What Would Martha Cook?

Too Busy to Be Unprepared

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A Different Kind of BLT

1 loaf French bread
4 T. butter, softened
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 c. sharp cheddar, shredded
12 oz. bacon, cooked and crisp
2 roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/2 romaine lettuce head, chopped finely

Cut the French bread in half, length-wise.  Spread 2 T. of butter evenly over each.  Sprinkle 1/2 t. garlic over each. Cook under the broiler of your over on low for 4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Sprinkle 1/4 c. cheddar on each half of the bread and put it under the broiler for 1 minute longer.

Evenly place bacon on each half, then add tomato slices and lettuce.  Gentle put the halves together and slice the loaf into 6-7 sandwiches.  Add your favorite condiment (mayo, miracle whip, mustard, etc) and enjoy!

Grocery List
French bread

butter
garlic powder
sharp cheddar
bacon
roma tomatoes
lettuce

Approximate Cost: $3.75

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Lobster Cakes

1 1/2 lbs. lobster meat
1 egg
2 T. lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 t. salt (plus scant amount for when it’s cooling)
1 T. mayonnaise
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. chipotle tobasco sauce
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning
1 medium white onion, diced finely
1 1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs
4 T. butter
3 T. canola oil

Blend egg, bread crumbs, mayo, lemon juice. Worcestershire sauce, tobasco, salt pepper, and cajun seasoning in mixer.  Add onion and lobster meat.  In a deep frying pan melt oil and butter over medium high heat for 3 minutes.  Using small ice cream scoop, scoop about 6 balls in the pan at a time.  Cook for two minutes each on both sides and then two more minutes each on both sides, slightly flattening it into a patty after the first turn.  Let it cool and drain on a plate with two paper towels.  Salt, as you’d like. Serve with shrimp cocktail sauce or malt vinegar.

Grocery List
lobster
egg
lemon juice
salt
mayonnaise
Worcestershire sauce
chipotle tobasco sauce
black pepper
Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning
onion
bread
butter
canola oil

Approximate Cost: $8.50 (look for a manager’s special on the lobster and freeze it until you are ready to make it)

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Coconut, Berry and Walnut Granola

6 oz. coconut
2 c. instant, plain oats
3 oz. Craisins
3 oz. dried blueberries (or blueberry Craisins)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. brown sugar (or splenda version of brown sugar)
5 T. honey
1 stick butter

PhotobucketMelt 1/2 stick butter in deep-dish 10″ pie plate or casserole dish (8 1/2 x 11″) in a 350 degree F oven. In a large bowl, blend coconut, oats, craisins, blueberries, and walnuts.  Stir in honey 1 T. at a time.  Add brown sugar and mix thoroughly.

Pour into pan.  Bake for 20 minutes, then stir.  Bake 5 minutes, then stir.  Bake 5 minutes more.  Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.  (I think this is wonderful with Brown Cow Vanilla Yogurt (1/2 c of each mixed together) for breakfast!

Groceries
coconut
oats
craisins
dried blueberries
walnuts
brown sugar
honey
butter

Approximate Cost: $6.75

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Baked Flautas

2 lbs. ground or shredded beef, cooked
2 t. cumin
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, smashed and diced
2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 lime, seeds removed
12 of this recipe for flour tortillas or store bought
8 oz. shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded
3 T. canola oil
1 T. butter

Melt butter and canola oil in a frying pan.  Sauté onions and garlic for 2 minutes over medium high heat.  Add cumin and lime and stir. Add shredded beef (can use chicken, too), shredded cabbage salt and pepper, covering it with a lid and cooking it together over medium low heat for five minutes. Set aside.

Freshly cook and lay out 12 flour tortillas (if store bought, please heat on a cast iron skillet for about 15 seconds on each side).  Cover middle with 1 oz. of the cheeses (mix them together first in a bowl).  Then add about 1/4 c.- 1.2 c. meat to each one down the middle.  Roll each one and place on a baking dish.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook the flautas for 10-12 minutes (until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are slightly browned.

