Gujarati Green Beans

Gujarati Green Beans
From: Mama Tiger

1 pound whole fresh green beans
4 tbsp oil
1 tbsp whole black mustard seed (also called brown mustard seed)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp brown sugar
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Optional: 1/2 to 1 coarsely crushed red chili if you want to heat it up

Trim the beans. Blanch them by dropping in boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until they are just tender.
Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame.
When hot, put in the mustard seed.
As soon as the mustard seed starts to pop, add the garlic.
Stir the garlic until it turns light brown.
(If you want to use red chili, add it at this point and stir briefly.)
Put in the green beans, salt, and sugar. Stir well to mix.
Turn the heat down to medium-low.
Stir and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the beans have absorbed the flavor of the spices.
Add the black pepper, mix, and serve.

This is a great dish to make ahead, then reheat the following day; the beans taste even better after soaking in the spices overnight!

beeb's mud pie

beeb's mud pie
From: bbs2k

I discovered this recipe when I was only 5 years old...

First step, you need to find some good quality dirt. No sand, or any of that stuff the dogs play in. Turn up some earth from under that there pine tree of yours and put the hose to it.

Delicately pour into a chilled pie plate and smooth it out. Worms make for a nice topping when used in moderation, but no grass. Unless you are preparing this dish for your pet cow we can exclude all ruffage.

Allow your preparation to settle and cool in the fridge for about 20 minutes. And when your Mom asks you about the mess in her kitchen you DENY DENY DENY!

Apple Cider-Caramel Cake

Apple Cider-Caramel Cake
From: Labelless

Cider "syrup" is folded into this cake for a rich caramelized flavor.

2 1/4 cups apple cider, divided
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon stick margarine or butter
3 cups sliced peeled cooking apple (such as Braeburn, Rome, or McIntosh)
Cooking spray
2 1/2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup stick margarine or butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Bring 2 cups cider to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-high; stir in 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cook 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and cider is thick and dark-colored, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool 1 minute. Stir in 1 tablespoon margarine. Stir in apple; cook 15 minutes over medium-high heat or until the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool. (If apple mixture hardens, place it over low heat until softened).
Preheat oven to 325°.
Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; dust with breadcrumbs.
Combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup margarine, lemon rind, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in apple mixture. Pour into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 1/2 hours or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Combine 1/4 cup cider, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and vanilla; let stand until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes, and pierce with a wooden skewer in several places. Pour cider mixture over cake in pan, and let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over top of cake.

Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake
From: Taters

Chocolate crust:

One cup chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 cup softened butter
2 tsps cinammon

Mix well and press into buttered 8 inch springform pan.

Cake:

Three 8 oz packages of cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
8 one ounce squares of semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp of heavy whipping cream
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp of salt
2 tsps of instant espresso dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water
1/4 cup Kahlua
2 tsps of vanilla extract

Topping
1 cup heaving whipping cream
2 tbsps of powdered sugar
2 tbsps Kahlua
Chocolate leaves or shavings

Prepare the crust and set aside.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, mixing until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat at low speed until very smooth. Melt the chocolate and mix with the cream. Add to the cream cheese mixture and beat until incorporated. Add the Kahlua, sour cream, salt, espresso and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Turn into pan. Bake in the center of the oven at 350 degrees for for 45 minutes or until sides are puffed (the center will be soft, but will firm up when chilled). Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar. Allow the cake to cool in the oven for 45 minutes. When done, cover and chill for twelve hours.

Remove from fridge after twelve hours and remove pan sides and bottom of pan.

Whip the whipping cream with the powdered sugar and Kahlua. Garnish the cake with mounds of whipping cream (I use a piping bag) and shaved chocolate or chocolate leaves.

To make chocolate leaves melt one ounce of semi sweet chocolate. Brush one side of leaves (which can be found in baking supply stores). Freeze until firm and then peel the chocolate from the leaves and put in mounds of whipping cream on cake.

This cake is very yummy, but riiiiiiiiiiich. A little wedge will do.

Grown-Up Macaroni and Cheese

Grown-Up Macaroni and Cheese
From: Taters

1 pound macaroni
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsps flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup of Sherry (not cooking sherry)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup shredded Emmenthaler cheese
1/8 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup shredded parmesan

Boil the pasta, undercooking it just slightly then drain.

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook stirring until you have a nice Roux (about a minute). Gradually whisk in the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil it for one to two minutes. Whisk in the sherry and cream, and bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in the fontina, emmenthaler and gruyere cheeses until they're melted.

Season with the nutmeg, thyme and salt. I usually season to taste, so take the above measurements with a "grain of salt". Hah! I slay me.

Pour the mixture into a 9X13 baking pan. Sprinkle it with the bread crumbs and parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Nana's Pineapple and Cheese

Nana's Pineapple and Cheese
From: gardentraveler

Similar to swampy's Little Ol' Lady Casserole, but with CHEEEEESE. Yum. This is from Far-Away Best Friend's grandmother.

1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

Drain pineapple. Reserve 3 tablespoons juice. Combine flour, sugar and
juice. Add cheese and pineapple. Spoon into quart casserole. Combine
melted butter and crumbs. Spread over top.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes until slightly browned.

Note added 8/14/2010: swampy makes this, too, but uses this recipe from Paula Deen. Same recipe, just doubled.

Apricot Coconut Squares

Apricot Coconut Squares
From: gardentraveler

I made these for the cookie exchange I participate in every year. They were my favorites of the 20 or so varieties in the exchange.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup dried apricots
1 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together butter, sugar, and 1 cup flour. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
2. Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. In small saucepan, bring apricots and water to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, chop, and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar. Stir in 1/3 cup flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Fold in nuts and chopped apricots. Stir in coconut, if desired. Pour over the prepared crust.
4. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool, and dust with confectioners' sugar before cutting into squares.

My comments on the squares: It's probably useful to note that I made this recipe 3 times for the exchange and that each batch is supposed to make 2 dozen, but I cut the squares a bit smaller and got a few extra per batch. Amounts: One pound of walnuts is enough for 3 batches. Also, 3 batches use less than 1/3 bag of coconut. 2/3 cup dried apricots is about 4 ounces. I used one 15-oz package for 3 batches (yes, 4 x 3 is not 15). I forgot to get a lemon, so I used orange juice instead. Recipe says the top layer should be firm. I'm not sure what that means. I baked until there were little bubbles in the batter and the edges were just getting brown. I used white sugar plus a drop of molasses instead of brown sugar and reduced the sugar from the original recipe because I read comments about them being too sweet. I mixed the shortbread layer with a pastry cutter. Measured all the chopped ingredients out into amounts needed for each batch. Used a spatula from the point where it said to fold in nuts and apricots. Coconut flavor is just barely there, but very nice.

Honey-Nut Smokies

Honey-Nut Smokies
From: gardentraveler

This one is from one of my gardening friends. She brings it to our Christmas bash every year and says you can make them with either pecans or walnuts.

INGREDIENTS:
1 package small cocktail wieners
2 packages crescent rolls
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the honey and brown sugar, stir until melted and smooth. Add the pecans and stir.
Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.
Unroll crescent rolls.
Cut each crescent roll into thirds, making 3 small, long triangle strips.
Starting at one end, roll hot dogs in crescent.
Place in baking dish, in honey nut mixture
Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Low(er) carb Helen's beans

Low(er) carb Helen's beans
From: VunderBob

I made this up after my gastric bypass, when I had a craving for my mom's beans, but had an aversion to the metric buttload of brown sugar. This recipe makes a smaller batch than the other one (4-5 people, vs. ~20)


2 cans (regular sized) of pork and beans (get the kind without the tomato sauce; just pork and beans)

Ketchup, maybe a cup (lo carb, if you can find it)

1 cup Splenda

½ cup sugar free maple syrup

2 t garlic

1 t dried mustard

1 t onion powder

2 T dehydrated chopped onion (fresh onion may be used; I was lazy)

1 t Worchestershire sauce

½ t liquid smoke (optional)

½ cup chopped ham bits

Mix everything together except the ham. Adjust spices to suit your taste, and put the ham over the top. Bake at 350F for about 2 hours. Mom always used bacon, but I never liked the grease, hence the ham.

If you're doing Atkins, and are more careful about all kinds of sugar, be warned that standard ketchup has a lot of corn syrup in it. There are brands of low-carb ketchup available, and I liked the Atkins brand because it tastes like the stuff Mom used to make when we were kids.

The Splenda and SF syrup combo is a poor man's replacement for brown sugar. Sugar Twin makes a substitute, but I've not found it around here. (Update: Splenda makes brown sugar blend, but I've not tried it in this yet)

The results were mighty close, BTW.

Blue Berry Torte

Blue Berry Torte
From: Labelless

2 cups Flour
½ cups sugar
1 cup Chopped Nuts
1 cup butter

Blend like pie crust and press into 9x 13 pan.

Bake 12 minutes at 400’. Crumble while still warm and press back into pan.

Filling Blend Together:

1 8 oz. package Cream Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Whip 2 packages Dream Whip until firm. Add to cream cheese mixture. Spread on crust and top with Blueberry pie filling.*

• Or any other kind of pie filling of your choice.
• Chill at least over night.
• This recipe belong to Grandma Bronson

Pa amb tomàquet (pamtumaca)

Pa amb tomàquet (pamtumaca)
From: Nava

Bread with tomato. The first is the proper Catalan spelling, the second can be found in bars the world over. Well, maybe not in China.

Ingredients:
Toast.
Overripe round tomatoes.
(Olive) oil.
Salt.

