2 loaves Bridgeford frozen bread dough (thawed)

Glaze:
1 C light brown sugar
¼ TSP salt
2 TBS water
¼ C butter or margarine
3 TBS white Karo syrup

Filling:
1 C light brown sugar
1 TSP cinnamon
1-2 C chopped nuts (of choice)

Temperature: 375-400

Glaze: Combine sugar, butter, water, syrup and salt in a 1 QT pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Place 1 TBS glaze and a sprinkling of the nuts in the bottom of 24 greased, unlined muffin cups. Alternate: Divide the glaze to cover the bottom of two 15x9x2″ rectangular pans. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or nut halves and set aside.

Dough: Fully thaw the frozen bread loaves without allowing them to rise – in the refrigerator overnight is best. You can also make your own dough from any basic recipe for hand mix or bread machine allowing it rise once, punch it down and proceed as with thawed loaves. Assemble on a floured surface, using a rolling pin to roll out one loaf of thawed or prepared dough to an 8x15x¼” thick rectangle. Brush the inside surface with butter.

Filling: Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and ½ cup of the nuts and sprinkle on the rolled out, buttered dough.

Roll the dough tightly from the long edge. Moisten the edges and press to seal them. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place cut rolls on the glazed pan or in glazed muffin cups. Brush the tops with melted butter. Cover with a cloth towel let rise in a warm place till doubled in size – the rolls will then fill the rectangular pan. Repeat with 2nd loaf if desired (each loaf makes 12 rolls). Bake for 12 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and immediately invert on a tray or platter. Makes 24.

2 eggs
½ C sugar
½ C milk
½ TSP vanilla
Dash salt
¼ TSP cinnamon
8 to 10 slices stale bread (sliced or french)
¼ TSP nutmeg (optional)

Temperature:

Beat eggs, sugar, flavorings, salt and milk. Dip sliced bread into the mixture and fry on a buttered griddle or large flat-bottomed frying pan till browned. Can be sprinkled with confectioners xxx powdered sugar, but generally it’s sweet enough without.

4 C chopped or mashed canned tomatoes
3 LB shrimp (60 count) (raw & peeled)
½ C vegatable oil
1 large onion (chopped)
1 C bell pepper (chopped)
1 C celery (coarse chopped)
2 TBS cornstarch mixed with ¼ C water
6-8 cloves garlic
1 C water
2 bay leaves
1 TBS paprika
Dash cayenne to taste
1 TBS salt
3 TBS parsley

Temperature:

In a 4-5 QT heavy pot, saute the onions till clear. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add green peppers and celery, cook till all are soft and clear. Add the mashed or quartered canned tomatoes with their juices, parsley, water, bay leaves, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer for 5 minutes or till pink and firm to touch. Add cornstarch and water mix, stir until sauce thickens. Taste for additional seasonings. Serve over rice.

Alternate: Make a roux base and add the ingredients, omitting the cornstarch.

½ C butter (1 stick)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
4-6 cloves garlic (minced)
2 TBS parsley (chopped fresh or dried)
12 oysters
2 large cans artichoke hearts or bottoms
1 C oyster water (or plain water)
10¾ OZ can cream of mushroom
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Temperature:

Saute onions in melted butter till soft and clear. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes then add drained oysters and cook for 3-5 minutes more. Add drained, quartered artichoke hearts then cook for 3-5 minutes. Add cream of mushroom soup, liquids, bay leaf, ½ TSP salt and a dash of pepper. Cook for 20 minutes. Prepare 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to merge.

• ½ – 1 LB bacon (quartered strips)
• 2 LB ham (cubed)
• 1 LB tasso (cubed)
• 1½ LG onions (chopped)
• 12 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 LG heads of cabbage (light colored & sweet)
• 1 – 1½ QT chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. If the cabbage is dark green or smells strong, it will taste bad.
2. Quarter the cabbages and remove the stem then cut into eighths, wash well and drain in a colander.
3. In a heavy 12 QT pot, fry off bacon until crisp. Place bacon aside to drain on paper towels and remove excess bacon fat from pot, leaving enough to sauté the onion.
4. When onion is soft and clear add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes more.
5. Add the ham and tasso and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Return the bacon to the pot then add salt, pepper, cabbage, and enough chicken stock to reach about ¼ up the side of the pot.
7. If the cabbage doesn’t all fit at first, cover the pot and add more as the cabbage in the pot starts to cook down until it is all in.
8. Cover and simmer until cabbage is tender, 1 to 1½ hours.
9. Taste the cabbage juice and add salt and pepper accordingly before serving.

