This is probably Mary Anne’s most requested recipe and she’s kind enough to serve it often. The sauce is fantastic, with a delicious flavor that tastes complicated but which actually goes together in literally seconds.  You’ll find yourself making it frequently as it works so well with so many foods.  Super easy and delicious. 

Sauce:

1/2 C mayonnaise
1/2 t minced garlic
salt & freshly ground pepper to tate
1/2 roasted red bell pepper (jarred ones are fine)
1/2 t sweet curry powder

Crab Cakes:

3/4 C bread crumbs
12 oz. lump crabmeat, cleaned
1 jalapeno chili, seeded & chopped
2 t freshly squeezed lime juice (about the juice in 1/2 lime)
2 T cooking oil
1 1/2 T chopped fresh parsley
3 T diced red bell pepper
2 T chopped fresh chives
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

To Make the Sauce:

• Puree the mayonnaise, roasted red bell pepper, garlic and curry powder until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To Prepare the Crab Cakes:

• Combine the bread crumbs and parsley in a small bowl and set aside. Place the crab in a medium bowl. Fold in the red bell pepper, jalapeno, chives, and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in 1/4 C of the bread crumb mixture and 4 T of the sauce.
• Divide the crab mixture into 18 equal size portions (or whatever number you feel comfortable with depending on the size you wish to make each cake) and form into patties.  Dredge the crab cakes in the remaining bread crumbs. 
• Cook the crab cakes in the cooking oil in a hot saute pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.
• Top each crab cake with a small spoonful of the sauce and serve warm.

Serves 6

My all time favorite salad - I could eat this every day and never grow tired of it.  I know it’s not the classic prep method, but Rod and I have tried a LOT of Caesar recipes and this is perfection to us.

2 large heads of romaine lettuce, cleaned & spun dry
2 can anchovies in oil, drained
1/2 C EVOO
juice of 2 lemons
2 cloves minced garlic
2 eggs
1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Boars Head is very good)
freshly ground pepper

1/2 loaf Baguette or French bread
1/4 C EVOO
1 to 2 cloves garlic, slivered fine
sea salt

• Roughly tear the romaine into bite-size pieces in large salad bowl.  Set aside.
• In a blender, add anchovies, EVOO, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and eggs.  Blend til smooth.  Pour into a serving cruet.
• To make the croutons: With a serrated knife, but the bread slices into cubes or other shapes, as desired.  Heat large heavy bottomed skillet with olive oil, saute garlic slivers 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove garlic slivers and reserve.
• Add bread cubes to hot EVOO, reduce heat and cookd for several minutes, stirring and tossing.  When browned nicely, toss back in the garlic, sprinkle with salt.
• When ready to serve, drizzle dressing over lettuce leaves an dtoss to cover evenly.  Add dressing until your have the amount you prefer.
• Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and toss lightly.
• Spread croutons over the top and serve.

Jill and I did a Hawaiian-themed dinner party one evening and included these ribs as an appetizer course.  Steve and Mary Ann cooked them to perfection and they disappeared almost immediately.

3 lbs. spareribs, cut in half lengthwise
1 C sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
2 T Hoi Sin sauce
1/2 t Chinese five spices powder
1 T Kosher salt
1/8 t red food coloring

• Slit the hard bone and score spareribs.  Parboil, rinse and drain well.
• Combine marinade ingredients and marinate meat overnight in the refrigerator.  Turn and mix occasionally.
• Smoke in a smoker for 2 hours, basting occasionally with sauce.

Lazy cool autumn Sunday afternoons are the perfect time to fire up the grill, and few meats are easier and tastier than grilled pork loin. The only plant in my garden I have never managed to kill is my rosemary bush, which is about 10 years old and spans about 5 feet across.  This was from a dinner club menu when Rod and I hosted one year, so it serves about 10.

2 3-lb. pork loins
2 t salt
1 t pepper
1/4 C coarse grained Dijon mustard
1/2 C EVOO
2 C soft breadcrumbs
5 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 C chopped garlic
Garnishes: sliced fresh pears, fresh rosemary sprigs

• Sprinkle pork loins evenly with salt and pepper.
• Stir together mustard and 1/4 C EVOO; spread evenly over pork.  Stir together remaining oil,, breadcrumbs, rosemary and garlic.
• Light one side of the grill, heating to medium high heat (350 to 400); leave the other side unlit.  Place pork over lit side and grill, covered with grill lid, 8 minutes on each side or until seared.  Remove pork from grill.  Press breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of each pork loin.
• Grill over unlit side of the grill, covered with grill lid, 35 to 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in t part registers 155.  Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.  Garnish with slices of fresh pears and rosemary sprigs if desired.

Jill offered me this recipe of hers several years ago when I was putting together an Oktoberfest menu for dinner club, and it’s a perfect warm side for a cool autumn evening. 

