SUPER SLOPPY JOE BOWLS

Fry out some hamburger, slap up a can of Pillsbury's French Loaf Bread across the counter, make some coleslaw, and last but not least place some Alexia's Onion Rings on a baking sheet...and wait for the good times to begin.

1 can Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce
1  refrigerated Pillsbury French Bread Loaf
homemade coleslaw
Alexia's Onion Rings

Set the Sloppy Joe's to cooking as per directions...beat the French bread loaf over the counter and then cut it into 3 sections. Mold each section into a ball, pinching the end seams together and placing seam end down on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until browned. Place onion rings on another cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes on one side and then turn over for 5 minutes.  Slice off the top of each bread bowl and then take a wooden spoon and poke the bread meat down all around the inside of the bread bowl. Don't panic, it's a whole lot simpler than it sounds. Add the cooked sloppy Joe to each bowl. Serve all three together on a plate with a warm smile and the love that it took to get it all together!

"I never met a Sloppy Joe that I did not want to take home with me!"~Adele Forbes

CLASSIC CHEESE TERRINE

Always popular with my summer clients, the cheese terrine is not only pleasing to the palate but to the eyes as well.

32 ounces cream cheese

2 large cloves garlic -- crushed, peeled, minced finely
2 teaspoons herbs de provence
7 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes -- julienned
3 tablespoons sliced green onions
4 ounces bleu cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds or walnut pieces
7 ounces prepared pesto sauce
1/2 cup fresh parsley -- minced
1/2 cup fresh basil -- minced

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap. In a food processor, blend one package of cream cheese with garlic and Herbs de Provence. Spread into bottom of a plastic butter dish  and sprinkle with basil. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes until firm.
To make second layer, process one package cream cheese with sun-dried tomatoes and green onions. Spread on top of first layer and sprinkle with parsley. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes until second layer is firm.
For third layer, process remaining cream cheese, bleu cheese and nuts. Spread over first two layers and repeat dusting of basil. Refrigerate until firm.
To make final layer, combine one package of cream cheese with pesto sauce in food processor. Spread onto previous layers and top with parsley. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve, unwrap and invert onto serving tray. Cut slices from loaf as needed. Serve with mild crackers.
Serves 10 to 12

"I never met a cheese terrine that I didn't like."~Adele Forbes

CULINARY TIP OF THE DAY #10

TIPS FOR TOSSED SALADS

Always handle salad greens with kid gloves.

In  my humble opinion, the salad spinner is one of the greatest kitchen inventions EVER! Grab one at a yard sale for a dollar or Wally World for $4.00. Make sure that it is one that has open holes on the bottom of it so that the water can run out when it goes for a spin around the sink.

Tear greens in bite-size pieces with your hands to avoid bruising with knife. I hate ordering a salad in a restaurant and it arrives in huge pieces...it is a whole lot easier to eat when the lettuce is in smaller pieces. That's my opinion and I am sticking with it!

Don't cut up tomatoes either for a salad because their juices will thin the dressing and wilt the greens. Add them at the last minute or serve on the side.

After you have spun your greens in the salad spinner, place a sheet of paper towel in a large zip-lock baggie and then pour the lettuce in, position it over the towel so it is all nice and even, seal it and place it in the fridge until you are ready to make your salad. The greens will we nice and crisp and well chilled.

CREAMY CRAB BISQUE

"The bishop smiled approvingly. A soup like this is not the work of one man, he said, it is the result of a constantly refined tradition. There are nearly a thousand years of history in this soup."~Willa Cather

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 can (14.oz.) cream-style corn
2 (10 oz.) cans cream of potato soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 2 teaspoons fresh
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 (6 oz.) cans crabmeat, drained and flaked

In a large pot, saute the celery, onion, and red pepper in the butter over medium heat until tender. Add the creamed corn, potato soup, milk, cream and water; stir to combine. Add all seasonings and adjust to taste. Add crabmeat and stir. When heated through, remove the bay leaves. Serve warm. Great with a green salad and cheese biscuits.

CULINARY TIP OF THE DAY #9

SOUP ACCOMPANIMENTS

CLEAR SOUPS: crisp crackers, cheese toast strips

CREAM SOUPS: cheese popcorn, seeded crackers, crushed pretzels, pickles, olives

CHOWDERS & MEAT SOUPS: Melba toast, oyster crackers, sour pickles, pickled okra, bread sticks, relishes, toasted garlic bread

EGG BALLS: Take the yolks of three hard boiled eggs, one teaspoonful of flour made smooth with the yolk of one raw egg, and one-half teaspoonful of salt. Mix and make into small balls and drop into boiling soup just before serving.

EASY CRAB CAKES

Our friend Jimmy Hughes on his pier in the Inland Waterway at Holden's Beach checking the crab traps. Steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab bisque...

2 1/2 finely crushed potato chips
1 lb. lump crabmeat
1/3 cup tartar sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, divided into 6 pieces
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a sheet of aluminum foil; set aside.
Place potato chips through pepper in a bowl, stirring just to combine. Shape mixture into 6 patties and place on baking sheet. Top each pattie with a pat of butter.
Broil until browned, 2 to 3 minutes, watch carefully. Serve with lemon wedges.

"why my good sir, this is a krabby patty, smothered in jellyfish jelly"~spongebob

SWEET & SOUR CHILI

Here once again is the result of venturing into my pantry and refrigerator for the makings of 'what's for dinner tonight?'
Hamburger meat, red bell peppers and fresh cilantro made their selves known to me from the depths of the fridge.
A savory sweet onion beckoned from it's woven bowl atop the table on the lazy Susan.
The pantry served up chicken broth, my home-canned summer salsa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, sugar and vinegar; whilst visions of sweet and sour danced in my head.
So with my wooden spoon in hand and favorite apron adorned I settled in for one of this long winters favorite activities...whipping up a large pot of soul satisfying chili. Why don't you join me?

1 lb ground round
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/4 cups salsa
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
sugar and vinegar to taste (a couple tablespoons of each or less-to your liking.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large pot. Add ground beef, onion and bell pepper and saute, stirring to crumble, until meat is no longer pink. Drain off any fat.
Add chicken broth through tomatoes, stir well to combine. Add sugar and vinegar to taste, relying on your taste buds to speak to you when the right flavor shows itself.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cilantro, reserving some for garnish. 
To Serve: Ladle into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro. Serve with my LITTLE BITS OF SUNSHINE which you can find the recipe for here in my blog.

"Chili represents your three stages of matter: solid, liquid, and eventually gas."~Roseanne