What's in the oven?

There was a creative wind blowing through Biggs Manor today...and the need to use up some freshly roasted and pureed pumpkin. What was supposed to be an hour effort ended up taking all darn afternoon, but the recipe had a nice little surprise--a marshmallow top between the cream cheese frosting and pumpkin goodness. I'd make them again, but I'd be sure I had the proper time to devote to them first. Brought them to the church function tonight, and every one of them dissappeared! See the full recipe here for Jack-O-Lantern Cookies.

Cinnamon Spiced Chili

Along with anything pumpkin, I think cool fall days scream for a nice hot bowl of chili. I especially like aromatic chilies--ones with lots and lots of good seasonings in them. While it will feel like you are dumping the whole of your spice cabinet into the pot with this recipe, I assure you, the results are worth it!

If you've been following this blog at all, you know I can't leave anything well enough alone. When I made this yesterday, instead of using three pounds of ground beef, I used one and the equivalent of four cans of beans. Or you can soak a bag of beans overnight, boil, and put them in.




CINNAMON SPICED CHILI

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3 lbs ground beef

48 ox tomato juice

3 T instant onion flakes

2 T garlic powder

1 T chili powder

1 T ground cumin

1 T paprika

½ tsp thyme

1.2 tsp ground red pepper

¼ tsp marjoram

¼ tsp oregano

½ tsp cinnamon

12 whole cloves

1 bay leaves

0-7 whole 1” dried chili peppers

¼ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp rosemary

0-1 qt water

1 T salt

Brown ground beef and drain. Place back in stock pot and add al lthe remaining ingredients except the water. Cook for three hous adding water a little at a time as necessary. This chili should not be too thick. You can cook on the stovetop or in the oven at 350. Crock pot should also work well. Freezes extremely well and doubles well.

We love this with kidney beans served over spaghetti, chopped onion, grated cheese and oyster crackers. I also have a fondness for chopped avocado or guacamole and sour cream in my chili—a fondness not shared by Mr. Biggs!

Glazed Apple Bread

I really try to cook seasonally; when apples are $1 a pound, I can't help but buy them up. And then watch them sit on the counter because I forget they are there. When I do notice said apples, I am usually in a mad rush to use them all up before they go bad. And what better way to use up fruit then putting in a bread? I can't recall where this particular recipe came from, but I can tell you that I can't wait to make it again! This last time, I put it into muffin tins (makes a dozen) instead of a bread pan and didn't glaze them. They don't rise very much, so make sure you fill them up real full if you do it this way. If you're not one for sweets, you could easily half the sugar in these and still come out fine.



GLAZED APPLE BREAD

½ cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 cups unbleached flour
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 T milk
½ c raisins
2 large apples, finely chopped
½ c walnuts, chopped

glaze:
½ c powdered sugar
1 T water
2 T melted butter

Combine oil, sugar and vanilla and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add milk, raisins, apples, nuts and dry ingredients to mixture and stir only until flour is well dampened. Bake in well-greased loaf pan for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool; remove from pan. Combine glaze ingredients; mix well and pour over loaf. Let glaze set before wrapping loaf tightly. Best if made day prior to serving.

Aunt Phyllis’ Phantastic Crawfish Pie

My Aunt Phyllis is my father's twin sister, and the idyllic Southern lady. I love listening to her soft, genteel southern draw, great stories, and so enjoy the sense of welcome she always exudes. She's one of those people you want to be around because they always make you feel so special! She's also a great cook on top of being a great hostess; this recipe comes from her kitchen. I even watched her make this one day, crust and all!

Now, here in middle-of-nowhere Georgia, crawfish are a might hard to come by, seeing how they aren't stocked in Wal-Mart. I had to make a few adjustments on my own: you can substitute two good sized chicken breasts and half a pound of smoked sausage (both fully cooked and finely diced!) for the crawfish if you can't find them. I KNEW this one was good when the hubby insisted I put this one up for everyone to see! While I was lazy and used a frozen rolled crust, there is a phabulous recipe from my Grandma Nita included as well for the pie crust.

PHYLLIS' PHANTASTIC CRAWFISH PIE

2 lbs. boiled and peeled crawfish tails

1 large onion, shopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

8 toes garlic, chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can evaporated milk

5 Tbsp. corn starch

Tony Chacachere”s seasoning to taste

3 generous shakes of Worchestershire Sauce

1 can corn, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make your pie crust using your favorite recipe, frozen, or pre-made sheets. Drain the water out of the crawfish if you’re using frozen making sure the bag is totally defrosted. The pie will be too soupy if you take this precaution. Chop the crawfish tails into small pieces. Saute’ onions, bell pepper, and celery. This combination is called the “holy trinity” in Louisiana. Add the garlic. Add milk and mushroom soup; bring to boil. Add crawfish and bring to a medium boil. Add corn starch to thicken and cook for ten minutes. When the mixture thickens to correct consistency, pour into 9”pie shell; bake for 30 minutes. Serves six.

ANITA'S PERFECT PIE CRUST

3 cups flour, sifted

1 cup Crisco shortening

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 egg added to milk to make ½ cup

Use the blades of an electric mixer to cut the flour, baking powder and salt into the shortening. Add the egg/milk mixture stirring gently with a fork. Chill before rolling out for pie tins. Makes four 9” pie shells.

What to do about those Gators...eat them, maybe??

Aside from my love of cooking and driving need to share good food with those I love on a very public forum, I'm writing this blog to aid in publication of my cookbook that I distribute to friends and family every few years or so. We've got a lot of family that likes to dabble in the kitchen...and they were nice enough to send me recipes for said cookbook. I'm sharing them here, even though I won't be making some of them--Scott's allergic to shrimp. He about died when it happened. Not literally, but he is really really upset he can't eat shrimp anymore.