Cut a tomato in half through its equator. This leaves you with two halves, each of which has these triangular holes on the flat surface. Squash this surface against the toast, moving it around to spread the goodness. Sprinkle a tiny amount of salt and pour a little bit of oil. Eat.

You can also do it on a bar of bread (doesn't need to be toasted) and fill it with salami, ham or serrano for a great sandwich.

Nava's Famous Tomato Salad

Nava's Famous Tomato Salad
From: Nava

So simple it ought'a be a sin to get kudos for it.

Ingredients:
Ripe tomatoes.
Canned tuna.
White vinegar (optional).
(Olive) oil.
Salt.
Salad onion (optional).
Green or black olives (optional).

If you remember about it in advance, open the can a couple days before and transfer it to a mason jar with a generous amount of vinegar. This step is optional.

Chop the tomatoes; sprinkle with salt; add oil, tuna, olives and chopped onion. Shake. Serve.

Ensaladilla rusa (no idea why we call it "Russian salad")

Ensaladilla rusa (no idea why we call it "Russian salad")
From: Nava

Compulsory veggies: small potatoes, carrots, green beans. Optional: peas.
Other optional things: green boneless olives, tuna (1), hard-boiled egg.
Mayo, garlic mayo, alliolli or pink sauce (mayo with a dash of tomato).

1: at home we normally use tuna preserved in vinegar, but I don't normally find that abroad. The kind canned with just water works too. You can sharpen up the "plain" tuna by opening the can a couple days before and transferring the contents to a mason jar or similar recipient along with a generous amount of white vinegar.

Amounts:
Potatoes: about 1/3 what you'd use as a main dish. Less than 1/3 for beans, less even for carrots.
Peas, tuna, olives, egg: a sprinkling of each.

The veggies are cooked separatedly in salt and water (as they all have different times to be "just cooked enough," you don't want to overcook them), cut into crouton-sized pieces and mixed.
The sauce, chopped olives, tuna and cube-chopped egg can be mixed in as well, but I prefer to put them on the side so each person can use only those items he likes.

BBQ Beef Short Ribs in the CrockPot

BBQ Beef Short Ribs in the CrockPot
From: LVgeogeek

4 lbs meaty beef short ribs (it was about 10 of them)
2/3 C flour
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 C butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 C beef broth
3/4 C red wine vinegar
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
3/4 C vinegar based hot sauce (I used Huy Fong Thai hot sauce)
1 tsp. hot chili paste (also from Huy Fong- the one with the gold label)
1/3 C Worcestershire sauce
5 cloves garlic, chopped

In a 1 gallon Ziploc bag add flour salt and pepper. Add the ribs in batches and shake to coat (a la shake-n-bake).

In a large skillet, melt butter then add ribs to brown on all sides. When browned, place ribs in crock pot.

Using the same skillet with the butter and meaty goodness... add onion, beef broth, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, chili paste, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine and heat to a boil. Then add to crock pot.

Cook for 8 hours on low (and do not remove the lid no matter how tempting).

Remove ribs from crock pot and set aside. Using a stick blender, blend the sauce in the crock pot until smooth (or you could use a regular blender). Serve ribs with sauce.

There will be enough sauce leftover to use on other stuff (chicken, pork, etc) it's too good to just dump out.

The Most Awesome Chicken Nuggets Ever

The Most Awesome Chicken Nuggets Ever
From: pprgrl

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts (however many you need. I usually used one or two, but I'm used to cooking for one).
Italian dressing
Vigo Parmesan Breadcrumbs
An egg or two (well, probably more if you're cooking for more than one)
Olive oil

Cut your chicken boobs* into nugget-sized chunks. Dump some Italian dressing into a ziplock baggie until it's about half full. Throw your chicken boob chunks in there, and let it ride in the fridge for a day or two. Or, if you're frugal like me, buy a whole mess of chicken boobs at once, prep a bunch of baggies like this and freeze any you aren't planning to eat right away.

The next day, take your chicken boob chunks out of the fridge. Put 'em between a couple of sheets of wax paper and hammer 'em out a bit. They don't need to be super thin like for Chicken Parmesan, but you want them a little thin. Get a frying pan out, and dump at least a finger's depth of olive oil in there. Warm it up on medium heat while you do the next bit.

Smash your eggs into a bowl and dip those suckers in. You can thin out the egg wash with a little milk if you like, but it's good both ways. Dump a whole mess of Vigo Parmesan Breadcrumbs in a shallow dish, and crust those suckers. Then do a second dunk in your egg wash, and crust 'em in the breadcrumbs again. The second crust is vital, let me tell you. As soon as you pull those suckers out of the second crusting, chuck 'em in your pan of olive oil. Let 'em sizzle for about four minutes, until they're brown on the bottom. Flip 'em over, and repeat. The topside usually takes a little less time to brown, but I never stood over 'em with my stopwatch to make sure.

Eat 'em while they're still sizzling hot from the pan. You'll never go near a preformed chicken nugget again. I don't eat meat anymore, but these chicken nuggets are so good, someone should be able to enjoy them even if I can't.


*My little brother Carl wouldn't eat chicken breasts for the longest time. When we finally got around to asking him why, he said "I don't want to eat any chicken nipples." For a while afterwards, we were all pulling the skin off the KFC to try to find the nipple.

Bachelor Food

Bachelor Food
From: dogbutler

1/2 cup instant rice
1/2 cup water
1 can of meat. whatever's easiest, I just worked for 14 hours straight!
teaspoon of boullion to match the meat
2 cups vegetable(want Mexican? and corn! want Italian? add spinach!, etc)
Seasoning to taste. I'm a bachelor, be happy I'm not nuking burritos again!
Add water, boullion, seasonings, booze(to the meal and to you), meat.
boil
add veggies, return to boil
add rice
cook according to rice box directions(low heat 5 min. , no heat for 5 min.)
Serve with beerverages.

total prep and cook time-15-20 minutes.

Panko Breaded Pork Chops

Panko Breaded Pork Chops
From: Dolores Reborn

Four thick boneless pork cops dipped in egg, then dredged in panko bread crumbs with a bit of dried basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper mixed in - browned in canola oil until golden

Clam Spaghetti

Clam Spaghetti
From: ShermanAter

Ingredients

1) 1/2 C plus 2 T of the best olive oil ya got
2) 2 medium size yellow onions chopped
3) 1 small or 1/2 large dried red chili minced (more or less to taste, be careful)
4) 6 cloves garlic minced
5) 3 cans canned clams drained, (saving the liquid of 2 cans) *
6) liquid from 2 cans clams
7) 1 T dried oregano
8) 1 T dried basil
9) 1 C fresh parsley chopped
10) 1 lb dry spaghetti noodles
11) Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

* * I use 2 cans minced and 1 chopped clams

Directions

1. In your biggest frying pan (cast iron is best ) GENTLY heat your olive oil
2. Add onions, garlic , dried red pepper and simmer SLOWLY till it starts smelling good all through your home.
3. Have a glass of wine, tell your guests a funny story, and start heating your pasta water
4. When the onions start to get soft and transparent, stir and let 'em simmer a minute or 2 longer while you open 3 cans 'O clams ... saving 2 cans worth of juice
5. Add the liquid from the 2 cans of clams
6. Add the dried oregano and dried basil
7. If you forgot, like I sometimes do, this is a great time time to
8. throw the Garlic bread in the oven
9. While the water for your pasta is heating, add the clams, parsley and a couple T's of the Parmesan to your sauce
10. Cook spaghetti noodles till al dente
11. Drain well and toss with the awesome sauce you have just created in your biggest frying pan
12. Serve with a nice white wine, tossed green salad, fresh grated Parmesan and don't forget the bread in the oven

Mah Favorite Chicken Cacciatore

Mah Favorite Chicken Cacciatore
From: SmartAleq

Take some boneless, skinless chicken--I prefer thighs but breast works just as well, cut into strips--about half an inch thick or so. Dredge in flour spiced with garlic salt and pepper. Heat a deep iron skillet, add oil (olive is best, of course!) and brown the chicken--don't crowd the pan too much. Remove when browned, pour off any excessive amounts of oil but leave the brown crunchy bits.

Turn the heat up a bit and add a large amount of diced onions, garlic and red bell pepper (or green, but I prefer red, milder taste and better look) and saute briskly, stirring to get all the chicken residue off the skillet. Let this get nicely done, not quite caramelized but well on the way. Add a large quantity of diced tomatoes--roma is best, and cook them down a bit, adding a couple tablespoons of sugar while they're cooking down. At this point is a great time to add some fresh basil if you have it (if not, I guess dried will do. Sigh. Heathens,) some crushed red pepper and fresh oregano. Chopped mushrooms are very nice as well--crimini's by preference. Then add enough Cheap Red Wine to cover the veggies, bring to a boil and add the chicken back in. Lower heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes, a couple hours is better. If the sauce gets too thick and gloppy, add more wine as needed to keep it nice and smooth. Salt to taste. Serve over rice. Don't forget the garlic bread and salad!

Chicken Seizure Sammiches

Chicken Seizure Sammiches
From: SmartAleq

Heat skillet with olive oil in. Take some boneless, skinless chicken breast, place in skillet over low-medium heat. Cover, cook gently until pretty much done, then slice into thin strips and finish cooking through. Season with kosher salt & pepper.

In a bowl, combine ripe avocado (1/2 per sammich, roughly) with finely chopped red onion, chopped cucumber and a nice quantity of good creamy Caesar dressing (Newman's Own is the best) then grate in a bunch of asiago cheese. You want this to be gooey but not runny.

