Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)

Ingredients:
3/4 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 large onion, grated
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 Tbs. flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sage leaves
1/4 to 1/2 cup half and half (or milk) for consistency
butter

Gravy:
3/4-2 Tbsp drippings from Frickadeller
tiny butter if needed
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup heavy cream (milk works too)
1 Tbsp beef bouillon
salt and pepper

Combine beef, pork, and onion.  Add breadcrumbs, flour, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, and sage leaves and mix with your hands.  Slowly add half and half for a sticky consistency.  Coat the skillet well with butter.  Drop clumps of mixture (a heaping tablespoon size) onto the skillet.  Fry on medium to medium low heat until brown (press meat down lightly with a fork so it flattens out a little...it should look like a flat hamburger), then flip (approximately 3-5 minutes per side).  Add more butter with each batch.  Serve with gravy.  Don't wash the skillet because you want the brown bits and drippings for the gravy.

Add the flour to the drippings to form a roux (add butter if needed).  Slowly add cream until mixture reaches gravy consistency.  Add beef bouillon, salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe from www.favfamilyrecipes.com.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, depending on how hot you want it
1 large white onion, diced
4 Tbsp. bacon pieces
2 tsp. garlic, minced or chopped
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb. Russet potatoes, or about 3-4 large potatoes
a bunch of kale

Directions:
Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper.  Drain excess fat.  In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions, and garlic for approximately 15 mins or until onions are soft. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water in a large soup pot, then add onions, bacon, and garlic.  Cook until boiling.  Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.  Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.  Stir in sausage.  Add kale just before serving.  Serves 6 to 8.

Recipe from www.epicurious.com

Cafe Rio Burritos

For the sauce:

1 small can diced green chilies
1 (7 oz.) can Salsa Verde
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat 

and let simmer for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm. You can also refrigerate

it overnight after simmering if you are making it in advance. Just reheat in the

small saucepan before serving.

For the burrito:
1 LARGE tortilla
1 large scoop rice (cooked with cilantro and lime juice)
1 large scoop beans
1 large scoop shredded pork or chicken
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, to taste
Green Enchilada Sauce (see recipe above)
Lettuce
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Sour cream

Roll up rice, beans, pork or chicken, cheese, and green sauce in large tortilla 

to form the burrito.  Slather with a big ladle full of the green sauce and top with

additional Monterey Jack cheese. Place in the oven at 450-degrees until

cheese is melted. Serve with lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and/or

sour cream.  I like to top it off with the Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing!

Recipe from www.favfamilyrecipes.com.

Pinto Beans and Pork

Ingredients:
1 pound dried pinto beans
5 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 pound salt pork, ham or sausage, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

Directions:
Pick over beans and rinse under running water.  Combine beans and enough water to soak in a large pot; cover, let soak over night.  OR quick soak, bring to a boil, boiling for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.  Drain.  Add the 5 cups of water, onion, garlic, chili powder, and meat to beans.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, simmer over low heat for 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.  Add more water  if necessary.  Stir in salt.  Serves 4 to 6.

Recipe from my mom, Margie Lanclos

Spicy Penne with Sausage

Ingredients:
16 oz mild Italian sausage
1 medium chopped onion
16 oz penne pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small unpeeled eggplant, chopped (I use zucchini)
1 (16 oz) can Italian styled tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook sausage and onion.  Cook penne pasta as directed.  Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat, add mushrooms, bell pepper, and eggplant (or zucchini).  Cook until tender.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes.  Simmer, stirring occasional about 30 minutes.  Stir in sausage, simmer about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add pasta.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe from unknown.

Pork Tenderloin with Sour Cream and Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 bunch (6 to 8) green onions with 2 to 3 inches of green sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Slice tenderloin into abut 8 pieces; flatten each medallion slightly with the heel of your hand.  In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp of butter with 1 tbsp of oil.  Cook mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes, then add onion and cook for 1 minute longer.  Transfer the mushrooms and onions to a plate; set aside.  Pour off excess liquids from the pan.  Melt remaining butter with oil over medium heat.  Add pork tenderloin medallions and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until browned.  Sprinkle the pork lightly with salt and pepper.  Pour in wine and half of the chicken broth.  Reduce heat to low, and cook for 1 minutes.  Transfer the port to a serving dish and keep warm.  Stir flour into the remaining chicken broth until smooth.  With the skillet over medium heat, stir in the flour and broth mixture.  Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened.  Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.  Stir in sour cream, parsley, and the cooked mushrooms and onions.  Heat through, but do not boil.  Serve sauce with the pork slices.  Serves 4.

Recipe from southern food.about.com.

Easy Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 small box Lasagna noodles
1 1/2 pounds grated Mozzarella cheese
1 can Hunts Vegetable (or any flavor) Spaghetti Sauce
1 package Jimmy Dean Sausage with Sage

Directions:
Cook Lasagna noodles as directed.  Brown sausage.  Layer sauce, noodles, cheese, and sausage in that order.  Repeat ending with sauce and cheese on top of noodles.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Can be frozen and cooked in the oven later.