This particular morsel comes from my cousin Scott from the Louisiana contingent. It looks like a mighty fine example of southern cooking, and I believe it would even do Paula Deen proud!


ALLIGATOR SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP CHEESECAKE APPETIZER

Servings : 12
Yield : 1 Pie

1 1/3 Cup Plain Bread Crumbs
2/3 Parmesan Cheese (I recommend you grate this yourself)
4 oz. unsalted butter (melted…slowly – don’t let it break)
1 ½ pounds Cream Cheese – softened
3-4 eggs (use 3 if they are really large 4 if they are smaller)
2/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/3 Cup Smoked Gouda Cheese (Grated)
1 Medium Onion (diced)
½ ea. Green Bell Pepper finely diced
½ ea. Yellow Bell Pepper finely diced
½ ea. Red Bell Pepper finely diced
½ pound Alligator Sausage. Diced (You can sub Andouille or other smoked sausage if you can’t find Alligator sausage)
1/3 Can Green Chili Peppers diced (I use the 4oz cans)
½ Pound Gulf Shrimp diced
Pinch of Salt
½ Tbs. Fajita Magic (or any other Southwest Fajita Seasoning)
½ Tbs. Chipotle powder

1. Mix breadcrumbs and Parm cheese, add melted butter and mix well. Press into a 10 or 12 inch spring form cheesecake pan. Bake 10 min in a 400 degree preheated oven to set the crust. Remove and set aside.

2. Whisk cream cheese until smooth, add eggs, whisk, and add heavy cream and Grated Gouda. And set aside.

3. Saute vegetables with spices until soft. Pour off excess liquid if any. Add shrimp and cook until just done. Add Sausage and chili peppers and cook for 1 min. fold this into cream cheese mixture. When done – pour this into the spring-form pan. (Wrap foil around the pan to prevent leakage)

4. Bake in a water bath (a 2 inch hotel pan filled approx 1/3) in a 450 degree oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

5. Remove from oven when and inserted knife is clean and the filling is set. Cool to cut

6. Remove from spring form pan – unlatch and VERY slowly twist as you lift – it should come right off with minimum tearing. Cut into 12 pieces.

ZUPA!

And no, not the gumbo variety. Although I promise, soon. I have been trying to make these recipes before I post them, and well, gumbo is a big job. I'm going to have to have a ham and a turkey for dinner before I start making it and I just haven't been motivated!

This is a two for one post, as I have two very similar recipes to share. Several years ago when the South Beach Diet thing was all the rage, I was poor and trying to diet along with some of my nearest and dearest (sister-in-law.) The original pepperoni bean soup was a huge huge hit for economy, flavor, and the fact that it conveniently fit into the diet plan. Although we've reintroduced too many carbs to our ongoing diets, we still love to make this soup when there's a chill in the air. Fills the belly and warms the soul.

Yesterday I ran across the turkey sausage with beans recipe and couldn't help but dink with it (because I was out of stuff and couldn't find other stuff locally.) Anyway, we ended up with a very different recipe from the printed version, but one that strangely reminded us of the pepperoni bean soup with fewer ingredients and a nice flavor twist. And again, tastes great, cheap to make, and good for your waistline!


PEPPERONI BEAN SOUP

2 cans Kidney Beans
1 can Black Beans
1 can White Beans
1 15oz can Chicken Broth
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can Rotel "Chili Fixins" (tomatoes and spices)
1 package Hormel Turkey Pepperoni
Italian seasoning to taste
Tony’s seasoning to taste
Garlic to taste
Shredded Mozzarella for garnish

Dump it all in a pot, heat it up, serve it with a little shredded mozzarella on top.


SAUSAGE WITH BEAN SOUP

1 lb turkey sausage, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
2 T minced garlic
1 15-oz can canelli beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes OR 3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 package fresh spinach
salt and pepper

In a medium-large pot, brown the turkey sausage and garlic on medium-high. Add the canelli beans through red pepper simmer for 1 hour on low heat. Add the spinach, salt and pepper to taste and cook for an additional 5 to 8 minutes until the spinach is thoroughly wilted. Serves 6 with some crusty bread as an accompaniment.

Spinach and Ham Quiche, eh?

Around our house, if you want Maddie to eat something, you put it in a quiche or a quesidilla. At 2 years old, this was her hands-down favorite dish, and to this day you ask her what she wants for dinner and she says "quiche." I'll raise a foodie yet. :)

*If you want to make this one lower fat, do a phyllo crust. One sheet of phyllo in the pie pan, sprinkle on some bread crumbs, another sheet turned 90 degrees...repeat 5 times.

SPINACH AND BACON QUICHE

1 pre-made 9" deep dish pie crust, thawed (I prefer the rolled variety)
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup onion
1 T minced garlic
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 cup canadian bacon, cut into small pieces (a whole package usually does it)
1/2 bag fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste (usually determined by the amount of salt in the bacon)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. When fragrant, add the onion and garlic; saute until translucent and set to the side. In a large bowl, mix the eggs and milk together. Add the italian seasoning, bacon, spinach, cheese and onion/garlic mixture and combine. Pour this into the prepared pie shell and bake for 1 hour or until the center no longer jiggles.

BEST Ever Banana Bread

This was the first recipe I ever developed on my own. It's definitely a keeper...my husband to this day refuses to eat the bananas I buy just so they'll rot on the counter so I'll have to make banana bread!


PAULA'S BEST-EVER BANANA BREAD

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 mashed bananas
½ cup sour milk (use 1 T white vinegar to sour, or use buttermilk)
2 c flour
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and mix well. Combine milk and bananas with mixture. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and blend well. Bake in 1 loaf pan for 70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.