Recipes

The following are a collection of recipes that have been mentioned in my blog.

RECIPE QUICK LINKS: Tex-Mex Layered Omelet | Avocado-Feta Salsa | Shepherd’s Pie | Sweet & Spicy Relish | Salsa Roja | | Corn & Black Bean Salsa | Texas Caviar | Tomato-Cucumber-Onion Salad | Sweet & Sour BBQ Sauce | Chicken Enchiladas | Melt-in-Your-Mouth Vidalia Onions

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This layered omelet makes a quick & tasty brunch!

TEX-MEX LAYERED OMELET

Source: Chef Ann Sudekum
Yield: 1 serving

I created this recipe one lazy Sunday morning when I knew that I wanted an omelet but quickly discovered all my fillings were not going to fit inside! So, I decided to layer everything & the end result was not only tasty but easier to put together.

Ingredients
2 slices bacon
1/2 russet potato, cut into chunks
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
2 eggs, whisked
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 tomato, diced
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
sour cream

Preparation

• Cook bacon in skillet until crispy. Remove from pan & dice. Set aside.
• In the same skillet, saute the potato, onion & bell pepper in the bacon grease until potatoes are crispy. Remove from skillet place on a plate.
• Melt butter in a separate skillet & add whisked eggs. Cook eggs until done & place on top of the potato mixture.
• Sprinkled cheddar, bacon & salsa on top of eggs.
• Surround the edge of the plate with avocados & tomatoes.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream.

This refreshing alternative to traditional salsa disappears quickly! So, I always double the recipe.

AVOCADO-FETA SALSA

Source: Southern Living
Yield: 8 servings

Here’s a quick & easy recipe perfect for those “bring a side dish” gatherings!

Ingredients

4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 avocados, chopped
Tortilla chips

Directions

• Stir together first 9 ingredients. Gently stir in avocado just before serving. Serve with assorted tortilla chips.

For best results, make this salsa shortly before serving and avoid refrigerating it as the texture of the tomatoes will soften.

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This comforting casserole is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes!

CHEF ANN’S SHEPHERD’S PIE

Source: Chef Ann Sudekum
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced very thin
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt & black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pounds lamb or beef (ground or cubed)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen or canned peas
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1/4 cup milk or cream (if needed)

Directions

• Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
• Add butter and oil to a large skillet on medium heat.
• Saute onions, carrots and garlic until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the lamb and cook until lamb is no longer pink.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and the tomato paste and mix evenly.
• Season with salt & pepper, to taste. Cook and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Mix in peas.
• Transfer mixture to an oven-proof baking dish and spread evenly.
• Fold cheddar cheese into the mashed potatoes. If the potatoes seem too dry, add milk or cream and mix well. Place potatoes on top of lamb mixture and spread out evenly to cover the entire top surface.
• Bake 20 minutes or until browned.
• Spoon out the shepherd’s pie and serve.

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Made with roasted peppers, this relish gets it sweetness from honey and is great on hamburgers!

CHEF ANN’S SWEET & SPICY PEPPER RELISH

Source: Chef Ann Sudekum
Yield: 3 cups

This relish gets it sweetness from honey & is great as a dip for tortilla chips or as an addition to any sandwich – especially burgers! I personally prefer an extra spicy relish, so I leave all of the seeds & membranes in the jalapenos. If you prefer a milder relish, remove some or all of the seeds/membranes.

Ingredients

2 large red bell peppers
2 large yellow bell peppers
10 fresh jalapenos*
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Preheat outdoor grill.**
• Remove stems from bell peppers and cut in half. Place bell pepper halves plus WHOLE jalapeno peppers on hot grill and grill for approx. 10 minutes, turning often, or until blackened. Place bell peppers and jalapenos in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel skin off of all peppers and cut stems off the end of the jalapenos.
• While peppers are roasting, place coriander seeds in a small skillet; cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until seeds are lightly browned and fragrant, shaking pan frequently. Transfer seeds to a spice or coffee grinder and process until finely ground.***
• Place the roasted peppers in a food processor or blender and pulse 3 or 4 times so they are chopped into chunky pieces, but are not completely smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.
• Place the onion and garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse 3 or 4 times so that they are chopped into chunky pieces, but are not completely smooth.
• Combine onion mixture with the roasted pepper mixture. Stir in red wine vinegar and next 4 ingredients (red wine vinegar through black pepper). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

* For a less spicy relish, cut jalapenos in half; discard seeds and membranes.
** Peppers can also be roasted for 15 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet in a broiler.
*** Ground Coriander can also be substituted.

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Salsa Roja can also be used in place of ketchup.

CHEF ANN’S SALSA ROJA

Source: Chef Ann Sudekum
Yield: 3 cups

Summer-fresh tomatoes & jalapenos make this salsa a special treat! Plus, roasting the tomatoes enhances their sweetness, while roasting the jalapenos enhances their spiciness!

Ingredients

4 fresh tomatoes*
5 fresh jalapeno peppers**
4 garlic cloves
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Preheat grill.
• Cut tomatoes in half. Place tomato halves plus WHOLE jalapeno peppers on grill and cook for 15 minutes, turning often, or until blackened. Place tomatoes and jalapenos in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel skin off of tomatoes & jalapenos and cut stems off the end of the jalapenos.
• Place roasted tomatoes and jalapenos in a food processor or blender and add remaining six ingredients. Pulse and process until smooth.
• Serve with tortilla chips or as a condiment in place of ketchup.

*Fresh tomatoes can also be substituted for one can (14.5 oz) of fire roasted tomatoes with garlic.
**For a less spicy salsa, cut the jalapenos in half and scoop out the seeds and membranes.

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Summer veggies make this Corn & Black Bean Salsa taste even better!

