Southern Fish Fry

Ingredients

10 catfish fillets or whitefish

2 cups corn meal

2 cups flour

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons yellow sandwich mustard

1/2 cup hot sauce

2 tablespoons creole seasoning

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon paprika

pinch of cayenne pepper

lemon to serve

cooking oil

hot sauce

Instructions

Rinse fish and pat dry.

Slice fish in half to get long strips.

Place fish in a large bowl.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat to 350 degrees, not filling more than halfway with oil.

Mix seasoning blend and set aside.

In a freezer bad add cornmeal and flour and 2 tablespoons of seasoning blend, mix well.

Add remaining seasoning blend and hot sauce, eggs, and mustard to fish bowl, mix well.

Once oil is ready place a few strips of fish into corn/flour and shake well to coat.

Remove excess flour from fish by lightly shaking when removing from bag.

Place fish in pan and fry 4-5 minutes per side.

Don't over crowd pan, repeat until all fish is cooked.

Drain on paper napkin and sprinkle a pinch more of creole seasoning when fish comes out the pan if desired.

Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce. 

Easy salsa recipe

Ingredients

6 tomatoes

3 jalapenos (warning: hot)

1 medium white onion

1/2 a medium red onion

1 cup cilantro (I’m a fiend- so a little less if you aren’t)

5 cloves garlic

3 limes juice (hell, I even threw in some of the pulp)

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt (More can always be added but not taken away!)

1 tsp chili powder

Directions

1 cup (2-3 ears) of grilled/pan fried corn. If pan frying it, try putting in 3 tbsps of pineapple juice and 2 tbsp EVOO. Since you are using pans now, I would probably add the garlic, salt, 1/2 the cilantro, cumin and chili powder now.

Sweeten it up with some diced fruit of your choice- pineapple, mango, peach etc.

High Altitude Yellow Cake w Lemon Buttercream

High Altitude Yellow Cake w Lemon Buttercream (adapted from "Pie in the Sky")

13 3/4 oz all-purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups, minus 1 tablespoon, sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 egg yolk, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, buttermilk, room temperature

additional flour for dusting pans

1. Heat your oven to 350. Use a folded paper towel to generously grease 2 9-in round pans with vegetable shortening. Add 1 tablespoon all-purpose to each pan and shake it around to coat; tap out the excess. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, if you want (this is a good way to make sure the cake doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Sometimes I use the parchment paper, sometimes I don't).

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until well blended. Add the eggs and egg yolk (2 or 3 at a time), and vanilla, scraping down the bowl and mixing well after each.

4. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk in 2-3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix on low and scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix on medium for 1 minute, until the batter is smooth and creamy, and thickened up a bit. 

5. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans (I use my digital kitchen scale for this, too, so I'm sure my cakes will be the same height.) and spread it evenly. Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it. Cool on racks for 10 minutes before removing from the pans.

6. To remove the cakes from the pans, run a thin knife around the outside of the cakes to makes sure the sides have come completely away from the pans. Put a cooling rack over the pan, invert the cake onto the rack, remove the pan, and peel off the parchment. Invert the cake a 2nd time onto another rack, and let it finish cooling. (I've also used plates, cutting boards or foil-covered carboard cake circles to do this.) Cool the cakes completely before trimming the tops to make them level (if necessary) and frosting.

Makes 2 9-inch round cakes or 1 9x13-inch cake (You can use 2 8-inch round pans, but you have to make sure they are 2-inch deep pans, otherwise you'll have cake batter all over your oven. You will also need to bake the cakes a little longer. Start at 30 minutes and then check every few minutes until the cakes pass the toothpick test.)

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted if from a box

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Lemon yellow gel or paste food coloring, if desired.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and shortening together until well blended. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until well blended; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and mix on low until well blended; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat with the remaining powdered sugar and the heavy cream. Add a little yellow food coloring to tint the frosting, if you want. Mix a final time on medium-low to medium until the frosting is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

Makes about 5 cups frosting.

Breakfast Sausage Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound sausage, browned and drained

6 eggs

2 cups milk

8 slices bread

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

Butter bread slices and press butter side down in 9x13 dish

Mix together eggs, mustard, milk and salt

Mix in cheese and sausage

Pour over bread slices

Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes

Enjoy!

Bacon, Egg & Hash Brown Casserole

20-ounce bag frozen, shredded hash browns (I used Trader Joe’s)

8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

6 green onions, sliced thin

12 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cooking oil (to lightly coat slow cooker)

Optional toppings: Fresh salsa, hot sauce & avocado

How to make it

Lightly grease your slow cooker with cooking oil. Layer half of the hash browns into the bottom and top with half the bacon, half the cheese, and one-third of the green onions. Set aside some bacon and green onion for garnish and then repeat with a second layer of hash brown, bacon, cheese, and onion.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper and slowly pour over top. Cook until eggs are set, approximately 2-3 hours on high, or 4-5 hours on low. Sprinkle remaining bacon and onions on top and serve immediately, with or without hot sauce.

SAUSAGES, ONIONS, POTATOES, PEPPERS AND GREEN BEANS

INGREDIENTS

2½ pounds Idaho® Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potatoes, scrubbed, cut into bite-sized chunks.

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 precooked spicy sausages of your choice (12 ounces) cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices

2 bell peppers, any color, seeds and ribs removed, cut into ½ inch strips

2 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into ½ inch slices

¾ pound fresh green beans (about 4 handfuls), washed, root ends trimmed off

3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or substitute fresh ground black pepper)

2-3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (or substitute balsamic vinegar)

INSTRUCTIONS

Put the potatoes into a large pot, and cover with water by 2 inches. Stir in a teaspoon of salt. Set the pot over high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, lower to a gentle boil and set your timer for 10 minutes, until potatoes are cooked but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages and cook, flipping occasionally, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. (don't wash the skillet - you'll use it for the peppers and onions)

Put an additional tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add the onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and browned in spots, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat but keep on the stove. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop the green beans in to blanch them. Once the water returns to boil, set the timer for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

Add the sausages, green beans and potatoes to the skillet with the onions and peppers. Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil and pomegranate molasses (or balsamic) on top. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Toss everything gently to combine, over a medium flame, until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Divide among 5 bowls or plates. Enjoy!

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Crock pot Sausage with Peppers and Onion

1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage (could also use hot sausage if desired)

1 Green Pepper Sliced

1 Red Pepper Sliced

1 Onion Sliced

1 Can Crushed Tomatoes

How to make it:

Brown sausage in a skillet on the stove.  Once browned place in a crock pot and cover with veggies and tomatoes.  Turn to high and cook for 4-6 hours.  Check occasionally to make sure it isn't too dry.  You may desire to add a tablespoon of water to the sauce.