One of the best things to happen when meeting new friends is to experience some wonderful food and drinks together.  Here are a few of our favorites and ones we have gathered along the way.

  DRINKS

Rum Punch, from Karen & Mike s/v Suenos             

1 1/2 C tea                                                           

1 C pineapple juice                        

1C orange juice

1 C 7-up or Sprite

2 1/2 C rum

1 tsp of sugar

Add maraschinos cherries and some juice for color

Optional 1/4 C of coconut rum

World Famous Bloody Mary's  from Blow Me Away

I fix bloody mary's to taste so there are no exact measurements so have a go and have fun.  In a glass filled with ice add;

Tomato juice or V-8

1 shot of vodka perhaps 2

add some celery salt                                                 

add some black pepper

add some Worchester sauce

add some Tabasco or some kind of hot sauce

and definitely add some raw horseradish

garnish with a stalk of celery or olives

Stir and enjoy

APPETIZERS

Conch Ceviche from s/v Island Link

Conch (pronounced konk) are not hard to catch, but the cleaning process is a slimy affair, best done on a beach, not on your boat.

The secret to ceviche is fresh conch cleaned and scorched. (cut in pieces)

After scorching the conch place in a bowl and squeeze limes and sour oranges about 3-4 limes per conch.  Dice up tomatoes and onions, some black pepper and if you like it spicy and hot add some scotch bonnets or maybe just some hot sauce to your liking.

Conch Fritters  from s/v Blow Me Away

The secret to this is panko bread crumbs usually found in Chinese supermarkets.

After you have cleaned and tenderized the conch, (which means to pound the hell out of it), set up 3 bowls one for flour, one for beaten eggs, and the third with panko bread crumbs with some fresh coconut shavings. Heat up a skillet of Crisco and when nice and hot, start the process of dipping, first in the flour to the egg then the panko bowl.  Cook until a nice light golden brown and serve with cocktail sauce.

Easy Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonaise

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 12 oz can of artichokes, drained

Combine all ingredients and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Additional ingredients that go well with this: lobster, crab, spinach

MAIN COURSES

Crab chowder  from Blow Me Away

Helpful Hint when steaming crabs:

  Add 2 Tbsp. of vinegar into the 1/2" of water, steam for 15 min. and the crab will be so much easier to get out of the shells.  Much more enjoyable meal when you don't have to work so hard for the delicious meat.

2 C veg. broth

2 C milk

3 oz cream cheese

1/4 C white wine

vegetables chopped, carrots, celery, potatoes, corn

1/4 tsp white pepper

thyme, basil and salt

lots of crab

In a large deep pan, cook veggies in the veg broth til tender.  Add seasonings.  Add 1/4 C of flour and milk all at once, stirring constantly.  Melt the cream cheese in the milk mixture.  Add wine and crab.

Chicken Tortilla Soup  from Blow Me Away

This has been one of our favorites to serve up on a chilly day.  It warms the belly.

Cook a whole chicken in pressure cooker and with the chicken broth you add:

Cut up pieces of chicken as much as you like

1/2 C chopped onion

1 16 oz of can tomatoes, cut up

1 8 oz can of tomato sauce

1 8 oz can of Verde sauce or green chilies or both.  This is where the hotness comes from so your choice

1/2 tsp of cumin

1 clove of garlic

2 Tblsp. of chili powder

1 Tblsp. of oregano

Heat through and simmer,

When ready to serve place tortilla chips on bottom of bowl, ladle soup, top with cheddar cheese, dollop of sour cream and avocado slices.

Oriental Chicken Salad   s/v Bruadair

Great for potluck dinners

1 head of cabbage, shredded

4 scallions, chopped

1 pkg. of ramen noodles & seasoning packet        

1/2 C sliced almonds

1/2 C vegetable oil

1/4 C rice wine vinegar

1/4 C sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Combine vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar and seasoning packet and set aside.  Break apart ramen noodles and pan roast with sesame seeeds and almonds in sesame oil until golden brown and let cool.  Toss everythng together.  Can also add diced chicken as well.

