Classic Cast Iron Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef

1 lbs. ground pork

1/2 cup quick oats

1/2 cup cracker crumbs

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Water

1 cup ketchup/ barbecue sauce if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine all the above ingredients, except for the water and ketchup, and mix together until well blended. Be careful not to handle the meat mixture to much. Shape into a round bun and place in the cast iron skillet. Pour water half way up in the skillet. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until meatloaf is done. Spoon ketchup over the meatloaf and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Cowboy Caviar

2 cans prepared organic black eyed peas
4 jalapeño peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh Cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
Salt/ pepper to taste

Mix all together and refrigerate. Serve with pita, or your favorite, chips.

Corn Meal Palenta

1 roll corn meal Mush
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/2 stick butter
1 cup of your best spaghetti sauce
1 bunch Spinach leaves

Slice Mush into 1/2" slices and place on baking sheet
Top with pressed garlic, Parmesan cheese, butter pat, salt and pepper.
Broil 10 minutes or until crispy.
Place spinach leaves on plate, add broiled Mush, and top with sauce and more Parmesan.

Cheesecake Crescent Rolls 

2 cans of Pillsbury Crescent rolls
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
Cinnamon
Sugar
Local honey
Unroll and spread 1 of the cans of crescent rolls on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish (or 8 x 8 if you want to cut the recipe in half). Combine softened cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla. Spread over crescent roll layer. Unroll and layer remaining crescent rolls over cream cheese layer. Melt your butter and spread over top of crescent rolls. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar. 
Bake for 20-30 minutes in 350 degree oven until bubbly and slightly browned. Drizzle with a little local honey. Let cool a bit, slice and eat.

Thanksgiving Veggie Tray

Just cut colored peppers, cucumbers, and carrots and arrange like this. 

Ruth Chris New Orleans Shrimp (Mock Recipe)

2 doz large (16/20) shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1 oz canola oil

3  tbs chopped green onions 

2 oz dry white wine

1 tsp fresh chopped garlic

4 tbs Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Tabasco

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp paprika

2 sticks butter

Place a large cast iron skillet on a burner and heat over high heat. Add oil and cook shrimp until they are almost done. It’s best to prepare shrimp in batches if you do not have large skillet. Remove shrimp and set aside on a large platter.

Add green onions to the oil in the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add white wine and let simmer until it is reduced by half.

When the wine is reduced by half, add chopped garlic, Worcestershire, Tabasco. cayenne pepper and paprika. Shake the pan well and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low.

Cut butter into small chunks with the knife and slowly add into pan, shaking fast to melt butter.

Continue to add butter and shake until all butter is melted. Add shrimp back to pan and toss well to coat shrimp with butter and seasonings and to heat the shrimp. 

Rumaki

One of my Christmas favorites.
Wrap whole large water chestnuts in bacon
Drizzle with BBQ sauce cut with 10% Soy sauce
Bake at 375* for 30-45 minutes.