Shortcut Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes have so much flavor that people will think you spent a lot of time on them.  You won't, of course, but no one has to know that.  I adapted it from one of Giada's recipes, but I used instant mashed potatoes instead of real potatoes.  These were a big hit! 

If you're looking ahead to the holidays (am I the only one who is SO ready for Christmas?), this would be a delicious, quick side dish that could be easily doubled for a crowd. 

Shortcut Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 (7.2 oz) box roasted garlic instant mashed potatoes (it contains 2 pouches--use both)
2 1/2 cups hot water
1 1/3 cups milk
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp plain dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400; spray a 9"x13" dish with cooking spray, and set aside. 

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, stir water, milk, butter, and both pouches of potatoes until moistened.  Cover loosely and microwave for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from microwave and stir in mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. 

Spread potatoes in prepared dish.  In a small bowl, combine remaining half cup of Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.  Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of the potatoes, and bake uncovered until topping is golden-brown, about 20 minutes.  Serves 6-8.

Amazing Tomato and Onion Pie

Our tomato plants are making one last push before the heat officially kills them, so I looked through several tomato pie recipes, settling on one before amping it up on my own.   It was SO delicious.  I served it baside a salad topped with grilled chicken, and it was the perfect summer meal.

I broke with tradition and used nonfat Greek yogurt instead of mayonaisse, which was incredibly un-Southern of me, but I needed to cut fat where I could (since I did add bacon and two types of cheese!). 

In other tomato pies I've made, the crust tends to get soggy, but I found a solution.  First, get rid of as much moisture as possible in the tomatoes.  Second, before prebaking the crust, mist it with cooking spray.  Then, once it comes out, spread 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on the bottom of the crust before adding the tomatoes.  The crust in the finished product wasn't soggy at all.

Amazing Tomato and Onion Pie

1 (9-inch) deep dish pie crust (or feel free to make your own!)
Cooking spray
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
Zest of 1 lemon

Place tomato slices in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Let stand at least 30 minutes, and pat dry with more paper towels. 

Preheat oven to 400.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat, and add sliced onion, cooking until soft and light brown, 15-20 minutes. 

If pie crust is frozen, allow it to thaw on the counter for 10-15 minutes.  Poke bottom and sides of crust with a fork, and mist the crust with cooking spray.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven, and sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over bottom of crust.  Arrange tomato slices over cheese in crust.  Lower oven temperature to 350. 

Combine the Greek yogurt, the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, the softened slices of sweet onion, lemon zest, green onions, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits.  Spread yogurt mixture over the tomatoes. 

Bake at 350 for 34-37 minutes, covering edges with foil to prevent burning, if necessary.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving. 

Fresh Corn on the Cob

This isn't as much a recipe as it is a new way (for me, at least) to cook corn on the cob.  We were lucky enough to get sweet corn still in the husk, and I had no idea you could cook it in the microwave!  It's fast, easy, and delicious!  You can serve the corn however you like: butter is always a good option, and this recipe with Parmesan cheese was great, too.

Fresh Corn on the Cob

Loosely wrap ears of corn, still in husks, on a damp paper towel.  Turn ears over and rearrange after half the cooking time. 

Cooking Time Table
1 ear - 1 1/2 minutes
2 ears - 3-4 minutes
3 ears - 5-6 minutes
4 ears - 7-8 minutes
5 ears - 8-9 minutes

When ears are hot to the touch, remove them and wrap in kitchen towel or foil.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes.  Remove husks and silk, and serve as desired.

Strawberry and Spinach Salad

What a delicious salad!  It's hard not to like anything with strawberries and goat cheese--yum!  The salad dressing is divine, too.  If you don't have the sesame or poppy seeds, you can leave them out.  The mixture of oil, vinegar, and sugar is the main event.

You'll be SO glad you tried this.  Hope you love it!

Strawberry and Spinach Salad

2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-sized pieces

4 cups sliced strawberries

2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 tsp paprika

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, and almonds.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.  Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Mexican Rice

We served this Mexican rice with our Mexican chicken, and it was great.  Feel free to add some chili powder if you like spicier rice.

