South of the Border Soup or UGLY Soup

This recipe I got from Mom's friend Lynell - I used it at the Emporium... it may be homely but it's flavor is spot on... of course I expanded on it ... and altered it to be different... but it has great taste...and it taste good!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 CHOPPED BELL PEPPER
• 1 CHOPPED ONION
• 1 TBLS OLIVE OIL
• 1 CAN OF ROTEL
• 1 CAN OF BLACK BEANS
• 1 CAN OF KIDNEY BEANS
• 3 CUPS OF COOKED CHOPPED CHICKEN - I LIKE TYSON'S PRECOOKED FAJITA CHICKEN STRIPS
• 2 CUPS OF CHICKEN STOCK
• 1 CUP FROZEN CORN
  
• BUNCH OF CILANTRO CHOPPED - PLUS EXTRA FOR TOPPING
  
• 2 TBLS LIME JUICE
• SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
• CRUSHED TOSTITOS

DIRECTIONS:

• SAUTE ONION AND BELL PEPPER UNTIL DONE
• ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS (BUT NOT THE TOSTITOS!)
• SIMMER
  
• LAST 3 MINUTES OF COOKING ADD CORN AND MOST OF CILANTRO
• SIMMER , ADJUST SEASONINGS
  
• DISH UP AND ADD MORE CILANTRO AND A HANDFUL OF CRUSHED TOSTITOS

Hummus

This is one of those recipes that is almost FOOL proof! It is quick, easy, and a great appetizer. This one came from Plantation Country by Lola Broadbent who had traveled the world with her husband Elmer. (Note the photo above as well as the examples are from Wednesdays Cook.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of canned cooked chick peas (Garbanzos)
• 1/3 Cup Tahini (or Taheeni) I found it at Publix and Kroger - but any health food store
• 1/2 Cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt ( I like Sea Salt)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• Olive Oil
• Paprika or Tony's Cajun Seasonings (whatever your taste leads to)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain the chick peas - reserve some of the liquid - JUST IN CASE!
2. In blender/food processor put lemon juice and slowly add tahini
3. It is a good idea to crush the garlic with a little salt prior to putting it in the blender
   
4. Add the garlic cloves and salt. Blend until it looks like this ...
5. 
6. Now gradually add the chick peas a few at a time until it is blended very smooth
7. You may need to add a little of the reserved liquid to help it blend - as necessary... but not TOOO thin!
8. It should look like this...
9. The only thing I don't agree with Lola is chilling it.... I think that if you don't chill it ... the flavors start to meld together nicely.... OF COURSE if you are making this early in the morning or the night before... of course... refrigerate it.
10. For plating.... swirl it on a plate, sprinkle Paprika or Tony's, and drizzle it with a great olive oil... or even maybe a flavored oil and parsley.
11. Of COURSE serve this with toasted pita bread that has been cut apart like a pizza.... or even french bread torn in chunks it not bad.

Just a note here.... I had a professor who is a vegetarian who eats this with every meal... but to change the flavor up... he will sometimes throw in cilantro for another layer of flavor.... however,,,,,,,,, your hummus will look green! ... BUT THEN AGAIN I LOVE Guacamole so green doesn't offend me!

Hmmmm... I wonder if Rotel would be good in it? I bet it would... if you try it ... email me and let me know !

Never Fail Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge

This Fudge has really never failed me! I have used this recipe I found in Plantation Country Cookbook since the early 80's. I altered Karen Hammer's recipe just slightly... of course I did!!! It is JUST who I am! Anyway, it works perfectly.

I guess because the weather has turned chilly up here in Tennessee I started thinking about all the over-indulgent foods we eat during this time of year.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 CUPS of Sugar
• 
  
• 4 Tablespoons of good cocoa powder
• 
  
• 1/2 Cup of Water
• 
  
• 1/2 Cup of Evaporated Milk
• 
  
• 1/4 Cup of White Karo
• 
  
• 1/2 Stick of Butter ( ok you can use Margarine!)
• 
  
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 
  
• 3/4 Cup of Peanut Butter

DIRECTIONS:

• In a HEAVY Clad pot mix sugar and cocoa stirring until the sugar and cocoa are combined nicely.
• 
  
• Add the water and milk.
• 
  
• Stir this until everything is moist.
• 
  
• Add the syrup and stir it into the cocoa mixture.
• 
  
• NOW PUT THIS ON THE STOVE - medium heat
• 
  
• Cook until the soft ball stage.
  

  Soft-Ball Stage 235° F–240° F sugar concentration: 85%

At this temperature, sugar syrup dropped into cold water will form a soft, flexible ball. If you remove the ball from water, it will flatten like a pancake after a few moments in your hand.

Fudge, pralines, and fondant are made by cooking ingredients to the soft-ball stage.
I found this on the Accidental Cook - Science of Cooking

• Once soft ball stage has been reached remove it from the heat.
• 
  
• Add butter and vanilla.
• 
  
• Beat it - this adds air into the mixture and helps it cool - I can never wait until it loses its gloss - so I usually go ahead and add the peanut butter! (That is also who I am...!)
• 
  
• Add the peanut butter and work FAST- stir, stir, and stir - - just short of it getting stiff.
• 
  
• Pour it into a buttered platter.
• 
  
• When cool cut into squares.
• 
  

YUM !!!!

The Original Pat O'Brien's Hurricane

How do you make a Hurricane?

