Click here to return to the table of contents.
Cajun Crab
6 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh horseradish
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup green onion
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cup capers
1/2 cup lump crabmeat
1/4 cup chopped chives
Slice eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks. Place yolks in a small bowl and mash with a fork until all lumps are removed. Stir in mayonnaise, horseradish, hot sauce, Dijon mustard, green onion, and Old Bay seasoning. Then fold in capers and crabmeat. Spoon into egg whites until cups are full. Top with chives and serve.
KA Note: Growing up, deviled eggs were a staple starter at any summer get-together back home in Indiana. I loved them then. And as such, I wholeheartedly welcomed them back when they had their resurgence. And then some, because suddenly, they were gourmet.
So, suffice it to say, I was all in when Suzanne suggested deviled eggs for one of the boys to make for the cookbook. And I doubled down when Suzanne created these in her test kitchen for us. Each one, perfect bites of goodness. And not only because what Suzanne crafted is delicious, but because they remind me of home.
Click here to return to the table of contents.
Axl’s Mains
Tuscan Chicken
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 thin slices prosciutto
18 spinach leaves
6 ounces goat cheese
1 (8 ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 lemon
1 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each chicken breast in half. Place each half, one at a time into a resealable bag. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound each chicken breast to 1/2- inch thickness. Lay each chicken breast flat. Place 1 slice of prosciutto, 3 spinach leaves, 1 ounce of goat cheese and 2 sun-dried tomatoes on top of the chicken. Roll each chicken breast and secure with a toothpick.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken rolls and sear on each side for 2 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and place on a cookie sheet. Bake chicken rolls for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
While the chicken is baking, using the same skillet, reduce the heat to low and add the flour. Using a wooden spoon, scrape all of the bits from the bottom of the skillet and stir to make a roux. Add in the chicken broth and stir until thickened. Add the juice of 1 lemon and the heavy cream. Continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. To serve, place chicken on a platter and top with lemon sauce.
KA Note: This was one of the recipes I tested myself in the RCL. Not only is this yumalicious, it’s also easier to make than it looks, but it packs a serious punch in presentation. This is perfect for when you have company. And an added note, the sauce is insane. So freaking simple to make, so crazy good!
Click here to return to the table of contents.
Pork Tacos with Peach Salsa
6 cups Smoked Boston Butt, shredded (Click here for recipe.)
Vinegar BBQ Sauce (Click here for recipe.)
Peach Salsa (Click here for recipe.)
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
In a large bowl, combine the pulled pork and Vinegar BBQ sauce. Place 1/2 cup of pulled pork on the center of a flour tortilla. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of peach salsa. Repeat with remaining 11 flour tortillas.
KA Note: If you have the time, and a smoker, make these tacos with Boone’s Smoked Boston Butt (click here for recipe). Though, when I made them, since I don’t have a smoker, I made mine with a slow-cooked pork shoulder in my crockpot, slow cooking in the below BBQ sauce. Um…yum.
Vinegar BBQ Sauce
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
In a small pot over low heat, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool and add to a mason jar. Store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Shake well before each use.
Peach Salsa
6 fresh peaches, seed and skin removed, diced
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Juice of 1 lime
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
KA Note: I’m not gonna lie. As noted above in my Monte Cristo babble, I’m not about adding sweet with savory. So when Suzanne put peach salsa with pork, my first thought was, “Euw.” But if we did all the same things all the time, ate all the same things, listened to all the same music, etc., life would be super boring. So I gave it a go.
And…stop.
This peach salsa is the best salsa I have ever tasted in my life. And trust me, I’ve tested some salsa. Mixed with the pork, it’s a taste explosion of such crazy goodness, it’s mind boggling.
Making it better, the salsa keeps and it makes your refrigerator smell like fruity-spicy yumminess every time you open it. It’s like a mini-fiesta whenever you need something from the fridge. Do yourself a favor and try this. You’ll love it.
Click here to return to the table of contents.
Apple Stuffed Pork Chops
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4 slices of bread, toasted and crumbled
2 cups finely chopped granny smith apple
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
6 bone-in pork chops (1-inch thick)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon oil
In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté onions in butter until tender. Remove from heat and add the bread crumbles, apples, sage and thyme. Cut a pocket in each chop by making a horizontal cut through the meat almost to the bone. Sprinkle inside and outside with salt and pepper and spoon stuffing loosely into pockets. In a large skillet over high heat, add oil and brown the chops on both sides for 2 minutes each. Place in an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 145 degrees. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Click here to return to the table of contents.
Axl’s Desserts
Turtle Pie
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups crushed pecans