Mexican Rice

1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, diced
2/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, NOT drained
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
Cilantro, for garnish

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Stir in onion, and saute until translucent.  Pour the rice into the pan, and stir to coat the grains with oil.  Mix in cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, salt, and chicken broth.  Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.  Cook at a simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender.  Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Potato Chips and Onion Dip

Who knew it was so easy to make your own potato chips?  I certainly didn't.  Plus, we chose to bake them instead of fry them, and I made the dip low fat, so we didn't have to feel guilty!  So good and so easy!

I used a mandoline to slice the potatoes evenly (and I didn't manage to slice off a chunk of my finger, as I did in August).  We found 1/8" was the best thickness for the chips.  Some of them burned a little in places, but they were still really good.  If you're not using a mandoline, just slice them as thinly as possible.

The dip was also great.  I made it the day before I needed it, so the flavors had time to settle together.  Since fat-free Greek yogurt is the main ingredient, you can dip whatever you want in this and not feel bad about it.

Potato Chips and Onion Dip

Chips:
3 large Russet potatoes, cut into 1/8" rounds
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp coursely ground black pepper
Kosher salt

Dip:
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup light mayonaisse
3/4 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Make the dip first: heat oil over medium heat and add onions and scallion whites. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Combine onions with yogurt, mayonnaise, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and scallion greens and stir well to incorporate. Chill for 1 hour to let flavors meld.

Now make the chips: preheat oven to 450.  Toss the potatoes in a large bowl with olive oil and pepper until well coated.  Arrange the potato slices in one layer on two cookie sheets.  Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until chips are lightly browned and crisp.  Remove from oven, and season generously with kosher salt.  Serve with dip.

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

What a wonderful, filling side dish!  The cheese sauce has the same base as my favorite macaroni and cheese dish.  If you don't eat them all, they are great reheated (for dinner and for breakfast).  The down side to these is that they take a whopping 1 1/2 hours to bake, so you need to plan ahead for these.  However, if you're awaiting your hubby's return from the river, these will make both of you happy.  Enjoy!

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

4 russet potatoes
1 small yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a one-quart dish with cooking spray. Layer sliced potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium-sized saucepan, sauté the diced onion in one tablespoon of butter. When the onions become translucent, pour them on top of the potatoes.

In the same saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Tomato, Feta, and Basil Tart

What a perfect recipe for the summer!  Our tomato plants actually already have tiny tomatoes on them (so early!), and our basil is taking off.  When I make it again, I'll add more basil after it comes out of the oven.

I used a refrigerated pizza crust for this, and it was really easy.  If possible, put it on a hot pizza stone, so the bottom of the crust can be crispy; otherwise, it's a little soft, but it's still good.  Feel free to make your own crust for this if you're inclined.

Hope you enjoy--the tart, as well as the beginning of summer!

Tomato, Feta, and Basil Tart

1 refrigerated pizza crust
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 425.  Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, on top of dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold edges of dough over tomatoes to partially cover. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, and sprinkle with basil.

Grit Cakes

Buck and I went out for dinner last Friday at a great seafood restaurant, and we both ordered shrimp and grits.  I'm not a huge fan of grits, but I am a huge fan of grit cakes, which is how the restaurant served them up (in a sauce with Andouille sausage, bell peppers, onions... it's to die for!).  I couldn't wait to try some out for myself.

This is based on a Paula Deen recipe that was surprisingly light.  She put Parmesan cheese in hers, but I substituted Cheddar cheese and a few jalapenos.  The grit cakes are baked (not deep fried!), so the outside gets crispy, but the inside is still warm and soft. 

If you have a certain shape you want them to be (mine were round; the restaurant's were triangular), then find the right cookie cutter.  I just used the rim of a glass, and it made 14 round cakes. 

You have to plan ahead for these: leave enough time for them to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  They also bake in the oven for an hour.  I didn't cook shrimp with it; I just drizzled some queso dip across them and served them alongside baked chicken.  They were such a treat!  You should try them! 

Grit Cakes

4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
1 cup quick cooking grits
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
10 pickled jalapeno slices, diced
1/2 tsp salt
Cooking spray with flour

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan.  Stir in grits, and return to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, or until grits are thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese, jalapenos, and salt. Remove from heat.

Spoon grits into a 9x13-inch baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover, and chill at least 2 hours, or until firm.

Un-mold grits onto a large cutting board. Cut out number of desired shapes using cookie cutter.  Spray a large jellyroll pan with cooking spray. Place grit rounds on pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn grits, and bake 45 minutes more.  Serve warm.

