SQUASH CASSEROLE

6 medium yellow squash

1/2 c. finely chopped onions

1/2 c. herb seasoned stuffing

1/2 lb. bulk pork sausage

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. Parmesan cheese

Wash squash.  Cook in boiling salted water and cover about 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but still firm.  Drain and cool slightly.  Trim off stems.  Cut squash in half lengthwise.  Remove and reserve pulp leaving firm shell.  Cook sausage and onion in skillet over medium heat until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble.  Remove from heat, drain off pan drippings.  Stir in squash pulp, herb seasoned stuffing and salt.  Place squash shells in 9 x 13-in. baking dish.  Spoon sausage mixture into shells, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

CINDY’S GREEN BEANS

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 pound bacon, diced

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 cans green beans*

Melt butter and add remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. *Originally this recipe was for GREEN BEAN BUNDLES, using whole green beans wrapped with a half piece of bacon and secured with a toothpick, but using cut green beans is easy and diced bacon tastes just as good!

CALICO BEANS

1 pound ground beef

3 slices thick bacon, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 can pork and beans

1 can butter beans

1 can lima beans

1 can kidney beans

3/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons mustard

4 tablespoons vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Brown ground beef; drain and place in a bowl. In same pan, brown diced bacon and diced onion.  Add bacon and onions to ground beef.  Drain half of liquid from beans and add remaining beans with liquid to the ground beef.  Mix ketchup, sugar, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; pour over bean mixture and stir well to mix.  Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  Can also be made in a crockpot.

CAJUN BEANS

1 can 16-ounce can pork and beans

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can butter beans, drained

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1/2 cup Woody's Cookin' Sauce*

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno

1 small green pepper, chopped

Combine all ingredients. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  We had this sauce in Texas, but I just "Googled" *Woody's and found links.  Check out this one to see what it looks like:

http://www.foodlocker.com/cookinsauce.html

Dianna Reusch

BAKED PUMPKIN AND PANCETTA RISOTTO

– from Off the Shelf by Donna Hay (also the author of Instant Entertaining)

2 c. arborio or carnaroli rice

5 c. chicken or vegetable stock

2 oz. butter

1 lb. butternut pumpkin (squash), peeled and finely diced

12 slices pancetta

3/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese

cracked black pepper and sea salt

1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the rice, stock, butter and pumpkin in an ovenproof dish and cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the rice is soft – the risotto will be quite liquid.  While the risotto is cooking, place the pancetta under the broiler and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until crisp.  Set aside.  Add the parmesan, pepper, salt and parsley to the risotto and stir for 2 minutes to thicken it.  To serve, place in serving bowls and top with the pancetta.  Serves 2 as a main dish.

SERENDIPITY SAUSAGE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds link sausage – any combination of Italian, chicken and apple, jalapeno, etc.

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or other ham, minced

2 medium onions, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

2 medium celery stalks, diced

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

3 15.8-ounce cans great Northern or other white beans, undrained

1 quart chicken broth

Heat oil in a large, deep pot or soup kettle over medium-high heat.  When pot is hot, add sausages; cook, turning once or twice, until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.  (Sausage will not be fully cooked at this point.)  Remove from pan.  When cool enough to handle, cut into slices 1/4-inch thick.  Add prosciutto, onions, carrots, celery and thyme to the empty pot; cook, stirring often, until well-browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.  In a small bowl, mash one can of beans with a fork into a chunky puree.  Add whole and mashed beans, broth, and sausages; cover and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, to blend flavors, at least 20 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes; serve.  Makes 8 servings.

DIANA’S BRUNSWICK STEW

2 whole chickens (I’ve used roasted chickens from the grocery!)

1 pound ground round

1 pound ground pork or turkey

2 cans tiny butter beans, drained

2 cans white shoe peg corn and liquid

2 cans chopped tomatoes

1 large bottle Heinz ketchup

1 tablespoon butter

Sugar to taste

If using fresh whole chickens, cover chickens with plenty of water and cook thoroughly. Drain and reserve water. (I usually strain through sieve to get little pieces and other weird looking stuff out of broth.) When chicken is cool enough, remove meat from bone and reserve to add later.  If using prepared roasted chicken from the grocery, remove chicken from bone, shred and reserve to add later.

Brown ground beef, pork and/or turkey and drain excess fat. Add cooked meats, cooked chicken, cans of vegetables, including liquid from corn, and drained butter beans; heat to simmering.  Skim off foam.  Add ketchup and keep simmering. Add the butter and a little sugar to taste. Simmer on low for a few hours until thickened. Serves lots or freezes well in sealed airtight containers.  Reheat in microwave or over low heat on stove, so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot.  This makes a huge pot of stew, which can be served with cornbread, or as a side dish with North Carolina barbecue, fried chicken, slaw, potato salad and hushpuppies!

