CROCKPOT WEDNESDAY

Beef and noodles is a comfort food. This recipe is easy and add a salad or slaw and you have a yummy meal.

LITTLE MEATS AND GRAVY
2 lbs. chuck or stew beef cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pkg. onion soup mix
2 cans low-sodium cream of chicken soup
2 soup cans water
cooked noodles, rice, or potatoes for serving

Combine all ingredients in the slow-cooker; stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours. Thicken if desired, and serve over noodles, rice, or potatoes.

TUESDAY'S TREAT

Need a quick dessert? Try these yummy cookie bites. For a pretty look use an icing bag to pipe the filling in and top with mini M&M's.

CREAM CHEESE COOKIE CUPS
1 tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (18oz.)
4 oz. cream cheese softened
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar

Cut cookie dough in half (save one portion for another use.) With floured hands, press about 1 tbsp. of dough onto the bottom and up the sides of 12 ungreased miniature muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, reshape the puffed cookie cups. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar. Spoon into cookie cups. Store in the refrigerator.
Yield: 1 dozen

MEATLESS MONDAY

This version of squash-rice casserole features zucchini instead of the traditional yellow squash. Cook the rice while the zucchini and onion are simmering. The recipe is from THE COOKING LIGHT COOKBOOK.

SQUASH-RICE CASSEROLE
8 c. sliced zucchini (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 c. cooked rice
1 c. fat-free sour cream
1 c. (4oz.) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. (1oz.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 c. Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; partially mash with a potato masher. Combine zucchini mixture, rice, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl; stir. Spoon into a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Preheat broiler.
Broil 1 minute or until lightly browned.

SEAFOOD SUNDAY

The catfish marries well with the juicy tomatoes and fresh cilantro in the Sunshot Salsa. The recipes come from TUPELO HONEY CAFE'S COOKBOOK(thanks Pat!).

BLACKENED CATFISH WITH SUNSHOT SALSA
2 tbsp. canola oil
4 (8oz) boneless catfish fillets
4 tbsp. blackening spice (see below)
2 c. sunshot salsa (see below)
Cover the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with the canola oil and place over high heat. Dredge the catfish fillets in the blackening spice until thoroughly coated. Cook the fish in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes on each side, until the fish is a  rich, blackened red color. Serve with generous amounts of salsa.
 BLACKENING SPICE
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp, sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. powdered onion
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and use as blackening spices for poultry, fish, or beef.

SUNSHOT SALSA
1 c. diced tomato (about 1 large tomato)
1 c. peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber (about 1 large cucumber)
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. diced red onion
1 small jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
1/2-1 tsp. green hot pepper sauce, depending on your love for spiciness.
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and let rest 1 hour to allow flavors to combine. This salsa can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

SOUPER SATURDAY

There are many variations of this Creole specialty, but they typically begin with a roux (flour browned in fat) and are often thickened with okra. This quick and easy recipe takes only 27 minutes from start to finish. It comes from THE COOKING LIGHT COOKBOOK (thanks Amy!).

SAUSAGE AND CHICKEN GUMBO
1 (3 1/2 oz) bag boil-in-bag rice
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 c. frozen chopped onion
1 c. frozen, chopped green bell pepper
1 c. frozen cut okra
1 c. chopped celery
1 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
2 c. chopped roasted skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
8 oz. turkey kielbasa, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (4.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with peppers and onions
1 (14oz.) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
While rice cooks, combine flour and oil in a Dutch oven; saute over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add onion and next 6 ingredients; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
Stir in chicken, kielbasa, tomatoes, and broth; cook 6 minutes or until heated. Serve over rice.

FRIDAY'S FAMILY FAVORITE

French toast is a "Saturday morning delicacy" and today's recipe is certainly not your humdrum version. It comes from THE NASHVILLE CHEF'S TABLE cookbook and is served at Puckett's. We have eaten at the Pucketts in Leiper's Fork (my favorite) and the Pucketts in Franklin and were not disappointed at either location.

PUCKETT'S KING'S FRENCH TOAST 
**after you read the recipe you'll know which "king" it refers to.
4 eggs
1 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. peanut butter
8 slices sourdough or egg bread/challah
4 bananas
1/4 c. butter
Powdered sugar, to sprinkle

Beat eggs in a mixing bowl. Whisk in heavy cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Spread peanut butter across bread. Cut bananas in half and again lengthwise. Place bananas across 4 of the slices of bread, then top with the rest of the bread to make 4 sandwiches.
Dip the entire sandwich into egg and heavy cream mixture.
Butter a griddle pan or skillet on medium heat. Place sandwich onto the buttered surface. Once the sandwich begins to crisp, flip. Brown both sides to desired crispness.
Cut sandwich in half and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

BTW don't even think about the calorie count!

THIRSTY THURSDAY

I received an excellent cookbook this past Christmas EXTRAORDINARY RECIPES FROM MUSIC CITY-NASHVILLE CHEF'S TABLE. (Thanks Anna!) Needless to say I LOVE cookbooks, especially those with stories and pictures and narrative. This one has all of the above. Today's recipe is a favorite at 8TH AND ROAST, a Nashville coffee and pastry shop on 8th avenue south in the Antiques district. I haven't visited there yet, but it is on the LONG list of amazing eateries in Nashville I'd like to visit.

VANILLA BEAN CAFE AU LAIT
1/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste *Vanilla bean paste is recommended over vanilla extract because of the alcohol taste that is released from the liquid when it is added to hot coffee
1 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. milk (can be regular or milk substitute such as Almond milk.
6 oz. fresh-brewed coffee
sprinkle of cinnamon

Mix the vanilla bean paste and sweetened condensed milk in your mug. Warm milk on the stove to approximately 140 degrees F. This will be steamy milk, but be careful not to scald. Add brewed coffee to your mug and stir to mix. Add warm milk to mug.
Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon. There are many versions of this drink; we also love substituting caramel, agave syrup, or honey for the vanilla bean paste.
MAKES 1 DRINK