Italian Sausage Bites

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    After taking the summer off for vacations and multiple activities the girls and I finally got back together for a round of cards. It had been awhile, a long while. We had all kinds of things to catch up on. 
   One of our daughters had posted online a recipe for Crescent Sausage Bites - three ingredients and bake for 20 minutes. With too much to do and not enough time, this sounded good to me. This appetizer turned out to be easy, traveled well to the party and was given a thumbs up by the girls.
 
Italian Sausage Bites
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 tsp. roasted garlic
1/2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 (8 oz.) pkg. shredded Colby Jack or mozzarella
2 pkg. Pillsbury garlic butter crescent rolls
dash salt and ground black pepper
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese for topping

In a small pan, brown sausage; drain. Add roasted garlic and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir. Blend in cream cheese until it's melted. Add shredded cheese and stir to blend. 

Remove from heat. (This will look like a gooey glob, but that's OK.)

Unroll one package of crescent rolls and put on a baking sheet. Press the seams together to seal them. Spread the sausage/cheese mixture evenly over the crescent roll dough, leaving about a 1/4-inch border around the edge.

Unroll the other package of rolls and place on top of the sausage mixture. Press the edges together to seal and then press the seams on top together. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese.



Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until crescent roll dough is golden but not brown.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Pie

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    One of the most notable things about small towns is the way they come together for a cause. It might be a parade when the high school teams win or it could be a fundraiser or benefit for a sudden, sad loss. Both through good times and bad times small communities band together.
   With the loss of Sam Johnson and his food truck, "Oh Taste and Sea," some local restaurant owners came together to organize a fundraiser for Sam's family. What started off as a few local food places donating some items for a meal grew into many restaurant owners in the area pitching in to create a benefit buffet for Sam and his family.
   The event was amazing. All said and done over 600 people passed through the food line that night. Many others just left donations at the pick up window of Dick Clark's restaurant. Only in a small town can you find this kind of care and support.
   Brynn from Broadway House Bistro was nice enough to keep sharing and passed on this recipe of her mother's that is just decadent. It's similar to a black forest pie but uses white chocolate. Her dad Jeff says it taste like a cherry cordial. Here's a great way to toast in the year.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Pie
courtesy of Brynn at Broadway House Bistro, Princeton, IN
9 inch chocolate cookie crust
16 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
6 or 8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 can cherry fruit pie filling

1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract in large bowl until creamy.
2. Melt white chocolate in microwave and add to cream cheese mixture.
3. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.
4. Fold whipped topping into mixture.
5. Pour evenly onto crust.
6. Spoon pie filling on top.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Enjoy!!

Oyster Soup

    One weekend we stopped in to visit my sister-in-law while her hubby was cooking up a pot of oyster stew. I had a serious flashback to childhood - of oysters. Since my mother was part of such a large family (she's one of eight), their side of the family did a soup dinner a few weeks before Thanksgiving. It was vegetable soup, chili and oyster stew. As a child I tried oysters, but couldn't get past the thought of slimy little snot balls.
   Over the years I've deducted that in the Midwest, raw oysters only seem to be available during the holiday season. I've looked and could've missed them previously, but when I noticed them at the grocery store lately, it got me to thinking of trying oyster soup myself. This would prove to be a bold new adventure.
   I envisioned a milk-based, buttery soup with tender bits of oysters floating between crackers. What I got was a gritty, clumpy white soup that smelled a little fishy. The problem had to be either - 1) I didn't incorporate the flour into the milk well enough and/or 2) the milk got too hot and came to a boil thereby separating into something that resembled the beginnings of cottage cheese.
   Since my ability to replicate oyster soup is in question, I went back to the source, my brother-in-law. This oyster soup is based on an old recipe found in a Junior League cookbook and is well worth the adventure.

Oyster Soup
 Recipe courtesy of Phil Hofman
3 T. butter
3/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 T. flour
2 cups milk
2 cups Half and Half
1 pint oysters
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Over medium heat, melt butter and cook celery and onion until tender. Shake in flour, stirring constantly.  

Pour in a little milk and stir until smooth, then slowly add reminder milk and Half and Half.

Add dry seasonings and cook until boiling point is reached. Add oysters. 

