Side Dishes Page 1

Top of the Hill Deviled Eggs 8 large hard boiled eggs 2 Tbsp. butter 1/2 tsp. mustard 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. vinegar mayonnaise paprika Slice your hard boiled eggs in half lengthwise and carefully remove the yolks. Mash your yolks with a fork. Mix together the butter, mustard, salt and vinger. Beat with a fork to thoroughly combine. Add this to your mashed yolks and mix well. Add just enough mayonnaise to make your mixture creamy. Fill each egg half with this mixture and sprinkle the top with paprika. BLACK-EYED PEAS 2 c. black-eyed or pigeon peas, washed and picked over 3 or 4 meaty smoked ham hocks or a meaty ham bone 2 large onions Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste About 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper Red or white wine vinegar to taste Tabasco sauce, optional Place the peas in a large pot with water to cover. Turn th heat to high and bring to a boil; skim foam if necessary. Add the ham hocks, onions and about 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Turn the heat down so the beans simmer. Cover loosely and stir very occasionally; add additional water if necessary. When the meat in the beans is very soft - at least an hour and a half later - remove it. When it is cool enough to handle, chop all the meat and return it to the pot, along with some salt if necessary. Continue to cook until the beans are very tender. Drain if necessary and season with salt, pepper, vinegar and Tabasco or other hot sauce. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Top of the Hill Macaroni and Cheese 1 c. macaroni, boiled 2/3 c. sweet milk, scalded 1 or 2 eggs 1 c. grated cheese salt and paprika Few grains cayenne 1/4 c. bread crumbs Butter a baking dish. Place alternate layers of macaroni and cheese in it, reserving 1/8 cup of cheese for top. Beat eggs, and temper them by slowing adding scalded milk, Add seasoning and pour over macaroni. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese combined with bread crumbs. Bake in quick oven (375F) until well browned. If macaroni is packed in a ring mold, omit cheese and bread topping. Place mold in pan of hot water. Bake as directly for about 15 minutes. Loosen edges with knife and turn onto a flat plate.

Mac and Cheese with Custard Sauce

1 box macaroni, cooked just until tender using directions on box

1 1/4 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. AP flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 1/2 c. half and half

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

1 2/3 c. grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Drain the cooked macaroni and place in 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Mix in the cubed cheddar cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, 1 teaspoons salt, dry mustard, black pepper and nutmeg in large mixing bowl, and stir to blend. Add beaten eggs and mix well to blend. Add half and half and heavy cream. Mix again to blend. Pour this custard like mixture over the macaroni and cubed cheese and stir a little to blend. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top. Bake until custard is set around the edges of the baking dish and mixture is bubbly in the center. About 30 minutes. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes to allow the custard to set and thicken.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with White Sauce 1/2 lb macaroni, cooked
2 c. Bechamel Cheese Sauce (Recipe Below)
1/2 c. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 c. freshly made buttered bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Put the cooked macaroni into the casserole, pour the cheese sauce over it, and mix gently with a fork. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top and spread the crumbs over the cheese. Bake, uncovered, until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes White Sauce or Bechamel Sauce
(The foolproof way to attain a perfectly smooth sauce is to have the milk hot when added to the butter and flour. It uses an extra pot, and as you make this more often, you may not need the extra pot)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/4 c. milk, heated
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown � about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a film of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming.

Cheese Sauce: Stir in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Use Scalded Milk: Warm the milk on low heat just until little bubbles begin to form at the edges. Then remove from heat.

Makes about 1 cup.

from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Crunchy Chili Onion Rings

3 c. all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. chili powder
4 1/2 tsp. salt
1 12-oz bottle dark beer (preferably Mexican)
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, coarsely torn

2 large onions, peeled
Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

Mix flour, chili powder, and salt in medium bowl. Pour beer into small bowl. Finely grind tortillas in processor; transfer to deep bowl.

Line large baking sheet with foil. Cut onions crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Separate rounds into rings. Dip 1 onion ring into flour mixture, then beer, flour again and beer again, then add to bowl with ground tortillas and toss to coat. Using wooden skewer, transfer coated ring to sheet of foil. Repeat with remaining onion rings.

Pour oil into heavy large skillet to depth of 1 inch. Rest top of deep-fry thermometer against edge of skillet, submerging bulb end in oil. Heat oil to 370F to 380F. Fry onion rings, 4 at a time until golden brown, maintaining temperature, about 3 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Apple Fritters

1 c. AP flour
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. cold beer (not dark)
10 c. vegetable oil
2 apples (1 lb), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Stir together flour, granulated sugar, and salt, then add beer and whisk to combine. Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot until thermometer registers 375�F.

Dip apple slices in batter, shaking off excess, and fry, about 8 at a time, until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer fritters with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners sugar.

Makes about 32 fritters.

Fantastic Limas 3 slices bacon 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 tsp oregano leaves 1 can lima beans (fresh or frozen) 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese Cook bacon until crisp, drain. Add garlic to bacon drippings, oregano, 2 tablespoons liquid from beans. Heat. Add salt and pepper, cruimbled bacon; stir in cheese and serve.

Broccoli with Orange Sauce 2 pkgs frozen broccoli or 1 1/2 lbs fresh 2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. flour 1 c. fresh ornage juice 1/8 tsp. salt Paprika Cook broccoli in 1/2 c. salted water until tender. Melt butter in small saucepan; blend in flour and cook a few mintues. Add orange juice and salt. Cook and stir until thick and smooth. Drain Broccoli. Top broccoli with orange sauce and sprinkle with paprika.

Carrot Supreme Whole parboiled carrots Light brown sugar Ginger Powdered dry mustard Parsley (for garnish) Saute whole parboiled carrots in butter. Add light brown sugar, a pinch each of ginger and powdered dry mustard. Toss in skillet until coated and tender. Garnish with parsley. The sugar is as much as you enjoy, make it sweet to your taste.

Asparagus Cheese Fritters 24 fresh asparagus spears 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder Salt and pepper to taste 3/4 c. finely grated gruyere cheese 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest 1 1/4 c. milk 1 egg Dash of Worcestershire sauce Oil for deep frying Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs (garnish) Wash, trim and cut asparagus about 1/2 inch below tips; reserve tender part of stems for soups or stews. Blanch tips in large amount of boiling water one minute. Drain immediately and dry well with paper towels. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in mixing bowl. Add grated cheese and lemon zest and blend well. In separate measuring cup or bowl, beat together milk, egg and Worcestershire. Slowly stir intop dry mixture and blend completely (mixture should be fairly thick, almost the consistency of sour cream). Let stand 30 mintes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours. If mixture becomes too thick, thin with small amount of milk.. To cook, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 375 F in deep fryer or large skillet. Using long-handled fork or spoon, individually dip asparagus tip into batter and deep fry serveral seconds on each side until puffed and golden . Remove with slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. Transfer to heated serving platter and keep warm. When cooking is completed, decorate platter with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs and serve immediately. Fritters can be frozen. To reheat, arrange on baking sheet and bake in 400F oven 10 to 12 minutes.

Corn Puffs 1 egg, separated 1/3 c. milk 1 Tbsp butter, melted 1/2 c. cream style corn 1 c. all purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt Beat egg yok. Add milk, butter, corn and sifted dry ingredients. Beat egg white until stiff; fold in. Drop by tablespoon into ddep hot fat. Fry until light brown.