A milkshake you'll need a glass of milk for....

So, there are many things that go together that are more than just fate, but a created purpose. Things like...salt and pepper. Cheese and garlic. Milk and cookies. And the the ultimate pair...chocolate and peanut butter. Yes, God was really thinking of his people when he created chocolate and peanut butter and paired them together.

I had a hankerin tonight. A bad one. One that gave me an idea.

1. I love ice cream.
2. I love chocolate.
3. I LUUUUUUVVVV peanut butter.

How can I work these together? Ummmmm....a milkshake. It was evil. It was delicious. I'm pretty sure I need to run about 10 miles now, but it was worth it!!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake

Ingredients:
3-4 scoops vanilla bean ice cream
1.5 tbsp. chocolate syrup
2 tbsp. peanut butter

Directions:1. Scoop ice cream into a blender. Add chocolate and peanut butter. (Ignore the wine in the background. It does NOT go well with the other ingredients.)



2. Ignore anyone trying to beg for a taste. (How does she always know when I get the ice cream out of the fridge?)


3. Blend thoroughly.

4. Pour in glass and drink.

5. And then seriously think about running all those calories off. Doesn't matter if you used low-fat ingredients. You need to get your milkshake lovin butt off the couch and go work out! : )

For realz though...it was fantastic! Its thick. Its rich. But its ohhhhhhhh soooooooo gooooooood!

Chicken and Waffles!!!

Last time we met I wrote on the topic of Supper Club, a gathering my friends and I host from time to time to share a meal and try out new things. At our last SC meeting, we had “soul food night,” featuring none other than chicken and waffles. This was a combination I have been dying to try for months, but never had an excuse until now. My friends were nervous. But here was the result….

Ummmm…..

It was amazing.

Beyond amazing.

Yes, chicken and waffles is amazing.
I can’t explain how the combination works. I just know it does. I made Belgium waffles on my fancy schmancy waffle maker that I received as a Christmas present from my sister and her family. And we topped it with a chicken breast from KFC (which I will get to) and chicken gravy. It really was delicious!

So, if I were ever to make this again, I would use chicken tenders. And I would fry them at home. Because I am Southern and I can fry chicken. However, in an effort to make things “easier” on a work night, the menfolk decided to buy the chicken. There was a little bit of….miscommunication, and I realize, in hindsight, I should have handled it myself. Not that the chicken wasn’t fantastic. It was! It’s just that it cost $40 for 9 people…just for chicken…and earned my neighbor the nickname “Big Money” at KFC. So, dinner didn’t end up being as economical as it could have been. Oh well!

It was still delicious!

Chicken and Waffles for Four

Chicken – Either fry or buy 8 chicken tenders. (2 per person)

Waffle Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick Mix (Or other similar product)
1 1/3 cups milk (may need more)
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
*1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
*1 teaspoon nutmeg
*1 tablespoon vanilla

*These are just a guess. I don’t really measure these. I just eyeball it and dump it in the bowl….

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. You want your consistency to be thick, but to still drip off of your spatula when you hold it up. Then pour about 1/2-3/4 cup of batter on the waffle iron and cook according to your directions.

Yields approximately 4 large Belgium waffles.

Chicken Gravy
From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Optional - 2 scallions, sliced, plus more for garnish

Directions: Melt the butter in a medium skillet and whisk in the seasoned flour until smooth. Whisk in the scallions, then slowly pour in the broth. Bring to a simmer, whisking until the gravy is smooth.

How to “dress” your meal:
Lay a waffle on a plate.
Place two chicken tenders on top.
Pour gravy over chicken and waffles.
Eat.
Smile.
Be happy.

**On a side note...we tried to think about appropriate sides for this meal before eating it. Its pretty savory, so you could go with creamed spinach or greens or something like that. We served fruit salad and coffee cake though, and it was a great combination! : )

For a blustery cold day...

Since its been quite cold in Mississippi lately, I thought I'd share a chili recipe to warm you right up. As a side not, I did make her recipe as written with a bottle of beer, but I probably wouldn't do it again. It didn't taste bad. It really didn't taste at all...but the smell of the cooked beer just wasn't too appeasing to me.

