Mexican Spicy Lasagna

MEXICAN SPICY LASAGNA

1 pound, ground beef, 85/15
1 pound, ground pork
1 can, whole kernel corn, drained
1 can, black beans, drained
1, green pepper, finely chopped
1 medium, red onion, finely chopped
2 cans, red enchilada sauce
1 packet, taco seasoning mix
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
18, corn tortillas (6-inch rounds)
1 tablespoon, chili powder
1 tablespoon, vegetable or canola oil
½ cup, water
2 cups, sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Filling
In large skillet, add oil to medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and pepper and cook for approximately 2 minutes, add ground pork and beef and stir occasionally until meat is almost completely browned. Add taco seasoning, chili powder, chipotle peppers, salt and pepper to taste, and brown thoroughly for several minutes until seasoning and meat mixture has melded completely. Add water to form slight sauce. Remove from heat and add corn and beans. This is ready to layer.

Prepare Layering
Preheat oven to 350° degrees. In a 13×9 baking dish add ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce to bottom of pan to light coat. Add 6 tortillas to cover the dish. Add 1/2 of the filling mixture and spread evenly. Add 1/4 cup o cheese to lightly spread across mixture. Add another layer of 6 tortillas and the remaining meat mixture (no cheese on this layer). Add the remaining 6 tortillas for the top layer. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce across the top of the tortillas. Add the remaining cheese evenly across the top of the lasagna.

Bake for 35-40 minutes in a 350° degrees oven. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Very good with sides of sour cream, guacamole, and chopped lettuce.

By: Kenneth Bargers

Japanese Fruit Pie

JAPANESE FRUIT PIE

¾ stick butter, melted
1 cup, sugar
⅛ teaspoon, salt
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup, coconut
½ cup, raisins
½ cup, pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon, vinegar
1 9” pastry shell, unbaked

I am not sure why this is called Japanese Fruit Pie but it is delicious.

Blend all ingredients together. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until golden brown and set. Serve warm.

NOTE: I always soak the raisins in warm water to plump, drain; before adding to mixture.

Corn Pudding Casserole

CORN PUDDING CASSEROLE

(tried this Thanksgiving and it was very good)

1 can, whole kernel corn, drained
1 can, cream style corn
1 package, corn muffin mix (Jiffy)
1 cup, sour cream
½ cup (1 stick), butter, melted
1 to 1 ½ cups, shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and top with cheddar.
Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Serves: 6 to 8 servings.

Source: Paula Deen

Crab Cakes with Lemon-Dill Sauce

CRAB CAKES with LEMON-DILL SAUCE

Crab Cakes

3 tablespoons, butter
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons, finely chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons, heavy cream
1 tablespoon, Dijon mustard
1 egg
½ teaspoon, minced fresh parsley
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 cup, bread crumbs
¼ cup, grated Parmesan
1 pound, white or claw crabmeat, picked free of any bits of shell
2 tablespoons, vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the crab cakes, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until the pepper is limp, approximately 3 minutes. Add the cream, mustard, 1 egg, parsley, cayenne pepper and ½ cup bread crumbs, salt to taste preference, and mix well. Gently fold in the crabmeat.

Form the mixture into 8 patties, about ½-inch thick. In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ½ cup of bread crumbs with the Parmesan. Pat the topping onto both sides of patties. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Using a skillet, combine the oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Sauté the crab cakes in the hot oil-butter mixture for approximately 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. These crab cakes can also be baked for 7 to 10 minutes in a 400° degrees oven.

Lemon Dill Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup, buttermilk
2 tablespoons, chopped fresh dill leaves
1 tablespoon, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon, grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons, fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Refrigerate until chilled. The sauce will thicken as it chills.

To serve, spoon a dollop of the lemon dill sauce along side each crab cake.

