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Recipe Contest Winners
Here are some of the best cookout
recipes from the Mid-West and Mid-South from our previous newsletters.
These recipes can be prepared quickly and easily enough to do "on vacation."
Black Oak Resort guests share their favorite dishes with each other
during our cookouts and pontoon parties, and we get the cream of the
crop recipes. Have a "taste" of these Black Oak Resort
Guest Recipe treats.
Betty is gathering together all the recipes from
our guests over the years and compiling a Black Oak Resort Cookbook.
Send us your favorite recipes, or even better, bring them down and
prepare them for us to taste test! All of you whose recipes are selected
for publication in the cookbook will receive a complimentary copy.
We're planning to publish the cookbook in 2001!
1999
- Black Bean & Rice
Soup
These days, no one has much time to cook, and
it seems that the trend is to eat out more and more. We all have too
little time, but we still need to eat our vegetables. One of the most
versatile is the tomato, and it's also one of the most nutritious
(Lycopene, baby)! This year we have two delicious recipes, both simple,
and both using a prepared salsa as one of the main ingredients.
Our first recipe comes from one of our very favorite
guests, Joanne Logan of Naperville, Illinois. She usually has us over
for dinner whenever she stays with us. Joanne loves to try new recipes,
and both Joanne and her husband Jerry are great cooks.
Joanne uses more (one cup each) of red bell pepper,
onion and celery. I'd use olive oil instead of margarine. Of course,
you could substitute red or pinto beans easily in this recipe. Also,
to make it more nutritious, you might use brown rice, adding it before
the beans and picante sauce to allow for the longer cooking time.
(I can't seem to resist changing a recipe!) With bread and a salad,
this makes a complete, healthy meal.
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves chopped garlic
3 tbsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
2 (14-16 oz.) cans chicken broth
2 cans black beans, undrained
3/4 cup Pace Picante Sauce (mild or hot, to taste)
1 cup instant rice
Saute pepper, onion, celery and garlic in margarine
until soft, about 15 minutes. Add chicken broth, oregano and bay leaf.
Bring to boil; simmer 5-10 minutes. Add beans, picante sauce and rice.
Simmer 5-10 minutes or until done. Remove bay leaf. Serves 4. Yum!
1999
- Salsa Chicken &
Rice
Our second recipe is from Richard and Phyliss Scrima
of Mt. Prospect, Illinois. Yes, that's Michael's brother -- a little
nepotism here. It's one of the simplest recipes to make, and takes
very little time to prepare. It uses the leanest meat and of course,
salsa!
Nothing could be simpler, but this dish is so good!
Richard uses a little more chicken, because it seems to shrink. Although
I normally like spicy dishes, I found the hot salsa a little too hot
for this recipe. Abandanza!
4 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-1/2
inch chunks
1 medium to large jar salsa (mild to hot, depending on taste)
4 cups cooked rice
Brown chicken in non-stick skillet until no longer
pink and lightly browned. Add salsa. Simmer 10 minutes, until bubbly
and chicken is cooked through. Serve over hot rice. Serves 4.
1998 - Sweet-Sour Green Beans
I always have a hard time picking a recipe from all those I
sample from our guests each year. This year is no exception, but
I finally decided on this one from a long-time guest of ours, Lisa
Bristow, who hails from Braidwood, Illinois. I also found out that
green beans, which are the featured vegetable in this recipe, are
very, very good for you. It seems they contain one of those non-vitamin
substances (maybe an antioxidant?) that are so good for your health.
So,
everyone eat your vegetables, and I know you'll enjoy this recipe.
8 slices bacon, diced
1/2 med. onion, chopped
1/3 c. vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 1-lb. cans tiny whole green beans (You may also use fresh or frozen)
1/2 tsp. garlic (fresh or powder)
Fry bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving
1 tbsp. fat. Sauté onion in fat. Mix vinegar and cornstarch. Blend in sugar, salt,
garlic. Add to onion. Stir 'til thickened. Drain beans, add
with bacon to onion mixture and heat.
1997 - Marlene Ryan's Lasagna
This year I'd like to feature a recipe from one of our old guests
that no longer stays with us since they've moved here. Marlene Ryan
is one of those versatile cooks that can do everything: cook, bake,
barbecue -- you name it. It's always delicious. Marlene has served
this dish at some of our resort get-togethers. It is always a huge
success. Do not think traditional lasagna here -- this is an Americanized
version, but one that I definitely prefer.
1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
2 c. (1-lb. can) tomatoes, cut up
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1/3 c. water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles, cooked
2 6-oz. pkg. Kraft Natural Low-Moisture Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 lb. Velveeta Pasteurized Cheese Spread, sliced
1/2 c. Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese
Brown meat. Add onion. Cook until tender. Drain off
excess fat. Stir in tomatoes, paste, water, garlic and seasonings.
Cover. Simmer 30 minutes. In 12 x 8 inch baking dish, layer noodles,
meat sauce and cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for
30 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8. Serve with a salad and garlic bread
(and maybe some wine). Enjoy!