Texas Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
extra-virgin olive oil
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste (About 1/2 to 3/4 can)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 lb. pound ground turkey
1 - 1.5 cups frozen corn or 1 can of corn
Salt and pepper, to taste
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
One 12-ounce bottle beer -OR- 12 oz. of chicken stock
One 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add the turkey, season with salt and cook, breaking it up and stirring to combine, 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes, corn and beer/chicken stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Add the kidney beans and cook until heated through, about 5-10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

Top with cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, etc. Serve with Frito's or cornbread.

Mostly Classic Lasagna

I have a confession to make. Those who read my blog that were with me tonight, its really not a big deal. And it all turned out in the end. But my confession is that I have never made homemade lasagna before today. That's right folks! Up until this point in my life, I have only ever eaten frozen. *gasp*

The thing about homemade lasagna is that it takes a long time. It's really tasty, but most of the time its just easy to make the frozen one. The other thing is that its usually not that low in the fat or calorie count. The recipe I cooked from today said the average serving of lasagna has 1,313 calories! THAT'S INSANE!!!! But there are ways to cut back on the bad stuff and make a delicious dish that is better for you.

The recipe I used was in Everyday with Rachael Ray. Below is my modified version. I added meat since we were eating with boys and boys tend to like meat. And by the way, Mrs. Ray said prep-time was only 45 minutes. Ummm....it took me a LOT longer than that! But the end result was fantastic!

Mostly Classic Lasagna

Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. ground turkey (I used beef tonight.)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
One 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes (I used the kind with basil.)
Nine 8-inch whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
1 egg white
shredded Parmesan cheese
Part-skim mozzarella cheese
Red wine (optional)
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tbsp. oregano
Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Season ground meat with Italian seasoning (to taste) and brown in a large skillet. Drain (if need be) and set aside in a medium bowl. Clean skillet because you'll need it again!

2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet, and add half of the mushrooms. Salt and stir mushrooms and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of red wine and cook until mushrooms are soft (about 5 minutes). Add cooked mushrooms to meat and repeat process with the other half of the mushrooms. (Why cook only half at a time? Because Julia Child says you should NOT CROWD THE MUSHROOMS!!!!)

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and cook lasagna noodles to al dente. (About 8-10 minutes, but consult directions on package.)

4. Return skillet to heat and pour in 1 tbsp of olive oil and chopped garlic. Cook garlic on medium-low for about 1 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, and oregano, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens up. Add 3/4 cup of tomato sauce to meat and mushroom mixture and set aside.

5. In a food processor or blender, puree cottage cheese, egg white, and 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.

6. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread just enough tomato sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the dish. (About 1/2 to 3/4 cup.) Lay three lasagna noodles across bottom of pan. Then layer 1/2 each of meat and mushroom mixture, cottage cheese mixture, and a light layer of mozzarella cheese. Lay three more noodles down, and repeat meat/mushrooms, cottage cheese, and mozzarella. Lay the last three noodles down and top with remaining sauce.

7. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 10-15 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10j-15 minutes to let lasagna set.

Side suggestions: Salad, garlic bread, green beans

Other suggestion: Don't let a man cut the lasagna to serve. The pieces will end up being about 4 normal serving sizes large! : )

Happy cooking!

As American as Apple Pie

I DON'T HAVE TIME TO BLOG!

Correction: Usually at work I don't have time to blog...because I'M WORKING! And since I sit at a computer all day, the last thing I want to do is blog when I get home at night. Plus, I'm usually busy planting, weeding, mulching, baking, etc.

Last night I spent ALL NIGHT BAKING! It was kind of fantastic! I started out by making an apple pie for my new neighbors, then made dinner for me and my bro, followed by 2 loaves of banana bread. It was a long night. (But fun!)

My new neighbors moved in about a month ago, and I am just now getting around to meeting them. (Better than the 9 months it took for me to meet the other neighbors who ended up being introduced to me by a coworker.) They include a momma, a daddy, a three year old girl and a baby girl.

