Cajun Blackened Redfish

Okra, Tomatoes, and Bacon

1 . Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Crumble bacon into a bowl.

2 . Add onion and garlic to skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add hot pepper and cook until tender, about 3 minutes more. Add drained tomatoes; season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 5 minutes more.

3 . Add okra and enough reserved juice from tomatoes to cover. Simmer, covered, until okra is tender, about 15 minutes.

Hearts of Palm and Spinach Salad

1 . In a large serving bowl, toss the spinach with hearts of palm, tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, and almonds.

2 . Combine oil, vinegar, ketchup, garlic and sugar in a jar. Season with salt, mustard and paprika. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well blended.

3 . Before serving, pour dressing over salad, and toss to coat evenly.

Tammy's Fish Chowder

1 . Heat olive oil and butter in a large stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir onions and celery in the hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine; raise heat to medium-high and cook until wine is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.

2 . Mix potatoes, fish stock, thyme, seafood seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper into onion mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover stockpot, and simmer until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes.

3 . Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until cream is steaming, about 5 minutes. Stir cream and sea bass into potato mixture; cook until sea bass is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season chowder with sugar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.

Cold Corn Salsa

1 . Combine black beans, corn, black-eyed peas, celery, red bell pepper, and green onion in a large bowl.

2 . Whisk sugar, vinegar, oil, and black pepper together in a saucepan; bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

3 . Pour cooled dressing over vegetable-bean mixture; stir to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain excess liquid before serving.

Vegetarian Overnight Breakfast Casserole

1 . Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in oregano and garlic salt. Add chives and saute for 1 minute. Add vegetarian crumbles and mushrooms. Continue cooking until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Drain excess moisture and set aside.

2 . Beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix in curry powder and salt. Add milk and mix thoroughly. Stir in stuffing until all the bread is soaked. Stir in Cheddar cheese. Fold in mushroom mixture from the skillet.

3 . Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour in casserole mixture. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.

4 . Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) the next morning.

5 . Bake in the preheated oven, covered, for 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Uncover casserole and continue baking until top is browned, about 30 minutes more.

Mom's Rhubarb Cake

1 . Combine 2 cups flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the evaporated milk and beaten egg.

2 . Press the dough into the bottom and partly up the sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish. For a thicker crust, press the dough into the bottom of the pan only.

3 . Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

4 . Mix the rhubarb, gelatin mix, and 1/2 cup of white sugar. Spread the fruit over the dough. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup of flour, and softened butter in a bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Top the rhubarb with the streusel mixture.

5 . Bake in the preheated oven until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes.

The Secret to Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

1 . Whisk eggs with salt until completely combined and very foamy.

2 . Melt butter in a skillet over low heat until bubbling. Add whisked eggs; cook, stirring frequently for even, moist curds, until thickened and creamy, but still shiny, 2 to 3 minutes.

3 . Remove scrambled eggs from the pan before they begin to look dry, as they will continue to thicken off the heat.

Gorgonzola and Apple Pork Chops

1 . Butterfly each pork chop by slicing horizontally through the center with a sharp knife. Leave them attached on one side so they can be flipped open to create a butterfly shape.

2 . Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops, reduce heat to medium and cook slowly for 5 to 7 minutes each side, or until they are done to your liking. Set aside.

3 . Melt butter or margarine in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add apples and saute until tender, then turn off heat and add cheese to skillet. Mix together slowly to form a creamy thick sauce.

4 . Place reserved chops on serving plate and stuff each one with 1/4 of the apple/cheese mixture. Serve hot.

Nada's Baba Cake

1 . Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 2 liter baba pan OR a 9 inch Bundt pan.

2 . In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, superfine sugar and vanilla sugar. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes. Beat in flour. Reserve approximately 1/4 cup of batter and set aside. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan. Mix cocoa into reserved batter. Drop by spoonfuls onto the batter in the pan. Using a skewer or the tip of a knife, swirl the two batters to achieve a marbled effect.

3 . Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Oreo Cookie Balls

1 . Mix crushed cookies and cream cheese in a large bowl until well-blended.

2 . Use your hands to shape mixture into 48 (1-inch) balls; place on a tray and freeze until thoroughly chilled, about 10 minutes.

3 . Line a shallow pan with waxed paper. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in a single layer on the prepared pan.

4 . Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Vernell's Slaw

1 . Place the shredded cabbage into a large glass baking dish or other glass dish. Do not use metal or plastic. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of white sugar and the salt.

2 . In a separate microwave safe bowl, combine the remaining sugar, oil, vinegar, mustard, celery seed and pepper. Stir to blend in the sugar, then heat until boiling in the microwave, about 3 minutes. Immediately, but carefully pour the boiling mixture over the cabbage. Toss with a wooden or plastic utensil to evenly coat the cabbage.

3 . Let stand out on the counter for several hours, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate. Toss before serving, and serve with a slotted spoon.

Butterscotch Brownies

1 . Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 7x11-inch baking pan.

2 . Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

3 . Make the bars: Beat brown sugar and melted butter until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla, then gradually stir in flour mixture. Fold in walnuts until well combined. Spread batter into the prepared pan.

4 . Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan and finish cooling on a wire rack, 15 to 20 minutes.

5 . Meanwhile, make the frosting: Dissolve coffee in water in a small bowl.

6 . Beat confectioner's sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in coffee mixture until incorporated.

7 . Spread frosting over cooled bars. Let frosting set before cutting into 36 squares.