From the Hearth

Slave Recipes Revealed

This month, kaylee's very excited to have received delicious "tried and true" recipes straight from the kitchens of other slaves. Covering a wide variety of tastes, these dishes are easy to make and bound to please. This girl is very grateful to the generous slaves who donated their favorite recipes- thank you for sharing them with her, and with other avid chefs who read this column.

If anyone would care to submit one of their favorite recipes, this one can be reached at kaylee@gor-on-earth.com

Favorite Slave Recipes

Corn-On-The-Cob with Chili-Garlic Butter- submitted by devotion{MGL}

3 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp. chili powder
6 ears sweet corn

1. Combine the butter, garlic and chili powder in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Soak the corn in the husk in a sink filled with cold water (at least 15 minutes). Remove the corn from the water, shake semi-dry, and pull the husks back halfway. Remove silk as you can. Rub the flavored butter all over the corn kernelsPull the husks back over the corn and twist shut. Tightly wrap each ear of corn in foil.

3. Immediately place the corn on the grill over hot coals (hurry or the wet husks will dry out). Close the cover and cook 35 minutes, rotating each ear one-third of a turn every 10 minutes.

4. Remove the foil from each ear. Cool a few minutes until easy to handle, then remove the husks. Serve immediately.

Grilled Mushrooms with Lemon-Soy Marinade- submitted by devotion{MGL}

Lemon Soy Marinade:
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
3 tbs. fresh lemon juice
4-1/2 tbs. soy sauce
2-1/2 tbs. oriental sesame oil
1 green onion (very thinly sliced)
3 garlic cloves (crushed)
1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Combine the ingredients in a jar with a screw-on top and shake vigorously.

Grilled Mushrooms:
Lemon Soy Marinade
1-1/2 lb. mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry
1 tsp. minced fresh parsley
Skewers for grilling

1. Prepare the marinade and pour into a large bowl. Stir in the mushrooms and toss to coat well. Let sit 4 to 6 hours, tossing occasionally.

2. Thread the mushrooms on the skewers, running the skewers through the stems and out the caps.

3. Grill over hot coals 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so. Brush with some of the leftover marinade while cooking. Brush with marinade and sprinkle the minced parsley over the mushrooms just before serving.

Grilled Garlic Tomatoes- submitted by devotion{MGL}

2 large, firm, ripe tomatoes
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried basil
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
2 tbs. olive oil

1. With a very shallow cut, remove the cores from the tomatoes. Cut each tomato in half horizontally, then gently squeeze out the juice and seeds.

2. Place 2 tomato halves on each of 2 double sheets of aluminum foil large enough to enclose them. Sprinkle the garlic, basil, salt and pepper over each tomato. Drizzle on the olive oil. Fold the foil over the tomatoes to form well-sealed packets.

3. Place the packets on a hot grill and cook about 15 minutes. Check one of the packets; when done, the tomatoes will be juicy and tender, but not mushy. Serve with the accumulated juices poured over them.

Mexican Cornbread- submitted by princess

1 lb ground beef
1 cup salsa
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can of tomato soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small onion
1/2 cup diced peppers suited to your taste
1 box of jiffy cornbread mix
1 cup shredded cheese

1. Brown the ground beef and drain.

2. While the meat is browning, saut? the peppers and onions in separate pan (this one uses water not butter or oil to save on unwanted fat and calories)

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the salsa, corn, soup and sour cream. Set aside. Also, set aside a casserole dish (greased or sprayed with cooking spray).

4. In another bowl, prepare the cornbread mix as directed.

5. When ground beef is cooked, thoroughly drain and add to salsa mixture in large mixing bowl. Stir in the onions and peppers and mix well.

6. Pour into casserole dish and spread the cornbread mixture over the top. With a fork, gently fold into the mixture.

7. Bake at 350 for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the cornbread is completely cooked. Sprinkle top with the cheese and pop back in the oven until cheese is melted.

Couscous Salad- submitted by natasha, Blodger's girl

1 package couscous w/flavor packet
1 large tomato
1 medium cucumber
1 can black olives
1 can mushrooms
2 Tbs lime juice (or more to taste)

1. Prepare Couscous according to package.

2. Add Lime Juice to Couscous, and mix through.

3. Drain mushrooms and stir through couscous.

4. Roughly chop tomato, cucumber and olives. Mix into couscous. Chill for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight to let the flavors meld.

Ginger-Pear Pork Chops- submitted by natasha, Blodger's girl

2 Tbls Pineapple Juice
2 Tbls Honey
2 Tbls Water
2 Tsps Lemon Juice
Generous Dash of Ground Ginger
1 large ripe pear, sliced
2 Pork Loin Chops (1/2 thick)
1 Tsp Vegetable oil
Pinch of Salt
Dash Pepper
1 tsp Cornstarch

1. Combine pineapple juice, honey, 1 tbls water, lemon juice, ginger, and pear slices.

2. Brown both sides of pork chops in oil over med/high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat.

3. Pour pear sauce over pork chops, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 mins till meat juices run clear.

4. Remove pork and pear slices, and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and 1 Tbls Water till smooth. Stir into sauce. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir until thickened. Serve over pork chops and pears.

"Light as a Cloud" Swirl- submitted by natasha, Blodger's girl

1 package lady fingers, split
1 1/3 cups boiling water
2 small packages Jello in different colors (natasha mentioned lemon and raspberry)
1 cup cold water
ice cubes
1 tub Cool Whip, thawed

1. Line 9" cake pan with lady fingers. Stand up lady fingers around the edge to form a border.

2. Stir 2/3 cup of boiling water into each Jello in separate bowls. Stir till dissolved, about three minutes.

3. Mix cold water and ice cubes to make 2 1/2 cups. Add half to each bowl of Jello, until slightly thickened. Remove any remaining ice.

4. Gently whisk 1/2 of the Cool Whip into each bowl of Jello mixture until smooth. Refrigerate 30 minutes till thick and able to mound.

5. Spoon mixtures alternately into the pan, and swirl with knife to marblize. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Slice like pie.

Fruit Truffle- submitted by maralyn{Sol}

yellow cake mix
vanilla pudding mix
fresh fruit of your choice- maralyn suggests strawberries, bananas, kiwi, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries
whipped cream

1. Cook and cool the yellow cake according to package directions. Make it into two round cakes, cutting the baked cake in half to give you four pieces.

2. While cake is baking, prepare pudding according to package directions.

3. Place cake pieces in the bottom of a big round bowl or huge brandy snifter. Layer pudding on top of cake.

4. Layer fruit on top of the pudding layer. Then add a layer of whipped cream on top of the fruit.

5. Continue layering until the bowl is full.

If anyone would care to submit one of their favorite recipes, this one can be reached at kaylee{G}