Vegetable Skewers

Ingredients:

2 Bell Peppers, diced

Red Onion, diced

2 Summer Squash, cut into rounds

1 head of garlic seperated and peeled into individual cloves

1 package of button mushrooms (if they are large cut them in half)

1 package of cherry tomatoes

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil

Rock salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

Dried Oregano

Directions:

Place chopped vegetables in a bowl (except the summer squash and tomatoes). Coat with equal parts oil and vinegar. Season to taste (it's vegetables so I usually grab a bell pepper and try the mix to make sure I like the flavor). Let sit at room temperature 1 hour. Add tomatoes and summer squash, mix. Cover and let sit 30 minutes (or more).

If you use wood skewers soak them in water as directed on the package. If using metal skewers (or after they have soaked) you can go ahead and skewer your vegetables until you are ready to use them. I usually put them in a dish and pour the marinade back over them if it's going to be awhile.

Grill over low heat 5 minutes (or until vegetables are tender).

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

1 package of salad macaroni, cooked and drained

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and minced

1/2 of a can of petite olives, minced

1 red onion, small diced

4 tablespoons of Del Monte Pickle Relish

3/4 cup Best Foods mayo

6 tablespoons of yellow mustard

1 tablespoon garlic powder

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix ingredients together and chill before serving.

Wicked Quick Beans

My grandmother made awesome Okie beans. That recipe, which I cherish, I will probably never post here. This though is a bastard version using some "similar" ingredients which will make you a pot of yummy beans in less than an hour. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef

1 stick of linguica, sliced

1/2 white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can of Rotell tomatoes with chiles

1/2 c of Del Monte Ketchup

4 cups of chicken broth

2 cans of pinto beans, drained

1 Tbl oregano

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Brown ground beef, linguica and onions in a soup pan. Drain oil. Add garlic and pinto beans, stir 3 to 4 minutes. Combine with all other ingredients and season to taste. Simmer 30 minutes.

Wicked Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

18 eggs

Best Foods Mayo

Yellow Mustard

Del Monte Pickle Relish

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika

Directions:

Place eggs in water and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let set 10 minutes. Place under very cold water and then peel (the change from hot to cold will help the eggs to peel more easily). Cut in half and place all the yolks in a bowl. Throw away 6 eggs worth of egg white (or eat them- whatever).

Mash yolks with a fork. Add 3 tablespoons of relish. Add 3-4 tablespoons of mustard. Add mayo until the texture is creamy and smooth like a deviled egg should be (it's usually around 1/4 cup). Season to taste with seasons listed (and any you want to add)

In the picture (taken with iPhone-sorry) I used a spoon to spoon the mixture into my egg whites. Usually if it's for a BBQ or event I pipe it in using a piping bag. Your choice. Enjoy!

Holy Hummus Batman

Puree in a blender or food processor the following

2 cans of chickpeas
4 cloves roasted garlic
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
1 tablespoon parsley minced
1/3 cup of tahini
6 tablespoons of lime juice
sea salt
warm water (to thin to the desired consistancy)

Homemade Pita Chips

Ingredients:

Pita Bread

Olive Oil

Cayenne Pepper

Dried Garlic

Parsley

Sea Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pita bread into triangles (or desired shapes). Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings (adjust to your tastes) and bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Quickie Shells with Cheese

Ok so I totally made this up about 2 nights ago. I was going to make macaroni and cheese but I didn't have all the ingredients and I didn't want to make a 9 x 13 pan because we'd never finish it...so this is the recipe I made instead.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 can chicken broth

1 can whole milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 package shell pasta (cooked)

salt & pepper to taste

Combine butter and flour (season to taste) and brown slightly in a pan. Add broth and milk, stir until mixed together and warm. Add cheese and melt. Pour over pasta and put into a pyrex pan. Bake 350 degrees 10-12 minutes. (I topped mine with a little shredded colby to make it pretty)

Yummy!

Southern Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni noodles, drained
2 cups grated medium cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.

Old Deviled Eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dill pickle relish
2 tbs finely grated onion (I run mine through the microplane)
1 tbsp whole mustard
1/2 tsp vinegar
dash of cayenne
6 hard boiled eggs

Slice hard boiled eggs in half. Remove yolk and mash in a bowl and add remaining spices.
Spoon egg yolk mixture into egg whites. Chill for an hour or overnight and serve.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is great for the Holidays because it's a little fancier than a normal mashed potato. PLUS it's too fattening to eat often...so the Holidays seem like a nice time to splurge.

Ingredients:

1 lb of red potatoes
1 stick of butter (1/4 c)
1 stick of cream cheese (8 ounces)
1/2 c heavy cream
1 T salt
2 T white pepper
1 HEAD of Garlic
2-3 T olive oil

Directions:

Cut the top off a head of garlic. Place it in foil and coat with Olive Oil. Wrap into a foil baseball and place in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. You'll smell it when it's done. Squeeze the warm, light brown garlic out of the skins on to a dish and mash them with a fork then reserve it until later.

Boil pototoes (cut larger ones in half or chunks) until fork tender. Drain and mash. Add butter and cream cheese and stir. Add garlic and seasonings. Stir in cream slowly until your potatoes are the consistancy you like them.

Penny's Cranberry Relish

My Aunt Penny gave me this recipe when I first moved out from living with my parents. Her only request? Make it only at the holidays...that's what keeps it special. So I'll ask that you do do the same.

Ingredients:

1 jar rasberry preserves
1 bag whole cranberries
1-2 T freshly grated ginger
1/4 c apple or orange juice
1 T orange or lime rind
2 apples (diced)

Directions: Place cranberries and apples in the food processor. Blend until the consistancy of pickle relish. Stir in ginger, rinds and rasberry preserves. Add apple juice until the consistancy that you like. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge *up to 6 days* or freezer.

