Herbed Artichoke Chicken



1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and sliced into halves if necessary
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1 teaspoon curry powder

Combine chicken and the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3 ½ to 4 hours, or until done.  Serves 6.

I serve it with egg noodles, and crusty, garlicky Italian bread.

Laura

Sopapillas

These are vastly different from the sugary, cinnamon-y sweets that you typically find on the dessert menu at Mexican restaurants.  They are more like biscuits, although we always ate them by breaking off a corner and filling the puffed interior with honey.  I don't know what chef or server my mother badgered for this recipe, but I'm glad she did!

1 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
2/3 cup cold water
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.  Cut in shortening and stir in about 2/3 cup of water.  Knead lightly until smooth.  Cover with a cloth and an inverted bowl, allowing 10 minutes to rest.  Meanwhile, heat oil to 385°F in a deep pan.  Roll dough about 1/8" thick and cut into 3-inch squares.  Drop in oil a few at a time, and turn several times so that they will puff evenly.  Drain on paper.  Makes about 20.

To eat, break off a corner and fill with honey.

Paula

Dorrie's Apple Pie

We all associate this recipe with Dorrie, although she credits her grandma for it.

3 pounds green apples, peeled and cut
6-8 tablespoons sugar, to taste
ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter
1 small lemon, halved
2 pie crusts

Place first crust in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate, letting the edges fall over the rim.  Place half the apples on the crust, sprinkle with 3-4 tablespoons of sugar, and liberally sprinkle with cinnamon.  Dab half the butter, in pats, on top of the apples.  Squeeze one half of the lemon across the top.  With the remaining ingredients, repeat the layers.  Cover with the other pie crust, seal the edges, and make holes for steam to escape.

Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

Dorrie

Chicken with Rice

This is a variation of a hearty and filling casserole that Dorrie makes.

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup Velveeta
salt and pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 chicken breasts
2 cup cooked long-grain white or brown rice or 2 cups uncooked Minute Rice

Melt the butter in a large stock pot, and then add onions, sautéing until onions are brown and tender.  Add sour cream, wine, Velveeta, salt, pepper, and soup.  Use the empty soup can to add water, 2 cans worth, or as needed.  Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add to pot.  Alternative:  Leave the chicken breasts whole and shred them after cooking.  Add the rice and simmer until chicken is springy to the touch, cooked through.  If using Minute Rice, you may need to add more water as the rice absorbs it.

Laura

Gus's Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon and Pecans

I tried to recreate this dish from memory.  I've been told that it isn't exactly what Gus used to make, but that it is still good.  

6-8 sweet potatoes (less if they are very large)
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup water
1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped if desired

Boil the potatoes in salted water until just slightly tender.  Remove to colander, run cold water over them, and drain.  Peel and cut in half lengthwise, and then fit them as closely as possible into a buttered 3-quart baking dish.

Melt butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan over low heat.  Add salt, water, and bourbon.  When mixture is simmering, add pecans.  Cook until syrup thickens, about five minutes.

Pour over potatoes and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 hour.  Baste with syrup occasionally.

Laura

Tex-Mex Pulled Pork

Sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/4 cup chili powder (no, that's not a typo)
1 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 (4.5 oz) cans diced green chilies
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 1/2 pound well-trimmed boneless pork loin roast
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Mix sauce ingredients in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker.  Add pork and then spoon sauce over pork.  Cover cooker and cook on high for 3 1/2 hours or low 8-10 hours until pork is fork-tender.  Remove pork to a cutting board, and using two forks, pull the meat to shreds.

Pour sauce into serving bowl; stir in cilantro and shredded pork.  Serve on flour tortillas or burger buns, with shredded lettuce, diced onion, and sour cream as toppings.

Martha

Roast Pork with Piri-Piri

Marinade a 3 pound boneless pork loin or tenderloin for a full day for the fullest flavor.

Piri-Piri 
1/4 cup fresh hot chili peppers
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarsely chop the peppers, discarding the tops. Combine all ingredients in a glass bottle. Cap and refrigerate. Use as needed.