Green Beans Y'all Won't Believe

I didn't make up the title for this recipe. It is actually called "Green Beans Y'all Won't Believe" (so says the newspaper in which the recipe was published). It's pretty true, though; they're delicious!

We didn't have fresh green beans available, but if you do, use 1 1/2 lbs of them in his recipe. Instead, we used 2 cans, and it was great. Hope you like them!

Green Beans Y'all Won't Believe

2 cans green beans, drained and rinsed OR 1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans
5 strips bacon
6 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350. If using fresh green beans, rinse the beans, and remove ends and strings. Leave whole or cut into one-inch pieces. In a 2-quart saucepan, cook beans in a small amount of boiling, salted water, covered for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and tender. drain and set aside.

If using canned beans, drain, rinse, and set aside. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, drain, and crumble; reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet. Stir sugar and vinegar into the drippings.

Pour sugar mixture, green beans, and crumbled bacon into a casserole dish, and combine. Bake for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Pioneer Woman Green Bean Casserole

As with everything that comes from the Pioneer Woman, this was excellent.  I scaled it down for just the two of us, and I used canned green beans instead of fresh just because it was easier, and we both really liked it. 

She made it as an alternative to the green bean casserole made with cream of mushroom soup and French fried onions on top.  We loved the addition of red bell pepper and all of the typical goodness of bacon and onion and breadcrumbs.  Delightful!

Pioneer Woman Green Bean Casserole

2 cans Italian cut green beans
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
1/4 sweet onion, diced
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1/4 - 1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 roasted red bell pepper, diced
1/4 - 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350.  Drain and rinse canned green beans and set aside. 

Add bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat.  Cook for two minutes, and then add onion, and cook for additional 3-5 minutes, or until bacon is done and onions are golden brown.  Remove from skillet.

Add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat.  Sprinkle flour in, and whisk immediately for 2 minutes.  Add in milk, whisking for 2-3 minutes, or until mixture is thickened.  Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and Cheddar.  Stir while cheese melts; turn off heat. 

Add bell pepper to pan, and then add bacon/onion mixture.  Stir gently to combine.  Top with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Corn Chowder with Jalapenos and Bacon

This was another recipe we enjoyed from the Homesick Texan Cookbook.  I'm sure it's wonderful  with fresh corn, but we made it out of season with canned sweet corn--still very good.   Maybe you can enjoy this on a cold night, assuming you have cold weather in your neck of the woods.  We, apparently, don't.

Corn Chowder with Jalapenos and Bacon

8 pickled jalapeno slices, diced
4 slices bacon, dliced
1/4 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups corn kernels, frozen or fresh (about 3 cobs shucked)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cilantro and tortilla chips, for serving

In a large skillet, saute the bacon on medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from skillet.  In the skillet with bacon grease, add the diced onion and jalapeno on medium for about 5 minutes.  Add the corn and cook for 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. 

Turn off the heat, and pour the cooked corn mixture into a food processor or blender.  Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and blend on high until a smooth puree has formed. 

Pour pureed corn into a large pot.  Add the remaining chicken broth, cumin, nutmeg, cayenne, cilantro, cooked bacon, and lime juice.  Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in the milk, and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve either warm or cold with a cilantro garnish or tortilla chips.

Meatballs a la Pizzaiola

Have you recently watched one of Giada's shows on the Food Network?  She always looks beautiful, and she always makes food that sounds so delicious.  One thing that doesn't sound so great to us, however, is her pronunciation of Italian words.  Let's be honest.  It's annoying.  I have her cookware and her food processor from Target, but I roll my eyes when I hear her say mozzarella.  Or, if you hear Buck imitate her, MOZZZAREELLLLLLA.  She's a wee bit ridiculous.

Anyway, we made these very good meatballs with some pasta (PASta) and a side of marinara sauce.  You could do these as a hearty appetizer or with spaghetti. (spaGHEtti)  Next time, I'd either bake them on a rack over a baking sheet (so some of the fat will drip out) or just pan fry them entirely (so they will develop a good crust).  The half and half that I did wasn't strong.  I also used 1 1/2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, and they were just a little spicy; you can adjust the seasoning to your liking.