Serve as soon as oysters are thoroughly hot and plump.  Serves 4-6.

 [Adapted this from a recipe in the Charleston Receipts Cookbook (America's oldest Junior League cookbook in print); the original recipe is from a Mrs. Louis T. Parker (Josephine Walker] The history of this cookbook was interesting and worth the read.

Mexicorn‬ Dip

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Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    While looking through my files of saved recipes that I'd like to get around to trying, I came upon this recipe for a dip using just 6 ingredients. One of my friends had shared this and I tucked it away for a rainy day. With a girls poker game coming up, this seemed like the perfect time to try it. I needed something easy, simple and that would travel well without having to be kept warm or reheat. This worked out great and the girls all gave it a thumbs up.

Mexicorn Corn‬ Dip
2 cans Mexi-corn
1 can Rotel
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream

Drain corn and place in medium mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix well.

Place covered in fridge for 1-2 hours to chill and combine flavor.

Serve with scoops, crackers or chips.

Makes 4 cups.

Italian Turkey Soup

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     After the last holiday I was looking for ideas on how to recycle turkey and came upon an idea for Italian soup. This recipe uses the flavors of Italy to give a fresh new flavor to those leftover tidbits. We were pleasantly surprised at the transformation of that traditional bird. I used holiday leftovers, white beans, Italian tomatoes and spices topped with Parmesan to make recycling leftovers interesting. This would be perfect served with garlic bread.
 
Italian Turkey Soup
based on Italian Style turkey soup from Fresh Market 1115
1 T. olive oil
1 large carrot or 4 baby carrots, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
1 tsp. roasted garlic
1/4 cup white wine
1 can Italian chopped tomatoes, not drained
1 can great northern (or Cannelini) beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped or cubed
2 tsp. chicken base
3 cups water (add more to desired consistency)
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. basil and oregano blend (or 1/2 tsp. each)
1/4 cup Parmesan

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add carrots, onion, celery and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cooking about 10 minutes until tender, stirring often. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more.

Pour wine into pan and stir. Let cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Dissolve chicken base into water. Add tomatoes, beans, turkey and spices. Slowly stir in chicken base.

Cover pot and heat to simmer at least 30 minutes.

Top with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Serves 4-5.

Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole

Photo courtesy of Maggie Armstrong.

   When I first read the name of this recipe it didn't sound very exciting. However once I read the ingredients and instructions, I became curious. This reminded me of the layers of a lasagna. Instead of noodles, layers of thin sliced zucchini are alternated with meat and cheese. 
   Once I actually tasted this casserole, I was totally won over. This was the grand prize winning dish at a local holiday recipe contest. It was the biggest surprise of the day for everyone that had the chance to try it. Congratulations to a great local cook.

Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole
Grand Prize Winner, Nora Miller, Patoka

2 cups zucchini unpeeled, sliced

2 T. butter

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

2 cups cooked rice

16 oz. small curd cottage cheese

1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350º. Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs, brown lightly. Set bread crumbs aside.

Brown ground beef and onion stirring until ground beef is crumbly; drain. Add the garlic salt, oregano and cooked rice and mix well. 

Layer one-half of the unpeeled zucchini, the ground beef mixture, cottage cheese and remaining zucchini in a 9x9 baking pan. 

Spread the soup over the top and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes.

Crock Pot Beef Roast

Photo courtesy of Maggie Armstrong.

    After having tried various ways of cooking roast, I've learned that they all need a little something added in to help with the flavor. Over the years, I've tried onion soup mix and Italian dressing, but this recipe tries something that I've not - a combination of ranch and au jus mixes. This turned out to be a great idea and one that I'll try. After tasting these tender beef cuts at a local recipe contest, I was sold on this idea.

Crock Pot Beef Roast

Maralu Pollock - Princeton

large chuck roast

1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

1 pkg. aujus mix

1 stick butter

4 or 5 pepperoncini and about 1/4 cup of juice

Put large chuck roast in bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle with 1 package ranch dressing mix, and 1 package Aujus mix. 

Add 1 stick butter, 4 or 5 pepperoncini and about 1/4 cup of the juice. 

Put on high and let cook 6 hours.

