Real Southern Cornbread

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup margarine, melted
4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup corn oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl mix together the corn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder.

2. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, butter, and buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.

3. Heat a dry 12 inch cast iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add corn oil to skillet, swirl the oil around to coat bottom and sides. Leave remaining oil in the pan. Return to high heat for 1 minute.

4. Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and cook on high heat until bubbles start to form in the center. Remove from stove.

5. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Rosemary Lemon Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, and rosemary. Place the chicken and lemon slices in the bag. Seal, and shake to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat the grill for high heat.

3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard marinade, and grill chicken 8 minutes per side, or until juices run clear.

Lemon Horseradish New Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Melt butter in a 2-quart casserole dish in the oven. Stir in salt, pepper, horseradish and lemon juice. Place potatoes in the dish and toss to coat with butter mixture.

2. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender.

Brussels Sprouts Stir Fry

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 bay leaf
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chicken broth
ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, potato, and bay leaf. Cook and stir until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, red pepper, and chicken broth. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Toss with black pepper, to taste. Garnish with green onions, and serve immediately.

Sweet Mustard Chicken Bake

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking dish.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the honey, Dijon mustard, melted butter and pepper. Place chicken in the greased baking dish, and pour the honey mustard sauce over it.

3. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, basting frequently with the sauce, until chicken is firm and juices run clear.

Sweet Potato Pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 (1 pound) sweet potato
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.

2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

Sweet Potato Pie

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 pound butter, softened
2 eggs, separated
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, butter, egg yolks, brown sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and evaporated milk. Mix together well.

3. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; add 1/4 cup sugar and fold into sweet potato mixture.

4. Pour into pie shell and bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until firm.

Vegetable Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking brown rice
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (8 ounce) can baby peas, drained
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup roasted peanuts(optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic and pepper flakes, to taste. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in cooked rice, green onions and soy sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add peas and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Add sesame oil and mix well. (Garnish with peanuts, if desired.)

Fried Rice Restaurant Style

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups enriched white rice
4 cups water
2/3 cup chopped baby carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
soy sauce to taste
sesame oil, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water, and drain.

3. Heat wok over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas; cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with vegetables. Stir in cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss again.

Chinese Chicken Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 onion
1 1/2 pounds cooked, cubed chicken meat
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup fresh pea pods, halved
1/2 large green bell pepper, diced
6 cups cooked white rice
2 eggs
1/3 cup soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, then add chicken and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Stir in carrots, celery, red bell pepper, pea pods and green bell pepper and stir-fry another 5 minutes. Then add rice and stir thoroughly.

3. Finally, stir in scrambled eggs and 1/3 cup soy sauce, heat through and serve hot.

Cajun Prime Rib Roast

INGREDIENTS:

1 (4 pounds) boneless prime rib roast
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere's®)
1 (16 ounces) package sliced mushrooms

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).

2. Place the prime rib into a roasting pan, and rub all over the outside with the hot pepper sauce. Evenly sprinkle with garlic powder and Cajun seasoning.

3. Roast, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue roasting to your desired degree of doneness, or an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (65 degrees C) for medium, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 30 minutes before slicing.

4. While the roast is resting, scrape the drippings from the roasting pan into a skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat, and stir in the sliced mushrooms. Cook and stir until the mushrooms have softened and begun to release their liquid. Serve alongside the sliced prime rib.

Flat Iron Steak

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds flat iron steak
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry mustard powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the steak inside of a large resealable bag. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, chives, Cabernet, salt, pepper and mustard powder. Pour over the steak in the bag. Press out as much air as you can and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the steak in the hot skillet for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or to your desired degree of doneness. Discard the marinade. These steaks taste best at medium rare. Allow them to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Apple-Cran-Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 cups applesauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dried cherries
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream butter or margarine, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, and brown sugar. Mix in applesauce. Gradually blend in flour, and then oats. Stir in dried. Let dough sit for one hour.

2. Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheet.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are slightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Banana Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Orange Pork

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless pork chops
2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook pork chops until evenly brown on both sides; remove from skillet. Pour in orange juice, soy sauce and sugar. Boil for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of pan. In a small bowl, mix together water and cornstarch, and stir into sauce. Return pork to skillet and cook briefly until thickened and heated through.

Sour Cream Burgers

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds ground beef
1 cup sour cream
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, sour cream, onion soup mix, bread crumbs and pepper using your hands. Refrigerate while you heat up the grill so the flavors have a chance to blend.

2. Preheat a grill for medium heat. Form the ground beef into 8 balls, and flatten into patties.

3. Grill the patties for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until well done.

Green Apple Martini

INGREDIENTS:

1 fluid ounce vodka
2 fluid ounces melon liqueur
1 fluid ounce sweet and sour mix
1 maraschino cherry

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a cocktail mixer full of ice, combine vodka, melon liqueur and sweet and sour mix. Shake vigorously and strain into glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Honey Baked Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking pan, skin side up. Combine the melted butter or margarine, honey, mustard, salt and curry powder and pour the mixture over the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours (75 minutes), basting every 15 minutes with pan drippings, until the chicken is nicely browned and tender and the juices run clear.

Roasted Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

1 (19 ounce) can creamy potato with roasted garlic soup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a blender combine soup, cream, thyme and pepper; process until smooth. Spread a thin layer of the mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Layer potatoes with cheese, ending with potatoes and reserving 1/2 cup cheese. Pour soup mixture over potatoes and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 70 minutes.

Garlic Dill New Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

8 medium red potatoes, cubed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the potatoes in a steamer basket, and set in a pan over an inch of boiling water. Cover, and steam for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender but not mushy.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the butter, dill, garlic, and salt. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl, and pour the seasoned butter over them. Toss gently until they are well-coated.

Grilled Salmon

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 (3 pound) salmon fillet, with skin

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make a pan out of aluminum foil by doubling up layers of foil large enough to hold your fillet. Place the foil onto a cookie sheet. Lay the fillet onto the foil with the skin side down. In a small bowl, stir together the oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, ginger, honey, basil and shallots. Pour over the salmon and let it marinate while you preheat the grill, about 20 minutes.

2. Preheat a grill for medium-low heat. Slide the foil with the salmon off of the cookie sheet and onto the grill. Cover with the lid and grill the fillet for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, about 20 minutes. Salmon should be able to flake with a fork, but not be too dry. When you serve the salmon, the skin will stick to the foil and your grill will remain clean. Simply slice and use a spatula to scoop the fillet off of the skin to serve.

Simple Country Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds pork spareribs
2 (18 ounce) bottles BBQ sauce
1 onion, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place spareribs in a large stock pot with BBQ sauce, onion, salt, and pepper. Pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a low boil, and cook approximately 40 minutes.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil grate. Remove spareribs from the stock pot, and place on the prepared grill. Use the BBQ sauce in the saucepan to baste ribs while cooking. Grill ribs, basting and turning frequently, for 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Caesar Salad Supreme

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 5 anchovy fillets, minced
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cups day-old bread, cubed
• 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mince 3 cloves of garlic, and combine in a small bowl with mayonnaise, anchovies, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cut the remaining 3 cloves of garlic into quarters, and add to hot oil. Cook and stir until brown, and then remove garlic from pan. Add bread cubes to the hot oil. Cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned. Remove bread cubes from oil, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with dressing, remaining Parmesan cheese, and seasoned bread cubes.