1 can of any beverage per 6-7 pound whole chicken.
Prepare rack or baking pan with tinfoil (easy clean up), place can (slightly empty) in center of pan. Clean chicken and pat dry. Spray with flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle with spices, some favorites are seasoned salt, or lemon pepper, or ranch rub seasoning, or salt & pepper. Set chicken upright on top of can. Grill should be at 375 degrees, cook indirect heat for 1 1/2 hours or until meat measures180 degrees. Liquid in can will be hot. Be careful.
Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Gumbo from Colorado Country Life Feb 2011 www.experienceneworleans.com
1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4 stalks celery, chopped coarse 2 medium onions, chopped coarse 2 green onions, cored and chopped 2 bay leaves 2 tsp salt 2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled 1/2 tsp cayenne 40 ounces clam juice 28 ounces canned plum tomatoes, drained and chopped 1 pound smoked andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4" slices 1/2 pound okra (we use frozen) 2 lbs uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Cooked long grain rice 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced (optional) Parsley, chopped (optional)
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until dark reddish brown (about 8 minutes).
Add the celery, onions, and bell peppers all at once. Cook 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Mix in the bay leaves, salt, oregano and cayenne. Add the clam juice, canned plum tomatoes and sausage. Boil for 15 minutes.
Add the okra, Reduce heat, Simmer until the okra is tender (approx 15 minutes). Then add the shrimp. Simmer until just cooked through (about 3 minutes).
Ladle the gumbo into each soup bowl and mound rice on top of each bowl. Serve sprinkled with diced tomatoes and parsley.
Cook Gumbo Slowly. Like a stew, a good gumbo should be cooked uncovered over a slow heat for two to three hours. The process of cooking it slowly allows the flavors to mingle. If a gumbo is cooked too quickly with a temperature that is too high, the flavors will burn off. The gumbo can be made a day or two in advance to allow the flavors to develop. The flavors will balance the gumbo as it sits in a refrigerator for a few days and is reheated.
2 pounds Italian or green onion sausage, crumbled 3 packs frozen seasoning (bell pepper, onion, celery) Garlic powder Worcestershire sauce 1-2 cans Ro*tel tomatoes Chicken broth or stock 1-3 cups meat or shellfish 2-4 cups rice
Sauté 2 pounds sausage in a large pan. Add frozen chopped seasoning. Brown together and skim off any excess grease. Season to taste with garlic powder or Tony's Chachere's Creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
Add canned tomatoes. Add chicken broth or stock to cover ( about 3 inches above meat mixture). Cover and simmer a few minutes. Add any meat or shellfish as desired (shrimp, crawfish, turkey, chicken, (etc.)
Cover and simmer some more. Add 2 to 4 cups of rice, depending on how large your pot is. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or so; then turn heat down, stirring occasionally until tender.
Avocado, Black Bean & Corn Salad
1/3 cup fresh lime juice 1/8 cup olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup frozen corn, thawed 3 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced 1 red bell pepper chopped (optional) 2 tomatoes, chopped 6 green onions chopped (optional) 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
Mix lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt & cayenne pepper. In another bowl combine all other ingredients and cover with your lime dressing. Great as a side dish or serve with chips. Best after sitting in frig for approximately an hour.
Western Meatloaf
4 oz Western Dressing (1/2 cup) 1/8 cup chili sauce 1/2 T horseradish 1 T minced onion 1/2 cup oatmeal 1 egg beaten 1/2 tsp salt dash of pepper 1 pound of ground burger
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1, 2, 3 & 4. Reserve 1/3 cup for topping in smaller bowl. Stir 5, 6, 7 & 8 into rest of dressing mix. This makes one loaf. Place in meatloaf pan, cover with reserve topping and cook for 1 hour covered.
Source: Label of Western Dressing bottle.
Pork Enchiladas
Use left over Pork from a Roast or tenderloin (approx 3/4 cup per tortilla) 1/2 Jar of Salsa 2 small cans of green chilies 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese 1 can Refried beans 1 10 oz (or bigger) can of red or green enchiladas sauce Burrito or Wrap size tortillas - see below
Warm the pork and the salsa along with the chilies to cook off some of the liquid. Preheat the oven to 350*, pour just enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the cooking spray sprayed pan. Prepare the tortillas by warming them on a skillet. Spread the refried beans on one end of the tortilla, as much as you like, then load the other end with your pork mix along with cheese. Fold in the ends as you wrap the tortilla and lay seam down in the pan. After all tortillas are stuffed in the pan (approx 5 for a small square pan and 8 in a rectangular pan) pour rest of sauce over top and cover with foil. Cook for 30 minutes. Enjoy with sour cream, guacamole, salsa or diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, more cheese and hot sauce.
Taco Dip
1 Can of refried beans 1 Small tub of sour cream Guacamole (optional) 1 Package of taco seasoning Shredded lettuce (iceberg or romaine) 2 Med size tomatoes 2 Cups shredded cheese 1 Small can chopped black olives (optional) Green onions, chopped (optional)
Mix the taco seasoning with the sour cream and let sit over an hour for best flavor. Layer the refried beans, sour cream mix and guacamole on a cookie sheet or in a cake pan. You can let this sit in the refrigerator while chopping other ingredients. Next layer lettuce, tomatoes and cheese (black olives and green onions if you like). Serve with tortilla chips.
Turkey Bacon Guacamole Roll Ups
Flour tortillas Sliced deli turkey Bacon cooked and crumbled Shredded lettuce Diced tomatoes Guacamole Shredded cheese (just about any kind) & Garden vegetable cream cheese
Prepare tortilla by warming on a hot skillet, then smear about 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese on one end of the tortilla and then load other ingredient on the other end. When rolled up the cream cheese should help the roll, stay rolled up. Use decorative toothpicks for fun.
Rice Pudding
3 slightly beaten eggs 2 cups milk 1 1/2 cooked white rice 1/2 sugar 1/2 cup raisins (optional) 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl, combine eggs, milk, rice, sugar, raisins, vanilla and salt. Mix well. Place in 10" x 6" x 2" baking dish. Bake in oven for 25 minutes, stir and sprinkle on cinnamon. Continue baking approximately 20 - 25 minutes longer. Serve warm or chilled with light cream, if desired.
Fudge Jumbles
1 cup butter 2 cups brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 2 1/2 cups flour 3 cups oatmeal Mix together and press 2/3 mixture into 9 x 13 cake pan.
This favorite recipe comes from our friend and fantastic baker, Michele.
Melt this mixture together and pour onto pressed mixture in pan. 1 pkg chocolate chips 2 tsp vanilla 2 tbl butter 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Add spoonfuls of 1/3 remaining mixture on top and cook @ 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.