Ingredients

• Kernels cut from 5 ears of sweet corn
• Sea salt and hand ground black pepper (for taste)
• 1 small package of frozen lima beans
• 1/2 sweet red bell pepper, minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, half & half, or milk
• 2 tsp. Half-sharp Paprika (Penzeys)
• 1 to 2 tbs. maple syrup

Directions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and lightly saute the corn. Don’t burn the corn, or the butter! Add all the other ingredients and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked and mashed parsnips
• 1 cup cubed cooked ham
• 1 cup canned mushrooms, drained
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheese
• 1/2 cup crushed corn flakes or Rice Krispies (crushed Ritz Crackers make a nice alternative)

Directions

Season hot parsnips with salt, pepper or seasoned salt to taste.
Combine ham, mushrooms and cheese.
Alternate layers of parsnips and ham mixture in a lightly greased 2 quart casserole.
Sprinkle top with crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
Suggestion. Instead of crumbs, bake without any topping and then add strips of crisp bacon on top.

Ingredients

• 2 butternut squash (about 4 lbs.)
• 4 tbsps. butter or margarine
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 2 tbsps. finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 c. heavy cream

Directions

Split squash in half; scoop out seeds and membranes; pare; cut into chunks.
Cook in boiling salt water in a kettle 30 minutes, or until tender; drain.
Return squash to low heat for a few minutes, shaking occasionally to dry.
Add butter, syrup, ginger, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Gradually beat in heavy cream.
Spoon into a heated serving dish; keep hot.
Garnish with additional chopped crystallized ginger, if you wish.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients

• 5 – Pounds of Idaho russet type /or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 2 or 3 – whole pods, (not cloves) of Garlic
• Olive oil
• Butter
• 4 – Ounces of Cream Cheese (cubed)
• ½ & ½ -cream
• Chopped fresh parsley
• chopped fresh chives (or Frozen)

Directions

This recipes if from my own collection and we always have it for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Our Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Do ahead, hold each pod of garlic on the side, take a sharp knife and cut the pod about ¼ or so of an inch from the top all the way across the top, exposing the raw garlic cloves.
Place on a Cooke sheet covered with a piece of aluminum foil.
Pour and rub in olive oil in to the top of the garlic.
Bake in a 325-degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour or until garlic is soft, remove and let cool.
Peel cube and place potatoes in good water, bring to a boil, and simmer until they are soft, but not mushy. (Drain very well)
We add cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl; add butter cream cheese and a very small amount of cream then add the chives and parsley, mix with beaters well.
You will be able to separate the garlic from the pod and just pinch at the stem end and the garlic paste will pop right out, add this paste to the potatoes, whip well and salt and pepper to taste.
Note: for those who want to Zip this dish up just chop up a Jalapeño pepper very fine and add it.
These are the very best mashed potatoes I have ever found in 60 years of cooking.
Enjoy, Bob (Old Gringo the Duce)

Ingredients

• 1 - Large Sweet Onion (like Texas 1015 or Vidalia)
• 1 - Beef bouillon cube
• - Worcestershire sauce
• - Butter
• - Heavy foil

Directions

Clean one onion for each person. Cut a top type hole in the top of the onion (fairly deep) take a fork or sharp pointed knife and puncture the inside of the hole of the Onion. (Without cutting through the onion). Splash some Worcestershire sauce in side the hole (say about a teaspoon or more depending on the size of the onion. Push the beef cube down deep inside the hole, and then a patty of butter. Put the top back on the onion. Take a square of heavy foil and wrap the onion in it tight. Then turn the wrapped onion up side down on the second piece of foil and re-wrap it again. (This seals it so it won’t leak). You can then cook it on your outside grill till it is soft or in the oven till it is soft. This is the best side dish to go with a great steak; you have ever put to your lips. (I have been doing onions this way for 50 years and every one wants this recipe).

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp ketchup
• 1 1/2 tsp horseradish
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• hot sauce to taste

Directions

Mix all together. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour for flavors to blend.

Serve with Buttermilk O-Rings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp hot sauce
• 1 or 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia, etc.)
• oil for deep frying

Directions

Mix the buttermilk and hot sauce. Slice the onions into rings. (If you have difficulty slicing into rings, cut onion in half from top to bottom and then slice into half rings). Soak the onion pieces in the buttermilk mixture for one hour in the fridge.

Mix the flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper.

Heat the oil to 375º.

Remove the onions from the soaking liquid. Shake off excess. Dredge in seasoned flour. Fry til golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with Brian’s Veggie Dipping Sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C. dry black-eyed peas
• 2 C. sliced okra or 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen whole okra,
• 4 small smoked pork hocks (1 1/2 lb.)
• 4 C. reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Directions

Rinse black-eyed peas; place in a large saucepan. Add
enough water to cover peas by 2 inches. Bring to
boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10
minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1
hour. Drain and rinse peas.

In a crockpot combine the black-eyed peas, pork hocks,
broth, sweet pepper, onion, celery, bay leaves, and
red pepper. Cover; cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on
HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

Add okra, if desired. Cover; let stand for 10 minutes
or until okra is tender. Remove pork hocks. When cool
enough to handle, cut meat off bones; cut meat into
bite-size pieces. Discard bones and bay leaves.

To serve, stir meat into black-eyed pea mixture.

Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes, baked
• 1/2 C. grated Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 C. chopped pimento
• 2 cans tuna, drained
• 1 C. mayonnaise
• 1/4 C. chopped scallion

Directions

Cut baked potatoes in half. Scoop the flesh from the
potatoes and put into a mixing bowl. Toss lightly with
remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture back into shells.
Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 quarts water
• 1 1/2 pounds ham hocks
• 4 pounds collard greens, rinsed and trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1 Place the water and the ham hock in a large pot with
a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat
to very low and simmer covered for 30 minutes. 2 Add
the collards and the hot pepper flakes the pot. Simmer
covered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 3
Add the vegetable oil and simmer covered for 30
minutes.