Marinade 
2 sweet red bell peppers, seeded and cut
8 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of salt
8 tablespoons of olive oil
6 teaspoons of Piri-Piri, or red pepper flakes to taste.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Reserve about half to use as a sauce. Place the pork loin in a baking dish, put half of the marinade on the pork, cover and refrigerate.

The next day preheat the oven to 350°F, uncover the meat and roast for 40-45 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature is 185°F. Slice for serving. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: We often use the red pepper flakes rather than making the piri-piri.

Goppie

Bonbon Cookies

Originally from Betty Crocker's Best Cookies.
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoon vanilla
Food coloring
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and food coloring. Blend flour and salt thoroughly until dough forms a ball. If dough is too dry to hold together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream (Half&Half). Preheat oven to 350° For each cookie, pinch off about a tablespoon of dough. Flatten and make an indentation with your thumb. Place 5-6 chocolate chips in the depression, and then wrap the rest of the dough around them to make a ball.

Bake 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet or baking stone for 12-15 minutes. Cool.

Keira

Cheese Sausage Balls

1 pound sausage (mild or hot), broken into bits, fried and drained well
1/4 cup milk
10 oz grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 cups Bisquik

Combine Bisquik and cheddar cheese together.  Crumble sausage in along with the garlic salt.  With fork or hands, mix all of this, adding splashes of milk to the mixture.  Once all ingredients are well-combined, roll into 1-inch balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet.  Cook at 325°F for 25 minutes or until brown.

Martha

Cheddar Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon milk or dry white wine
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 slices chipped beef
2 tablespoon diced pimento

 Set out cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and butter to reach room temperature, and then combine. Add milk (or wine) onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined. Shred beef and add one half along with pimentos. Chill 4 hours. Roll ball in remaining beef.

Ed & Rhonda

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup (4 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
small can of chopped green chilies, drained
chopped tomato
sliced green onions

Mix all ingredients except tomato and onions.  Spoon into a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Sprinkle with tomato and onions, and serve with crackers.

Can be made ahead up to the point of baking. Cook the same.

  Laura

Shrimp Dip

And now, with much ado . . . 
2 pounds cream cheese, diced and softened
1/2 pound cooke, chopped shrimp (can use small, frozen salad shrimp)
1 medium onion, chopped 
1 medium tomato, chopped 
4 banana peppers, chopped 
3 Torrido peppers, chopped (Trappey's label usually has them)
1 tablespoon garlic juice or 4-5 cloves, pressed.

Chop onion, tomato, and peppers in a food processor.  In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine pepper mixture, cream cheese, shrimp, and garlic.  Microwave for 20 minutes on high, stirring every 5 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Dip is best if it stays warm in a chafing dish or crockpot.  Serves approximately 24.

If Torrido peppers are unavailable, some cooks have substituted pepperoncini.  Jalapeños can also be used in small quantities.

Granduddie

Mediterranean Filled Sandwich

These are inspired by my friend, Cathy.

Pita bread
Hummus
Tzatziki (Cucumber Dip)
Field Greens
Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
Crumbled Feta

Fill the pita with the other ingredients the same way you would a taco.

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

This comes from my friend, Lynne, who is British, so I've done an approximate conversion of the measurements as I use them.


15.5 oz garbanzo beans (chick peas) plus liquid
2/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
juice of 2 lemons
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 Tablespoons olive oil
5-6 sun dried tomatoes
pinch cayenne
pinch salt

Drain garbanzos into a separate container. Put all ingredients in the food processor and process until thoroughly mixed. Pour in the liquid from the garbanzos as needed. Pour in the olive oil in a stream until the hummus resembles mayonnaise. You can put more coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes as a garnish.

Laura

Spicy Squash Pasta

2 pounds autumn squash, such as butternut
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh sage
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (although I find it easier to crush it in my mortar)
1 pound bowtie pasta
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut squash in half and remove seeds, reserving them if you'd like to roast them later. Drizzle squash with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place squash, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I use a stoneware baker and don't bother with the paper. Bake 10 minutes. Flip the squash to cut side down, and bake 40-50 minutes until it is very tender. Let cool slightly and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl; discard the skin.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, a large pinch of salt, red pepper flakes, and 3/4 teaspoon each of thyme, sage, and rosemary. Cook, stirring, until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring and mashing, until it is heated through.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain well.

Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cooked pasta, parsley, and remaining herbs. Season with salt. Toss to combine, cook until heated through.

Divide pasta evenly among serving bowls. Top with squash mixture and ricotta, dividing evenly. Garnish with parsley, drizzle with oil, and serve with Parmesan.

Laura

Chatham Artillery Punch

from The Shrimp Factory, Savannah, Georgia. This makes enough for a large party!

1 1/2 gallon Catawba
2 1/2 pound brown sugar
1/2 gallon rum
1 1/2 quart gin
1 1/2 quart brandy
1 1/2 quart rye whiskey
1/2 pint Benedictine
1 1/2 gallon strong tea
juice from 1 1/2 dozen oranges
juice from 1 1/2 dozen lemons
1 bottle Maraschino cherries
case of champagne

Make stock with all of above ingredients except champagne 36-48 hours before serving. Just before serving, add the champagne. Adjust proportions accordingly if you are having a smaller do.

Jason

Minted Vodka Lemonade

CAUTION - these drinks are extremely drinkable. Do not have more than two, or that fruitcake recipe will make perfect sense to you!

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (6-8 lemons)
1/2 cup vodka
1 cup (packed) fresh mint, chopped
2/3 cup sugar

Mix mint and sugar together with a wooden spoon. Add lemon juice and vodka, chill for two hours. Strain. Fill six glasses with crushed ice and lemonade, add fresh mint sprigs as garnish.

Martha

Raspberry Champagne Punch

2 10-oz packages frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
1/3 cup lemon juice from concentrate
1/2 cup sugar
1 750-mL bottle of red rosé wine, chilled
1 quart raspberry sherbet
1 750-mL bottle champagne, chilled

In a blender, purée raspberries, combine with lemon juice, sugar, and wine. Stir until sugar dissolves. Just before serving, add scoops of sherbet and champagne. Makes 3 quarts.

Martha

'Rustic' Bread

I originally found this after my kids begged me for a homemade version of the Rustic bread from Wine & Provisions in Beaufort. That bread is one of their favorite things about visiting Goppie and Granduddie. I use a bread maker; just be sure to stop it before it actually starts baking it.

1 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour (I use all-purpose)
2 teaspoons yeast (or one package)
2 or 3 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
corn meal (optional)
parmesan (optional)

Put the first five ingredients in a bread pan of the bread maker, set it for white bread, dough stage, and press start. If you don't have a bread machine, mix the first five ingredients and knead thoroughly. Leave some place warm to rise for an hour.

Preheat the over to 400° F. LIghtly sprinkle corn meal on a baking sheet. (I avoid this step, because I use a baking stone and it's non-stick). Using a mortar and pestle, mash the rosemary, garlic, and salt into a rough paste.

Remove the dough from the machine and punch down. Let the dough rest about 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a round about 1/2 inch thick. Spread the garlic, rosemary, and salt paste over the top. With your fingertips, poke shallow holes all over the top of the round. Pour the remaining olive oil over the top, letting it pool in the holes. If you like parmesan on it, sprinkle it over the top at this point. I don't include it.

Bake bread until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve with olive oil for dipping.

Laura

Pumpkin Rosemary Hummus

Don't remember where this came from, possibly Mother Nature Network


1 15-ounce can of chickpeas (or dried ones that have soaked overnight) - drained
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare all ingredients and add to food processor. Pulse until mixture reaches your desired smoothness. You may wish to add more olive oil if you prefer a creamier hummus (less if you like yours thick). Serve with crackers, pita chips, veggies or whatever you like.

Laura

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (can substitute orange extract)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups uncooked oats
1 cup dried cranberries (5 oz. package)

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla, orange zest and orange extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into the butter mixture. Stir in the oats and cranberries. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown (If using stoneware baking sheets, bake 12-13 minutes). Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.



Laura