Hush Puppies
Great served with fried fish!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Cornmeal
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Sugar
¾ Teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Beaten Egg
½ Cup Sour Milk or Buttermilk
¼ Cup Sliced Green Onion
Cooking Oil For Deep Fat Frying
In a medium bowl stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside. In a separate medium bowl combine the egg, sour milk or butter milk and green onion. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened and make sure not to over-mix. The batter should be lumpy. Drop the batter by tablespoons into the deep hot oil. The oil should be at least 375° F. Fry for 3 minutes until golden brown and turn once. Drain on paper towels and serve warm. Makes 15 Hush Puppies
Southern Fried Catfish
Southern Fried Catfish is great Soul Food and great for the soul! The ultimate comfort food!
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Fresh Catfish Fillets
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Beaten Egg
3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Milk
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Cup Coarsely Crushed Pretzels
2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
1 Lemon Sliced Thin
Please use fresh catfish for this dish! Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into four serving sized pieces in need be. Place the flour in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish combine the egg, mustard, milk and pepper. Beat with a whisk until smooth. In a third shallow dish (yeah, I know, lots of dishes) place the coarsely crushed pretzels. Coat both sides of the fillets with flour. Dip the fillets in the mustard mixture and coat with crushed pretzels. In a large skillet cook the fish in the hot oil over a medium heat for 4 minutes per side until golden brown and the fish begins to flake when tested with a fork. Reduce the heat if necessary to prevent burning. Serve with lemon slices. Serves 4
Victoria’s Mojo Burritos
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Ground Sirloin
1 Large Chopped Onion
1 Small Chopped Green Sweet Pepper
1 Clove Minced Garlic
¼ Cup Beer
1 Tablespoon Hot Chili Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Cup Cooked Rice
4 Ounce Can Diced Green Chile Peppers Drain or
4 Ounces Fresh Diced Green Chile Peppers
1 Large Chopped Tomato
8 Ten Inch Flour Tortillas
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
2 Cups Shredded Lettuce
Guacamole
Salsa
For the filling: In a large skillet cook the ground sirloin, onion, sweet pepper and garlic until the meat is brown and the onion is tender. Drain off the fat. Stir in the beer, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook for 5 minutes until most of the beer has evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked rice and chile peppers. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas tightly in foil. Heat a preheated 350° F oven for 10 minutes to soften. When you are ready to fill the tortillas, remove only half of them from the oven at a time. Keep the remaining tortillas warm in the oven. Spoon about ½ cup filling onto each tortilla just below the center. Top the filling with cheese and tomato. Fold the bottom edge of each tortilla up and over the filling. Fold the opposite sides in and over filling. Roll up the bottom and secure with wooden toothpicks if needed. Makes 8 delicious Mojo Burritos!
Chunky Guacamole
Don’t buy that horrible premade guacamole that you find expiring in the grocer’s refrigerated section. It’s easy to make your own and so much better. The secret to what makes my Chunky Guacamole so good is the lime juice. Lemons and limes are kitchen essentials.