Originally this recipe it called for OJ and orange rind...but I'm allergic so I adapted it

If your cranberries are very bitter...you might need to add a tablespoon or two of sugar.

I make this recipe at least two days before I want it. It gets better with time...plus it saves on the amount of things you do on an actual holiday!

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Ironically, one of my favorite websites for food just did a similar recipe...but I had already scheduled this one to post... so sorry if you read us both LOL.

Ingredients:

4 c thinly sliced red potatoes (partially boiled)

Basic Cheese Sauce (see last post)

1/4 c shredded cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Minced Garlic to taste

Directions:

Stir minced garlic into basic cheese sauce. Layer potatoes in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Cover with basic cheese sauce. Bake 375 degrees until potatoes are fork tender. Sprinkle top with cheese and put under the broiler until cheese is golden brown.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
sea salt
2 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 dash cinnamon
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pan or cookie sheet with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray. Cut potatoes in half. Sprinkle with sea salt and place cut side down on prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes or until potato is tender. Holding potato in a cooking mitten, scoop out center in put into bowl, leaving a 1/4 inch thick shell. Add cheese, cream, sugar, cinnamon and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until will blended. Sprinkle inside of shells very lightly with sea salt, if desired. Spoon potato mixture evenly between 4 shells. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are heated throughout.

Mini Cheese Souffle

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
1/3 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 1/2 ounces)

1 large egg yolk
4 large egg whites

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Mix breadcrumbs and hazelnuts in small bowl. Butter four 8-ounce soufflé dishes or custard cups. Coat sides and bottoms of dishes with breadcrumb mixture. Place dishes in large roasting pan.

Bring milk to boil in heavy large saucepan. Set aside. Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in hot milk. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Whisk in 1/4 cup cheese and egg yolk. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, lemon juice and pinch of salt in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Gently fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm cheese mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites.

Divide half of soufflé mixture among prepared dishes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese over each soufflé. Top with remaining soufflé mixture. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come 1/2 inch up sides of dishes.

Bake soufflés until puffed and tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove dishes from water. Cool 10 minutes. Run small knife around sides of soufflés. Gently turn soufflés out onto baking sheet. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover and refrigerate.)

Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese evenly over soufflés. Bake until soufflés are heated through, about 8 minutes if baked immediately or 10 minutes if refrigerated overnight. Transfer to plates.

Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. carrots, cut into 2 inch long sticks.
1/2 Tsp. salt
1/2 Cup brown sugar
2 TBSP Good Sh*t Seasoning (or 1 Tsp. seasoned salt)
1/4 Cup butter

Directions:
Peel the carrots, and cut into sticks. Heat 1 inch water to boiling in the saucepan over high heat. Add the carrots and salt. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 to 15 mins or until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.

While carrots are cooking, heat the brown sugar, seasoning, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly.

Drain carrots in a strainer, then stir them into the glaze mixture. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently, until carrots are glazed and hot.

Darlene's Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped apples
2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1 cup thin celery slices
1/2 cup PLANTERS Walnut Pieces
1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing

Directions:

Mix all items together in a bowl, chill and serve.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chuck

1 c. chopped onion

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

8 oz. tomato sauce

8 oz. crushed tomatoes

8 lg. bell peppers, cut in halves and seeded

1 1/2 c. cooked rice

1 c. thawed and drained frozen corn

Cook meat, onion and garlic until done. Drain. Add seasonings, tomato sauce, corn & crushed tomatoes. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Stir in rice. Cool.

Stuff and bake peppers just until bubbly in 350 degree oven. Top with grated cheese Once pepper is done cooking (fork tender) and broil until cheese is bubbly.

(ok who am I kidding... I bake the pepper, throw the cheese on it and turn of the oven and leave it sitting there until the cheese is melted.)

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Mushrooms

This is a fun new spin on my mom's stuffed mushrooms which just had bacon bits in the mix. I kicked it up a notch. I hope you like it.

Ingredients:

25 Button Mushrooms, stems removed

1/2 lb mild cheddar cheese, shredded

5 green onions, chopped

3 tablespoons mayo

1/4 t cayenne pepper

25 Slices of center cut bacon

Mix cheese, mayo, pepper & onions.

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

Stuff each mushroom cap with cheese mixture.

Wrap each mushroom with a strip of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Arrange the mushrooms on a medium baking sheet.

Bake approximately 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bacon is evenly brown.

Serve hot.

Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Back when I used to cater things for people, shrimp cocktail was something people always asked for. I served it piled high with shrimp and ice on a bed of parsley with homemade cocktail sauce (recipe closely guarded until I decided I wasn't catering anymore) and wedges of lemon. This picture was taken at one of the last things I catered. The recipe for the cocktail sauce is below. Just mix it all in a mason jar. Shake it and set it in the fridge until you need it.

Ingredients:

1/4 c Ketchup

1/4 c Chili Sauce

2 T Horseradish (processed)

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

Juice of two limes (or 1 lemon if you aren't allergic to them like I am)

1 clove crushed garlic

1 dash (or more if you want more) hot sauce

Red Potato & Green Bean Salad

Salad:

1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes

3/4 pound small green beans

1 small sweet onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh Basil

2 roma tomatoes diced

In a large pot over medium-high heat, steam potatoes until tender. Remove from heat and let cool; cut into quarters.
In a pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans approximately 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp tender. Remove from heat and drain. Transfer bean to a bowl of ice water and let cool. When cool, drain and cut beans in half.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, green beans, sweet onion, and basil. Add Balsamic Vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Vinagerette:

1/4 cupbalsamic vinegar

1 clove minced garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup EVOO

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Salt & Pepper