An integral part of the Holidays is sharing food with friends and family. So we thought it would be fun to share recipes from friends that were both yummy and brought back memories of home. Enjoy.

Edith’s Maryland Crab Dip
submitted by @LisaP

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Ingredients:

•    1lb. fresh crab meat (sometimes I put 1.5 lbs)
•    2 8oz. packages of cream cheese (softened)
•    1/2 pint of sour cream
•    4 heaping tablespoons of mayo
•    1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
•    3 teaspoons of worcestershire
•    1 teaspoon of mustard (Dijon is good)
•    3 shakes garlic powder
•    1 cup grated cheddar cheese
•    a splash of milk
•    sprinkle of paprika
•    sprinkling of Old Bay seasoning

Directions:

Mix together all the ingredients (except about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese, the Old Bay and the paprika). Once mixed, together put in oven safe baking dish (like soufflé dish). Put the rest of the cheese on top. Sprinkle with paprika and Old Bay. Cook for 30-40 minutes until bubbling.

How to Serve:
Serve with crackers or sliced baguettes.

Vicky’s Paella
submitted by @affiliatetip

Ingredients:

•    Chicken pieces (optional)
•    1 lb. shrimp (you can buy them already peeled if you want)
•    1 lb. scallops (medium sized, preferably)
•    1 lb. calamari (they come in long strips usually, cut them into small pieces)
•    1 lb. clams
•    1 lb. mussels
•    Olive Oil (preferably from Spain)
•    1 medium onion, chopped finely
•    2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
•    ½ green pepper, chopped finely
•    8 oz tomato sauce
•    Fish bouillon – 1 envelope or 1 cube
•    1 little envelope of “Sazon Goya con Azafran” (these are sold in little pouches)
•    Azafran (seasoning) – a few pinches
•    Short grain Rice – quantity depending on how many you plan on cooking for
•    Canned sweet peas
•    Red Pepper – chopped, the kind you buy in a jar
•    Lemon slices

Directions:

First boil clams, save water to use for broth later – set clams aside. If you buy the shrimp with the peels, you can also boil the shrimp peels and use the broth from that. Steam mussels – set aside.

Sauté chicken pieces in olive oil, when done set aside (this is optional, some people prefer all seafood paella).

Dissolve Azafran in boiling water – 1/4 cup of water is usually enough with a few pinches of Azafran.

In flat paella style pan:

Sauté onion, garlic and green pepper in olive oil. Once soft, add tomato sauce. Add rice and proportionate amount of seafood broth. The amount of broth you use depends on taste. Some people like their paella rice on the dry side; I like mine so that it’s moist, so I add more broth.
Add fish bouillon. Add Azafran. Add Sazon Goya con szafran. Simmer so that rice cooks until it is about ½ way done.
Add Shrimp, scallop, calamari.

Continue to cook on medium heat until rice and seafood is done. Does not need to go into the oven at any time – all stove top. Once done, garnish with sweet peas, and red pepper. Add clams and mussels. Add chicken pieces. Add lemon for garnish.

Serve with bread and Spanish wine.

Johnny Marzetti
submitted by @JasonFalls with special thanks to Steve Spooner

Ingredients:

•    1 and 1/2 pounds of ground beef
•    4 cups macaroni
•    8-10 ounces of shredded cheese
•    1 diced yellow onion
•    1 diced green pepper
•    1 tablespoon of oregano
•    1 teaspoon of garlic
•    1 teaspoon of salt
•    A couple of shakes of crushed red pepper
•    15 ounces of tomato sauce
•    1 can of diced tomatoes

Directions:

In a skillet brown 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef with 1 diced onion and 1 diced green pepper.
In a pot boil 4 cups of macaroni to softness and drain. In large baking dish combine  the following:
– 1 tablespoon of oregano
– 1 teaspoon of garlic
– 1 teaspoon of salt
– A couple of shakes of crushed red pepper
– 15 ounces of tomato sauce
– 1 can of diced tomatoes (large can if you really like tomatoes)
Layer top with 8-10 ounces of shredded cheese (mozzarella, provolone mix recommended)

Bake at 35-degrees for one hour. Salt/pepper to season to taste, if needed.

Nanny’s Sausage & Herb Bread
submitted by anonymous purple haired scientist

Ingredients:

•    2 packages of quick yeast
•    ½  teaspoons of sugar
•    ½  cup of milk, scald and cooled to body temp
•    4 eggs
•    3-4 cups flour
•    ½  teaspoon of salt
•    ¾  cup butter, melted and cooled
•    3 green onions, finely diced
•    4 oz of shredded sharp cheese (jack or cheddar is tastiest)
•    1 ½  teaspoons of each of the following minced fresh herbs: sage/thyme; rosemary; tarragon. Note: if using dried herbs reduce to 0.5 teaspoon each)
•    1 ½  pounds of sausage (any hearty kind, like polish or kielbasa)

Directions:

In large bowl dissolve yeast and sugar in cooled milk. Let stand for 10-15 minutes until top is foamy. Add three well beaten eggs one at a time,  incorporating each. Add butter then three cups of flour, one cup at a time.  Add salt midway through. Mix well. It’s best to work the yeast with your hands (be sure to wash them very well first) or with a dough hook. Once flour starts to incorporate add herbs and green onions. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour over the cheese, mix well, and then add to dough. Work ingredients in then turn dough onto floured board. Work in enough remaining flour until dough is  elastic and slightly sticky to the touch.  Round up in a greased bowl, cover with a dish towel, and let proof.
Let dough rise until double in size, about an hour; “punch down” then let rest 10 minutes. Roll dough into rectangle 1×11×18 inches. Remove sausage casings and place sausage in a line down the center of the dough. Roll up tightly, seal ends by pinching dough together and brush the whole length of bread with remaining egg (slightly beaten).

Bake on greased baking sheet 1 hour @ 375 degrees F.

Serving Recommendations:
Super yummy with a Dijon mustard.  Little pickled vegetables are also tasty with this.

Hope you enjoy trying these dishes out. If you have dishes that remind you of home and family that you would like to share OR if you want to share you variations on these dishes please do so by an sending email to angel (at) ultimatefoodie.com. Be sure to join us tomorrow when we share a few sweet recipes.