Nacho Fiesta Scallop Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, washed and thinly sliced
1 cup milk
1 10¾ oz can Fiesta Nacho soup
1 onion diced

Mix milk and soup together.

Place half of the potatoes in a well greased 1½ quart casserole dish. Spread half of the onions over the potatoes and pour half of the soup mixture over the top. Repeat layers.

Bake at 350º covered for 45 minutes.

Remove cover and bake 50-60 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and top is browned.

Let stand ten minutes before serving.

(Optional: sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and a tablespoon of pimentos just before serving.)

© Crackerberries 2011

Captain Morgan's Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 9-inch pie crust, pressed into 9-inch pie plate, do not bake.

Filling

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup light corn syrup

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

1 tbsp. Captain Morgan’s spiced rum

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Filling: Combine eggs, corn syrup, sugars, melted butter, rum, vanilla & salt in large bowl. Blend well. Stir in pecans and mix well. Spoon into unbaked pie crust and bake for 15 minutes at 350°; remove from oven and cover pie crust edges with tin foil to prevent overbrowning. Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Topping:

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 tbsp. butter or margarine

3 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. Captain Morgan’s spiced rum

1 ½ cups pecan halves

 

Combine brown sugar, margarine, honey and rum in sauce pan; cook for about 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Add pecan halves. Stir until coated; spoon over pie. Bake 20 minutes until topping is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate leftover.

 

 

 

© Crackerberries 2011

Turkey Spinacia

6 oz vermicelli, cooked and drained
2 cups cooked, sliced turkey
½ onion, sliced half wise
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp basil leaves
½ cup chicken broth
4 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
6 oz fresh baby spinach
8 oz sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 cups cooked turkey
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese




Sauté garlic and onions in olive oil until onions are opaque. Add mushrooms and water chestnuts and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add turkey and chicken broth and cook just until warmed; add spinach and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Spoon over cooked pasta; sprinkle with Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.



© Crackerberries 2011

Fig Mincemeat Muffins

Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a muffin {from an old radio station I used to listen to…intro for Darrell Martinie - the cosmic muffin} -- and he always ended his predictions with "It's a wise man who rules the stars; it's a fool who's ruled by them. Over and out." He died of cancer in 2006.

This one’s for you, Muffin.



1¼ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
8 oz fig mincemeat


Preheat oven to 400º.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Using a small bowl or large measuring cup, blend together the milk, egg, and vegetable oil. Pour in the center of the dry ingredients all at once and mix just until moist. Mixture will be stiff.

Using small ice cream scoop, spoon 2 Tbsp of mixture into each of 12 greased muffin tins. Top with 1 Tbsp of fig mincemeat and then distribute the remaining muffin mix over the top of the mincemeat. Bake at 400º for 18-22 minutes. Remove from tins and cool on wire racks a few minutes before serving warm.


© Crackerberries 2011

PHOENIX BBQ!

PHOENIX {RACE DAY} BBQ {AKA - Dug's Spicy BBQ Sauce}

Race day is always a big day for eating and when the temperature hits 80º outside, it makes us want to spark up the grill and bring out the chicken!



3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3 cloves garlic
½ cup chopped onion
6 oz tomato paste
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1 tsp ground rosemary leaves
½ cup dark karo syrup
8 oz beer
4 oz red wine






Combine peppers, garlic and onion in food chopper/processer together. Add to medium size sauce pan with all other ingredients. Bring to boil over medium heat stirring frequently. Once mixture boils, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. (Breathe in that steam and it will clean out your sinuses).

Let cool completely. Marinate chicken (or other meat) in one cup of sauce for 3 hours. Cook meat on grill, basting with remaining sauce generously. This has quite a bite so be sure to have plenty of cool beverages to drink with it.


© Crackerberries 2011

Dug's Super Spicy Honey Roasted Peanuts

16 oz raw peanuts
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup honey
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp vanilla
1tsp kosher salt, plus some
¼ cup sugar





Preheat oven to 325º. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine butter, honey, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla in sauce pan (or microwaveable dish) and heat until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Add peanuts and stir until well combined. Spread mixture on cookie sheet.

Bake peanuts for 35 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes. Make sure to stir the ones on the outside to the inside because they will get crispier faster. Remove from oven final time and stir to distribute sauce evenly.

Sprinkle with sugar and a little more kosher salt. Once they have cooled a few minutes place on parchment paper on counter to cool completely. You will have to stir and break apart clumps; store in air tight container at room temperature.


