cajun fried turkey

16 oz bottle of Italian dressing
1/2 cup cayenne pepper
1/2 cup black pepper
1 cup creole seasoning
2 tablespoons garlic salt

In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 Italian dressing, cayenne pepper, black pepper, Creole seasoning, and garlic powder. Rub over turkey, using remaining Italian dressing to fill cavity. Allow turkey to marinate 8 hours, or overnight, before deep-frying as desired.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

¼ cup sprite

2/3 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Key Lime Pie

4 egg yolks

¾ cup key lime juice

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup cornstarch

1 bag frozen raspberries

Pie: Combine egg yolks and cornstarch. Blend with electric mixer on high for 2-3 minutes. Add key lime juice and condensed milk and mix together. Pour mixture into graham cracker pie crust and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool.

Topping: Thaw frozen raspberries in microwave adding, stirring regularly and adding cornstarch until mixture is fully thawed. Spread topping on cooled pie and refrigerate until cold. Serve with whipped cream.

Dark Chocolate Cookies

6 oz dark chocolate

2 egg whites at room temperature

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla

¾ cup finely ground almonds

Melt dark chocolate in microwave in 30-second intervals until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla slowly and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold in chocolate and almonds. Drop teaspoons of batter onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Crisco Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

¾ cup butter flavored Crisco

¼ cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 ¾ cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and wet ingredients separately and then stir together until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Banana Bread

¾ cup softened butter

8 oz softened cream cheese

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups mashed bananas

½ tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp orange juice

Combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Separately combine baking power, baking soda, salt, and flour. Slowly add dry ingredient mixture while stirring. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1 ½ hours. Combine powdered sugar and orange juice in small saucepan and cook until mixture is smooth. Pour over bread while bread is still hot. Wait 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Chicken Pillows

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 8 oz can of chicken breast

1 pacakge of refrigerated crescent rolls

2 packages of powdered chicken gravy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and canned chicken. Open the crescent rolls and separate. Place a spoonful of chicken mixture on the large end of the crescent roll and fold edges so that it will not leak out. Place on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. While rolls are cooking make chicken gravy according to the package. Optionally add any remaining chicken mixture to gravy. Serve one roll in a bowl and pour gravy over it.

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 really ripe bananas, mashed up

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then fold in the mashed up bananas. Stir in the melted butter.

Cook on griddle over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side.

Salmon with Strawberry Pineapple Mango Salsa

Salsa:

¾ cup small diced strawberries

¾ cup small diced mango1/2 cup small diced pineapple

¼ cup small diced onion

1 jalapeno

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp lime juice

¼ tsp salt

Salmon:

4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

4 salmon filets

2 tsp grill seasoning

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Brush salmon filets with olive oil. Mix seasonings and sprinkle over salmon. Place the fish on the grill, skin side down and cook for about 3 minutes then turn the fish 45 degrees and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until cooked through to the desired degree of doneness.

Remove the fish from the grill and serve with the fruit salsa spooned

Mom's pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp oil

blend and cook

Brazilian Lemonade

2 limes--cut off ends and then cut into quarters
3 Tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups water
ice

blend all ingredients. strain out rinds.

Chad's New York Cheesecake

This is really Chad, but I can't post to the blog, so I'm signed in under Mel's account.



Crust:

• 1lb graham crackers, crushed
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

• 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, vanilla, and sugar. Press onto bottom and up the sides of springform pan.
3. Line the entire outside of the pan with at least two layers of aluminum foil.
   
4. Pre-bake crust in oven for 10 minutes.
   
5. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
6. Boil water for water bath.
7. Place cheesecake onto baking sheet with at least one inch lip that the springform pan will fit into. After cheesecake is in pan, pour water to create the water bath.
   
8. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

This fills up the entire 12 inch springform pan. If you are using a smaller pan, make sure to adjust the recipe accordingly!

Main Street Grill Cheesecake

Ingredients:

     2 C whipping cream, whipped

     2 C sugar

     2 tsp vanilla

     2 lbs (4 pkgs) cream cheese, softened

Whip the cream until light and fluffy.  In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until completely soft and smooth.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Pour onto graham cracker crust and freeze until firm.  Thaw in refrigerator before serving.

Makes 3 round cheesecakes

Classic White Bread

Ingredients:
     6 cups flour
     3 TBSP sugar
     1 TBSP salt
     2 TBSP shortening
     4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
     2 1/4 cups very warm water
     2 TBSP melted butter

1. Mix yeast into warm water and allow to get foamy. Mix 3 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and shortening in stand mixer using dough hook. Add yeast and water and mix until somewhat combined.

2. Gradually add in remaining flour, one cup at a time, and allow mixer to knead for several minutes.

3. Allow dough to rise for one hour or until double in size. Punch down and cut in half. Roll out dough and then roll up to fit into bread pans.

4. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove to wire rack and brush tops with melted butter.

The Ultimate Sugar Cookie

Ingredients:
     1 stick (1 cup) butter flavored shortening
     1 1/4 cup sugar
     1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
     2 TBSP milk
     1/4 cup corn syrup
     1 tsp vanilla
     3 cups flour
     3/4 tsp baking powder
     1/2 tsp baking soda
     1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar in stand mixer for about five minutes. While continuing to mix, add eggs, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla. Mix until combined thoroughly.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture slowly to wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Add more flour as needed.

3. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4" thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Bake for 7-9 minutes depending on size.

4. Cool cookies on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer directly to counter to finish cooling. Decorate as desired. Makes around 2 dozen medium cookies.