You may add more or less of the cheese, according
to your taste. Marlene doubles this recipe and freezes one pan. Take
out of freezer and heat at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes, covered. Also
may be reheated in microwave.
1996 - Marge's Rice
In 1996 a great recipe that we all loved was from Marge Martinez
of Wheeling, IL. It's a Spanish rice with the addition of pork and
lots of spiciness. You will enjoy it as much as we all did.
2 c. rice
oil
1/2 lb. boneless pork cut in small pieces
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. creole seasoning
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
Brown rice in oil. Transfer to casserole. Brown meat.
Season meat with cumin, creole seasoning, seasoned salt, salt, pepper,
and garlic powder. Simmer meat with 1 cup water to tenderize (approximately
20 minutes). Add meat and juices and onion to rice. Add tomato sauce
and approximately 4 cups of water. Bring to boil and simmer until
rice is cooked (approximately 20 minutes).
1995 - Chocolate Eclair Dessert
Our cookouts give us a chance to try out everybody's star recipes.
1995 again produced lots of winners. The one that we had the most
requests for was from a Texan, Gloria Sears. It's an easy dessert
with the authentic taste of chocolate eclairs. Don't let the ingredients
fool you. It tastes exactly like the real thing. A real winner!
Graham crackers
2 3-oz. pkgs. vanilla pudding (Gloria uses French Vanilla)
8 oz. Cool-Whip
1 can milk chocolate frosting
Layer bottom of 13" x 9" pan
with graham crackers. Mix pudding according to directions on package;
stir in Cool-Whip with the pudding. Pour over graham crackers.
Frost enough graham crackers to cover the pudding mixture. Refrigerate
for at least 4 hours. (Better if left overnight.)
1994 - "Best" Biscuits
& Gravy
From 1994, I'd like to pass on what it took me all these years
in Arkansas to learn how to make -- that great southern specialty,
biscuits and gravy. The funny thing about it is: Guess who showed
me how? Renee Poynter of Palos Hills, Illinois. But her husband,
Rodney, has southern roots (Kentucky).
1 pkg. Giant Pillsbury Southern Style Biscuits, prepared
to pkg. directions
1/2 pkg. (1 lb. size) mild or hot (to taste) bulk pork sausage
2 1/2 cups milk
8 tbsp. flour
Salt, pepper to taste
Brown sausage in skillet, breaking
into small pieces as it cooks. Add flour to milk. Blend well with
wire whisk. Add salt and pepper. Add seasoned milk/flour mixture
to skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened and
bubbly. Boil for 1 minute. Should be thick. If too thick, thin
with a little milk.
Note: Drain sausage if too much grease. This will depend on the sausage
used. You want a little grease left in pan. Best made in large Teflon
skillet.
1993 - Pasta Salad
Sisters Teresa Jesenovec and Peg Householder of Waukegan, Illinois,
both get credit for this absolutely wonderful pasta salad recipe.
I normally pass on pasta salad because it always has a sour taste.
This one is not like that at all, and because the broccoli is stir
fried instead of raw or boiled, it has an altogether totally different
taste. A guaranteed winner, I promise!.
6 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. pasta
1/2 lb. broccoli florets, chopped
2 tbsp. chopped onion
Parmesan (to taste)
Cook bacon until crisp. Remove. To drippings, add
broccoli and onion. Stir fry until slightly cooked. Meanwhile, cook
pasta, drain. Mix pasta with broccoli and onion and drippings. Add
bacon. Sprinkle with parmesan. Blend.
1992 - Mexican Lasagna
John and Connie North of Park Ridge, Illinois, served this great
Mexican casserole at one of our gatherings in 1992.
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (approx.)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can enchilada sauce (mild or spicy)
1 small can green chili peppers
1 pkg. large flour tortillas
1 16-oz. pkg. grated cheddar cheese
Brown beef; drain. Add onion, green pepper, chili
peppers, soups and sauce. Simmer 30 minutes. In 13x9 baking pan, layer
tortillas and ground beef mixture, starting with tortillas and ending
with beef mixture (approx. 3 layers). Bake 45 minutes uncovered at
325 degrees. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, return to oven and bake
until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven. Let stand 15
minutes before serving (otherwise it will be sloppy). Serve with sour
cream on the side. Connie recommends using spicy enchilada sauce!
1991 - Salsa
From John and Deb Rossman of Hanover Park, Illinois.
2 28-oz. cans Dei-Fratelli seasoned diced tomatoes
(homestyle)
1 12-oz. can Italian seasoned tomato sauce
1 green pepper, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine (including seeds).
You can also use the ones from a jar.
Combine ingredients in a bowl, then sprinkle with
cumin to cover the top. Mix. Serve with corn tortilla chips. Note:
This recipe is hot and spicy and will get hotter and spicier the longer
it sits. You can eat it right away, no need to wait. Another suggestion
is to mix all the ingredients up to the jalapeno, then halve the recipe
and add more jalapeno to one half, making it spicier than the other,
so the children (and wimpy adults) can enjoy a milder version.
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