Marion's Veggie Bars

If vegetarians eat like this, count me in!  These are DEEEEE-LICIOUS!  Marion said she took these veggie bars to a Power Squadron party and they loved it so much they published it as their favorite appetizer in their newsletter!  Even Ira Lee could successfully make these… she made them often after Marion shared the recipe with her.  So, here it is:

Start with 2 cans crescent rolls or pizza dough... bake it 10 minutes.  Then, make your spread...

Spread Ingredients:

2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1 c mayonnaise

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix

Then, add your toppings:

¾ c shredded carrots

¾ c chopped broccoli

½ c chopped green pepper

½ c chopped cauliflower

¾ c shredded cheese

(May also use celery, ripe olives, green onion or seeded chopped tomato)

Directions: 

Bake the crescent rolls flat on an ungreased cooking sheet so it’s one big flat piece of dough.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes.  Let completely cool.

Spread cream cheese mixture over the crescent roll dough.    

Sprinkle vegetable toppings on cream cheese mixture then sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Here's a photo before I cut it:

Cut in squares, place in refrigerator. (Make the day before.)

And here's a picture as I started placing them on my serving tray:

When you cut the veggie bars, they are hard to work with because the cream cheese is soft, but they firm up nicely in the refrigerator.   And, they are DEEEEEE-LICIOUS!

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

I have very fond memories of Marion's stuffed bell peppers... I used to LOVE the inside and give the bell pepper to Mike!  Well, my best friend, Susan, made stuffed jalapeno peppers for Christmas this year, so I asked her to share her recipe... She says they are easy to make and very delicious!  Here is her recipe:
1        pound bulk pork sausage – I use Jimmy Dean
1         package 8 oz cream cheese – softened
1         cup (4 oz) shredded Parmesan cheese
22   large jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded **
Ranch salad dressing – optional

In a large skillet, cook the sausage and drain and cool.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese; fold in sausage.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of mixture into each jalapeno.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake uncovered in 425° oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until filling is browned and bubbly.  Serve with ranch dressing.

**Note:  When washing, cutting and seeding the jalapeno peppers, wear rubber or plastic gloves to protect hands.  Avoid touching face.

Options:  you can cook on BBQ pit also and for those bacon lovers – wrap a piece of bacon around jalapeno before baking.

Here's a picture... they do look yummy!  Thanks for sharing with us, Susan!

Stay tuned... I plan on taking pictures of some yummy food at Michael Anne's on Christmas Day!

Cooking Class in St. Louis

Last night Craig and I went to a cooking class. (Some friends had to cancel at the last minute and since it was a non-refundable fee, they let us take their place!)  It was a French Cuisine Theme... and all I can say is, OOH LA LA!

First up was Vol-au-Vent au Fruits de Mer
Don't let the word "fruits" fool you... there was no fruit involved.  It was a puff pastry with lobster and scallops.  Of course, the scallops were cooked in wine... and other things...

This was paired with a delicious sparkling wine...

Next was probably my favorite... Poached Pear-Goat Cheese Salad 
The pears were poached in a bottle (or two) of port wine.  Very yummy!

This was paired with our next wine...

Then, on to the main course... Duck Confit with Cherry Sauce.  It was served with potatoes, carrots and spinach and the duck was laid on top of the cherries and cherry sauce.  Very yummy!

It was paired with a red wine...

And, finally dessert!  Chocolate Hazelnut Dacquoise.  I'll let the picture and video explain...

It was a fun night... full of education and GREAT food!  Thanks to Dave and Gabby for giving us their spot... and we do plan on doing it again.  Hopefully next time we will all four go together!

St. Thomas Moore's Corn and Shrimp Soup

This soup is a St. Thomas Moore favorite, often served at birthday luncheons for the STM office staff.  Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

1 cup medium thick roux

3 medium onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 bunches green onions, chopped

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce

1 (10-oz) can Rotel tomatoes, diced

2 (14-oz) cans chicken broth

4 (12-oz) cans Niblet corn

Water

2 – 3 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions: 

Sauté onions, garlic, bell pepper, celery, green onions in roux until softened.

Add tomato paste and stir.  Add tomato sauce and Rotel tomatoes, and stir again.

Add stock, stir, and simmer 10 minutes.

Add corn and water to bring to desired consistency.  Simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in shrimp and cook until shrimp are cooked.

Serves 10 – 12.

It was pretty good, but my best friend Susan has a recipe that is a lot easier and really just as good... here's a photo of it:

 

Nesi gave it three wags...

Now to decide on my next adventure in the kitchen...

Aimee

Snow Day...

It snowed last night!  Not to fear... Craig is digging out so he can get his Starbucks fix!  And, there's a party for the Saints v Rams game today.  GEAUX SAINTS!