Groceries
ground or shredded beef
cumin
onion
garlic
salt
pepper
lime
this recipe for flour tortillas or store bought
Monterrey Jack Cheese
sharp cheddar cheese
cabbage
canola oil
butter

Approximate Cost: $7.20

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Party Pizzas

Crusts:
1 T. quick-rising active dry yeast
1 1/3 c. warm water (115 degrees F)
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. rye flour
2-3 c. unbleached flour
1-2 T. cornmeal
non-stick spray

Pepper Topping
2 t. olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
2 Italian tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 T. fresh oregano, minced
3 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c. canned roasted peppers
1/4 c. sliced black olives

Broccoli Topping
1 c. onions, diced
1 t. olive oil
1 c. sour cream
1 t. fresh dill
2-3 c. broccoli florets, lightly steamed
1 c. sharp cheddar, shredded

In a large bowl, mix the yeast with water.  Set aside for 2 minutes ot dissolve. Stir in oil and salt. Add in wheat, rye and unbleached flours and make a kneadable dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic for 10 minutes. Divide into 16 balls, Cover each and let rest for 15 minutes.

Pepper topping: In a small cup combine the oil with the garlic.  Brush over 8 of the pizza crusts.  Tops with tomatoes, oregano, mozzarella, peppers and olives.

Broccoli topping: In a smal no-stick pan over low heat, cook the onions in the oil until soft.  Stir in the sour cream and sill.  Spread over 8 pizza crusts, leaving a 3/8 inch border.  Top with broccoli and cheddar.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Form the pizzas into small pizzas about 4 inches in diameter. Coat 2 large cookie sheets with no-stick spray.  Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.  Place the pizzas on the sheets.  Top 8 with the pepper topping and 8 with the broccoli topping.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the crusts are browned.

Grocery List
yeast
salt
whole wheat flour
rye flour
unbleached flour
cornmeal
non-stick spray
garlic
Italian tomatoes
fresh oregano
mozzarella cheese
roasted peppers
black olives
onions
olive oil
sour cream
fresh dill
broccoli florets
sharp cheddar

Approximate Cost: $8.66

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Best Fried Shrimp with Dipping Sauce

1 1/2 c. peanut oil
1 lb. Extra Large Fresh Shrimp or Colossal Farm Raised Shrimp (7 to 9 per person, depending on size)
2 egg whites, beaten lightly with 2 teaspoons water
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. Garlic Magic or Garlic Powder (optional) plus 1/8 t. for dipping sauce
1 sleeve saltine crackers
7 oz. ketchup
2 t. mayonnaise
4 T. heavy whipping cream
1 lemon cut in wedges

Crumble crackers fine in processor or in zip lock bag with rolling pin. Peel, devein and butterfly, rinse, and drain the shrimp.  Prepare shrimp – Be sure to fully butterfly them, leaving tail on but splitting in 2 sections almost to the tail. Drain shrimp well.

Prepare cracker crumb coating.  Prepare sauce (below).

Put oil on to preheat for frying to 350 Degrees F. or until a drop of water will sizzle.  With a wire whip, lightly beat egg white with water. Whisk in the salt, paprika and garlic powder (optional). Put half the well drained shrimp in this mixture. Coat well.

Place shrimp in the cracker crumbs and coat well. Gently shake off excess. Slowly place these in the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes until lightly golden brown. Do not overfry! Drain well and place on paper towels or uncoated paper plates (the cheap kind) to drain. Repeat Process until all are cooked.

Dipping Sauce:

With a wire whisk, combine mayonnaise with Catsup until smooth. Slowly add cream and whisk together until you have a creamy sauce about the color of Thousand Island Dressing. Add garlic Magic (available at most super markets) or Garlic Powder to taste. Cover and refrigerate.

Serve Shrimp Hot with Dipping Sauce and Lemon Wedges!

Grocery List
peanut oil
shrimp
eggs
salt
paprika
Garlic Magic or Garlic Powder
saltine crackers
ketchup
mayonnaise
heavy whipping cream
lemon

Approximate Cost: $9.38