Brush hoagie rolls, sourdough rolls, or buns with olive oil or butter, sprinkle with garlic salt and broil or toast on a skillet until nicely browned. Spread with generous amounts of avocado mixture, then add chicken slices. Add shredded lettuce and/or tomato if you wish. Mack out. This is my favorite "too tired to cook" dinner because you can use frozen chicken tits and it will work just fine so it doesn't matter if you forgot to thaw anything!

Kinda Healthy Tater Salad

Kinda Healthy Tater Salad
From: SmartAleq

Bake a bunch of nice taters, russet, yukon, red, don't matter. Wipe them down with olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt or garlic salt. Chill after they're all nice and baked. Cube into bite size chunks.

This part is easier if you have what I have, which is a cast iron skillet that has a griddle in the bottom. I heat it up and grill a whole bunch of veggies, especially red bell pepper, asparagus and zucchini--wiped with a schmear of olive oil. Grill until al dente. Let cool a bit, then chop up into small pieces and throw into the tater cubes.

Dice up some scallions and/or red onion, throw that in. This would be a spiffy time to fine dice and throw in some fresh basil leaves too. Or parsley, if you lean that way. Some fresh snow peas are a treat here, sliced up raw. Fresh cucumber if you have it.

Then dice up some pickley stuff--I most prefer home canned pickled beans but regular kosher dill pickle is good and pickled garlic is the best of all. Chop up a whole mess of pickle and toss into the rest of the veggies.

Use light sour cream to stick it all together, seasoning to taste with kosher or garlic salt, pepper, dill weed, a bit of crushed red pepper, whatever looks good, really. Grate in some asiago or parmesan cheese--very hard, sharp white cheddar is good too. Chill and nosh. When it gets hot out I make a huge vat of this stuff and we eat nothing else for days because it's too hot to cook. The main thing is to put a buttload of different veggies in it, that's what makes it really good.

Curried Pork and Sweet Potatoes

Curried Pork and Sweet Potatoes (or should I say N.O.T.?)
From: SwampBear

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp curry powder (or more for you who like life spicy)
¼ tsp. salt
1 lb. boneless pork loin cut into thin strips
2 medium sweet potatoes cut into thin strips
¾ cup apple juice
1 medium green bell pepper (heck, use red for all I care. I don’t judge.) cut into thin strips
2 tbsp. apple jelly

Mix flour, curry powder and salt in a mediumish sized bowl. Add the pork and toss to coat. Or stick it all in one of those zip baggy thingies and shake yer booty all over the kitchen.

Spray a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat to medium-high heat. Cook pork in skillet three to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown.

Stir in sweet potatoes and apple juice. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper. Cover and simmer three to five minutes until bell pepper is crisp-tender. Stir in jelly until melted.

Serve over rice. I leave it up to you to cook the rice. You should know how to do that by now.

Sausage and Potato Bake

Sausage and Potato Bake
From: SwampBear


6 medium potatoes
2 medium onions
4 or 5 tbsp. of olive oil
1 lb. Kielbasa sausage or another kind if that’s what you got on hand and feel adventurous
1 small carton of whipping cream. Oh quit oogyin’! It’s good. I wouldn’t be sharin’ this with people who know my address if it wasn’t.

Peel and cube potatoes into medium cubes and chop up onion any ol’ way you see fit. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a three quart baking dish. Toss the potatoes and onions in the oil. Use your hands or some kind of utensil, which ever does it for ya. Cut sausage up (we’ll leave it up to you the size of sausage chunks ya want) and drop on top of the potatoes (or should I be sayin’ N.O.T.?) and onions. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes (use one of those at least three timers I know you have in your kitchen) uncover (the casserole dish, not yourself unless you normally cook uncovered. I’m not one to judge.), pour the cream over the casserole and return the uncovered casserole to the oven for 20 more minutes.

Chicken Pie

Chicken Pie
From: SwampBear

1 chicken (2-3lbs.) simmered in salty water til tender, then deboned. How much salt is up to you. Wait’ til the chicken cools before deboning, but you already knew that, right?

1 and ½ cups chicken broth (that’s the water you boiled the chicken in, duh!)

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Cut up chicken, or for all I care just shred the sucker, and place in a shallow casserole dish. Just pick one. You got that whole cabinet full of ‘em. I know you do.

Combine soup and broth and pour over the chicken. Try not to make a mess.

Topping:

1 cup of plain flour
2 tsps. Baking powder
1 cup milk
½ tsp. pepper
1 stick of melted butter. Deal with it! I like butter! So There!

Mix dry ingredients with milk and butter. Pour over chicken.

Bake 35-40 minutes until brown in 425 degree oven.

That 90s Salad

That 90s Salad
From: Mahna Mahna

4 cups baby spinach
1 sweet apple, diced (pref Royal Gala or Delicious)
1 ripe pear, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Handful of toasted sunflower seeds

Tahini Dressing
2 tbsp tahini
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together ingredients for tahini dressing until smooth.
In a large bowl, toss together spinach, apples, pears, and dried cranberries. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide into four bowls and garnish each with an equal amount of goat cheese and sunflower seeds.

Note: If you're feeling particularly fruity (or if you have a hot date later in the evening and can't risk that much garlic), you could also swap out the tahini dressing for an equally appropriate raspberry vinaigrette.

Risotto Eleanorese

Risotto Eleanorese
From: eleanorigby

2 cups chicken broth, heated

2 Tbs butter
onion, minced
minced garlic
1 cup arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup water (maybe)
Parmesan cheese
Bacon bits--real bacon, please
pinch of saffron, toasted
parsley flakes for color

In large saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. When it foams (not like your toothpaste-wake up, people!), add the onion and garlic to taste. Saute until soft. Stir in rice and cover with butter. Add wine, and here you're supposed to add saffron, if you're Bill Gates and can afford saffron. Me, I just skip it. The saffron, numbnuts--no way would I skip the wine! Moving on.
Add the chicken broth slowly, stirring constantly and only adding more once it's absorbed. Mess in the pan should be bubbling somewhat. You may need to add some water as well (I usually end up needing about 1/4 cup). All this should take you about 20-30 minutes, by which time your rice should be al dente. If you like it more dente than al, suit yourself. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and bacon. If you want to add the parsley, do so now. Serve. With what is up to you. I've been known to eat this right over the stove.


I do want to try different things with this basic recipe--mushrooms or bleu cheese or chicken or pork etc. Go crazy!

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes
From: FairyChatMom

2# ground beef, browned with
1 medium to large onion, diced

Drain off any excess grease.

1 large can of tomato sauce (24 fl oz?? I'm not sure of the size)
1 large can of tomato paste
2 ribs of celery, washed and cut up, no leaves

Put about a cup of the sauce into a blender and add the chunked up celery. Puree till no evidence of celery remains. Dump this, plus the rest of the sauce and the paste into the pan with the meat and onions and mix it up - add:

3-4 Tbsp white vinegar
3-4 Tbsp brown sugar
1-2 tsp garlic powder or equivalent minced garlic - all of this is really to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well, and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer till it thickens or until the smell drives you wild with desire. Serve on crusty rolls or sub rolls or whatever you like. It's best the next day and it freezes beautifully.

For those who don't like chunks of onion, you can toss them in with the celery in the blender cycle (just don't cook them with the beef.) I understand some folks like diced green peppers so you could add that if you're so inclined. Me, I'm not a pepper fan.

Thai peanut chicken pasta

Thai peanut chicken pasta
From: Taxi78Cab

2 chicken breasts
6 oz whole grain penne
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup soy sauce (I prefer the "lite" kind.)
1/3 cup veggie oil
1 red, yellow or orange pepper (Not green! They taste different.)
Shredded carrots (I like the pre-shredded ones... so I'm lazy. Feel free to shred your own if you're sitting around just looking for some boring, tiring task to do.), a couple handfuls
2 scallions, chopped
Snow peas or sugar snap peas, again a couple handfuls or to taste
Cilantro, chopped (optional, but I definitely recommend including it)
Peanuts for garnish and to add a nice crunch. I wouldn't leave these out either.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water. Yes, this is important. As our Food Network friends like to point out, it's the only chance you have to season the pasta itself. Probably a tablespoon or so of salt.

Chop the pepper, scallions, etc.

Combine the PB, soy sauce, and veggie oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. As the PB melts, stir it in all together. Add the chicken and cook for ~5 minutes or so on a side. (The PB/soy mix will dry out. That's ok.)

When the water boils, add the pasta and stir so it doesn't clump. Set a timer for 8 minutes.

When it's been cooking for ~5 and the chicken's browned on both sides, scoop about 3/4 cup or so of the pasta water (It contains lots of starch.) from the boiling pasta (carefully!) and mix it in to the chicken, PB, soy and stir to combine. See? It's making a nice, peanut-y sauce!

Drain the pasta. (Before you do that, check the sauce... if it needs more liquid, add some more pasta water before you drain it. You can add a little more PB or soy at this point if needed.) Toss the pasta with a little olive or veggie oil.

Check the chicken to make sure it's cooked through. If you have a probe thermometer, get it to 160. If not, just slice the chicken and see if it's still pink in the middle. When it's done, remove it to a plastic cutting board.

Add the carrots, peppers, peas, and scallions to the sauce. If you have other veggies that you want to toss in, that's fine too.

Cut the chicken into strips. Add back to the veggies and sauce.

Stir in the pasta. Add the cilantro at the very last minute (so it doesn't wilt too much). Serve it up and top with peanuts.

