Shrimp with Key Lime Dipping Sauce

Key Lime Dipping Sauce

• 3/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise (or plain yogurt)
• 1/8 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Table Blend
• 1/2 stick butter (melted)
• 4-5 cloves minced garlic

Shrimp

• 1-3/4 lbs unpeeled large raw shrimp
• 3 (12 ounce) cans beer (actually 4 cans, one for the cook)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning or crab boil seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy

Directions

Melt butter in sauce pan. Remove from heat as soon as it is melted and add the remaining ingredients. Stir completely and set aside.

Pour beer into a large pot and add seasonings. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp and cook approx 5 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink.  Remove from heat, but do not pour off water until ready to server to keep shrimp hot.

Serve the shrimp while hot, with the Key Lime dipping sauce and corn on the cob.

Pork Sirloin and Herbs

• 2-4 lbs Pork Sirloin
• 6-8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Crush rosemary, sage, salt, chili powder and pepper using a mortar and pestle.  Add minced garlic and mash into a paste.  Add the butter and heat in microwave for about 10 seconds to melt the butter.  Mix the paste.

Rub the paste on all sides of the pork sirloin and place in plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 to 24 hours.

Pre-heat grill on high heat.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat and place the sirloin in the hot oil.  Watch for splatters.  Cover to reduce splattering.  Cook over medium heat, turning regularly, for about 20 minutes.  Add more oil as necessary so that the herbs do not burn.  Save the oil and herbs.

Place the sirloin on the grill and turn after 2 minutes to put the grill marks on the meat.  Lower the grill temperature to low and cook for about 20 minutes, turning regularly.  Cut the sirloin in half and grill the inside cut portion for about 10 minutes over medium heat.  Slice the sirloin into 1/2 inch slices and grill until thoroughly cooked.  Spoon the oil and herbs on top of each slice of meat, cook for 5 minutes, turn and put the oil mixture on the other side.  Watch for flare up in the grill from the dripping oil.

Serve with Apple sauce or Apple Chutney and white rice.

Café Cubano

No Cuban meal is complete without a café cubano (Cuban coffee). A well-made café cubano has a thick layer of sweet crema (cream) floating over strong espresso. To get the crema right, whisk about 1 tablespoon of the espresso with sugar until it turns foamy, then pour the pot of espresso over it. Lourdes Castro says you can't overbeat a crema, so stir it energetically.

Finally! Good Fried Chicken

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup half and half
• seasoning salt to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup crush corn flakes
• 1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1+ teaspoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Red Pepper
• oil for frying

Directions

• In a resealable plastic bag mix together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, Mrs Dash seasoning, crushed corn flakes, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• In a shallow dish or bowl combine the soup, eggs, half and half, and more Mrs. Dash seasoning and whisk together. Place chicken in mixture and turn to coat completely and let sit for 10 minutes in mixture.
• Place chicken pieces in bag, seal and shake to coat. Add more flour, breadcrumbs and cornstarch as necessary, but add them in equal parts. 
• IMPORTANT!!! Place coated chicken on a platter and allow to sit until it becomes doughy (this is critical, to ensure crispiness when fried). Allow to sit fo a good 5-10 minutes.  Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat; be sure to use enough oil to cover chicken pieces.
• Once chicken is doughy, test oil by dropping a piece of the 'dough' into it; the oil is ready when it starts to fry immediately.
• Fry chicken pieces in oil for about 7 to 10 minutes each, or until cooked through. Only fry a few chicken pieces at a time so the oil does not cool down when placing the chicken in it.  Drain on paper towels.
• Make sure the chicken is cooked in the middle!

Honey-Mustard Chicken with Roasted Red Potatoes

• 4 each (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Tablespoon Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 minced shallot
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 pound small red potatoes, cut in half
• Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and Mrs Dash seasoning.  Place in 13x9-in baking dish. Combine homey, mustard, garlic, thyme and shallots to form a paste.  Spread over chicken.
3. Add potatoes to pan and brush on olive oil.  Sprinkle potatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4. Bake for about 50 minutes, stirring potatoes once, until tender and chicken is fully cooked.

Pink Diamond Bellini

• Champagne
• Peach Mignon (Peach liqueur)
• splash of Chambord liqueur

Mix and taste Champagne, Peach Mignon and Chambord to taste or until you pass out, whichever comes first.

