Here are some fresh takes on building a healthy salad courtesy of Chef Candice Kumai and Glad Products Company: Spicy Tequila Lime Shrimp Salad For the shrimp: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Pinch red pepper flakes 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined 3 tablespoons high-quality tequila Salt, to taste 1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped  For the salad:  4 cups dark, leafy mixed greens 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced thin 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed 1 avocado, sliced thin For the dressing 1…

Got leftover wine from the holidays? Consider making with an elegant dinner paired with a Mount Pleasant Winery sparkling or still wine. To help with the menu, the following recipes are compliments from Mount Pleasant Estates Executive Chef Dana Liljequiest. Oysters Rockefeller (Pairing recommendation: Mount Pleasant Brut Imperial) 12 Raw Oysters 2 cups spinach 1/2 cup panko 2 scallion stalks – chopped 1 teaspoon parsley – chopped 2 bacon slices – cooked and chopped 2 garlic cloves – minced Anise seed - pinch 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese – shredded Chuck oysters and set them aside …

The following recipes are courtesy of the Beef Check-off website, where you’ll find more holiday recipes and cooking tips to make the remainder of your holiday entertaining easy. Roasted Beef Shoulder Tender Crostini 2 pounds beef shoulder tender petite roasts (8 to 10 ounces each) 1 teaspoon black pepper Garlic bread 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1 (12-inch) baguette, cut into 24 (1/2-inch thick) slices Wasabi Cream 8 ounces sour cream 1 tablespoon prepared wasabi paste 1: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Press pepper evenly onto beef …

Cauldron Chili(Recipe developed by Suzanne Corbett)  2 tablespoons oil 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 pounds coarsely ground beef 1 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce 1(16-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained 1 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste 1 cup water 1 cup beer 1/4 cup chili powder 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Salt and black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 – 3 dried hot pepper pods Chopped green onion for garnish In a large Dutch oven placed over medium high, heat oil until hot and sauté onion and garlic for a few …

Gingersnap Thumbprint cookies Cranberry apricot filling: 3/4 cup apricot jam 1/3 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped Dough: 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoons mild molasses 2 large eggs separated 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups slivered almonds, finely chopped (for rolling) 1. Position rack in the center of the oven and heat over to 350 degrees. Line two or more baking sheets with …

Chef Stephan Schubert's Gingerbread Dough 4 ounces brown sugar 6 ounces shortening   Pinch of salt 1 pound 4 ounces all purpose flour 8 ounces molasses 1 ounce warm water 1/2 ounce ground ginger Pinch baking soda Mix and cream together the brown sugar, shortening, salt, flour and molasses. Add in remaining ingredients and chill dough overnight. Roll out, cut into shapes and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before house construction. * Dough can be used to make gingerbread men to hang for decorations on the Christmas tree. Martha Washington's Soft …

The following recipes are from my holiday classes presented at St Louis Community College and Dierberg's School of Cooking.  Black & White Sesame Seed Lovash 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 cup warm water 5 cups flour 1 pkg. dry yeast 2 teaspoons salt 1 Tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup EACH black and white sesame seeds In a large mixing bowl combine butter, water and one cup of the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl and allow dough to rise for 20 minutes. Punch down …

Thanksgiving leftovers can become a blessing or a curse. Granted, the venerable turkey sandwich is a treat, but after a day or two, they're boring. While turkey sandwiches might be the perennial favorite, there are dozens of ways to use up leftover turkey. Leftovers, or what some cooks refer to as "planned over" meals, begin with a plan. Pick recipes that are easy to make while creating a new dish that isn't immediately recognized as including leftovers. Chili, enchiladas and pastas are excellent examples ways to use leftover cooked turkey.  Think past the turkey. Thanksgiving's traditional …

A plant on every plate — that’s Caryn Dugan’s mission, and it can be a hard one to follow during the holidays. In the onslaught of turkey, stuffing and sweets, Dugan, a vegan cooking instructor in Town and Country, offered a simple and tasty vegetable side recipe: chickpea couscous with cashews. “Don’t be fooled by the list of ingredients,” Dugan said. “Once the vegetables are soft, you add a few more items, turn off the heat and cover until the liquid is absorbed. It’s as close to a fix-it-and-forget it as you can get on the stovetop.” Dugan’s quest for a healthy diet started after college, …