1 1/2 oz. light rum
1 1/2 oz. dark rum
1 oz. fresh orange juice
1 oz. fresh lemon juice (or fresh lime juice)
2 oz. passion fruit juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
grenadine to taste
1 maraschino cherry, for garnish
1 orange wheel, for garnish

Shake and strain into a ice filled Hurricane glass. Add garnishes and a long straw.

OR

Mix 4 oz of amber or dark rum
And 4 oz of Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane Mix
Fill with crushed ice
Top it off with an orange and a cherry

Watergate Salad

Ingredients:

1 package (4-serving size) Jell-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, (not drained)
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped walnuts nuts
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Topping

Instructions:

Stir the pudding mix, pineapple with juice, marshmallows and nuts in large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish as desired.

Waterfall Pleat Napkin

Waterfall Pleat

From: Victoria: The New Napkin Folding © 2006 Hearst Books

By Joanne O'Sullivan and Terry Taylor

photo credit: Keith Wright

Be sure to use a crisp, starched napkin for best results.

Step One

Start with a napkin laid flat.

Bring the bottom long edge of the napkin up to the top edge to fold the napkin in half lengthwise.

Fold the left side over to the right.

Position the napkin in a diamond shape with the open points at the top.

Step Two

Bring the first layer down to the bottom point.

Crease the fold.

Step Three

Accordion-pleat the layer you just folded down to the crease line.

Step Four

Fold the napkin in half to form a triangle.

Turn the napkin so the folded line is at the bottom.

Step Five

Tuck the side points into each other in the back.

Stand the finished napkin on a plate, and fan the pleats outward.

White Chicken Chili

I first made this in Fall of 2003 at The Emporium, LLC in Hohenwald, TN. It was an instant hit. It is simple and easy to prepare and just hits the spot when it is cold and funky outside. Of Course I made it to serve a huge number of people, but I have trimmed down the amounts to fit a family of four.

This is a great recipe if you can't seem to tolerate Tomato Based Soups! You still get to have chili but no acid reflux!

----------------

INGREDIENTS

* 1/4 Cup olive oil
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 can of Rotel
* 1 package of Pioneer Pepper Gravy
* 1 Tablespoon (or more) ground cumin
* 3-4 cans BUSH'S® BEST Great Northern Beans
* 3 Cups of chicken broth
* 3 Cups chopped cooked chicken breast ( or you can use Tyson's Fajita Chicken Strips
* Shredded Cheese (optional)
* Sour cream (optional)

_______________


DIRECTIONS

1. In large skillet, cook onion in oil for 4 minutes or until transparent.

2. While the onions are cooking open the packet of Pepper Gravy and add a cup of Chicken Broth (as stated in previous recipes... I love Chicken Base - the flavor is great and it mixes so much quicker than Bouillon Cubes

3. Add Rotel, cumin, and chicken; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

4. Now move it to a large heavy pot so your "soup" can GROW! Be sure use low heat

5. At this point add your Pepper Gravy mixture and stir out the lumps

6. Add beans and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.

7. Garnish if desired.

Fancy Napkin Folding - The Diamond Pouch

Napkin folding for the holidays

The Diamond Pouch

Here we have another variation of the silverware pouch. Also simple to make, this design tends to look nicer when it is pressed down almost flat. You wouldn't want your silverware getting cold, would you?

1. Lay the napkin face-down in front of you.

2. Fold the napkin in half and orient the open end toward you.

3. Fold the napkin into quarters.

4. Orient the napkin so the open end faces away from you.

5. Fold the top-most layer almost all the way forward and press it down flat.

6. Fold the next top-most layer of napkin forward almost as far as the previous one and press it down as well. Make sure the edges are even with the previous fold.

7. Fold the next layer back as you did the two before it.

8. Turn the napkin over.

9. Fold both sides back and over one another (about 1/3 of the way), check for symmetry and press the fold down well.



10. Flip it over and insert your favorite silverware.



This was retrieved from the site : /www.napkinfoldingguide.com

Fancy Napkin Folding - Fleur de Lis

I found this website www.slashfood.com where the examples are easy to follow! Robyn and I used this Fleur de Lis napkin pattern in The Emporium, LLC for the night service. I have cut and pasted the instructions here.
1. Fold the napkin in half diagonally.

2. Fold the bottom corner up about 2" over the top edge.

3. Fold the napkin accordion style.

4. Stand the napkin upright in a glass or a wide napkin ring and fan out the layers as shown.

Fancy Napkin Folding - Rose or Lotus

I found this site (: www.napkinfoldingguide.com/11-rose/) that shows a beautiful Lotus, or Rose Napkin Fold

The Rose Napkin Fold

Despite looking fairly elaborate, this fold is an easy one, and it can be done with almost any variety of napkin. Display small bowls or glasses on top of these, or use them as novelty cocktail napkins.

1. Lay the napkin face-down in front of you.

2. Fold the two right corners of the napkin in so the the tips rest at the center.

3. Fold the remaining two corners of the napkin in so the tips meet with the last two in the center.

4. Once again, begin folding the outer corners in so they meet at the center.

5. Once all of the tips are folded you are left with a square about 1/4 the size of the unfolded napkin.

6. Flip it over.

7. Fold the corners in so they meet in the center and then place something sturdy in the center, or hold it with your fingers.

8. While maintaining downward pressure in the center of the napkin, reach underneath each corner and pull out the flaps to create petals.

9. Remove the center weight and your rose should look as pictured here.

10. If you like you can reach underneath the center of each side and pull out a second set of petals to fancy it up some more. Place something in the center and you're done, have a rosy meal!