Pineapple Corn Spoonbread

Pineapple Corn Spoonbread 
One Of Our Favorite BBQ Sidedishes!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time:  50-60 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups pre-made corn bread, cubed

1 can creamed corn

1 can crushed pineapple + juices

3 tbsp butter, melted + greasing

2 eggs

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Large mixing bowl

Baking dish 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.  Whisk eggs, creamed corn, crushed pineapple, butter, salt & pepper.  Toss in cubed corn bread until well coated, let sit for corn bread to absorb some of the liquid.  Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes.  Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Can be served hot or cold.
Serves 6

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Watermelon Agua Fresca
Refreshing For Hot Days of Summer!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients
6 cups of  fresh watermelon, cubed
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup super fine sugar
zest of 1 lime + slices
4 mint leaves + garnish

Cooking Tools

Blender

Fine mesh screen

Pitcher 

Directions
Place watermelon, water, sugar, lime zest, mint leaves into the blender and blend until smooth. Place mesh screen over pitcher and pour liquid slowly through mesh. Discard leftover pulp.   Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with lime wedges and mint leaf.
Serves 2 

Shrimp Perloo

Shrimp Perloo
A Low Country One Pan Meal!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. medium size shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 Andouille sausage links, sliced

2 cups of  saffron yellow rice

1 medium Vidalia onion, diced

1 green pepper, large dice

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups okra, 1" slices

1 celery, sliced

1 can roasted diced tomatoes

3 3/4 cup of seafood stock or chicken stock

3 tbsp butter

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Large non-stick skillet with lid

Directions
Melt butter on medium heat. Saute onions, green pepper, celery, garlic & sausage for 5 minutes. Add in okra and saute for additional few minutes. Add in the rice, stock and canned tomatoes, stir to make sure rice is submerged under the liquids.  Place lid on skillet and reduced heat to medium low and cook for 25 minutes.  The liquids should be absorbed and the rice cooked through.  Add in shrimp and stir.  Place lid back on and cook for additional 5 minutes or until shrimp is cooked.
Serves 6

Pound Cake French Toast

Pound Cake French Toast
Served With A Blueberry Maple Syrup!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients
1 Pound Cake from the bakery, sliced 1" thick
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tbsp butter
Powdered sugar, dusting

Cooking Tools

 Medium mixing bowl

Large nonstick skillet

Small saucepan 

Directions
In a mixing bowl, whisk together; eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Melt butter in a skillet on medium heat.  Dip each pound cake into the egg mixture until well coated. Fry French Toast on both sides to a golden crust. Dust French Toast with powdered sugar and serve with Blueberry Maple Syrup (recipe below).
Serves 4

 

Blueberry Maple Syrup

Ingredients

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan on medium heat. Cook blueberries on a slow boil until liquid reduces to a thick syrup.
 

Pappardelle With Truffle Cream

Pappardelle With Truffle Cream
A Beautiful Aromatic Cream Sauce!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
4 servings Pappadelle pasta, fresh or dried
2 Truffle mushrooms, grated & sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 cup half & half
1 cup cream
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Truffle oil for drizzle
minced parsley for garnish
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Large stock pot

Large nonstick skillet

Directions
In a skillet, melt butter and olive oil in skillet and saute grated garlic until translucent.  Pour in half & half and cream, salt & pepper. Cook cream on simmer to reduce and thicken.  Cook pasta according to directions & drain. Once the sauce has thickened, stir in grated Truffle and toss in the pasta to coat well. Place in serving bowls and drizzle with Truffle oil, top with sliced Truffle and garnish with minced parsley.
Serves 4

 

Sun Melon & Mango Yogurt

Sun Melon & Mango Yogurt
A Healthy Start To Your Morning Routine!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients

1 ripe Sun Melon, halved & seeded

2 cups plain Greek Yogurt

1 ripe mango, small dice

1/4 cup raspberries 

honey

mint leaves

Cooking Tools

No tools required 

Directions
Prepare melons by removing seeds allowing for a well. Add 1/2 cup yogurt in the melon then add some diced mango.  Add another 1/2 cup of yogurt, top with more diced mangoes, raspberries and drizzle with honey.  Garnish with mint leaf.
Serves 2 

Angry Lobster Salad

Angry Lobster Salad
Delicious Summer Salad That Is Quite Decadent!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 35-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

2 lobster tails, split in half

3 cups assorted grape tomatoes, halved

1 shallot, sliced thin

1 garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine

1 tbsp parsley minced, divided

2 cups English cucumber, sliced & halved

3/4 cup Kraft Zesty Italian dressing

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup green onions, sliced

1/2 cup clarified butter, melted

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Outdoor grill

Mixing bowl 

Directions
Preheat grill on medium-high. Coat the meat of the lobster tails with melted clarified butter, a sprinkle of minced parsley, salt and pepper. Grill lobster tail until slightly firm and shell turns red.  Splash lobster at the end of cooking with the white wine. Careful not to burn yourself!! Let lobster cool, then remove meat from shell and cut into bite size chunks. In the mixing bowl, add; tomatoes, sliced shallots, garlic, cucumbers, parsley, red pepper flakes, green onions, lobster meat and Italian dressing.  Toss ingredients until well coated in dressing.  Chill lobster salad in refrigerator for several hours before serving.
Serves 4 