They moved into a house with a very neglected yard that was previously inhabited by a bunch a college kids. Since moving in, they have completely cut down all of the wild mess and are working to make the yard super beautiful. I can't tell you how happy this makes me! Before they moved in, I threatened to spray Round-Up on the yard in the middle of the night. It was that bad. Now its all gone, and its lovely!

I really like my new neighbors, so I made them an easy apple pie. I hope it tasted good, but here's the recipe:

Traditional Apple Pie

Ingredients:
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2-3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3-4 tbsp. butter, cut into small squares
1 frozen, 9-inch deep dish pie crust
1 flat (rolled) pre-made pie crust (You could just buy the flat kind and put one in a pie plate for the bottom and one on top)

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Once preheated, "prebake" bottom crust for about 5-10 minutes. Mix dry ingredients in bowl and set aside. Peel, core and slice apples and set in a bowl. If desired, sprinkle with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Mix dry ingredients with apples and pour into pie crust. Place butter squares on top.

For top crust: Roll out flat pie dough and slice (with pizza slicer or knife) into long strips. Lay strips on top of crust in a basket weave pattern. Pinch top crust to connect to bottom crust. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, if desired, for a little added sweetness.

Bake at 375 degree for 30-45 minutes.

_______________________________________________

Now, last night I did not use the basket weave pattern. I arranged the strips on top of each other to form a starburst pattern. I know, I should have taken a picture. I have also used a solid piece of dough on the top before, and cut little teardrop holes in it for a design. You can get really creative with your top crust.

I also use a pie crust shield to protect my edges from browning too quickly or burning. These cost just a few dollars, and are available at most home goods stores.

The recipe above was a first for me. I had never made this one before, and I hope it turned out okay. I looked really good! I guess my neighbors will tell me? Or not? Ha ha! However, I do have a "never fail" apple pie recipe that I typically make. It came from the Bell's Best Cookbook (I think in # 1, because I don't have that one, and I have it hand written in the front of # 2.)

In case you aren't from Mississippi, every true Southern cook I know has a set of Bell's Best Cookbooks. They are by the local AT&T Pioneers. I have #2 & #3. My mom has the first 3, and my grandmother has at least the first 2. My mom's books are so used that the pages are stained, falling out and the book is being held together by a rubberband. She's gotten her money's worth out of those! The Bell's Best cookbooks taught me how to cook when I was a kid!!! All of the first recipes I made came from one of them. Its like the Mississippi version of the Joy of Cooking! Trust me! Its a good investment!!!

You can view my Bell's Best Dutch Apple Pie recipe here.

If you want to buy a Bell's Best, go here. I think I need to get # 1 and # 4 to round out my collection...

What's your favorite cookbook?

(Side note...since we are on a cookbook kick, I met with a new vendor yesterday and his company prints a bunch of cookbooks. He asked if I liked to cook, and I said..."Uh...yes!!!" He's going to send me some samples! YEAH!!!! I can't wait!)

Dad's French Toast

This morning I woke up, came in the living room, and low and behold, breakfast was not being cooked! That's a shocker at my parents' house. I sat there for a while, and decided to get up and get something to eat. Then my dad interjected,"What do you want for breakfast? I'll cook." I said I would eat oatmeal or grits, but he volunteered french toast. How could I refuse! It was delicious! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
sliced bread of choice (if you have a baguette, that's good too)
3 eggs
3/4 cup of milk
2 tbsp all purpose flour
a splash of vanilla extract
cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat a large cast iron skillet (cornbread pan)that has been lighted brushed with oil or sprayed with pan. (You can use any large skillet, actually. My dad prefers cooking with cast iron whenever possible.) Beat eggs and put in a bowl or shallow dish. Add milk, flour and a splash of vanilla (probably about 1-2 tsp.) Dip bread in egg mixture, coating both sides well. Transfer to a cast iron skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on one side, until slightly browned. Flip bread and cook the other side until done. Place french toast on plate, and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. Serve with pancake syrup.