Recipe is unknown.

Mexican Cornbread

Ingredients:
2 packages (boxes) Jiffy corn muffin mix
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
1 large chopped onion
1 can cream style corn
1/4 cup chopped jalapeño peppers (without the seeds)
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded sharp cheese
1/4 pound crumbled bacon
1/2 pound browned pork sausage
1/2 pound browned ground beef
1/2 tsp garlic powder or chili powder


Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.  Grease a 9” skillet pan.  Brown hamburger on medium high and drain.  Sauté onions in meat; add peppers and bacon then set aside.  Combine muffin mix, eggs, milk, corn, and chili powder.  Blend well.  Pour half of batter into prepared skillet.  Spread meat mixture over batter.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Spread remaining batter over cheese.  Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool 5-10 minutes before cutting.  Makes 9 to 12 servings.


Recipe from my sister, Janet Brooks and www.jiffymix.com.

Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Gnocchi are small, quick cooking dumplings usually made from potatoes.  Look for it with the dried pasta at the supermarket.

Ingredients:
1 (4.5 oz) link hot turkey Italian sausage (I use 1 pound ground Italian sausage)
2 cups water
1 (16 oz) package vacuum-packed gnocchi
1 (14oz) can fat-free, less sodium beef broth (use beef bouillon with water)
1 (14 1/2 oz) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Remove casings from sausage.  Cook sausage in a large Dutch oven (or stock pot) over medium high heat until browned, stirring to crumble.  Add 2 cups water and next 3 ingredients to pan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until gnocchi float to the top of the pan.  Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle each serving evenly with cheese.

Recipe from www.cookinglight.com

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:
1 pound regular, sage, or hot bulk sausage
1 1/4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Paprika, optional

Directions:
In a skillet, brown sausage; drain.  Spoon into an ungreased 10 inch pie pan.  Top with potatoes and cheddar cheese.  In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper; pour over cheese.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika if desired.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.  Serves 6.

Recipe from The Best of Country Cooking 1999

Gyoza

Ingredients:
3/4 pound raw ground pork.  (I use 1 pound)
1 cup chopped green cabbage
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp pressed garlic

One 12 oz package of wonton wrappers
2 Tbsp sesame oil or vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth

Directions:
Mix the first 5 ingredients.  Drop a teaspoon size of the mix ingredients onto a wonton wrapper.  Put water on the edge of the wonton wrapper and fold into a triangle to seal the sides.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan on the stove.  Brown wontons as many wontons as will fit in your pan.  Then pour enough chicken broth to cover the bottom of the pan.  Put a lid on the pan and steam the wontons.  I cut one open to make sure it is cooked.  Repeat until all wontons are cooked.  OR spray them with oil and bake at 375 for about 15-20 mins or until golden brown.  Turn and spray them in the middle of cooking time as well to keep them moist.

Dipping Sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
capful of vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Recipe from Ann Burton

Easy Gumbo

You can make just chicken, just shrimp, or chicken, shrimp and sausage as pictured above.  Any combination works.

My mom and my grandmother, Mawmaw Mary, made their roux without measuring.  However, I like to be a little more precise.

To make a Roux:
Whisk 1/2 cup of flour into 1/3 to 1/2 cup oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.  Stir constantly.  Remove from heat if it starts to smoke as you don't want to burn your roux.  You just want to continue to cook and stir it until you get a rich dark caramel or chocolate color.  Mine was pretty light so next time I'll cook it longer.

***For just shrimp or chicken gumbo, season cleaned shrimp or chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic salt.  My grandma's recipe says 3 pounds of shrimp.  My mom's recipe says a whole chicken cut-up.  Put your meat in your roux and cook while stirring for about 5-6 minutes.  Then add your water and vegetables.  Simmer for an hour or more.***

I put in about 7-8 cups of water.  You can use broth for half of the water if desired.  And I used a cooked rotisserie chicken that I stripped the meat off of, cut up beef sausage links, and a 1 pound bag of cleaned un-cooked shrimp.  For the vegetables, you can have your pick or all of (1 large or 1 cup) chopped onions, (1/2 cup) green onions, (4 stalks or 1/2 cup) celery, (2-3) cloves minced garlic, and 1 green bell pepper.  I don't put okra in mine, but you can use a frozen bag or 1 pound of sliced okra.  Add 1/2-3/4 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp hot sauce, and 1 Tbsp-1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce.  Feel free to take out any ingredients you don't like or add any you like.  That's what I do.  Let simmer and serve over rice.  We put a seasoning called Gumbo File on ours, but it's great without it too.

Recipe is a combination from my Mawmaw, Mary Lanclos, my Mom, Margie Lanclos, and my Southern Living Cookbook