Cast- Iron Oyster & Cornbread Stuffing

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup diced tasso ham

5 cups cubed cornbread

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 leek, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

¼ cup chopped fresh sage

¼ cup chopped fresh thyme

½ cup white wine

24 fresh oysters, shucked and halved, plus ½ cup oyster liquor

½ cup unsalted chicken stock

salt & pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

3 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 10 tablespoons butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add ham and cook 5 minutes. Remove the ham to a large bowl and mix with the cornbread. Add garlic, celery, leeks, onions, sage and thyme to the skillet. Sweat the vegetables over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add the wine and cook 4 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high, add oyster liquor and stock. Bring to boil then remove from heat and cool 13 minutes. Add the oysters to the bowl with the cornbread and ham. Pour the cooled vegetables into the bowland mix. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in parsley and eggs. Grease the same skillet with the remaiing 2 tablespoons butter and transfer the cornbread mixture into the skillet. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and cook 13 minutes.

Crockpot Stuffing

1 cup butter

2 cups onion , chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

¼ cup fresh parsley

16 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

12 cups stuffing bread cubes

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1½ teaspoon rubbed sage

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups chicken broth

2 large eggs, beaten

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until bubbly and hot.

• Saute onion, celery, and mushrooms in hot butter until onions are translucent and mushrooms have released their liquid.
• Stir parsley into the onion mixture and immediately remove from heat.
• Place bread cubes, poultry seasoning, rubbed sage, salt, fresh thyme, and black pepper in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
• Pour onion mixture over the bread cubes and stir to mix.Add the chicken broth and eggs to the mixture and toss lightly until combined.
• Transfer stuffing mixture to the slow cooker (do not pack) and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

Famous Meatloaf

4 pounds lean hamburger

4 eggs

8 slices wheat or white bread

2 packets Lipton onion soup mix or half an onion diced

6 ounces catsup

Mix hamburger, eggs, bread and onion soup mix in large mixing bowl. Form into one large loaf. Put loaf into covered roasting pan. Spread catsup over entire top of loaf and cover. Cook in oven at 325 degrees for 2 hours and 30 minutes. 

Loaded Vegetable Nachos

8 ounces sturdy tortilla chips

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked pinto beans

1 packed cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 packed cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or additional cheddar

1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Pickled jalapeños, to taste

Avocado dip, thinned with water until it reaches a drizzly consistency, or guacamole

⅓ cup chopped green onions

2 radishes, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Your favorite salsa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place handfuls of chips on the baking sheet and distribute evenly, minimizing the gaps between chips. Set aside.

1. Sprinkle the prepared pan of chips generously and evenly with the beans, followed by the shredded cheese, bell pepper, crumbled feta and pickled jalapeños (use more if you really love jalapeños, less if you don’t). Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 9 to 13 minutes. Remove the nachos from the oven and set aside.
2. While the nachos are baking, make the avocado sauce and prepare the garnishes.
3. Once the nachos are out of the oven, drizzle avocado sauce on top as shown—any extra can be served on the side. (If using guacamole instead, dollop the guacamole over the nachos like polka dots.) Sprinkle the nachos with chopped green onion, radish and cilantro. Serve immediately, with salsa on the side.
4. Once the nachos are out of the oven, drizzle avocado sauce on top as shown—any extra can be served on the side. (If using guacamole instead, dollop the guacamole over the nachos like polka dots.) Sprinkle the nachos with chopped green onion, radish and cilantro. Serve immediately, with salsa on the side.

Ultimate Nachos

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

1 (16-ounce/454g) can refried beans

¼ cup water

1 (13-ounce/368g) bag tortilla chips

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)

¼ cup pickled jalapenos

For the Toppings

3 roma tomatoes, diced

½ cup diced red onion

1 avocado, diced

1/3 cup sour cream

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat the oven to 400°F(200°C).

Add the ground beef to a skillet over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, using a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain any fat. Then add the taco seasoning and cook for 5 minutes more, until browned and slightly crispy.

Add the refried beans and water to the skillet and stir until combined.

On a rimmed sheet pan, add a layer of tortilla chips and top with the ground beef mixture, cheese and jalapenos. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges of the tortilla chips are golden.

Remove from the oven and add the diced tomatoes, onion, avocado, sour cream, and cilantro. Serve while warm.

Rice with Carrots and Ground Meat

2 cups uncooked rice

1-2 pounds ground meat (lamb, beef or turkey)

2 bags shredded carrots

1 large onion, sliced

2 cups tomato sauce 

oil for frying

salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, fry the carrots until golden, take the carrots out leaving the oil in the pan. Brown the meat in the remaining oil and the onion. Then add the carrots and the tomato sauce. Cook altogether for 10-15 minutes. Cook rice according to package instructions. Put one layer white rice and one layer of the mixture and so on until done. Top layer should be rice.