During our Italian lesson with Giada, we learned that the title of this dish means that they're meatballs with all the flavors from a pizzeria: sundried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, tomato paste, not to mention the little cube of mozzarella in the middle.  They didn't especially taste pizza-flavored to us, but they were very good either way.  The recipe below makes a whopping 3 dozen meatballs, so cut the recipe to make it suit your needs.

Meatballs a la Pizzaiola

Cooking spray
2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (5 or 6)
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds 20-percent fat ground beef
1 pound ground pork
6 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 36 (1/2-inch) cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups marinara sauce, warmed


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside. In a food processor, pulse together the shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and salt. Process until blended. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the beef and pork and, using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Form the mixture into 36 equal-size meatballs (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter).  Insert 1 cube smoked mozzarella cheese into the center of each meatball and form the meat around it, completely enclosing the cheese.


In a large nonstick skillet, heat half the oil over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.  Place the browned meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes for medium doneness. Set aside to cool slightly, and serve with warm marinara sauce

Gratin Potatoes

This recipe is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious.  It takes no time to throw together--just a little while to bake.  It's decadent (just like anything with whipping cream), and it's delightful.  This is a family favorite for us!

Gratin Potatoes

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 qt whipping cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper

Layer potato slices in a buttered 9"x13" baking dish.  Combine other ingredients, and pour mixture over potatoes. 

Bake at 400 for 50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and mixture is bubbly and golden.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Cashew Broccoli

We had this really delicious broccoli for our Christmas dinner.  If you have trouble eating your broccoli (like we sometimes do in our house), this is such a great recipe!  (How can it not be delicious with 6 ounces of sour cream?)

We didn't exactly measure out 2 pounds of broccoli, but we used 2 (12oz) frozen steamer bags.  The minced onion that the recipe calls for is not the minced onion flakes that are so handy--it's real onion.  Also, if you can't find white wine vinegar, you can use regular white vinegar; that's what we did, and it still tasted wonderful.

Cashew Broccoli

2 lbs broccoli
2 Tbsp minced onion
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
3 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup chopped cashews

Steam broccoli until tender.  Saute onion in butter; add sour cream, sugar, poppy seeds, paprika, vinegar, and salt and pepper.  Arrange broccoli on a serving plate.  Pour sauce over broccoli, and sprinkle with cashews.  Serves 6.

Twice-Baked Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes

This was really good!  It's a meal all by itself.  Whenever I make grilled shrimp, I usually serve it with a baked potato, so this just combined them. 

This is a Paula Deen recipe from a particularly ridiculous Christmas special that was on Food Network a couple of weeks ago in which her two grown sons dressed up like elves and her husband dressed up as Elvis-Santa.  I love her, but I miss the old Paula--the one who didn't say "y'all" every other word, the one who didn't scream and cackle like a witch, the one who didn't deep-fry every other ingredient.

Christmas time makes me nostalgic.

Anyway.

Twice-baked potatoes are always delicious, and they only get better with shrimp sauteed in a pat of butter.  Also, don't skip sprinkling the potatoes with paprika; it smelled wonderful!  We cut the recipe in half, but I'm posting the whole recipe below.  My mom and I enjoyed making these together, and I'm sure your family will enjoy them, too. 

Twice-Baked Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes

6 large Idaho potatoes
Vegetable oil, for coating
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and sauteed
8 oz grated Cheddar cheese
Paprika, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350.  Cover a baking sheet or pan with foil. 

Begin by washing the potatoes, drying them, and gently prinking them with a fork on all sides.  Coat each potato with vegetable oil, place on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour. 

Remove the potatoes from the oven, and slice them in half.  Scoop out the inside of the potato, and place in a large bowl.  Place the butter in the bowl.  Using a mixter on high, mix toghether, and then add the sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. 

Chop the shrimp into large pieces.  Fold the shrimp and cheese into the mixture.  Gently stuff the mixture back into the potato shells, making sure not to break them.  Pile the mixture as high as you can on top of the potato shells.  Sprinkle each potato with paprika.  Bake in the oven until browned on top, 20-25 minutes. 

Tomato Bisque

This is my mom's recipe.  A few years ago, my dad started planting a huge vegetable garden in the summer, and it produced more tomatoes than they knew what to do with.  BLTs?  Check.  Marinara sauce?  Check.   Then she started making this tomato bisque, and it is SO delicious.  She, of course, makes it with her abundance with fresh tomatoes during the summer.  During the winter, I make it with canned diced tomatoes that I smooth out in the food processor, but I'm sure tomato puree would work the same way.

