Southern Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:
Mama's Southern Cornbread
3 cups soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter
2 medium onions, diced (2 cups)
1 bunch celery, diced (3 cups)
1 Tablespoon dried sage
4 eggs, beaten
5-6 cans chicken broth (10 oz. cans)
1 Tablespoon black pepper

Directions:

• Make Mama's Southern Cornbread and allow to cool completely. (I usually make this a day or so ahead of when needed.)

• Crumble cornbread into an extra-large mixing bowl.

• Add soft bread crumbs and stir together well.

• Melt butter in skillet.
• Add diced onions and celery and saute till tender.
• Sprinkle in sage and stir well/
• Add vegetables to bread crumbs and stir.
• Sprinkle with pepper.
• Add beaten eggs.

• Pour in chicken broth and stir till well blended and makes a batter.

• Spray one 13x9-inch baking dish and one 8-inch square baking dish with vegetable spray.
• Pour mixture evenly into baking dishes. (I do this the day before and chill overnight.  If batter seems dry, add more chicken broth.)
• Chill at least 8 hours.
• Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
• Serve warm with turkey and gravy.

UPDATE: I added a few photos to this recipe today because I wanted to play with my camera.  I also thought I should update by letting you know that I have added chopped oysters to the small pan of dressing for the last few times I have made this because Mike has requested it.  I am taking his work for it that this enhances it and makes it even more wonderful!  I can eat fried oysters when I'm at the beach and have even enjoyed them.  In-the-raw, though, I can just barely make myself handle them to put in the dressing or a breading to fry them for Mike.  The things we do for love!

Zucchinin Gratin

This recipe is adapted from one of Martha Stewart's.

4 Tablespoons Butter
5 Medium zucchini
1 3 thick slices of a large onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups grated cheese (I used a mixture of mild Cheddar, Parmesan, Monterey Jack, and Mozzarella)

• Slice zucchini crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices.

• Dice onion slices with a rough chop.

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.

• Add zucchini, onion, and garlic.

• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is crisp-tender (6-8 minutes)
• Add buttermilk.

• Cook until thickened, about 5-7 more minutes.

• Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1 cup of grated cheese.
• Stir in 1/2 Panko bread crumbs.
• Spoon mixture into a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

• Sprinkle remaining cheese and remaining bread crumbs over top.

• Bake until top is golden (about 8-10 minutes) and serve.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

This is a recipe that is adapted from The Neelys who have a cooking show on The Food Network.  I think theirs was for a fish sandwich but we like it with a baked potato and salad just as well!

Ingredients:
Nonstick Vegetable Cooking Spray
4 Tablespoons Butter, melted
3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 heaping Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Dill (or 1 scant Tablespoon Dried Dill)
1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
Salt and black Pepper to taste
4 Tilapia Fillets
2-3 Tablespoons Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place a heavy-duty baking pan sprayed with vegetable spray in the oven to heat.
• Mix together the butter, mustard, and dill in a pie plate or shallow bowl.
• Combine bread crumbs, salt, cayenne and black peppers, and seasoning in another pie plate or shallow bowl.
• Dredge the fish through the butter mixture and then through the crumb mixture.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Immediately place on the hot cooking pan in the oven and bake until cooked through and lightly golden (about 15 minutes).

Fish And Chips

This recipe makes a delicious meal that is crispy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside.  Delicious!

Chips:
4 Potatoes, washed and set aside to dry
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Malt Vinegar
Salt, Black Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Mix together oil, vinegar, and spices.
• Cut potatoes into wedges and place in a bowl.
• Pour oil mixture over potatoes and toss to coat thoroughly.
• Lay out flat on a foil-lined baking pan that has been spritzed with vegetable spray.
• Bake for 30 minutes, turning half way through.

Fish:

4 Tilapia fillets

4 Tablespoons Butter, melted

4 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 Tablespoons dried Dill flakes or 2 Tablespoons chopped, fresh Dill

1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Salt, Black Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper to taste

• Mix together butter, mustard, and dill and place in a shallow bowl or pie pan.
• Mix together bread crumbs and spices and place in a shallow bowl or pie pan.
• Dredge fish into butter mixture to coat well.  Then, dredge into bread crumbs to coat thoroughly.
• Lay on a hot, foil-lined baking pan that has been spritzed with vegetable spray.
• Bake for about 15-20 minutes, flipping half-way through.

Serve with a spicy ketchup and tartar sauce if you would like.