Capt. Cheekbones's Scrumptious Salad

Capt. Cheekbones's Scrumptious Salad
From: HazelNutCoffee

The Salad:
romaine lettuce
diced plum tomatoes
roasted pine nuts
diced yellow peppers

The Dressing:
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
crumbled feta cheese
honey dijon mustard

(Word to the wise: be careful with the dressing; add the mustard and cheese in small amounts until you get desired taste. It's very easy to overpower the entire salad with those two flavors unless you're careful.)

Lemon Curd Pie

Lemon Curd Pie
From: Dolores Reborn
(Recipe from Sandra Lee)

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 jar lemon curd
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 graham cracker crust

In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Spread lemon mixture into pie crusts. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or until set. Garnish with whipped cream.

Helen (baked) Beans

Helen (baked) Beans
From: VunderBob

This version of the recipe is tailored for a large crowd; this is going from memory yesterday as I mixed them to feed 20 people at my fire station meeting. Adjust up or down for your crowd.

3 large, tall cans of the cheapest pork and beans you can find
2 cups brown sugar
1 baseball sized onion, chopped
2ish cups of ketchup
½ T garlic
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 T liquid smoke
? Bacon to cover top of beans. Amount depends on the style of pan used.

1 deep 13X9 foil roasting pan fits this amount

Most measurements are not exact. When in doubt, defer to taste.

Mix first eight ingredients, put in pan, and cover with the bacon. Bake at 250-275o for 3-4 hours. These are better down slowly than fast (1-2 hours) at 350o, but I'll do that if I have a time constraint.

Normally, I use cut up ham instead of bacon because of the grease.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
From: Most Creative User Name Ever

1 onion chopped
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into pieces
2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp. chili powder
1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
1-15 oz can chicken broth, fat free
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis

Cook chicken & onion. Add other ingredients, heat to boiling. Simmer for 15 minutes or more. Garnish with chips and cheese if you wish.
Freezes well.

Please note that nutritional information does not include chips or cheese.

Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 172.2
Total Fat: 1.4 g
Cholesterol: 32.9 mg
Sodium: 249.2 mg
Total Carbs: 22.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.3 g
Protein: 19.2 g

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
From: Most Creative User Name Ever

1/2 Cup Water
1 Package Dry Chocolate Cake Mix
15 oz can pumpkin

Mix water, dry cake mix, and pumpkin together.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 18 muffins.

Note: I have used white and yellow cake mixes as well, the recipe originially called for a spice cake mix. I LOVE these and they freeze well since I can't eat 18 of them before they go bad. They are also *very* moist.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffin
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128.0
Total Fat 1.5 g

Porcupines

Porcupines
From: Flutterby

Meatballs:
1 package each lean hamburger and ground pork
3/4 cup of rice (cooked or if you have minute rice uncooked is fine)
1 onion, chopped
paprika
poultry seasoning
garlic powder
worchestershire sauce

Sauce:
plain tomato sauce
worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup water

Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl. If the rice is uncooked, add some water to this also. For measurements of the spices I use a few dashes of the worchestershire and just liberally sprinkle in everything else (I don't measure, they always turn out fine). Roll the mix into meatballs about 1" in diameter and place in a baking dish (we have these). Mix together tomato sauce, worchestershire sauce and water. Pour over meatballs (it should pretty much cover the meatballs, you can thin it a little more with water or add more tomato sauce if you don't have enough).

Bake for about 45 minutes in an oven at 400F. You could also put these in a crock pot to cook and I don't always use the pork but I like how it tastes.

We serve it up with pasta and lots of veggies (mm I have brocolli today..) and they make lots so I freeze them and can usually get a few meals out of it.

Rebo's Meatballs

Rebo's Meatballs
From: Dolores Reborn

1 lb ground beef
(about) 1/2 c fresh breadcrumbs (I usually use the food processor - 1-2 slices of sandwich bread, or some leftover french bread)
2 egg yolks
1 tbs chopped parsley
3 tbs minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c grated parmesan
1/2 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper

Mix together, and form into meatballs about 1-1/2 inch diameter. Brown in olive oil. Drain on paper towels. Burn fingers tasting a meatball. Take pity on the dogs and split a couple up between them. Give one to Dad. Give one to husband. Eat one more, then dump them in the spaghetti sauce. Yum!

Frosting

Frosting
From: SpazCat

1 large + 1 small carton of Cool Whip (Negative Lady recommended the small be french vanilla)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 package of cream cheese

I don't know if I got the proportion of cream cheese right, but that's what the MMP Test Kitchen is for!

Pasta in Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Pasta in Red Pepper Cream Sauce
From: Lissla Lissar

Boil enough pasta for two or three people (I used rotini, but anything curly would do), and mix together a cup of heavy cream, a quarter cup ajvar, a minced garlic clove, and a quarter cup grated Parmesan.

Drain the pasta, mix the sauce in.

VunderBob's Golden Glo Chicken

VunderBob's Golden Glo Chicken
From: VunderBob

VunderBob's Golden Glo Chicken

1 c water
1 c cider vinegar
½ stick butter
4 T Worcestershire sauce
2 t. black pepper
2 t. salt
1 t. garlic

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a slow boil, Add chicken pieces, and parboil 5-10 minutes. Don't try to cook chicken completely. Remove chicken, and retain some sauce for basting. Grill over a hot fire, basting frequently until chicken is done by whatever method you use.

This recipe is sufficient for about 2 lbs of pieces, but not all at once. Scale accordingly for larger or smaller amounts. Sauce can be retained, frozen, and used again later.

Note: Because of the butter, the grill will flare. Use the lid, and be careful.

ETA: Yeah, I left out the chicken. Deal with it.

Chicken

Chicken
From: sturmhauke

1 whole chicken
salt
pepper
2-3 carrots
1 large onion or some shallots
fresh sage and rosemary
oil
probe thermometer

Remove the chicken guts and make gravy or something, or toss 'em, whatever. Rinse the chicken. Rub the cavity with salt and pepper. Chop the vegetables into largish pieces and cram them in there, followed with the herbs. Rub the skin with oil, and some more salt and pepper. Bake at 425 F for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until the breast temperature reads 170. Turn off oven and open door slightly until temperature coasts up to 180. Chow down.

Perok

Perok
From: kaiwik

Make enough pie crust to fit (top and bottom) a 9 x 13 rectangular baking dish. Cook a batch of rice, maybe two cups worth. Hard boil some eggs, maybe 4 or 6. Grate the following: a rutabaga, a small head of cabbage, an onion, and a couple of carrots. Sautee these until limp, season well with salt, pepper, and patruus'kaaq*, if you have it, otherwise chopped parsley will suffice. Take a red or king salmon fillet and skin it. Roll out the crust for the bottom, making sue to leave some hanging over the edges to make a good seal. Add enough rice to cover the bottom, about half an inch. Place the salmon on the ice and season well with salt and pepper, maybe some lemon juice too. Add the sauteed vegetables, covering the salmon well with them. Add slices of hard boiled egg on top of the vegetables, top with rice and then with the top crust. Seal the crust well, and decorate the top crust with cutouts made from the extra bits of crust, I like to make little fish and leaves. Make a few slashes in the crust to let the steam out, brush with egg wash and bake at 350 F for about an hour. It's very good either hot or cold. A true Aleut will slather it with catsup, but I like mine just as it is. This is a special dish which is made for every special occasion, and once one masters a good perok, the elder women will finally welcome one into the clan!


*patruus'kaaq = beach lovage

Poor Man's Lobster

Poor Man's Lobster
From: kaiwik

Get out your big pot and fill with a couple quarts of water. Add a half cup of sugar and half a cup of salt. Bring to a simmer, and add one inch chunks of halibut. The halibut will sink, but as it floats to the surface it is done. Scoop out the cooked chunks and repeat until you have cooked all of your halibut. Melt some butter, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice, perhaps a bit of finely diced garlic. Dip the halibut into the butter and eat.

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder
From: kaiwik

For this you want a nice batch of steamer clams. Scrub your clams and make certain they are alive. Put them in a pot with a bit of water, and steam them until they are all open. This won't take long. Remove the clams, saving the steaming water. Remove the clams from their shells, discard the shells and remove the necks from the clams, the stomachs too, if they are large enough for then to be gooshy. Set aside.

In a pot you need to fry up some bacon which has been cut into medium to smallish chunks, along with a diced onion. When the bacon is crisp and the onions are translucent, they are done. Add some diced carrot and add the steaming water and add more water untill the bacon, onions and carrots are covered. Simmer until the carrots are tender. Add the clams just until they are heated through, if you like this is the time to also add some chopped fresh parsley, if you are lucky enough some patruus'kaaq* are good in this too. Now ladle the chowder into bowls and provide cream/milk/canned milk for everyone to add to their taste.

(If you have enough urriitaqt , put them in a large bowl and pour a kettle of boiling water over them. When the shells turn from black to turquoise blue they are cooked. Maybe takes a minute or two. Drain the water and run your thumb between the meat and the shell, and then run you thumb between the meat and the stomach, discard the stomach. Grind up the meat and use it instead of clams in the chowder recipe. Chunks of halibut or salmon may also be used in the chowder instead of clams.)

Fried Clams on the Half Shell

Fried Clams on the Half Shell
From: kaiwik

For this recipe you will need enough large butter clams to feed however many folks will be at you supper table. These are very yummy, so you should probably make more than you think you will need, half a dozen per person is a good starting point.

