Fresh Green Beans with Tarragon and Toasted Almonds

2lb of fresh green beans

2 tsp fresh tarragon

1/2 cup skin on sliced almonds (toasted)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large onions, sliced thin

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions

Fill a large pot with water, place over high heat and bring up to boil; add a table spoon of salt and the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp. Drain the beans and place them in an ice bath to stop them from cooking. Reserve the beans while you start the onions.

In a large skillet add the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter has melted. Add the onions and stirring frequently until the onions caramelize. Add the cooked cooled green beans and fresh, and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and add the toasted almond to the top.

Grandmothers Crawfish Dressing

I had a blast as usual doing Good Morning Texas. Everyone is always so warm and friendly, I'm starting to feel like family. Today I was tasked with coming up with different Thanksgiving menu items. Dressing is a staple at any dinner table, but crawfish dressing is something not many are accustomed to. My little Creole Grandmother first introduced me to this Louisianan spin on dressing, now, nothing else will do. I tweaked the recipe a bit by adding a hot ground breakfast sausage meat to the mixture. The added spicy and meat really worked well. Check out the recipe below.

Ingredients:

10 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 large onion, chopped

2 small green bell peppers, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 cups crumbled cornbread

2 cups dried and cubed dressing mix

1 package frozen peeled, cooked crawfish tails (thawed and washed)

1 pound spicy breakfast sausage (cooked)

3 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

salt to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper, and sauté for 10 or until tender. Add in the crawfish and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

In a large bowl mix together all ingredients and 2 cups of the broth. Add the remaining broth as needed to get a moist and mushy texture. Spoon into a lightly greased baking dish.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until firm and golden brown.

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Candy Corn Cheese Cake by Meika Johnson

Crust:

·         2 cups graham crackers

·         ¼ cup melted butter

·         1/3 cup sugar

Cheesecake:

·         3 pks cream cheese

·         ½ cup sour cream

·         ¼ cup marshmallow cream

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         3 eggs

·         Orange and yellow food coloring

Whip Cream:

·         1 pk cream cheese

·         ¼ cup sugar

·         ½ cup marshmallow cream

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         2 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325. Combine the graham crackers, sugar and butter until it resembles slightly wet sand. Spray your cheesecake pan with non-stick spray. Press graham cracker crust firmly around the bottom of the pan.

Cream sugar and cream cheese until well mixed. Add sour cream, marshmallow cream and vanilla and mix well. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each egg. Separate mixture in 3rds. In one bowl add yellow food coloring by the drop until you get desired color and repeat with the orange food color in the second bowl. Spoon the mixture in the cheesecake pan, yellow at the bottom, orange in the middle and white on top. Bake until cheesecake rises and is firm but has a slight jiggle still. The white should not turn brown. Once done baking allow leave the cheesecake in the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes. Place in fridge overnight.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, marshmallow cream until combined. Slowly mix in the heavy cream and allow to mix until it stiffens like frosting. Top cheesecake with whip cream peaks and garnish with candy corn.

Asian Style Curry Chicken

4 sliced chicken breast
julienne 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 5 carrots
about 10 thin julienne slices of ginger
1 sliced yellow onion
1 can (rinsed & drained) bamboo shoots
1/3 cup corn starch
1 can coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
EVOO to coat a large skillet
Seasonings
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 black pepper, 1/4 Asian 5 spice, 1/2 cayenne pepper,  1 tbls green curry, 1 tbls thai curry, salt to taste

Sprinkle the corn starch on the chicken breast and season well with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet then add the vegetables, chicken and seasonings. Cook for 10 minutes then add the coconut milk and chicken broth. Mix well then add both the curry seasonings.

Cover and simmer on medium for 20 minutes. Serve over rice

Enjoy,
Meika Johnson

Cajun Crusted Ribeye

For the ribeye I made a dry rub (2 tbls each; cayenne pepper, chili powder, chipotle pepper flakes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, brown sugar) (1 tbls each dry thyme powder, dry rosemary powder, parsley, oregano, celery seeds, dry mustard powder, nutmeg) Rub your steaks with a generous coat of the seasoning mixture and allow them to sit for 5 minutes.

In a large skillet heat 3 tbls of butter. Once the butter is very hot and it starts to turn brown put your steak in. Allow the steak to cook undisturbed on the first side for 3 minutes, but continuously spoon butter the hot butter on top of the steak. (butter bath)

After 3 min you should have a nice crust on the bottom. Flip the steak and repeat the butter bath for 3 more minutes.