Scallops with Mushrooms and Spinach

• 20 sea scallops (2#)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2-3 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2 cup finely ground walnuts
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 1 cup shallots
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced (3 cups)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 8 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 teaspoon Mrs Dash Original Seasoning
• Shaved Parmesan cheese\Lemon slices for garnish

Preheat oven to 275 F.

Pat scallops dry with paper towel. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  In a medium bowl, mix together walnuts, Mrs Dash Original Seasoning and flour. Add scallops a few at a time and toss to coat.  Shake to remove excess flour.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in large skillet.  Add the garlic and saute without burning them for about 1 minute. Add 1/2 half of the scallops and saute without moving them until browned (about 3 minutes). Turn scallops and cook about 2 minutes more.  Transfer to heat-proof platter and keep them warm in the oven.  Saute the remaining scallops and add them to the platter.  Continue to bake for 5-8 minutes or until the scallops are opaque.

Meanwhile, melt butter in same skillet and add shallots and mushrooms.  Cook and stir 4-5 minutes or until tender.  Remove from heat.  Add white wine and return to heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and boil gently for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen brown bits on bottom of skillet.

Gradually add spinach, toss to wilt each handful before adding more.  When all the spinach is wilted, season to taste.  Serve spinach as a base for the scallops and top each serving with Parmesan cheese.  Garnish with lemon slices.

Adapted from traditionalhome.com

Roasted Halibut with Vegetables en Papillote

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium carrots, cut into straws
• 3/4 pound thin asparagus, cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning
• 2 1/2 pounds skinless halibut fillet (about 1 1/2 inches thick), cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1/4 cup dry sherry

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a saucepan of boiling water, cook the carrots for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and sugar snaps and cook until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Drain and spread on a plate to cool.


In a nonstick skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the onion and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook over moderately high heat, stirring until softened, 7 minutes. 


Transfer to the plate; let cool slightly.


Heat 2 large, sturdy baking sheets in the oven. Lay out eight 14-inch-long sheets of parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Mound some of the vegetables on half of each sheet. Set the fillets on the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Fold each packet in half, then fold up 2 sides to seal, leaving 1 side open. In a small bowl, combine the stock and sherry; spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons into each packet. Fold up the last side, sealing tightly.


Transfer the packets to the preheated baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Open the packets and transfer the fish, vegetables and broth to plates. Serve at once.


NOTES
One Serving 298 cal, 15 gm fat, 1.9 gm saturated fat, 8 gm carb, 3 gm fiber.


Adapted from: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roasted-halibut-with-vegetables-en-papillote

Hominy & Ancho Chili

Ingredients

• 8 guajillo chiles
• 2 ancho chiles
• 1 dried New Mexico chile
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• One 28-ounce can hominy
• 1/4 cup finely ground cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning

Directions

1. Wash the chiles thoroughly.  Break off the stems from the chiles.  Do not seed them. In a medium saucepan, cover the chiles with the water and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and remove from the heat. Let the chiles stand, stirring a few times, until very soft, about 1 hour. Working in batches, puree the chiles with their soaking liquid in a blender.
2. In a large pot, toast the cumin seeds over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the cumin seeds to a spice grinder and let cool completely. Grind the cumin seeds to a powder.
3. In the same pot, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the ground beef, pork and lamb and cook, breaking up the meat into coarse chunks, until starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the ground cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chile puree and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir the hominy and its liquid into the chili. Gradually stir in the cornmeal. Simmer, stirring, until thickened, 5 minutes. Add the seasonings.

Adapted from Food & Wine on-line magazine <http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chili-with-guajillo-and-ancho-chiles-and-hominy>

Beer Chili

Ingredients

• 2 ancho chiles
• 2 pasilla chiles
• 2 guajillo chiles
• About 2 cups boiling water
• 2 canned chipotles in adobo
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• One 12-ounce bottle Dos Equis Dark Beer
• 2 tablespoons olive oil oil
• 3 pounds boneless short ribs, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Freshly ground pepper 
• 1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup masa harina (see Note) or fine cornmeal
• Chipotle hot sauce
• Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, warm corn tortillas and cold Dos Equis beer.