Source: Paula Deen

Graham Cracker Cookies

GRAHAM CRACKER COOKIES

(Cookie pan with edge)

Graham crackers
1 cup, chopped almonds (or pecans)
2 sticks butter (I use 1 of butter and 1 of margarine)
1/2 cup, sugar

• Break graham crackers apart and place as closely together as possible on cookie sheet. This will help keep glaze on top of crackers.
• Sprinkle on nuts.
• Heat butter and sugar on low until butter melts and sugar is dissolved. Then bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
• Pour mixture over crackers and nuts.
• Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Take out onto waxed paper and let cool. (The first few are difficult to get out of pan.)

Note: 1 box of graham crackers will make 3 pans of cookies.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole

CHILI CHEESE DOG CASSEROLE

Prep Time: 20 minutes Bake: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1 pkg. (8½ oz.), corn bread/muffin mix
1 cup, chopped green pepper
½ cup, chopped onion
½ cup, chopped celery
1 tablespoon, olive oil
1 pkg. (1 lb.), hot dogs, halved lengthwise and cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (15 oz.), chili with beans
2 tablespoons, brown sugar
½ teaspoon, garlic powder
½ teaspoon, chili powder
1 cup (4 oz.), shredded cheddar cheese, divided

• Prepare corn bread batter, according to package directions. Spread half the batter into a greased 8” square baking dish; set aside.
• In a large skillet, sauté the green pepper, onion and celery in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in hot dogs; sauté 3-4 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Stir in the chili, brown sugar, garlic powder and chili powder; heat through. Stir in ¾ cup cheese. Spoon over prepared corn bread.
• Spread remaining batter onto hot dog mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Fantastic Brownies

FANTASTIC BROWNIES

1 stick butter
1 cup, sugar
¾ cup, flour
3 tablespoons, cocoa, heaping
2 eggs
1 cup, chopped nuts
1 teaspoon, vanilla

Melt butter in 9X9 pan in 370° oven.
Mix dry ingredients, add eggs, butter, nuts and vanilla.
Mix just until all ingredients are well blended.
Bake 20 minutes.

NOTE: Double recipe for 9X13 pan.

ICING

2 cups, sugar
¼ cup, white Karo
½ cup, milk
½ cup, butter
4 tablespoons, cocoa or 2 squares chocolate
¼ teaspoon, salt
1 teaspoon, vanilla

Combine all ingredients, except vanilla in saucepan.
Stir over low heat until chocolate and butter melt.
Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Beat (can use electric mixer) until dull and thickened.

NOTE: Double recipe if making 9X13 pan.

Source: Ms. Joyce Morris

Sour Cream Chicken

1 clove of garlic
½ cup butter
6 chicken breast halves
4-oz blue cheese, crumbled
1 small onion, grated
1 ½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook garlic in butter for 3 to 5 minutes, remove garlic. Brown chicken breast halves in butter; place in shallow baking dish. Mix blue cheese, onion, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce. Place over chicken. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes.

Pickled Shrimp

5 pounds shrimp
7 teaspoons salt
1 cup celery tops
½ cup pickling spice
4 cups sliced onions
4 bay leaves
2 ½ cups salad oil
1 ½ cups white vinegar
5 teaspoons celery seed
3 teaspoons salt
¼ cup capers (1 jar)

Drop shrimp into boiling water to which 7 teaspoons salt, celery tops and pickling spices have been added. Boil 8 minutes. Drain and cool. Peel shrimp (devein if desired). Using a large bowl, alternate shrimp with slices of onions and bay leaves. Mix salad oil, vinegar, celery seed, 3 teaspoons salt and capers. Pour over shrimp, cover and place in refrigerator for at least 3 days. One week is better. Turn once or twice a day. To serve, drain, reserving liquid in case you have some left over. Put in serving dish or container with onion slices, capers and garnish with lemon slices. Serves 20.

By: Mrs. Ann Middleton

Fruit Cobbler

1 stick butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 quart fruit

In oven, melt butter in 2-quart dish. In a bowl mix flour and sugar. Add melted butter and milk. Stir until smooth. Pour fruit into dish in which butter was melted. Pour batter over fruit. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Serves 6.