Good morning, December readers. Our requests today are three: ice cream cake with Oreos, old-fashioned cornbread dressing from scratch and gluten-free cornbread dressing.
Patsie Ray lost her ice cream recipe, made with Oreo cookies and chocolate and caramel and almonds. She hopes someone can bring back that recipe. Jane Ann is seeking a good old-fashioned cornbread dressing, and Anne wants one that is gluten-free, as she has been assigned this dish for her family's Christmas meal.
Bonnie Kilgore sent a tempting variation on the sausage casserole theme.
Sausage Casserole
2 pounds bulk sausage (mild or hot)
2 small onions, chopped
6 cups Rice Krispies (yes, this is correct)
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups (or more) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cans undiluted cream of celery soup
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
Cook sausage in pan, stirring, until browned and crumbly. Add chopped onions, and cook until onions are soft. Drain well. Put all ingredients in large bowl and stir.
Pour into large casserole dish and bake at 350 F until light brown on top, about 40 minutes.
Becky McGee brought back a famous Chattanooga culinary name, Celia Marks. She wrote, "I clipped this recipe from The Times many years ago, and it is one of my most requested recipes. It makes a wonderful brunch recipe, with Bloody Marys, a nice salad and dessert. It also may be served for dinner with vegetables and a salad. It came from our beloved Celia Marks, who owned the original Plum Nelly Shop. I adored her and loved all the cookbooks and recipes she shared with us. Sidney was her daughter. Below is her simple but delicious recipe."
Sidney's Blender Quiche
3 eggs
1/2 cup Bisquick
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter
1/3 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon dry mustard
11/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne
1 cup minced baked ham or crumbled crisp bacon
1 cup shredded cheese (I use Swiss or Gruyere, but cheddar works fine)
1 cup chopped onion sautéed in a little butter
Place all ingredients except ham or bacon, cheese and onion in blender container, and blend thoroughly. Pour into greased baking dish (about a 2-inch deep casserole). Sprinkle over top the onion, cheese and ham or bacon; bake in 350 F oven 45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Note: You also may add broccoli, spinach, asparagus or any other vegetable of your choice to this recipe.
Sherry Manning came up with a delightful and healthful twist on potato salad -- and a colorful one as well. She adds chopped avocado to the top.
Sherry's Potato and Avocado Salad
3 pounds red potatoes, cubed
11/4 cups mayonnaise
1 to 11/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
7 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1 large avocado, peeled and chopped
In saucepan, combine potato cubes and enough water to cover, and bring to a boil; cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and cool.
In a large bowl, stir the mayonnaise and 5 seasonings. Stir in potatoes and mix well. Add eggs and avocado and toss gently. Makes about 8 servings.
And finally, here's another recipe for healthy muffins, as Dorris Quillen of Blairsville, Ga., calls these of her own creation. This recipe calls for Splenda as well as honey and cranberries instead of raisins -- and all manner of other ingredients. Should make a huge batch that keeps well; Ms. Quillen reported that "everyone who has eaten then raves about them."
Healthy Muffins
1 cup Splenda
1/2 cup honey
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups whole-wheat flour (you may use white, but it is not as healthy)
4 cups buttermilk
1 package cranberries or craisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 box Cranberry Nut Crunch cereal
1/3 box Raisin Nut Bran
Mix Splenda, honey, oil and eggs well. Add baking soda and salt. Alternately add flour and buttermilk. Mix well, then add cranberries and walnuts. Mix in cereals. Place batter in a large covered container and place in refrigerator overnight.
Place liners in muffin tin and fill to top. You may need to add more buttermilk as it may be too thick.
Bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until done.
Variations: You may substitute part of the oil with applesauce or strained baby prunes.
I'd like to try Ms. Manning's avocado trick, but we're out of avocados as of tonight, after a profligate purchase of 20 avocados for Thanksgiving. Avocados 19 and 20 bit the dust at dinner tonight. What memories.
We'll look for you to help the rest of us make food memories in the December days just ahead and far beyond them.
To Reach Us
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.
Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750.
E-mail: janehenegar@gmail.com.
Fax: 423-668-5092.