Hush Puppies

Hush Puppies
Perfect Accompaniment To Any Seafood Platter!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 (8.5 oz.) box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

1 1/2 cups self rising flour

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin + garnish

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

vegetable oil for frying

Cooking Tools

Medium mixing bowl

Deep frying pan

Small ice cream scoop

Directions
In a mixing bowl, add; corn muffin mix, flour, eggs, milk, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  whisk well, making sure there is not lumps.  Pour enough oil in deep fryer, or pan, so the hush puppies can float. Heat oil to 325 Degrees F.  Using a ice cream scoop, dollop 3-4 into the heated oil and cook for 4 minutes, turning to cook evenly.  Remove and drain on some paper towels. Cook in batches, do not over fill. Garnish with green onions.
Yields 2 dozen

Mexican Huevos & Carne Tortilla Bowls

Mexican Huevos & Carne Tortilla Bowls
Pretty To Look At And Yummy To Eat!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
6 Tortillas
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. filet of tenderloin, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
pinch of chili powder
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
minced parsley, garnish
sour cream
hot sauce

Cooking Tools

6 count muffin tin

2 medium skillets

Small mixing bowl 

Directions
Preheat oven to 370 Degrees F.  Place each tortilla into each muffin insert and creat a bowl.  Place tortillas in oven and bake for 15-20.  Let cool slightly to harden in place. In a medium skillet on medium heat, melt butter.  Add in, green pepper, onions and garlic and saute until tender.  Whisk eggs and milk together and pour into the skillet with the green pepper, onions, salt and pepper, fold gently until a soft scramble.  Remove eggs from heat until ready to assemble.  In a skillet on medium high heat, add olive oil and diced beef and saute very quickly, season with salt, pepper and chili powder. Place some scrambled eggs in the bottom of the tortilla bowls.  Top with beef, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and garnish with minced parsley.  Hot sauce is optional.
Serves 6

You Can Easily Omit The Beef!

Cranberry Corn Muffins

Cranberry Corn Muffins
A Holiday Twist For An Old Staple!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients 

2 (8.5 oz.) Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

1 cup prepared cranberry sauce (not the jelly)

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup walnut bits

2 eggs

1/2 stick butter, melted

zest of 1 orange

Cooking Tools

Muffin Tin

Muffin liners (optional)

Medium mixing bowl

Directions
Preheat oven 350 Degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until well incorporated. Pour evenly into muffin tins. (the total numbers it yields depends on the size of the muffin tin).  Pour 3/4 the way up and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes.
Serve with some honey butter.
Yield 8-12

Serve Warm With Some Honey Butter!

Pan Seared Halibut On A Potato Galette

Pan Seared Halibut On A Potato Galette 
With Sauteed Kale And Tomatoes In A Orange Butter Reduction!
Difficulty:Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
4 Halibut Filet
2 large yellow potatoes, sliced thin
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
4 cups baby kale
juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
olive oil for drizzle
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Parchment lined sheet pan

Mandolin

Medium skillet

Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Slice the potatoes on a mandolin and place slices on the sheet tray, creating a bed of potatoes by slightly overlapping each other. Drizzle potato slices with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place in oven and bake 20 minutes.  In a skillet on medium high heat, melt butter.  Dry off any moisture from the Halibut and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Pan sear halibut a few minutes on each side.  Remove potatoes from oven and place seared Halibut on the bed of potatoes and place back in oven and bake for additional 10 minutes.  In the skillet that the fish was seared, add in a drizzle of olive oil with the butter and quickly saute the baby kale and tomatoes. Pour in the orange juice and allow to to reduce for a minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove Halibut from the oven and place on serving dish and top the the saute kale and tomatoes and drizzle with the orange butter reduction.
Serves 4

Artichoke Salad

Artichoke Salad
Very Light And Satisfying!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients

1 canned 8.5 oz. artichoke, quartered, drained

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 red onion, sliced thin

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

2 tbsp capers, drained

2 tbsp Pignoli nuts

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp dried & fresh oregano 

pepper

Cooking Tools

Medium mixing bowl 

Directions
Place all ingredients into the mixing bowl and gently fold in the olive oil.  Can be chilled before serving.
Serves 4

Key lime Cheesecake

Key lime Cheesecake
With a Heavenly Candied Gingersnap Nut Crust!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 3-4 hours

Key Lime Pie Is My Favorite, So Why Not Make It Into A Cheesecake!

Ingredients
4 packages of cream cheese, room temperature
zest of 6 key limes
juice of 6 key limes
1 cam sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs

Crust
Ingredients
10 gingersnap cookies, crushed
1 cup candied pecans, crushed
1/2 cup Macadamia nuts, crushed
1/2 stick butter, melted

Key Lime Is Essential For This Dessert!

