Meatloaf

This is a Herry family favorite!  The sauce is sweet and sour and the meatloaf is tender. This recipe started as one out of "Talk about Good", but I've added so many things it no longer resembles that original recipe.

It kinda looks like a big meatball, Huh?

Ingredients:

Meat mixture:

• 2 lbs. of meatloaf mix
• 1/3 C. chopped onions, fine
• 1/3 C. chopped green pepper, fine
• 2 eggs
• 1 T. kosher salt
• ½ T. black pepper
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ C. of chopped Rotel tomatoes (save the juice for the sauce)
• ¾ C. bread crumbs
• ¾ C. parmesan cheese

Sauce:

• 2 (8oz.) cans of tomato sauce
• ½ C. juice of the Rotel tomatoes
• ¼ C. apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ C. brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients for the meat mixture in a large bowl
3. Form a meatloaf shape in the center of a 13 x 9 pan
4. In a different bowl mix the ingredients for the sauce
5. Pour the sauce over the meatloaf
6. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes
7. Baste every 15 minutes

 Tips and Tricks:

• Meatloaf mix is ground beef, pork, and veal.  I have made this recipe with just ground chuck and it is good.  It is great with the meatloaf mix.
• The sauce starts thin and runny.  It thickens up as it cooks with the meatloaf.
• Mashed potatoes are a great side dish with this meatloaf.
• This freezes well. 

Green Bean Casserole

This recipe has many versions, but I like this one because of the lemon.  My friend Donna gave me this recipe many years ago.  It has graced the table of many Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Sunday dinners.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of quartered artichoke hearts

• 2 cans of French style green beans

• ¼ C. of olive oil

• 2 T. of vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion chopped fine

• 2 cloves of garlic minced

• ¾ C. bread crumbs

• ¼ C. of parmesan cheese

• 3 T. of lemon juice

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.    Drain the artichoke and green beans well

3.    Cut each quartered artichoke heart in half

4.    Heat veggie oil on medium heat in a sauté pan

5.    Add chopped onions and sauté until tender

6.    Add garlic and cook for less than one minute

7.    In a large mixing bowl, combine beans, artichoke, olive oil, bread crumbs, cheese, lemon juice, and onion/garlic mixture

8.    Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and put ingredients into dish

9.    Sprinkle with extra bread crumbs and cheese and bake for 30 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

·        Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference! Don’t try using the stuff in the bottle!

·        For holiday dinners, this can be made the day ahead, but don’t sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese on top until you are ready to put it in the oven.

Mrs. Trepagnier's Rice Casserole

I bet you can't guess who I got this recipe from.  This is my friend Marianna's mother-in-law's recipe.  It is easy to make and the French onion soup makes the rice so flavorful.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of French onion soup
• 1 can of beef broth
• 1 stick of butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 can of sliced water chestnuts, cut into smaller pieces
• 1 jar of sliced mushrooms with juice
• 1 ½ C. uncooked rice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl
3. Spray a glass baking dish that has a lid with cooking spray
4. Pour ingredients into baking dish
5. Bake for 45 minutes with lid on
6. Take lid off and bake for 15 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

• Sometimes I use about a half of a carton of fresh mushrooms and add an extra can of beef broth.
• I put the sliced water chestnuts in an egg slicer to cut them into smaller pieces.
• If you double this recipe, you almost double the time it bakes. 

White Beans with Shrimp

This is pure comfort food.  I like white beans more than red beans.  The shrimp are like icing on the cake. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of great northern white beans
• 3 T. vegetable oil
• ½  lb. of cured ham, diced
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 ribs of celery, finely chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 t. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 C. shrimp stock or chicken stock
• 2 C. water
• 1 T. of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 2 t. kosher salt
• ½ t. ground black pepper
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• ¼ C. Crystal hot sauce
• 3 lbs. of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ¼ C. chopped green onion tops
• Cooked white or brown rice

Directions:

