Creamy Cheese Grits

Why this recipe works:

Grits are a southern staple made with little more than water, salt, and sometimes butter. For our purposes, we began by building flavor with sautéed scallion whites. After slow-cooking our grits for 15 minutes in a combination of water and milk for richness, we stirred in the cheese: a mixture of Monterey Jack for creaminess and sharp cheddar for tang. Finally, to boost the corn flavor of our grits, we finished them with pureed corn.
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Creamy Cheese Grits

How do you unlock the most corn flavor from creamy cheese grits? Watch the Video

Serves 4 to 6

The grits are ready when they are mostly creamy but still retain a little bite. If the grits get too thick, whisk in a little water. If you are using frozen corn, thaw it first.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup old-fashioned grits
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Instructions

1. Puree corn and 1/4 cup water in blender until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 3 1/4 cups water, milk, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to boil.

2. Slowly whisk grits into saucepan until no lumps remain. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.

3. Off heat, stir in Monterey Jack, cheddar, pureed corn, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with scallion greens.

Jicama slaw

Sweet crunchy jicama makes for a crisp and refreshing salad. A mild vinaigrette keeps this very light.

Half of a medium jicama
1 carrot grated
1/2 head of cabbage
8 leaves romaine lettuce

1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
Pinch salt
Fresh ground pepper
Small garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil

Smash and peel garlic. Add salt, garlic, and vinegar to a small bowl. Stir. Add dijon mustard and slowly whisk in olive oil
Set aside.

Peel jicama and cut into matchsticks or dice. Shred cabbage and romaine. Toss salad with salad dressing right before serving.

Braised Carrots

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this savory and slightly sweet (totally inexpensive) side dish.

2 lbs. carrots cut into 2 inch pieces
about 1 cup chicken stock and 1 1/2 t. sugar or ginger ale
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

Peel and cut carrots into 2 inch pieces. Cut the thicker pieces in half. Melt butter in a skillet large enough to put carrots in a single layer. Add carrots in a single layer, pour liquid in half way up the carrots. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, and let braise for 15 minutes covered. Remove the lid and simmer liquid for 5 more minutes until reduced to a glaze. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Autumn Mashed Potatoes

A sweet potato ups the nutrition, flavor, and turns this dish a beautiful autumnal orange.

8 russet potatoes peeled and cubed
1 medium sweet potato
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 cube butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1 sprig thyme

Place potatoes in cold water so that they are covered at least by an inch. Add smashed garlic cloves and bay leaf. Turn heat to high and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Heat milk, butter, and thyme on the stove in a small sauce pan. Drain potatoes, remove bay and garlic, and mash with milk mixture.

Squash Casserole

This can be made with any combination of squash or vegetables. I just used odds and ends that I had left in the fridge. Blanched broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or snow peas would also work well.

2 small yellow squash
1 small zucchini
3/4 cups whole milk
8 oz. mushrooms
1/2 medium onion, medium dice
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small red bell pepper, med dice
3 small tomatoes
2 eggs
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 sleeve Ritz type crackers crushed

Preheat oven to 350. Slice squash into 1/4 inch coins. Melt butter and add oil to a large saute pan on med-high heat. Saute squash, peppers, and onions until onions are translucent. Remove from pan and let cool in a greased casserole dish. Turn heat to high and sear sliced mushrooms until golden brown on one side. Cut tomatoes into bite sized pieces or use grape tomatoes.Add tomatoes and mushrooms to the cooling vegetable mix.

Beat eggs with milk and season with salt and pepper. Mix cheese into egg mixture. Pour egg and cheese mixture over cooled vegetables and stir lightly to combine. Top with crushed crackers and bake for 45 minutes.

Raita

2 cups whole milk plain yogurt or 1 cup Greek style
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. dried mint crumbled
1 medium cucumber
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice

Drain yogurt in a coffee filter in a colander for at least 3 hours so that the excess liquid drains away.

Peel, seed, and grate the cucumber. Add salt to cucumber and let sit for 20 minutes. Squeeze excess water out.

Mix cucumber, pressed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and mint together. Mix in yogurt. Let stand for 1 hour. Serve with kabobs or even plain with some grilled pita. This is seriously refreshing and silky raita.