CHEF ANN’S CORN & BLACK BEAN SALSA

Source: Chef Ann Sudekum
Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

3 ears of fresh corn*

2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped**

2-3 jalapenos**

1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, drained

1 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 teaspoon cumin

Juice of 1 lime

Preparation

• Pre-heat outdoor grill.
• Remove husks and silk threads from corn. Then brush corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
• Place corn and WHOLE jalapeno peppers on grill and cook for 15 minutes, turning often, or until blackened. Remove corn from grill and set aside; Place jalapenos in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel skin off of jalapenos and cut stem off the end.
• Place jalapenos in a food processor or blender and pulse 3 or 4 times so they are chopped into chunky pieces, but are not completely smooth.
• After corn has cooled, cut kernels off the cob and place in a medium bowl.
• Add chopped jalapenos and remaining ingredients to the corn and mix well.
• Refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to serve.
• Serve with tortilla chips – or add some kick and serve with Hint of Jalapeño or Hint of Lime tortilla chips.

*1 can (15.5 oz) sweet, yellow corn, drained, can be used in place of fresh corn.
**1 can (15.5 oz) diced tomatoes can be used in place of fresh tomatoes.
***For a less spicy salsa, cut the jalapenos in half and scoop out the seeds and membranes.

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Chef Ann made this Texas Caviar while visiting her sister in Dallas.

CHEF ANN’S TEXAS CAVIAR

Source: Chef Ann Sudekum
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
Whenever I visit my sister in Dallas, I always whip up Tex-Mex appetizers to go with our afternoon cocktails. This summer, she grew black-eyed peas and harvested them just before my visit. So, I decided to make Texas Caviar! Of course, Texas Caviar isn’t actually caviar. It is a marinated salsa made with black-eyed peas and served as an appetizer with tortilla chips or as a side with grilled chicken or fish.

Most recipes for Texas Cavier use bell peppers, celery and cilantro. But, none of these items were in my sister’s fridge. So, I instead used three kinds of peppers – jalapeno, serrano and green chile – and replaced the celery with celery salt and the cilantro with ground coriander (even though coriander is not technically inter-changable with cilantro, it does come from the same plant; cilantro is the leaf and coriander is the seed). The end result received rave reviews!

Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 serrano pepper, minced*
1 jalapeno pepper, minced*
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 cups fresh black-eyed peas, cooked or 1 (15.8-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours (the longer it marinates, the better it gets). Serve with tortilla chips or use as a relish on grilled chicken or fish.

*To make the salsa less spicy, remove the seeds and membranes from inside the serrano and jalapeno peppers.

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TOMATO-CUCUMBER-ONION SALAD

Source: Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church Cookbook ©1993

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

8 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons cider vinegar

12 Packets Equal sweetener (or 4 Tablespoons Sugar)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons minced parsley

1-2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

2-3 medium Arkansas or homegrown tomatoes, halved and sliced

1 large Vidalia or sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings

salt & pepper to taste

A little more sugar (for sprinkling on the cucumber layers)

Preparation

• Combine first six ingredients in a jar and shake well. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, layer the tomatoes slices, cucumber slices and onion slices. As you are layering the vegetables, sprinkle salt & pepper on the tomato layers and sprinkle a little sugar on the cucumber layers.
• Pour dressing over vegetables, toss, cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

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MOMMY SUE’S SWEET & SOUR BARBEQUE SAUCE

My mom has enjoyed this sauce since she was a child. The recipe came from her mother’s friend and there was always a large pot of it sitting next to her dad’s grill. While mom loves to eat it on ribs and chicken, she especially loves to dip pieces of bread into it! This sauce is perfect for basting on grilled pork or chicken and it makes a great dipping sauce for bread, chicken fingers or egg rolls.

YIELD: 1 pint (approx.)

COOK TIME: 1-2 hours

Ingredients

2 cans condensed tomato soup (recommended: Campbell’s brand)

1 can water

1 can cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 large onions, cut in half (preferably Vidalia)

8 whole cloves

2 slices bacon or a large piece of ham fat

Preparation

• Mix all ingredients in a saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the sauce reduces to half the amount (approx. 1-2 hours). Strain & serve.

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ENCHILADAS DE POLLO

Chicken Enchiladas

SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens Mexican Cook Book ©1977

SERVES: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped white onion (preferably Vidalia)

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chili peppers

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan and add the chopped onion and green pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat and pour into medium-size bowl. Add the cooked chicken and can of green chili peppers and mix well. Set aside.
• In the same saucepan, melt the 3 tablespoons butter. While butter is melting, blend the flour, coriander and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to the melted butter and blend well with a wire whisk. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, and then stir in the chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of monterey jack cheese. Stir 1/2 cup of sauce into the chicken mixture.
• To prepare enchiladas, spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Dip each tortilla into the remaining warm sauce to soften and fill with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll up and arrange rolls in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over the enchilada rolls and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, in 350° oven for about 25 minutes or till bubbly.

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MELT-IN-YOUR MOUTH VIDALIA ONIONS

SOURCE: Southern Living Magazine

YIELD: 2 servings

PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES

Ingredients

2 medium Vidalia onions

1 beef bouillon cube

1 tablespoon butter

Preparation

• Peel both onions and cut a thin slice from the top and bottom of each one.
• Scoop out a 1-inch-deep hole from the top of each onion.
• Place onions, top-sides up, in a 2-qt. microwave-safe dish with a lid.*
• Add 1 beef bouillon cube and 1 Tbsp. butter to the shallow hole in each onion; cover with lid.
• Microwave, covered, on HIGH for 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is tender.
• Add salt & pepper to taste.

Enjoy with grilled chicken or steak – or as a stand-alone snack! (Vidalia onions are a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.)

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