Smashing Pumpkin Soup Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of milk


In a soup pot, heat oil over medium high heat and saute onion. Cook until very soft and add remaining ingredients, except milk. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Add milk and continue to cook (but not boil it will break up) for another 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.


Serve with a big spinach salad and some whole wheat rolls yummy!

Greek Pasta Serves 6

1 pound rigatoni, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic pressed
1 small red onion, chopped
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring water to a boil for pasta. Cook until al dente, drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute till translucent but not brown. Add chicken and cook until chicken is done, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low and add tomato, Feta, lemon juice and oregano. Add pasta. Stir unitl completely heated through, salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole Serves 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1' strips
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoons flour
1 can chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a skillet over medium heat, brown chicken lightly in a tablespoon of butter, add the garlic and mushrooms, and keep cooking till chicken mixture is smelling very garlicky.

In a baking dish, add browned chicken mixture. Place the atrichoke hearts on top of the chicken.

In the skillet, melt remaining butter and add the flour, whisking to blend (no lumps!). Add broth and cook until thickened, then pour over chicken mixture and serve.

Oven Fried Fish Serves 6

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
6 fish fillets (I like to use tilapa)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a saucepan, melt butter and spread on the bottom of a 13 X 9 inch baking dish.

To crush Italian bread crumbs, place in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to flatten. Pour contents onto a pie pan. Add cheese and salt and pepper, and blend well.

Dip the fish first in butter then in the crumbs. Place in the baking dish when coated.

Bake fish for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.

Asian Orange Salmon Serves 6

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic pressed
6 salmon fillets


In a large plastic zippered bag, combine the first six ingredients and mix well. Add fish and marinate in refrigerator for an hour, turning it occasionally. Go make a salad to go with it while your waiting.

Preheat the broiler.

Transfer marinade to a bowl. Place salmon on broiler pan and cook about 4-6 minutes on each side ( depending on the thickness of your fish and your broiler , watch it carefully!) Baste fish with marinade every time you check on it. When fish flakes when tested with a fork it is done!

Asian Honey Chicken Serves 6

1/8 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 green onions, minced
1/2 yellow pepper diced
1/2 red pepper diced
2 small carrots, grated

In a large zippered top plastic bag, mix oil, honey, soy sauce and garlic. Add chicken and marinate for 8 hours or so. ( Do this right after breakfast- it will take you two minutes.)

Heat vegetable oil in wok or large skillet over medium- high heat. Saute chicken till nearly cooked; add the remaining ingredients, keep cooking till veggies are tender and chicken is throughly cooked.

Serve with brown rice and your set!

Big Bob Gibson's is a barbecue resturant that some people say serves the best white sauce in the South. Judge for yourself... We think it is fabulous. Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Big Bob Gibson's White Sauce Serves 4

4 chicken breast halves, skinless, boneless
1/2 cup mayonaise
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish or creamy type
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider or apple juice

Preheat saute pan, grill or oven broiler.

Prepare white sauce by combining all ingredients except chicken.

Cook chicken plain, with nothing on it you do not want anything to compete with the flavor of the white sauce.

Serve chicken with lots of white sauce on top.

Serve with: colelaw and zucchini or steamed red potatoes.

Chicken Waldorf Salad Serves 4

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
4 apples, peeled, cored and cubed ( I use pink lady-fuji-golden delicious)
3/4 cup of celery, diced
3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Emeril's essence spice mix (recipe follows below)
1/4 cup of walnuts, coarsely chopped
salt & pepper to taste
romaine lettuce leaves

Sprinkle chicken with spice mix, saute until fully cooked. Set a side.

In the meantime, in a large bowl combine apples, celery, mayo, walnuts. Mix well. Cut cooled chicken breast into small bite size chunks. Mix in with salad. Salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate. Serve on top of romaine lettuce leaves.


Emeril's Essence/Creole Spice Mix

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne peppper (optional)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an air tight container. Makes about 2/3 cups.

This is an excellent spice mix that you can use on just about everything. Enjoy!

*******Spice mix recipe from Emeril Lagasse's book "New New Orleans Cooking"

Beef Macaroni & Cheese Serves 10

1- pound box elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped red/ or yellow bell pepper
2 cups onion, chopped
2 pounds lean ground beef/or turkey/or chicken
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon each: dried basil, ground cumin, and dried oregano
2 to 3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet; add the peppers, onions, and garlic, and saute until soft. Add the ground beef and saute until browned. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil, cumin, and oregano.
In a large bowl, combine the macaroni and the beef mixture. Spread this mixture into a 9X13" baking dish. Top with the cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

I recently brought this to a potluck and everyone loved it!

Bobby's Goulash Recipe by Paula Deen, 2007 of Food Network

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
2 large onions, chopped
3 cups water
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows / or 1/2 Tablespoon Sea Salt
2 cups dried elbow macaroni

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef and ground turkey over medium-high heat, until no pink remains. Break up meat while sauteing; spoon off any grease. Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving.


House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings