Rice & Beans

Salsa, Black Bean, and Rice Salad

Made: March 14, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked long grain rice, chilled
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped yellow or red sweet pepper
- 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup bottled picante sauce or salsa
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno chile peppers, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (optional)
- Lettuce leaves
- 1/2 cup fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream

Directions
- In large bowl, stir together chilled rice, beans, tomatoes, sweet pepper, corn, onions, and cilantro; add picante sauce or salsa
- Toss to coat
- Stir in cheese, if using
- Line six salad bowls or plates with lettuce leaves
- Top with rice mixture
- Serve with sour cream

I made this with a couple exceptions. (When don't I?) I didn't add in the cilantro or green peppers and I used cheese without the jalapeno chile peppers in it. But I did love the flavor the chili and sour cream gave the mixture. I made mine more like a layered salad. I had my lettuce (strips) on the bottom and then I added the rice. Next came the mixture and then I topped it with the cheese (cheddar and Mozzarella). I really liked this for there not including a main protein.

(Recipe used: Better Homes & Gardens)

Deviled Eggs How To

Traditional Deviled Eggs

Made: March 4, 2013

Ingredients
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

My Fool-Proof way to make Hard Boiled Eggs
- Place eggs into pot
- Fill with cold tap water until eggs are under water (about an inch over eggs)
- Bring to boil
- Once the water is at a rapid boil, begin the timer; 9 minutes
- After the 9 minutes is up, place pot (with eggs and water) in sink
- Run cold tap water into pot and eggs until water is cool

Directions
- Slice your eggs vertically (long sided)
- Remove yolks into a medium-sized bowl for your filling, place your egg whites in carry case/plate
- Mix together the egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until blended and smooth
- Fill the centers of the eggs with your filling

I'm not fancy, I don't pipe my filling in. I just spoon it and move on. You may adjust the recipe to make more than 12 deviled eggs or to adjust the filling according to your taste. If you want more bite, mustard (you can also use Dijon). If you're more for mild, mayo is for you. There are other variations and fancier versions of Deviled Eggs, but we usually just go for the traditional route.

Fishy Salad

German Herring Salad

Made: January 1, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 jar (16oz) herring in wine sauce, drained
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 or 4 dill pickles, sliced (optional)

Directions
- Cut herring into bite-sized pieces
- Stir in sour cream (add more if needed)
- Add in the dill pickle slices
- Mix ingredients together until well coated
- Server immediate or refrigerate until needed

Being German, I love the tradition of eating a piece of herring at midnight. However, I had some Herring Salad in Epcot-Germany at Disney World and have been craving a good recipe since. This is just perfect! I used about 10oz of herring (we had a 12oz jar and had a couple of pieces at midnight) and only 1 pickle (the size was the size of a single serve pickle from the deli) cut up into pieces. I also used only about 1/3 cup of Sour cream since I didn't use 16 oz.

(Recipe used: German dishes made easy)

Luck from the South

South Georgia Caviar

Made: December 31, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 cans (15oz) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz) corn kernels, drained
- 1 can (14.5oz) spicy diced tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped jalapeno pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 bottle (8oz) Italian dressing
- 1 jar (4oz) chopped pimientos, drained
- Tortilla chips or crackers for dipping

Directions
- In a large serving bowl, mix together the black-eyed peas, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, Italian dressing and pimientos
- Cover and refridgerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to let the flavors come out
- Serve with tortilla chips or crackers for dipping

I didn't quite make this to the recipe; but I used it as inspiration to make my own little salad suited for my likes and to try something new for the New Year; since it's heard that black-eyed peas bring luck for the new year.

Ingreidents
- 1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can corn kernels, drained
- 1 can stewed tomatoes - Italian recipe
- Salt & Pepper

Directions
- In a large skillet, mix together the black-eyed peas, corn and stewed tomatoes
- Season with salt & pepper
- Heat throughout over medium-high heat until the stewed tomatoes have softened
- Chill for 4 hours
- Serve with chips or crackers

 I think it came out quite nice and flavorful. I used stewed tomatoes because it's said to bring wealth for the new year if eaten with black-eyed peas and the corn represents gold for wealth. I hope it brings you lots of health and wealth for the new year as well!

(Recipe used: Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible)

Chinese Crab

Tropical Crab Rangoon Appetizers

Made: October 2, 2011

Ingredients:
- 1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese hot mustard, if desired
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained, coarsely chopped
- 1 can (6 oz) lump crabmeat, drained
- 1/4 cup pineapple ice cream topping
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 medium green onions, chopped

Directions:
- Heat oven to 400°F
- Prep cooking sheet
- Unroll pizza crust dough on cookie sheet; press dough into 17x12-inch rectangle
- Bake 7 to 9 minutes or just until crust is light golden brown
- Meanwhile in large bowl, beat cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and garlic salt with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth
- Stir in water chestnuts and crabmeat, being careful to break up crabmeat as little as possible
- Spread crabmeat mixture over partially baked crust to within 1 inch of edges
- Spoon small spoonfuls of pineapple topping evenly over crabmeat mixture; spread evenly
- Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and onions
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown
- Cool 5 to 10 minutes before cutting

I made mine a bit different. When I opened my pizza dough, it stuck to the sides and was uncooperative ... and then broke in 1,000 different pieces. So I ended up using crescent rolls instead. I still had some issues. I broke those trying to lay them out. Then I had the worse time getting them off the foil even though I lightly sprayed that (just in case).

Rob eats everything, but the ladies in the family do not. So I didn't use water chestnuts, pineapple ice cream topping or the green onions. And then I forgot to add the cheese. :x But it still came out super yummy and reminded me of the ones we get from the Chinese take out place, just deconstructed. :) I'm sure this would be a yummy crab dip as well.

(Recipe from: Pillsbury)

Such a ham

Ham Salad/Spread

Made: May 2, 2011

Mom and I love Ham Salad, but it's always so pricey for a little pound. So with leftover chunks from a ham we had previously made the week before for "Our Easter Ham" (which had a nice -homemade- honey mustard type glaze), I used that to make this. :D

Ingredients

- 3 cups ground fully cooked ham
- 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Assorted crackers

Directions

- In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients
- Combine mayonnaise and mustard.
- Add mayo/mustard to ham mixture.
- Mix well
- Refrigerate until serving.
- Serve with crackers

I didn't follow this recipe much at all. Mom isn't fond of the egg in this. And we didn't really care for the celery or onion. I used a lot more than just 2 teaspoons of relish as well. :) I also had a lot more than just 3 cups of ground ham. :D I had fun with Mom's meat grinder and made at least 6 cups? I didn't measure. I then went to town with taste. In the bowl with the ham, I added 1 1/4 cup of mayo, a good 3 squirts of mustard and enough relish to coat nicely. Mixed it all up together and mushed it. I think it tastes really good and you can tell I made it from a ham shank as our glaze was in corporated inside the mixture as well :)

As for serving, I love it on crackers, bread or by itself. :)

(Recipe used: Allrecipes.com)