Adding to the Arsenal

Hey there my fellow food lovers this morning I was touched with the creative bug and went to the kitchen to prepare for a Friday assignment. I will be preparing Canapes with 12 6th graders at a charter school in Atlanta. I just LOVE introducing new and REAL foods to children.

I looked at the things I had and researched through my many books and articles I came up with the Double T Bruschetta, Ham and Macless Cheese Polenta Cakes, Pepperoni Caprese, and I'm still fighting over the Elvis or Fluffanutter Sweet Surprise. All that looking made me hungry so to my Fridge I went. I made the most delish morning snack. OK so many of you won't have these items in you kitchen but I wont hold it against you.

Chicken Broth
2 Ears of corn, rough cut the nibbletts from the cobb
Cooked Beef Bacon
Onion
Plugaria Butter and olive oil
Salt
Fresh Cracked pepper
Smoked Gouda 1 slice diced.
Spanish Capers

Melt 1 Tsp of butter with 1T Olive oil. Add onion and bacon to the pan once most of the oil has been absorbed add the corn. Add 1/4c of chicken broth cover and let simmer. (5-7 Min) then I cracked the black pepper coarsely over the dish TAKE OFF HEAT Added the diced Cheese and covered for 2 min. I stirred the dish when I opened it and dropped a few capers in cause I like them.

OK you might not like this one....but LAWD>>>>I did! Lemmie know how yours came out...k

My Irish and Italian Roots mixed with some good 'ole slave ingenuity!

So I have got the recipe for you.  Through somebodies child I ordered the Everyday with Rachel Ray Magazine....I am not her biggest fan. The lady is a good cook, but she is a little rough to take on TV. So she had in her mag a creamy Shepard's Pie made with Italian sausage, yall know I had to Angelize it....and when I tell you I almost licked mashed potatoes off my kitchen floor...I was PROUD of me! So here it is....it will take a little more time and patience than any other recipe that I have done, but the end result will have your guests, family, children wishing you'd made more. This tasty dish will take roughly $18 to make!

All of the prices are Store brands, I didn't have the $$ to go for any other.
Italian Sausage Links (hot or mild) - 2.50
8oz Hunts Tomato Sauce(garlic and oregano) - $0.39
Bag of RED creamer Potatoes - $2.99 (roughly 2lbs)
Italian Blend Fancy Cheese - $1.99
Bagged Coleslaw Mix - $1.80
Hormel Pepperoni - $3.00
1/2c Frozen Onion Recipe Starter - $1.00
1/2c Frozen Green Pepper Recipe Starter - $1.00
Italian Seasoning - $.70 (I got it cheap at the Farmer's Market)
1 egg - This should be in your fridge
Knorr powdered Chicken Bullion - C'mon you should have this, also!
8oz Ricotta Cheese - $2.09

Tools
Norpro Set Of 4 Ramekins 8 Ounce or Pyrex Bakeware 8-Inch Square Cake Pan, Clear
2 Bowls
1 Frying Pan
1 Pot

Process
Peel and cube 2lb of red creamer potatoes, boil in salted water. Maybe about 20-30 min. Once ready, drain and place in a bowl, add the 2T bullion to the mix and mash the potatoes with a fork.  Stir in 8oz of COLD Ricotta, it usually comes in a 15oz container so eyeball about half.  Then add 1 room temperature egg.  The Cheese should have cooled down the mashed potatoes so it doesn't cook the egg.

In the frying pan, squeeze sausage from casing and add onion and green pepper. Once all the meat has been browned, add the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning and stir.

Now we are ready to put this thing together.  I took photos this time so you can see how I did it. So it was Cabbage, Sausage mixture, Cabbage, Pepperoni, Shredded Cheese, Potato Mix, Shredded Cheese.




Once this is all together you can pop it into a 350oven for about 15Min then turn the broiler on for 5Min to brown the Taters on the top! YUMMY YUM YUM!!!