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet. Add the ancho, pasilla and guajillo chiles and toast over moderately low heat, turning, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a heatproof bowl. Cover with the boiling water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes.
2. Drain the chiles and transfer to a blender. Add the chipotles and coffee and puree until smooth. Add the beer; pulse until blended.
3. Heat the oil in a large, enameled cast-iron casserole. Season the short ribs and add half to the pot. Cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate. Lower the heat to moderate and brown the remaining short ribs. Return all of the meat to the casserole and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
4. Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, cinnamon and cloves and cook until fragrant. Add the chile-beer mixture and the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, stirring. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the meat is very tender and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 2 hours.
5. Ladle 2 cups of the sauce into a heatproof bowl and whisk in the masa harina (or corn meal). Whisk the mixture into the pot and simmer until the sauce thickens, 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning and add hot sauce; serve with shredded cheddar, dices onions and tortillas.

 Adapted from Food & Wine on-line magazine <http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/julies-texas-style-chili-with-beer>

Ed's BBQ Pulled Pork

• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 pork tenderloin (do not trim fat)
• 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 1 bottle Bill Johnson's Hot & Spicy BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 265 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and brush both sides of the tenderloin with the mixture.  Place in a roasting pan, with the fat side up.

Slow roast the tenderloin for about 4-6 hours.  Add a small amount of water to the pan if the juices begin to dry up.

When the internal temperature of the tenderloin reaches 150 degrees, add 1/2 cup of water to the roasting pan and increase temperature to 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

Remove the tenderloin from the pan and cut into quarters.  Place the quartered tenderloin in a large crock pot, along with the juices from the pan and 1/4 cup of water.  Cook on high for 1 hour and lower to low for one more hour.  Turn the meat over every 1/2 hour or so.

Allow the meat to cool for about 15-20 minutes, unless you enjoy burning the crap out of your fingers.  Using two forks, shred the meat and put into large bowl.  Remove the fat and give to the dog.

In a separate bowl.  Mix 1 bottle of Bill Johnson's Hot & Spicy BBQ sauce.  Slowly add the juices from the crock pot, but taste the sauce constantly to make sure it does not taste too salty.  Mix thoroughly and blend into the shredded meat until completely covered.  Note: Tasting the meat during blending is required to get your fill before the rest of the gang digs into it.  So, eat up.

Serve on buns with cole slaw.  Add Louisiana Hot Sauce to spice it up a bit.

Jerk Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 scallions, chopped 
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 Habaneros, chopped
• 2-3 Jalapeños, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
• 2 tablespoons ground allspice
• 1-1/4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4+ cup vegetable oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning
• Three, 4-pound chickens, each cut into 8 pieces 

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients (except the chicken) and process to a paste. Put the chicken pieces in a very large bowl and pour the marinade on top. Toss to coat the chicken thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate overnight. NOTE: Since, the ingredients are put into a food processor and pureed, you don't need to slice and dice them very much. Just toss them into the food processor.
2. Light a grill. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, leaving on a coating of spice paste. Grill the chicken over moderately high heat, turning often, until the skin is nicely charred and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Chipotle Maple Baby-Back Ribs

• 1 rack baby-back ribs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1/2 cub maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup Bill Johnson BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Season the ribs with salt, pepper and Mrs Dash Extra Spicy on both sides.  In a blender combine chipotle chiles, BBQ sauce, maple syrup and butter and puree until smooth.  Baste ribs with the sauce and roast directly on oven rack, with a drip pan below, for 6 hours.  Baste every hour.  The last 1-1/2 hours, loosely cover ribs with aluminum foil.

Preheat the grill to medium hot and grill the ribs the for 30 minutes.  Watch carefully so they do not burn.  The glaze should darken to a crust, but do not burn.

Citrus Soy Glazed Salmon

• 1-/2 cups Soy Sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
• 2 cups honey
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 4 scallions finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Mrs Dashes Garlic and Herb
• 4 salmon filets
• Cajun seasoning
• Mrs Dashes Extra Spicy

Mix and Whisk all ingredients (except salmon of course). Reserve 1 cup of marinade.

Place the salmon in a glass casserole dish and pour marinade over.  Cover and refrigerate and 4-6 hours.

Remove salmon from marinade before grilling.

