Sexton Spinach Balls

submitted by Allie Jones

Ingredients:

2 packages chopped spinach, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 cups Pepperidge Farm (or similar) Herb Stuffing Mix
2 onions (chopped fine)
3/4 cup (yes 1.5 sticks) butter, melted
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tblsp minced garlic
(shouldn't need salt but you can add a dash or 2 if you like)

What you do:

mix all ingredients and chill for a while.  Form small balls and put in container and freeze.  When needed, bake at 375 degrees , turning once.  When done, let cool and serve.

Allie’s sweet/yam/parsnip mash/fry/bake

Submitted by Allie Jones

Ingredients

·         1 stick butter J

·         2 large-ish red onions, thinly sliced

·         4 cloves garlic. minced

·         2 tablespoons (loose!, or could do 2 tsp packed) brown sugar

·         2  sweet potatoes, cubed (skins stay on)

·         2 yams, cubed (skins on)

·         2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices or pieces

·         1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or veggie broth, heated

·         2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (or ~ 1.5 to 2 tsp, dried)

·         Parmesan cheese

What to do:

In a large skillet over med-high heat, cook onions and garlic with ½ of the butter and all the sugar, stirring occasionally, until onions brown, 20 to 25 minutes. If you need to, you can add a few tablespoons of water as you cook to keep onions from sticking or burning. Take about 1/3 of your parsnips and yams/potatoes and put them in a separate skillet with the other half of the butter, and also cook over med-high heat (uncovered), for also about 20-25 min until they are nicely fried (brown) in butter.  Fill a medium stockpot ¾ full with water. Add the rest of the yams, potatoes and parsnips; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes and parsnips are fork-tender (also 20 to 25 minutes), then drain. Put the parsnips/tatoes into a large bowl and mash with a masher.  Have the warm broth nearby and use as needed to get a nice creamy consistency (but you shouldn’t use all of it). Add thyme, additional salt if you want (to taste) and some pepper.  Now fold in the caramelized onions and the fried up potatoes, yams and parsnips.  Resist temptation to mash any more.  Put it all in a large casserole dish.  Grate parmesan on the top, and put in broiler long enough to crust/brown the cheese on top.  Serve.  Should serve at least 8 if not 12 I think.

Cajun Sweet Potatoes

Submitted by Kimberly Faerber

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings 

• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, stir together paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
3. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Brush each half with olive oil. Rub the seasoning mix over the cut surface of each half. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, or in a shallow pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven until tender, or about 1 hour.

Corn Okra Creole Recipe

Submitted by Joe and Dede Russo

YIELD: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped green pepper

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn or 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole-kernel corn

• 1-1/2 cups fresh sliced okra or 1 package (16 ounces) frozen okra

• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (1-1/2 cups)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• Salt to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional Directions In a large skillet, saute green pepper and onion in oil until tender. Add corn and okra; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, salt, pepper and pepper sauce if desired. Cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Edamame Succotosh

Submitted by Becca Leeper via Cooking Light

My notes:  Because I didn't have fresh ingredients available, so I used frozen white and yellow corn, a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, and dried basil not fresh.  I used olive oil instead of butter and to keep it a vegetarian meal I omitted the bacon.  Otherwise I followed the instructions.  Enjoy!!!

Edamame Succotash

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro

Worthy of a special occasion

Rate and Review | Read Reviews (18)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Total: 30 Minutes

Cost per Serving: $2.47

Recipe from

Ingredients

• 1 slice center-cut bacon 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2 cups chopped sweet onion 
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped 
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 
• 3 tablespoons torn basil

1. Preparation
2. 1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon.
3. 2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Melt butter in drippings in pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn kernels; sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Add edamame, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon and basil.

