Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

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Happy 4th of July! Hope everyone has a wonderful day with friends and family. This appetizer came to my attention when I was living in Greensboro, NC. There is a shop there called Roosters Gourmet Market and one of their guest instructors was Shirley O Corriher, a biochemist and the author of CookWise and BakeWise. She specializes in analyzing the chemistry of food. In an article in the local paper she talked about how interesting this appetizer was. The method of cooking and the way the cheese melts into the crackers makes for a very crispy treat. The pepper flakes add the heat that give the crackers their name. You can tame the heat by decreasing the amount of pepper flakes used but they really add a nice kick. Be sure to use FAT FREE saltine crackers. The seasoning you use is up to you. You can use an Italian herb blend or a grilling spice that is not overly salty. This is a very easy and different snack to offer your guests.

FIRECRACKERS

1/4 box (one sleeve) Fat Free Saltine Crackers
2 tsp seasoning of choice
1 Tbls hot pepper flakes (less if you do not like a lot of heat)
1/2 pound shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Arrange saltine crackers on a baking sheet with crackers touching. Sprinkle seasoning over crackers. Sprinkle with as many pepper flakes as you dare. Top with shredded cheese. Place pan on center shelf of oven, close door and turn oven off. Leave in oven overnight or at least 4 hours. The hot oven melts and browns the cheese, producing an even coating of crisp brown. Fat from the cheese soaks into the crackers and puffs them slightly. Leaving them in the oven dries them out well so that they are super crunchy. Break apart and eat or store. They keep well for several weeks sealed in an airtight tin.

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The 4th of July celebrations on the lake are always fun. There are festivals at Rumbling Bald Resort and two fireworks displays on either end of the lake. The Rumbling Bald fireworks are on the fourth and the city shoots their fireworks on the evening of the fifth. At dusk the lake is full of boats making their way to the east to view the first of the events. We take sweaters and blankets because the evening tends to get cool. There is something special about viewing the bright bursts of color from the boat.

The traditional 4th of July dinner has always been ribs on the grill, but this year I am trying something different. I have been experimenting with a variety of meat and vegetable combinations and finally hit on this version which I think is a winner. Chicken cubes are marinated in one baggie and pineapple and green and red peppers in another. They are arranged on the skewers and basted with the marinade from the fruit and pepper mixture. They cook quickly and look vibrant on a bed of orange rice.

The rice salad can be made ahead of time and compliments the teriyaki flavors so well. I love this salad. It comes from Anna Pump’s new book Summer on a Plate. It can be served at room temperature which is an added bonus if you are asked to bring a dish to a picnic.

I will be posting another recipe for the fourth of July soon. It is one that I have had in my arsenal for years. It is called Firecrackers.

TERIYAKI CHICKEN SKEWERS

Makes 3 servings (can easily be doubled)
3 boneless chicken breast halves cut into 2″ squares
1 green pepper, cut into 1″ squares
1 red pepper, cut into 1″ squares
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into 1″ squares
2 Tbls sugar
4 Tbls Soy Sauce
4 Tbls Mirin (sweetened sake) If you can’t find this, eliminate the soy and use 8 Tbls teriyaki sauce
6 wooden skewers, soaked in water

Place chicken pieces (you should have 18 pieces) in one large baggie. Place pepper and pineapple pieces in another baggie. Mix sugar, soy and mirin (or teriyaki sauce) in small sauce pan and heat just until sugar dissolves. Cool. Pour half of marinade over chicken and the other half over the peppers and pineapple. Marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

Thread ingredients on six wooden skewers alternating. You should have three each of red pepper, pineapple, chicken and green pepper.

Prepare grill. It should be hot. Spray grill with oil and grill the skewers turning as needed and basting with the marinade from the veggies and pineapple, until chicken is cooked, approximately 10 minutes.

ORANGE RICE SALAD

2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls unalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onion (one large)
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice ( I used Uncle Ben’s)
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice (I used mixture of fresh and juice from the carton)
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp kosher salt (I used less)
2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup minced fresh chives or scallions
I added the zest of one orange

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 Tbls fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a heavy pot over low heat melt the butter with the olive oil and saute the onions and rice for 5 minutes. Stir often, so it does not brown. Add the orange juice, water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 15 to 17 minutes ( Mine took 20 ) or until rice is just tender. Spoon the rice into a large bowl. Fluff it with a fork to separate the grains. Add the pine nuts, celery and chives.

Place all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well to blend. Pour dressing over the rice and toss gently but thoroughly. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Printable recipe – Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Printable recipe – Orange Rice Salad

I now have a new friend and we are planning to get together again soon. I highly recommend getting to know your blogging buddies. Visit Penny’s blog for more pictures of our day and the fable about stone soup.

I have always wanted to try black-eyed pea cakes. They are served often in vegetarian restaurants and remind me of crab cakes in the way they are prepared. After having them at the restaurant, I decided to try them at home. I found a recipe that came originally from Southern Living Magazine and fixed them for lunch recently. They added an unusual and pleasant topping to salad greens. I think they would also make a great appetizer with a dollop of chow chow on top. See A Southern Grace for that recipe.

BLACK-EYED PEA CAKES

1 small onion chopped
1 Tbls olive oil
2 (15.5 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained, and divided
1 (8 ounce) container chive-and-onion-flavored cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp hot sauce
1 (8 ounce) package hush puppy mix with onion
olive oil

Saute onion in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until tender. Process onion, 1 can of peas, and next 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor until mixture is smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir in hush puppy mix, and gently fold in remaining can of peas.

Shape mixture by 2 tablespoonfuls into 3 inch patties, and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Cook patties, in batches, in 3 tablespoons hot oil, adding oil as needed, in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until patties are golden brown. Drain patties on paper towels, and keep them warm. Serve with desired toppings or on a salad.

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