1. Rinse the beans in cold water and let them sit in about 6 C. of water overnight
2. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the cubed ham
3. Cook for about 5 minutes
4. Then add the onions, bell pepper, and celery and cook for about 10 minutes
5. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute
6. Add the thyme and  bay leaves, stir
7. Add the beans (that have been drained) and stock, then bring to a boil
8. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3 hours
9. Toss the peeled shrimp with 1 ½ t. of Tony’s and 1 t. of salt
10. Add the remaining salt, Tony’s, black pepper, cayenne pepper and hot sauce to the beans
11. Stir the beans well
12. Remove the pot from the heat
13. Remove 4 C. of beans and puree in a blender
14. Add them back to the pot and stir
15. Add the shrimp and green onions to the pot
16. Stir and cover for 7 minutes
17. Serve with hot rice

Tips and Tricks:

• You can make your own shrimp or chicken stock.  It is easy! Follow my link to find out how I make mine.  
• The ham is optional.  I think it needs the flavor of the ham, but if you want this for a Friday in Lent or you aren’t a ham fan it is not necessary.

Lemon Icebox Pie

Lemon Icebox Pie is one of my favorite things about Easter.  I used to make the pie and top it with cool whip.  Cool whip is good, but meringue is better.  My mother-in-law taught me how to make meringue and now there is no turning back.

Ingredients:

Lemon Mixture:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• ½ C. of lemon juice
• ½ T. lemon zest
• 9 inch graham cracker crust

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• ¼ t. salt
• 6 T. sugar
• ½  t. corn starch

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Separate room temperature eggs and put the whites in a stainless steel or glass bowl
3. Place the whites on the side for later
4. Beat the egg yolks with the condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest
5. Pour mixture into the graham cracker crust
6. Bake for 30 minutes
7. While the lemon mixture is baking, make the meringue
8. Combine the salt, sugar and corn starch in a separate bowl
9. Using a mixer, beat the egg whites
10. Add the mixture gradually to the egg whites and beat until peaks are formed
11. Remove the lemon mixture from the oven
12. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
13. Spread the meringue over the lemon mixture and return to the oven for about 10 minutes or until the peaks turn brown
14. Refrigerate the pie overnight and then serve

Tips and Tricks:

• Beating egg whites are tricky.  You need a really clean bowl.  Stainless steel is great, but glass works well also.  NO PLASTIC.  Don’t try to make a meringue on a rainy day.  If there is too much humidity, it doesn’t work.
• You might need to wrap the edge of the pie pan with foil so the graham cracker crust doesn’t burn.

Barbecued Shrimp

My Dad made great Barbecued Shrimp, but he made up the recipe every time he did it.  I need a recipe, so I can repeat it if it is good.  This is Good! Thanks, Darlene.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. of  shrimp
• 1 ½ sticks of butter, melted
• ¼ C. white wine
• 3 T. Worcestershire sauce
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 T. liquid crab boil
• 1 T. hot sauce
• 2 bay leaves, crushed
• ½ t. each of oregano, rosemary, and  thyme
• Loaf of crispy New Orleans style French bread

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients (except the shrimp and butter) in a shallow baking dish
2. Add the shrimp and mix the with the liquid
3. Place in the refrigerator for several hours to marinate
4. When ready to cook; Preheat oven to 425 degrees
5. Add the melted butter to the dish and stir
6. Bake for 20 minutes
7. Flip the shrimp after 10 minutes
8. Serve with the French bread for dipping

Tips and Tricks:

• You can prepare this the night before and let it marinate overnight.
• Medium shrimp are really the best size for Barbecued Shrimp. 

Coconut Bars

I got this recipe off of the back of a can of condensed milk.  They are yummy and ooey, gooey.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 package of White cake mix
• ¼  C. butter, softened
• ¼  C. of sweetened coconut
• ¼  C. chopped pecans
• 2 eggs

Filling:

• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 C. of sweetened coconut, plus ½ C. for topping
• 1 C. of chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray
3. Mix the crust ingredients together, then spread into the baking dish
4. Beat the milk, vanilla and egg together
5. Fold in the coconut and pecans
6. Pour the filling into the crust, then sprinkle with the ½ C. of coconut
7. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown
8. Let cool for about 15 minutes, then cut into squares
9. Makes 32 bars

Tips and Tricks:

• Spreading the crust into the baking dish is easier said than done.  I dust my hands with flour and press the crust into place.  You want the crust to slide up the side of the dish so the filling doesn’t escape.
• You can add about 2 C. of semi-sweet chocolate chips on top of the filling if you want a chocolate dessert.

