Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
This recipe for tzatziki is in response to an unpublished request from Amy Brundick.
A few weeks ago Brundick sent an email requesting a recipe for tzatziki sauce like that served at Layla's in Little Rock. I just happened to be looking up falafel recipes when I came across instructions for making just that sauce at realfoodlittlerock.blogspot.com.
Tzatziki Sauce Like Layla's
6 ounces sour cream
1/4 medium cucumber, coarsely chopped
4 to 6 mint leaves
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
In a blender or food processor, combine the sour cream, cucumber and mint and pulse until well combined. Scrape down sides and pulse a few more times. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Makes about 1 cup.
Recipe adapted from realfoodlittlerock.blogspot.com
Barbara Sue Turner shares this twist on sausage gravy.
Sausage and Corn Gravy
1 pound loose breakfast sausage or sweet Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup corn kernels from 1 ear fresh corn
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely sliced green onion
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute sausage, onion and corn until all are browned, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat well. Add milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the green onions.
Makes 6 servings.
These two are for Lou Joyce, from the Democrat-Gazette archives.
Snickers Pie
1 graham cracker crust, homemade or prepared
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup PLUS 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided use
2 eggs, divided use
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided use
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups Snickers bars, broken into 1/2-inch pieces (about 11 ounces of candy)
10 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces milk chocolate
2 tablespoons whipping cream
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust for 5 minutes. Leave oven on.
Melt butter with the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over low heat until smooth. Set aside to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the 1/2 cup sugar and 1 of the eggs plus the egg yolk. Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract and the cooled chocolate.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt, and add to chocolate mixture. Pour into crust and bake for 17 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Leave oven on.
Place Snickers pieces on top of fudge layer.
To make the cream cheese layer, mix cream cheese, the 1/3 cup of sugar, the remaining egg and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small bowl; spread on top of the Snickers bars. Bake 15 minutes more.
In a small saucepan, combine the milk chocolate and whipping cream and cook, stirring, over low heat until chocolate is melted.
Drizzle over pie and refrigerate until chilled.
Makes 1 pie.
Easy Snickers Bar Pie
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
5 regular-size Snickers candy bars, chopped
16 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (6-ounce) prepared chocolate or graham cracker crusts
In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and peanut butter until creamy. Stir in chopped Snickers bars. Gently fold in whipped topping just until mixed. Pour into crusts and refrigerate overnight.
Makes 2 pies.
Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 09/10/2014