Scrub the clams, making certain that they are still alive. A little poke and they ought to "clam up". (close their shells tightly) You want clams the size of the palm of your hand, or larger. Take each clam up in the flat of your hand and run a knife around the inside of the edge of the clam, severing the muscles or "buttons", then sever the shell at the hinge. Toss out the empty half after scraping off the button and eating it. (very yummy!) Clean up the clam by removing the neck and the stomach. After you finish wash up and get out your large cast iron skillet (okay, whatever is your favorite frying pan) and begin heating it slowly while you make a batch of seasoned breadcrumbs. (We like panko, with garlic and Mrs. Dash.) Add some Crisco (or whatever oil you prefer, but it needs to be able to withstand high heat. Once the skillet and Crisco is nice and hot take your clams and turn them upside down in the flour, pressing down a bit so they get a nice crust, and put them in the skillet. Fry them until they are golden, remove to a warm plate and add the next batch. When all of the clams are done, put the plate on the table and let everyone go crazy with them. They are sooo good, just take a fork and scoop under the crust and take the clam and crust up and scarf.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken Jalfrezi
From: SmartAleq
Source link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Jalfrezi/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in half
3 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons grated fresh
ginger root
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
leaves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, and season with turmeric, chili powder and salt. Fry gently, scraping the bottom of the pan frequently and turning the chicken.
2. Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, cover the pan, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Uncover, and simmer for another 10 minutes to let the excess liquid evaporate.
3. Add the ghee, cumin, ground coriander, ginger and cilantro, and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the chicken pieces with sauce spooned over the top.

Baked Potato Salad

Baked Potato Salad
(Dieters Need Not Apply)
From: Always Brings Pie

5 medium sized potatoes, baked, cooled, and cubed
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups bacon bits
1 cup butter, melted
1/4 chives
3 cups mayonnaise
4 cups sour cream
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place potatoes in a large bowl. Pour melted butter over potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Add chives, cheese, and bacon. (I add everything in this order so the butter doesn't hit the cold sour cream and mayo and begin to harden. Add mayo and sour cream last and combine thoroughly with your hands. Do not overmix. Makes about 1 gallon of potato salad so enjoy or share with your friends.

Grandma's Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grandma's Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
From: Most Creative User Name Ever

2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 package chocolate chips

Mix flour, baking soda, and puddling together.

Cream butter and sugars, add vanilla.

Beat in eggs, and gradually add flour mixture until mixed together.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes. (Though in my oven I have to bake them for 12 minutes!)

Super Easy Fudge

Super easy fudge
From: taxi78cab

18 oz chocolate chips*
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
6 tbsp butter

Melt all ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour into a lined 8x8 pan (lined with waxed paper or parchment) and refrigerate overnight.

*Note: You can make this really fancy-looking by using 6 oz (1 cup) of white chocolate chips and 2 cups of semi-sweet or 1 cup each of semi-sweet chips and milk chocolate chips. Melt 1 cups of chips (one of the dark varieties) with 2 tbsp butter and 1/3 of the condensed milk (a scant 1/2 cup) and pour into the pan. Allow to harden for 1/2 an hour. Melt the white chips (the white looks good in the middle) with 2 tbsp butter and 1/3 of the condensed milk. Pour over the first layer. This is a good time to add some chopped nuts over the top while it's soft. Allow to harden for 1/2 an hour. Finish with the last cup of chips, the remaining 2 tbsp of butter, and the remaining condensed milk. Pour over the top. Refrigerate.

I, personally, don't like it with the white chocolate. But to gauge by the reactions I'm getting, if you like white chocolate, it's really good! And so much simpler than my standard recipe that involves sifting a pound of powdered sugar!

Tandoori chicken

Tandoori chicken
From: tarragon918

You do need to get a jar of tandoori paste; some grocery stores will carry it if they have a good international section; otherwise, you'll need to get it at the Indian market.

First you make the tandoori marinade:

2-3 tablespoons of the tandoori spice paste mixed with 8 oz. of plain yogurt and a few squeezes of lemon juice in a gallon size plastic storage bag. Add chicken pieces, moosh the mixture around, trying to coat the chicken pieces as much as possible, then stash in the fridge for at least 4 hours (the longer the better).

After it's marinated as long as you like, remove the chicken pieces to a foil covered cookie sheet and bake at 350 (American degrees?) for 45 minutes to an hour, turning once during the baking. Serve with rice and Naan bread or chapati (you can get delicious Naan at Trader Joe's!); you can also serve plain yogurt on the side if you find the spices a bit warm for your taste. It's really not spicy at all; my SO loves it and he does not like spicy stuff!

Edited to lower cooking temp. a bit - the lower the better, but it might take a bit longer; it's kinda like BBQ: low and slow makes for good taste.

Lesbian Gingerbread

Lesbian Gingerbread
From: HazelNutCoffee
Courtesy of the Domestic Goddess, with a few changes.

1 lesbian lover
12 tbps unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup golden syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons warm water
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
12 oz chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 340 F. Line the bottom and sides of an 11" x 9" x 3" (or thereabouts) pan with foil or parchment paper. Gossip about latest escapades of New England Gentleman and the latest floozy he's managed to seduce.

In a large saucepan melt the butter along with the sugars, syrup, molasses and spices. Get your lover to dissolve the baking soda in the water, in a separate bowl. Pinch her butt when she's not expecting it.

Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the eggs, milk and baking soda in its water. Sing a Joni Mitchell song while your lover harmonizes along. Stir in the flour and cocoa and beat with a wooden spoon to mix. Fold in the chocolate chips. Slap your lover's hand with the spoon when she attempts to dip her finger in.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35-45 minutes - until risen and firm to touch. Make very sure not to overbake - moisture is key. Remove to a wire rack and cool in the pan. Let your lover pick off some bits and handfeed them to you with a kiss. Wrap up the rest and take it over to enjoy with your barbaric patriarchal friends.

If you would like to know the history behind the name of the recipe, see Haze's post here.

Stupid Large Burger

Stupid Large Burger
From: sturmhauke

eyes bigger than mouth
onions
red bell peppers
mushrooms
2 slices peppered bacon
2 1/3 lb. ground beef patties
1 slice cheddar cheese
1 slice swiss cheese
1 potato flour burger bun
Beaver brand Russian mustard
incredulous witnesses
digital camera
kung fu grip
snakelike jaw
Tums

Get it into your head that you want to eat this ridiculously mighty feast. Slice the veggies and sautee them in a little oil. Fry the bacon until slightly crispy. Grill the beef, adding the cheese after the flip. Slather mustard on bun to act as a moisture barrier, and additionally add that sweet little kick to your teeth. Stack the patties, veggies, and bacon onto the bottom bun, then add the top bun and perform burger alignment prior to transportation to dining area. Comment out loud that this is a stupid large burger. Listen to cries of, "Oh my god, how are you going to eat that?" Pause for photo op. Perform ancient Shaolin techniques of Squeeze Blood From Stone and Dragon Eats Moon in order to compress the burger enough that you can barely stuff it in your gob. Chase with Tums.

Fried Octopus

Fried Octopus
From: kaiwik

Take the boiled hood and slice it from top to bottom into 1 inch strips. Pound them a bit with a mallet (or rolling pin, or the bottom of a glass jar) to help tenderize them. Preheat a skillet with a bit of butter and garlic, add the strips and fry until they become golden and a tiny bit browned on the edges. Turn out onto a plate and dig in!

Boiled Octopus

Boiled Octopus
From: kaiwik

First, get an octopus! If you get yours at the beach, sling it against the rocks a bit to help tenderize it. Gut the hood, being watchful of the beak, remove the beak and the eyes. Be aware that the octopus will not realize that it's dead, and will still try to escape.

If it is a large octopus you will want to detach the legs from the hood. Have a large pot of salted boiling water ready, and cook the legs in batches, then cook the hood. I generally boil them for about 20 minutes, and then let them sit in the hot liquid, covered, for another 20 minutes. This helps when removing the skin. Allow the legs and hood to cool and then slip the skin off. Put the hood aside for another recipe.

The legs are now ready to eat. Slice across the legs into 1/2 inch rounds. Eat warm or cold, dipping them into Worcestershire or cocktail sauce.

Pickled Salmon

Pickled Salmon
From: kaiwik

You need at least an entire (filleted and boned) half of a (preferably red, silver or king) salmon. If you have a whole salmon it needs to be filleted and boned.

Wash your fish and then dry it absolutely dry, patting with paper towels. Even a single drop of water will render the fish inedible.

You'll need a container for the fish to preferably lay flat. (I salt my fish by the five gallon bucketful, but you don't need that much fish for one batch.) Scatter a good couple of handfuls of coarse rock salt on the bottom of the container, place fish skin side down, scatter another couple handfuls of salt on top. If you are using more than one fillet put the second skin side up. If using even more fish, repeat skin down/skin up. Cover (to keep any debris out, it doesn't need to be airtight) and let set for at least one week at room temperature. The salt "cooks" the fish. When the fish has extruded it's juices and feels firm, it is time to proceed.

Remove fish and place in a large bowl, cover with cold water. This water will need to be changed frequently for up to 24 hours. Test the fish by tasting a small bit now and again, you want it to reconstitute, but be careful that you don't take it out too soon or it will be very salty, or too late as it will be bland.

Lay fish skin side down on a cutting board, and slice it into approximately 1 inch slices across the body of the fish. When you are done, take each slice, skin side down and run the blade of your knife closely between the meat and skin. It's easier than it sounds. Place fish in a non reactive container and throw the skin away.

Now it's time to mix your pickling liquid. You will need enough liquid to cover the strips of fish, and I go by taste, you want the mixture to be about 2/3 - 3/4 water to 1/3 - 1/4 vinegar. I recommend cider vinegar for it's mellow taste, but the type of vinegar is up to you. I don't know how well balsamic vinegar would work, as I have never tried it, but white vinegar is somewhat harsh to my taste. (Be careful, as too much vinegar will burn the fish and turn it mushy.) To this add a package of pickling spice, a handful of brown sugar, some Worcestershire sauce, perhaps a bit of soy. Pour this over the fish slices, cover and refrigerate for a day or two.

