Cheri's Yummy Homemade Limemade

Again, from my friend Cheri. I'll post for her...

So................your Sonic drinks put me in a mood for a limeade after you left and I was thinking I'd head down there for happy hour, not knowing it had already passed. Then I tried to get Tashia to get me one on her way home, but she was late for another outing and I couldn't even get my very adventurous neighbor to get her feet out of her pond long enough to run down there. I lost my motivation to head out, but found a great recipe. It's a bit different, but so lovely....I'm sure I'm hooked.

1/2 c lime juice (I used bottled)

2 c water

1/4 - 1/2 c sugar

5 or so ice cubes

1 1/2 c frozen fruit

Put all in the blender except the ice cubes. Add them one at a time after initial blending. The fruit I had was a mixed bag of raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry. I only had a cup of fruit and it was plenty. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm. I still served it over lots of ice.

Emeril's Chicken & Rice Soup

From my friend Cheri, who hasn't gotten up the nerve to post here yet... so I'll just post it for her:

I just took the rest of this soup out of the freezer and I'm sending the recipe to you both because we have spoken about chicken soup sometime recently....

As I recall, I did not follow the first step of sautéing the carcass, but it was the spices and especially adding shredded cabbage that "wowed" me. I don't think I added any of the other assorted veggies that time, just the onion, carrot, and celery. I can't wait to try it again though with spinach and zucchini. I'm sure I used brown rice.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 chicken (3 pounds) boned, skinned, and visible fat removed, diced, (save the bones and carcass)
• Essence, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups assorted chopped fresh vegetables, such has beans, zucchini, yellow squash, or cabbage, small dice
• 1 1/2 cups torn spinach leaves, cleaned and stemmed
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• 3 quarts chicken stock
• 1/4 pound long grain white rice, uncooked

Directions

In a large sauce pot, heat the olive oil. Season the chicken with Essence. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, bones and carcass and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the meat and bones are brown. Remove the bones and carcass. Add the onions, celery, carrots, green onions, garlic, parsley, basil, and bay leaves. Season with Essence. Sauté the vegetables for 4 minutes. Add the chopped vegetables, spinach, and crushed red pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock and rice, bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Reseason if necessary. Serve hot.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Mrs. Cover's Baked Brie

Layer 8-10 filo leaves that you have painted with melted butter.

Place cheese topped with fresh berries which you can toss in cinnamon sugar or leave plain.

Fold filo over berries until sealed.

Layer a few more buttered leaves on top if needed to seal it well.

Brush with melted butter, place on cookie sheet, and bake at 375 for 30 to 45 min. until you see cheese start to bubble out.

Enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

This is a birthday-morning favorite around here, from my great-cook friend Janet. Since the original recipe is in my husband's nearly illegible hand, and my kitchen helpers are having a hard time reading their father's handwriting, we are re-typing it here.

3 C. old-fasioned oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. melted butter (This is 1 stick, although I use a bit less.)
1/2 C. brown sugar (The recipe originally called for 1 C., but I use half.)
2 eggs, beaten
1 C. milk
dried fruit (optional)

Stir together oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, mixing well. Set aside. Melt butter in 8x12 pan (in oven or microwave); turn to coat bottom and sides. Pour remaining melted butter into a large mixing bowl and add brown sugar. Stir to mix well, then add eggs and milk and mix again. Stir in blended dry ingredients (and optional dried fruit, if desired), stirring to soak and coat well. Pour into buttered pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

We serve in bowls topped with cold milk. It does set up enough to serve on a plate like a casserole, if you prefer, but it will be crumbly as you eat it.