Oysters, any way you like

Rob Weeks of Cape has been a regular in Recipe Swap over the past several years. Rob is a wonderful cook and likes coming up with new and unusual recipes. He writes in this week about his favorite uncle, Jim "Smooth" Stewart from Wichita, Kan.

Rob's Uncle Jim has been to New Orleans many times and has perfected some of their oyster appetizer recipes. He came up with the idea of arranging them with the green, yellow and red colors to make his unique "Traffic Light Oysters." The casino and Bienville recipes are based on the old Brennan's restaurant cookbook, but the Rockefellers are completely his own version, although a bit similar to Galatoire's, Rob's favorite restaurant in New Orleans. You might be stumped by the ingredient Pernod, which is an anise-flavored liqueur, and can easily be found locally. All of these recipes can be adjusted for whatever number of oysters you wish to make.

Rob recently made the Traffic Light Oysters for a dinner party, and they were a big hit. Even guests who are squeamish about oysters will like these when cooked with these delicious sauces.

Oysters Rockefeller

These are the green oysters on your Traffic Light Oyster platter.

For 36 oysters on the half shell:

3 green onions or 5 tablespoons minced

1/2 bunch parsley or 1 tablespoon minced

1 sack fresh celery leaves or 8 tablespoon minced

1 bunch spinach or lettuce or 10 tablespoon minced

2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans asparagus tips or 15 tablespoon minced

1/2 of a cooked mashed potato

4 1/2 teaspoons dried minced terragon

1 1/4 teaspoons dried minced chervil

14 tablespoons bread crumbs, browned

2 teaspoon salt

3 ounces lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

10 tablespoons softened sweet butter

2 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

10 tablespoons Herbsaint liqueur (this is made in New Orleans; if not available use Pernod or another anise-flavored liqueur instead)

Parmesan cheese

Mince fresh vegetables separately in a food processor. Combine with other ingredients, except cheese. The sauce should be a fairly smooth puree. Arrange oysters on the half shell with the Rockefeller sauce. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top of the sauce. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes; put under the broiler until the sauce starts turning brown. Serve immediately, being careful to use pads so as not to damage the table. Eat along with some hot San Francisco sour dough French bread and a well-chilled Muscadet wine, and you'll think you've died and gone to heaven!

Oysters Bienville

These are the yellow oysters on your Traffic Light Oyster platter.

1 dozen oysters

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

3/4 cup fish or other stock

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk, beaten

1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 truffles, minced

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

3 tablespoons white wine

Dash cayenne

1/2 cup boiled shrimp, finely chopped

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Make sauce by melting butter in a 9-inch saucepan over medium heat and sautZing onions until tender. Blend in flour thoroughly. Cook slowly about 5 minutes, stirring constantly; do not brown. Remove from heat. Blend in stock, wine, salt and cayenne pepper until smooth. Blend in egg yolk thoroughly. Return pan to heat and gently cook while adding shrimp, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and truffles, if any, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cover shucked oysters on the half shell with sauce, top with sprinkling of paprika and bread crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the edges of oysters begin to curl. Serve immediately.

Oysters Casino

These are the red oysters on your Traffic Light Oysters platter.

3 dozen oysters, shucked, reserving shells

1 cup chili sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/8 cup horseradish

9 strips bacon, cut in quarters

Combine chili sauce, catsup, and horseradish and heat thoroughly over a low heat. Place oysters on half-shell and cover each first with sauce, then with a piece of bacon. Broil about 6 inches from the flame until bacon is cooked. Serve immediately.

Each of these recipes sound divine and I would like to try them. I am glad that Rob submitted his Uncles' recipes just as he wrote them out.

Rob's mother, Joan is equally as comfortable and competent in the kitchen. She recently gave me a recipe for a fun way to use ham or left over ham. I know when I make ham one meal is fine, but then I have to find ways to use it differently to use it up.

Ham and Cheese Waffle Sandwiches

4 frozen waffles, toasted

1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, optional

1/4 pound thinly sliced ham

2 ounces thinly sliced Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter, divided

Spread 2 waffles with mustard. Top with ham, cheese and remaining waffle. Spread top of waffle with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Melt remaining butter in skillet. Place sandwiches in skillet, butter side up. Cook, pressing down with spatula and turning occasionally, until cheese melts and waffles are golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more butter if needed. Serves 4.

Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake

Have a burst of blueberry and lemon flavor at breakfast, brunch or anytime you like with this moist coffee cake. Makes 8 servings

1 egg

2 cups Original Bisquick bakingmix

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries, rinsed and well drained

1/4 cup Original Bisquick baking mix

Lemon Icing (See Below)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease round pan, 9-by-1.5 inches. Beat egg slightly; stir in 2 cups Bisquick mix, the sugar, milk and lemon peel. Stir blueberries and 1/4 cup Bisquick mix; gently stir into batter. Spread in pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes; drizzle with Lemon Icing. Serve warm.

Lemon Icing

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice

Stir ingredients until smooth.

I cleaned out my freezer last weekend and found some blueberries that I need to use before they come into season again, so I think this would be a great way to do just that.

I am out of room, so have a wonderful week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.-com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.