Yummy,yummy french toast! And yes, I am sitting at the table blogging this as my parents are finishing their meal. It was that good!

Happy cooking!

The best turkey meatloaf EVER!!!!

Last night I decided to use the leftover meat I had from Saturday's cookout to make a meatloaf. It was already seasoned, and all I needed to do was a few things to make it more loafy. Turned out to be the best turkey meatloaf I have ever made! And...I make a pretty darn good turkey meatloaf! Here's what happened:

Ingredients:
**All of my measurements are estimates. I eyeball the ingredients and feel it out as I go....

1 to 1.5 lb. ground turkey
2 tbsp. Chicken Marinade (Worcestershire)
1 tbsp (or palmful) parsley flakes or 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1.5 teaspoon Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 tbsp horseradish
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped & sauteed
1/2 bell pepper, chopped & sauteed & sauteed
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped & sauteed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 to 1 cups shredded mozzarella
4 oz. tomato sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop and saute onions, bell pepper and mushrooms. Set aside. Mix meat, all seasonings, eggs, and bread crumbs. Add sauteed vegetables and mix well.

Transfer meat to loaf pan and form into a loaf. Spread tomato sauce over meat and bake in oven for 1 hour.

Remove meatloaf from oven and top with shredded mozzarella. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Side suggestions: Mashed sweet or regular potatoes, salad, baked or boiled vegetables.

Leftover suggestions: Slice two thin pieces of meatloaf and microwave for 1 minutes. Throw on a slice of mozzarella cheese. Toast two pieces of bread, and spread mayo on each side. Lay on meat and have a meatloaf sandwich. Yum-o!

Trust me when I say this meatloaf was fantstico! LOVED IT!!!!

Happy cooking!

Just another manic Monday...

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

Around 10:00 this morning I called my brother to see where he was. Running late, which isn't atypical for any normal individual on a Monday morning. But, due to his tardiness, he couldn't stop by my house on his way through town. That meant he was planning to come over later in the evening to remedy my toilet flushing issues. (Don't worry, they are manufacture issues, not installation. Which is good being that the installer works for my father and brother. I can't complain about faulty plumbing parts, though, since I am getting them for free.)

N-E-WAY...(to revert back to my 7th grade note passing references)...

Being the wonderful, caring sister and true Southern Belle that I am, what do I do? I offer dinner to Joe the Plumber in exchange for his services. I mean, I think I'm the one getting off with the better end of the deal. Free plumbing work for an easy to prepare and mostly cheap meal that I get to enjoy as well! (I'm not telling my brother that his work is just an excuse for me to fix one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Southern meals. He doesn't need to know the selfishness behind my dinner offering! He'll never know. He doesn't read my blog. Wife of the brother...don't tell him if you read this!)

But back to the Manic Monday...Can you tell I am totally off focus today?...Since I found out mid-morning that my brother was coming over for dinner instead of while I was at work, I needed a fast and easy meal that I could fix on my lunch break. So, pot roast came to mind. (Maybe because I think subconsciously it was suggested by another co-worker in passing.)

Lunch time came round and I made a mad dash to the market. In less than 10 minutes I grabbed a decent roast, carrots and potatoes. I had everything else I needed already at home. Then I whipped home (since I basically live across the street from the grocery) and began throwing the dinner in the crock pot. I had it done in about 15 minutes, literally. AND...I had time to make my turkey and tomato panini for lunch, sit down and eat my lunch, and whip up a batch of dough for homemade bread that will hopefully be ready to bake for dinner tonight. I did that in about an hour and 5 minutes. Seriously. And in high heels and a dress, since it was the middle of my work day.