The yogurt is really good with this because of all the spice on the steak. 1 cucumber- peel it and remove the seeds, then dice small. 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp white pepper 1/2 cup of yogurt and salt to taste. Just mix everything together.

Mushrooms and shallots - slice mushrooms and shallots. I used 2 tbls of the left over butter from the steak and 1 tbls of new butter, once the butter got hot I added 1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary & fresh thyme. I sautéed in the hot butter and added a little salt and pepper. At the very end I added a few sprigs of fresh Marjoram herb.

The salad dressing was just 1/2 balsamic vinegar, 1/2 fresh orange juice, 2 tbls honey, salt & pepper to taste.

Bottom of Form

Four super easy fruit dips.

Kaylei and I had a blast making these fruit kabobs. Things for a little messy, but that is all part of the fun. Things got extra exciting when our neighbor brought over a fruit shape cutter. These kabobs are the perfect treat for a hot summer day. Our plan is to freeze some and take them to the pool with us on Saturday.

What goes well with fruit kabobs you ask...Dips! Check out the 4 recipes below.

Savory Fruit Dip Recipe 
Mix 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 tbls of Tajin fruit seasoning or any other lime and chili seasoning mixture. Shake a little extra seasoning on top. 

Honey Cinnamon Fruit Dip 
Mix 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt with 2 tbls of honey. Sprinkle the top with a few dashes of cinnamon. 


Chocolate Hazelnut Fruit Dip 
Mix 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt with 2 tbls of chocolate hazelnut spread. 

Cheesecake Fruit Dip 
Mix 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tbls of whipped cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbls of sugar. Sprinkle the top with graham crackers or granola.

Cucumber, Basil, Watermelon Lemonade

Sweet refreshing goodness. You will be so surprised at the crisp taste you get from this thrust busting lemonade. It's the absolute perfect summer heat drink.

Just mix the following in container and enjoy.
1  cups sugar 
1 cup fresh watermelon juice (blend then strain) 
1/2 cup cucumber juice (blend then strain) 
1 - 1/2 cups lemon juice 
2 quarts water (8 cups) 
*save some basil, cucumber and watermelon slices to garnish the glasses 
Serve chilled and over ice 

German Chocolate Mini Cakes

(The recipe for this cake is inside the Baker’s German Chocolate bars. I add my own touch to this recipe by baking the cake on flat cookie sheets and using a cookie cutter to cut the cake once it cools so that I can make 2 layer mini cakes.)

1 pkg.  (4 oz.) BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup  water

4  eggs, separated

2 cups  flour

1 tsp.  baking soda

1/4 tsp.  salt

1 cup  butter, softened

2 cups  sugar

1 tsp.  vanilla

1 cup  buttermilk

 

Instructions;

HEAT oven to 350°F.

 

COVER bottoms of 2 cookies sheets with waxed paper; spray sides with cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

 

BEAT egg whites in small bowl with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

ADD egg whites; stir gently until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small spatula around cakes in pans. Cool cakes in pans 15 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

 

Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting

4  egg yolks

1 can  (12 oz.) evaporated milk

1-1/2 tsp.  vanilla

1-1/2 cups  sugar

3/4 cup  butter or margarine

1 pkg.  (7 oz.) BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut (2-2/3 cups)

1-1/2 cups  chopped PLANTERS Pecans

 

BEAT egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

ADD coconut and nuts; mix well. Cool to desired spreading consistency.

 

Smoked Brisket Deviled Eggs

6 Hard boiled eggs

¼ cup miracle whip

2 tbls spicy Dijon mustard

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp of seasoning all

Slices of smoked brisket to top eggs

Fresh chives to garnish

Slice eggs in half, remove the yolk and place it in a separate bowl. Add miracle whip, mustard, seasonings and liquid smoke to the egg yolks and beat with a hand mixer until it’s smooth. Place the yolk filling in a piping bag then add it to the halved egg whites. Top the mixture with the brisket, chives and an extra dusting of paprika.

Jiffy's Hush Puppy Recipe, You're going to love these.

These are the best hush puppies ever! Try it with your next fish fry.

1 pkg. "JIFFY" Corn Muffin Mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup onion, finley chopped
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbs parsley flakes
frying oil

Preheat oil in deep fryer to 375°F.

Combine muffin mix, egg, milk, flour, garlic powder, parsley flakes and onion. Mix well. Drop by teaspoon into oil. Fry 4 minutes (2 minutes on each side) or until golden brown. Drain and serve.