Recipes

FRIED BANANA PEPPERS

BY BROOKE EAGLE

Last summer while on vacation, my husband and I stumbled across a local restaurant that we thought we’d give a try. This restaurant had several unique appetizer choices; we nally decided to try the fried banana pepper rings. To be honest, this wasn’t what I would’ve chosen as I don’t even like banana peppers. However, my husband LOVES them, and I gured anything fried can’t taste too terrible. Right?

Well, I was right. It was love at rst bite. We were borderline barbaric as we both scrambled to try to get the last banana pepper ring out of the basket. No crumb was left behind. Even before we left the restaurant, we vowed to attempt to make this delicacy at home. Lucky for me, my husband is quite the chef and gured out a super easy and delicious recipe that rivals the restaurant we originally found them in. This is a perfect appetizer and is guaranteed to impress any dinner guests.

CHRIS’ FRIED BANANA PEPPER RINGS

Serves 3-4 (as an appetizer)

INGREDIENTS: • 1 can of hot banana pepper rings • 1/3 cup all-purpose our • 1 Tablespoon seasoned salt • Corn oil

DIRECTIONS: • Pour corn oil into a medium saucepan, enough so that the oil is 1 inch deep or so • Heat over medium high heat • Drain the jar of banana pepper rings • Dump the drained banana pepper rings into a bowl that has the our and seasoned salt and toss until all banana peppers are lightly coated • Place banana pepper rings (in a single layer) into the oil • Fry until golden brown (2-3 minutes) • Drain on paper towels

KALE WALDORF SALAD

BY BROOKE EAGLE

If you aren’t a kale lover -- please keep reading! I am willing to (almost) guarantee you’ll still love this recipe. My mother-in-law initially found this recipe on Pinterest (thank you, Elise, with Simply Recipes!). My motherin-law and I have made a few tweaks to it. We love making recipes a bit healthier when possible; the original recipe was relatively healthy, but I would consider this version to be very healthy. Kale Waldorf Salad is the perfect side dish to almost any meal and could even be a meal in itself if served with something like grilled chicken. My mother-in-law made it for a recent family cookout we had, and my mom proclaimed that it is the absolute best thing she’s ever tasted! (And she “doesn’t like kale.” Ha!) Don’t forget to massage the kale -- it will take away some of that bitter taste Kale is notorious for having. The other ingredients in the recipe also balance out the bitterness of the Kale. Without further ado…

KALE WALDORF SALAD

• 2 cups Kale (packed) • ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries • 1 cup celery • 2 sweet red apples (medium-sized) • 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts

DRESSING:

• 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt • 2 T water • 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard • 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar • salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS: • Chop the kale, celery and apples. Coarsely chop the toasted walnuts.

In a mixing bowl, add the kale, cranberries, celery, apples and walnuts. • Whisk together all dressing ingredients. • Toss dressing with kale mixture until combined. • Enjoy!

At the age of 19, I made a choice not to eat any poultry, pork or red meat, which cut down on many of the foods I grew up eating. Although I slipped and had lasagna or a burger in my 20s, now I am a pescatarian, meaning I only eat sh or seafood and every vegetable under the sun. Over the years, I’ve had to search for my favorite meals in vegetarian form, and I found the best vegetable chili about ten years ago, and it has become a ‘go to’ meal on cold, winter days.

VEGETABLE CHILI WITH CHEESE TOPPING

INGREDIENTS:

• Non-stick cooking spray • 3/4 cup nely chopped zucchini (1 medium) • 1/2 cup nely chopped yellow squash (1 medium) • 3/4 cup grated carrot (1 large) • 2 TBL chopped green onion • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 2 15-oz. cans hot-style chili beans in chili sauce • 2 14.5-oz. cans petite-diced tomatoes • 1/4 cup catsup • 1 TBL unsweetened cocoa powder • 1 tsp chili powder • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp bottled hot pepper sauce • 1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed • 1/2 of an 8-oz. tub cream cheese with chives and onion • 2 TBL milk • 1/2 cup shredded cheese (4 cheese Mexican)

DIRECTION: • Spray a large saucepan with a non-stick cooking spray. Cook zucchini, squash, carrot, green onion and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add undrained chili beans, undrained tomatoes, catsup, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce and oregano. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes or till of desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together avored cream cheese and milk till smooth. Stir in shredded cheese. Boil thin spaghetti noodles and cook per directions. • Place noodles in a bowl, ladle chili over noodles. Spoon a little cream cheese mixture onto each serving and sprinkle additional shredded cheese on top. Serve with corn muf ns.

Makes 6 servings.

SHEPHERD’S PIE

BY VONDA HENDERSON

February is National Pie Month. A one-dish meal seemed a great idea for the cold, busy days of February. This recipe hits the spot with protein, some carbs, and veggies all in one dish. Add some crusty bread and a glass of cold milk, and you’ve got a hearty meal.

SHEPHERD’S PIE

INGREDIENTS: • 1 lb. ground beef ¼ tsp. black pepper • ½ c. onion (chopped) • 2 c. frozen vegetables • 1 tsp. vegetable oil • 1 12 oz. jar beef gravy • 1 clove garlic (pressed) • 2 c. instant mashed potatoes • ½ tsp. salt • ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese • ½ tsp. dried thyme (optional)

DIRECTIONS: • Brown the ground beef and drain. • Heat the vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook two to three minutes until tender, stirring often. • Stir in ground beef. • Add salt, pepper, and thyme. • Add frozen vegetables (I used mixed veggies) and gravy. • Bring mixture to a boil; then spoon into baking dish. • Prepare instant potatoes according to package directions. Add ½ the cheese to the potatoes. • Pipe the potatoes around the edge of the casserole. (I didn’t have a piping bag, so

I put the potatoes into a zip lock bag and snipped the edge off to create a makeshiftpiping bag.) • Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Add the rest of the cheese over the casserole once it comes out of the oven. • Let stand ve minutes before serving.