DEB’S YELLOW SPLIT PEA SOUP

1 pound yellow split peas

2 quarts water

1/2 pound meaty salt pork (rinsed), cut into 1/2-inch cubes or a meaty ham bone or ham hock

2 pounds onions (5 medium), finely chopped

1 medium leek (white and pale green parts only),

chopped and rinsed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon dried savory, crumbled

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Rinse peas, removing any discolored ones, and combine in a 6 to 8-quart heavy pot with water, salt pork, and half of onions.  Bring to a boil, skimming froth, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until peas are tender, but not falling apart, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cook leek and remaining onions in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add to soup along with chives, savory, salt, and pepper and continue to simmer, partially covered, until peas are falling apart and soup is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Remove ham bone or ham hock; shred meat and return meat to soup. Makes 8 servings.

BACON, RADISH AND OLIVE POTATO SALAD

5 potatoes

1 lb. bacon

2 stalks celery

4 small green onions

12 stuffed green olives

5 radishes

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into bite-size pieces.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 mins.  Slice the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet until evenly brown.  Do not overcook.  Chop the celery, green onions, stuffed olives and radishes into small pieces and put into a large bowl.  Add the potatoes and bacon and mix together.  Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice to taste, stir, and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill before serving.

APPLE CIDER SAUCE FOR PORK

1 qt. good apple cider (unpasteurized, if available)

1/4 c. sweet chili sauce (Asian grocery kind)

Pour cider into a heavy saucepan and heat until reduced by half; add chili sauce.  Use as a finishing glaze or dipping sauce for chicken, pork, or seafood.

WALTER’S HAM LOAF

(Make the day before serving)

1 pound ground ham

1 pound ground pork

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

2 cups crushed crackers

1/2 cup tomato juice

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

Mix ham, pork, milk, eggs and crushed crackers and shape into a loaf.  Pour tomato juice over the loaf and bake at 350 degrees for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from oven to cool.  Refrigerate meatloaf and juices in pan overnight.  Remove solid fat, if any, and reheat in 350 degree oven, basting with remaining juices from pan.  Note:  Mix up extra sauce ingredients and reduce over heat; use as sauce when serving ham loaf.

SEARED PORK WITH PLUMS

1-inch thick pork chops 

8 plums                                                                          

1 medium onion

1 clove garlic

2 oz. balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp. sugar

1 c. good red wine

salt and pepper to taste

toasted almonds

Season pork with salt and pepper; sauté or grill until outside is golden 

Brown; transfer to roasting pan.  Add all other ingredients, except almonds, into bowl and mix together.  Pour over chops and roast in oven at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until chops are done.  Plate and ladle plums over chops, sprinkle with toasted almonds.

SAUCY PORK STEAKS

4 – 6 pork steaks, 3/4 - 1 in. thick

2 tbsp. sherry

4 tbsp. soy sauce

6 tbsp. cider vinegar

8 tbsp. brown sugar

10 tbsp. water

Season both sides of pork steaks with salt and pepper and grill or bake very slowly at 200 - 250 degrees for 2 - 3 hours.  Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients for sauce and simmer slowly to form a thick glaze.  One half hour before meat is done, brush on glaze and return meat to heat for a few minutes; turn to glaze other side.  Be careful not to burn glaze. Use extra glazing sauce to spoon over sliced pork, or as a dipping sauce.

ROAST PORK TENDERLOINS WITH PROSCIUTTO AND SAGE

2 tbsp. chopped fresh sage

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. minced garlic

3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

8 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto ham

4 pork tenderloins  (10-12 oz. each)

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

3/4 c. chicken broth

additional fresh herbs for garnish

Preheat to 450 degrees. Combine sage, oil, garlic, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Arrange 1/4 of prosciutto ham slices slightly overlapping on sheet of wax paper.  Spread prosciutto with 1 1/2 tsp. of sage mixture; top with 1 pork tenderloin.  Using wax paper as a guide, roll up from one long end to cover pork with prosciutto.  Transfer rolled tenderloin to roasting pan.

Repeat with remaining meat, prosciutto ham, and herb mix.  Can be made ahead and refrigerated for 24 hrs.  Roast pork 25 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees.  Transfer pork to cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm.  Heat juices in roasting pan over medium-high heat.  Add vinegar and chicken broth and boil 2 minutes.  Strain through fine sieve.  Makes 1 cup.  Slice pork 1/2 " thick and transfer to warm platter.  Spoon sauce over top, garnish with fresh herbs.

