Entrees
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin
Stacy Wright, Andrew Adams & Wally Joe
Ingredients
¼ c. dried apricots
¼ c. dried cherries
¼ c. dried cranberries
¼ c. golden raisins
2 T. mustard seeds
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 ½ c. sugar
1 ½ c. water
1 bulb garlic
1/8 lb. butter
2 T. picked thyme leaves
12 new potatoes
(scrubbed and quartered)
About 8 strips of bacon
½ pork loin
(or 2 whole pork tenderloins)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch basil
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch tarragon
1 bunch cilantro
1 small shallot
3 T. sherry vinegar
½ c. oil
Directions
The day before
Roast garlic in a covered metal container at 250 degrees for about 2 hours (until dark brown). Squeeze garlic out of skin while warm, then cool. Mash garlic, and mix with Thyme and butter. Refrigerate. Cut apricots in half, and mix with cherries, golden raisins, and cranberries. Boil water, sugar, mustard seeds, Dijon mustard, and tarragon. Pour over fruit and cover with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature overnight.
Day of dinner
Clean pork loin of any visible silver skin. Very lightly season with salt and pepper. Lay bacon, overlapping, on plastic wrap. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Pound thin with the bottom of a sauce pan or meat tenderizer.
Remove top piece of plastic, and wrap around pork loin. Remove other plastic wrap. Place on roasting rack on roasting pan, and place in 350 degree oven until the internal temperature reaches 142 degrees for medium (about 40 minutes) or 160 degrees for well done (about 1 hour). Let roast sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, make the sauce and potatoes: Boil potatoes until soft, drain, and immediately add butter from above while warm (as much as needed). Keep potatoes hot. In a blender, puree parsley, basil, tarragon, cilantro, minced shallot, and vinegar. Add oil, and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, slice two-inch medallions of pork. On plate, spoon potatoes beside fruit. Lean pork against fruit, and sauce plate with green sauce.
Baked Salmon
Diane & Mark Halperin
Ingredients
2 lb. salmon filet, skin removed
4 T. butter
½ c. brown sugar
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. dry white wine (may substitute water)
Directions
Melt butter in small saucepan. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, and wine or water. Stir over low heat until sugar is melted. Place salmon onto foil-covered baking pan. Pour marinade over salmon, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to six hours). Uncover and bake on middle rack of preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, basting once or twice. Do not turn salmon. Serve immediately.
Bob’s Seafood Gumbo with Andouille Sausage
Deborah & Bob Craddock
Ingredients
2 c. white onions, chopped
1 ½ c. green bell peppers, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
¾ c. vegetable oil
¾ c. all-purpose flour
1 t. garlic, minced
6 c. seafood stock
1 lb. andouille smoked sausage,
cut into ½ inch pieces
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled
1 lb. lump crabmeat
2 dozen oysters, with their liquor
¼ c. green onions, chopped
¼ c. parsley
File powder
Seasoning mix:
4 bay leaves
2 t. salt
½ t. white pepper
1 t. cayenne pepper
½ t. black pepper
½ t. dried thyme leaves
¼ t. dried oregano leaves
Directions
Combine onions, bell peppers, and celery in a bowl, and set aside. Mix seasoning ingredients together, and set aside.
To make the roux, heat oil in a large, heavy iron skillet until it begins to smoke. Gradually add flour, whisking constantly. Continue to stir roux over medium heat until dark brown (20 to 25 minutes). Add vegetables. Continue to stir, and cook 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add seasoning mix, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and cook another 1 minute.
Place stock in a large Dutch oven or saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add roux mixture and stir until dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil, and add andouille sausage. Boil 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Add shrimp, oysters with their liquor, and crabmeat. Return to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add green onions and parsley, and simmer another 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, and skim any oil from the surface. Remove bay leaves.
Serve over cooked white rice, and pass file powder for thickening.
Broccoli & Rice Casserole
Kimla Hill
Ingredients
1 bag frozen SteamFresh broccoli
1 cup alfredo sauce (may substitute 1 can cream of chicken soup)
1 pouch Knorr Cheddar Flavored Rice
1 t. margarine or butter
1 t. minced garlic (optional)
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese
Serves 6-8
Directions
Cook rice according to directions on pouch until done NOTE: add margarine or butter and minced garlic to rice while it is cooking. Steam broccoli for about six minutes or until tender. Combine cooked rice and broccoli in a 9-inch Pyrex dish. Add alfredo sauce (or cream of chicken soup) to broccoli and rice mixture and stir to blend well. Top dish with shredded cheese, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and set oven to low broil and brown top of cheese as desired. Enjoy!
Catfish with Cajun Rub and Lime-Cilantro Sour Cream
Sally & Richard Large
Ingredients
4 t. salt
2 t. cayenne
2 t. white pepper
4 t. dried thyme
2 t. dried basil
4 t. garlic powder
1 T. paprika
1 c. flour
4 catfish filets
2 T. butter
2 T. oil
Directions
Combine all herbs and spices, add flour, and mix thoroughly. Lightly pat filets dry with paper towels, then dredge each filet in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Melt butter and oil in large skillet until butter foams.
Fry filets over medium heat until golden brown
(3 to 4 minutes on each side).
Place on plate, and top with Lime-Cilantro Sour Cream.
Lime-Cilantro Sour Cream:
½ c. sour cream
4 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 T. fresh chives, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Zest of 1 lime, finely chopped
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Large dash Tabasco sauce
Combine all ingredients.
Serves 4
Easy Beef Stew
Karen Ellis
Ingredients
l lb. stew beef (I like top round, cut up in big chunks, and I actually use about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 onion, cut up
4 carrots, peeled and cut up
1 can stewed tomatoes
4 celery stalks, cut up
3 potatoes, cubed
2 Tbsp. oil
salt and pepper
Directions
Put oil and beef cubes in pot on low. Heat until meat browns thoroughly. Add onion, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Add enough water just to cover contents. Next add stewed tomatoes and cover to cook on low for 1 hour. Add potatoes and cook 1 hour more. This is simple, basic, and delicioso!!
Taco Soup
Karen Ellis
Ingredients
1 ½ lb ground chuck
½ lb ground beef
2 cans red beans
2 cans Trappey’s Pinto Beans with Jalapeno
2 cans Mexicorn
2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 can water (use an empty bean can)
1 package dry Lawry’s Taco Seasoning mix
2 packages dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
Directions
Empty all the cans (juice and all) into pot. Brown meat separately and add Lawry’s Taco mix when done. Drain some, but not all, grease from meat. Add to pot and then stir in dry Ranch dressing mix. Do not bring to a rolling boil, but just let it begin to simmer and turn off. This is best if made the night before. Serve it with some Fritos and sour cream and chopped spring onions. Jalapenos go great with this, too! It also freezes well.
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