This recipe is always a treat and a crowd pleaser.  There are also some changes you can make if you want to use ingredients you already have or cut some of the fat out of the original recipe.  As with everything, the full-flavor version is better, but I couldn't notice much of a difference at all when I used 1% milk (instead of whole milk) and 1/2 stick of butter (instead of a whole stick).  I'll let you decide for yourself what you want to do. 

I strongly recommend that you try it.  You won't be disappointed.  Like Buck said over the weekend, this soup is good for your soul.

Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe, Mom!  I love you!

Tomato Bisque

2 lbs tomatoes, peeled and seeded OR 3 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp sugar
1 qt milk
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup flour
1/2 or 1 stick butter

If using canned diced tomatoes, pulse in food processor until in small bits, not large chunks.  Place tomatoes in a large pot over medium heat.  Stir in bouillon cubes, sugar, salt, bay leaf, basil, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Whisk in flour all at once to make a roux; cook 1 minute.  Whisk in milk a little at a time, cooking and stirring constantly until thickened.  Stir into tomato mixture and heat through.

Creamy Fried Confetti Corn

YUM.  I made this alongside the chicken cakes, and this was an amazing dish, again from Southern Living.  It would be perfect at your Christmas table.   I tried to lighten it up (as much as you can lighten up a dish with 8 slices of bacon) by using half the amount of cream cheese (4 ounces instead of 8) and 1% milk instead of half-and-half, and it still tasted delicious.  I made a couple of other changes that I'll reflect below.  So delicious.

Creamy Fried Confetti Corn

8 bacon slices, chopped
4 cups sweet corn kernels (about 8 ears or about 2 large cans)
1 medium size onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I used jarred red bell pepper)
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon and drain on paper twoels, reserving 2 tablespoons of droppings in the skillet.  Set aside bacon. 

Saute corn, onion, and bell peppers in hot drippings in skillet over medium-high heat for 6 minutes or until tender.  Add cream cheese and milk, stirring until cream cheese melts.  Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper.  Top with bacon.  Yields 6-8 servings.

Spicy Mushrooms

These mushrooms are very good, but please do note the title: they are spicy!  


This is another recipe from this month's Food Network Magazine, and it was really easy to put together.  It's also nice because it's easily adaptable to fit what you have around the house.  The original recipe called for 2 plum tomatoes, but I used 1 roma tomato; the original wanted 2 seeded fresh jalapenos, but I used 8 or 9 slices of pickled jalapenos.  Instead of starting with unpeeled garlic cloves to roast, I used the minced ones that come in water.  And it all worked out great.


I didn't think they'd be very hot.  Yes, the jalapeno slices had seeds, but I didn't think they'd be as potent with all the mushrooms and onions.  I was wrong.  They're hot!  If your family doesn't like spicy food, scale back the jalapenos.


Spicy Mushrooms


1 roma tomato
8 slices pickled jalapenos
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
Olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
Juice of 1 lime
Parsley, for garnish


Cut tomato into quarters, and set on baking sheet skin-side-up along with jalapenos and garlic.  Broil for 5-6 minutes or until charred.  Peel the garlic, and chop the vegetables.  Saute the onion and mushrooms in olive oil and salt to taste for 8 minutes.  Add the tomato mixture, the chicken broth, and some chopped parsley; cook 5 minutes.  Stir in the juice of 1 lime.

Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Dressing

Again, we made this for our pre-Thanksgiving feast, and it was delicious!  The apples and dried cranberries made the dressing sweet, and the sausage made it savory.  We loved it.


I read that you can actually stuff your turkey with this to make it stuffing, but as I don't know anything about cooking a turkey, we baked it in a 9"x13" dish and called it dressing.  It's fantastic.


Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Dressing


1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 lb ground pork sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 tsp dried sage
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
4 Tbsp butter, melted
Chicken broth


Preheat oven to 350.  Spread the white and wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes in preheated oven.  Transfer bread crumbs to a large bowl.  


In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned.  Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.  Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl.  Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, and parsley.  Spoon into 9"x13" casserole dish, and drizzle with melted butter and chicken stock.


Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, drizzling with chicken stock to moisten dressing 2-3 times during baking. Serve warm.