Red Beans and Rice

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001

Prep Time:20 min

Inactive Prep Time:Cook Time:

 

2 hr 30 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease
• 1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound smoked ham hocks
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 10 cups chicken stock, or water
• 4 cups cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)
Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Basil

Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Basil

Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 7 minutes. When your summer garden bounty is coming in, this simple skillet dish is an ideal way to cook all the squash, tomatoes, and basil.  I LOVE this.

Photo by: Photo: Oxmoor House

• YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
• COURSE: Side Dishes/Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 5 cups cubed yellow squash (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add squash; cook, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes or until tender.
Add tomato and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information

---

• Amount per serving
• Calories: 49
• Calories from fat: 31%
• Fat: 1.7g
• Saturated fat: 0.3g
• Monounsaturated fat: 0.9g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3g
• Protein: 1.9g
• Carbohydrate: 8.4g
• Fiber: 3.6g
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg
• Iron: 1mg
• Sodium: 153mg
• Calcium: 39mg

Red Beans and Rice

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

2 hr 30 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease
• 1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound smoked ham hocks
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 10 cups chicken stock, or water
• 4 cups cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Broccoli Casserole

Broccoli Casserole

From Paula' Home Cooking/Savannah Country Cookbook/Paula Deen and Friends

5 stars based on 50 Reviews

Servings: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 35 min

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup Grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
2 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combing, broccoli, mayo, cheese, soup and eggs. Mix well with a metal spoon. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the crushed crackers and pour the melted butter evenly over the crackers. Bake for 35 minutes or until set and browned.

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen

Mashed Green Peas

http://www.marthastewart.com/314908/mashed-green-peas

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Total Time 15 minutes
• Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

• • 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen peas
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring frozen peas, 1/4 cup water, and salt to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, covered, over low heat until peas are tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer 1 1/2 cups cooked peas to a food processor, and add butter and milk. Puree until smooth. Fold pureed mixture into the remaining cooked peas, and serve.

© 2011 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. All rights reserved.

Best Ever Macaroni and Cheese

• YIELD: Makes 8 - 10 servings
• COURSE: Side Dishes/Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups milk
• 2 (10-ounce) blocks sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
• 1 (10-ounce) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (16-ounce) package elbow macaroni, cooked

Preparation

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in flour until smooth; cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in salt and next 3 ingredients. Gradually whisk in half-and-half and milk; cook, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in half of sharp Cheddar cheese. Stir in extra-sharp Cheddar cheese until smooth. Remove from heat.

Combine pasta and cheese mixture, and pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining sharp Cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes (bake 15 minutes longer for a crusty top). Prep: 35 min., Bake: 35 min.

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Kraft Cracker Barrel cheeses.

Southern Living JANUARY 2002