I really can't brag about my quick dinner preparation though. I mean, crock pot roast is one of the easiest meals to make EVER! And there's really not a set recipe or science to perfecting it. It really is just throwing a bunch of stuff in a pot and letting it cook all day. But here's what I typically do:

Ingredients:
1 roast (Size - Depends on your amount of guests. Type - rump roast, eye of round roast, chuck roast, etc. Whatever you prefer. I don't have a fave, but I chose an eye of round today)
1/2 to 1 onion sliced in rings and then halved
1 small bag of mini peeled carrots (That you can just dump in. So easy!)
Potatoes (Amount - Depends on guests. Type - Today I took baby gold potatoes that I could wash and dump in. I needed something fast. Normally I quarter new potatoes or chunk russets.)
Some type of liquid** (see seasonings)

Seasonings:
This is where you can be creative.
Tony Chachere's - Since my brother likes to sweat when he eats, I took the Cajun spice route. I rubbed a bunch of Tony's on the roast. This is a very Southern way of cooking. We love Tony's on EVERYTHING though!
Worcestershire - Before rubbing on the dry seasoning, I gave the roast a good douse of Worcestershire sauce. I can't get enough of this stuff on my red meats or homemade chex mix.
** Liquid - Most people use water. Some people use Coke, and I think that's weird. Though, I have never tried it to see if it tastes good or not. I typically take a dry soup package (like french onion or onion mushroom), mix it in a big glass of hot tap water, and pour it over the roast. I like my roast to be nearly covered in liquid to keep it really moist and juicy. Also, be sure the vegetables you are cooking with it are submerged in the liquid because otherwise they don't always cook so well.

Directions: Throw everything in a crock pot and cook on high for about 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Its's THAT easy! Seriously! Though, if you want step by step instructions, here's what I do...

1. Rinse roast and place in crock pot. Douse with Worcestershire and/or Dale's. Sprinkle with dry seasonings (salt, pepper, Tony's, etc.)
2. Dump in potatoes, carrots and sliced onions and position around roast.
3. Pour in liquid of choice, but avoid pouring directly over the roast. (It will wash away the dry ingredients you already put on it.)
4. Set your crock pot to low if cooking for 8-10 hours. OR...set it to high if you are cooking for 4-6 hours. If you have enough liquid in it, it will not get dry.
5. Cover crock pot with lid, and go on with your life. The dinner will cook itself!

Pot Roast Gravy

One of the keys to having the most impressive pot roast ever is the type of gravy you provide. You can't just buy a packet of that brown gravy mix and expect to wow your guests. You need to make your own. Here's how my dad taught me. Though first, I do have to admit that sometimes even the best cooks end up with lumpy gravy. It's just a part of life, and I think good gravy takes years to perfect. But here's my method, and it never fails to taste fantastic!

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons of oil
2-3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 large glass of pot roast juice (just scoop it straight out of the crock pot)

Directions: In a medium sized skillet, heat oil with salt and pepper on medium heat. When oil starts to bubble, slowly add flour and whisk immediately. Continue whisking flour and oil until you have a consistent and thick mixture. Slowly, but consistently, add liquid and continually whisk to avoid clumps. You will need to eyeball how much liquid to add depending on the amount and thickness you desire for your gravy. However, as it continues to heat on the stove, it will thicken up a bit. Cut heat down to low and continue stirring gravy until all ingredients are mixed well.

Be sure to taste it before you serve it to make sure it has enough flavor. You can always add Liquid Smoke or Worcestershire for flavor, as well as salt and pepper. But I recommend doing in small increments to avoid over-flavoring.

If you have any lumps in your gravy, then simply strain it into a gravy boat or bowl before serving. No one will ever know! (That is, of course, unless they saw you straining it!)

The gravy is good poured over the entire plate of meat, potatoes, carrots, and everything! TRUST ME! Gravy makes the dish!

______________________________________________________

Pot roast really is an easy dish to make. It probably was one of the first things I learned how to cook when I was a kid, and a staple for Sunday afternoon lunches. It was so easy for my mom to prepare everything in a crock pot and let it cool while we went to church. I don't make it much for myself, though, since I'm used to cooking just for one. Though, I think after today I need to change my philosophy on that! I can always freeze some of the leftover meat for later! : )

Happy cooking!

Mexican Chicken-rific!