Set grill to medium heat.  Season salmon with Cajun seasoning and Mrs Dashes Extra Spicy seasoning.  Spray grill with cooking spray so the salmon will not stick to it.  Place salmon on grill, presentation side down first.  Cook for 4 minutes and carefully turn over with spatula.  Cook an additional 4 minutes, rotate salmon filets 1/4th turn and cook another 4 minutes (12 minutes total).  The honey in the marinade will darken the salmon rapidly as it cooks.

Serve with reserve marinade drizzled over top.  Goes good with cucumbers and vinegar and curry rice with peas.

Chorizo and Potato Tacos

Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Tomato salsa, chopped white onion, cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Directions 

In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with 4 inches of cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and let cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and coarsely mash them in the saucepan.

In a large bowl, knead the pork with the salt, garlic, paprika, chipotles, coriander, oregano and vinegar. Gently knead in the potatoes, leaving some chunks of potato.

In 2 large skillets, preferably cast-iron or nonstick, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chorizo-potato mixture to the skillets and press into an even layer. Cook over moderately high heat undisturbed until a crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn the mixture in sections and cook until browned and crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes longer.

Transfer the chorizo-potato mixture to a bowl and serve with the tortillas, salsa, onion, cilantro and lime wedges.

Sardinian-Style Paella

INGREDIENTS

• Large pinch of saffron threads
• 6 1/2 cups warm water
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound fregola (2 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 pound chorizo, thinly sliced
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 pounds red snapper, cod or monkfish, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 pound cockles, scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, crumble the saffron in 1/2 cup of the warm water and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a very large, deep sauté pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the fregola and chorizo and cook, stirring, until the chorizo releases some of its fat and starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, white wine, saffron and its soaking liquid and the remaining 6 cups of warm water to the sauté pan and bring to a boil. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, cover and cook over low heat until the fregola is very chewy and soupy, about 10 minutes.

Season the shrimp and red snapper with salt and pepper and add them to the pan along with the mussels and cockles, nestling them into the fregola. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over low heat until the fregola is al dente, the fish is just cooked through and the mussels and cockles have opened, about 12 minutes longer.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the paella stand for 5 minutes; the fregola will absorb a bit more of the liquid, but the dish should be a bit brothy. Discard any mussels and cockles that haven't opened. Sprinkle the fregola with the chopped parsley and serve right away.

Fregola, the pearl-size Sardinian pasta that is quite similar to couscous, makes a terrific substitute for rice in this paella-style dish; it soaks up a lot of the cooking liquid from the seafood, tomato and chorizo stew and still stays nicely chewy. For such an impressive main course, it can be prepared surprisingly quickly.

Pork and Chile Stew

INGREDIENTS

• 6 pounds baby back ribs, membranes removed, cut into 3-rib sections
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 white onions, coarsely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 serrano chiles, stemmed
• 4 poblano chiles—roasted, skinned, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 4 white-corn tortillas, toasted and torn into small pieces
• 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
• Crumbled feta cheese, sliced radishes, lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, for serving

DIRECTIONS

• In a large, deep pot, cover the ribs with 10 cups of water and add the salt. Bring to a boil, then cover partially and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender, 1-1/2 hours.
• Transfer the ribs to a large plate; keep warm. Skim off excess fat from the cooking liquid; you should have about 6 cups of liquid. Add the onions, garlic and serranos to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat for 20 minutes. Add the poblanos and tortilla pieces; let cool. Working in batches, coarsely puree the cooking liquid.
• Return the liquid to the pot. Add the ribs and simmer over moderately low heat until the stew is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve with the cheese, radishes, lime wedges and cilantro sprigs.

Korean Sizzling Beef

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Lite soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Kikkoman soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dry white wine, plus one glass for the cook
• 4 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons Mrs Dash Extra Spicy
• 1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Garlic & Herb
• 1-4 oz can diced jalapeños
• About 5 pounds thin cut beef (flank steak OK), cut across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 16 scallions
• Vegetable oil, for rubbing
• Steamed rice, for serving

Directions

• In a large, shallow dish, combine the soy sauce with the sugar, white wine, chopped garlic, toasted sesame oil, vinegar, jalapeños and spices, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the sliced flank steak and coat thoroughly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate the steak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Light a grill or heat a griddle. Rub the scallions all over with vegetable oil and grill them over high heat, turning once, until the scallions are just softened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.
• Working in batches, grill the steak over high heat until the slices are richly browned and medium-rare, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer the steak to a serving platter and serve with the grilled scallions and steamed rice.