As we all are almost into the thick of summer, we begin to look forward to the sights and smells of longer days, warmer temperatures and the seasonal tastes we associate with the mid-year months. I enjoy looking forward to the changing of seasons and value them as a time to not only refresh and renew but also utilize the in-season fruits, vegetables and herbs that stock our grocery store shelves and backyard gardens. This recipe has eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini – all grilled. The seasonal avors stew into a avorful sauce that is almost like a meaty Bolognese sauce but is all vegetable. Pair with your favorite pasta, a cold beverage and even some fresh mozzarella, and make the most of the delicious seasonal produce!

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA

INGREDIENTS: • 1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise • 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise • 1 yellow pepper, seeded and quartered • 3 tomatoes, thickly sliced • ½ cup of olive oil • 3 cloves of garlic, minced • Sea salt and pepper • 1 pound of pasta (pictured with whole wheat spaghetti) • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper akes • Fresh basil, to garnish

DIRECTIONS 1. Combine garlic and ½ cup olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the oil on all sides of the sliced vegetables and reserve remaining oil. Sprinkle each vegetable with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. 2. Grill the vegetables for 3-4 minutes on each side until tender. Remove the vegetables from the grill and set aside, let cool. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. 3. Once vegetables have cooled, roughly chop into 1-inch pieces. In a large sauté pan, add reserved oil with garlic. Cook for 30 seconds on medium-high until the garlic begins to bubble and becomes fragrant.

Add crushed red pepper akes and cook for an additional 10-20 seconds. Add chopped vegetables, and stir the mixture. Continue to cook and allow tender vegetables like the eggplant and tomatoes to begin to break apart and make the sauce. 4. Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water just until al dente. Add ¼ cup of pasta water to the sauce to thin out adjusting if more is needed.

Remove pasta from pot and add directly into the sauce and toss. Add mozzarella, a protein of choice and fresh basil to garnish, if desired.

CHICKEN SALAD

BY KEELA JOHNSON

Chicken salad is one of those recipes where you either get it, or you don’t. And people always have an opinion about what constitutes a great chicken salad! Thankfully, this is one of my signature recipes – the one that I can consistently make and that consistently gets rave reviews! While “chicken salad” is almost synonymous with warmer months and picnics at the lake, my family loves this recipe year round! I hope you enjoy it as well!

NOTE: Consider using plain Greek yogurt instead of the mayonnaise if you’re looking for a healthier version!

CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS: • Canned (All White) Chicken • Mayonnaise • Mustard • Red Grapes (Sliced or quartered) • Celery (Chopped) • Walnuts (Chopped)

Fresh chicken works, but I always use canned chicken. The ‘secret,’ I think, is in mixing the mayonnaise and mustard rst, rather than separately… the amounts of the ingredients are purely to ‘taste’ and depend on the quantity you are making.

While measurements are based on preference, I recommend going light on the mayonnaise. It’s always easier to add than take away! And after marinating in the refrigerator, too much mayonnaise may dominate the taste!

DIRECTIONS: Drain chicken; place sliced grapes, chopped celery, and walnuts in separate dishes, as well as the mayo and mustard mixture. Mix them together and refrigerate.

BY SARA WILES

Cupcakes scream happy, right? In fact, there are now stores and bakeries dedicated to making these incredibly cheerful confections that we can’t seem to put down until the very last crumb. Cupcakes are accessible, easy for crowds and give you the perfect portion size for your sweet tooth x. This recipe keeps the simplicity of using a boxed cake mix but elevates the ordinary with a few added ingredients and cream cheese frosting, one of biggest guilty pleasures. Enjoy!

COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

[Yields roughly 20 cupcakes]

INGREDIENTS: For the Cupcakes • 1 box white cake mix • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted • 1 cup milk • 3 eggs • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract • ½ teaspoon salt • 14 ounces of sweetened shredded coconut

For the Frosting • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened • 4 cups powdered sugar • Milk

DIRECTIONS For the Cupcakes 1. In a mixer tted with a paddle attachment, combine cake mix, butter, milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Beat on medium for 3 minutes until well combined. Stir in half of the coconut.

Divide batter into a muf n tin lined with cupcake liners. Bake as directed on the box of cake mix. Let cool.

For the Frosting 1. Beat together butter and cream cheese in a mixer tted with the paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar in 1 cup increments. Once all of powdered sugar has been incorporated, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until frosting is at the desired consistency. Frost cupcakes and top with remaining cupcakes.

Tips: • Allow all ingredients to come to room temperature to ensure a smooth consistency in your cupcakes and frosting. • Sifting the powdered sugar while incorporating into the frosting will prevent clumping.

DARK CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE ICE CREAM

JAMES STEWART, 2017 CLEMMONS ICE CREAM FREEZE-OFF WINNER (RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE PERFECT SCOOP, BY DAVID LEBOVITZ.)

INGREDIENTS: • 2 cups heavy cream • 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder • 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped • 1 cup whole milk • ¾ cup sugar • pinch of salt • 5 large egg yolks • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS: • Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl. • Warm the milk, sugar and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan. • Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath. • Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (if the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.)

RASPBERRY SWIRL

• 1 ½ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen • 3 tablespoons sugar

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS: • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream • 3 tablespoon light corn syrup • 6oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped DIRECTIONS: Heat the cream with the corn syrup in a small saucepan until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth. Transfer to small bowl and freeze for 1 hour. When ready to mix into nished ice cream, spoon frozen truf es by the teaspoon into ice cream and fold until thoroughly mixed.