"I'll have a stick of butter with that..."

Only kidding! Virginia chose recipes from a Paula Deen cookbook (Paula Deen's Family Recipes) she received from Christmas. Wear your elastic pants because these are going to be GOOD, y'all!

Mini Artichoke and Gruyere Quiches
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, softened
¾ cup crushed Ritz crackers (about 16 crackers)
4 slices bacon
1 tablespoon chopped green onions (scallions), white and light green parts
½ cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
½ cup (2 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
½ cup milk
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 300. Grease a 12 –cup-mini-muffin tin with the softened butter.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs and melted butter, then divide themixture evenly among the muffin cups, pressing the crumbs up the sides.
3. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the bacon for 5 minutes, turningonce. Add the green onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook for2 minutes more. Crumble the bacon, allow the mixture to cool for 2 to 5 minutes, andthen divide it evenly over the cracker crumbs. Sprinkle the grated cheese over theartichoke mixture.
4. Beat together the milk, egg, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin,filling the cups three-quarters full.
5. Bake the quiches until they are just set in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes, watching carefully so as not to overbake. Serve hot or warm.

Paula's Italian Pasta Salad
1 pound bow-tie pasta
1 cup store-bought balsamic vinaigrette dressing
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (1 small)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cups (8 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package
directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette,mayonnaise, and sugar.
3. Drain the pasta well, transfer to a large bowl, and allow to cool. Add the tomatoes,mushrooms, olives, green pepper, onion, and basil. Pour the dressing over the saladand toss to combine. Sprinkle in cheese, toss lightly, and serve.

Orange, Strawberry, and Date Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Dressing:
6 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot
½ teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Salad:
1 head Boston lettuce, rinsed, dried, and torn into pieces
2 medium navel oranges
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
½ cup pitted dates, thinly sliced crosswise

1. To make the dressing, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice, shallot, andtarragon. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. In a bowl, coat the greens with all but ¼ cup of the dressing. Arrange the greens onindividual serving plates.
3. Cut off the top and bottom of each orange, just exposing the flesh. With a sharpknife, follow the curve of the fruit to cut away the peel, completely removing thewhite pith. Slice out each segment of fruit, cutting in along the membrane. Dividethe oranges, strawberries, and dates among the greens. Drizzle each serving with the remaining dressing.

Cousin Johnnie’s Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Feta
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (abt 2 cups) or one 14 ½ ounce candiced tomatoes with basil and garlic, drained
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
3 dashes of Tabasco or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon capers, drained
Salt and pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, greenpepper, and garlic and sauté until the pepper is tender, about 4 minutes.
2. Move the tomato mixture to the side of the pan and add the shrimp, spreading them into a single layer to ensure even cooking. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, untilopaque. Stir in the oregano, Tabasco, capers, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the feta. Drizzle the lemon juice over themixture and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Bobby’s Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime
One 3 ½ pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
¾ teaspoon pepper
Salt
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Rinse the chicken and pat dry; place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, garlic, lime zest and juice,and pepper. Season the chicken generously with salt. Pour the mustard-mayonnaisemixture over the chicken, tossing well to coat.
2. In a large baking pan, arrange the chicken to fit in a single layer. Bake until it is cooked through; breasts will take about 30 minutes, and legs will need 5 to 10minutes more. Serve the chicken with the pan juices drizzled over the top andgarnished with chopped parsley.

Luscious Vidalia Onion and Sweet Corn Spoon Bread
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 medium Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon plus 1 pinch of salt
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
1 cup cornmeal
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. In a large skillet over
medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion with the pinch of salt and sauté until golden and softened, 7 to 10 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, half-and-half, and the remaining 4 tablespoons butter to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in the cornmeal very slowly to avoid lumps; simmer until very thick, about 5 minutes. Let stand off the heat for 5 minutesto cool. Stir in the eggs, chives, pepper, baking powder, and the 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the batter into the baking dish and scatter the onions over the top. Bake until golden and firm, about 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Four-Cheese and Pesto Italian Baked Spaghetti
1 pound uncooked spaghetti
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 (6-to-7 ounce) containers prepared pesto
2 ½ cups (3/4 lbs) shredded mozzarella
1 cup (1/4 lb) grated parmesan cheese
1 cup (1/4 lb) crumbled goat cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Grease a flameproof 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Cook the spaghetti for 2 minutes less than the package directions specify. Drain the spaghettiwell and transfer it to a bowl. Stir in the ricotta, pesto, 1 cup of the mozzarella, ½cup of the Parmesan, and the goat cheese. Toss the mixture well and transfer it to thebaking dish.
2. Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan over the pasta. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Turn the oven setting to broil andbroil for 1 minute or until golden. Serve hot.

Smoky Tomato-Bacon Pasta
½ lb bacon (abt 10 slices)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
Salta nd pepper
4 ounces cream cheese (half of an 8 ounce package), but into pieces
1 pound uncooked rigatoni

1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and brown. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but ¼ cup fat from the skillet.
2. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, then crumble in the bacon. Season with salt andpepper; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and chunky, about 10 minutes. Stirin the cream cheese until melted.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni according topackage directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sauce and serve immediately.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuit and Blue Cheese Bread Pudding
2 cups (8 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
3 cups heavy cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
18 buttermilk biscuits (2 inches in diameter), baked
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 13 by 9 inch baking dish.
2. Sprinkle ½ cup of the blue cheese into the baking dish. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the green peppers and onion until softened,about 5 minutes. Stir in the corn and jalapenos and cook for 1 minute more. Take the
skillet off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix the cream and eggs. Crumble the biscuits and the remaining 1 ½cups blue cheese into the custard and stir to combine. Stir in the sautéed vegetables,salt, and pepper and pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake until golden and setin the middle, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve hot.

Anthony’s Ultimate Double Cheesy Mac ‘n Cheese
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the baking dish
1 ½ pound uncooked elbow macaroni
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
½ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
4 cups (1 lb) grated Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 2-quart flameproof baking dish. In a large pot ofboiling and salted water, cook the macaroni according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, milk, sour cream, salt,pepper, and mustard.
3. Drain the macaroni, transfer it to a large bowl, and stir in 2 cups of the cheese. Add the egg-and-milk mixture and stir to combine. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until set. Top with the remaining 2 cups cheese and put the baking dish under the broiler until bubbly and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Bubba’s Tiny Chocolate-Key Lime Pies
½ pound (2 sticks) butter, melted, plus more for greasing pans
1 ¾ cups (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
¾ cup sugar
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice or regular lime juice
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Finely grated zest of 2 key limes or 1 regular lime
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Whipped cream, for serving
Milk chocolate curls, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Lightly brush cups of two mini-muffin pans with meltedbutter. Fill the unused cups halfway up with water. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press about 1 tablespoon of the cookie mixture intoeach mini-muffin cups, making sure there are no cracks. Bake the piecrusts for 10minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, key lime juice, egg yolks, lime zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Spoon 1 even tablespoon of filling into each warm pie crust. Bake the pies until the filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Transfer the muffin pans to a cooling rack and let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature. Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to carefully unmold the piesfrom the pans. When the pies are completely cool, top each with a dollop of whippedcream and decorate with a milk chocolate curl.

Toffee-Coconut Rocky Road Bars
½ pound (2 sticks) butter
1 sleeve graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
1 cup, plus 3 tablespoons, sugar
2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup mini marshmallows

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan. Melt half the butter.In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they form coarse crumbs (or put them in a heavy duty resealable plastic bag and whack them with a rolling pin). Place the crumbs in a bowl; mix with the 3 tablespoons sugar and the melted butter until well combined. Press the crumbs into the bottom and all the way up to the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust until light golden and almost firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate with the remaining butter,stirring until smooth. Whisk in the 1 cup sugar, the eggs, and vanilla. Fold in the flour and salt until just combined. Fold in the pecans.
3. Pour the batter into the prebaked crust. Top with the toffee pieces. Bake for 19 minutes. Top with the coconut; bake for 15 minutes more. Top with themarshmallows and bake until they’re melted and golden, and a fork, inserted in the bars, comes out clean, about 10 minutes more.

Two-Berry Chess Pie
1cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
One 9-inch graham cracker crust
½ cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 pint raspberries
1 pint blackberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Using an electric mixer, cream the sugars and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; beat in the milk, flour,vanilla, and salt until smooth.
2. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake until the filling is dark golden and just set(the center will jiggle), 40 to 45 minutes. Let the pie stand at room temperature until completely cooled.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam over medium-low heat until melted, about3 minutes. Strain the jam into a small bowl and stir in the Grand Marnier. Sprinkle the berries evenly over the top of the pie. Brush the berries with the apricot glaze andserve.