Cherries Not Your Mamas By Freda Recipes

NOT YOUR MAMA'S BLACK-EYED PEAS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, shallot, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add diced sausage to the pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove some of the sausage for garnish and set aside. Add butter, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper; cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in chicken stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Stir in heavy cream. Remove 1/2 of the soup and puree in a blender. Return pureed black-eyed pea mixture to the pot and continue cooking on low, stirring well, for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add okra to a cast iron skillet and cook over medium-high heat until they are well charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Add okra to black-eyed peas and serve garnished with reserved sausage pieces.

TONY DIRAMIO'S (NOT YOUR MAMA'S) FRA DIAVOLO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet or sauce pan sauté white onions in olive oil.
• Crush plum tomatoes in you hand and then add to skillet with white onions.
• Add crushed tomatoes and seasoning to skillet and cook covered at medium high heat for 30 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 2-1/2 hours; stirring occasionally.
• If you remove lid and let steam escape the sauce will thicken. Some people like it thicker.
• The sauce will get hotter (spicier) the longer you let simmer.
• The trick to hotter sauce is to add the desired crushed red pepper at the beginning.

NOT YOUR MAMA'S APPLE COBBLER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Heat apple juice in a medium-size sauce pan. Add raisins and cook 1 minute. Add apple pie filling and bring to a simmer. Stir in walnuts. Spoon filling into prepared baking dish.
• Unroll puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 12 circles with a 2-inch cutter. Place circles over top of apple mixture and brush with egg-water wash. Sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until pastry is browned. Remove from oven:cool slightly.