Here are some easy and delicious recipes - one for each course. Bon appetit!
South Georgia Caviar
This is the perfect game-day snack, but it can be used as an appetizer or side as well.
2 cans black eyed peas
1 can black beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes or 1 can of diced tomatoes
3/4 of a green pepper
small bunch of green onions, chopped
2 small cans of shoepeg corn or 1 big can of shoepeg corn
Italian dressing, to taste
Combine all ingredients and serve with chips.
Roasted Winter Squash
This is a seasonal side that tastes great with just about any main dish.
Prep: 10 min. Bake: 35 min.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3 lbs. butternut, acorn or spaghetti squash
1 T. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 T. honey
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Remove stem from squash. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Cut each half into 4 wedges, and place on an aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan. (If using spaghetti squash, cut each half into 2 wedges.)
Stir together butter and honey until blended. Brush squash evenly with butter mixture; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
Bake at 450 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until tender, turning once.
Cut skins from squash wedges and discard.
Gumbo with Chicken and Andouille Sausage
There are a lot of ingredients in this one, but it is delicious and should provide several meals.
2 cups white enriched rice, prepared to package directions
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. chicken tenders, diced
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced (3 thighs)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 t. poultry seasoning
3/4-1 lb. andouille sausage (4 links, with casings removed), diced
3 T. butter
3 ribs celery from the heart of the bunch, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
2 T. cayenne pepper sauce (optional)
3 T. flour
1 qt. chicken stock or broth
2 cups chopped okra, fresh or frozen, defrosted
1 can (14 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
2-3 T. fresh thyme leaves (several sprigs), chopped
5 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 T. oil, twice around the pan, and the diced chicken. Season with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of poultry seasoning. Brown on all sides, about 2 or 3 minutes. Chop your veggies while it’s working. Add the andouille to the pan and cook another minute or two. Transfer chicken and sausage to a dish.
Return pan to heat and add butter. When the butter melts, add chopped celery, peppers, onion and bay. Season with salt and pepper and hot sauce. Cook 3-5 minutes to begin to soften veggies. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Add okra to the broiling broth, then return the meats to the pot and stir in tomatoes and half of your fresh thyme. When it’s bubbling, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors, then adjust your seasonings.
Scoop cooked white rice into the center of bowlfuls of gumbo using an ice cream scoop. Setting the rice on top of the gumbo will keep it from getting too wet. Top with remaining chopped thyme and lots of chopped scallions.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
This recipe will produce two loaves of autumn delight! If you're really ambitious, you can use real pumpkin instead of canned!
3/4 c. butter
2-1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 lb. can pumpkin
2/3 c. water
3-1/2 c. unbleached flour
2 t. baking soda
1-1/2 t. salt
1-1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 pkg. Ghirardelli chocolate chips (You can use other brands. This is my mom's recipe and
she's partial to Ghirardelli.)
Cream butter and sugar and add one egg at the time, beating thoroughly. Mix in pumpkin and water. Combine remaining ingredients in separate bowl. Mix well. Stir into pumpkin mixture, blending thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips to even distribution. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Pour in batter. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour (until toothpick comes out clean). Cool 15 minutes in pan.
