Swamp Punch!!

This quick and fun drink recipe is from the archives of our Halloween escapades!  The kids, my sister Hollie and I went trick or treating, then returned home for a small Halloween dinner party.  The kids had a blast visiting the ornate and elaborate decorations and scenes set up on Broad Street and the  homes on both sides, near the high school in Altavista.
 I came up with a hauntingly fun and entertaining menu, souped up with macabre names for finger foods and appetizers for overall effect and spooky genius of Halloween.  They had everything from Werewolves Loins (fried chicken drumsticks) to Critter Cakes (chocolate cupcakes with multi-toned toasted coconut) to witches' skin (sour cream and onion chips), graveyard bones (pretzel stix), ghoulish pizza bites (mini pizza cups with green dough) and Swamp Punch, which recipe follows.  I will be posting the rest of the menu shortly, but for now I hope this one makes you smile, like the kids and I did.  This punch is sure to liven up any occasion, or at least make for an interesting conversation starter!
Recipe:
1 3 liter lemon lime soda, chilled
1 quart lime sorbet
1 pkg. plastic eye balls
Large serving bowl
Place half the contents of the sorbet into serving bowl.
Pour soda atop.  you may need to break down the sorbet faster by using a potato masher!

 We had a great time as a rag doll, Bronwyn, a rock and roll princess, me, a witch, Genesis, and an action figure, Braelyn!

Serves plenty!

Chocolate Eclair-Gone Bananas, Sweets to the Sweet!

The following recipe is inspired by a recipe of my sister Brenda.  She has been making a Chocolate Eclair recipe our family loves for years and years.  Brenda's recipe involves whole graham cracker squares, vanilla pudding, whipped cream and chocolate, organized in a layered fashion with the cream in the middle and spiked with a touch of cinnamon.  The preparation is minimal, and the results are deliciously wonderful.  Her recipe crossed my mind one day, and I started out constructing  it myself, with some prompting from my niece Laura.  The components are similar to that of a banana pudding to a degree, and I happened to have 3 bananas that were still firm, but the peels had turned brown from refrigeration.  I thought it would be nice to incorporate them into her recipe, for an original take of my own.  I hope you enjoy this super simple, simply delicious rendition of a Chocolate Eclair-Gone Bananas!
Recipe:
2 pkg. cinnamon graham crackers, pulverized or smashed into crumbs, leaving a slight variation in texture
2 boxes french vanilla instant pudding, prepared using 3 cups of milk, instead of 4.
1 8 oz. container whipped topping
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 regular sized container chocolate frosting
In an 8x11x2 baking dish, spread 1 c. of graham crumbs.
In a medium bowl, fold pudding and whipped topping together, just until blended.
Fold in bananas.
Add Cream mixture to baking dish atop crumbs.  Add remaining crumbs to top of cream, spreading carefully as not disrupt layering effect.
Heat frosting in water bath in container, just until it becomes pour-able  about 3 minutes, and pour evenly atop the crumbs, spreading as evenly as possible.  Use a rubber spatula or a fork to add texture and design to the frosting as it comes back to room temperature.  Let stand for several minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight until serving.

Use a moistened knife to create serving lines, and a deep spoon to plate.
Makes 12 or more servings.

Sweet and Sour Marinated Flat Iron Steak

I am a huge steak and beef  fan. To me, there's nothing quite like a fabulous, well seasoned, medium rare cut of tender beef, alongside a baked potato with all the fixins' and fresh steamed veggies with a green salad in tow.  Today's featured recipe is a marinated flat iron steak.   Flat iron steak is a term used by Americans.
This same cut is referred  to as a "butler"  or "oyster blade" steak in countries like the UK and New Zealand.  Other names for this cut include petite steak, top shoulder blade, top boneless chuck, lifter as well as book steak and chuck clod.  The flat iron is a more affordable way for people to enjoy a steak, but is somewhat tougher, because it is cut with the grain, as opposed to across.  This steak comes from the shoulder with normally fantastic marbling that generally weighs between 2 to 3 pounds, and is cut several times to make smaller marketable portions.  This is a piece of beef that responds well to marination, and care to cooking it only to medium rare for maximum tenderness and flavor. The marinade for this recipe consists of a sweet/salty/spicy which I favor highly, and is inspired by those flavors and spices familiar in Asian cuisine, as you can probably see from some of my recipes prior.  Feel free to use this marinade on your personal favorite proteins, including but not limited to tofu and Portobello mushrooms.  I served these sumptuous medium rare steaks with Stir-fry veggies and Couscous steamed together and tossed with a Thai Green Curry Spice blend.  Stay tuned for more recipes that utilize this spice to make the best of it's freshness and shelf life.  Also, look for recipes that I've created that involve the use of uncommon ingredients called for in some of my recipes to explore it's diversity and save on waste, i.e red pepper jelly, pickled ginger slices etc... in publications to come.
Recipe:
1 1/2 lb. flat iron steak
2 tbsp. tamari
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. less sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. garlic flavored red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. pickled ginger slices
pinch of red pepper flakes
SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit your Taste)
Black and plain sesame seeds for garnish
Combine all ingredients in resealable bag and shake until blended.
Pierce rinsed steak with a knife or fork and place slices of ginger atop.  Place in resealable bag and turn to coat.
Press out excess air and seal.  Marinate refrigerated for up to 24 hours and at least 4.  Take out of refrigerator 1 hour before cooking
Preheat grill or grill-pan to medium high heat.  Remove meat from marinade and pat dry.  SPST
Cook until desired done-ness, flipping once, with medium reached at 145*F.

