Well-known Florida residents give us the dish on their favorite recipes. Crab Artichoke Dip, Party Cheese Balls, Congee, Mark’s “Easy” Rolls & Mashed Sweet Taters.
Well-known Florida Residents Give us the Dish on their Favorite Holiday Recipes
Deidra Bergmann
The Pet Project:
Crab Artichoke Dip
This is great on crackers, toasted bread rounds, or by itself. It’s meant to be enjoyed while warm, but is just as good when room temperature.
Ingredients
1 can Artichoke Hearts
1 can crabmeat
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper to taste
Bread crumbs if desired.
Directions:
In a 325 degree oven, use 1 quart ovenware. Do not grease. (If you notice the ingredients are all in1s, so you can double the amount to serve more).
Chop up drained Artichoke Hearts, add 1 can crab meat, add mayo, just enough to hold everything together, then add cheese, mix again, add more Mayo if needed. Add Salt and Coarse Pepper.
Place in ovenware, sprinkle more of the cheese on top (bread crumbs if desired)
Bake about 20 minutes or until top cheese is slightly browned.
This is great on crackers, toasted bread rounds, or by itself.
Meant to be enjoyed while warm. but just as good when room temperature.
Ken Moritz
Assistant Manager of Pride Stores:
Party Cheese Balls
Ingredients:
2-8oz Philly Cream Cheese
2 cups (16oz) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 tbsp. chopped pimientos (very fine)
1 tbsp. chopped green onion
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
Dash of salt
1 cup pecans
Directions:
Combine softened cream cheese and shredded cheese mix.
Add pimentos, onion, Worcestershire sauce, lemon & salt.
Mix well, chill. Shape into ball, roll in nuts.
Mark & Carrie
MC Film Fest
Congee
It is said that there are as many recipes for Congee as there are moms in Asia! This comfort food is eaten at breakfast, lunch and dinner by all ages from babies to seniors. Here is the basic plain pallet to build upon.
Directions:
Rinse well one cup of dry long grain rice. Into a large kettle, put the rinsed 1 cup rice with 9 cups water, a dash of salt and some flavoring like: chicken/beef bullion, or bay leaf, or slice of fresh ginger etc… Bring to a hard boil then simmer on low with cover cracked open for 1 and 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally. Put into 6 serving bowls and add spice like, fish sauce, sesame seed oil, chopped cilantro. Top with whatever you like — beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables. This is especially good topped with Holiday leftovers and refrigerates and freezes well. Try using a twist top container and take some for lunch the next day.
Mark Silver
Argenti Jewelers
Mark’s “Easy” Rolls
Get some chicken breasts, cook and season them your favorite way. Try using some Italian spices, garlic, or an oil-based salad dressing — Publix Lite Caesar is fantastic! This recipe should feed 4-5 semi-hungry people.
Ingredients:
2 Large Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Head of Big Leafy Lettuce– preferably Romaine or Boston lettuce
Directions:
When the chicken breasts are cooked and cooled down, slice them into thin 1-1/2 inch length strips. Separate, wash and dry completely some lettuce leaves – I usually cut off 4 leaves to start and then go as I need. In the center of the leaf add 2 strips of chicken per leaf – lay the strips width-way. Here’s where my creativity comes out! I add whatever I want at that moment to mix with the chicken strips. I really enjoy: cut up strawberries, red pepper, goat cheese, boiled egg, Parmesan cheese, spinach leaves, cranberries, basil leaves, Dijon mustard. Then, roll the leaf as tightly as you can without ripping the leaf. Place about 5 to 6 toothpicks spaced evenly along the roll – depending upon the size of the rolled leaf. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into spaced pieces. The toothpicks should hold it all together.
Terry DeCarlo
Broward House
Mashed Sweet Taters
Ingredients:
6 – 8 Sweet Taters Peeled
1 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Milk
Directions:
Cut the taters into pieces and boil until soft, drain and put back into pan. Mash until smooth, add maple syrup and brown sugar, mix well. Add milk to get the consistency you desire.
