Laced hoecakes

Ingredients:
Nonstick butter spray
2 cups all-purpose cornmeal
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sliced, about 1/8-inch, thin rounds okra (or corn kernels)
Vegetable oil
Butter

Directions:
Spray pan with a nonstick butter spray, heat griddle to medium-high, so it gets hot.
Mix together the cornmeal, water, and salt, and allow mixture to sit for a few minutes. The batter should be very thin. Add sliced okra (or corn kernels) and stir together.

Reduce heat to no higher than medium. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and pour batter into center of griddle, allowing it to spread to sides. The "lace" will form a crispy edge.

*Cook's Note: Use the "inverted plate on top" technique to flip hoecake.
* When the edges are slightly brown, place a wet glass plate over the hoecake. With a dishcloth, grab the handle of the pan, flip the pan and hoecake onto the plate. Slide the hoecake off the plate back in the pan to cook the other side, until golden brown. (A regular spatula turn worked for me) Put a little more oil on the pan for the second side.

Stir the batter and add oil to the pan before making your next hoecake. Serve with butter.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen and foodnetwork.com

Sauteed Swiss Chard

Olive oil, for pan
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch nutmeg
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and cut into 1/2-inch lengths, leaves cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Kosher salt

Coat a large saute pan lightly with olive oil and add the shallots, garlic and crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to medium-high heat. When the garlic has turned a lovely golden brown, remove from the pan and discard. Add the Swiss chard stems and the stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated. Add the Swiss chard leaves and nutmeg. Saute until they are slightly wilted. Season with salt.

Sausage-Cheese Balls

1 pound hot breakfast sausage
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups Bisquick

Mix half of all ingredients together, then the other half (for ease). Roll into balls the size of marbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (or until golden brown). They freeze well after baking. Reheat in aluminum foil. Makes 100 balls. Serve with a dipping mustard.

Roasted Vegetables

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine any of the following vegetables in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme sprigs, and red pepper flakes.

Baby carrots
Quartered parsnips
Small or cut onions
Shallots
Small or cut potatoes
Garlic cloves
Brussell sprouts
Corn on the cob (hunks)
Quartered beets

Line a shallow baking dish with aluminum foil, pour in the prepared vegetables (one layer if possible) and roast at 425 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.

Chocolate Stuff

Beat
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup flour

Add
¼ tsp salt
1 stick melted butter
2 heaping Tbs cocoa

Stir in
1 over-running tsp vanilla extract

Pour into a greased glass loaf pan.
Set in a pan of water.
Bake at 300 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
Let cool. (Great with vanilla ice cream.)

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Preheat oven at 375 degrees.

Combine filling and put into a 9 x 13 baking dish:
5 medium Granny Smith apples, peel, cored and sliced
(or 1 can or White House canned apples, drained)
16-oz can whole cranberry sauce
¾ cup sugar
2 Tbs flour

Combine topping:
¼ cup chopped nuts
1 cup rolled oats
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Melt ¼ cup margarine over other ingredients and stir.

Sprinkle topping over cranberry filling and bake 35-40 minutes until fruit is tender.

Plum Tart

Pastry:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter
¼ cup Crisco
3-4 Tbs cold water

Stir together flour and salt. Cut in butter and Crisco. Sprinkle water 1 Tbs at a time and stir gently with a fork. Form into a ball. Flatten into a disk and use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Place a baking sheet upside down on the middle rack in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness. Transfer to a tart pan.

Filling: Combine
1 lb plums, pitted and cut into ½-inch wedges (about 8 plums)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup sugar
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
½ tsp cinnamon

Transfer to tart shell and bake on the cookie sheet for 45 minutes.
Cool and drizzle warmed and strained apricot jam (about ¼ cup) over top.


Serve with ice cream, if desired.