Cuban Slider

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    A few weeks ago, one of our favorite news shows highlighted the Cuban sandwich. Although it's named Cuban, this sandwich is a mixture of heritages. It starts on a Cuban roll, much like a hoagie bun, that's layered with ham (from the Spanish), slices of marinated roast pork (from the Cubans) and a layer of Genoa salami (thanks to local Sicilians), accompanied by Swiss cheese, pickle and mustard (from the Jewish community). After assembly the sandwich is pressed or warmed, much like a panini. It is delicious.
   Recently at work, we had a soup and sandwich potluck. One of our coworkers with a talent for cooking brought in Cuban Sliders for the group. These little hand-held sandwiches had soft buns, melted gooey cheese with a nice meaty center that was topped off with the twang of pickles and mustard.

Cuban Slider

recipe courtesy Mark Short

1 small pork roast (slow roasted in oven 8-9 hours)

1 lb. pkg. black forest ham (deli sliced)

2 pkg. sliced Swiss cheese

2 pkg. Hawaiian sweet rolls (original)

1 jar sliced dill pickles

yellow mustard

Slow roast pork covered with your favorite dry rub in oven for 8-9 hours at no more than 250 degrees. Let rest and then slice or pull pork. 

Open Hawaiian rolls and lightly spread mustard on both sides. On bottom bun layer slice of ham, then pork and top with sliced Swiss. Place 3 pickles on top and then cover with top bun. 

Makes 24 small sandwiches. 

Sour Noodle Salad

    When I first saw the title of this recipe, "Sour Noodle Salad," I thought it sounded really weird. After I read the ingredients, I became intrigued. But when this dish was chosen as the winner in the salad category at a local holiday recipe contest, I took a taste and understood why it was a winner.
   The pasta was cooked perfectly al a dente' and it combined with the dressing to provide a cool, bright taste in your mouth. One taste was not enough. Many thanks to Mrs. Schwartz to sharing one of her best recipes. 
 
Sour Noodle Salad
Wanda Schwartz, Mt. Carmel, IL

1 lb. curly pasta (cook and cool)

1 onion chopped

1 cucumber chopped

Mix together:

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup oil

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. parsley (optional)

1/2 tsp. minced garlic (optional)

Stir vinegar mixture over pasta - refrigerate. Stir to keep flavor on pasta.

Caramel Apple Cake

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

   Do you remember having apple crisp for lunch in grade school? If you do, you'll like this version of a Caramel Apple Cake. It takes you back to the flavors of childhood. That could be a reason that it was chosen as a finalist in a local holiday recipe contest. It's easy, too.

Caramel Apple Cake

Laura Carpenter - Hazleton

2 cans apple pie filling

1 box caramel apple cake mix

1 stick butter

In crock pot put both cans apple pie filling. 

Sprinkle cake mix on top of apples.

Cut butter in half and place on top of dry cake mix. 

Place lid on crock pot cook on high 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Salsa Meatloaf

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

   Meatloaf has always been a staple at our house. It's easy to do, just toss it in the oven while you go on your merry way with other chores. It was also one dish that almost everyone in the house would eat, if I was careful. Now that their tastes have expanded the door is open to a range of possibilities.
   One of our sons never cared for meatloaf because I made it to please the crowd (boring), but when he learned that you can dress it up with jalapenos, bell peppers and a variety of spices for different flavors, he's come on board and offered a few variations. Recently he got creative and used salsa instead of ketchup and taco flavored tortilla chips instead of bread crumbs to add some twists on this classic dish.

Salsa Meatloaf
2 lbs. ground beef
1/3 red bell pepper, diced fine
1/3 yellow bell pepper, diced fine
1/3 green bell pepper, diced fine
1/4 cup onion, diced fine

1 tsp. roasted garlic
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup salsa plus 1/3 cup for topping
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 cup crushed taco flavored tortilla chips (Doritos)

Preheat oven to 350. 
Spray coat a 11x7 baking dish.

Mix all ingredients, saving 1/3 cup salsa. Combine well. Shape into a loaf and place in baking dish. Pat any cracks together. Top with remaining salsa.

Bake 45 minutes and carefully drain excess grease. Return to oven for 20 minutes more.

Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6.