Charlotte’s Kitchen

Archive for the ‘Vegetables’ Category

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is discovering new recipes.  While we always enjoy green bean casserole, here’s a delicious twist on the old standard.  We saw the cheddar flavored French fried onions at the store but just couldn’t imagine that they could be good.  Boy were we wrong!  If you like green bean casserole, you really need to give this a try. Read the rest of this entry »

Ingredients:

1 pound beans (2 1/2 c)

5 c water

5 or 6 pieces of bacon, diced or 1/4 pound salt pork, sliced

1 c tomato juice

1/2 c chopped onion

1/4 c molasses

1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 t Watkins Dry Mustard

1 1/2 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

1 t Watkins Chili Powder

Directions:

Soak beans over night in large bowl. Drain; put in a large stockpot. Cover with 5 cups water and simmer over medium-low heat until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving 2 cup of liquid. Add beans to slow cooker. In skillet over medium heat, fry bacon or salt pork until browned; stir into the beans in crock pot. Combine tomato juice, chopped onion, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, pepper and chili powder; add to beans and stir well. Cover and cook on LOW 7 – 9 hours or HIGH 4 – 5 hours until beans are tender and flavorful. Check and add a little of the reserve liquid as necessary.

Ingredients:

2        pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

1/3    cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley

1        T snipped fresh rosemary

2        t finely shredded lime peel

1        T fresh lime juice

1        clove garlic, minced (1/2 t)

2        T extra virgin olive oil

1/3    cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Salt and Watkins Pepper

Directions:

Bring large saucepan of water to boiling. Add 1 T salt and green beans. Cook beans until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge in ice water. Let sit in ice water 3 minutes or until cool. Drain well and set aside.

In small bowl combine parsley, rosemary, lime peel and juice and garlic. Set aside.

In 12 inch skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in lime mixture and hazelnuts. Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 8

Tip: To toast hazelnuts, spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned. Remove papery skins from hazelnuts by rubbing nuts with clean towel.

Ingredients:

4      slices peppered bacon

2      pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through stem end

3/4  cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2  t kosher salt

1/4  t Watkins Pepper

3/4  cup whipping cream

Watkins Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

In 12 inch skillet cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.

In skillet add Brussels sprouts to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat 4 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Uncover; cook 2 to 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add cream. Cook 4 minutes more or until thickened.Transfer sprouts to serving dish.   Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and cracked pepper

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2        slices firm sandwich bread, crumbled

Several leaves of fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1/2     cup fine, dry bread crumbs, plus extra for coating

3/4     cup grated sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack

1 1/2  T canola Oil

3/4     cup finely chopped onion

1/2     cup finely chopped green or red bell pepper

1/2     cup frozen corn kernels

1         clove garlic, minced

1         t Watkins Chili Powder

1         t Watkins Cumin

1         egg, lightly beaten

1/2     cup solidly packed pumpkin mash or canned pumpkin

1/2     cup ricotta

1/2     t salt

1/2     t Watkins Pepper

2         T butter

Directions:

In a medium-size bowl, mix together the crumbled bread, parsley, bread crumbs and grated cheese. Set this aside. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat, then add the onion, pepper and corn. Saute the vegetables until soft, about 7 minutes, stirring often. Mix in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook it all for another minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and spoon the contents into the bread crumb mixture.

In a large bowl, mix together the egg, pumpkin and ricottta. Add the bread crumb mixture, stirring thoroughly, then season with the salt and pepper. Flour your hands, then shape the mixture into six 3/4-inch thick patties, using about 1/3 cup for each one. Dredge the patties in bread crumbs and refrigerate them for about 1 1/2 hours.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Transfer the patties to the skillet and fry them over medium heat until they turn golden, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove them from the skillet and serve right away.

Makes 6 patties.

Tip: The crumbled bread is essential to the texture and prepared bread crumbs shouldn’t be substituted. Set out the bread slices for abut 30 minutes to air-dry, then crumble them by hand, with a serrated knife, or in a food processor.

Ingredients:

2        eggs

3        cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, or 1 (40 ounce) can sweet potatoes,

rinsed, drained and mashed

1/2    cup granulated sugar

1/4    cup sweetened condensed milk

2/3    cup butter, melted, divided

1        teaspoon Watkins Vanilla

1        cup flaked coconut

1        cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3    cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

Place eggs in a large bowl; beat well.  Add sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, condensed milk, 1/3 cup melted butter and vanilla; mix well.  Spoon into baking dish.

Combine coconut, brown sugar, flour and remaining melted butter in a medium bowl.  Stir until well blended.  Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.

Bake, uncovered, 35 to 45 minutes, until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.  Serves 8 to 10.