Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

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By Craig Crawford

Pirate Coconut/Banana Pie (by Jamie)

2 baked pie crusts (bake the crust at 425 until beginning to brown). When cool, line bottom of pies with banana slices.

Pie Filling:

In a heavy saucepan

3 cups sugar
8 TBSP cornstarch
2 small cans flaked coconut
6 TBSP butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk, evaporated milk, half n half or any combination of these
1 cup rum (alternative use 3 cups liquid and 5 drops of rum flavoring)
6 egg yolks (the egg whites can be used for your meringue)

Mix sugar and cornstarch until completely blended. Add liquid slowly and mix completely with a wire whisk. Cook, stirring continuously, over low heat until it begins to thicken. Take out a little warm filling and add to your egg yolks and mix WEL. Pour this back into your saucepan. When filling gets thick add butter and whip with your whisk until it is melted. When your filling is sufficently thick, add vanilla and coconut (reserving 2 TBSP coconut to sprinkle on meringue). Top hot filling with meringue (recipe below), sprinkle with remaining coconut. Bake at 425 until coconut is toasted and peaks of meringue are browning.

Perfect Meringue

Use a clean, dry bowl. The bowl must be grease free, because any amount of fat will wreck a meringue. Glass, ceramic, stainless steel, and copper bowls are all suitable. Plastic bowls may appear clean, but may still have trace amounts of oil; do not use them. Cold eggs separate easily, but eggs whip to a higher volume when at room temperature. The solution is to separate the cold eggs for your pie filling and letting the whites come to room temperature. Separate each egg into two small bowls, one for the white and one for the yolk, and then add the white portion to the larger bowl. This allows you to reserve any with broken yolks for another purpose. Even a small amount of yolk can deflate the egg whites, so be careful.

Add 2 teaspoons cream of tartar to the unbeaten eggs. Whip to medium soft peaks. Beat in 2 tablespoons white sugar per egg white. Continue to beat until egg whites are glossy and hold a firm peak. Spread meringue over piping hot filling, and spread to the edges to seal. Hot filling is necessary to insure that the inside of the meringue cooks, preventing weeping. The preferred baking method is one that combines high temperatures with a short baking time. This prevents overcooking the outside, and thus beading is avoided.
 

Charleston She Crab Soup (Sent by Sturgeone)
"Two Hundred Years of Charleston Cooking"
Author: Blanche Rhett

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white crab meat (try to find fresh crabs with roe, but canned will do)
6 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Fill the bottom of a double boiler halfway with water. Bring to a low boil. Melt butter in top of double boiler, add flour and stir until smooth.

Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Add mace, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and crab meat, add roe . Cook over simmering water for 20 minutes.To serve, place 1 tablespoon of warmed sherry in each of 4 or 6 soup bowls (depends on how much soup you want). Ladle soup into bowls, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and sprinkle with fresh snipped parsley.

Road Kill Chili (by whskyjack)
-- For hippies, but not vegetarian hippies

A pound of fresh ground road kill, or substitute 1 lb of cheap ground turkey
3 table spoons or more depending on how spicy you want it of chili powder.
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 onion chopped
2 or3 cloves of garlic, mashed in one of those mashers.
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1 can of tomatoes and chilis, kind of like the Rotel ones but look for cheaper ones.
some v8 juice for a little liquid, if you have an open bottle in the fridg. like I did tonight.
or a small can of tomato sauce and water

Combine the meat spices onion and bell pepper. Cook until meat is almost done make sure the meat is crumbly. Add tomatoes and liquid bring to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer.
stir it once it a while but then you know that or soon will learn.

Put 2 cups of brown rice on to cook according to directions on the package.
Serve the chili in a soupbowl over a 1/2 cup of the brown rice. you could have more rice if you like it.

