DRESSED-UP SUCCOTASH

5 slices bacon, cut-up into chunks
2 green onions, chopped
4 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
3 1/2 cups frozen baby lima beans, thawed
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 tsp chopped fresh basil or 3/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.  Reserve 3 tablespoons drippings in the skillet.

Saute the onions in the drippings for 2 minutes.  Stir in the corn, beans, and broth.  Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes or until the lima beans are just tender and ost of the broth has evaporated, stirring frequently.  Stir in the bacon, tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper.  Cook another couple of minutes to heat through.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

 

HOMEMADE TURKEY SAUSAGE PATTIES

Not only is this recipe quick and easy, but it is also healthy, too!

1 lb lean ground turkey (read labels to be sure it doesn't contain skin)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
dash of cayenne pepper
2 tsp canola oil

In a large bowl combine the turkey, salt, sage, thyme, nutmeg, and cayenne.  Using hands combine well.  Shape mixture into 8 equal sized patties.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and cook patties over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side until the juices run clear.  Drain on paper towels before serving. 

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SAVORY HAM AND MUSHROOM PASTRIES

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17.3-oz pkg), thawed

4 slices deli ham

4 slices Swiss cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 400-degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme to mushrooms during the last 30 seconds of cooking.

Roll puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Top with ham and cheese. Sprinkle with mushroom mixture and cut into 16 squares (2 1/2" each). Fold corners to center and pinch dough to secure. Brush with egg. Bake about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Yield: 16 pastries. 

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DUFF'S SWEET SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

2 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tbsp kosher salt

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Place two 8-cavity mini-loaf pans in the oven to heat up.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and salt until uniform in color. Quickly but gently fold the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. It should be a loose batter, not a dough.

Carefully remove pans from the oven and quickly coat with the cooking spray. Divide the batter evenly 12 of the cavities. Bake until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Rotate the pans 180-degrees halfway through baking.

Immediately turn the leaves out of the pans onto a wire rack to cool. This will ensure they build a crisp crust.

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MEATBALLS IN BROWN GRAVY

1 lb lean ground beef

1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup Panko crumbs
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cans (10.5-oz each) brown gravy
hot cooked rice for serving

In a medium bowl combine the ground beef, egg, and Panko crumbs mixing together well.  Form mixture into 16 meatballs.

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides.  Drain well.  Add the gravy and simmer on low for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.  Serve over the hot cooked rice.

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COCONUT SHRIMP

1 mango, pitted, peeled, diced

2 tbsp minced red pepper

2 tbsp torn mint leaves

1 tbsp lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

1 chili pepper, thinly sliced, optional

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, chopped

2/3 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp less-sodium Old Bay seasoning

1 cup baking mix, ie Bisquick

1 egg

1 lb peeled (tails on) deveined jumbo shrimp

In a medium bowl, combine mango, red pepper. mint, lime juice. salt and the chili pepper, if desired. Reserve.

Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a bowl, mix coconut, breadcrumbs and Old Bay seasoning.

In a separate bowl, combine 2/3 cup of the baking mix, egg, and 1/3 cup water.

In another bowl, place the remaining 1/3 cup baking mix and add the shrimp. Toss shrimp until coated then dip in the egg mixture then the coconut.

Place the crisper plate in the basket of a 7-quart air fryer and coat with cooking spray. Place basket in the air fryer. Heat to air fry at 325 degrees. Place shrimp in a single layer in the basket, working in batches. Fry each batch until crisp, 5-6 minutes. Serve with the mango salsa.

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CREAMY TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

One of the best things to happen for busy cooks recently is the line of cooking cremes from Kraft Foods.  These cooking cremes are Philadelphia Creme Cheese products and make it simple for busy cooks to serve delicious dishes quickly.  Here ia a recipe from the folks at Kraft for a tasty tuna casserole.  Frankly, I don't eat tuna but my family thinks this is great.

1 tub (10-oz) Philadelphia Original Cooking Creme
2 cups egg noodles, cooked
2 cans (5-oz each) chunk light tuna in water, drained, flaked
1 cup frozen peas
1 can (4-oz) sliced mushrooms, undrained
8 Ritz Crackers, crushed (about 1/3 cup)
1 tbsp butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in 1 1/2-qt. casserole; cover.

Bake 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix cracker crumbs and melted butter. Stir casserole, top with crumbs.  Bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until topping is golden brown.

Yield: 4 servings

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CREAM CHEESE RANCH MASHED POTATOES

3 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter, softened, plus a pat for serving

1 pkg (1-oz dry ranch seasoning

Chopped parsley or fresh dill for garnish, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Return to the pot and mash.

Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, sour cream. bitter and ranch seasoning with an electric mixer at medium-low speed in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the mashed potatoes and beat just until desired consistency.

To serve, top potatoes with a pat of butter and the fresh dill or parsley.

Variation: Stir in some chopped green onions and crumbled cooked bacon.

Yield: 8 servings

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MEATBALL SANDWICH CASSEROLE

I got this recipe off facebook at least a dozen years ago.

! bag of frozen meatballs (I use Mama Lucia Brand, personal preference)
1 jar of marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce if there isn't any marinara on hand
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 loaf of fresh Italian bread, sliced

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 400. Place entire bag of meatballs in pot with sauce (I also add garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste) and cook over medium heat until warmed completely through, about 10 minutes. Stir as needed to keep meatballs from sticking to pot. Once heated through remove from heat. Place meatballs in the center of a 9x13 baking dish, layer mozzarella and Italian blend cheeses over meatballs topping off with the Parmesan. Take the slices of Italian bread and line the pan all the way around with them so that they are kind of keeping the meatballs toward the center of the pan. The bread slices will be standing up in the pan as shown in the picture. You have creative freedom here with the bread...you can lightly butter and garlic the bread prior to placing it in the pan if you prefer or even brush lightly with olive oil and garlic. The choice is yours. I have made it plain and as noted above. Both are delicious!

Place in oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven, serve and enjoy! 

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CHUCKWAGON STEW

1 lb lean ground beef

2 medium potatoes, skins on, cut into half-inch pieces
1/4 cup instant minced onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant beef bouillon
1 can (1 lb) whole tomatoes
1 can (8-oz) cut green beans

Cook the ground beef in a large cast-iron skillet over camp-fire, stirring to crumble, until browned; drain well.

Stir in the potatoes, onion, salt, and bouillon.  Add the liquid from the tomatoes (not tomatoes) to the mixture.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat or move to a less hot area of the fire.  Cover and allow to simmer about 15 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes and green beans, breaking up tomatoes.  Replace cover and simmer another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Serves 3 or 4.

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