.

Chop linguisa, onions, quahogs and green pepper in blender or by hand. Add crushed red pepper and fry in skillet 25 minutes in 1 tablespoon margarine. Add egg and stuffing mix, substituting broth for water required, 1-3/4 to 2 cups. Simmer together 15 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pack into quahog shells and cover with shell top. Wrap individually in aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or Freeze (for later) and reheat 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 10

Oven Baked Porcupines (Meatballs)

A great recipe if you want to make something easy and special to carry out. I think if you make ahead the ground beef mixture, it would probably freeze well.

A side of homemade pintos and collards (or greens of choice) would give this meal a “college education” as grandma used to say. Enjoy!

Mix:

1 lb. Ground beef
½ cup raw rice
½ cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. celery salt
1/8 tsp. garlic salt

Make into balls and put in a 8x8x2 inch baking dish

Mix:

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce, 1 cup water and 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.

Pour over meatballs and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Chicken Breasts Elaine

Simple recipe. Simple ingredients.  Great Dish!  Makes 4 servings

4 large chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup dry white wine

Wash chicken, pat dry, salt and pepper to taste.  Place in baking dish, skin side up.  Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Melt margarine in a small saucepan.  Add marmalade and heat until bubbling.  Remove from heat and add wine.

Pour sauce over chicken breast.  Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake about 45 minutes or until tender and well-browned.  Baste chicken twice during baking. 

Good company dish.  Serve with yellow rice and steamed broccoli as sides.

Avocado Soup

Good summer soup for warm weather.  This is another recipe that calls for that "secret sauce"  Yum!

1 ripe avocado
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbs. White Rum
1 tsp. curry powder
juice of 1 lemon or lime
salt and pepper
1 cup light cream

Combine the ingredients in the container of a blender and mix thoroughly.  If you do not use a blender, sieve the avocado and beat all together.  Chill the soup and serve with a sprinkling of finely chopped chives or a sprig of watercress.

Serves 4-5

Texas Rattlesnake

This is a recipe that I will never, ever try.......Never, Ever! 
I have heard people say that snake taste like chicken, but then I have heard that rabbit, squirrel, frog and various other critters taste like chicken too.  I think people say this just to encourage you to eat this stuff. 

I will be sharing other "Game" recipes over the next couple week.  If you try this one for Rattlesnake, make sure to let me know how it turned out.  And if it taste like chicken!

Recipe:

Find and capture a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. 
Kill, skin and remove entrails (innards, internal parts), and cut into edible portions. 
Roll pieces in a batter of flour, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper and garlic. 
Fry in hot deep fat until a golden brown.

Beef-Wine Casserole

Another recipe with “The Secret Sauce”, that is easy to make, has a gourmet taste and perfect for the Fall-Winter season. This is one of those dishes that you make a double batch, and freeze one for later.

1 lb lean stewing beef
½ cup red wine
1 can beef bouillon
1 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced

¼ cup flour
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs

 

Combine beef, wine, bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic and onion in a small greased casserole. Mix the flour and bread crumbs and stir into the beef mixture. Bake covered for 3 hours at 300 degrees. Makes 4 servings.

Dixie Pork Chops

2 lbs. Pork chops
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp sage
4 tart apples cored and sliced
¼ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. Flour
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp. Vinegar
½ cup seedless raisins (optional)

Brown chops. Sprinkle with salt and sage. Place in baking dish with apple rings, sprinkle with sugar. Add flour to fat in a skillet and stir until brown. Add water and vinegar. Cook until thick. Add raisins and pour over chops. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 6-8.

*This recipe came from my grandmother's cookbook "Carolina Coastal Cook" dated 1958.

Oyster Pie (Casserole)

This is a recipe that my grandmother used for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Grandma modified hers a little, so I have shared both the original and the modified recipe. Enjoy!

Original Version:

1qt fresh oysters
12 saltines (crumbled)
4 eggs beaten
¼ cup cream
1/8 lb butter melted
Black pepper

Mix together in a casserole and bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Grandma's Modified Version:

2- 8 or 12 oz fresh frozen containers Oysters
1 to 2 sleeves crushed saltines
4 eggs beaten
¼ cup can milk
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to tasted
1 can cream mushroom or chicken
½ cup chopped onion

Crush saltines and layer the bottom of casserole dish with one sleeve. Save the other sleeve for the top. Rinse and drain oysters then spread evenly on top of the saltines. Mix together milk, melted butter, eggs and cream of mushroom/chicken, beating until well blended. Sprinkle on top of oysters, leaving a little to pour over the top. Evenly distribute chopped onions and add salt and pepper if desired. Top with remaining saltines. Pour over remaining milk/butter/egg/soup mixture. Add pepper to top. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Southern Style Pork-N-Beans and Weenies

This is an inexpensive, quick, last minute, belly filling southern dish that was (and still is) a family favorite. In about 30 minutes your meal is done!

 

2 cans Pork-N-Beans
4-5 beef weenies (I substitute with Jennie O turkey franks and my husband does not know shhhh)
Onion optional

Pour both cans of pork-N-Beans in a baking dish. Place weenies on top. Bake 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Depending on how many I am feeding, I will use more pork-N-Beans and more weenies. I also like to top mine with onion slices before I bake.

 

This is wonderful served with biscuits or rolls (something gooey). If I serve with biscuits, I bake them at the same time as my dish. Yummy Yum!

Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin season is here!! Good old chili to make once you've gutted the pumpkin and need to utilize the insides.

1 lb ground beef
2 tbsp. Salad oil
16 ounces of pumpkin (you can use the canned)
1 pkg. Chili seasoning mix
1tbs. onion flakes
2 (16 oz) can tomatoes
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Pepper
1 (16oz) can peas
1 (15 ½ or 16 oz) can kidney beans

Cook beef in salad oil until browned, stirring with a fork to break meat into small pieces. Add pumpkin, seasoning mix, onion flakes, salt and pepper. Blend well and simmer for 30 minutes. Add peas and kidney beans. Heat through. Makes 6-8 servings.