Lobster Chowder Soup

1 lobster

1 1/2 C diced potatoes         

1 small onion

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

4 C scalded milk

salt/pepper/parsley

Boil lobster, drain & cool.  Remove meat from shell and cut into small pieces. Cover body with cold water and simmer 15 min.  Strain and add potatoes and cook until tender.  In saucepan, saute onions in butter then blend in flour.  Pour milk in gradually, stirring til thickened.  Add lobster meat, potatoes, stock and seasoning.  Simmer 5 min. Sprinkle with parsley.

Chicken Parisesine

This is one of our favorite dishes for simplicity to fix  and great taste

four chicken breasts

2 cans cream of mushrooms soup

1 cup white whine

1 can of mushrooms

In a bowl mix everything but chicken.  Place chicken in 13 by 9 backing dish pour mixture over chix and bake at 350 for 1hr 15 min.When done remove chicken and place on a plate. Sprinkle with paprika. Place back in oven on warm. Move sauce to sauce pan heat over medium heat. Add 1 cup of sour cream till small bubbles surface. Serve over white rice. For a side dish we always have can spinach with a little butter and vinegar and heated

BREAD

Focaccia by s/v Ute

3 C flour

4 Tbsp. oil (pref olive oil)                 

1 packet dry yeast (or 1 Tbsp)

1 C water (hot tub temp. 105 dg)

1 Tbsp sugar

Add some herbs & spices: good ones are rosemary, garlic, sundried tomatoes, sea salt and basil

Combine 1/4 C of the hot water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for about 5 min. (til it foams). Combine with flour and olive oil and the rest of the hot water. Let sit about 20 min.  Knead in spices and other ingred.  Spread out on a greased pan and let sit another 20 min. Poke holes in top and bake @ 475-500 for 20-30 min.

Tips:  Drizzle olive oil from the sundried tomatoe jar on top in the last 10 min. of baking.  If you want it thin & crispy, split the dough over two pans and bake at 500 dg.

Anadama Bread   given to me by Helen on s/v DejaVu

1 pkg yeast

1/4 C maple syrup or honey

1 C warm water 105-115 degrees  

3 1/4 C flour

1/2 C cornmeal

1 T veg. oil

1 tsp salt

Dissolve yeast and maple syrup (room temp) in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 min.  Add 2 C flour, cornmeal and next 2 ingred.  Beat at med. speed until blended.  Stir in 3/4 C flour to form soft dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead til smooth and elastic (about 8 min)  Add enough flour, 1 Tbsp at a time to prevent dough from sticking to hands (better yet, coat hands with veg oil before kneading dough)   Place dough in large bowl coated w/cooking spray, turning to coat top.  Cover & let rise in warm place, free from drafts, 1 hr or til doubled in bulk.  Punch dough down, and roll dough into a 14" X 7" rectangle on a lightly floured surface.  Roll up tightly, starting at short side, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets, pinch seam and ends to seal.  Place roll, seam side down in an 8 1/2" X 4 1/2" loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Cover and let rise 1 hr or til double in bulk.  Combine 2 tsps water and egg whites, gently brush over dough.  Bake at 375 for 35 min or til loaf sounds hollow when tapped.  Remove from pan and let cool.

DESSERTS

Nanaimo Bars from s/v Kaija's Song

This recipe comes all the way from the northwest, Vancouver way, and once you try this, it will become a favorite.       

Bottom Layer

1/2 C butter

1/4 C white sugar

5 Tbsp. cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 C coconut

1.2 C fine nuts (optional)

Place softened butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and egg in bowl.  Set in a dish of boiling water; stirring until mix looks like custard.  Add graham cracker crumbs, coconut and nuts.  Pack in a 9" cake pan.

Middle Layer

Cream together 1/4 C butter; add 3 Tbsp of milk with 2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder.  Blend in 2 C of icing sugar.  Spread on bottom layer and let stand 15 min.

Top Layer

Melt 4 oz semi sweet chocolate and 1 oz of unsweetened with 1 Tbsp. of butter  Spread over custard layer.  Cool. Let stand a couple of hours in refrigerator.

1 C Karo Corn Syrup                              

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 C sugar

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 C pecans

Stir first five ingredients together then mix in pecans.  Pour into pie crust. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

Dad's famous turnip recipe

The beauty of this dish is it's simplicity!  And finding the perfect turnip!

 One small to medium turnip, 

 peel and slice into little pieces.

  Add a dash of sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

 
Microwave for 10 minutes or until turnips are soft.  Add lots of butter.