Mushrooms Berkeley from 'The Vegetarian Epicure'

Submitted by Allie Jones

This one actually holds a special place in my heart – someone gave me the great cookbook – “the Vegetarian Epicure” in college (this is also where that  great tomato-eggplant casserole recipe I made for RED came from), and sophomore year my room-mate Kathy decided to make the mushrooms Berkeley (b/c she is from Berkeley), and also Sophomore year we started the community cooking thing, where each of the 4 girls we lived with cooked for the rest one night a week.  Though the other room-mates changed over time, I lived with Kathy for 3 years, and at least once a month – sometimes twice, she would make the mushrooms Berkeley with brown rice, broccoli with Hollandaise and garlic bread – a standard ritual all the way through senior year…so whenever I make it I think of her! 

Anyhow, here it is – 

Mushrooms Berkeley (from “the Vegetarian Epicure”)

1 lb fresh mushrooms (any kind but the standard, white “button” shrooms work great)

2 sm-med bell peppers

1 very large white onion

1/2 cup butter

(sauce) :

2 Tbs Dijon mustard

2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

½ cup brown sugar

Fresh-ground black pepper and salt

¾ cup mellow red table wine (when I don’t have red wine around  but do have some sort of dark, hearty beer - like a Porter – this substitution works great.  Also for people who prefer to cook alcohol free – non-alcoholic beer also works well.  But remember the alcohol all cooks off in the process, so really the end result is alcohol free for those that are curious about that)

Wash the shrooms and, unless, they are super small, cut them in either halves or quarters, depending on size.  Stem and seed the bell peppers and cut them into 1-inch squares.  Also chop onion into about 1-inch pieces.  Melt the butter in large sauce pan or skillet over med-high heat and sauté onion until transparent.  Then add peppers and shrooms and let it all simmer in the butter.

Then  make sauce – mix the mustard, sugar, and W. sauce into a paste.  Then add wine, lots of pepper, and maybe just a little salt.  Add sauce to sauté, and simmer over medium heat for at least 45 minutes, until sauce is reduced and thickened, and the mushrooms begin to look very dark and evil looking.  This dish works well alone or over brown rice, and is a nice compliment to turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes

Submitted by Kimberly Felix

Here's where I found the recipe.http://www.massresort.com/v.php?pg=144 I don't know if I measured something wrong, but I only put about 2 ounces of milk in mine. It would've been soup if I'd used 10. I also started with 1 tsp of salt and it was plenty.

1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 lb canned pumpkin
4 oz butter (one stick)
4 oz brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
Dash cinnamon
10 oz milk

Peel, dice, boil and drain potatoes. Heat up pumpkin (microwave is fine.) Then combine all ingredients and mash with potato masher.

Fried Rice

Submitted by Kimberly Felix

Recipe by Our Best Bites, adapted from Disneyworld’s Ohana Restaurant

2 c. white rice + 4 c. water (OR 4 c. cold, leftover rice, which is actually better)
3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. minced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms
8 oz. (1/2 bag) of coleslaw mix
3-4 generous Tbsp. soy sauce

SEASONING:
1 Tbsp. dried onion
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. celery salt
1 ½ tsp. sugar

Boil water and add rice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. This step can be done even up to 2-3 days in advance (and for some reason, fried rice tastes better when the rice is cold). Heat butter over medium heat and saute onions, carrots, and cabbage until carrots are tender. Add cooked rice, soy sauce, and seasoning to taste (you won’t even come close to using all of it; save the rest for future fried rice or use as you would seasoning salt.)

OPTIONAL ADD-INS:

–Peas, snap peas, or pea pods
–Ham
–Shrimp

Golden-crusted Brussels Sprouts

Submitted by Deidre Russo

This is the only way to eat brussels sprouts: cut in half and cooked until deliciously tender inside and perfectly brown and crusted on the outside.
Use brussels sprouts that are on the small size and tightly closed. You can finish these with many different types of cheese but I tend to go for Parmesan when the weather is good. I trade that in for heavier cheeses like gruyere or Gouda in colder weather. I finished them off with some toasted hazelnuts the other night - delicious!

24 small brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact (or if you are lazy just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil).
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. While you might be able to get away with keeping a platter of these warm in the oven for a few minutes, they are exponentially tastier if popped in your mouth immediately.
Serves 4.