Oatmeal Fig Squares

1¼ cup all purpose flour
1¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup sugar
¾ cup butter, melted
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
12 oz fig mincemeat
½ cup flaked coconut


Heat oven to 350º; grease 13x9 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, butter, baking soda and vanilla and mix on low speed until crumbly. Save out one cup of mixture and press remaining in the bottom of the greased baking dish. Spread fig mincemeat over top and sprinkle with 1 cup of crumb mixture and top with coconut. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Fig preserves, raspberry preserves, strawberry preserves can also be used.




© Crackerberries 2011

Turkey Fried Rice

Fried rice can be made with just about anything you have on hand. I find the best way to do it is to always have some white rice already made and then you just add veggies of your choice and a few spices to it; presto, instant side dish.

3 cups cooked white rice
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup frozen peas
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup cooked turkey
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste


Prepare the ingredients you will use before you start cooking. In wok, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil; cook egg and garlic until egg sets. Remove from wok and chop into pieces; set aside. Add remaining vegetable oil and heat on medium high; stir fry carrots, celery, leeks for about 2 minutes or until tender. Add rice stirring until grains separate; reduce heat slightly and add peas and turkey and soy sauce. Cook until thoroughly heated and add egg, stir well, serve hot.


© Crackerberries 2011

Classic Italian Garlic Bread

My mom bought me a bread machine at a yard sale for $5. It’s my favorite kitchen appliance. This is one of our preferred bread machine recipes. You can make up a batch, split it, freeze half of it, and have it for a later meal.

1 cup water (70º-80º)
2 Tbsp butter flavored Crisco
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
3¼ cups flour
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp rosemary leaves
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
¼ tsp garlic powder
2¼ tsp yeast

Kosher salt
Melted butter
Italian seasoning



Place first 12 ingredients in bread machine in order listed. Select dough setting. When cycle is complete turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Divide dough into portions…shape into balls or rolls. Place on greased baking sheets and cover with towel; let rise in warm place until double in size (about 30 minutes). Bake at 375º for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with kosher salt and Italian seasoning before serving.

If freezing, let thaw in refrigerator, then divide, place on baking sheets to rise, bake as directed.

© Crackerberries 2011

Meatball Veggie Bake

¾ lb burger
1 egg
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
½ tsp marjoram
1 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup milk
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp gravy master
2 large potatoes
2-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt
1 medium onion
4 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
6 oz sweet petites carrots
1 cup frozen peas

Combine burger, egg, bread crumbs, marjoram and BBQ sauce together in bowl and mix well. Shape into 20-two inch meatballs. In large skillet, brown meatballs in vegetable oil on all sides. Remove meatballs from skillet, reserving 1 tbsp of grease.

Wash, peel and cube potatoes; cook with garlic in water until done well enough to mash/whip. In mixing bowl, mash or whip the potatoes with ¼ cup of the chopped onion and Lawry’s seasoning salt and a little bit of milk. Set aside.

Cook carrots and peas; drain; set aside.

Using 1tbsp grease, cook the remaining chopped onion and mushrooms in the skillet, just until tender. Add cream of mushroom soup, milk and nutmeg and heat until thick and bubbly.

Place meatballs in well greased 3quart casserole dish around the outside. Place carrots and peas in the center and pour mushroom mixture over top. Scoop potatoes strategically around the casserole; bake 375º for 45 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


© Crackerberries 2011

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