Cooking Tools

Bottom & side release pan

Food processor

Large mixing bowl

Electric hand mixer

Foil

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F.  In a food processor, add in candied pecans and macadamia nuts first and pulse until it resembles crumbs.  Then add in the gingersnap cookies and pulse to medium size crumbs before adding melted butter.  Place buttered crumbs into the bottom and line the bottom evenly.  In a large mixing bowl, add; cream cheese and zest and whip cream cheese on high for a minute.  Add in the key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk. sugar, vanilla extract and whip until smooth.  Add in one egg at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Line some foil at the outside bottom of pan, just in case it leaks.  Place cheesecake mixture into your crumb lined pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave the oven door slightly ajar and keep cheesecake in the oven for additional 20 minutes.  Remove cheese cake and set aside to come to room temperature.  Release sides and remove before chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours. Garnish with whip cream and a slice of key lime (optional).
Serves 8-10

Pain Perdu

Pain Perdu
This Classic "French Toast" Is Golden Crusty On The Outside, Buttery Custard Like On The Inside!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients
1 French Baguette
7 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
2 tbsp superfine sugar
butter for frying
1 cup powdered sugar
maple syrup (optional)

Cooking Tools

Medium mixing bowl

Medium non-stick skillet

Sheet pan 

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.  Slice baguette approximately into 2-2 1/2 inch rounds.  In a mixing bowl, add; eggs, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, superfine sugar and whisk well.  Place bread into the egg mixture and coat well.  Soak bread for 10 minutes to absorb the egg mixture.  In a skillet, on medium heat, melt enough butter to coat bottom of pan.  Take each bread slice out of the liquid and fry cut sides a few minutes to a light golden brown.  Place each fried slice on a sheet pan and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar.  can be served with syrup.
Serves 4

Layered Tostadas

Layered Tostadas
Love Using Different Vegetables and Protein Combinations!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

12 small tortillas

1 cup cooked Chorizo sausage or Andouille, diced

1 green pepper. diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small zucchini, diced

1/2 cup olives, sliced

2 tbsp cilantro, minced

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed & drained

1 tbsp minced parsley

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp ground smoked chipotle pepper

2 cups quesadilla cheese

1 small tomato, diced

Mexican crema

vegetable oil for frying

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

2 medium skillets 

Directions
In a skillet on medium heat, add; olive oil, green pepper, red pepper, onion, garlic, zucchini, olives, cilantro, sausage.  Saute until slightly tender.  Toss in black beans, paprika, smoked chipotle pepper, salt and pepper to taste. In a second skillet coat bottom lightly with vegetable oil and cook each tortilla on medium heat a minute or two on each side.  Set aside tortillas until ready to layer.  Place 1 fried tortilla on a serving dish, add a layer of filling and sprinkle with cheese.  Add a second layer of tortilla with filling and cheese.  cap off with the last tortilla and some filling, fresh diced tomatoes, cheese and crema.   garnish with minced parsley.
Serves 4

Breakfast Baskets

Breakfast Baskets
The Perfect Addition To Your Christmas Brunch!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients
3 cups raw shredded potatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp butter, melted + greasing
1 tbsp parsley, minced
1 tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
pinch pepper
1 egg

Filling
Ingredients
1/2 cup onion, small dice
1/2 cup green pepper, small dice
1/2 cup ham, small dice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp minced green onion + garnish
6 small eggs
1 tbsp butter
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

6 capacity muffin tin (large)

Medium mixing bowl

Small skillet

Directions
Preheat oven 400 Degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, add; potatoes, cheddar, Monterrey, Parmesan cheeses, garlic powder, melted butter, parsley, sour cream, egg, salt, pepper and mix well.  Grease muffin tins and scoop potato mixture and press down bottom and up the sides, creating a basket.  Bake in oven for 25 minutes, check half way through the baking process. Cook's Note: If the sides collapse in, just take out of the oven and by using the back of a spoon, press potatoes back up and place back in to finish cooking. While the basket portion is cooking, in a small skillet on medium heat melt butter.  Add in onions, green pepper, ham, garlic powder, green onions, salt & pepper. Saute for 5 minutes and set aside.  Pull out the potato baskets out of the oven and place about a tablespoon of filling into the basket, add 1 small egg into the basket with the filling. Repeat with the rest of the baskets.  Place back in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before attempting to remove the baskets from tin.  Garnish with minced green onions.
Serves 6