A Paula Menu Brunch

Wow… This post is long over due. In honor of my sister in law, Becky, coming into town a while ago (she lives in Orem, Utah- about 6 hours north of Las Vegas) I decided to have a brunch. Not just any brunch, but a Paula party brunch. As in, cooking my way through Paula Celebrates! kind of a brunch. Becky has been so excited and supportive of everything cooking and Paula related, so I wanted to include her in a Paula menu since she has missed so many others. We had a ton of fun, even though no one else showed up!



The recipes were:
Collard Green Wontons- fried pockets of spicy greens and cream cheese
Crab and Spinach Casserole- a layer of garlicy spinach under a cheesy, creamy layer ot crab- yum!
Baked Tomatoes- -covered in crunchy breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese
Hash Brown Casserole- an old classic- bread, sausage, onions, cheese and hash browns soaked in eggs and baked until golden
Blueberry Gems (muffins)- light and delicious
Pecan Pie Muffins- actually tasted just like pecan pie
Hummingbird Cake- basically banana nut bread/cake with cream cheese frosting

My personal favorite would have to be the wontons- they were fabulous, and unique! Here is that recipe:

Fried Collard Green Wontons

Ingredients
• 1 pound ham hocks, smoked turkey wings, or smoked neck bones
• 1 teaspoon House Seasoning, plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/2 large bunch collard greens
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 70 wonton wrappers, approximately
• Peanut oil, for frying

Directions
In a large pot, bring 1 1/2 quarts water to a boil and add the meat, House Seasoning, seasoned salt, hot sauce, and a drizzle of olive oil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, wash the collard greens thoroughly. Remove the thick stem that runs down the center of the greens by holding the stalk in 1 hand and stripping the leaves from the stalk with your other hand. Stack 6 to 8 leaves on top of each other, roll up, and slice into 1/2 to 1-inch ribbons. Place the greens in the pot with the meat. Add the butter. Cook the greens, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. When they are done, taste and adjust seasoning.
Remove the collard greens with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Remove ham hock and chop into pieces. Place into bowl with collard greens. Mix in the softened cream cheese, working it into the mixture.
Have a bowl of water ready and dip your finger in it, running it along the seams of the wonton before pressing to seal. Place a scant teaspoonful of the collard green mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper and fold into a triangle. Repeat with the remaining wrappers. Place on a parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet, covered with a damp paper towel, until ready to fry.
Heat 3-inches peanut oil in a heavy deep pot to 350 degrees F.
Fry the wontons in batches until they are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Place on paper towels to drain and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.