Let rest and slice on a bias.  Serves 6 to 8.

Kamikaze Shrimp w/ Thai Clam n' Coconut Jasmine Rice

My family enjoys the recipes that I create and often stop by to bring ingredients for me to experiment with or to see the direction in which I can take them.  Most recently, my niece Laura, named so by my oldest sister Cherie, after our mother, requested that  I come up with some "deliciousness" for her to nosh on while stopping in on one of her multitudes of weekly visits.  She gave me the money and requested that I just 'get some stuff to make something good", so I opted for a 3 lb. bag of shrimp, that was on sale for less than twenty dollars.  These fresh frozen shrimp were absolutely gorgeous and of the 21-25 count variety.  I set out to prepare 3 recipes using 1 lb. of shrimp each, and have them all taste  and exhibit different flavor and texture profiles and equally satisfying.  The first recipe of course was a simple butterflied shrimp, fried and served along side other appetizers of different and colorful flavor notes.  The second recipe was comprised of a garlic, olive oil and butter sauce and pasta, tossed with fresh spinach and lemon, showered with Pecorino Romano and served with an awesome SP Mozzarella Cheesey Bread   The third recipe and the one I am most proud of consists of  Asian style marinated shrimp, rolled in Panko, fried and served along side a sultry and flavor packed dish of Thai flavor infused jasmine rice and a wonderful sauce made with hot pepper jelly and Tamari, spiked with a little sesame oil.  My family of testers thought very highly of this recipe, as did I and I felt it worthy of sharing!  The portions are designed to please without overwhelming, and you can mix and match the different counterparts of this recipe with other dishes that you may already prepare.  Enjoy!
Recipe
For Shrimp:
2 tbsp. Red Miso paste
1/2. pineapple juice
2 tbsp. Tamari
1/4 tsp. Sambal Oelek
2 tbsp. bread and butter pickle juice
1 lb. 21-25 count thawed  raw shrimp
Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until smooth and fold in shrimp. Place in resealable bag.  Marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
For Frying:
seasoned flour
Panko
egg wash
oil for frying
Heat cooking oil to 375*  F.
Peel and butterfly shrimp and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.  Dip in egg wash and roll in Panko.  Fry until golden n small batches, about 3 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.  Serves about 7, 3 shrimp each.
For Rice:
1 c. jasmine rice, rinsed under cold running water in strainer several times
1 c. Thai coconut milk
1 6.5 oz. can chopped clams, juices reserved
1/2. c. clam juice
1 pkg. powdered chicken bouillon
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2. tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. Sambal Oelek
1 tsp. sesame oil

Parsley for garnish (optional)
Bring milk and clam juice up to a boil medium high heat and add rice over .  Bring back up to a boil and stir in remaining ingredients except clams and sesame oil, then reduce heat to simmer and stir in clams.  Cover tightly and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  Drizzle w/sesame oil and toss with a fork before serving.  Makes about 6 1/3 c. servings.
Kamikaze Drizzlin' and Dippin' Sauce:
1/4 c. hot pepper jelly
2 tbsp. Tamari
dash of sesame oil
Combine until smooth, heating slightly if desired to encourage blending.  Makes 6, 1 tbsp.servings.
Serve as desired, a la carte or plated as shown.

A Delicious Quiche on the Cheek!