Lemon Strawberry Crumb Cake

Lemon Strawberry Crumb Cake

The Tasty Combination Of A Crumb Cake And A Strawberry Shortcake!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients

1 box Dunkin Hines Lemon Cake Mix

4 cups fresh strawberries, diced

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp sour cream

zest of 1 lemon

juice of half lemon

1 cup water

butter for greasing

whip cream for topping

Cooking Tools

Rectangle glass baking dish

Large mixing bowl

Medium mixing bowl

Electric hand mixer

Medium sauce pan

Pastry cutter 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. In the mixing bowl, whisk on high the cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, water and whisk until smooth and blended. Pour batter into the greased baking dish. Evenly layer the diced strawberries on top, no need too press down. Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and evenly layer the crumb topping (recipe below) on top of the half cooked cake. Place back in the oven and cook for additional 25-30 minutes.  Cool cake, serve with Strawberry Sauce and whip cream.
Serves 8 

Crumb Topping
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick cold butter, diced
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl, using a pastry cutter, blend. Combine until mix of large and small crumbs.

Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
3-4 cups, fresh strawberries, diced
3/4 cup sugar
juice of half lemon
Directions
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook for five minutes on medium heat.  Remove from heat and cool.

Strawberry Rose

Strawberry Rose
Just Chill And Unwind!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients

1 Chateau Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose, chilled

4 strawberries, garnish

8 tbsp Strawberry Sauce, (recipe below)

mint leaves

Cooking Tools

Wine glasses

Directions
Place 2 tbsp of Strawberry sauce into glasses and pour Rose and garnish with mint leaves and strawberries.
Serves 4

Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
3-4 cups, fresh strawberries, diced
3/4 cup sugar
juice of half lemon
Directions
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook for five minutes on medium heat.  Remove from heat and cool.

 

Grilled Snapper Verde

Grilled Snapper Verde
No Mess, No Fuss, Just Fantastic Fish!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
4 Snapper filets
4 cups assorted tomatoes, halved
2 bags frozen spinach
2 shallots, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup green onions, sliced
3/4 stick butter
juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup olive oil + drizzle
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp  garlic powder
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Foil 

Medium skillet 

Directions
Preheat outdoor grill to medium high heat. On medium heat, add, olive oil to coat pan.  Saute frozen spinach, add onion powder, garlic powder, salt& pepper. Cook until all liquid evaporates and set aside to cool. Make Salsa Verde and set aside. Make foil boats to hold your ingredients. Melt, butter, oil and lemon juice in microwave. Layer of bottom of boat with the sauteed spinach.  Top spinach with the Snapper filet and add tomatoes, shallots, garlic, green onions around the fish. Pour evenly on each filet the butter mixture.  Salt and pepper fish and add lemon slices. Place boats on grill and close lid and cook for 20-25 minutes (depending on thickness of fish). Top fish with some Salsa Verde and cook for additional few minutes to heat through.
Serves 4 

Salsa Verde
Ingredients
1 cup parsley leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp capers
1 shallot, diced
2 tbsp green onion, chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
1-2 anchovie fillet
red pepper flakes (optional)
pinch of pepper


Cooking Tools
Food processor

Directions
Place all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until finely minced and blended, you can adjust the olive oil for a loose or thick consistency.  Serve on grilled steaks, chicken or fish.
Cook's note:  No need for salt, you get enough salt from the anchovies and capers.
Yields 1 cup

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole 
Perfect Layers Of Delicious Ingredients
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients
18 yellow corn tortillas
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 red pepper, sliced thin
2 ripe plantains, sliced thin, elongated
1 small can green chilies, sliced
1 sweet onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Mexican blend cheese, divided
3 tbsp butter
3 cup milk
2 tbsp flour
olive oil
1/4 tsp chili powder
green onions, sliced
sour cream
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Elongated/ Rectangle casserole pan

Food processor

2 Large skillet

Foil 

Directions
Preheat oven 325 Degrees F.  Fry paintains in some olive oil and brown on both side until tender, set aside.  Saute the peppers, chilies, onions and garlic in some olive oil, salt & pepper to taste; set aside. Make the cream sauce by melting 2-3 tbsp of butter in a skillet and whisk in flour and cook for a few minutes. Pour in milk and allow the sauce to thinken before adding 1 cup of cheese and chili powder. Whisk until creamy and melted.
To make the casserole: line a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of casserole pan. Layer 6 corn tortillas on top of cream sauce. Add a layer of fried plantains and some Verde sauce in dollops. Layer, tortilla, sauce, chicken, sauteed peppers, Verde sauce and repeat. Cover the top layer with the cream sauce and a cup of shredded cheese. Tent foil over the casserole and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, then remove foil and broil for a few minutes until golden. Let cool slightly before serving.  Garnish with sliced green onions and sour cream.

Salsa Verde
Ingredients
1 cup parsley leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp capers
1 shallot, diced
2 tbsp green onion, chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
1-2 anchovie fillet
red pepper flakes (optional)
pinch of pepper

Cooking Tools

Food processor

Directions
Place all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until finely minced and blended, you can adjust the olive oil for a loose or thick consistency.  Serve on grilled steaks, chicken or fish.
Cook's note:  No need for salt, you get enough salt from the anchovies and capers.
Yields 1 cup