The Best in Home Cooking

From Miss Mary's Kitchen
Mary Bentley
Georgia Recipe Manager
normwine@bellsouth.net





"From Miss Mary's Kitchen" is a collection of some of the best recipes available from good old "Home Cooking", to "Haut Cuisine".  With a personal collection of thousands of recipes, I am constantly adding to the list with tried and true favorites, and new creations.  My husband, Norm, has been in the wine business for quite some time, and we have great fun pairing good food and good wine.

I hope you enjoy these treasures, some of which are more than one hundred years old!





GOOD FOOD...GOOD FOR THE SOUL!

Mussels in Marinara Sauce

from..."Miss Mary's Kitchen"

#mb-01-12
MUSSELS IN MARINARA SAUCE


Mussels in a tasty wine sauce have always appealed to me. I'm not sure whether it is the delicious crustacean or the taste of the broth created in the cooking process, but the dish certainly is enjoyable!

Up until this weekend, I had not prepared mussels in any other way except steamed in a wine broth. While at the grocery this weekend, I spotted mussels and grape tomatoes that were both on sale, Mussels in marinara sauce quickly came to mind. My idea of a marinara sauce is a basic tomato sauce with lots of garlic, so I figured this dish to be a simple task. Mussels take just a few minutes to cook, so once all ingredients were gathered up, I knew I could have this on the table in about 20 minutes. I started the spaghetti cooking while I steamed the mussels so everything was ready at the same time.

Norm declared this dish to be 'de-lish', and encouraged me to share it.

MUSSELS IN MARINARA SAUCE
Serves 2-4

1 lb. grape tomatoes
1 t. olive oil
1 c. white wine
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 bay leaf
2 lb. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
14-15 oz. can diced tomatoes (no salt)
1/2 t. dried basil
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
cooked spaghetti

Put the grape tomatoes in a single layer in an ovenproof dish, Add 1 t. olive oil to cover tomatoes. Place in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes until the tomatoes burst. Remove from the oven, cool slightly and break up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven, combine wine, onions, garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium high, add the mussels, cover and steam for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the mussels, Remove the mussels to a bowl. Add grape tomatoes, canned tomatoes, basil and 2 T. extra virgin olive oil to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Return the mussels to the pan, stir to combine and reheat the mussels.

Dish up spaghetti, cover with mussels and sauce, and enjoy!
Serve with a tossed salad and crusty baguettes.

From Miss Mary's Kitchen Recipes available at her blogsite - http://frommissmaryskitchen.blogspot.com/

also available on line at:
dawsontimes.com
thecherokeeconnection.com

Norm's Wandering Wallaby Baked Pasta

from..."Miss Mary's Kitchen"

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NORM’S WANDERING WALLABY BAKED PASTA


Tasting new wines that come on the market has always been a way of life at our house. Sometimes, we invite friends and family over to help us “judge” the various bottles that Norm has been asked to consider for the store or to write about for one of his wine columns.

After reviewing a number of inexpensive offerings one afternoon (with one being called “Wandering Wallaby”), we found ourselves without a dinner entrée. Always the creative talent, Norm came up with a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ rendition of a beef-noodle casserole using the ingredients he found in the refrigerator. We have often laughed at the name, and fondly recalled that wine!

NORM’S WANDERING WALLABY BAKED PASTA
Serves 6

16 oz. penne pasta
8 oz. ground wallaby (or ground chuck if wallaby is not available)
8 oz. mild/sweet Italian sausage
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
8 slices American cheese
12 oz. petite diced tomatoes
12 oz. tomato sauce
½ c. chopped red onion
2 T. chopped garlic
1 T. virgin olive oil
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt

Prepare the penne pasta according to the package directions, cooking it slightly less than instructed. Drain, and set aside. Brown the meats in a skillet with 1 T. garlic. In a large saucepan, pour in the olive oil. Sauté the onion and remaining 1 T. garlic until softened, then add in tomatoes, sugar and salt and simmer for 30 minutes.

To the pasta, combine the meat mixture, sauce and half of the shredded cheese, mixing well. Pour into a lightly greased casserole or lasagna dish. Over the mixture, arrange the American cheese slices then the remaining shredded cheeses. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove the foil the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

Serve with a tossed salad lightly dressed with olive oil and vinegar, and hot garlic bread.

El Biggero Shrimp Creole

from..."Miss Mary's Kitchen"

#mb-07-11
EL BIGGERO SHRIMP CREOLE


When we go to our cottage in Matlacha, FL, eating fresh seafood is high on the list of priorities for us. There are three purveyors of fresh seafood in this little Gulf of Mexico community, a number which would be highly envied in most anyone’s hometown! It is extremely easy to find the “freshest” of most any local sea creature, and we take full advantage of it on each visit. We often bring back a supply that helps us keep the memory of our last visit ever near, and makes the next visit even more enticing.

Norm donned his El Biggero hat, and chose to turn a package of the Gulf crustaceans into a delightful Cajun-inspired dish.


EL BIGGERO SHRIMP CREOLE
Serves 4

1 lb. Gulf Shrimp, 20-30 count (medium)
1-2 T. olive oil
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 -12 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
6 oz. tomato sauce
1 T. Louisiana hot sauce
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1 T. Italian herb mix
½ lime, juiced

Peel and devein the shrimp, set aside. In a large saucepan, sauté the bell pepper, onion and garlic until softened. Add all remaining ingredients except shrimp. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes. Add the shrimp, stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink – no longer.

