A Dash of Class

By NORA SWEAT

Here we are at the end of the month again, and I have some unusual recipes for you. In April, the Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center appreciated its volunteers. In order to keep costs low, I surveyed the contents of our food supply cabinet and found four packages of tuna left from the Circus of the Kids event. I searched for tuna recipes online and found a couple that the folks raved about. It may be something you might want to try for your next party or family gathering. It is a welcome change to the same ole’ dip and cheese ball.  Also, I have a breading recipe for fresh fish filets from Susie Walker of Glendale. It sounds much like what my mother used. I got the last recipe from Beverly Ballard at the local meeting of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, where I was the guest speaker. My students and I have made this recipe, only we used either saltine crackers or regular graham crackers. But Beverly has given us a new option, and they were delicious. She adds that they are addictive and I understand why after tasting them.   Low-Calorie Tuna Dip 2 8-ounce containers soft cream cheese (low-fat) 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce ½ cup sliced green onions ½ cup chopped celery 2 7-ounce packages of tuna (packed in water) Mix first three ingredients; add onions and celery. Mix well and stir in tuna. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with raw vegetables.   Tuna Ball 2 8-ounce containers soft cream cheese (low-fat) 2 7-ounce packages tuna (packed in water) 6 tablespoons minced white onion (or ¼ c. + 2 T.) 6 tablespoons chopped celery 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon hot sauce Chopped pecans Mix all ingredients but pecans well and roll in ball. Chill for one hour and roll in chopped pecans.   Fried Fish Filets Fish Filets

1 egg

½ cup water

Flour

1 cup plain white corn meal (or you could use coarse-ground yellow)

½ cup flour

1 tablespoon salt

3 heaping tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning (don’t skimp, this is the magic ingredient)

Cut fish filets into strips and soak in milk for a few hours to remove any oily or fish taste. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Mix egg and water and beat thoroughly together. Set aside a bowl of flour.

When ready to prepare fish, roll the fish pieces in flour, remove and dip into egg mixture, then, using a zippered plastic bag, coat with mixture of corn meal, 1/2 cup flour, salt and lemon pepper seasoning. Fry until golden brown.   Pecan Crunchies 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans Chocolate graham crackers Line a jelly roll pan (17 x 11-inch) with parchment paper and cover with a layer of chocolate graham crackers. You can break them to fill in small places. Cook butter and brown sugar until it begins to boil. Boil slowly for two minutes. Add pecans and pour over graham crackers. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool thoroughly and break apart into pieces. This recipe does not do well during high humidity; make sure you have the air conditioning on when you make them.

 Nora Sweat is a lifelong resident of Hardin County and a retired home economics/family and consumer science teacher, She now works at the Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center and may be reached at nora.sweat@thenewsenterprise.com.