East Coast Food Tour Part 2

We're now just one week out from the end of our food trip through all 50 states. Have you had fun perusing the recipes I dug up for each state? Hopefully, I managed to entertain you and teach you a little something about each state and all the delicious foods unique to each.

I have enjoyed researching the diverse foods, recipes and ethnic trends each state offers up to natives and visitors alike. I hope you are inspired to go on a real food trip of your own soon and visit a state with something delicious!


Pennsylvania - Best known for it's Philly cheese steaks, Pennsylvania also boasts some popular Dutch recipes too. Since I didn't have a recipe for cheese steak, I opted to share our Corned Beef.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Connecticut - I never expected to learn that Connecticut is best known for it's hamburgers. Here's our recipe for a Bacon Melt, which I think would be excellent with a beef patty tucked underneath all that ham!

Bacon Melt

Rhode Island - I am not exactly sure what Coffee Milk is, but that's what Rhode Island claims fame for. I'm guessing it's essentially half coffee and half milk. Here's our homemade Cappuccino Mix.

Cappuccino Mix

Massachusetts - Last this week but not least, Massachusetts revels in its Clam Chowder popularity. We've got clam chowder recipes on the site, but no pictures. Here's our Ham & Bean Soup to tempt you over!

Ham & Bean Soup

Enjoy these recipes and stay tuned for next week's final visit to Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine! Bet you can't guess what they are famous for?! Connect with us on Facebook to share your favorite state food, or visit Alicia's Recipes for more great recipe ideas!

5 Fabulous Fiesta Recipes for Cinco De Mayo

With Cinco de Mayo a few days away, you still have plenty of time to plan a fiesta for your family!  Try our recipes for your big celebration or quiet family meal...either way they are all tasty dishes to help get you in a spicy mood, perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

Crock Pot Tacos

Enchilada & Bean Casserole

Enchilada Soup

Fiesta Dip

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Enjoy your Cinco de Mayo and our easy recipes!  We love feedback and photos, so please connect and share with us on Facebook!

Bean Day Recipes

January 6th is Bean Day. Why? No one seems to know. I can't seem to find anything about its origins, though there are theories about farmers celebrating the bean harvest. But in January?? Who knows. I do know that we have a lot of bean recipes and I am more than happy to share them with you! January is also National Staying Healthy Month, so eating legumes, which are high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol, is the perfect solution.

So why not celebrate Bean Day by making something with beans? Or better yet, make it the main attraction. Beans have loads of protein, are a great low fat replacement to meat, and are very inexpensive. Try one of these recipes, or visit our bean recipe section for more.

Amish Bean Soup
Black Bean Soup
Crock Pot Beans
Hunter's Beans
Old Fashioned Baked Beans
Three Bean Casserole
7 Bean Salad


Bean Tips
by Amanda Formaro

Legumes are a type of vegetable that includes beans, peas and lentils. Legumes are one of the most versatile and nutritious foods, low in fat, they contain no cholesterol, and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. Legumes also contain beneficial fats, and are a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber. A wonderful source of protein, legumes can be a healthy substitute for meat, which is much higher in fat and cholesterol. Legumes are often chosen by vegetarians to replace the protein they miss by removing meat from their diets.

Inexpensive
Aside from all the health benefits that beans offer, they are extremely budget friendly. A one pound bag of beans is usually less than $1.50 and can make several meals, depending on the number of servings you are planning.

Storing
Beans can be stored in the bags they are packaged in. However, if you open the bag, or if the bag is punctured, it's better to store the beans in a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Moisture is the enemy, and air carries moisture. Do not keep dried beans in the refrigerator, a dark cabinet is best.

Want to read the rest of this article? 
Visit Bean Tips on Alicia's Recipes to read the rest!

Be sure to check out all of our bean recipes!

More You Might Like:
Ham Recipes
Pasta, Noodle & Rice Recipes
Potato Recipes

Three Bean Casserole

Today's recipe is...

Three Bean Casserole

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen lima beans
3 (1 lb. 3 oz.) cans or 6 c. baked beans
5 c. kidney beans
1 lb. pork link sausages
1/2 lb. cooked ham, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 med. onion, chopped (1/2 c.)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 c. catsup
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook lima beans as directed on package, drain. Turn into ungreased 4 1/2 quart bean pot or casserole. Add baked beans and kidney beans. In covered skillet, simmer sausages in small amount of water 5 minutes. Drain liquid from skillet and fry sausages until brown on all sides. Cut each sausage into 2-3 pieces. Add sausage pieces and ham to beans. Stir together remaining ingredients; pour over beans and gently mix. Bake uncovered 1 hour. 10-12 servings.

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More you might like:
Bean recipes
Potato recipes
Pork recipes

Old Fashioned Baked Beans

Today's recipe is...

Old Fashioned Baked Beans

1 lb. navy beans
Water
Salt pork
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 3/4 c. catsup
2 tbsp. dry mustard
2 tbsp. salt

Soak navy beans overnight, covered in water. Drain, cover with 1 quart water, cover and bring rapidly to boiling point. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Skim off foam. Drain again. Place bans in greased bean pot or casserole. Add slices of salt pork, brown sugar and beans in layers: put 1/3 of beans, 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 1/3 of the salt pork. Repeat layers, ending with salt pork. Pour over this a mixture of catsup, mustard and salt. Cover casserole and bake at 275 degrees for 5 to 6 hours.

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More you might like:
Bean recipes
Barbecue recipes
Beef recipes

July 4th Recipes

I'm sorry there hasn't been any daily recipes this week. But don't despair! I'm going to make up for that now.