© Crackerberries 2011

BANANA SALAD

Bananas, vinegar, peanuts and an egg…all good for you; put them together with a few other ingredients and wham-bam! My friend, Jody Kusant made this versatile recipe that you can eat for breakfast, or a snack in the middle of the day, it even works as a delectable dessert and it will cure that midnight belly craving too.

1 egg
1 tsp butter
1 scant cup sugar
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp evaporated milk and or half & half
¼ cup peanuts
3-4 bananas



Beat egg well; add butter, sugar, vinegar and water and mix well. Cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens (STIRRING CONSTANTLY); will thicken more as it cools. Cool, add milk. Pour over sliced bananas (used three today, but you can use more) and sprinkle with honey roasted peanuts. Toss lightly; will keep in refrigerator for several days.


© Crackerberries 2011

"RED THINGS" [AKA Boneless Chinese Spareribs]

{AKA Boneless Chinese Spareribs}

This recipe is for my kids. They used to (probably still do) call Chinese boneless spareribs “red things”. They always wanted the “red things”. Here they are… homemade and very close to the real thing.

12 oz pork loin strip, sliced into ½ inch strips
¼ cup green tomato cranberry sauce
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp honey


Combine all ingredients in large bowl or zip lock bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or over night.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Carefully place strips on roasting rack and place rack over roasting pan with at least an inch of water. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and re-baste ribs with remaining marinade. Increase temperature to 375º and bake an additional 30 minutes. Serve with homemade hot mustard [equal portions of dry Colman’s mustard mixed with water].


© Crackerberries 2011

Baked Stuffed Shells

14-18 uncooked jumbo pasta shells, cooked, rinsed & drained
12 oz ricotta cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 16 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 egg
16 oz pasta sauce
Italian seasoning

Combine ricotta and egg and blend well. Add parmesan, spinach and one cup of mozzarella cheese and mix well. Spoon mixture into cooled pasta shells; place in greased baking dish. Pour pasta sauce over shells, sprinkle with remaining one cup mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning and bake at 350º 45 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with salad or meatballs.



© Crackerberries 2011

TERIYAKI TURKEY SALAD

1 turkey breast, cooked, sliced thickly
½ cup teriyaki sauce
5 Romaine lettuce leaves, washed & dried with paper towel
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup chopped leek
4 sweet colored peppers, sliced
Fresh ground pepper


Marinate turkey breast in teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes, drain sauce. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and in lightly oiled cast iron fry pan, grill turkey just until warmed. Layer lettuce leaves, leeks, tomatoes and pepper and top with turkey. Serve with favorite dressing and garlic sticks.



© Crackerberries 2011

STROMBOLI — the Crackerberries way...

1 pizza dough or frozen bread dough, thawed
Pulled chicken (recipe to follow)
2 Tbsp chopped chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce
3 Tbsp chopped green chilies
1½ cup shredded cheddar
Pepper to taste

Roll out pizza dough; spread all ingredients over top. Roll up into bread shape; may have to curve to accommodate pizza stone. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and slice. Serve with a side of dipping sauce.

Pulled Chicken -- AKA the Chris-topper


2 lbs chicken pieces, skinned
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp allspice
½ red onion, chopped
¼ cup water

Combine all ingredients in lightly greased crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours. Remove chicken from pot and pull meat off bones. Return meat to crock pot and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes. This recipe can be put on top of rice or pasta, put on pizza, put in calzones or made into sandwiches. It’s a versatile recipe.





© Crackerberries 2011

Pork & Spinach Mélange

1 lb pork tenderloin cut into strips
16 oz frozen spinach
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 leek, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
3 cups cooked white rice

Marinate pork in teriyaki sauce while cooking rice. Combine chicken broth and corn starch in small bowl; mix well and set aside. Sauté pork and leeks in vegetable oil using large wok; cook about 5-7 minutes. Add spinach and cook until hot. Create well in middle of mélange and add chicken broth mixture, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture bubbles and then blend into spinach and pork. Serve hot over rice.



© Crackerberries 2011

Turkey Tetrazzini

8 oz linguine cooked according to package instructions, drained; keep warm ¼ cup unsalted butter
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
½ cup green chilies
1 leek, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pepper
3 cups cooked turkey
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 350º.

Combine flour and ¼ cup of the chicken broth until smooth.

In Dutch oven sauté celery, leeks and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until tender. Reduce heat and stir in flour mixture; cook one minute until smooth and bubbly; gradually add remaining chicken broth, stirring constantly. Cook and stir constantly until mixture boils and thickens; about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, chilies, turkey, nutmeg and pepper. Add linguine and toss to mix. Spoon into a 3 quart ungreased baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Garnish with celery leaves (optional) before serving. Yield: 8 servings




© Crackerberries 2011