CENTRAL FLORIDA'S: BIG DADDY FRANK  

Ingredients:

• 1 pound red beans, washed, drained, and soaked in water overnight, drained 3 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped     1/2 cup chopped celery       1 large bay leaf, crushed
• 1 medium onion, chopped         1/2 cup cooking oil              Salt and pepper
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced         2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
• Steaming rice     16 oz can tomato sauce   3 tablespoons cajun seasoning

Place beans in cold water in a 4-quart pot. Add garlic, celery, bay leaf, onion, cajun spice, and oil and bring to a boil. Add Sauce and reduce heat to simmer for about 2 hours. Add water as needed, stirring occasionally. Add salt, pepper, sausage, and parsley and continue cooking over low heat for about 1 hour. Serve over a mound of steaming rice and enjoy! For 6-8 people.

 Black Bean Burgers

Vegetable Pot Pie

Yields: 8 dozen     Ingredients:

• 2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen spinach, cooked, drained, cooled
• 1 bunch green onions, cut into sections
• 1 bunch parsley, washed and drained, snipped into sections
• 1 head lettuce, washed, drained, broken into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup margarine, melted      1 (2-ounce) can anchovies
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauces        4 ounces Absinthe or 1 teaspoon anise
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice        Tabasco Sauce        Salt
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs                        8 dozen oysters on the half shell

Preheat oven to 450º F. Place first 4 ingredients, well-drained in blender or food processor and chop finely. Add margarine, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, Absinthe, lemon juice and seasonings, and puree until all ingredients are smoothly blended into a sauce. Arrange oysters on a cookie sheet or other baking pan, place 1 Tablespoon of sauce on each, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 20-30 minutes until brown, and serve hot.

Serves: 8       Ingredients:

• 20 oz Clams, chopped or diced         12 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 2 tsp Lemon Juice      1 tsp Salt       1 tsp Pepper     3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 large Garlic clove (pressed)     3 dash Tabasco sauce      1 cup sour cream

Blend all ingredients together. Let set for 2 hours before serving.

Serves: 20    Ingredients:

• 10 slices white bread       2 Tablespoons butter         1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 6 ounces cooked shrimp, cleaned and chopped    1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese   1/3 cup mayonnaise    1/2  to 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste          Dill weed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a 2-inch round fluted pastry cutter, cut 2 circles from each bread slice. (Reserve scraps for crumbs). In small saucepan, melt butter and add thyme. Bruch bread circles with this mixture. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes, until golden. Meanwhile, combine shrimp with cheeses, mayonnaise, bread crumbs and salt. When circles are cool, put a rounded Tablespoon of shrimp mixture on each. Sprinkle with a pinch of dill and place under broiler for about 3 minutes.

Yields: 6 to 8 dozen     Ingredients:

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach        2 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
• 1 large onion, finely chopped        6 eggs, well-beaten
• 3/4 cup melted margarine       3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 Tablespoon Cayenne pepper to taste     1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1-2 teaspoons Tony's Creole Seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Cook spinach according to package directions and drain well, squeezing to remove excess moisture. Combine with stuffing mix, chopped onion, eggs, margarine, cheese, Cayenne and garlic salt. Mix well. Shape into 3/4-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes. (These are successfully frozen by placing on a pan in freezer until hard, then storing in airtight bags. To serve, thaw slightly and bake 20-25 minutes.)

Serves: 4 to 6                         Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs (60 ml) butter    6 Tbs (90 ml) all-purpose flour       1 cup (250 ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream or half-and-half     1/2 lb (225 g) Gruyere or good quality Swiss cheese
• 3 egg yolks, beaten      Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Flour for dredging      1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbs (15 ml) water
• Bread crumbs for dredging          Oil for frying

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over moderate heat and stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the milk and cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the cheese until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks, salt, and pepper. Pour into a well greased 6 x 9 inch (15 x 23 cm) pan and chill for at least 2 hours. Remove from the pan by dipping it in warm water and cut the custard into squares, or into shapes using a cookie cutter. Dredge lightly with flour, dip into the beaten egg, and then coat with bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.