Sherrie's Best Corn Fritters

These fritters are much better than those which rely on extra flour and milk to make a batter. Using the processed corn makes them more tasty without being “doughy” and they stay crispier.

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2 ears corn, kernels removed (or 12 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed, if fresh not available)
• 1/4 cup finely sliced green onion
• Salt and Pepper
• optional: grated Parmesan cheese
• Vegetable oil for frying

Place flour, baking soda, eggs, half the corn kernels, salt and pepper bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and fold through the remaining corn kernels, green onion, and grated cheese (if using). Mix until well combined.

Heat oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Spoon batter into the pan, spreading the mixture out slightly with the back of the spoon. Fit as many as you can into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes each side or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest of the fritters.

This is a basic recipe that can be modified to suit your own tastes. You might try adding grated Parmesan cheese, or some Tajin spice. I usually serve them with Kewpie Toasted Sesame Dressing, but these fritters would be good with a lot of other condiments such as sweet chili sauce or egg foo young sauce. In fact, I’m thinking of experimenting by adding bean sprouts and other vegetables and making egg foo young.

Brother Rick at Yaquina Head,
shortly before his death

Sausage and Cranberry Dressing

Sausage & Cranberry Dressing

About 4 cups bread, crusts trimmed, cubed

(I usually use Goldminer Cracked Wheat Sourdough)

1 12-oz pkg Jimmy Dean Regular pork sausage

1 cup diced onion

3/4 cup diced celery

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 apple, diced

3/4 cup dried cranberries

4 Tbs butter

1 can Chicken Broth

Toast cubed bread on a large pan in a low oven (about 300°F), stirring several times until completely toasted and dried. This step can be done ahead of time.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Crumble sausage into 12-inch skillet and cook over medium heat, along with the diced onion, for 10 to 12 minutes stirring frequently to break up the sausage. Add butter, celery, sage, poultry seasoning and thyme and continue to cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Place dried bread cubes, apple, cranberries into a large bowl. Pour sausage mixture over and stir to combine. Add chicken broth to moisten--note: you may not need quite all of the broth.

Place mixture in a 2-quart casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Cheddar and Buttermilk Biscuits

Cheddar & Buttermilk Biscuits

These are very similar to the biscuits they serve at Red Lobster. You can, of course, omit the cheddar cheese if you prefer.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated to yield 3/4 cup

2/3 cup buttermilk

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended. With a pastry blender or two table knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it’s texture is fine and looks a little like cornmeal with some butter chunks the size of peas. Stir in the grated cheese. Add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is wet, sticky, and shaggy; small areas of dry ingredients are fine.

Turn the dough out onto an unfloured board and knead about 12 times until the dough comes together and is smooth. Lightly flour the board and pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick square. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges of the square (this helps the biscuits rise). Cut the square into nine smaller squares. Transfer the biscuits to the lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator about 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake biscuits on middle shelf of the oven and bake 18 to 23 minutes until golden brown. Yields 9 biscuits.

Rick & Mom, Me, Mom & Dad about 1956

Jeanne's Potluck Beans

This recipe was given to me by my friend and co-worker Jeanne Miller. She was a great cook and these beans were a hit at many an end-of-season party at Fort Stevens State Park. Jeanne, Jeanne, Reservation Queen! You are missed.

Potluck Beans

1/2 Lb Bacon, Diced

1/2 Lb Hamburger

Grandpa Christy on right
ca 1928, Alaska

1/2 onion, Chopped

1 can Kidney Beans, drained

1 can Butter Beans, drained

1 can Pork & Beans, UNdrained

1/2 cup Catsup

1 to 2 Tbs barbeque sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 cup brown Sugar

1/4 cup pineapple juice *

2 Tbs vinegar

     (Jeanne didn't say what type, I generally use apple cider vinegar)

Brown bacon in a dutch oven.  Add hamburger and onion and cook until browned. Add all remaining ingredients to bacon and hamburger mixture.  Cook over medium heat until liquid is reduced (or you can bake in casserole in 350° oven). Can be kept warm in a crock pot if serving at a party.

* I usually just put in a small can of crushed pineapple