See, I've been very busy working behind the scenes this week in an effort to make Alicia's Recipes more user friendly. I'm still at it, but wanted to take a break to not only wish you a Happy 4th of July, but give you some great recipe ideas!

Be sure to check out the recipes we have for:

Pasta Salad

Macaroni Salad

Recipes on the Grill

Jell-O recipes

Here are some recipes, each one has a link to its printable version. Be sure to snap pictures if you make something from Alicia's, then submit it and be entered in our monthly drawing!

7-Up Ice Cream Punch

Printable Version

1 qt. vanilla ice cream

1 qt. sherbet

2 cans pineapple juice

1 qt. 7-Up

Mix all ingredients together in large punch bowl. Let ice cream melt a little before serving.

Frozen Lime Punch

Printable Version

3 (3 oz.) pkgs. lime Jello

13 c. boiling water

4 c. sugar

2 (46 oz.) cans pineapple juice

16 oz. bottle Real lemon juice

2 qts. ginger ale

Dissolve Jello in 9 cups boiling water. Dissolve sugar in remaining 4 cups. Add to Jello mixture. Add juices. Pour into 2 ice cream pails (5 quart) and freeze. Allow some time to thaw before serving, until slushy. Just before serving, add ginger ale. 

Apple Salad

Printable Version

4 large apples, diced 

2 bananas, diced

1 c. miniature marshmallows 

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp. butter

1-1/2 tbsp. vinegar

Combine apples, bananas and marshmallows. Blend sugar, salt, egg, butter and vinegar. Cook in top of double boiler until thickened; cool. Pour dressing over apple mixture; serve on lettuce, if desired. 

Basil Bean Salad

Printable Version

1 can (15 to 16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 1/2 oz) wax beans, drained

1 can (14 1/2 oz) cut green beans, drained

1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

6 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 teaspoon ground mustard

3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine beans, green pepper and onion. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, basil, mustard and salt. Pour over bean mixture; toss to coat. Chill for several hours or overnight. Yield: 10 - 12 servings.

Grilled Corn Salsa

Printable Version

6 ears corn

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 small red onion peeled and sliced crosswise into ½-inch thick rings

1 bunch scallions, tops removed

1 jalapeño halved and seeds removed

1 small red bell pepper quartered and seeds removed

1/2 cup olive oil

juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat charcoal or gas grill to medium. Peel the husk of the corn down from the tip of the ear to the stalk, leaving the husk attached at the stalk. Discard silk. Brush ears all over with butter, sprinkle with salkt and pepper to taste and the thyme. Pull husk back over the ear and tie together using butcher twine. Submerge corn in large bucket of cold water weighing it down with another medium bowl of water, Let soak at least 2 hours. Place corn on the grill gate and grill, turning, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Remove twine and husk from the corn and cut the stalk off. Stand the corn up cut side down, on a cutting board, and cut off the kernels. Toss onions, scallions, jalapeño and bell pepper with one tablespoon of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until just cooked. Let cool, cut into small dice and place in a small mixing bowl. Add corn, lime juice, remaining olive oil, cilantro, and parsley and toss well.

Grilled Steak with Mustard Marinade

Printable Version

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup dry red wine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons hot and sweet mustard

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 pounds boneless sirloin steaks, 1 inch thick

Combine oil, vinegar, wine, garlic, basil, mustard, ketchup in shallow bowl. Add steak. Marinate 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight. Grill steak on oiled grill rack, or broil on oiled broiler pan rack; 5 minutes per side for medium rare.

Lemonade Pound Cake

Printable Version

1 box yellow cake mix

1 sm. box lemon Jello

1 sm. can frozen lemonade

4 eggs

1/2 c. oil

3/4 c. sugar

Dissolve Jello in 3/4 cup of hot water (stir until it is well dissolved). Let cool. Beat together 4 eggs and the 1/2 cup of oil. Mix all these ingredients into the yellow cake mix. Mix well and pour into a tube baking pan. Line pan with greased wax paper sprinkled lightly with flour. Bake at 325 degrees until done (browned on top). Mix small can of lemonade (thawed) with 3/4 cup sugar. When cake is done and still warm pour lemonade mixture over cake. Let cool and remove from pan.

Watermelon Waldorf Salad

Printable Version

2 cups cubed watermelon (about 3/4-inch cubes, seeds removed)

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup seedless red grape halves

Dash of salt

1/4 cup nonfat coleslaw dressing

2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

This recipe is full of eye-appeal and light, refreshing flavors.

Stir together watermelon, celery, and grapes in bowl. Just before serving, stir salt into coleslaw dressing. Pour mixture over fruit and stir until coated. Sprinkle with almonds.

Black Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

Today's recipe is...

Black Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

15 ounces can black beans, drained
1/4 cup Chopped tomato
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
12 black olives, pitted, sliced
8 (6") whole wheat tortillas
4 ounces jalapeno jack, cheese, shredded
32 spinach leaves, shredded
4 tablespoons hot salsa

Mash beans. Stir in tomato, cilantro & olives. Spread evenly onto 4 tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese, spinach & salsa. Top with remaining tortillas.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake tortillas on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

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7 Bean Salad

Today's recipe is...

7 Bean Salad

2 cans green beans

1 can wax beans

1 can red kidney beans

1 pinto beans or navy beans

1 black eyed peas

1 garbanzo beans

1 can baby lima beans

1 med. diced onion

1/2 med. green pepper, diced

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. vinegar

1/2 c. salad oil

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Drain the following cans of beans: Combine beans. To beans add a mixture of: Let beans marinate for several hours before serving. 7 Bean Salad will keep for weeks in the refrigerator.

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