Crab Florentine

2 10 oz pkgs frozen chopped spinach thawed
3 Tbsp butter
1 tbsp onion, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
dash Worcestershire
salt and pepper
1 pound fresh crab meat
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
grated Parmesan cheese
paprika
butter
Drain spinach and press out water. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a small skillet, add onion and saute.  Add spinach, lemon juice and salt. Cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes, only until spinach is hot.  Remove from heat and spoon into 8 ramekins.  Flatten spinach out to completely cover bottom of a ramekin.  Melt remaining butter in saucepan, add flour and stir over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes.  Slowly add milk and stir until thickened.  Add sherry and cheese, stirring until cheese melts.  Add Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add crab.  Spoon mixture over spinach.  Top with bread crumbs, Parmesan, paprika and dot with butter.  Bake at 350' for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Place under broiler until lightly browned.

The Best Iced Tea

Take a ceramic pitcher which holds at least 4 cups
Put five tea bags in the pitcher (use a good black tea)
Pour boiling water over the tea and let steep about 10 minutes
Take out the tea bags.
Add one cup of sugar and stir until dissolved.
You may let this cool a little.
Pour tea into a larger gallon size pitcher
Add water to near the top.

Put plenty (I mean fill it full) of ice in a glass.
Pour the tea over the ice.

You may add lemon, lime and or mint.

Sit on the porch and sip.

Always use the same method, the same pitchers and you will always have excellent iced tea.

Okra and Tomatoes

 4 or 5 fresh tomatoes and juice, chopped
1 pound okra
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. bacon grease (or canola oil)
salt and pepper

Wash and slice okra into rounds about 1/2 inch thick.  Saute onion and okra in grease or oil until browned.  Add chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes.  Add water if necessary to prevent sticking.  If too juicy, uncover and cook a little longer. Serve hot. Good on rice.

Chilaquilas from Guatemala

5 eggs
12 fresh tortillas
1 small mozzarella cheese
ollive oil
1 large onion
3 large fresh very ripe tomatoes
chopped parsley
salt and pepper
garlic powder

Beat the eggs in a deep bowl.  Fold tortillas in half and place a slice of cheese in each.  Dip tortillas in egg to coat very well and fry on both sides in oil.
Grate onions, mash tomatoes, add parsley, salt pepper and garlic powder.  Mix and simmer over low heat.  Pour over tortillas when ready to serve.

Corn Fritters

1/2 cup milk
2 cups boiled corn, cut from the cob (boiled 8 minutes)
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Add milk to corn. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to corn mixture.  Add eggs and butter.  Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls into canola oil heated to 375'.  When brown, drain on paper towels.  Serve immediately. Yields 1 1/2 dozen.

The Real Tomato Sandwich

First you have to have a real tomato.  Grow it yourself, a big boy, a better boy, perhaps an early girl.  Or get it from a road side stand, a farmer's market or your neighbor.

Slice the tomato generously onto white bread.  Only white bread will do.

The white bread must be generously slathered with mayonaise.  Duke's is best and then Hellman's.

Salt the tomato.

This is the real thing.  It does not need to be adulterated with bacon and lettuce and whole wheat bread.

You will probably have to make a second sandwich.  Might as well make them both at once.

Fresh Corn and Pattipan Squash Stir Fry

6 ears of silver queen corn
3 pattipan squash
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsps canola oil
2 Tbsps butter
salt and pepper

Cut the kernels off the corn.  Chop the squash into small chunks (say three to a teaspoon).
Crush and chop the garlic cloves and begin to saute in the canola oil (hopefully in an iron pan).
Add the corn and the squash and stir fry for approximately 7 to 8 minutes.  Add butter and salt and pepper.  Enjoy while hot.