2 lbs. red potatoes
1 C chopped onion
1/4 C butter
2 T flour
2 C chicken Broth
2 T spicy brown mustard
1 t horseradish
1/4 C dry bread crumbs

• Cook potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and cool.
• Pre-heat oven to 375.  In sauce pan, saute onion in butter for 10 minutes.  Stir in flour and pepper, then broth. Stirring, bring to a boil and boil 1 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and horseradish.
• Slice potatoes 1/2″ thick.  Layer in buttered 2 qt. oblong baking dish. Cover with sauce and sprinkle on bread crumbs.
• Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.

I love the tartness of cranberries and always stock up on them this time of year while they’re easy to find.  These muffins are a great way to start the day.

1 C chopped fresh cranberries
1 C sugar
2 C all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 C butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 C milk
1/2 C chopped pecans
1 t lemon zest

• Preheat oven to 400.  Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
• In a bowl, toss cranberries with 1/4 C sugar.  Set aside.
• in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar.  Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a small bowl, combine egg and milk.   Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, pour in the milk and egg mixture and stir in a folding motion only until just moistened, about 12 strokes.  Do not over mix or your muffins will be too dense.  It’s ok if there are still some bits of dry spots. 
• Fold in pecans, lemon zest and cranberries.  Set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture.
• Fill prepared muffin tins 2/3 full.  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for several minutes in pan and then turn muffins out onto a rack to cool.

This is my adaptation of Justin Wilson’s in his book “Homegrown Louisiana Cooking”.  I substituted andouille sausage which makes it super hot and spicy, just the way I like it.  Ice down your favorite beer and let the good times roll!

1/4 C EVOO
2 1/2 C finely chopped onions
3/4 C thinly sliced scallions
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced diagonlly
3/4 C chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
20 oz. canned tomato sauce
5 t finely chopped garlic
2 1/2 C raw rice
5 C chicken stock
5 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 t dried marjoram
salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce to taste
2 1/2 lbs. raw shrimp, peeled & deveined

• In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Saute the onions, scallions, andouille, parsley and bell pepper until the onions are clear.
• Stir in the tomato sauce and garlic, and continue cooking until the tomato sauce starts to boil
• Stir in the rice and mix well, and then add the chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, marjoram, salt, pepper and hot sauce.  Stir in shrimp.  Continue cooking on medium high, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking.
• After all the stock has disappeared from the top, turn the heat to low, cover tightly, and let steam undisturbed for about 45 minutes.
• Stir to make sure that all the rice is well cooked.  If it’s not, cover again and let it cook until all the rice is tender, but not mushy.

Serves at least 10

Sherrill has brought this wildly popular dish to many a friendly gathering and she never has to worry about heading home with left overs.

1 lg. bag frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 C shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 onion, finely minced
1 1/2 sticks butter, divided
1 C crushed Frito scoops or crushed potato chips

• Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray with Pam butter-flavored spray a 13 x 9 baking dish.  Spread the thawed potatoes evenly over the bottom of the dish.
• In a bowl, mix together the soup, cheese, sour cream, onion and 1 stick of melted butter.  Pour evenly over the potatoes.
• Sprinkle the crushed chips evenly over the top then drizzle the remaining 1/2 stick of melted butter over the top.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  

These make a quick, tasty and nutritious weeknight meal.  Another great way to work those Omega 3’s into your diet!  A dab of freshly made tartare sauce or good mayo makes a nice flavor when serving.   Try a rice pilaf and fresh salad as sides.

1 15-oz. can salmon
1/2 C bread crumbs, plain or flavored
1 stalk celery, finely  minced
3 slices onion, finely minced
2 eggs, slightly beaten
salt & pepper to taste OR substitute Old Bay Seasoning & McCormick Lemon Pepper to taste
EVOO for cooking

• Drain salmon, break up to an even consistency and put in a medium mixing bowl. 
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well with your hands, lightly as you would meatloaf so as not to overwork.
• Form into 4 or 5 round  patties.  Preheat a skillet to medium heat, add 2 T EVOO, heat and add patties.
• Cook for 3 minutes per side, remove from pan and serve .

I found this recipe on the Libby’s Foods website, made it to take along to a party, and the cookies were a big hit.  Easy to make and not cloyingly sweet, they’re perfect with coffee.  The recipe calls for them to be glazed but I wasn’t wild about that so I left mine plain.  I’ve included it here in case you want to give it a try.

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg (freshly ground makes a huge difference)
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 C granulated sugar (I substituted 3/4 C  Splenda Brown Sugar for Baking)
1/2 C butter (1 stick), softened
1 C canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 t vanilla extract
Glaze (recipe follows)

• Preheat oven to 350.  Grease baking sheets.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.  Beat Sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm.  Cook on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.  Drizzle glaze over cookies.
• FOR GLAZE: Combine 2 C sifted powdered sugar, 3 T milk, 1 T melted butter and 1 t vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.