2-4 LB beef roast (boneless rump, sirloin tip, shoulder or chuck)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup + 1½ cans water
1 PKG Lipton’s Cream of Onion or Beefy Onion soup (dried)
Salt (½ TSP per LB)
Pepper to taste
6 cloves garlic (peeled)
Carrots
Potatoes

Temperature: 350

Wipe roast with damp paper towel. Make six slits with a sharp knife and fill with salt, pepper and 1 clove of garlic each. Brown roast on all sides in a heavy pot. Mix the soups and water, add to the meat in the pot. Add any unused salt and pepper. Bring liquids to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the meat is fork tender. If gravy is too light, add Kitchen Bouquet to darken. If it’s too thin, add more mushroom soup or a paste of flour and water. Add carrots, cook till done. Add potatoes and cook till done. Very simple but good. Cook on the stove, in a 350° oven or a crock-pot.

1 large onion (chopped)
8 cloves garlic (minced)
1 bunch green onion (chopped)
1 C celery (chopped coarse)
¼ C parsley (chopped or dried)
2 bay leaves
2 C white rice
1 large can tomatoes (drained & mashed)
2 C tomato liquid
2 C water
2 TBS olive oil
1 LB smoked sausage or andouille
2½ TSP salt
¼ TSP black pepper
Dash cayenne to taste
2 LB shrimp (raw & peeled)
½ to 1 LB crabmeat (white or claw)
1 LB crawfish tails (optional)

Temperature:

In a heavy 5 QT pot, sauté onions in oil till clear. Add garlic and saute for 3 more minutes. Add sliced sausage and fry for 5 minutes. Add shallots and celery and stir fry till soft and blended, about 10 minutes. Drain tomatoes and place liquid in a 2 or 4 C measuring container. Mash tomatoes and add to the pot. Add seasonings and 2 C of the tomato liquid. Simmer for 1 hour. Add seafood and cook only till shrimp are done, about 5 minutes. Add 2 C water and bring to a boil. Add rice and cook till tender and dry.

1 C white rice
2 C water
2 TBS butter or maragarine
1 TSP salt

Temperature:

No real southern cook would ever boil rice. We don’t wash it before cooking either as that takes away the nutrients added back when the factory washes it – a vicious cycle. Butter or margarine will keep steamed rice from sticking together. If you get “gummy” rice, decrease the amount of water or use a different pot. Rice should fill a pot at least ¾ when it is done. Cooking ingredients apply for cooking on the top of the stove or in a rice cooker. Bring water, margarine and salt to a rolling boil. Add rice, stir once, bring back to a boil then cover and simmer on lowest heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 20 minutes or until tender. Fluff with a fork then serve.

Brown rice requires more water, 2¼ to 2½ C and slightly longer cooking time, 45 minutes.

1 LB pasta (cooked and drained)
1 LB sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
1½ C milk
3 TBS Wondra instant flour
1 TSP salt
3 TBS butter

Temperature: 350

Boil the pasta in salted water. Remove from heat and run cold water into the pot to stop further cooking. Drain in a colander. Put cold milk, Wondra flour, butter and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil on med heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Add ¾ C cheese, stir till melted and smooth. Return the macaroni to its pot. Add cheese sauce. Mix till well coated. Place in a baking dish or pan. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese on top. Bake untill cheese is all melted and sauce has dried a bit, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Note: this basic cheese sauce is suitable for use on vegetables and other foods.

1 LB elbow macaroni (large or small)
6 eggs
½ C milk
2 TBS butter or margarine (melted)
1 LB sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
Salt & pepper to taste

Temperature: 350

Boil the pasta in salted water. Remove from heat and run cold water into the pot to stop further cooking. Drain in a colander. Beat eggs and milk together until well blended. Add ½ TSP salt to start. Taste the mixture – should taste slightly salty or dish will be too bland. Put milk and egg mix back into the macaroni pot. Add the cooked macaroni and mix until well coated. Add butter. Layer in a baking pan alternately with cheese. End with a layer of cheese on top. Add milk if the liquid level is not at least 1/3 of pan depth. Bake until “set” but not too dry, approximately 30 – 40 minutes.