I have always adored quiche and the simple elegance of it's ingredients and design.  My nephew and fellow foodie Rob Holland often made the quiches served at the Peaks of Otter Retreat and Restaurant, a beautiful lodge nestled in the Bedford area of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which sadly closed it's doors just last week.  One day while reminiscing about the decadence of his quiches, I decided to create one of my own, using some apples that my sister Terry and I picked fresh from the trees and along the ground one day whilst dropping by to see Robbie at work.    I wanted a unique quiche but with traditional and easily accessed and  less expensive ingredients, and I came up with this crowd pleaser.  The recipe makes 2 9 inch deep dish quiches that will freeze well, if you only need one.  It is amazingly simple to prepare and will have your family thinking you spent hours preparing this savory dish perfect for a casual breakfast,  brunch or lite dinner. Just pair this with some fruit or a green salad for a complete and satisfying meal, strutting your inner gourmet stuff!  Vegetarians or less meat enthusiasts can simply add sauteed mushrooms in place of the sage sausage for a wholesome, filling and hearty cacophony of wonderful flavors.  The taste is as exciting and warm like your first kiss from the beginning, to the end.
Sausage, Apple and Spinach Quiche
2 deep dish pie crusts
1/2 lb. good quality sage sausage
1 c. chopped onion
4 tbsp.salted butter
2 c. fresh tender spinach
1 c. firm apples, small dice
1 can evaporated milk, plus 4 oz. water to make 2 c.
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. Sriracha
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4. c. Parmigiano Reggiano
SPST
Preheat oven to 425*F.
In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, cook sausage and onions until sausage is no longer pink. Drain.
Add butter and stir until melted
Fold in spinach until wilted and turn off heat.  SPST
Fold in apples and set aside.
Meanwhile, slightly beat eggs, milk and Sriracha until blended.  SPST
Divide sausage mixture b/t crusts and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano, then mozzarella, then cheddar.
Pour egg mixture equally over cheeses.
Bake at 425* for 15 minutes.  Cover loosely with foil.
Reduce heat to 300* and bake an additional 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.  Each quiche makes 6 servings.

This recipe freezes well when wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and will keep for 3 months.
Variations may be made to this recipe to reduce fat and calories like using extra lean turkey, fat free evaporated milk and/or reduced fat cheeses.

Gourmet Chicken Salad for the Soul!

Starting last fall, my family and I started using our smokehouse again.  This cinder-block and cement structure was originally built about 45 years ago by my father, now an angel and ethereal guardian, Douglas Smith.  Decades ago, our family would raise, slaughter, smoke,can, and freeze much of our family's diet, which  made perfect sense, considering our brood's size.  Our family numbers also included some of my parents siblings' children as well.
My siblings and I have been blessed with parents any person would be honored to have, and even though we have never been what one would call wealthy or rich by monetary standards, our parents managed to provide, nurture and bring whole-hearted help, comfort,  spiritual guidance, divine love and encouragement for many, and are respected pillars in our small, lake locked community to this day!   Our diet included a large garden, where corn, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage and a host of other veggies grew.
 I remember as a young girl the 'canning days', which consisted of early rising and gathering of the crops to be preserved respectively, digging, picking, shucking, snapping, par-boiling, canning and freezing which usually ran into the late evening hours of that particular Saturday, as that was one of the only two days our working parents were permitted to conduct the chores at home.  We generally kept two hogs at a time and would slaughter either just before Thanksgiving or Christmas.  The hogs were fattened throughout the year with store bought feed, as well as corn and apples from our own garden and apple trees.
 One of  my most favorite and memorable recollections is of the hogs and the way they consumed fresh apples.   The sound of the crunching apples bespoke  juiciness and obvious satisfaction.  After tending to and feeding them all year, not to mention giving the hogs names, this time of year, though necessary, became a tearful farewell.  I knew "Suzy" would be no more, the romping, carefree, apple snacking behemoth I had  help her become.  Alas, I digress!

