This recipe is a great ‘all inclusive’ type dish.  It can be the only thing you serve or it can serve as the potato contribution to the meal.  I have used it both ways.

Ingredients:

4 large eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
ground pepper
6 green onions, including some tender green tops, sliced
3 c. frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese
4 thick slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper to taste.  Add onions, hash browns, cheddar and bacon and mix well.  Pour into lightly sprayed pie plate.  Bake until set, about 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with Monterey Jack and and return to oven for just a few minutes to melt cheese.  Cut into wedge slices and chow down!

I substitute the bacon with turkey bacon sometimes.  And if you want to switch up the flavors, use pepper Jack or other flavors of cheese. Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. cauliflower, separated into florets
2 turnips, peeled and quartered
1 medium potato, peeled and quartered
4 medium onions, peeled and left whole
1 large egg, separated
1/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 375.  Fit a large pot with a steamer basket.  Add enough water to come up the base of the steamer.  Place the cauliflower, turnips and potato in the steamer.  Cover and bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Turn the heat down tot medium -low and steam until the vegetables are soft enough to puree, about 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot to a boil.  Boil the onions until the layers separate easily but don’t fall apart, about 5 minutes.  Let them drain and cool in a colander.

In a blender, puree the cauliflower, turnips, and potato with the egg yolk, cheese and ginger.  Beat the egg white until stiff and fold into the cauliflower mixture.

Scoop out enough of each onion to fill them with an equal portion of cauliflower.  Lightly rub the inside of each onion with olive oil.  Fill with the cauliflower puree.  Place the filled onions in a baking dish and add enough vegetable broth to come up 1 inch on the sides of onions.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Serves 4.

Make sure you do not over cook the onions or the entire presentation is blown!  Let me know how you do with this one.  I know you can do it!

xo–me

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes
2 garlic cloves

Heat oven to 325. Peel potatoes and boil in salted water until almost done. Drain. Carve a small hole just large enough to hold whatever you have chosen to hide inside the potato. Press said item into hole. Put in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Turn occasionally.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. liver (veal, beef, whatever is your poison)
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. water

Season liver with salt and pepper.  Roll in flour and pan fry in shortening.  Fry until golden brown on both sides.  Turn only one time.  Remove liver from skillet and fry onion in drippings, stirring constantly.  Return liver to skillet and add water.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Keep an eye on it as liver will become tough if cooked too long.  Serves one hungry dad.

No BQQ, cookout or picnic is complete without rich, sweet baked beans.  I have several recipes here for baked beans but Aunt Barb is sharing with you a family recipe from Nannie Wishard.  She has long passed but the recipe lives on because of Aunt Barb.  Make this recipe this weekend.  You will not be disappointed. 

Ingredients:

4 c. dried navy beans, soaked overnight
2 tsp. salt
1 large onion, minced
1/2 c. molasses
2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. dry ginger
pinch ground cloves
1/2 c. catsup
1/2 lb. salt pork

Pick over beans, removing wrinkled beans and any soil or stones.  Rinse thoroughly.  Soak beans overnight in pot of salted cold water.  Drain beans and add 2 1/2 quarts of fresh water and the minced onion.  Cook “slowly” until the skin of beans burst.  Drain, and save liquid.  Mix molasses, mustard, ginger, cloves and catsup.  Add 2 cups of liquid from the beans.  Place a piece of the salt pork in the bottom of the bean pot or baking dish.  Add the beans and place the remaining pork on top.  Pour molasses mixture over beans.  Add enough liquid to just cover beans.  Bake covered for about 4 1/2 hours at 300.  Remove cover and bake 1/2 hour longer.  Add water as necessary during the cooking process.

Enjoy with a giant spoon.

Ingredients:

2 large ripe mangoes
3 to  4 large ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
1/4 c. fresh OJ
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (go ahead, substitute with lemon if that’s what you have)
salt and pepper to taste

Peel the mangoes and chop them, making sure you grab all the juice in a nice full size bowl.  Add tomatoes, avocado, onion and chives.   Toss carefully yet well.  Add the orange juice and lime juice and toss one more time.  Toss in the salt and pepper and chill until ready to serve.  Serves 6.  Double, triple, quadruple when having a lot of guests.

Let us begin the season with a BBQ sauce.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. diced onions
1/2 c. diced celery
1 cup ketchup
1/2 c. + 1/2 tsp. water
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbsp. prepared mustard

Mix all ingredients together and cook until tender.  Use as a marinade and brush on chicken, corn, veggie burgers, whatever!

I always have a sampling in the fridge at all times.  Gouda, mozzarella, brie, cheddar, and goat are in there now.  The stash helps me when I have unexpected company and need to make a quick snack.  This recipe is super simple and is delicious.  Please try it!

Ingredients:

4 whole wheat tortillas
6 oz. brie, sliced
1 small red onion
butter tab
healthy sprinkle of brown sugar

Slice the onion and then slice each slice (you may dice them if you don’t care for long slices of onions).  Place in saute pan with brown sugar and saute until onions are soft.  Remove from heat.  Place a small tab of butter in large pan and place tortilla on top of butter and spin around until tortilla is coated.  Flip tortilla and add onion slices and brie.  Half the tortilla and warm until brie melts.  Slice into three pieces and serve.  Serves 4.

Obviously you can substitute the brie for any of the mild soft cheeses.

My allergies came just 11 short years ago.  I became allergic to shell fish first.  Eleven years ago.  How I miss crackin’ crabs, lobster tail, mussels, oysters, you name it.  I miss a wonderful baked lump crab cake with no filler from a long gone restaurant.  The Chubby Special was indeed very special.

A few years ago, my mother’s dear friend Karen made what she called ‘fake crab’ dip.  I loved it and have been eating it ever since. 

Ingredients:

3/4 to 1 cup finely chopped vidalia onions
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I love Miracle Whip but you use what you love)
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar or swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine all three ingredients thoroughly.  Scoop into casserole dish.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with water crackers, olives, asparagus, or beer.

I lightly spray the casserole dish with Pam or something equal so its easier to clean at the end of the night.

It’s not crab nor even krab (which includes real crab and I am unable to eat) but when I close my eyes, it is.