B-B-Q Country Style Pork Ribs with Corn and Potatoes

This is a Emeril recipe that I've barely tweaked.  The corn and potatoes are my addition.  If you have never tried boiling your ribs in crab boil, let me help you enter into a new dimension.  They are so tender and flavorful.  You are going to LOVE it.

Ingredients:

• 6 lbs. country style pork ribs
• ½ C. concentrated liquid crab boil
• 1 head garlic, cut in 2 pieces
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 large onion, cut in half with skin on
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 T. kosher salt
• 2 t. Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning
• 1 t. whole black peppercorns
• 1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 12 pack of frozen corn
• 3 lb. bag of new potatoes

Directions:

1. Place ribs and all the ingredients through peppercorns into a large pot with enough water to cover the ribs by about an inch
2. Bring to a boil on high heat
3. Reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 1 hour
4. Remove ribs from the pot and place on a foil lined cookie sheet
5. Put the cover back on the pot and return to a boil for the corn and potatoes
6. Dry the ribs with paper towels
7. Now you have a choice, you can finish them off on the grill or
8. Preheat the broiler
9. Pour a ½ bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce over the ribs 
10. Flip each rib and pour the other ½ bottle of sauce
11. Broil for about 5 minutes each side or until they start to caramelize
12. Remove from the broiler
13. When water is boiling, add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes once the water returns to a boil
14. Then add the corn and cook for 10 minutes once the water returns to a boil
15. Pour the contents of the  pot into a colander and serve the piping hot corn and potatoes with the ribs

Tips and Tricks:

• I use Kraft Spicy Honey Barbecue Sauce.
• Country Style Pork Ribs tend to be fatty, but some of the fat cooks off during the boiling and some during the grilling or broiling.  Don’t bother cutting off the excess fat.  It takes care of itself.

Chicken with Fifty Cloves of Garlic

50 cloves of garlic? Yes, and it is delicious! It is not scary garlic tasting because the garlic cloves cook slow and mellow out.

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs
• 1 T. butter
• 2 T. olive oil
• 50 cloves of garlic, 3 – 4 heads
• 1 ½  C. white wine
• 3 T. Cognac
• 1 T. fresh thyme
• 2 T. heavy cream
• 2 T. flour

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat
2. Dry chicken with paper towels and season with salt and pepper
3. Fry chicken in two batches
4. Fry off chicken skin side down, 5 minutes on each side
5. Place chicken on a plate and cover with foil while the other batch cooks
6. Remove the second batch and cover with the foil
7. Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 10 minutes until all pieces are browned
8. Add the wine and 2 T. of the Cognac
9. Let the liquid come to a boil, then add chicken back to the pot
10. Sprinkle with thyme
11. Bring to boil again, then reduce to a medium-low heat and cover
12. Cook for 1 hour
13. Remove chicken and place it back on the plate and cover with foil
14. Remove ½ C. of liquid from the pot into a bowl
15. Whisk in the flour and return to the pot with 1 T. of Cognac and the cream
16. Let boil for 3 minutes
17. Return chicken to the pot and heat through for 5 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

• This recipe can be made with all parts of the chicken.  I make it with thighs because they taste the best.
• Brandy can be used in place of the Cognac.  It’s much less expensive.
• They sell pre-peeled garlic in the produce section of the grocery.  It is a big help with this recipe.  If you can’t find it  get the  heads of garlic.   Bring a pot of water to boil and separate the garlic.  Don’t peel it.  Put the garlic in the boiling water for one minute.  Strain water and now peel.  It makes it a lot easier.
• I've served this with potatoes or pasta.  It is good both ways.  Don't forget the dinner rolls.  You'll want to soak up the gravy.