Corned Beef, Zucchinni salad and yam casserole

Boyles Corned beef made according to package instructions.

Zucchini and tomato salad

3 large or 6 baby zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved
1 pinch dried oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced (for a quick substitute, we used organic cherry tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
*Serves four

Thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise—a vegetable mandolin or peeler can speed up this process. Once sliced, mix the zucchini with all ingredients except the tomatoes. Let the salad marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge. Add the tomatoes before serving.

Honest Tip: As an alternative, you can serve this as a warm side dish by cutting the zucchini in thicker strips like French Fries; coating them with olive oil, oregano, and salt and pepper, and grilling them. Similarly, you can roast cherry tomatoes on a kabob on the grill. Once the veggies are done, serve them with some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Organic Baby Jewel Yam and Apple Caasserole

5 servings

1 pkg Melissia’s Organic baby jewel yams

2 1/2 bakine apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4” rings

1/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. orange juice

1/8 C. butter

3/4 Tbs. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

1/ Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 Tbsp nutmeg

1 T. macadamia nuts, toasted

Used 1 1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and nutmeg

Pecans, a handful

Note next time top with a crisp or crumble

SHRIMP DINNER

Pumpernickel swirl bread. deviled eggs, Louisiana boiled shrimp, Latin salad with dressing, shrimp and tartar sauces

Louisiana Killer Shrimp  Servings: 4 to 6 

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 quarts chicken broth

3 ounces tomato paste

½ cup butter

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, tails on

1 loaf French bread, toasted

Crunch up the rosemary and thyme using fingers. Place all ingredients, except shrimp and french bread, in a large pot. Simmer this mixture for 2 ½ hours.

Five minutes before serving add shrimp and cook about 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp is done. Serve shrimp with broth and toasted French bread for sopping the broth.

LATIN STYLE SALAD

Salad dressing

1/4 C. fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4C. fresh squeezed lime juice

1/3 C. olive oil

1/4 C. red wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp. sugar

1/3 C finely chopped fresh oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

2 ears corn, or equal frozen, thawed

2 avocados peeled, pitted and dice large

8 or 9 cherry tomatoes

1 red onion, large dice

1 C. cooked, drained red beans

handful mixed herbs greens

Ham shank, brats, collards and beans

I got hungry for some of Mom's cooking so I went looking for ham hocks.  Apparently it is too early to get them but I found some meaty ham shanks.

FOR THE GREENS

2 lbs.. collard greens, stemmed and well washed

4 T. brown sugar

1 lar.. onion, peeled and diced large

1/2 C cider vinegar

2 Tbs. Kosher salt

2 Tbs. cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 fresh ham hocks, about  

2 or 3 brats

Simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Also for dinner cornbread.

Navy beans

1 (1 lb.) bag small white beans

6 c. water

Bring to boil, discard water, add 6 cups water, bring to boil, add

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1/8 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 can chicken broth

2 lb. cooked ham cut in pieces

Few dashes sherry

Salt and pepper to taste

2 ham hocks

2 or 3 brats.

Simmer to taste 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender

Carmelized Oxtails

Caramelized Oxtails

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs of oxtails..

- 1 lt of water

- salt and black peppers

- nutmeg

for the caramel sauce:

- 1 tbsp of butter

- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced

- 4 cloves of garlic, mince

- 1 red jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

- 1/2 cup of sweet soy sauce or (regular soy sauce + 2 tbsp of brown sugar)

- 2 tbsp of sugar 

- 1/2 cup of oxtail broth 

- green onion, thinly sliced

- 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice 

Method:

- boil the oxtail until tender, I put it a big pan, covered with foil and bake in 350'F oven for 2 hours.. fish the oxtail out and let them cool, reserve the broth 

- in a big pan, heat butter, add shallots, garlic and jalapeno pepper, stir until fragrant 

- add the broth, soy sauce, sugar and oxtail 

- cook until the sauce thickened 

- sprinkle with lemon juice

- top with green onion

Serve them hot with rice or mashed potato or pasta 

Pork Chops, asparagus and potato cakes

Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 1 inch thick Pork loin chops
• 2 tablespoons  brown sug
• 2 tablespoons salts
• 4 cups water
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 2 cloves  galric, minced
• 5 or 6 brown mushrooms, sliced
• 4 slices fresh pineapple

• 1 cup white wint (vermough)

• 2 tablespoons honey 

• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard     

Instructions

In a gallon size sealable freezer bag, add the sugar, salt, garlic and water. Seal the bag and swish it around to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add the pork, press out as much air as you can, then seal the bag. Let this sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

Remove the pork chops from the brine and use paper towels to remove as much moisture from the surface of the pork chops as you can. If there's water on the surface of the pork chops, they will not brown. 

Add the oil to the pan and heat over medium high heat. Place the pork chops in the pan while the pan is still cold. Because the pork chops are brined with sugar, they'll burn before they cook through if you put them into a hot pan. 

Fry the pork chops undisturbed until they are golden brown on one side and have gone from pink to beige about halfway up the sides.

Flip the pork chops over and fry the second side until well browned and an instant read thermometer reads 141 degrees F (60.5 C). Transfer them to a plate and let them rest. 

Drain the excess oil out of the pan, and then add the  mushrooms, onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are soft.  Add pineapple chunks

Add the wine, honey and mustard and then turn up the heat to boil off the alcohol and thicken

the glaze.

When the glaze is nice and thick, add the pork chops back to the pan and flip them over repeatedly to coat them with the glaze. Once there is no liquid left in the pan, the pork chops are done. Top with the caramelized onions .

POTATO CAKES

-4 gold potatoes, peeled and shredded, soaked in a bowl of salty water, or frozen store bought hash brown

2 finely chopped green onions or your favorite herbs 

fresh grated nutmeg

salt, pepper to taste, be careful with the salt because we have soaked potato in salty water

1 big egG

1 cup of plain breadcrumbs

- Drain shredded potatoes, squeeze with paper towel if needed

- combine all the ingredients

- heat nonstick pan, add 1/2 inch of oil

- carefully spoon potato batter in the pan, one after another

- cook about 5 minute or until it turns brown, flip over and cook for another 5 minuteS

ASPARAGUS

Steam 5 minutes, pour Alfredo sauce over, keep warm in 200º oven until ready to serve.

Brisket with coffee rub

Brisket with coffee and tatonka rubs with orange zest, onions, mushrooms and carrots.

Stuffed butternut squash

A recipe I just kind of made up. I baked the squash in the microwave while cooking garlic and onion and green pepper until soft, then added hamburger, a little refried beans and salsa, then added some scooped out squash and stuffed the squash, topped with cheese and baked until the cheese was melted.