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLE ONION MARMALADE

3 tbsp. plus 1/4 c. olive oil

1 white onion, thinly sliced

1/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1/3 c. sherry vinegar

1 c. water

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 pork tenderloins, about 3/4-lb. each

2 sprigs fresh thyme 

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small green apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-in. cubes

3 pitted prunes, thinly sliced

1 c. chicken stock

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm 3 tbsp. olive oil; add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, water, and salt and pepper to taste and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are very soft, about 45 minutes. Set aside.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Rub salt and pepper to taste on all sides of tenderloins.  Place them in a roasting pan.  Pour the 1/4-cup of olive oil over the top.  Place 1 sprig of thyme on each tenderloin.  Place the pan in oven and roast for 10 minutes. Turn the pork over and roast until firm and pale pink in center when cut with a knife, about 10 minutes. While the pork is cooking, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apple and prunes and sauté until slightly soft and caramelized, 3-5 mins.  Add the onion marmalade mixture to pan and continue to sauté until the flavors have blended, 2-3 minutes longer.  Add the stock to pan and bring to boil. Immediately remove from heat and cover to keep warm.  When the pork is done, transfer it to cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest 5 minutes. Then, using a sharp knife cut into slices 1/2-in. thick. Arrange on warmed serving platter and spoon marmalade over pork. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Serves 4.

PORK CHOPS WITH DRIED CHERRY SAUCE

4 8-oounce pork loin chops with bone

2 tbsp. olive oil 

2 tbsp. butter

2 1/2 c. canned chicken broth

1/3 c. (2 oz.) dried cherries

1/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1 c. pomegranate juice

1/2 c. maple syrup

salt and pepper

Salt and pepper chops.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil and butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chops and brown on both sides; transfer to another pan and place in oven to roast for about 20-25 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  In the meantime, pour chicken broth into first skillet and scrape to loosen small bits.  Heat broth to boiling and reduce to 1 cup.  Add cherries, juice, syrup and vinegar to skillet; simmer until reduced by one-half.  Add chops to cherry sauce and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Serve chops with cherry sauce spooned over or on the side.

KALUA HAWAIIAN PORK

5-6 lb. pork butt roast 

2 tbsp. Hawaiian sea salt or kosher salt

2 tbsp. liquid smoke

1 c. water

banana leaves, if available

Hawaiian brand rolls

barbecue sauce, optional

Trim excess fat from roast. Rub meat with liquid smoke and sea salt. Place roast in crockpot.  Add water to crockpot and lay banana leaves on top. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Allow to cool until you can comfortably touch meat, then shred pork.  Serve on Hawaiian rolls and add barbecue sauce, if desired.  Roast can also be sealed tightly in foil, placed in a roasting pan, and roasted in 350-degree oven for about 5 hours.  Note:  A friend of mine could not find banana leaves and used a bunch of bananas on top of the meat as it cooked.  Turned out delicious!

GRILLED BABY BACKS

Cut baby back ribs in 4-5 rib sections each and then cover with barbecue sauce.  Wrap them in foil and put them in the refrigerator overnight.  Bake in foil at 250 degrees for a few hours - until they are very tender. Unwrap and brush with more barbecue sauce; cook on grill for a few minutes, turning once. Trader Joe's makes a good sauce -  spicy and very flavorful, although my brother tells me that the sauces from Trader Joe's vary in taste, depending on the "batch" that you happen to get.  I've only just discovered it so, can't say that is true.  The original rib recipe is from Tony Roma's Restaurant and I have used that brand of sauce, too.  You can also make your own, but with so many great commercial sauces, why bother?  

Kerry Lange

CROCK POT CASSOULET

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 lb. smoked sausage links, cut into 1/2” thick slices 

1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1” pieces

2 leeks, thinly sliced

2 carrots, cut into 1/2" pieces

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

2 15-oz. cans cannelini beans, drained

1 can Italian tomatoes

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. dry white wine

Heat olive oil in a large skillet; sauté smoked sausage until it begins to brown.  Add chicken pieces to the skillet and brown lightly. Combine leeks, carrots, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, red pepper, beans, and tomatoes to the meat mixture and pour into the crockpot.  Add chicken broth and wine.  Cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours, or until chicken is tender.

CORA’S HAM SALAD

(As close as I could make it to the best!)

Baked ham pieces

Onion, minced

Celery, minced

Sweet pickle relish

Mayonnaise

Process ham in food processor until finely chopped.  In a bowl, blend ham, onion, celery, and pickle relish with enough mayonnaise to moisten to spreading consistency.  Serve with crackers or spread on sandwiches.