AMAZING JALAPENO PIMIENTO CHEESE

"I Never Ever met a pimiento cheese that I did not like!"~ Adele Forbes....From Ruth's Famous Salad Dressing's, Pimiento Cheese Spread, to this rockin' hot and savory version of down home Southern comfort, just place it in front of me and I will eat it. I love it just plain on a spoon or in a sandwich or on top of a cracker or lying snug as a bug in a rug on a spear of celery....just bring it on!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup chopped jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup Duke's mayonnaise
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno juice
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
2 (7oz.) jars diced pimiento, drained
12 oz. jar roasted red bell pepper, chopped and drained

In bowl of electric mixer combine cream cheese, jalapenos, mayonnaise and pepper juice. Stir in cheeses, pimientos and bell peppers. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Yield 6 cups

SHRIMP SAUCE

A family member shared this recipe with me many years ago and I make it whenever we are having Oriental food of any kind. It is relatively comparable to the Shrimp Sauce that is served in Chinese and Japanese restaurants.

1 stick butter-melted
1 pint Kraft's real mayonnaise
1 pint Miracle Whip
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon crushed garlic

Combine all ingredients adding water as you stir to your desired consistency.

MAMA JOE'S APPLE SNOW

Memories, sweet memories, flood my mind, for Apple Snow can take me back in time to a warm, cozy kitchen, 'twas a room chock-full-o-love, because it was looked over by the man up above. I can see her standing there now, my "Mama Joe," over that old wood stove, where a sweet cake of gingerbread emitted wonderful scents into every crook and cranny. No one, simply no one, could top off gingerbread like my granny.

3 large cooking apples
white of 1 big egg
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Wash and dry apples; prick them with a fork in a few places, and bake at 350 degrees until soft. Remove the skin, and run the pulp through a sieve. Beat the egg white to a froth; add sugar gradually; then add apple pulp and beat it all together until thoroughly mixed, light and soft. Serve over gingerbread.

"So few people have learned the art of collecting memories. They collect old china and prints and books...all good and pleasant, but fragile and perishable. Happy memories are indestructible possessions which nothing can take from us."~anon

CREAMY COCKTAIL SAUCE

Seafood and fresh raw veggies love taking a dip in this sauce.....

1/4 cup light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine mayonnaise and sour cream, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth. Add ketchup and remaining ingredients.

Serves 8; 2 tablespoons each equals 1 WW point

"I never met a cocktail of any kind that I didn't like."~Adele Forbes

PINEAPPLE SALSA

We love this salsa nestled beside of grilled chicken, fish, or pork. It is a delight to your senses of smell, sight, and taste.

1 (20oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

Combine all ingredients. Chill well prior to serving.

“Salsa has now passed ketchup as America's favorite condiment. Isn't that amazing? You know it's bad when even our vegetables are starting to lose their jobs to Mexico.”~Jay Leno, on the Tonight Show

MARINATED MUSHROOMS & ONIONS

I love to cook with tarragon vinegar. Try it in your coleslaw or pickled shrimp. Pair it with onions and mushrooms and listen as your taste buds come alive!

1 lb. whole fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup tarragon vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 dashes Tabasco
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

Saute mushrooms in butter.

Combine vinegar, oil, garlic, sugar, water, salt, Tabasco and pepper.

Combine mushrooms and butter with onion. Add to vinegar mixture.
Store in airtight container overnight in refrigerator, turning several times.

Partially drain before serving.
Serves 10


"Onions can make even heirs and widows weep."~Benjamin Franklin

MESLALLA (Olive Salad)

Considered a salad in Morocco, this lively mixture is actually more of a condiment, so serve it as you like. If you love briny olives, you will like!

2 cups mixed olives
juice of two large lemons
1 teaspon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Rinse the olives briefly under cool running water, then pit and place in a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and toss to mix well. Cover and chill well before serving.
Serves: 6

“I drink too much. The last time I gave a urine sample it had an olive in it.”~Rodney Dangerfield

PUMPKIN PECAN SAUCE

Decorative jars of this spiced topping will make welcome holiday gifts for your friends and family.

1 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 (16oz.) can pumpkin

Cook pecans in butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until toasted. Stir in syrup and remaining ingredients; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm over ice cream, pancakes, french toast, or waffles. Store sauce in refrigerator up to 1 week.
Yield: 4 cups

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.~Henry David Thoreau

ROCKEFELLER SAUCE

In my humble opinion, I believe this to be the finest Rockefeller Sauce ever!

