Georgia Cracker Salad

Ingredients:

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 large tomato, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
*In a medium size bowl, coarsely crush the crackers with your hands (you should have big cracker pieces)
*Add the remaining ingredients
*Mix well
*Serve immediately.
*Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Source: My friend Sarah Foley

Submitted by: DeAnne Anderson

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups chicken broth
4 TBSP butter
¾ cup grits
3 TBSP cream cheese
2 TBSP half and half
½ c green onions, chopped
Salt to taste
Tony Chachere seasoning
1 lb. shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined
2 TBSP lime juice
½ each: red, yellow, and green bell pepper, chopped

Directions:
*Combine chicken broth, 1 TBSP butter, and salt in heavy saucepan and bring to boil.
*Stir in grits. Reduce heat.
*Cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Mix cream cheese and half & half into grits.
*Cover and simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated and grits are tender. Stir frequently.
*Melt remaining 3 TBSP butter in separate skillet over medium/high heat.
*Add bell pepper and sauté.
*Add shrimp and cook just until shrimp are cooked through (do not overcook) – about 3-4 minutes.
*Stir in lime juice and season with Tony’s. Remove skillet from heat.
*Spoon grits onto center of plate and top with green onions.
*Top with shrimp and drizzle with some of lime butter from shrimp.

Submitted by: DeAnne Anderson

*Personal Notes:
Alternative: I often use Instant Grits (ANY flavor --- cheese, red eye & country gravy, etc.) from the individual packets) --- 2 packages per person, in which case I then omit chicken broth, 1 TBSP, butter, and salt --- and just make grits according to package directions.  I also usually omit the cream cheese and half & half and just add shredded cheese (usually cheddar) to the grits.  I make the rest of the recipe as directed.

Smoked Salmon Dip

Ingredients:
1 container Fat Free Cream Cheese (can substitute regular or onion chive)

1/2 Tablespoon Italian Herb Seasoning (McCormick) or 2 garlic cloves finely diced & 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 to 2 tsp. cumin
1 to 1 1/2 cups Smoked Salmon - broken with fingers into small pieces. Make sure to look for any small ones that might be hiding within and discard!
1 bell pepper - any color - chopped into small pieces
1 small red onion - chopped small
1 Tablespoon - chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon chopped green onion - optional

Directions:
*Mix all ingredients together & chill in refrigerator until ready to serve
*Serve with crackers (is also fabulous as a sandwich spread!)

Submitted by: Annie Berdahl Lehmann

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:
1-2 lb smoked andouille sausage
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cans kidney beans (light or dark - or 1 of each....)
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 TBSP salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme

Directions:
*Cut sausage into 1/4 inch slices
*Brown sausage, bell pepper, onion, and celery until vegetables are tender
*Put in a crock-pot and add rest of ingredients
*Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours
*Serve over hot rice

Submitted by: DeAnne Anderson