Roasted Asparagus & Crab Bisque

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh asparagus, ends snapped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups half & half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Sea salt, to taste (up to 2 teaspoons)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounces  fresh crab meat, picked
Fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 Cup shredded parmesan cheese, to thicken

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425° and arrange asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with up to 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt and roast until just crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool until cool enough to handle.

Cut the asparagus into 1" pieces reserving the tips. Place asparagus( not tips) into the bowl of a food processor or a blender. Add the stock, melted butter and salt and pepper and purée until smooth.

In a medium sauce pan, add puréed vegetable mixture, reserved asparagus tips and half & half and cook over medium heat until bisque is heated through (do not allow the mixture to come to the boil). Add parmesan cheese, and stir to incorporate. Adjust seasoning and reserve for  service. Top each serving with 1 ounce of crab and fresh herbs and serve immediately.

Gallitos- Costa Rican Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients:

2½ tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
12 ounces (about 2 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into ¼-inch cubes
salt
16 small flour or corn tortillas
16 ounces (1 medium) butternut squash, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes
12 ounces Mexican chorizo
4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon Santa Rosa Fajita Seasoning
2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
* Optional* Serve with Pico de Gallo salsa, and fresh Avocado

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 250F.

2. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in warm oven.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add potatoes and season with sea salt while stirring until the potatoes are evenly coated with oil. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are browned and tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, cook chorizo over medium heat until evenly browned. Cover, and reserve warm.

5. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add squash, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and Santa Rosa Fajita Seasoning and sauté, uncovered, until browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Add squash to potatoes, garnish with chopped cilantro.

6. Meanwhile, heat remaining ½ tablespoon oil in small sauté pan over medium heat. Crack eggs into a medium bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon salt, pinch black pepper, and milk. Whisk until evenly combined. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently lift and stir the eggs until they are cooked, and no liquid remains. Pour eggs into serving bowl.

7. Serve tortillas, potatoes, squash, chorizo, eggs and pico de gallo separately, allowing each person to build their tacos as they desire.

Caribbean Rice Pudding-Arroz con Leche

Ingredients:

1 cup rice (short grain)
2 1/2 cups water
a pinch of salt
1 cinnamon stick
3 strips of lemon peel (or zest)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp sugar
grated cinnamon and or cinnamon stick for garnish

Steps:
1) Wash the rice – this gets rid of much of the starch. To wash, place the rice in a large saucepan, cover with water and swirl around. The water will get cloudy. Pour out the cloudy water, use a strainer to keep the rice in the pot. Repeat 3 or 4 times until the water is clear.

2) In the same saucepan, over high heat, mix the following ingredients: rinsed rice, 2 1/2 cups water, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil.

3) Reduce heat, cover and simmer until water is mostly absorbed and rice is tender. About 15 to 20 minutes.

4) Remove cinnamon and lemon.

5) While the rice is cooking whisk together the condensed milk, evaporated milk and the vanilla.

6) Stir the milk mixture into the cooked rice.
7) Cook uncovered over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until liquid is mostly absorbed and you begin to see the texture of the rice as the liquid becomes absorbed. The mixture will take on a slightly caramel color – THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR FLAVOR!!! Stir in sugar. Remove from heat and spoon into individual serving dishes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chill for about an hour before serving.

Hash brown Casserole

Many years ago I was Trout fishing the Chattahoochee River with a friend who suggested we should stop for breakfast on our way home. The waters we fished just below the Buford Dam are around 30°F so after sitting in it for a few hours I was ready to put away the float tube and eat. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for a big breakfast of Chicken Fried Steak, Biscuits & Gravy, and a side of Hash brown casserole. This is still my favorite breakfast after a morning of fishing, and the hash brown casserole is famous. I've shared my breakfast spot with many friend and family members over the years, but I don't think I've shared the recipe for the hash brown casserole. These potatoes are not just great for breakfast, but should be tried with a Blackened Pork Tenderloin, or even some grilled Chicken breast.



Ingredients:
2 pounds shredded hash brown potatoes
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 additional cups of extra sharp cheddar are recommended to sprinkle on the casserole prior to baking, but this is optional.



Steps:
Preheat oven to 350°F

1. Sauté onions in butter until just soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. Mix potatoes, chicken soup, milk and cooked onions in a big bowl until well blended. 