You will now need some clean jars with lids. Canning jars will do, as will glass mayonnaise type jars. I like to add carrot strips, sliced onions, sweet pepper slices and/or hot peppers (I use a whole jalapeño in each jar) as I pack my fish strips. Finish by topping the jar(s) with the pickling liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least a week, two weeks is better.

Open a jar and munch on the fish and vegetables as a snack, or maybe an appetizer. Around here it doesn't last very long!

Taffy Apple Salad

Taffy Apple Salad
From: mmouse9799

1 20 oz. can of Pineapple (the original recipe calls for crushed, but I prefer chunks or tidbits. If you use rings, you’ll have to cut them into pieces.)
1 8 oz. tub of Cool Whip Free (the turquoise/teal one)
1 package Fat Free/Sugar Free Butterscotch Pudding (Jello makes it; I don’t know if anyone else does)
2 med/large apples or 3 small apples (any kind you have is fine.)

Drain the juice from the pineapples into a two quart mixing bowl. Using a wire wisk (or fast moving fork) mix the pudding into the pineapple juice. (I usually add the pudding slowly as I stir.) Try to get rid of all of the lumps. Whip the Cool Whip into the pudding/juice mixture. Once the Cool Whip is incorporated, dump in the pineapple and stir with a big spoon or rubber spatula. Cut the apples into chunks and dump them in too. (If you’re lazy, make your chunks bigger. If you’re less lazy, well, your chunks will probably be neat and evenly sized. Good for you. Mine never are. You don’t need to peel the apples—well, I never have anyway.) Mix it all up with that big spoon. You can serve right away (If you’re planning on this, you may want to refrigerate your apple and pineapple first. It’s better if everything is cold.) or you can put it in the fridge for later.

This is super easy—prep time is definitely less than 15 minutes. It’s also a Weight Watchers recipe (but it’s super yummy anyway, so please don't hold it's healthiness against it). A one cup serving is 1 point.

Rebo's Brisket

Rebo's Brisket
From: Dolores Reborn

1 small brisket (2-4 lbs), trimmed of fat
kosher salt
cracked black pepper
1/4 c flour for dredging
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 bag baby carrots
4 med red potatoes, quartered
4 shallots or 1 onion, cut into wedges
8 cloves of whole peeled garlic
1 tsp dried or 1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1-1/2 c red wine
2 c beef stock

Salt and pepper the brisket. Mix the flour and garlic powder, and dredge both sides of brisket.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown on both sides (about 3-4 minutes per side,) then add all the veggies around it. Sprinkle in the rosemary, and add a bit more salt and pepper to the veggies. Pour in the wine and beef broth. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 3-4 hours.

Roasted Vegetables

ROASTED VEGETABLES
From: Noone Special

This one is super, super easy.

Preheat oven to 225 C

Put tin foil on a baking tray, spread vegetables of choice on tray. I most commonly use Broccoli, Cauliflower, Onions, Potatoes and Yams; but Zucchini works very well, and I'm sure you can use almost anything else, as well.
Put a few half-heads of garlic amongst all the rest of the veggies. Unpeeled, un-anything -- just put them there.

Make a mixture of Olive Oil, salt, pepper and some herbs (Rosemary, Italian Mix, Fine Herbs mix... any of these is good).
Pour or spread the mix on top of all the vegetables. They don't need to drown in oil... probably less than half a cup for a full-sized tray will do!
Put in oven for an hour, about halfway up (so the tops get a bit browned)

Yum...! (especially the garlic cloves, once you tease them out of their pods)

Lavender Chicken in White Wine

LAVENDER CHICKEN IN WHITE WINE
From: Noone Special

Ingredients:
4 Chicken hindquarters.
4 Medium potatoes, diced.
4 Medium yams, diced
Garlic cloves, skinned, to taste (I use a whole head, but vampires never bother me at night!)
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. lavender (rosemary works, too)
100 ml. oil
800 ml. dry white wine
I don't use any, but I suppose salt and pepper to taste.

Use a large stove-top pot. A soup pot will do, but a wider and shorter pot is probably better.

Heat oil, brown the chicken on all sides for a few minutes, adding the spices (except for the garlic cloves) as you do.

Once the chicken has been browned, add everything else. Bring to a boil. Cover. Lower heat. Simmer for about 75 minutes.

Chocolate Mud Cake

Chocolate Mud Cake
From: Taters

You'll need one 9X13 cake pan.

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 cup of butter (or margarine). *I prefer and always use real butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 cups marshmallows (mini marshmallows)

Frosting:

1 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa, sugar and eggs, beating well.

Add flour, salt, vanilla, and chopped nuts; making sure all is well beaten.

Pour into a 9X13 greased pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes until cake no longer sticks to toothpick when tested.

Cover with marshmallows IMMEDIATELY after removing from oven.

Immediately begin frosting. In a medium saucepan, melt butter, milk and cocoa, mixing well, until mixture is smooth.

Beat in sugar, vanilla and salt until creamy.

Pour on cake while still warm. The frosting will soak into the cake and some marshmallows will be visible.

*I use unsweetened cocoa.

*This is perfect for taking to a potluck, BBQ or picnic.

I always get raves when I make this. The cake is very rich and sweet (which is why I use unsweetened cocoa).

Savory Turkey Bread Pudding

Savory Turkey Bread Pudding
From: Wallflower

Alright I'm not much for measuring, so you'll need to adjust as you see fit. I threw this together from leftovers after last Thanksgiving.

Half bag of stuffing mix (that's what I had left) I used Brownberry sage and onion.
cup or so of turkey bits
a small onion minced or cut whatever way you like
a slug of poultry seasoning (I told you I don't measure)

Toss this all together in an appropriately sized baking dish. Might want to spray it first, it might stick otherwise.

Whisk together 6 eggs and 3 or so cups of milk, and what the heck, another slug of poultry seasoning, and pour over the stuffing mixture. Let it sit in the fridge quite a while (overnight should do) to absorb.

Bake at 350 until done, probably about 45 minutes to an hour, maybe.

Cucumber-onion salad

Cucumber-onion salad
From: FairChatMom

3 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced in 1/4" thick rings
1 medium onion (sweet is best, but any will work) sliced thinly
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2-3 Tablespoons white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Place sliced cukes and onion into a big plastic bag or a container with a tight fitting lid. Mix mayo, vinegar, salt, and pepper together to make a smooth dressing. Pour over cukes and onions, and mix together well.

Let sit a couple of hours - best overnight. Stir or turn occasionally. I like to make it in a plastic bag so I can squeeze all the air out, then turn it to distribut the dressing.

Peach French Toast Casserole

Peach French Toast Casserole
From: FairyChatMom

1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cans of peach slices in juice, drained, or 1 bag of frozen sliced peaches (1#, I think)
1 loaf of crusty bread, cut into 1 inch thick slices
6-8 eggs, lightly beaten (more eggs make it more custard-y)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix in melted butter. Stir in peaches until evenly coated. Pour into prepared pan. If you want a more syrup-y dish, you can pour some of the juice from the canned peaches in at this time. Arrange bread slices in an even layer over peaches. (I snug them in there so no fruit is visible.)

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour over bread, making sure every slice is fully soaked. Cover with foil or a lid and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove dish from refrigerator while the oven is heating. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove cover, and bake 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Quick 'n' Dirty Texas Caviar

Quick 'n' Dirty Texas Caviar
From: VunderBob

This Texas caviar is newer than the other one, and the version I make most often.
BBBobbio

1 can Hoppin' John
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 can chick peas, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large green pepper, diced small
1 cup sweet onions, diced small
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped, or 2 tbsp dry cilantro
1 tbsp dry parsley
1/2 8 ounce bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

your favorite tortilla chips, for dipping

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. If you don't find Hoppin' John at the store, a can of Rotel chiles and diced tomatoes and extra black eyed peas is the same thing.

Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours. It's best made the day before.

Peaches with 'tude

Peaches with 'tude
From: swampbear

Take canned peach halves (I prefer the kind packed in water or light syrup) and pour chili sauce (the bottled kind) in the little pit indentation of each half and run 'em under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Like I said, sounds oogy but it's a good side dish. Sump'n about the sweetness of the peach and the tang of the chili sauce that blends well together.

Recipe named by FairyChatMom

Buttermilk Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits
From: swampbear

It might take a few practice rounds to get these just right, but once you do, they'll be golden brown on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO goooooooooooooooood!

2 cups of self-rising flour
One-half cup of shortening
One-half tablespoon of salt
1 cup of buttermilk

Combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening. Add the buttermilk and stir until well blended.

Ok, here's two methods to making the biscuits.

1. Roll out the dough to one-half inch thickness on a floured surface and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

2. Flour your hands really good, pinch off a bit of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten with your hand and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. This is the most fun way.

Bake at 450 degrees 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

My Momma's 'Nanner Puddin'

My Momma's 'Nanner Puddin'
From: swampbear

Ok, it's probably every southern momma's 'Nanner Puddin' but still, my momma makes this for me, so there!

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
6 bananas sliced
2 cups of milk
One-half box of vanilla wafers
3 tablespoons of corn starch
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar

Separate eggs. Lightly beat the egg yolks. Mix the sugar and corn starch. Add to the egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat quickly. Add the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the sliced bananas. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and put on top of the pudding. (Use one level teaspoon of sugar per egg white) Set oven to 325 degrees. Watch carefully because all you want to do is brown the egg whites (meringue).