From the Food Network Kitchens Cookbook

Mom's Famous Baked Beans

2 32. oz cans Van Camps pork and beans
1 large onion chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
1 lb. bacon chopped
1 6 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground mustard

Cook bacon and reserve. Saute onion and bell pepper in bacon grease. Stir onion mixture, tomato sauce, mustard powder, and brown sugar into beans. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes uncovered. Serves 20

Zarela's Creamy Rice

Food Network show The Best Thing I Ever Ate with my son, chef and Food Network star, Aaron Sanchez

Ingredients
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups converted rice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
• 2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 (16 ounce) can corn
• 1/2 lb grated white cheddar cheese
Directions

Bring water to a boil and add butter and salt. When the butter is melted add the rice and bring back to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover the rice with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, Take rice out of the saucepan and spread on a baking sheet to cool or allow to cool in the pan uncovered.

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream with the 1/4 cup chopped onion and cilantro and add salt to taste.

Heat the lard in a frying pan and add the 1/2 cup chopped onion and garlic.

Dice the poblanos and add to pan when the onion is wilted.

Saute for one minute.

Let cool and combine with the rice.

Drain the can of corn well and add to the cool rice and poblano mixture.

Add the sour cream mixture and mix in the grated cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through in a 350 degree oven.

If using a Pyrex dish, the oven temperature should be 325 degrees

Tomato and Corn Summer Salad

3 medium garden ripe tomatoes
3 cups corn kernels cooked and cooled to room temp(Costco's frozen corn works beautifully)
4 slices thick cut bacon (fat reserved)
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup sherry vinegar (any vinegar you like works fine)
2 Tbls. fresh basil

Cut bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Set aside to drain and reserve 4 Tbsp. bacon grease. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add vinegar and reduce for a few minutes or until the vinaigrette thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Dice tomatoes and toss with the corn. Slice basil into strips. Pour vinaigrette over salad, add basil and toss. Garnish with cooked bacon. Enjoy!

Watermelon All Dressed up

This is a great way to serve an under-ripe melon.

Chiffonade a decent handful of mint and add it to 1 cup of white grape juice. Let sit for a few minutes to a few hours. Cube up some seedless watermelon. Pour the grape juice over the watermelon and serve.

Mix this up and use cantaloupe and basil instead. It is really delicious.

TIP: Slice about an inch of rind off of one side of the melon to make a flat bottom...the melon will stay in place as you slice it.

Mom's Cole Slaw

1 medium head of green cabbage shredded (I find my food processor is the best tool)
3-4 medium carrots shredded
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons miracle whip
milk to thin the dressing out
2-4 tablespoons sugar to taste
S & plenty of fresh cracked pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons creamed horseradish (Kristan's addition, optional)
4 scallions sliced (Kristan's addition, optional)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (Kristan's addition, optional)

Whisk mayo, miracle whip, sugar, horseradish, salt, and pepper together. Thin with milk. Pour over shredded cabbage, carrots, scallions, and parsley.

Orange Vinaigrette (from the Four Seasons in Palm Beach, FL)

1 cup Orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 cup Salad Oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil (plain, not toasted)
Water to adjust thickness
S&P to taste

Blend orange juice, mustard and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in 2/3 salad oil to emulsify. Check seasoning and if needed add more mustard, vinegar, and add salt and pepper. Add sesame oil and re-check seasoning.

The chef served this drizzled over red snapper which was garnished with a fruit salad (mango, pineapple, papaya, etc.) This is also great to dress some simple greens as a side dish, on over a fruit salad, or brushed/drizzled over grilled chicken or fish.

Creamy Coleslaw

* 1 head green cabbage, finely shredded
* 2 large carrots, finely shredded (or 1 bag pre cut coleslaw)
* 3/4 cup best-quality mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons sour cream
* 1 tablespoon grated onion, or to taste (make sure it is a mild onion)
* 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
* 2 tablespoons white vinegar
* 1 tablespoon dry mustard
* 2 teaspoons celery salt
* Salt and freshly ground pepper


Directions

Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery salt, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning; add more salt, pepper, or sugar if desired.
Bobby Flay revised by Charity

Benihana Fried Rice

1/2 teaspoon chopped onion
1/3 teaspoon chopped carrots
1/3 teaspoon chopped green onion
4 ounces steamed rice
3 pinches of salt (optional)
7 teaspoons cream butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 ounce cooked chicken
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
3 pinches of pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Scramble eggs and chop after cooking. Sauté chopped onion, green onion and carrots until done and mix with chopped scrambled egg and chicken. Break off chunks of steamed rice and mix with vegetable, egg and chicken. Add sesame seed and salt and pepper, stirring well. Add cream butter and soy sauce into the mixture, stirring well until done. Makes one serving.