They are expecting a HIGH of SIX degrees in St. Louis tomorrow!  It's a perfect day for Vegetable Beef Stew... it's on the stove now... can't you smell it?  Mmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

I really need to move south... or to Los Angeles...

Aimee

My first failure...

This is something Marion used to bring to the Carnival Balls in Baton Rouge.  She said they lost their minds over these!  She would make bite size pies for carnival food, but said you can also make large ones for luncheons.

Well, meat pies were good in theory and I do remember them being wonderful.  But, I'm sad to report that I give up.  Here's what my meat pies look like (and this is the good one!) before baking:

MEAT PIES: 

1 lb butter

1 lb Philadelphia cream cheese

4 cups flour

FILLING:

1/3 cup seedless raisins

1 clove garlic, minced

3 – 4 tbl olive oil

3 – 4 tbl beef bouillon

½ small onion, minced

½ lb ground beef

1 tsp flour

1 doz green olives, chopped

salt and pepper to taste (red and black pepper)

Directions: 

Soak raisins in boiling water about 30 minutes. 

Saute onion, garlic and beef in olive oil.  (You may add hot sausage to the ground beef.)

Then add flour and brown. 

Add bouillon, raisins and olives. 

Season and fill pie crust. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. 

Craig took over once I gave up because he couldn't stand all that waste... he did pretty good!  They tasted okay... but were a LOT of work.

Nesi only gave this two wags...

Taco Soup

This recipe calls for a chopped onion... so I decided to try Anna's trick.  Here are my protected eyes...

Worked like a charm... thanks, Anna!

Let me tell you, this is the BEST Taco Soup I have ever had... and I've made it lots and we used to love my old recipe.  This was much better... here's what Craig's first bowl looked like (yes, he had two!).  It was so delicious!

It was PERFECT for this cold St. Louis weather we have been having.  Here's the recipe:

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomatoes and green chilies

1 can tomato sauce

1 can whole-kernel corn, undrained

2 cans kidney beans, undrained

1 can beef broth

1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

Directions: 

In Dutch oven, brown meat and onions until meat is no longer pink.  Drain off fat.

Add diced tomatoes, tomatoes and green chilies and tomato sauce.

Add corn, kidney beans, beef broth and taco seasoning mix.

Simmer about 30 minutes.  Check for seasoning.  (Do not oversalt because the corn chips will be salty.)

Serve over crushed corn chips.  Top with sour cream, green onions, grated cheese and chopped jalapeno slices if desired.  Here are my toppings:

Serves 8 to 10... and perfect for this cold St. Louis weather.

Thanks, Marion!

Baked Beef Brisket

Marion got this recipe from the Vacajun Cookery cookbook that the BRAS (Baton Rouge Auxiliary Squadron) published.  (Side note: that's the first cookbook I ever liked, and I still like it today!)  So, here's the recipe and notes from Marion...

large beef brisket
Lawry’s seasoned salt
Celery salt
Worcestershire sauce
Garlic powder
1/2 cup water

Trim fat and season brisket liberally with celery salt, seasoned salt, and garlic powder.  Rub with Worcestershire sauce  Cook at 475 for 30 minutes, uncovered.  Add 1/2 cup water; cover and cook at 250 for 2 and 1/2 hours.  Skim fat, saving juices to serve with brisket.  serves 12 to 14 may use al. foil to cover after adding water.

You should smell my house!  Craig is going to think TODAY is his birthday (it was actually yesterday!)!  Here's a picture of the brisket... in the Alzheimer-laden pan...

We feasted!  Marion suggested sweet potato and Craig loves brocolli... so here's his plate:

Heaven!

Shrimp and Andouille Spaghetti

Marion remembers the Power Squadron Auxiliary getting together at Barbara's Huet's house and making this for a members' supper.  Well, after making it I completely understand why it took the ENTIRE Auxiliary to make this stuff!  Holy smoke is it ever labor intensive.  I'm sure the men DID NOT appreciate the effort that went into this meal!

With that said, it is DELICIOUS!

Here's a picture:

And, Nesi's rating is...

She licked the platter clean, too!

Here's the recipe (if you are brave enough to cook it... just be sure you have a lot of time!):

First, the ingredients:

·         3 stalks celery

·         2 ½ sticks butter

·         3 onions – chopped

·         1 bell pepper – chopped

·         1 tsp garlic – chopped

·         1/3 cup flour

·         1 bunch green onions – chopped

·         2 lbs peeled shrimp (sautéed or boiled)

·         1 lb Andouille cubed, cooked and drained

·         1 lb Velveeta cheese

·         1 pint half and half

·         Tony’s seasoning

·         1 – 2 lbs cooked spaghetti (thin)

Now, the directions: 

Sauté onions, pepper, garlic and celery in butter.  Cook until soft – about 30 minutes.  Slowly stir in flour.  Add green onions.  Add cheese, milk, andouille which has been cooked and drained, and shrimp which have been peeled and sautéed or boiled and seasonings to taste.  Cook 15 or 20 minutes.  Add cooked spaghetti and let sit 10 – 15 minutes.  Spread in baking dish and top with grated cheddar cheese.