It was important that the temperature be cool enough to facilitate the smoking and curing process of the hams, shoulders and side meat.  The day of slaughter started as did the garden harvesting, EARLY!, but also with a blooming fire underneath the scalding tub.  The animal, once killed, is submerged in the water to aid in the sloughing off of it's hair and initial sterilization.  The carcass would  then be hung, gutted and bled.  After the carcass is broken down, the process of smoking and preparation of the home-made and manually ground sausage would ensue.  This has always been one of the best sausages  I have ever tasted.  The small brown bags of country sausage seasonings would be purchased from the local hardware and farm supplies store, Rountrey's.  The rewards of this toiling day would  consist of fresh, hot 'hoe cakes',  harnessing the end product of  sausage blended just right, with a perfect fat/lean ratio.   A portion of the batches would be hot, the others mild, with a sumptuous fried egg in tow, absolute bliss!  We savoured the harmonious balance of the sausage and it's complementary seasonings; sage heavy, paprika, red and black pepper.  We were tasting the hard work, long grueling  hours and sacrifice; Also, we  secured sustenance for the long hard winter yet to come.
Wintertime country breakfasts could often manifest themselves in the form of fried apples (fresh frozen from summer), steamed or fried potatoes, from the cool, dark storage bin in our "Corner House", homemade biscuits, hot from the oven, fresh, aromatic coffee and hearty cakes of organic and wholesome sausage, locally owned, grown and operated!!
I love the beautiful country-ness of my existence, growing up in rural Leesville, 10 miles from the nearest town, lots of trees and a winding river to cross, a nightmarish and slippery upgrade in the then treacherous winter weather ... These recollections echo throughout my mind and time, forever embossed and illuminated as some of the best times of my life, which had not occurred to me until I was blessed enough to live to adulthood. Thanks Dad and Mom!
Are you smiling as I am as I write this?  Good, now back to the recipe.
Today's recipe is a delicious creation containing chicken, smoked to mahogany, hickory infused perfection in our adorable little smokehouse, retrofitted with a grilling/smoking grate, cooled, shredded and tossed with a gaggle of sultry veggies, fresh herb and spices.  This chicken salad is one I would consider "gourmet", in appearance and in the deviation of ingredients normally found in a sometimes one dimensional, store purchased variety.  Housed in a wonderful whole wheat pita, and bedazzled with fresh kale, this recipe screams EAT ME! and HAVE SECONDS!
 I hope you enjoyed this walk down an aromatic and sensory response filled  memory lane and may your mind be catapulted back, in the future, to this stroll you just took with me, holding hands, swinging back and forth, meandering down a crisp late fall lane, laden with leaves of oranges, reds, yellows and browns, smiling, happy!
Recipe:
2 cups smoked, cooked shredded chicken
1 lime
1/ 4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. celery seeds
2 tbsp. small dice mini yellow peppers
2 tbsp. thinly sliced red onion, halved, then quartered
1 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes with herbs, small diced
2 tbsp. mayonnaise or avocado
1 tbsp. julienne of fresh mint
small pinch red pepper flakes
2 whole wheat pitas, halved
1 1/3 c. fresh chopped kale
SPST
In a medium bowl, add chicken,  juice of lime, cumin and celery seed and toss to evenly coated.
Add  ingredients down to the pepper flakes, and fold together until well and evenly incorporated.  SPST.
Line pita pockets with equal amounts of kale.  Use a fork to stuff chicken filling into place.  Serves 4.

Fiesta Spiced and Spiked Pork Chops

Pork is a delicious and wonderful addition to any occasion or menu.  White meat pork is just as low in saturated fats and cholesterol as white meat chicken.  Pork makes a great canvas for just about any marinade and cooking medium, depending of course on the cut and location on the animal.  Some cuts, as with other animals, are more suited for searing, sauteing, frying, baking etc or gentle methods of cooking  like cutlets, thin chops and tenderloins.  Other cuts like roasts, ribs, country style and spare variety, shoulders, ears, feet and organ meats like chitterlings require more aggressive cooking methods or a combination of the two.  Searing and braising or searing and baking is popular, especially for this featured recipe and cut, 1 inch thick bone-in chops.  Offal, also known as "sweetbreads", or the thymus gland of the pig and the liver  are the exception, which needs gentle preparation, to retain it's shape and preserve it's delicate flavor.
Pork is a staple in many ethnic groups all around the world.  We love our pig products here in the U.S., but it's also popular in Latin American locales  Mexico as well areas of Asian ethnicity like  Thailand and Vietnam, bottom line, everywhere!  Markets in my area do not offer chops this beautiful often, so I took advantage of the opportunity and came up with a recipe to do them justice! I hope you get the chance to try it and love it as my family and I did.  Enjoy.
Recipe:
2 1 inch thick pork chops, bone-in
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. Himalayan Pink Salt
1/4 tsp. Sazon seasoning
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 brandy soaked pineapple rings (marinate in 1 oz. brandy for 30 minutes to 1 hour in resealable bag) Drink or discard pineapple marinade:)
fresh cracked pepper
olive oil for drizzling
Sprinkle chops with seasonings and drizzle with olive oil.
Rub chops vigorously to work spices into meat, both sides.
Place in resealable bag and position a pineapple ring on top and bottom of each chop.  Squeeze out excess air and seal.  Marinate in refrigerator for 3 to 24 hours,  the longer the BETTER!
Let stand at room temperature before before searing and baking or grilling.
Remove pineapple slices.  Drizzle with olive and grill over medium high heat or Foreman type grill until juices run clear and pork is opaque, about 155 degrees for medium well. SPST.   Let rest for several minutes before serving.
Pineapple may be grilled separately and served with pork if desired
Serves 2 for special dinner occasion or serves 4 sliced and pre-plated.
Recipe shown with Asian inspired Couscous.