Banana Split Pie

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker crust
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 medium bananas, sliced
1 (8-ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
12 maraschino cherries, halved
2 tablespoons finely broken walnuts (optional)

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spoon into crust. Layer each remaining ingredient on top in order: pineapple, banana slices, topping, cherries, nuts. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.

SOURCE: The Miami Herald

Kiss My Grits
by Dolly Parton

1 cup stone-ground grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Dolly said grits were always on her table, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She goes on to say in her Dolly's Dixie Fixin's cookbook that it is not much trouble making grits. She says when Mama cooked them, it was done with such love that they always tasted really good.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the grits and salt, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the butter and cook 5 minutes more. Serve steaming hot
Serves: 6

POTATO CASSEROLE

1 (2-pound) bag frozen hash browns
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can cream of potato soup
1 (10-3/4 ounce can cream celery soup
1 (16-ounce) carton sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped onions or chives
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Dill, to taste
Thaw potatoes and place in large bowl. Stir in all ingredients except dill. Pour potato mixture into lightly greased 13-by-9-inch casserole baking dish. Sprinkle dill over top. Bake at 350 degrees for a little more than 1 hour.
Source: Diane Carskadden

Irish Soda Bread

Martha Storey and friends think that this delicious fruit-studded bread is good 365 days a year, not just on St. Patrick's Day. it is one of the easiest breads you'll over make, they say, since there is no yeast.

Ingredients
4 cups organic gluten flour
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup raisins or dried currants (optional)
1 1/2 - 2 cups buttermilk (or use regular milk combined with 2 teaspoons white or cider vinegar.

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a baking sheet or cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and soda, then stir in the raisins, if desired. Add enough buttermilk to make a soft, kneadable dough.
3. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead it briefly. Shape it into a round loaf and place it on the baking sheet. Cut a cross in the top of the loaf with a single-edged razor blade or a very sharp floured knife.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.Yield: 1 loaf

Corned Beef, Carrots and Cabbage with Spicy Mustard Broth

This dish is a great choice for weekend gatherings, because you can throw everything in the pot and leave it to cook until guests arrive. What's more, the leftover beef can be shredded, mixed with grated potatoes and grated onions, fried and served over eggs for breakfast the following morning. If the corned beef you buy comes in a plastic wrapper with corning herbs, include them in the broth.

5-6 pounds corned beef
4 large onions, outer skin removed, each cut into large wedges
10 carrots, peeled
2 ribs celery, cleaned
2 bay leaves
1 bunch parsley, cleaned
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 medium green cabbage
12-14 small new potatoes, scrubbed
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a large heavy-bottomed stockpot, combine the beef, 2 onions, 2 carrots, the celery, bay leaves and parsley. Add enough cold water to cover the beef by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning 2 to 3 times. Cook until the beef is very tender, almost shredding when speared with a fork. Remove the meat from the pot and strain the broth into a large bowl. Discard the solids and return the meat and the strained broth to the pot.

Add the mustard, remaining onions, carrots, cabbage and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 50-60 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Season the broth with salt and pepper if needed.

Slice the beef into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Surround the meat with the vegetables, served whole. The broth should be served on the side with a ladle. Make sure to have deep plates with a lip so lots of broth can be poured over the meat and vegetables, or use shallow bowls. Serve with a warm loaf of country bread.

Source: Rori Trovato

IRISH DRINKING TOAST
May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.

Irish Whiskey Cake

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 4-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup Irish whiskey

Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup Irish whiskey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt or tube pan. Sift flour or cocoa powder into pan and shake to distribute evenly. Pour out excess. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.

Combine cake and pudding mix in a large mixing bowl. Stir in oil and milk to moisten. Add eggs and beat. Slowly add whiskey and beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make glaze: Combine sugar and water in saucepan; bring to a boil. Add butter and stir to melt. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey. Cool slightly, then pour into squeeze bottle.

Remove cake from oven. While cake is still hot, insert nozzle of squeeze bottle into the bottom of cake and inject glaze. Repeat at several points around cake, using up half the glaze. (If you don't have a squeeze bottle, poke holes into bottom of cake and pour glaze over holes). Let cake rest 5 minutes, then unmold.

Pour remaining glaze over top of cake.

Variations: If you prefer a non-chocolate cake, use yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding instead of chocolate. For a nuttier cake, add 1/4 cup chopped nuts into batter.

PIMENTO CHEESE

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup packed, coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup packed, coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons minced pimentos (sweet picked red or cherry peppers)
1 teaspoon grated onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. Add more mayonnaise as needed to make mixture hold together. Add salt and pepper to taste (it should be quite peppery) and use as a sandwich spread or a filling for celery sticks. Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Source: Adapted from “The Lady & Sons Savannah County Cookbook,” by Paula H. Deen (Random House, 1998) I lifted it from The New York Times, Wednesday edition, February 29, 2007.