Bake 350 degrees to melt cheese.

Enjoy!

Marion's Hot Tamale Pie

First of all, let me say that chopping onions is always a problem for me... here are my eyes after just three slices of the onion!

Now for the recipe...
Brown chopped onion till soft (can add a little garlic if you want)

Add ½ bell pepper chopped

Add 1 ½ lb ground beef

Brown meat

Add 1 can tomato sauce and 1 can petite chopped tomato

Cook all that… add a little salt pepper and one teaspoon chili powder

Add 1 can corn

Stir that up

Pour mixture into baking dish... here's a photo of it at this stage...

Get jiffy cornbread mix… follow package directions… pour that on top of ground meat mixture…

Bake at 350 about 30 minutes (uncovered) until cornbread is brown.  Here's a photo of the finished meal! (And it smells YUMMY!)

This is something Marion just made up... she just gave me the recipe over the phone.  Mike loved this!  He would microwave it until it was all gone! 

Craig gives it two thumbs up and Nesi gives it five wags!  It was really delicious! Here's a picture of his plate:

Now to pick my next meal...

Marion's Chicken and Wild Rice

Does my kitchen ever smell good!  Wow!  I can't wait to serve this to Craig for dinner!

Ingredients: 

·         4 c. cooked chicken, cut in large pieces

·         2 tbsp. lemon juice

·         1 pkg. Uncle Ben’s combination wild and white rice, cooked according to package directions

·         1 can cream of celery soup

·         1 (4 oz) jar chopped pimento

·         4 green onions, chopped (tops and all)

·         ½ c. sliced mushrooms

·         1 can water chestnuts, sliced

·         ½ c. Hellman’s mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons lemon juice over chicken.  Combine all ingredients.  Season with salt and seasoned pepper to taste.  Transfer to 9 x 13 inch, 3 quart casserole.  Sprinkle with parsley and paprika if desired.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly all over.  Serves 12.  May be frozen after baking or earlier in day and reheated. 

Here's a picture of the ingredients:

And here it is before it went in the oven:

Nesi LOVES this meal because she got to clean up the cutting board:

Stay tuned... we are having it for dinner tonight!

Aimee

Marion's Squash Rockefeller

Marion got this recipe from Aunt Betty who got it from Janice Wray... Marion made it a lot while they were camping... she would bring the frozen spinach mixture and find little squash along the way.  It is DELICIOUS and one of her favorite dishes - even Mike loved even though he really didn't like spinach that much. 

Anna Kathryn loves it and remembers that you have to get little squashes to make it!  I remember digging through the squash in the grocery store... looking for the little ones!  :)

Patti made it for Thanksgiving dinner (2010).  First, the ingredients and recipe:

12 small yellow squash

2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach

1 bunch parsley, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1-1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs

½ lb. butter (yep, that is 1/2 POUND!)

Tabasco sauce

Salt

2 tsp. anise seed

½ cup boiling water

Mix anise seed in boiling water and let stand for 15 minutes.

Cut squash in halves long way; steam until almost tender. Remove seeds.

Saute chopped vegetables in butter.  Cook and drain spinach.

Add to spinach – vegetables, bread crumbs, tobacco, salt and strained anise water (toss seeds)

Stuff the squash halves with spinach mix and bake in 350 oven 20 minutes or until well heated.

(Rockefeller filling may be frozen, keeps well)

Here’s a picture of it:

Patti says it is a very labor intensive recipe.  She strongly suggests you make the Rockefeller filling a day or two ahead.

Enjoy!

Mrs. O'Quinn's Forgotten Cookies

Marion got this recipe from Mrs. O’Quinn, who is Uncle Nolan’s grandmother – Carter and Anna’s great grandmother.  She was a wonderful lady.  Michael Anne and Nolan would bring her to have Sunday dinner with us when we lived on Airline Highway (early 1970’s).  She would always bring a delicious dessert – one of the many she shared with us was her forgotten cookies.  Mrs. O’Quinn always put butterscotch chips in her cookies – Marion changed the recipe to chocolate chips, but sometimes she still uses the butterscotch.  My favorite memory of forgotten cookies is everyone trying to hide them from Jennifer Hart on Christmas Day at Michael Anne’s.  They never lasted long once Jennifer found them!

   

Ingredients: 

·         1 cup chocolate or butterscotch chips

·         2 large egg whites

·         2/3  cup sugar

·         1/2 t  vanilla

·         1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat egg whites till stiff (add pinch of salt).  Gradually add sugar and vanilla – continue to beat until sugar dissolves.  By hand, stir in pecans and chips.  Drop on ungreased cookie trays with ice tea spoon.  Put cookie trays in oven, count to five, and then turn oven off. 