 This recipe could also be used for Beef Jerky.

Creole Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Olive oil
• 1 large white onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 large celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 6 ounces andouille links, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons prepared jerk paste or 1 tablespoon ground jerk seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon smoked hot paprika
• 3/4 pound fresh or thawed frozen okra, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• One 3 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken—meat shredded, skin and bones discarded
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Tabasco
• Steamed rice, for serving
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

• In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, whisk the flour with 1/2 cup of oil until smooth. Cook the roux over moderately low heat, whisking often, until deep brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the onion, celery, bell peppers and garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 20 minutes.
• In cast iron skillet, brown the andouille.
• Gradually add the stock to the casserole, whisking until smooth. Add the andouille, bay leaves, jerk paste, thyme and paprika and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the okra to the casserole and simmer until tender, 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken meat and season the gumbo with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Discard the bay leaves, ladle the gumbo over rice, garnish with the scallions and serve with Tabasco.

Creole Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Garlic and herb seasoning
  
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
  
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 stick butter
  
• Juice of 1 lemons
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

• In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the garlic, Creole seasoning and bell pepper.
• In a skillet, sauté the shrimp in the oil and butter over moderately high heat, turning the shrimp once, until just white throughout. Add the lemon juice and parsley and serve.

Onion Smothered Pork

• 1 6-7 lbs Pork Roast
• 2 large onions, sliced thin
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 Tablespoon dried Thyme
• 1 Tablespoon dried Rosemary, crumbled
• 1 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
  
• salt and pepper
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 lemon juice

Trim fat off of roast. Season pork generously with salt, pepper, chili powder and Mrs Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning. Let the roast sit for about 1 hour at room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, combine the onions, garlic, thyme and rosemary and mix.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F). Add olive oil to a large Dutch Oven on high heat and brown the meat on both sides until brown and crusty (10-12 minutes). Remove meat to a plate. Reduce temperature to medium and add the butter. When melted, stir in the flour, stirring constantly until it it turns a peanut butter brown (about 10 minutes). Add the onion mixture and coat the ingredients and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir continuously. Bring to a boil.

Return the pork to the Dutch Oven and coat all side with the onion mixture. Cook at 300 degrees for 3 hours, turning the meat every 1/2 hour. The final hour, reduce the temperature to 275 degrees.

Remove meat from Dutch Oven and put the Dutch oven on the stove on medium heat. Remember the pot is hot!!! Simmer and reduce by 1/3 and skim off fat. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning.

Serve over rice.

Galumpkis (Pigs in the Blanket)

• 2 lbs Ground Beef
• 1 lbs Ground pork
• 2 large Onions chopped
• 3/4 cups partially cooked rice (otherwise it will soak up the meat juices and that's not good!)
  
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1/2 capful of Mrs Dash Garlic & Herb
• 2 Large Whole Cabbages
  
• 1 large can Whole Tomatoes or petite diced
  
• 4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2-8 0z cans Tomato Sauce
• Olive oil
  

To partially cook the rice, cover the rice with water in a pan and bring to a boil. Remove heat and cover.

Brown onions and last 1 minute add the garlic. Cook 1 minute and add the drained rice and stir fry for about 1 minute on high heat. Remove heat and allow to cool. Mix the meats together and add the onion/rice mixture, spices and mix until well blended in a large bowl. Optionally, add some cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch.

Place cabbage in a plastic bag, add 2 Tablespoons of water and cook each cabbage 12-14 minutes in microwave to soften leaves. Do not close the plastic bag! Wait for cabbage leaves to cool, unless you enjoy burning your fingers. Wrap the meat using the larger cabbage leaves. Place about 1-2 Tablespoons of meat in middle of cabbage leave and roll it like a burrito. OK, so I lost a major portion of the American population on that one. Most Americans just don't know how to roll a burrito. Starting from the thick end of the cabbage, wrap the end up, then the sides folded in and finally roll it towards the top, OR the bottom up, the top down and the sides next, or just squinch it up in a pile if you just-don't-care anymore. I prefer the first method. If the last method appeals to you, put down the knife and go lay down until the voices stop talking.