NOTE: Substitute a half to a pint of sliced and sugared fresh strawberries for the bananas and make a strawberry pudding. YUMM-O!

Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler
From: swampbear

2 cups of peaches, sliced (you can use canned peaches)
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 cup of sugar A pinch of salt
1 stick of butter (no substitutes!)
Three-fourths cup of condensed milk
Three-fourths cup of flour

Mix peaches with one-half cup of sugar and set aside. Set oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a deep glass dish and set in oven to melt. Mix the remaining one-half cup of sugar with the remaining ingredients. Pour over the melted butter and DO NOT STIR! Pour peaches on top. Bake for 45 minutes until an hour. The crust will rise to the top and be a nice golden brown.

Low Country Boil

Low Country Boil
From: swampbear

If you don't have an outdoor cooker, I suggest you buy one just to do this!

2 - 3 pounds of shrimp
Soft shelled crabs (just get a bunch)
5 pounds of new potatoes
6 ears of corn cut in half
2-3 medium sized onions chunked up for flavoring
3-4 pounds of smoked sausage cut in chunks
2 boxes of Crab Boil seasoning (it comes in little pouches)
Enough water to fill your outdoor cooker pot not quite half full. Did I say this was an exact recipe?

You'll want your outdoor cooker on medium heat. Put water in pot with the Crab Boil. Make sure the big strainer thingy that comes with the cooker is in the pot. As soon as it starts to boil, add the potatoes, onions and corn. After about 10 minutes, add the sausage. After another 15 minutes, add the crabs. Wait 10 minutes and add the shrimp. Everything should be done about 5 minutes later. Shrimp does not take long to cook. Lift the strainer thingy out and make sure everything is drained well. Ok, the best way to do this is to spread old newspapers or newsprint on a big table outside and dump everything on it. Stand there and eat! Cold beer is the perfect beverage to accompany this meal.

NOTE 1: The shrimp must be deheaded and deveined. The crab must be deheaded. Both can be bought this way. Then again, I'm spoiled cause I can jump in my truck, throw a couple of coolers on the back and be down in Appalachicola, FL when the shrimpers and crabbers come in with their catch. They happily devein and dehead the critters, and pack 'em down in ice for me to bring home and cook. You can also leave out the crab if they just oogy you, though I can't imagine why that would be.

NOTE 2: A couple of good wooden mallets are great for cracking the crabs open. A little bit of distilled vinegar mixed with a tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning is a great thing to dip the crab meat in. It's good!

Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie
From: swampbear

I use store bought pie crusts. As long as pie crusts are readily available at the store, I'm a happy bear. You wanna make your own, google it. Oh and this makes a more custardy as opposed to the traditional gooey pecan pie.

1 and one-fourth cups of sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons of butter (no substitutes!)
1 cup of condensed milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of pecans (or more if you want)

Mix sugar, egg yolks, condensed milk, flour and butter well and cook over medium heat until thickened. Add the pecans and vanilla extract. Pour into a 9-inch pie shell and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until set.

Collard Greens

Collard Greens
From: swampbear

1 or 2 bunches of collard greens
A ham hock or three, ham bone, or some good sized chunks of ham
1 tablespoon of sugar (or a little less if you prefer)*

Clean collard greens thoroughly. Or, you can buy prewashed greens sometimes, just give 'em a good rinse to make sure. Tear the greens into pieces. In a large pot, place two quarts of water (you can add more if needed), the hock, bone or chunks, and the sugar. Let come to a near boil. Then add collard greens. They'll wilt in the hot water, believe me. Let them cook until tender, usually about an hour will do it.

* A lot of people say collard greens are kinda bitter. The sugar will cut the bitter taste, so it's good to add it.

Oriental Cole Slaw

Oriental Cole Slaw
From: Dolores Reborn

1 pkg of cole slaw
! cup sunflower seeds
1 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 pkgs Beef Ramen Noodles

Dressing

2 seasoning packets from noodle pkgs
1 cup veg oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar

Mix the cole slaw, green onions, sunflower seeds, and toasted almonds in a large bowl. Put both packs of ramen noodles in a large baggie. (Use the seasoning packets in the dressing.) Crush into smaller pieces with a hammer or something. Add the noodles to the salad. Mix well. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and mix well. Enjoy!

Louisiana Shrimp Dip

LOUISIANA SHRIMP DIP
From: VunderBob

2 cups water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning
1 pound small shrimp, peeled
1 pound cream cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning
2 teaspoons granulated onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
One-half teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons hot sauce
One-half teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons minced green onion
2 tablespoons minced parsley

In a medium-size saucepan, bring the 2 cups of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the Creole Seasoning. Add the shrimp and bring the water back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Strain and reserve 5 tablespoons of the shrimp broth. Cover and refrigerate the shrimp. Combine the cream cheese, lemon juice and the reserved shrimp stock in a mixing bowl. Using a large spoon or spatula, cream the mixture until smooth. Add the granulated garlic, granulated onion, salt, hot sauce, white pepper and stir until thoroughly blended. Fold in the chilled shrimp, green onions and parsley.

VunderBob's Pickled Polish Sausage

VUNDERBOB'S PICKLED POLISH SAUSAGE
From: VunderBob

2 lb. Polish sausage (Kielbasa)
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 c. white vinegar
2 c. cider vinegar
2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 whole onion, roughly tennis ball sized

Put sausage in a jar, with onion on top. Use cooked sausage; don't re-cook. Boil rest of ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. Pour over sausage and let set in refrigerator 3-4 days before serving.

Notes: This is a variant of a recipe I found elsewhere, modified to suit my taste. I like the hot and sour blast this version gives.

Be sure to use a glass or plastic container, because the acid in the pickle juice will eat a metal container long term. If you frequent Wal-Mart, the 80oz jar used for the bulk Vlasic Dill Pickle spears is perfect.

When filling the jar with sausage, lay it on its side. This will make stuffing easier. I put in the onion for seasoning and volume, but I don't like pickled onion personally. If you want to slice the onion, use a wider jar because this one is a tight fit.

Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Soup

Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Soup
From: VunderBob

Serves 2

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 boneless chicken breasts
3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 (15-ounce) can black beans
1/2 (16-ounce) can chicken stock
1/2 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
2 tablespoons low-fat or fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped fine (for garnish, optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Dice chicken into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper and toss with cumin and oregano. Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat; add chopped onion and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add chicken and stir while continuing to cook. Add chiles, hot sauce, black beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve. Top each serving with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro. This dish makes excellent leftovers, so always make extra.

Chicken A La Bob

Chicken A La Bob
From: VunderBob

I invented this one as a poor college student many years ago. There are many imitations, but they don't hold a candle to this.

1 chicken, cut up in your favorite manner.
1/2 bottle of vinegar and oil Italian Dressing Wishbone or Kraft, DO NOT use reduced or oil free)
1 softball-sized onion, cut into thick slices
1 Tbsp garlic
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp basil
1 large squirtgun or spray bottle, full of water

Clean up and prep chicken as usual. Lay out in large flat bowl or pan and add Italian dressing. The correct amount of dressing should cover the largest pieces about halfway. Evenly distribute spices over the top of the chicken, and cover with the onion slices. Let chicken marinate at least 2, and up to 24 hours.

The best possible way to cook this is over a medium-hot charcoal fire, and the worst is in a convection oven. The oven will be the safest. If you use the charcoal fire, you will need the squirt gun, because the chicken will flare from the oil. Let it, but try to control it with the water spray. Don't let the skin char, and broil as usual. The onion slices make a tasty treat to keep the chef happy when broiled alongside the chicken, and the use the leftover marinade to baste the chicken as it broils.

Basic Eastern Carolina Barbeque Sauce

Basic Eastern Carolina Barbeque Sauce (vinegar based)
From: VunderBob

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Tabasco (hot pepper) sauce or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Adjust the sugar, cayenne and Tabasco to levels that you feel you can handle. Bring to a slow boil before using if you're not making this several hours ahead of time.

Memphis Style Pork Rub

Memphis Style Pork Rub
From: VunderBob

4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons celery salt
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried sage
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Crush the bay leaves and combine all ingredients.

Prior to applying the above rub, you will want to moisten the butt with either olive oil or some cheap, yellow mustard. The mustard adds a nice crisp "bark" to the outside layer of meat, yet does not have the overpowering taste of mustard. Slather either of these all over the butt and then apply your rub.

Bobbio's Texas Caviar

Bobbio's Texas Caviar
From: VunderBob

1 (15 oz) can blackeye peas, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, well rinsed and drained
1 (15-1/2 oz) can white hominy, drained
16 oz chunky salsa, of preferred heat (I used Utz Medium, a regional brand)
Heaping teaspoon of minced pickled garlic
2T dehydrated onion
2T cup dehydrated cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice (optional)

Combine first 9 ingredients, and, if desired, lime juice.

Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Serve with tortilla chips, or wrap in flour tortillas.

Yield: 4 cups.

Calico Beans

Calico Beans
From: Most Creative User Name Ever

1 pound bacon
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp. mustard
2 cans pork and beans
1 can lima beans, drained
1 butter beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. vinegar

Brown bacon, ground beef. Combine drained ground beef and bacon in crock pot with remaining ingredients; cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours.