Goat Cheese Spread with Crostini

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing bread with
8 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1 T finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 T finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 T. Lemon juice
Salt and coarsely ground multi-colored or black peppercorns
1 baguette sliced ½ inch thick

Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush olive oil over the bread slices. Broil until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 3 minutes.
Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the olive oil, parsley, thyme, and lemon juice. Using the on/off button, pulse just to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. The mixture is also great on crackers and with raw veggies.

Chipotle-Lime Deviled Eggs

(Makes 12 deviled egg halves, can easily be doubled. )

6 eggs (preferably about a week old)
2 T mayo
2 T plain yogurt
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T yellow mustard (not Dijon)
1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle chile powder (Use more or less to taste. Could substitute hot paprika for a slightly different taste.)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 green onions, green part only, finely chopped
First make hard boiled eggs. Let eggs cool, then peel and cut in half crosswise. While eggs are cooling, slice green onions, and finely chop with chef's knife. When eggs are quite cool, carefully remove yolks and put into small bowl. Mash yolks well with a fork.

Mix together lime juice and Chipotle chile powder. (If you don't do this, you'll have large flecks of chile powder in the deviled yolk mixture. The chile powder won't dissolve completely, but adding it to the lime juice does make it blend in better.) Add lime-Chipotle mixture to mashed yolks, then stir in mayo, mustard, plain yogurt, salt, and half the chopped green onions. Taste for seasoning to see if you want more mustard, Chipotle chile powder, or salt. Stir until mixture is well combined.

Arrange eggs white halves on serving plate. Use a rubber scraper to scoop yolk mixture into a small plastic bag. Cut a small piece off one corner of the bag and squeeze from the top to force the yolk mixture out the hole, into the egg halves. (This can also be done with a spoon or a cake decorating tool.) When all egg white shells are filled with deviled yolk mixture, sprinkle with remaining chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS AND PESTO FILLED EGG HALVES

Hardboiled eggs
Asparagus, 1-2 spears per egg
Pesto

- Divide the eggs length wise and take out the egg yolks, put them in a bowl and mash them.
- Steam or boil the asparagus until soft but not too soft, no soggy asparagus here! Then chop them finely and add them to the mashed egg yolks.
- Then you add the pesto, you better start with a spoonful and find the right balance by tasting! Mix well and spoon the mixture into the egg whites. Decorate with a asparagus tip if you want.
- Serve.

Chevre Gratin

1 ½ lb. potatoes
1 ½ C. Heavy Cream or Half and Half
5 oz. chevre (soft goat cheese)
Heat cream on the stove top in a sauce pan. Peel and slice potatoes into thin rounds. Add the sliced potatoes to cream with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chevre and cook for 12 minutes. Pour into a buttered baking dish and bake for 20-25 min. at 350.

Broccoli Salad

• 1 head broccoli
• 6 to 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup raisins, optional (but very good even if you are not a raisin lover)
• 8 ounces medium or sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks
• 1 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoons white or cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cut broccoli head into flowerets and the stem into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins, and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.

Double Potato Gratin

1 lb. potatoes
1 lb. sweet potatoes
1 ½ - 2 C. Heavy Cream or Half and Half
1 bay leaf
1 clove minced garlic
½ C. grated parmesan
Heat cream/half and half on the stove top in a sauce pan and add bay leaf and garlic. Peel and slice potatoes into thin rounds. Add the sliced potatoes to the cream with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 12 minutes. Pour ½ of the potatoes into a buttered baking dish and top with ¼ c. cheese. Add remaining potatoes and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 min. at 350.

Potato Parsnip Mash

This is a spectacular way to serve an old favorite a new way. Try it at least once. These go great with a roasted chicken.
½ lb. potatoes (I prefer Yukon gold or red)
1 lb. parsnips
½ c. dairy (cream, ½ and ½, milk, or buttermilk)
2 T. butter
1 T. chopped parsley
2 cloves smashed garlic (optional)
Peel the parsnips. Peel potatoes if you prefer. I usually leave ½ of the skins on. Cut potato and parsnips into 1 ½ inch pieces, so they all cook at about the same time. Add veggies to cold, salted water along with smashed garlic. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. Drain and remove garlic.
Heat cream, and add the hot cream and cold butter to the veggies. Mash with a potato masher or rice with a ricer. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.