Line the bottom of a very large pot with the outer large, broken cabbage leaves or cut up stalk pieces, so that the Galumpkis don't burn on the bottom of the pot. Place the Galumpkis in the pot and it's OK to stack them if you run out of room. Pour the can of whole tomatoes, with the juice and tomato sauce over the top of the Galumpkis and sprinkle with the brown sugar.

Bring to a boil and then lower heat to very low and cook about 2 hours. Put on the polka music and sip on some vodka while it's cooking. Serve with friends, more polka music and vodka.

Na zdrowie!

Cranberry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

• 8 sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 large firm but ripe pear, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 4 teaspoons minced and peeled fresh ginger
• 4 teaspoons (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs Dash's Table Blend seasoning

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Place a cooking sheet below the sweet potatoes on lower rack to catch drippings. Pierce potatoes in several places with fork. Bake until potatoes are tender when pierced with fork, about 55 minutes. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place cranberries in small bowl; pour enough hot water over to cover. Let stand 5 minutes to soften. Drain well. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears and sauté until tender and golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir in cranberries, pecans, ginger, and brown sugar; sauté 1 minute. Mix in 2 teaspoons vinegar and seasoning.

Cut off top quarter of each potato lengthwise; discard tops. Using fork, gently mash pulp inside each potato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons vinegar. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon butter-vinegar mixture into each potato; mix with fork to blend.

Mound cranberry mixture in sweet potatoes.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature.

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 6 large sweet potatoes—about 5 pounds
• 7 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup Madeira or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• chopped pecans for topping
  

1. Jab the potatoes in several places with a fork and lay them on the rack of a 375 degree F oven for about an hour (put a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch drips). They are done when a knife slips in and out easily. Meanwhile, butter the 9-cup baking dish and set it aside.
2. When the sweet potatoes are done, hold them under cold water and pull off the skin. It will come off in wide strips. Use an electric mixer or food processor to whip the potatoes with the butter, half & half, Madeira, orange rind, and spices. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
3. Plop the mixture into a buttered baking dish, level with the back of a spoon and top with chopped nuts or dot with slivers of butter.
4. When you are ready to cook this, bake uncovered for 25 minutes at about 350 degrees F.

Halushki (Polish Cabbage and Noodles)

• 2 large yellow onions sliced and cut in half
• 1 large head cabbage sliced (core discarded)
  
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 capful of Mrs Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning
• 1 link kielbasa or 2 pkgs Hot Italian Sausage - cut into 1" pieces
• 2 sticks of butter
• 2 pkgs Egg Noodles
  

In a frying pan, brown the kielbasa or sausage until done.

In a large pot, melt the butter. Brown the onions and add the garlic. Mix in the seasoning and meat and cook 1 minute. Increase the heat to high. Pour the egg noodles on top of the meat and add the cabbage on top of that. Do not mix! Add 1-1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, cover and allow to steam for 5 minutes. Mix well and test if the noodles and cabbage are soft. Check water level and add if it has all evaporated. Continue to cook, covered until the cabbage and noodles are soft and cooked. Adjust seasoning. Stir at regular intervals to avoid the haluski from burning on the bottom of the pot.

Pork Stew with Ancho Chiles and Lime Juice

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4-1/2 pounds trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
• Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning
  
• 2 medium white onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 pound baby carrots
• 3 fresh Poblano chiles, seeded and cut into very thin strips
• 3 Jalapeños sliced
  
• 3 bay leaves
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 32oz can Dices Tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Steamed white rice and sliced jalapeños, for serving

1. In a very large cast-iron frying pan , heat the vegetable oil until hot. Season the pork with salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash spices and add half of it to the frying pan. Cook over moderate heat, turning, until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate. Brown the remaining pork.

2. Meanwhile, in a large casserole pot, stir in the onions, garlic, carrots, chiles, jalapeños, cloves along with some olive oil and heat until the onions are translucent. Season with salt, pepper and more Mrs. Dash seasoning.

3. When all of the pork has been browned, place it into the casserole, with all of its drippings and add the chicken stock, bay leaves, lime juice and tomatoes. Mix and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the pork is very tender and the carrots are cooked through, about 2 hours. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the cilantro. Serve with rice and sliced jalapeños.