One of my favorite chefs that inspires my cooking is Rachael Ray. I love her magazine, and have a collection of recipes that I have gathered in my own cookbook from her. I set out to make her Chicken Salsa Verde Bake tonight, and decided to do a little different take on her recipe. Not that her version didn't sound FANTASTIC...its just that I know I will have leftovers to eat all week, and I don't like soggy chips in my food. (You'll understand when you check out her recipe.) So, I made a few minor adjustments and came up with Mexican Chicken-rific!

Ingredients:
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 large chicken breasts
1 small onion
1 green bell pepper
lemon & lime juice
some kind of Mexican seasoning (I use Bolner's fajita seasoning.)
1 can black beans
1 cup fat free sour cream
1-16 oz. jar of salsa verde
shredded cheese
Tortilla chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Chop chicken into small pieces and place in large skillet with olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with Mexican seasoning. Chop onion and bell pepper and add to chicken in skillet. Add lemon and lime juice to taste. Cook until done. Drain black beans in colander. Add chicken and vegetables to drain. Pour into large mixing bowl and add sour cream and salsa verde. Mix well and pour in 9X13 greased baking dish. Cover (generously) with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

To serve, crush toritlla chips in a bowl and top with mixture. (Will be kinda soupy, unless you cut back on liquid ingredients.) Would also go great with a fruity white wine (Fetzer Gewürztraminer) or beer with a squeeze of lime.

A weekend family food affair….

Last weekend, half of my family came to town for the annual spring homecoming festivities. This was the first time my parents, brother, and sister-in-law have come to visit since I have gotten settled. Since we anticipated a large crowd over the weekend, I decided to plan out as many meals as possible to have at home. Here are some recipes from the weekend:

Friday night

Yummy Meatloaf
Served with: Mashed potatoes, asparagus, and rolls.
Dessert: Pineapple Pie….which ensued the following conversation

Dad: Sher Sher, this pie is really good!
Me: Thanks, dad. It was Mamaw Speed’s recipe.
Dad: Really?
Me: Yeah, mom gave it to me last summer.
Dad: (turning to mom on the couch) How come in 34 years you have never made this for me?
Mom: I have made it before! You just don’t remember….
Dad: I would have remembered this pie. It’s really good!

So, an instant family favorite! It’s a great pie to freeze and keep just in case company is coming over! Good summer treat! And, I make it with all fat free or low fat ingredients, so it’s really not bad for you!!!

MOVING ON…..

Saturday morning

PULL APART CAKE

3/4 c. chopped pecans
3 tubes biscuits
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar

Spread pecans evenly on the bottom of Bundt pan. Cut each biscuit into 6 to 8 pieces. Roll each piece in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Toss pieces on top of pecans. Melt butter and stir in brown sugar. Pour over the pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. While still warm turn upside down on cake plates.

Served with pigs in a blanket and lots of coffee!

Saturday Lunch – At the famous barbeque joint – The Little Dooey

Saturday Night – Grilled polish sausage with sautéed onions and bell peppers, baked beans and chips. (Fast, easy, and delicious!!!!)

Sunday Breakfast
Mary B’s frozen biscuits (SOOOOOOOOOOOO good! You can get them at Kroger!)
Served with: bacon, scrambled eggs, grapes and more coffee!!!!

Fun weekend! Though the weekend was really about homecoming, baseball and the new video board, having good food just made it even better!

Happy cooking!

Not your mom's mac and cheese

Chicken-n-veggie mac-n-cheese

I took a different spin on the ordinary classic mac and cheese to make it a complete meal. I also added some "exotic" flavors to really spice it up. Again, I used what was left in the house.

Ingredients:
1/3 to 1/2 box of whole wheat penne pasta (I substituted that for macaroni since it's what I already had.)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
1/3 to 1/2 jar Ragu cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Shredded cheese of choice
Ground cumin (Would be great with Tony's cajun seasoning as well.)
Salt
EVOO

Directions: In large pot, boil water and mixed vegetables. Cook about 3 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice chicken and cook in large skillet with EVOO. Add ground cumin to taste. Add a pinch of salt. Cook chicken until no longer pink in center. Add pasta to boiling vegetables. Cook for about 8 minutes (or according to directions on package). Drain pasta and vegetables, and add to chicken in skillet. Pour in Ragu and Parmesan cheeses. Transfer to glass baking dish. Cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Set oven to broil, and continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes. (Watch closely so shredded cheese doesn't burn. You want it crispy.)