3 (10oz. bags) fresh spinach
1 bunch green onions
leaves from 1/2 bunch green celery
1 whole bulb fresh garlic-peeled and seperated
1 bunch fresh parsley
4 cups water
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated bread crumbs
1 lb. melted butter
1 jigger pernod (anise liquer)

In large pot, boil spinach, onions, celery leaves, garlic and parsley in water, 20 minutes. Drain and chop in food processor. Return to pot and add cheese, bread crumbs, and melted butter, mix well. Add pernod and stir Serve over oysters.
For 5 dozen oysters

"Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are."-Brillat-Savarin

EXCELLANT PIMIENTO CHEESE

This spread happens to be my favorite. Use the best cheeses you can afford. Sandwiches, stuffed celery, baked potatoes, fresh steamed broccoli, macs and cheese...you decide. The possibilities are endless.

1 lb. Wisconsin cheddar cheese-grated
1/2 lb. extra-sharp cheddar cheese-grated
1 jar chopped pimiento-drained
1/2 can diced jalapeno peppers-seeded removed
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
1 Tbsp. sugar
assorted crackers

Place the cheeses, pimientos and jalapenos in mixing bowl. With a fork, stir in mayonnaise, pickle relish, and sugar. Mash and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 2 cups.

"Never commit yourself to a cheese without first having examined it."~T. S. Eliot

BEV'S MUSTARD PICKLED EGGS

My good friend Bev Staring lives in the Globe which is on down below where I live and we spend alot of time together riding 4-wheelers, pitching horseshoes, and of course, eating. She is one of the best cooks I know, everything she makes is wonderful and she showed up with these eggs at one of our cookouts and they are unbelievable. I never thought I would like any pickled egg better than red beet ones but these are now my favorite. Try them and they might become your favorite too.

12 hard-boiled eggs, shelled
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. prepared mild mustard
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
6 whole cloves
2 onions-sliced

Place eggs in large jar. Combine everything but onions in a pot and simmer 10 minutes. Allow to cool off then add to eggs with onions. Refrigerate several days before eating.

"The joy of being friends is just a simple code of faith and trust, a homey comradeship that stays the threatened fear of darker days; the kind of faith that brings to light the good, the beautiful, and the bright; and best and blest, and true and rare-is having friends who love and care!"~anon

MARVELOUS MUSHROOMS

Easy..prepare ahead..I love these better'n sliced bread.

3 lbs. fresh mushrooms-caps or whole
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup salad oil
1 small onion-sliced in rings
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. prepared mustard-that's the one in the bottle in your fridge
1 tsp. brown sugar

Mix the mushrooms with all of the above ingredients in a large pot. Boil for 3 minutes; drain and discard liquid. Place mushrooms in a large bowl.

1 1/3 cups red wine vinegar
1 1/3 cups salad oil
3 small onions-sliced in rings
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Combine the above and pour over the mushrooms. Marinate at room temperature until cool. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. Keeps indefinitely in refrigerator. Do not worry your pretty little heads over the indefinite part because they are not going to make it that long.
Yield: 1 qt.

"A friend loves at all times."-Proverbs 17:17

MANGO SALSA

This recipe comes from 'Heaven's Banquet', Vegetarian Cooking For Lifelong Health the Ayurveda Way; The Maharishi Ayur-veda Cookbook, by Miriam Kasin Hospodar. I love this book and that is why it is my #2 pick for Honorable Mention in todays "Coffee Pot Question of the Day".
You could serve this with either Mexican or Indian-style dishes.

1 tablespoon mild-flavored oil
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cups coarsely chopped mangoes
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and saute until they "dance." Turn off the heat, add the ginger, and stir a few times to coat with the oil.
Toss with mangoes, kime juice, cilantro and salt.
Variation: Add finely chopped green chilies.
Yield: About 2 cups.

"When the mangoes are ripe on the tree, then the branches bow down."~Ancient Indian saying describing the humility of enlightened people.

EASY PICKLED BEETS

Pickled beets are always a favorite condiment on the Thanksgiving and Christmas table.
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 (16oz.) can sliced beets
2 tsp. whole allspice
8 whole cloves
6 whole bay leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced
Heat 1/4 cup of the vinegar in a small saucepan. Add the sugars, stirring to dissolve. Place the beets, spices, bay leaves, and salt in a bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar. Pour the sugar/vinegar mixture over beets. Cover with the sliced onions. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Stir occasionally. Excellant in salads or nestled next to your favorite greens, string beans, or even pintos. When the beets are gone, slice more onion into the juice and serve with salad.
"I have always loved beets, I mean loved them. Pickled beets are my very favorite. Succulent and tartly sweet. Works for me every time."-Adele Forbes