Bailout Cake (by blueINdallas)
 
1 c. pecans
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (3 oz.) pkg. Jello instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c. cold water
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. Irish cream liquer
 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour an angelfood or bundt pan. Sprinkle pecans on bottom of pan. Combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour over pecans. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool cake completely. Prick cake and pour glaze over top and sides.
GLAZE:
1 stick butter
1/4 c. water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. Irish cream liquer
Melt butter. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. REMOVE from heat. Stir in Irish cream liquer. 
(Note: If using cake mix that includes pudding, omit pudding from recipe, use only 3 eggs and decrease oil to 1/3 cup.
 
This is a very rich cake and one piece should be more than enough.  But go ahead, keep asking for more, and more, and more...
 

Get-Rid-of-the-Blues Carmel Sauce (by blueINdallas)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup  sugar
6 Tblsp butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
 
* Heat sugar on moderately high heat in a large, heavy saucepan. Sugar will begin to melt; stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. IMMEDIATELY, as sugar comes to a boil, stop stirring. Swirl the pan, but do not stir.
 
*  Once melted the liquid sugar will be the color of carmel.  Immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter melts.
 
* After the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. SLOWLY add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk. IT WILL FOAM UP (this is why you need a VERY large pan).
 
* Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Allow to cool a few minutes.  Pour into a glass mason jar (I put a metal spoon in the jar to conduct the heat so the jar doesn't break) and let sit to cool to room temperature. Stores in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
 
Pour carmel sauce over financial news, political in-fighting or anything you need to make more palatable.  (This also works with Velveeta cheese and a microwave if the news is really bad and you're in a hurry.)  Carmel sauce is also good served on ice cream.

Sopapillas, Deep Fried Bread (sent by Jamie)

These can be served with main dish stuffed with beans
or as a dessert item with honey and cinnamon

Ingredients

4 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. lard or butter
1 pkg. active dry yeast (optional)
1/4 c. warm water
1 1/4 c. scalded milk, approx.
1 qt. lard or cooking oil

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients and cut in 1 tablespoon lard.

2. Dissolve yeast in the water. Add yeast to scalded milk, cooled to room temperature. If not using yeast use 1 1/2 cups milk; omit the 1/4 cup warm water.

3. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Add about 1 1/4 cups liquid to dry ingredients and work into dough. Add more liquid until dough is firm and springy and holds its shape, similar to a yeast dough.

4. Knead dough 15 to 20 times, then invert the bowl over the dough and set aside for approximately 10 minutes. Heat 1 quart lard or oil to 420 degrees F. in a deep fryer.

5. Roll one fourth of the dough to 1/4 inch thickness or slightly thinner, then cut into squares or triangles; do not reroll any of the dough. Cover the cut dough with a towel as you fry the sopapillas, a few at a time, in the hot fat. They should puff up and become hollow very soon after being dropped into the fat. To assure puffing, slightly stretch each piece of dough before lowering it into the fat, then place the rolled or top side of dough into the fat first, so it will be the bottom side. Hold each piece of dough down in the fat until it puffs.

6. Drain sopapillas on absorbent toweling. Serve as a bread with any meal. They are especially good served with honey.
 

Tortilla Soup  (sent by Jamie)
 
2 tablespoons Pure Wesson Vegetable Oil   
1 large onion, chopped (1 large = 1 cup)   
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped   
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped   
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped   
3 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth   
1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's Petite Diced Tomatoes with Mild Green Chilies, undrained   
2 cups shredded cooked chicken   
1 cup whole kernel corn   
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin   
1/4 teaspoon salt   
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper   
2 cups tortilla chips, broken (2 cups = 4 oz)   
 
Shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, cilantro sprigs and diced avocado, optional toppings
 
Directions   
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add onions, bell peppers and garlic; cook 5 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently.
Add broth and tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Stir in chicken, corn, cumin, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Top with tortilla chips. Add cheese, onions, cilantro and avocado, if desired.