Forget about them for two hours.  (You might want to loosen them from tray after about an hour... they were a little hard to break free!) 

Delicious!  Nesi gives them five wags!

For a good laugh, I must show you poor Anna's first attempt at Forgotten Cookies (but I'm happy to say she did get it right the second try!):

What's next?  We are going to Baton Rouge for Thanksgiving next week... I hope we come home with lots of recipes for our blog!

Happy Thanksgiving...

Aimee

Spiced Crackers

Marion got this recipe from her friend, Nancy (Vernon’s wife).  She took these to the beach one Thanksgiving, and even Uncle Richard loved this tasty snack! 

Ingredients:

·         1 ½ cup canola oil

·         1 packet Original Ranch Dressing mix

·         2 tsp red pepper flakes (or crushed red pepper)

·         1 (16 oz) 4-stack box Saltine crackers

Mix oil, dressing mix, and red pepper flakes.  Place crackers in a container with a tight fitting lid.  Drizzle oil mixture over crackers.

I can't begin to tell you how YUMMY these are... but they are NOT ready yet!  Place lid on container.  Roll the container every 15 minutes until the oil is absorbed.  Then, enjoy!  Nesi gives these FIVE WAGS!

Enjoy!

Aimee

Marion's Roast

Marion says she got this recipe from Aunt Nettie, who was a GREAT cook!  Aunt Nettie would scream when she heard of anyone cooking a roast in the oven.  You must cook your roast on the stove!  And, never use a stainless steel pot… instead use a Magnalite pot and risk Alzheimer’s disease!  And, never use Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil… instead, use Crisco Shortening.  And, never use a jar of garlic… instead, use fresh garlic.  WOW!  Cooking is complicated.   Here's a photo... what I would have used vs Marion's recommendations! 

Craig and I have very fond memories of this roast… Marion would often send a freezer bag of roast and gravy to Covington with Todd… and we would feast like kings! 

First, the ingredients:

·         2 – 3 lb eye of the round roast

·         Garlic

·         Red pepper

·         Black pepper

·         Salt

·         Onion

·         Crisco shortening

·         Flour

·         Water

Now, the directions (dictated by Marion): 

Rinse the roast (is that Marion, or what?!?) and pat it dry with a paper towel.  Tear off wax paper and put it on your counter.  Put the roast on the wax paper.  Put three piles on the wax paper:  one little pile of black pepper, another pile of crushed red pepper, and a third pile of about 20 garlic toes.  Also, have your salt shaker handy. 

With a sharp paring knife, punch holes in your roast.  As you punch, put a garlic toe in the hole.  Then, use your finger to put red pepper in the hole.  In addition to the garlic and red pepper, add a tiny bit of salt and black pepper to some of the holes.

Add about 3 tbls of Crisco shortening to your Magnalite pot.  Get the grease hot and brown the roast on all sides.  Get it very brown.  The “gook” that forms in the bottom of the pot is what makes the gravy dark and good!  After the roast is brown all over, add some hot water to cover about ¼ of the roast.

Turn the fire down to about medium, cover and cook for about two hours.  If the water gets low while cooking, add more.  Don’t burn your roast! 

After about two hours, let the water boil out and take the roast out of the pot.  (It will be “gooky” again because you boiled the water out.)  Add one chopped onion to the gook.  Brown (don’t burn, just lightly brown them) the onions… you may need to add one or two tablespoons of water to keep the onions from burning.    

Add a mixture of 2 tbls flour and a cup of water to the onions.  This makes your gravy.  Less flour means thin gravy and more flour means thicker gravy.  Add more water if necessary.  Go by size of roast and personal taste. 

Slice your roast with an electric slicer and add back to the gravy.

Serve over rice with your favorite vegetable.  We didn't cook rice (didn't want the carbs) but we had a nice spinach salad and peas...

Nesi is our critic... she give OUR attempt four wags (maximum of five).  It is very delicious and actually does taste like Marion's... but it's not as tender. (To view Nesi's rating, click the triangle to the left below the image.) 

Tomorrow we might use the leftovers with BBQ sauce for delicious poboys.  And, the roast freezes well for months! 

I can't wait to see what's next... if you cook one of Marion's recipes, be sure and let me know!  Send the documentation and I'll post it on our blog! 

Love,

Aimee

Marion's Favorite Recipes

I couldn't stand it!  Everyone is blogging about cooking in our family... and I want to join in the fun.  I've been begging Marion for years to put together a cookbook for us, so now I have an idea!  Marion will send me recipes and one of us will cook it, photo it, and blog about it!  WOO HOO!

So, Marion, send me the first recipe for our new blog!

Love,

Aimee