Side suggestions: Salad and bread of choice.

Sweet And Spicy Chex Mix

I started craving hot chex mix today. It is a favorite of my brother and his wife, and last time I was home, we scarfed down a batch in like 30 minutes! It's a great party snack, or just something for an afternoon treat!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 to 3 teaspoons red pepper sauce
**3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
**3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup pretzels
1 cup bite-size cheese crackers
**I substituted a box of honey corn & rice chex to add the sweetness to it.

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 250°F.
2. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt and pepper sauce. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated.
3. Bake uncovered 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Vegetable Chili

Found on the back of a can of diced tomatoes, this is a treat to warm up everyone! It was a great post-ginormous-Thanksgiving-lunch meal, but would be good for any cold occasion!

Vegetable Chile

1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 cans diced tomatoes with zesty mild green chilies
2 cans black or kidney beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 tbsp. chopped chipotle peppers with adobo sauce (optional and to taste)
And...if you want to add meat...1 lb. ground turkey or beef

Directions:

Cook onion in oil in large saucepan until tender. Stir in chili powder and cumin. Add undrained tomatoes, drained beans, corn, and chipotle peppers. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Garnish with cilantro, avocados, sour cream, and cheese, if desired.

Suggested Side Dishes: Corn bread, corn tortillas, or tortilla chips.

Bully's Best Banana Bread

Apparently I am a banana bread genius. Actually, I am not, but I can follow a simple recipe and end up pleasing tons of people. I have made three loaves of this banana bread in the last week, and they have disappeared faster than I can say "Does anyone want some banana bread?" Try it out!

Banana Bread (From my alumni cookbook at MSU)

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (or make it low-fat with Splenda)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup oil
3 tablespoons buttermilk (I always use low-fat.)
3 bananas, mashed
½ cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 9/5/3-inch loaf pan; set aside. Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add sugar, eggs, oil and buttermilk; stir to blend. Fold in bananas and nuts (if desired). Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cooking time will vary with each oven. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Yields 1 loaf.

Holiday Blog-A-Thon - Part 2

There is nothing better than some good cornbread dressing on Thanksgiving! I have to say that my mom has the best recipe ever, and over the years she has taught me well! The key...fresh ingredients! Nothing beats this recipe!

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:
1 large pan of crumbled cornbread (cooked and frozen early is best)
1 cup of plain breadcrumbs
Apprx. 4 cans chicken broth (have extra just in case!)
3 boiled eggs diced
3 raw eggs beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion
3 stalks of celery
1 bell pepper
Fresh rosemary, cilantro, and sage to taste

Directions:
Sauté together onion, celery, bell pepper, rosemary, cilantro, and sage in two tablespoons of oil.
Mix together all ingredients in a large baking dish. Mixture should be soupy.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until brown on top.

Mmmmmmm....Meatloaf!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil, plus olive oil spray
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (Can use food processor)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 medium red pepper, finely diced (about 1 cup - Can use food processor)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with oil. (Or just put in greased baking dish.) Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onions, garlic and bay leaf until onions are tender (3 minutes). Add red pepper and cook until tender (5 minutes). If you use a food processor for your veges, saute together for about 5 minutes before adding herbs. You can also chop herbs in food processor! Stir in parsley and thyme; cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let cool. Discard bay leaf.

In a large bowl, combine beef, eggs, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cooled veggies. Mix with your hands. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet and form into a loaf. Coat it with the remaining 1/2 cup ketchup. Bake for 60 to 90 minutes, or until firm. (Closer to 90 minutes.) Let set for 5 minutes before slicing.

Suggested Sides: Green beans, wild rice, mashed potatoes, asparagus, sauteed squash and zucchini (best in summer)