Fare Exchange: Diving in to meatloaf, spicy grits and party fare

Jane Henegar

Dear January readers, today we begin with requests old and new. Lucy Boyd made a small lasagna and ended up with a great deal of leftover ricotta. She asked, "Do your readers have any recipes for fruity desserts made with ricotta?"

We will add two freezer questions: Can ricotta be frozen? Can dishes using ricotta be frozen?

Finally, we are still missing the pumpkin-pudding dessert that is finished by pouring water over the batter and then baking.

SECRET CHILI

A timely request for a recipe for Russell's Chili once sold in blocks brought us back to the source. The recipe, alas, is a secret. Randy Hill wrote, "I am the great nephew of Emmitt Russell. I saw your article on December 28. Judy had written in about Russell's Chili that was sold in grocery stores many years ago. Uncle Emmitt was the man who made Russell's Chili, and I have the recipe. I have been making the spices for the past few years and hope to work things out very soon to get a business license and a place to mix the spices. The recipe, however, will remain a secret."

VEGETABLES & PARTY FARE

From Fairfield Glade, Tenn., came an assortment of special-occasion recipes, sealed by the hand of Roseann Strazinsky. The first one is a vegetable recipe; the second and third, party fare.

Plantation Carrots

6 to 8 carrots cut into strips and cooked until tender (reserve 1/4 cup of liquid before draining)

1 1/2 cups Hellmann's mayonnaise

2 tablespoons grated onion

2 tablespoons horseradish

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon melted butter

Dash paprika

In a bowl, blend mayonnaise, grated onion, horseradish, pepper, salt and 1/4 cup carrot liquid.

Spread a couple of spoonfuls of this mayonnaise mixture into the bottom of your casserole pan (7-by-11-inch or 9-by-13-inch). Spread the sliced, drained carrots in neatly arranged rows. Pour spoonfuls of the mayonnaise mixture over the carrots. Set aside.

Mix together breadcrumbs, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the mayo mixture and bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Rum Sausages

1 pound of sausage links

cup teriyaki sauce

cup dark rum

cup sugar

cup water

Cook sausages and cut into thirds. Combine teriyaki sauce, rum, water and sugar and cook over medium heat until sugar melts and sauce is slightly thickened.

Place sausages into an ovenproof baking pan and pour sauce over them. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. This is best when the sauce glazes over the sausages.

Champagne Punch

1 bottle (750 ml) champagne, chilled

1 bottle (10 ounces) club soda, chilled

cup kirsch (cherry liqueur)

In a large serving container, combine champagne, club soda and kirsch. Serve immediately. Makes 10 (4-ounce) servings.

DIVING IN

Mary Jo Walker of Jasper, Tenn., approaches the making of meatloaf as a hands-in activity. "I put my hand in a plastic bag and mix the ingredients in a bowl. When mixed, roll meat into the bag and shape into a loaf before rolling in crumbs," she advised.

Meatloaf

1 pounds lean ground beef

cup chopped bell pepper

cup chopped onions

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 egg

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

cup or more crushed cracker crumbs

Slices of bacon to cover top

In large mixing bowl, mix ground beef, bell pepper, onions, tomato paste, egg and Worcestershire sauce. Shape into a loaf and roll in crushed cracker crumbs.

Place in a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Place slices of bacon on top. Cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour or until done. You may need to remove the foil in the last 10 minutes in order to brown bacon.

GRITS GALORE

Here is one more entry in the gracious plenty of grits casseroles, each with a distinctive ingredient or two. Judy Bellenfant makes this with jalapenos when serving adults but replaces the jalapenos with green chilies for her grandchildren. And she omits the pimiento. The recipe came from "Heart and Soul," the Junior League of Memphis cookbook.

Jalapeno Cheese Grits

4 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking grits

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (1 pound)

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 (4-ounce) can jalapeno peppers, drained

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

3 beaten eggs

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine water and salt; bring to boiling. Gradually stir in grits. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and butter, stirring until melted. Stir in peppers, pimiento and garlic.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir about 1/4 cup of the hot grits into the eggs. Stir egg mixture into remaining grits in saucepan. Pour into a lightly greased 12-by-71/2-by-2-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

As to grits in the spicy mode, this one from Big Bad John qualifies.

Garlic Cheese Grits

8 cups cooked grits, rather firm

12 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 stick butter

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Tabasco to taste

2 to 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and pressed

In a large casserole dish, add cooked grits, cheese, eggs and butter. Mix well, stirring from the bottom to make sure all grits are well mixed with the cheese. Add Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, then press garlic cloves into grits and mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. It may brown slightly on top and form a very light crust.

Add garlic at your discretion.

I note that we are nearing the end of the wonderful 2016 grits recipe supply. What next? Rice in its many forms? A plethora of potatoes? Or perhaps the new/old delicacy, rice grits? The possibilities are endless. And we are, as usual, counting on you to reveal them.