INGREDIENTS
2 Medium Chopped Roma Tomatoes
1/4 Finely Chopped Red Onion
3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Seeded & Chopped Jalapeno Chile
1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Clove Minced Garlic
2 Ripe Mashed Avocados
Tortilla Chips
In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, jalapeno and sour cream. Gently stir in the mashed avocados. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 2 cups
Gelato Affogato
Gelato Affogato means “drowned” gelato in Italian. A coffee based dessert that consists of a scoop of vanilla gelato topped with a shot of hot espresso. Some people also include a shot of Amaretto or dark rum.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pints Vanilla Gelato (or Ice Cream)
1 Cup Hot Espresso
3 Tablespoons of Amaretto or Dark Rum
Scoop the gelato or ice cream into six small goblets. Stir together the hot coffee and liqueur. Slowly pour the coffee over the gelato and serve immediately. Serves 6
Victoria’s Chocolate Chip Bars
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Softened Butter
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 ¼ Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
12 Ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Combine the flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Next, add the vanilla and chocolate chips. With your hands knead until smooth and place in an ungreased 8 inch glass baking dish. Pat the dough down so that it is even. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut dough into bars while still warm. Let cool another 10 minutes and remove from baking dish to a serving plate. Makes 15
Chicken Scallopini
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
4 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour (Divided)
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Chili Powder
½ Cup Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Drained Capers
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
One at a time, put chicken breast between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to ¼ inch thickness. Combine 3 tablespoons flour, black pepper and chili powder on a shallow plate. Dip the chicken breasts in the flour mixture and lightly coat both sides. Combine the chicken stock, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon flour and capers in a small bowl. In a large skillet heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat. Put the chicken in the hot pan (in a single layer) and cook 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook another 2 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Repeat with the remaining chicken and brush the pan with ½ teaspoon of the olive oil each time you add the chicken pieces. This will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan. Stir the stock mixture and pour into the skillet. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes until thickened. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour the sauce over the chicken breast. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Steak Au Poivre
It is thought that Steak au Poivre descended from what is known as Steak Diane. Some food historians believe that the origins can be traced to Leopold I of Germany in 1790. There are quite a few chefs who claim to have created this dish in either Paris or Monte Carlo. This steak is covered with coarsely ground pepper before sautéing or broiling. Steak au Poivre is usually finished either by topping it with a chunk of butter or by making a simple sauce from the pan drippings. You can serve with mashed potatoes or pomme frites. You most likely may find this dish in traditional French restaurants.
INGREDIENTS
Four 1” Thick Strip Steaks
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Chopped Shallots
¼ Cup Butter That Is Cut Into 2 Pieces
½ Cup Cognac
¾ Cup Heavy Cream
Salt & pepper both sides of each steak. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over a high heat and sauté the steaks (2 at a time) for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a heatproof dish and keep them warm in the oven at 175° F. Pour out any leftover liquid from the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Next add the shallots to the skillet along with 1 piece of butter and sauté for 5 minutes until cooked. Very carefully add the Cognac and bring to a boil for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. The Cognac may flame so be careful. Stir in the cream and the other piece of butter. Heat through and stir constantly. Serve the sauce over the steaks immediately. Serves 4
Old Fashioned Peppermint Ice Cream
In 1810 Peppermint Schnaps was invented by Paris candy maker, Francois Nicolas, to put on ice cream. Apparently, Napolean’s wife, Austrian Marie Louise Duchess of Parma, took the recipe back to Austria where it became popular as an ice cream dessert as well as a drink.
INGREDIENTS
4 Egg Yolks
1 ½ Cups Half & Half
1 Cups Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 cups Whipping Cream
4 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Good Quality Crushed Peppermint Candy Pieces
In a heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, half & half, sugar and salt. Cook and stir over a low heat until the mixture reaches 160° F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and place the pan in a bowl of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes. Next, stir in the whipping cream and the vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. If you have time let it refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and fill the cylinder of the ice cream freezer 2/3 full. Make sure to refrigerate any of the remaining mixture until ready to freeze. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Stir in the peppermint candy pieces. Pour into a storage container and place in the freezer 2 to 4 hours before serving. Serves 8
Peach Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Chopped Fresh Peaches
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Whole Milk
2 Large Beaten Eggs
1 Tablespoons Vanilla
2 Cups Half & Half
Combine the peaches with ¼ cup of the sugar and chill in the refrigerator. In the meantime combine 1 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch and salt in a medium sized saucepan. Slowly add the milk and to the sugar mixture and cook over a medium low heat. Stir constantly for 20 minutes until thickened. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and then add ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk. Next add the egg mixture to the saucepan containing the milk mixture and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla and half & half. Stir in the peaches and then freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s directions. If you need to do this in batches then go ahead. When done freeze in your freezer until ready to serve. Serves 8
