Sausage-stuffed Squash and Zucchini

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 pound ground Italian sausage or pork sausage 

1/4 cup of shallot

1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups of Colby-Jack cheese blend, divided or any preferred cheese

1 (7-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained 

4 ounces cream cheese, softened 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed 

2 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and seeds removed

Preheat the oven to 375 and then in a 14-inch ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat, then add the sausage. (I used pork sausage instead of Italian cause that's what I had on hand.) Add shallot (which I didn't have instead I used onions) and cook stirring frequently, until sausage is browned and crumbly about 10 mins. Then add the garlic, cook for 1 min, then transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl and wipe the skillet clean. 

Stir in part of the cheese (I used cheddar because I love cheddar, but you can use whatever you have on hand), pimentos (which I had none), cream cheese, parsley, salt, black pepper, and fennel seed ( I did without) with the sausage mixture and mix well. Then evenly dived it between the squash and zucchini halves ( I just used zucchini). Place the stuffed squash and zucchini in a skillet and cover it with foil. Put it in the oven and bake for 15 mins, then uncover it and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 to 10 mins more until the squash and zucchini are tender and the cheese is melted. Enjoy! I don't like zucchini and sausage but liked it this way. This is found in Paula Deen's magazine May/June 2022 page 25.

Lemon Spinach pasta salad

 Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups orzo, cooked according to the package directions

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups of spinach 

First, you put oil in a large saucepan and heat it over medium-high heat, then add the cooked orzo, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook; stir frequently, until heated through, about 2 mins. Stir in the spinach just until wilted. Enjoy. This is found in Paula Deen's magazine September 2019 pg 21.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

 Ingredients: 

2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

1 2/3 cups plus 3 tablespoon sugar, divided

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

6 large eggs

1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

10 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons of lemon zest

1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 

First, you make the graham cracker crust. You preheat the oven to 350 then in a medium bowl stir together, cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Put the mixture in a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. I used an already made graham cracker crust. You then bake it until golden, about 10 min, and let cool completely. 

Then or while the crust is baking you whisk together eggs, lemon juice, cornstarch, and remaining 1/3 cups of sugar in a saucepan until smooth then over medium heat keep whisking until thickened. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the cream cheese and lemon zest until melted and smooth. You then pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and put it in the freezer for about 3 hours or overnight. Before serving, let the pie stand at room temperature to soften for 5 to 10 mins and then spread the whipped topping on top. and enjoy. You can then refregerate it for up to 2 days. This is the best lemon pie my mom has ever eaten she says. This recipe is found in Paula deen Magazine May/June 2021 page 79. 

Chicken and wild rice caserole

 Ingredients: 

3/4 cup butter, divided

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 stalks of celery, thinly sliced

4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 

4 (8.8-ounce) packages fully cooked long grain and wild rice

2 cans ( 8-ounce ) cream of mushroom soup

1 1/4 cups shredded parmesan cheese 

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups crushed buttery round crackers

You preheat the oven to 350 degrees and you spray a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Then you cook the long grain and wild rice accordingly to package. While the rice is cooking you melt 1/4 cup of butter in a skillet (but I did 1/3 cup butter because I didn't have exactly the right amount of chicken and sour cream) then add onion until tender, about 10 min. Next, you stir in the chicken, rice, soup, cheese, sour cream, milk, and pepper until well combined and put crushed buttery round crackers on top ( I used fried onion on top). Then pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until hot and bubbly then let cool for 10 mins. Enoy! This recipe is found in Paula Deen magazine Sept/Oct 2016 page 52. 

Cheddar and herb drop biscuits

 Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1  cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

2 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 cup whole buttermilk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

I preheated the oven to 400 degrees and I lined a pizza sheet with parchment paper. Then in a large bowl, you whisk together, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and garlic powder and then you add the cheese and the green onion, and parsley. ( I didn't have green onions and it tasted good without them.) Then you stir in the buttermilk just until a dough forms. 

I didn't drop them by 1/4 cupful on the prepared pan you can. I just used a spoon and drop them on the prepared pan. You then brush them with butter on top then you bake them in the oven for 20 min or until golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy it. This recipe is found in Paula Deen's magazine November 2016 cooking with Paula Deen Southern Thanksgiving page  56.

Mozzarella Breadsticks

 Ingredients

1(16-ounce) bag deli pizza dough ( I used a can of pizza dough)

3 mozzarella cheese sticks  cut into fourths ( I used string cheese and fourths)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon fresh parsley or a sprinkle of dried parsley

1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning  

1 teaspoon of garlic powder 

Paula deen has you line a baking sheet with parchment paper, but I didn't line mine with parchment paper. She has you roll out the dough on a lightly covered surface and cut the dough into strips and place the 3 cheese pieces in the center of the dough and wrap the dough around the cheese pinching seam to seal. place the seal side down on the baking sheet. Let it rise for 30 mins until puffed. 

Preheat oven according to what is on the can. 

I put the pizza dough on a cutting board and cut it into strips and then I placed  3 cheese pieces in the center of the dough and wrap the dough around the cheese pinching seam to seal. place the seal side down on the baking sheet. Then I put melted butter on each one and sprinkled on the parsley, Italian seasoning, and the garlic powder.

Then I baked it for 15 mins until it was golden brown and the cheese was bubbling. Let it stand for 10 minutes and serve warm with marinara sauce warmed up on the side. 

This recipe is found in Paula Deen's magazine January/February 2018 page 45.

Citrus-Mustard-Glazed Ham

Ingredients:

1 (8to10 pound) fully cooked spiral sliced ham

1 cup OJ

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup honey

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

I adapted it a little bit. We put the ham in a slow cooker after I put the glaze on. For the glaze, you bring orange juice and the remaining 4 ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 min or until slightly thickened. This recipe is found in Paula Deen’s magazine March/April 2014 page 60.