Asparagus Cheese Casserole

• 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon Unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground mace
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Whipping cream
• 10 1/2 ounces Frozen asparagus spears - Cooked and drained
• 2 large Eggs — hard-cooked
• Peeled & coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup Grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup Minced blanched almonds
• 1 cup Soft white bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a medium saucepan set over moderate heat, melt the butter.
Spoon 4 teaspoons of the melted butter into a bowl.
Set aside.
Blend the flour, salt, pepper and mace into the rest of the butter and let it sit over low heat for 1-to-2 minutes.
Add the milk and cream and cook the sauce, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes, until it has become thick and smooth.
In a well-buttered, 2-quart casserole, alternate layers of the asparagus, eggs, cheddar cheese and almonds.
Pour the cream sauce over the layers.
Combine the reserved butter, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and scatter the topping over the layers.
Combine the reserved butter, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and
scatter the topping over the surface of the casserole.
Bake the uncovered casserole for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the topping is tipped with brown.
Seres 6.

Tex Mex Spinach Bake

• 2 cups Bisquick baking mix
• 1/2 cup Water — cold
• 1 pound Ground beef
• 1 package Taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup Water
• 10 ounces Spinach - frozen, thawed, chopped and squeezed dry.
• 1 cup Cheese — ricotta
• 1/3 cup Green onions — chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese — shredded
• 1 cup Sour cream
• 1 Egg — lightly beaten

Heat oven to 350~F.
Combine baking mix and 1/2 c cold water; stir until soft dough forms.
Press dough into bottom of greased 13×9″ baking dish.
Cook ground beef in large nonstick skillet until brown.
Stir in taco seasoning mix (dry) and 1 c water.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spoon mixture over dough.
Combine spinach, ricotta cheese and onions; spread over ground beef
mixture.
Combine Cheddar cheese, sour cream and egg; spoon evenly over
spinach mixture.
Bake 30 minutes or until set.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 8.

Boxx’s Bread Pudding

• 5 slices toasted bread
• 2 c. scalded milk
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Spray 9 x 9 inch pan.
Break bread into cubes, add other ingredients. Bake at
350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Crispy Corn Dogs

• 10 Frankfurters
• 1 c Flour
• 1 1/2 ts Baking powder
• 1/2 ts Salt
• 2 tb Yellow cornmeal
• 3 tb Shortening
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 3/4 c Milk
• oil or shortening for frying

In medium bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
With pastry blender or fork, cut in 2 T shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
In small bowl, combine egg and milk.
Add to dry mixture; mix well.
Pat frankfurters dry with paper towels.
Dip franks into batter with tongs, being careful to coat all sides.
Let excess batter drip off.
Drop 1 or 2 at a time into hot oil in mini-fryer.
Fry until golden, about 1 minute on each side.
Insert wooden skewer in end of each.
Serve hot, with mustard, if desired.

Chicken In Orange Sauce

• 4 chicken breast halves
• 1/4 c. flour
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp. margarine
• 1 1/2 c. orange juice

Coat each half breast with seasoned flour.
Melt margarine in pan and saute each side over medium heat until lightly browned.
Add orange juice and cover.
Cook about 15 to 20 minutes more on reduced heat until done.
Serve over rice, if desired, with the sauce.
Serves 4.

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

• 12 mushrooms
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 onions - use a sweet onion such as Vidalia
• 1 eggplant
• 3 zucchinis
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• salt — to taste
• black pepper — to taste

Prepare vegetables.
Clean mushrooms and remove stems, seed peppers and cut into bite-sized chunks, peel onions and cut into chunks, remove
stems from cherry tomatoes, slice zucchini into thick slices, cut eggplant into chunks.
Use 6 metal skewers about 6-8 inches long.
Thread vegetables onto skewers, alternating according to color for a nice presentation.
Brush with a marinade of the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Grill 4 inches from hot coals, turning and basting frequently.
Cook for about 12-15 minutes.
Serves 6.

Grilled Beef Kabobs

• 1 Lb Stew Meat — cut into 1 inch
• 1/2 C Teriyaki Sauce
• 1/3 C Dry Red Wine
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Salt
• Unseasoned Instant Meat Tenderizer
• 1/2 Sm Pineapple (Or Canned)
• 1 Lg Green Pepper — cut into 1 inch
• 1 lg Onion — cut into 1 inch

Place meat in bowl.
Mix teriyaki sauce, wine, worcestershire sauce, and garlic salt.
Pour over meat.
Cover and refrigerate overnight or let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Drain meat, reserving marinade.
Sprinkle meat with tenderizer according to package directions. Prepare pineapple, cut into wedges.
On four skewers thread meat alternately with green pepper, pineapple, and onion.
Grill over hot coals 8 minutes, baste with marinade.
Turn, grill 7 minutes more. (Or broil 4-5 inches from heat for 8 minutes, turn, baste, then grill 7 minutes more).
Brush once more.
Yield: 4 servings.