Serve over jasmine rice.

Dutch Baby Pancake

from..."Miss Mary's Kitchen"
#mb-06-11
DUTCH BABY PANCAKE


Norm and I have always enjoyed visits to the West Coast to see his relatives, particularly spending time with his brother and sister-in-law in Benicia, CA. There is such a comfort derived from spending time with family members, especially when they are such gracious hosts as Jim and Bonnie. On a whirlwind trip several years ago, we were able to spend a few days with them. One morning for breakfast, Bonnie prepared a scrumptious treat for us, something she called a Dutch Baby Pancake. Having never had one before, I perched on a stool in the kitchen and intently watched as she quickly mixed up the ingredients that would soon go into the cast iron skillet heating in the oven. What came out of her oven was this delightfully fluffy pancake, and my, was it an impressive sight to see! She served it with sausage links and bacon. I can still warmly recall that delicious meal.

As a special addition to the Dutch Baby, consider preparing a fruit topping to pass around the table. I suggest an apple topping but most any seasonal fruit could be substituted. This would make a great brunch entree for your family or a special breakfast for guests (like us!). Bonnie was kind enough to share her recipe with me, and I hope you find it as delicious as Norm and I did.

DUTCH BABY PANCAKE

3 eggs
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. unbleached bread flour
1/4 t. vanilla extract
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch salt
2 T. butter
Powdered sugar

Topping *
3 peeled and cored apples, sliced into wedges
2-3 T. butter
¼ c. sugar
pinch cinnamon (optional)
½ lemon, juiced

Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or any oven-proof shallow container) in the oven while it preheats to 425 degrees. Beat eggs until they are pale and frothy (electric mixer, blender, food processor or whisk). Add milk, flour, vanilla, nutmeg and salt and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove the heated skillet from the oven and add butter. When melted, swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the pan (this will help the pancake rise as it cooks). Pour batter into skillet, return to oven. Bake for a total of 20-25 minutes, or until pancake is golden brown and has risen in the pan.

While the pancake is baking, prepare the topping. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add apples. Stir to coat with butter. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Set aside, keep warm.

Remove pancake from oven. Dust with powdered sugar over top. Serve immediately, passing the apple topping.

Serves 4
*apple pie filling can be substituted

"Wacky Cake"

from..."Miss Mary's Kitchen"

#mb-05-11
WACKY CAKE


The company that I work for has an on-line blog that allows associates to communicate with each other, both for business and social interaction. One segment has nothing but recipes and food preferences, comments being both good and bad. It’s always fun to read the stories behind someone’s favorites. I was drawn to this recipe because the writer described it as a memorable part of all the things prepared by his mother (I figured it had to be good). Secondly, I wanted to see how this one actually turned into a cake because of the intriguing ingredients, and the method of preparation. I am certainly glad I had the curiosity to try it!

WACKY CAKE
Serves 9-12

1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
3 T. cocoa
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 T. vinegar
1 t. vanilla
6 T. vegetable oil
1 c. cold water

Measure the dry ingredients into a 9” baking dish, mixing everything together well. Make 3 holes in the dry mixture, and put vinegar, vanilla and oil into the holes. Pour water over everything. Mix well with a fork, paying close attention to the corners and edges.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Sift powdered sugar over the cake when it comes out of the oven.
The recipe can be doubled using a 9”x13” pan.

Shrimp and Asparagus Casserole

from..."Miss Mary's Kitchen"

#mb-04-11
SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE

For many years, before the cable channel chefs came into being, I enjoyed the cooking shows on Public Broadcasting stations. While today’s PBS offerings are still enjoyed, I particularly miss the ones produced in Louisiana featuring The Cookin’ Cajun, Justin Wilson.

When this show was aired, I was usually seated in front of the TV with pen in hand, ready to capture whatever special recipe he was preparing for that episode. Besides his obvious enjoyment of the bountiful seafood available in the Bayou state, the tales he told as he prepared a dish added great ‘flavor’ to the food. We truly lost an artist when Mr. Wilson passed away, but his memory and cherished recipes will remain with us forever.

The following recipe brings together a unique combination of ingredients, asparagus and shrimp. The casserole is an easy one to prepare, and is especially flavorful. True to the ingredients Justin Wilson often incorporated into his recipes, Louisiana hot sauce and wine are prominent in the makeup of this entrée. There’s just enough hot sauce to give you a hint of heat as you savor each bite, and the wine nicely complements the melding of the asparagus and shrimp flavors.

Add a Caesars salad, and you have a recipe fit for most any Cajun, or whoever is feasting with you.

SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE
Serves 4 - 6

1-15 oz. can green asparagus spears, well drained, or 1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 c. grated cheddar
½ c. grated Romano or Parmesan cheese or a combination of the two
1 lb. medium shrimp, boiled, peeled and deveined
2 eggs
1 c. Sauternes or Riesling wine (Justin always used Sauternes in his seafood recipes)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. Louisiana hot sauce
Salt to taste (optional)
1 can mushroom soup (I like to substitute a medium white sauce with sautéed mushrooms to reduce the sodium)
¾ c. dry bread crumbs

In a greased 2 quart casserole, layer asparagus, half of the cheeses, shrimp, and then the remaining cheeses. Beat together the eggs, wine, Worcestershire and Louisiana sauces. Pour this over the layers. Spread the mushroom soup over all, and then top with the bread crumbs. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes until browned and bubbly. If you choose to use fresh asparagus, increase the cooking time to 45 minutes.