3. Add cheese and mix well. Pour contents into a 9 x 13 baking dish. 

4. Bake about 45 minutes or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted.

Ranch Style Beans

Ingredients:

1 pound dried pinto beans
6 Ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 15 oz. can of tomatoes (or 2 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup of water
6 cups of beef broth

3 each jalapenos, chopped * optional*
Salt and black pepper to taste

Steps:

Soak the beans covered in water—either overnight or the quick soak method in which you place the beans in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat and let sit for one hour.

Drain the soaked beans.

In a large pot, or skillet over medium high heat, cook the ancho chilies on each side for a couple of minutes (or until they start to pop), turn off the heat and fill the skillet with warm water. Let them sit until soft and rehydrated, which should happen after half an hour or so.

In the pot you’ll be cooking your beans, heat up a teaspoon of canola oil and cook the onions until golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  

Place the cooked onions and garlic in a blender and add the tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, paprika, cumin, oregano, water and hydrated ancho chiles. Puree until smooth.

Add the pinto beans and beef broth to the pot and stir in the chile puree. On high, bring the pot to a boil and then cover; turn the heat down to low and simmer for two and a half hours, stirring occasionally.

 After the beans have cooked for 2-2.5 hours check for tenderness (The cooking time can be as short as two and a half hours and as long as four hours). When you're satisfied that the beans are done, you can add chopped Jalapenos to increase heat, or just finish with salt and pepper to taste.

Blackened Redfish

We think that this is one of the best ways to cook fish, but it's a good idea to cook this outdoors due to the amount of smoke that will be produced during the process.

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Blackening Spice Seasoning
12 oz. Unsalted Butter, melted
6 1⁄2"-thick 8-oz. skinless, boneless red drum, black
drum, or red snapper filets



Steps:
1. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter into each of six small ramekins; set aside and keep warm. Put remaining butter into a wide, shallow dish. Dip each filet in melted butter and place on a parchment paper–lined sheet tray. Dust each filet generously on both sides with spice mixture, pressing spices and herbs into fish with your hands. Pour remaining butter into a small bowl.


2. Preheat oven to 200°. Turn on ventilation system and open windows.

3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until white and ashy, 8–10 minutes. Carefully place seasoned filets in pan. Stand back to avoid smoke and pour 1 tsp. of the remaining butter over each filet.

4. Cook until bottom of each filet appears charred, about 2 minutes. Turn filets over and pour 1 tsp. butter over each. Continue cooking until fish is cooked through (time will vary according to heat of pan).
5. Transfer to a sheet tray on a rack and keep warm in oven.

6. Repeat cooking process with remaining fish and butter. Serve with reserved warm melted butter.

SERVES 6

Coke Chocolate Cake with Coke Icing

The exotic adventure of a recipe passed down for generations, and a Mother with the time to share it with us all is what got me into cooking to begin with. Long before the introduction of microwaves and convenience foods to our homes we built traditions that every year at Thanksgiving, and Christmas most of us attempt to get back into our lives. That being said I fear those days are slipping away, and with that some of the great recipes that came with them. Thank you to all those Chefs out there that are doing what they can to save us all from the loss of such treasures. Here’s my contribution to the cause…

Coca-Cola* Chocolate Cake with Coke Icing

The Cake:
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Pound of Margarine
1 Cup Coca Cola
3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
½ Cup Buttermilk
½ Cup Miniature Marshmallows
2 Eggs, Beaten
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Combine the Flour, Sugar, and Baking Soda in a bowl. Heat the Margarine, Cocoa Powder,Marshmallows, and Coca Cola to a boil. Pour over flour mixture; add Buttermilk, Eggs, and Vanilla. Mix well.
Bake 35 Minutes at 350 Degrees

Coca-Cola* Icing:

¼ Pound Margarine
6 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
6 Tablespoons Coca Cola
1 Pound of Confectioners Sugar
1 Cup Chopped Pecans

Combine Margarine, Cocoa Powder and Coke in a sauce pan to bring to a boil. Add Sugar and beat well until creamy. Add nuts and spread over warm Coke cake…..

* This recipe dates back to the time when we only had one Coke available. This would now be called Coca-Cola Classic for those that don’t remember the terrible day they pulled our original coke from the shelves…..