2 C sugar
1/2 C evaporated milk
2 T cocoa
4 oz butter
3 T peanut butter
1 t vanilla
1/2 C chopped nuts
2-1/2 C quick-cooking oats

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly, for about a minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, peanut butter, and nuts, then add the oatmeal and mix well. Spread this into a large flat pan, like a rimmed baking sheet or a 9×12 baking pan. Let cool into one giant cookie and cut into squares.

Back when we cruised aboard the Northern Crow, we had no oven, so I made Rice Crispies (TM) treats aboard. They go stale almost immediately, so instead of hoarding them with Barry, I had to share them around the marina as soon as they were made! Anyway, I didn’t have a cookie sheet or rimmed baking sheet, so I just spread them out on several plates to cool and then cut them into interesting shapes. That should work for this recipe as well.

Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and garlic and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the half and half before serving.

1 C TVP
6 large dried ancho chilis, mild or medium
1 onion
1-1/2 C water
2 t salt
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t cinnamon
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
2 T olive oil
10 oz cooked beans
2 T tomato sauce

In a dry skillet, toast the TVP until nicely browned. Rinse the chilis, remove seeds, and mince finely (I used kitchen scissors for this step). Place in a medium saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the TVP and spices, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Saute the onion in 1 T olive oil. Stir this, the beans, and 1 T olive oil into the TVP-chili mixture. Heat gently and serve with tortilla chips.

For years, I’ve been reading about cruising sailors who live without refrigeration. Boat refrigeration is expensive to install and painful to maintain, and it’s the item that uses the most electricity, a scant resource. So I’ve always assumed that we would just learn to live without it.

But living on a boat at anchor and living on a boat on jackstands are two different things. We don’t have nice cool water around our boat, and without masts and booms, we don’t even have any shade. It is hot, hot, hot.

But we have a vehicle, and there are plenty of places to buy ice nearby. Block ice, which keeps longer than cubes, is a little harder to find, but we found the places that carry it. Beaufort Ice, the wholesaler, will sell it to us if we happen to be in town during regular business hours. Once, at the end of the day, they gave us a free block, because we didn’t have exact change. They distribute their blocks to other places, like Captain Kenny’s BP station and the strange and dark mini-mart we call “Skankland,” but of course it costs more.

So we started buying a block of ice for our icebox every day. Sometimes we would go two days, and then buy two blocks. But it’s a hassle. Our friends were using block ice, too, until they got their fridge working. Now, when they see us hauling ice back from the gas station, they just smile contentedly. “You should buy a little refrigerator,” said Gigi. “I saw them for $64 at Kmart, I think, or Wal-Mart.”

She was right. We were spending over $70 per month just for the ice, not counting the gas and the time. I went to Kmart and plunked down the credit card. Returning home, Barry put the new fridge over his shoulder and carried it up to the cockpit. “It sure is light,” we both commented.

Then we plugged it in, and I read the little manual. Wait, what’s this? It’s a thermoelectric model with no refrigerant. It says it can lower the temperature up to 20 degrees from ambient. That won’t work when it’s 95 degrees — who wants a 75-degree refrigerator?

I went back to Kmart and carried the fridge to the customer service desk — I didn’t even need a cart to return it. I should have known that a 22-pound fridge wouldn’t work.

So on to Wal-Mart, where we bought one that weighs 55 pounds. We had to use a block and tackle to get this one up to the cockpit. But it has a real compressor, and a tiny freezer compartment where we can make ice cubes, and although it’s only 1.7 cubic feet, that’s enough room for our milk and cheese and lunchmeat and a few vegetables.

We’ll have to sell the fridge when we launch the boat, and then we’ll figure out how to live without refrigeration on the water. But in the mean time, we’re in cool heaven. And instead of carrying ice up the ladder, we get to carry something better: Ice cream!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together:
1 C butter
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C white sugar

Combine and beat until smooth:
2 eggs
2 T vanilla
2 T milk

Sift, then add to above ingredients:
2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1-1/2 t salt

Add:
3 C oats
1 C raisins
1 C chocolate chips
1 C coconut

Drop in spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake until light brown around the edges - approximately 17 to 20 minutes.

Eat!

2 3-oz boxes of Cherry Jello
2 cups of water
In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the Jello and simmer, stirring, for two minutes.
Remove from heat and add:
1 large can of Crushed Pineapple
1 large can of Cherry Pie Filling
Refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, stir in one thawed container of Cool Whip.

For more jello “salads” involving Cool Whip, see:

Fluffy Salad
Mandarin Orange Salad
Pineapple Cream Salad

“O.K., O.K., here is the award winning family secret recipe. I had to wait until I was sure that my name was engraved on the plaque so that the honor could not be taken away once the simplicity of the recipe was known.

*One bag frozen meatballs. Yes, thats right, I said frozen. Ikea makes the best. I used Safeway.
*One jar (medium) grape jelly
*One jar chili sauce
*Chili powder to taste.
Simmer all ingredients together in private, throw the jars away and enjoy.”

1 lb medium frozen shrimp, peeled, or 3 cans (4-1/2 oz) shrimp, drained
1 C sliced celery
1 C chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T butter or oil
1-lb can diced tomatoes
13-1/2 oz can chicken broth
1 C brown rice
3/4 t salt
1-1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t marjoram
1/4 t cloves
1 bay leaf (or 1/2 t ground bay)
Hot pepper sauce to taste

Thaw frozen shrimp, if using, or rinse and drain canned shrimp. Cook celery, onion, and garlic in butter or oil until tender but not brown. Add tomatoes, broth, and rice, bring to boil. Pour into a round 2-quart baking dish and stir in seasonings. Cover; bake in 350 degree oven for about an hour, until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Fold in the shrimp, cover, and return to oven for about 5 minutes. (This recipe originally called for white rice and was baked for 25 minutes instead of 60.)