Ensenada Fish Tacos (by Divalicias)

These fish tacos are favorites in the seaport town of Ensenada in the Baja California region of Mexico.  After a long night partying at Houssong's Cantina, sustenance is found at the taco stands right outside in the square.  A lower-fat version would grill or pan-saute the fish which are also really good, but at the taco stands down in the Ensenada square they use fried fish. -- Alicia Knight (aka Divalicias)

2 pounds of hailbut or other firm, boneless white fish
1 lime
1 cup flour
1 cup Masa Harina

1 tsp fine sea salt
1 16 oz dark beer (preferably a Mexican dark beer)

Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2  tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Chili powder 
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp Dried Mexican Oregano

Canola oil -- for frying. (About 1 inch in frying pan.)  

1 cup Mexican "crema" sour cream (or use 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and 1/2 cup plain yogurt mixed)
1/2 cup onion, minced
2 Tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped 
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup shredded cabbage (time saver -- use coleslaw mix in a bag)

Soft tortillas (preferably corn tortillas) 

Make cabbage slaw and sauce:  Shred cabbage. Prepare the sauce by combining Mexican Crema Sour Cream (or plain yogurt & mayonnaise), cilantro, jalapenos and onions in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can serve this sauce in the side or mix with cabbage  and let it all marinate while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Prepare fish:  Wash and dry fish, cut into 1-inch strips.  Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.  Let sit for 5 minutes while you make the batter.  

Make batter:  Mix flour and masa with salt and pepper, add other spices. Add beer and mix until well blended to make a thin batter like pancake batter. 

Fry the fish: Heat oil until it reaches 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer you can test oil by placing a drop of the batter in oil after a few minutes of heat; if the batter cooks quickly, you are set.  
Dip fish strips into batter and place in the pan. Try to not over fill pan, you don't want the strips to be touching each other. Fry fish until golden brown, about 2-3 min on each side. Place fish on paper towels
Assemble Tacos:  Heat tortilla in the oven or microwave and serve by placing one or two pieces of fish on a tortilla followed by white sauce and cabbage slaw.

Serve with pico de gallo and avocado sauce

Avocado Sauce:

1 ripe hass avocado
pinch of salt
juice from one Mexican lime (Limon)
unsweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup cilantro stemmed and chopped.

Add avocado to bowl and squeeze lime juice over top of avocado. Add salt to taste. Mash avocado until it has smooth consistency. Add small amounts of condensed milk and continue stirring until you get a consistency a little thinner than pancake batter. Add cilantro and stir.

Sheila's Chili (by Chef Sheila)

1# each of veal, beef, and pork. cut into 1" cubes.
1# any kind of sweet sausage links. sliced into 1" slices.
1# salt pork cubed or thick sliced bacon sliced and barely browned.
1 large onion diced, 6 cloves garlic minced, 6 jalapenos seeded and fine diced.
One huge can of stewed tomatoes. 
 3 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon each all spice, celery salt, pepper.
Chipotle Tabasco to taste
salt to taste.
Chili Ala Sheila
1. Sear each meat separately and set aside. Barely brown the bacon, and then saute the sausage until brown but not cooked fully.....in the same pan.
Drain some of the fat off and then slowly saute all the veg until the onion is translucent.
Then add the cumin and the rest of the spices and allow to coat and bloom the fragrance.
add the meat and enough water or beef broth to barely cover and bring to a boil and then lower the heat to barely simmer. let go until the meat is very barely tender.
 
Cool and put in the frig over night. this allows chili flavors to intensify.
The next day, test the flavors and adjust. add more cumin and the salt if necessary. Add the tomatoes. Add the hot peppers and the chipotle tobacco and then cook for a while longer until tender. cool and let the flavors marry over night....or eat!
I like everything to rest one more night.
*** just make sure that if you have too much liquid, you take out all the good stuff and reduce the liquid until it's more thick. Don't add a thickener. Reduce the liquid. makes all the difference in the world. 
 

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