Southern Yankee Quesadillas

So my husband says the south thinks that us northerners are rude because we give a yes or no answer and don't elaborate.  My husband and I are from the north, Maine to be specific.  Now we are from the south (home is where your heart is, right?)   I think the south has stereo typed the north and the north has stereo typed the south.  I think I should have been from the south because I have never been good at just "yes" or just "no" ... I always give way more information than is necessary.  Do you see what I'm saying here?  Anyways, here's today's recipe... I call it southern yankee ... as long as it tastes good, does it matter what came first? The chicken or the egg?

6 flour tortillas (I make my own so I can make them thicker than the ones bought at the store.

1½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups chili pepper in adobo sauce

1 lb sirloin tip, sliced into ¼ inch strips

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 medium green pepper, julienned

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

½ cup teriyaki sauce

3-4 shakes angostura bitters

Combine teriyaki sauce and angostura bitters and pour over sirloin.  Let stand at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, marinating. 

Preheat large electric fry pan or griddle to 400º.  Cook tortillas 1-1½ minute per side to brown.

Heat oil in large skillet; add garlic first and cook 2-3 minutes then add onion and green pepper and cook 2-3 minutes longer.  Drain off any liquid from sirloin and add meat to skillet; cook 5-8 minutes until there is no pink left.

Place three tortillas on cookie sheets side by side.  Distribute meat mixture onto each tortilla.  Sprinkle with cheese and spoon 1-2 tablespoons of sauce over each.  Top with remaining tortillas.

Place in preheated 400º oven and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Remove and cut into fourths; serve with leftover chili sauce, sour cream, ranch dressing, etc.

© Crackerberries 2011

Flipside Pie

20-25 garlic herb flipside pretzel crackers, crushed to crumbs

¼ cup butter, melted

1 cup mayonnaise/salad dressing

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp horseradish

1 large tomato, sliced

½ large Vidalia onion, chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced

3 slices American cheese

Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine the crumbs and butter together and press into the bottom of a greased pie plate.  In a small bowl blend the mayonnaise and salad dressing (you can use all of one or the other, I used equal portions of Duke’s light mayonnaise and light Miracle Whip), parmesan cheese and horse radish and mix well.  Start with a layer of chopped onions, then tomatoes, then zucchini and spoon dollops of sauce over top.  Place one slice of cheese over that and then repeat the layers ending with a little sauce and the last slice of cheese. 

Place in bottom rack of oven and bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes.  Cool slightly before serving.

© Crackerberries 2011

Big Boys Breakfast Casserole

This is also known as Moo-Chi-Pig Casserole that was posted two years ago. With the garden growing weeds faster than the veggies, my time spent in the kitchen is not as often as I would like.  I do plan to get some canning recipes on as soon as I start harvesting.  Stay tuned and enjoy this favorite recipe that hubby takes to share with his co-workers.

1 lb mild bulk pork sausage
1 16 oz pkg. cooked cubed ham
1 26 oz pkg. shredded hash browns
8 oz shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cup milk
1 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp Texas Pete
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp bacon bits
1 dozen eggs

Cook the sausage in large skillet until no longer pink; drain grease and cool completely. Spray large baking dish or lasagna pan with cooking oil. Spread uncooked hash browns in bottom of baking dish, spreading them up the sides to create a crust if you will.

Lay cubed ham over hash brown, then top with cooled sausage. You might also add cooked onion and green pepper (optional). Top with cheeses.

In large bowl, beat eggs and add milk, parmesan cheese, celery salt and Texas Pete; mix well. Pour over casserole. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Place in refrigerator over night. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake in 350º oven for one hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

© Crackerberries 2011

The Best Lasagna

Before you make the best lasagna you must spend a whole day making the best spaghetti sauce.   

1 package lasagna

15 oz ricotta cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup Romano cheese

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 eggs

1 Tbsp basil leaves

4 cups spaghetti sauce

In large bowl combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, Romano cheese, eggs and basil leaves; mix well. 

Cook lasagna according to package directions and drain.

Start with a layer of sauce on the bottom of a well grease lasagna pan.  Put a layer of noodles, then ricotta mixture, top with sauce and mozzarella cheese; layer three times with final topping being the mozzarella cheese.  Bake 350º for one hour; let stand 15 minutes before digging in.

© Crackerberries 2011

My Mom's Macaroni & Cheese

2 cups elbows macaroni
12 oz frozen broccoli  and cheese (Mom uses Bird’s Eye)
1 can of cheddar soup
8 slices American cheese
1 cup milk
¾ cup bread crumbs
3-4 Tbsp butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste




Cook elbows according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Cook broccoli according to package directions; in large bowl, combine broccoli, cheddar soup, milk and salt & pepper and mix well.

Using a well greased Dutch oven or 2 quart casserole dish, layer macaroni, 4 slices of the American cheese, 1/3 of the broccoli mixture and repeat layers ending with broccoli mixture.

In small bowl combine bread crumbs and butter. Spread over top of casserole. Bake in 350º oven for 45 minutes or until bubbly on top. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

© Crackerberries 2011

Moo-Chi-Pig Casserole

This is a great brunch or breakfast for a crowd. Made the night before leaves your morning open to relax, enjoy your coffee and company without slaving in the kitchen. Not only that, but it’s a pretty tasty casserole. Serve as is or add salsa or ketchup.

1 lb mild bulk pork sausage
1 16 oz pkg. cooked cubed ham
1 26 oz pkg. shredded hash browns
8 oz shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cup milk
1 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp Texas Pete
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp bacon bits
1 dozen eggs

Cook the sausage in large skillet until no longer pink; drain grease and cool completely. Spray large baking dish or lasagna pan with cooking oil. Spread uncooked hash browns in bottom of baking dish, spreading them up the sides to create a crust if you will.

Lay cubed ham over hash brown, then top with cooled sausage. You might also add cooked onion and green pepper (optional). Top with cheeses.

In large bowl, beat eggs and add milk, parmesan cheese, celery salt and Texas Pete; mix well. Pour over casserole. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Place in refrigerator over night. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake in 350º oven for one hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

© Crackerberries 2009

"It's Not Just A Snack Pita"

Have you ever had leftover Pita Pockets that are a little too stale to make sandwiches out of? When you go to put the ingredients in, they break and fall apart and you end up tossing them out to the birds. This is a real winner … almost as good as a big plate of Nacho’s. I think next time I will add black olives to the recipe.



Not Just a Snack Pita

¼ cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
¼ cup ranch dressing
¼ cup bacon bits
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese
3 6-inch round pita pockets

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine EVOO and ranch dressing in small bowl. Split apart the round pita pockets so that you have two rounds for each one. Cut each round into 8 wedges. Spread, rough side up, on greased cookie sheet. Brush each pita with the dressing mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon bits. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Serve with ranch dressing and mustard.


Caper Horseradish Mustard

2 Tbsp Horseradish mustard
2 Tbsp drained capers
2 Tbsp fresh chives
Combine all ingredients in small bowl and mix well.


© Crackerberries 2009