Pressure cooker version: In your pressure cooker, cook the celery, onion, and garlic in the butter or oil. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and seasonings, then put the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it. Cook for 20 minutes at high pressure. Remove from heat and let pressure drop naturally for 10 minutes. Release the pressure according to your cooker’s instructions, open the cooker, and stir in the shrimp. Simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat before serving.

1 lb bulk sausage or 1/2 lb bacon
4 16-oz cans baked beans
1 16-oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1 12-oz jar chili sauce
Heaping teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/2 C bourbon
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 T molasses
1 t dry mustard

Cook sausage or bacon in a skillet until browned. If you use sausage, break it up as you cook it. Drain on paper towels. If you use bacon, crumble after cooking.

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Uncover and let simmer until it’s as thick as you like it.

Note: You can use a half cup of strong coffee instead of the instant crystals, but the mixture comes out more soupy when you do, so you have to simmer it longer with the lid off.  We also substituted Wild Turkey liqueur, because we had no bourbon.

Choose your favorite flavoring ingredients:

Ground ginger
Sage
Liquid smoke
Cayenne
Black pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Poultry seasoning
Thyme
Nutmeg
Finely minced onion or onion salt

To form the sausage patties more easily, you can add any of the following binders (optional):

Egg white
Oatmeal or oat bran
Bread crumbs

Form into small patties and fry in a skillet.

See also:

Kufta bi taheena (substituting chicken or turkey for the lamb or beef)

8 oz orange curação
8 oz orgeat syrup
8 oz Rose’s lime juice
32-oz can unsweetened pineapple juice
1/3 gallon (about 43 oz) orange juice

Combine ingredients in a pitcher. To make a Mai Tai, pour a shot of light rum or mango-flavored rum over ice in a tall glass. Fill with Mai Tai Mix and float a little bit of super-dark Cruzan blackstrap or Hanabay rum on the top.

For true effect, stir with a plastic Playboy bunny swizzle stick.

Dough:
1 package dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1 C warm water
1 t olive oil
2 t salt
1/4 C cornmeal
3 to 3-1/2 C flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, let stand five minutes. Stir in oil, salt, and cornmeal and gradually add flour to form a stiff dough. Knead in the bowl for several minutes. Cover bowl with a towel and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes (use this time to prepare the toppings).

Punch dough down lightly and divide into four pieces. Oil the back of a baking sheet and shape pizzas on oiled surface (press hard with fingertips, use more flour as needed). With a spatula, slide shaped dough onto preheated grill, one at a time. When browned on one side (five to seven minutes), remove and place toppings on the grilled side. Return, uncooked side down, to the grill and cook three to five minutes to melt toppings. Serve as individual pizzas, or cut into wedges and share.

Suggested toppings:

• Mashed black beans, guacamole, local cheese, salsa
• Pizza sauce, sauteed onions and garlic, gouda
• Fresh tomatoes, basil and canned Danish brie
• Grilled sliced eggplant, olives, oregano, local cheese
• Use the toppings for Chicken Ranch Pizza
• Just brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt — makes a great flat bread to serve with any meal

1. Toast the chiles and soak them in 4 C of warm water with the sun-dried tomatoes.
2. Drain, reserving 1 C water (if it’s not bitter — if it is, discard and use plain water in the following step).
3. Put the chiles and the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and puree with the remaining ingredients, including the reserved water.

Toast the pumpkin seeds and let them cool. Heat the high-heat oil in a skillet, and when it’s almost smoking, turn the poblano peppers in the hot oil with tongs until they are blistered but not blackened. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes.

Peel and seed the poblanos, then put them in a food processor with the pumpkin seeds. Chop for 1 minute. Add the cilantro and blend for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth.

Mango
Ginger
Lime
Cayenne

Seared pineapple
Red bell pepper
Chipotle
Orange juice
Lime juice
Cilantro
Brown sugar

Melon (watermelon, honeydew, canteloupe)
Mint
Lime
Chile

Cranberries
Oranges
Pecans
Red chili powder

Sauteed pears
Roasted tomatoes
Kalamata olives
Sugar
Chiles
Vinegar

The filling from Mock Mincemeat Pie, with a little less sugar and a handful of chiles or chili powder

Fig
Lemon
Cayenne
Thyme

Roasted corn
Greens
Bacon

Cowboy caviar is actually a type of corn salsa

Corn
Ginger
Roasted red pepper
Coriander
Chiles
Orange juice
Cinnamon

Mango
Black beans
Bell pepper
Lime juice
Hot sauce

Chayote
Honeydew
Fennel
Chile
Lime

Grated carrots
Kalamata olives
Olive oil
Lemon
Cayenne

Sun-dried tomatoes (in oil)
Anchovies
Garlic
Roasted shallot
Fresh thyme, basil, Italian parsley
Cayene, black pepper
Sherry vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Roast bananas in their skins for about a half hour. They’ll turn dark. Allow to cool, then scoop the pulp into a bowl. Combine with remaining ingredients and sprinkle with some extra nuts.

This would be delicious on vanilla ice cream or as a dip with ginger snaps. The original recipe suggested serving it with pork!

Combine all ingredients. This is supposed to be good with lamb, but I think it might be good with eggs, too.

Heat a cast iron skillet over low heat and add cloves of unpeeled garlic. Dry-roast for 30 to 40 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic softens and you can squeeze it out.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Place just enough corn in the pan to cover the bottom with one or two layers. Shake or stir continuously and roast for 4 to 5 minutes until the corn turns smoky and dark.

Use in salsas, as a sweet, chewy garnish, or just as a snack with a little salt.