Barbecue Chicken With Garlic

• 2 Chickens or chicken breasts
• 2 small Heads garlic
• Water
• 1/4 cup Chopped Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
• 1 large Lemon — juiced

If using whole chickens, halve chickens and bone completely except for wing joint. If only using breasts, bone completely.
Place the heads of garlic in water to cover in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Drain.
Peel the garlic and cut each clove into paper-thin slices.
Toss in a bowl with the parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Loosen the chicken skin and stuff about 2 teaspoons garlic mixture between the skin and the meat.
Reserve remaining garlic mixture.
Set chicken aside.
Prepare hot coals in a grill.
When the coals are ready, grill the chicken 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until the flesh is no longer pink.
Do not overcook the chicken or it will become dry.
Heat the butter in a skillet, add the reserved garlic mixture, and saute a few seconds.
Add the lemon juice and adjust seasonings.
Heat through.
Place the chicken on a large heated platter and spoon the garlic sauce
over it.
Serves 4.

Lemon Mustard Barbecue Steaks

• 3 pounds Top round steak
• 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons Mustard — prepared

Pound steak on both sides with a wooden mallet or the edge of a heavy plate.
Combine lemon juice and mustard and spread over both sides of steak.
Allow to stand 4-5 hours at room temperature.
Broil steaks about 4 inches above glowing coals on barbecue grill for
4-5 minutes on each side, or until desired degree of doneness is achieved.

Winning Wednesday

I’ll be listing contests relevant to food, cooking, groceries, etc each Wednesday. If you’re having one or know of any feel free to let me know and I’ll include it.

Oh Hey - Party menu and plan from Party Designers - 06/26/09

Mama’s Money Savers - GlowGirl 16 Custom Coupon Organizer (Etsy) - US/Canada - 06/26/09

Confe$$ion$ of a Coupon Queen - Coupon organizer & Coupon Queen notepad (2 winners) - 06/27/09

My Moms View - Envirosax bag (2 winners) - 06/29/09

Hissip - What’s A Cook To Do cookbook - 06/30/09

Ms. Modern - $40 gc to Trixie Delicious - 07/03/09

Happily Blended - The Tickle Trunk 18oz Water Bottle - 07/03/09

Ms. Modern - 3 winners - Tin of Curious Cookies - US only - 07/06/09

Barbecue Cornish Hen

• 4 Cornish game hens
• Butter — melted

• 1 Clove garlic — minced
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1/4 cup Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Oil
• 1 1/4 cups Worcestershire
• 2 tablespoons Chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Ketchup

BARBECUE SAUCE:

Brush each Cornish hen with butter and place on vertical roaster.
Mash garlic and salt together in a bowl.
Combine with remaining ingredients.
Set Cornish upright on grill over coals and cover barbecue grill.
Brush with sauce every 10 minutes for about 45 minutes or until tender.
Serves 6-8.

Barbecue Ribs

• 4 pounds Spareribs Cut To Serve
• 1 cup Brown Sugar — Firmly Packed
• 1/4 cup Catsup
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 1/2 cup Chili Sauce
• 1/4 cup Dark Rum
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 each Cloves Garlic — Crushed
• Dash Pepper

Wrap ribs in double thickness of foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 350
degrees F.
Unwrap and drain drippings.
Combine all ingredients and pour over ribs.
Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes, basting with sauce, or grill 30 minutes, 4 inches above coals turning and basting.
Serves 4.

Four Foods On Friday 81

Here are this week’s four questions.

#1. Clair’s question. What’s the biggest kitchen blunder you’ve made?
#2. What’s your favorite snow day beverage?
#3. What’s your favorite way to eat celery?
#4. What’s the most most unappealing looking food you can think of?

My answers.

#1. My first Thanksgiving dinner or my Chinese food
#2. Nothing specific but definitely something hot  like coffee or broth.
#3. I don’t like celery.
#4. Head cheese.

If you play please don’t forget to drop your name and link into Mr Linky so the other players know where to find you. Thanks!

Creamed Cottage Cheesecake

• 1 lb Creamed cottage cheese
• 1 lb Cream cheese
• 4 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tb Lemon juice
• 3 tb Cornstarch
• 3 tb Flour
• 1/4 lb Butter melted
• 1 pt Thick sour cream
• 1 Graham cracker lined pan

Beat smooth both cheeses and beat in the eggs and vanila to blend. Blend in lemon juice, flour and cornstarch. add and blend in the melted butter and sour cream.
Pour into a graham cracker crumb lined pan.
Bake 1 hour at 325.
Turn off oven.
Let cake remain in oven with door closed for 2 hours without opening door.
Remove cake from oven and chill.