Bill's Tuna Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil (at least ;)
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (usually more)
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• ½ green bellpepper, chopped
• 1 cup tomato paste (rarely have and thus use)
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 7oz can tuna in H₂O
• 1½ tsp dried basil
• 1½ tsp Italian spice (oregano, marjoram, rosemary, bay)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Sauté onion, garlic & pepper in the oil until soft. Add tomatoes & sauté another 5 minutes. Add other stuff and simmer covered thirty minutes. Quick, easy, and o-o-o-h-h-h so good! When I can remember, I sometimes buy and use spinach pasta (and add Worcestershire sauce when I do), otherwise I use thin spaghetti.

Buttermilk Biscuits - Southern Style

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour*, stirred before measuring
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup lard or vegetable shortening, chilled
• 2 tbsp butter, chilled
• ¾ cup buttermilk**

In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Cut in chilled shortening and butter until pieces are size of small peas. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in buttermilk. Gently blend until mixture clumps together. Add more tsps of buttermilk if necessary.

Transfer dough to lightly floured board. Pat out in a circle about 8" in diameter and ½" thick. Use a 3" biscuit cutter and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake on center rack for 10 to 12 minutes at 450° (until tops are browned).

*For the lightest biscuits, use a Southern white all-purpose flour.
** No buttermilk? Use milk and curdle with a bit of lemon juice

Farmgirl's Arugula Pesto

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup of olive oil
• 1 oz garlic (~6 cloves), sliced
• 6 oz arugula, preferably young leaves
• 3 oz freshly grated pecorino romano or other hard cheese (~1 cup)
• 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (~5 oz)

Combine all ingredients in food processor. When smooth add salt to taste and more oil if desired. Will keep for at least a week in fridge. Cover with thin layer of olive oil to retain color.

Optional: Cook garlic first. Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic to hot oil for 2-3 minutes until barely golden, turning slices once.

Focaccia Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1½ tsp yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups flour
• 1½ tsp olive oil
• Toppings: 3 Tbs olive oil, 1 clove garlic, minced ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup fresh parsley

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add to the other ingredients and mix well.
2. Oil a 10x15x1-inch jelly roll pan. With your hands, gently stretch and press the dough to fit evenly into the pan. Cover and let rise in warm place for 30-40 minutes, until doubled.
3. Preheat oven to 400. With two fingers, poke holes all over dough. In a small bowl, mix oil and garlic and then drizzle over top of dough. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Bake 25-30 minutes, until brown. Cool on wire rack or cut into squares and serve warm.

Gran-Gran's Friend's Fran's Aunt Bess Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1¼ cup flour
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• toppings: butter, cinnamon & sugar

Mix and pour in greased pie pan. Cover with melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.

Key Lime Martini

Ingredients

• 2 shots vanilla vodka
• ½ shot lime juice
• 2 tbsp cream of coconut (recommended: Coco Lopez)
• 1 shot pineapple juice

Add all ingredients to a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Serve.

Margaret Mary's Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (I just use 1)
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups pecan pieces (about 8 ounces)
• ⅔ cup dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)

1. In small bowl whisk flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in oats. In medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat thoroughly. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and beat another 30 seconds. Beat in vanilla and add flour mixture until completely incorporated. Mix in pecans and cranberries.
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Form mixture into balls about 1¼ inches in diameter (about a melon scoop's worth). Place the balls about 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake cookies at 350° for 9 minutes, or until golden brown and lacy. Let cool completely on cookie sheets. Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies.

Cookies will keep for up to one week in an airtight container and for up to one month in the freezer. ENJOY!

Oyster Po'Boy

Ingredients

• Oil, for deep-frying
• Large French loaf, split
• ½ cup homemade or prepared tartar sauce
• 6 slices tomato
• ½ cup shredded green lettuce
• Hot sauce
• 12 oysters, shucked
• 4 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 tbsp Creole spice

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or high-sided skillet to 360 degrees F. Brush loaf with tartar sauce, top with tomatoes, lettuce and 3 dashes of hot sauce. Toss oysters and shrimp in cornmeal seasoned with Creole spice. Fry oysters, in batches, until golden and crispy, turning several times. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pile up oysters in bread loaf and dig in ...

Yield: 1 serving

Raspberry Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 cups raspberries
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup light corn syrup
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 3 chicken breasts, boned, skinned and halved

In blender, place 2 cups of raspberries, corn syrup and lemon juice; cover and blend on high until smooth. In small sauce pan, stir together corn starch, salt, and pepper. Gradually stir in raspberry mixture until smooth. Stirring constantly, bring to boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minutes. Arrange chicken and remaining raspberries in greased 10 x 6 x 2-inch baking dish. Spoon sauce over chicken. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes or until chicken is tender.