Great-Grandma Ho-Ho's Banana Cake

Great-Grandma Ho-Ho's Banana Cake
From: Most Creative User Name Ever

Growing up I could never say Holmstrom, which is her last name. I always called her Great-Grandma Ho-Ho. The name kind of stuck.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. Oleo (I use butter)
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
4 or 5 ripe bananas

Icing:
2 tbsp. oleo (once again I use butter)
1/4 c. milk
2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Chopped nuts (optional, I never put nuts in my baked goods)

Combine oleo (butter), sugar, eggs, and milk. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla and bananas.

Bake in 9 x 13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Ice while warm.

Ma's Potato Salad

Ma's Potato Salad
From: Most Creative User Name Ever

6 large red potatoes (bake the potatoes with skins on…they don't turn black like boiled potatoes sometimes do)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Spin Blend Salad dressing (Spin blend makes all the difference in the world!)
2 tablespoons plain old yellow mustard
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
6 hard boiled eggs chopped

Peel cooked potatoes or leave the skin on, choice is yours. Chop onions and eggs add them to potatoes.

Combine sour cream, Spin Blend, milk, vinegar, mustard, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until well blended. Pour over potatoes and eggs mix until well blended.

Fudgy Brownies

Fudgy Brownies
From: taxi78cab

Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
3 oz (3 squares) Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Melt butter and chocolate together. (Recommendation: Put them both into a microwave safe bowl or cup. I like a 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup that I then use as the mixing bowl when I add the rest of the ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each session. After the first minute, go to 15 seconds at a time. Don’t burn the chocolate! This can also be done in a 2 qt saucepan on the stovetop on low and then use the pan as the mixing bowl. No point in dirtying two bowls!)

Stir in sugar.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl or cup until slightly frothy. Add to chocolate mixture and stir well.

Stir in vanilla.

Add in flour and mix until smooth.

Pour into a greased 8x8 pan.

Bake for ~20 minutes. The edges will pull away from the pan a bit, but don’t let them go until they get dry. The center will still be soft but a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.

Let stand for at least 15 minutes to finish setting up. (You can remove them before this if you can’t stand the wait, but they’ll be really gooey and tend to fall apart before they’ve had a chance to cool a bit.)

Enjoy!

Microwave Fish

Microwave Fish
From: Nava

a portion of fish (for example, a slice of salmon).
Half a lemon.
A microwave.
A plate.
A microwave cover.
A ladle (metal works well).

Squeeze a bit of lemon on plate. Put unsalted fish on plate. Stick in, on a medium setting, for one minute, covered. Let it rest for two minutes. Flip over. Stick it for another minute. Take it out. It should be done, but check it anyway, specially if it's your first time (you may need to adjust time and settings depending on the microwave and on your idea of a slice). If it isn't, wait a couple minutes before sticking it back in. If it is, move it to the serving plate and salt slightly.

Repeat the process with any other portions.

The waiting times mean that you can actually cycle three portions at the same time, but this means more dishes to wash.

Works well with fishes you'd bake and with flat fishes.

Baked salmon

Baked salmon
From: Nava

You need:
an oven,
a whole salmon, cleaned and de-spined ("like a book"),
an oven pan or a cocotte. If you're using a cocotte, you can skip the oil.
oil and lemon
salt

While the oven heats, pour some oil into your recipient, just enough to keep the salmon from sticking. It will start letting water out after a while, so you don't need to drown it. If it's a cocotte, you can squeeze half the lemon instead.

Lightly salt the inside of the salmon. Close it. If you're feeling fancy, mark some cuts where you expect to cut the portions and stick slices of lemon in there. Place it in the recipient. Squeeze the (rest of the) lemon over it. If it's a cocotte, close it (yeah yeah, so I do know people who thought the lid was for decoration).

When the oven's hot, put it in.

When it smells good, it's done! (Depending on the size of the salmon and whether it was a pan or a cocotte, it will vary between 25' and 45', at least in Mom's oven).

Temperatures aren't given because I have no idea what temperature we use, my oven just has non-temperature numbers and I don't have the manual. It's the same setting as for chicken or a slightly lower one.

Salmon with orange: the same, using orange instead of lemon.

Salmon with shrimp: ditto, with peeled shrimp inside the salmon.

Garlic fried chicken, Spanish style (pollo al ajillo)

Garlic fried chicken, Spanish style (pollo al ajillo)
From: Nava

You can use any parts you fancy, but it's common to either get a whole chicken chopped up (no separating the breasts first) or use dark meats.

Items needed:
A frying pan; the oil will jump but don't bother with a lid, if you do it's likely to overcook.
Enough chicken to feed however many people you're feeding: 1/4 per person, unless you're dealing with teenagers (a single teenager can devour a range chicken in its entirety and then start eyeing what's on other people's plates).
Cooking oil.
A few cloves of garlic.
A green pepper (optional).
Long thongs. No, not the underwear kind, which would be a contradiction in terms: the ones you use to grab hot stuff.

Have the chicken cut to small pieces. Wings can go whole or get separated in two bits at the elbow joint; legs get chopped at the knee and then each half gets chopped again; the body gets chopped up in similar-sized pieces.

Put oil in the pan; it shouldn't be so much that the food swims in it, but more than just wetting the pan. Heat it.

When you think it's hot enough, put a clove of garlic in it (if you're going to eat it, peel it; otherwise you don't need to). If it doesn't sizzle, wait a bit more. When it sizzles, add another clove, the whole washed pepper and as much chicken as your pan has room for.

Turn the chicken pieces around a few times so they're golden all over. As they get done, take them out to a plate and add more pieces in. Turn the pepper around too; if you're eating the garlic you shouldn't do it too much. Replace the garlic as needed.

The pepper is usually not eaten (this isn't just my family and our tummy problems, it's a real "usually").

You can use dipping sauces if you want (salsa, mojo verde, mayo, guacamole...) but it's not needed at all.

Spiced Pecans

Spiced Pecans
From: swampbear

1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
One-half teaspoon of cinnamon
2 cups of pecan halves
One-half cup of evaporated milk

Cook first three ingredients to the soft, ball stage. Add vanilla and pecans. Mix. Place on wax paper and separate.
Good stuff!

Sausage and Egg Bake

Sausage and Egg Bake
From: swampbear

Another good brunch dish

1 pound of mild or medium sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained
8 eggs slightly beaten
2 and one-half cups of milk
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of sharp grated cheddar cheese
6 to 8 slices of white bread, trimmed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried mustard

Place bread slices on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Mix together the eggs, milk, cheese, soup and spices. Add the sausage. Pour over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until brown on top.

Sausage-Cornbread Casserole Bake

Sausage-Cornbread Casserole Bake
From: swampbear

A good brunch dish

1 pound mild or medium sausage
Three-fourths cup of milk
1 large onion, finely chopped
One-half cup of vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups of sharp grated cheddar cheese
1 and one-half cups of self-rising cornmeal
1 large can of cream style corn

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a large iron skillet or a two quart casserole dish and set aside. Brown the sausage and onion and drain well. Combine eggs, cornmeal, corn, milk and oil. Pour half of the cornbread mixture into the prepared skillet or dish, sprinkle with the sausage and onions and cheese, then pour the remaining cornbread mixture on top. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool ten minutes before serving.

Fried Okra

Fried Okra
From: swampbear

Two pounds of okra cut into pieces
1 small onion chopped fine
1 medium or two small green tomatoes chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour and, if desired a little corn meal
1 clove of garlic chopped fine
1 banana pepper seeded and chopped fine and/or 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped fine
Oil for frying

Mix all ingredients well. Mixture may be a little ooey gooey but that's fine. Fry in small batches, covering the bottom of a hot skillet with oil. Drain well. The best fried okra EVAH!

NOTE: I like using half of a banana pepper and half of a jalapeno pepper personally. Gives it a little kick. The garlic is optional but, hey, is there anything such as too much garlic?

Company Smashed Taters N.O.T.

Company Smashed Taters N.O.T.
From: swampbear

1 stick of butter or (if you must) margarine
Salt to taste
6 medium sized potatoes
Black pepper to taste
1 can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1 small onion finely chopped
1 pint of sour cream
8 ounces of sharp grated cheddar cheese

Peel (or not) potatoes, cube and boil until tender. Smash taters. (I like 'em with lumps but smash to your heart's content.) Melt butter. Mix together butter, soup, onions, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix with potatoes and place in a large casserole dish (at least three quarts). Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

NOTE: you can easily double and triple this recipe for a crowd. You can add mushrooms or some garlic if you so desire. Sprinkling the top with paprika makes it pretty and adds some great flavor, also.

Corn Casserole

Corn Casserole
From: swampbear

1 small box of corn muffin mix
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sour cream
1 can of cream style corn
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
1 egg

Melt butter in a two quart casserole dish. Mix all ingredients in the dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.

Squash Dressing

Squash Dressing
From: swampbear

2 cups of cooked summer (yellow squash)
One-half cup of butter
2 cups of crumbled corn bread
1 small onion finely chopped
1 can of cream of chicken soup
3 eggs, beaten
Black pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and pour into a greased baking dish (about a two quart casserole). Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until brown.

NOTE: Yes it sounds weird but it's gooooooooooooood!

Chicken Pie

Chicken Pie
From: swampbear

4 to 6 Chicken breasts
1 cup of chicken stock
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2 hard boiled eggs

Crust:

1 cup of all purpose flour 1 cup of buttermilk
1 egg 1 stick of butter
One-half teaspoon of baking soda
One-half teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt

Cook chicken. A whole chicken can be used if preferred. Place in a two quart casserole dish. Add the soup, stock and eggs. For crust: Melt the butter and mix with the flour, buttermilk and egg. Add the baking soda, baking powder and salt to the flour mixture. Pour the mixture on top of the chicken. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.