Southern Deep-Fried Turkey 1 (10-12 pound) turkey, non-self-basting 2/3 cups prepared vinaigrette dressing 1/3 cup sherry 2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper peanut oil as needed Thaw turkey completely. Clean out cavity, discarding giblets and neck. Cut off wing tips and tail. Rinse under cold running water and pat dry. In a medium bowl, combine vinaigrette, sherry and seasonings. Strain the marinade, then place in an injection syringe. Inject the marinade in the turkey breast, thighs and legs. Place turkey in a food-…

The owners of Stuckmeyer's Farm Market and Greenhouse, Fenton, a fourth-generation family-owned vegetable farm, share its recipes for pumpkin pie, including tips for how to turn a whole pumpkin into a cooking ingredient. There are two methods for preparing pumpkin: the oven method and the stove method. Stuckmeyer’s uses the oven method. First, wash the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Halve the pumpkin and bake it at 325 degrees with the cut side down on a cookie sheet until they pierce easily. When cool, quarter the pumpkin halves and peel off the outer skin. If the skin doesn’t peel off easily…

For most women, it’s a holiday crisis: Twenty hungry guests are waiting for Thanksgiving dinner, but only three sweet potatoes sit in the cupboard. For Sara Tegman’s family, the solution morphed into a decade of holiday tradition. Tegman’s mother was the unfortunate cook facing a full table with just a few sweet potatoes. She added as much heavy cream and egg as the dish could handle, giving the dish volume. It worked. The dish was a hit, and Tegman’s family searched for a recipe that fit their mother’s last-minute masterpiece.Tegman, who lives in Chesterfield with her husband and children, …

In anticipation to the holidays, sweet potatoes will remain a seasonal feature at markets across the area. Beyond the marshmallow sweet potato casserole, consider including one of this week's recipes to your Thanksgiving menu, compliments of The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission. Sweet Potato Cornbread Stuffing 2 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes  1 cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced celery  2 tablepoons butter or margarine 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 (16-ounce) package cornbread stuffing (about 5 cups) 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 (124.5) ounce…

Penne Alfredo with Green Peas, Basil & Sun-dried Tomatoes 1/2 cup butter 4 cups cream Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste 1 pound penne pasta, cooked al dente 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1 cup green peas 11/2 cups Asiago or Parmesan cheese In a large sauce pan, melt butter with cream, season with the salt and the pepper; cook till thickened. Add cooked pasta, basil, sun-dried tomatoes and green peas. Toss in cheese and cook for a few minutes to heat through peas. Makes 4 – 6 servings Italian Wedding Soup 2 cups thinly sliced escarole 1 medium …

Angel of Death Cheese 1 large bulb garlic, roasted 8 ounces cream cheese 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese 1/2 cup whipping cream salt and pepper to taste 2 –4 fresh sage leaves, finely minced 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios Combine roasted garlic with cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add Gorgonzola, cream, sage, salt and pepper. Press into a serving dish and sprinkle with pistachios. Serve with crackers or pita crisps. Makes 8-10 servings.    Creatures from the Deep (Peppered Shrimp) 1 pound (large to jumbo sized) shrimp, peeled and deviened 3 Tbsp. worchestershire sauce 3 Tbsp. white wine 2 …

Zesty 100-Yard Bites 1/3 cup Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil Reduced Fat Mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (or hot pepper sauce) 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice 12 slider buns 12 slices deli-style Honey Ham 12 slices deli-style Roasted Roast Beef 3 Kraft Big Slice Colby Jack Cheese Slices, cut into quarters 2 plum tomatoes, cut into 12 slices 12 Bread 'N Butter Pickle Chips 12 stuffed green olives Mix mayo, Sriracha and lime juice in a small bowl. Spread each bun with 1/2 tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons) mayo mixture. Fill each bun with 1 folded slice each ham and roast beef, a cheese slice quarter, …

Spiced Pumpkin Fudge 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter 2/3 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 2 cups Nestlé Toll House Premier White Morsels 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme 1 cup chopped pecans 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract Line 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil. Combine sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and spice in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until candy …

If you can't make it to the St. Charles County Fair to sample the culinary delights and find yourself craving a corn dog or a plateful of funnel cake, relax. Fair food is easy to make. Here’s a few of my favorite recipes to try for fun, including a low-fat dog-on-a-stick recipe courtesy of Pillsbury that you can serve all summer long. See Story: Decadent Delight: Foods on the County Fair Midway Classic Midway Corn Dogs  1 quart oil for deep frying 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 1 cup …