Memorial Weekend

What do you do on a summer holiday weekend? Cookout. Okay, maybe you do that on any weekend, but especially so on a long one celebrating one of America's traditions. This weekend we honored all of the men and women who have fought so fiercely for our nation's freedom by cooking out, hanging with friends, and lounging around the house. It was fantastic. I appreciate all of their efforts with the privilege to do just that.

When you have a cookout what do you need besides burgers, hot dogs, ribs, or some other form of meat? Potato Salad. Yeah...its a must have. Its a definite must have when your mother makes the most wonderful potato salad in the world and she taught you all of her secrets! So with our burgers, with our brats, we had potato salad (and pie). Its one of those must-have American dishes that keep the folks coming back to the table for more! : )

Mom's Potato Salad
**This recipe is written for 4. Its easy to make it for 80, you just have to increase the quantities proportionately.

Ingredients:

5 to 6 Yukon Gold or red potatoes
2 boiled eggs, chopped
3 to 4 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
1/2 to 1 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 to 1 tbsp. yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste
paprika for garnish

Directions:

1. Chop potatoes in quarter inch size pieces.

2. Boil potatoes and eggs for approximately 10 minutes, or until potatoes are soft, but not mashable.


3. Drain and rinse potatoes. Peel and dice eggs.

4. Pour potatoes and eggs in a large bowl. Add relish. Mix in mayonnaise and mustard until you reach your desired creamy texture.


5. Add salt and pepper to taste. (The important part is to taste as you go!)

6. Sprinkle a little paprika for color and a little kick!

Breakfast Burritos

One thing my family loves is breakfast. On the weekends, its one meal we can eat together on the compound. My dad is king of breakfast, and makes the most fantastic pancakes you have ever eaten in your life. Seriously. They are world reknown. : )

Each time my family comes to visit, I like to prepare different things each time. I like to experiement. Sometimes its sweet, sometimes its hearty. So far though, I've had no complaints!

This weekend my brother and I tag teamed and came up with a super fantastic breakfast burrito. It was really easy, fast, and left everyone wanting more. Here's what we did.

Ingredients:
Eggs (1.5 per person)
Shredded Cheese
Chopped bell pepper and onion
Home fries/Hash browns (chopped or quartered, not shredded)
Tortillas (We like the large burrito size)
Salsa
jalepenos
Oil
Butter
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook home fries according to directions on package. (We cooked them in a little bit of oil in a skillet.) Chop bell pepper and onion, and saute in oil and butter. Add salt and pepper for taste. Beat eggs in a small bowl and scramble on medium heat. Melt cheese on tortilla.

Assemble burrito by adding eggs first, home fries and vegetables. Top with desired condiments like salsa, jalepenos or salt and pepper.

Roll, serve and eat.

Thanksgiving 101: A tale of two dressings

What’s the next step after making a turkey for Thanksgiving? Dressing! That’s right!

The first time I made homemade dressing was also the first time I baked a turkey. That day I hand chopped all of my ingredients. It took me like 47 hours because I’m not that quick with chopping. After that day, D bought me a mini-food processor. It has since changed my life, and I am forever grateful! : )

Most people like a traditional cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving. I’m a fan, and picky/somewhat of a control freak when it comes to making my dressing. Its actually a recipe my mother gave me several years ago, and in my opinion, it’s the best dang dressing you will ever eat in your life.

HOWEVER…when cooking for out Thanksgiving feasts, my father likes to make the dressing. And we do things differently. We use the same basic recipe, but he uses dry ingredients verses fresh. I prefer all of my herbs to be fresh in my dressing. You absolutely can taste the difference. And I’m not saying my dad’s dressing isn’t good. It’s very good. He is a very, very good cook. But…I will say I am partial to my own interpretation. Since that’s the case, I let him make the traditional cornbread dressing while I do a completely different version that is definitely far from traditional.

My dressing that I make for Thanksgiving every year now is a little bit of Texas and a little bit of Mexico. It is influenced by the 7 years I spent living out west. Not only did Texas play a huge role in forming who I am today, but it also had a great influence on my choice of foods. I like things a little bit hot and a little bit spicy, and therefore, my dressing is a bit of that.

Several years ago I learned how to make tamale dressing from a Dallas/Fort Worth news show. It is very similar to your traditional dressing, but uses crumbled tamales instead of cornbread. It is a bit of a risk, unless your crowd likes Tex-Mex. Which…mine does. So, I typically make it as an alternate to our traditional dressing. And top it with cranberry salsa…which is amazing.

Again, I stick to fresh ingredients. So, I use whole cranberries, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, etc. I think fresh vs. dry is the way to go. There is just so much more flavor there! And, the tamales add a little out of the box thinking to your typical southern Thanksgiving meal. It’s a nice change!

No matter what kind you choose, you have to have dressing with your turkey. We do both. If I picked one over the other, it would probably be the traditional cornbread dressing. But if you wanted to go Tex-Mex, then I would make a spicy turkey and season it with cilantro and lime juice! : ) I say use whatever herbs you use in your dressing to also flavor your turkey, or vice versa. Helps the two to compliment each other.

Here’s a link to my traditional cornbread dressing.

Here’s a link to my tamale dressing and cranberry salsa.

On fudge and love and remembering

I haven’t blogged in a while, on either site, if you (my three readers) haven’t noticed. I’m a writer by day, and though I love it in my pastime, it’s usually more…emotional and personal when it’s not for work. But yesterday I found the strength to post this, in an edited version, which was written at the end of May. Get out your box of Kleenex’s!
____________________________________________

Ever since I was a child, I have loved to cook. I honestly can’t remember how early I started cooking, or who first introduced me to cooking. It was probably my mother, who comes from a long line of great cooks. I’m sure I helped her back a cake or cookies or something, and somehow just took it on as one of my favorite things to do.

One of my earliest memories is baking around the holidays with my Mamaw (mother’s mom) and my Aunt Gloria (mom’s older sister). We would get together at my grandparent’s house and make all kinds of goodies like chocolate covered everything, buckeye balls, Martha Washington balls, divinity, etc. We would spend an entire day making candy and getting ready for whatever family holiday was to follow.

I have fond memories of the times spent in the kitchen with my aunt and Mamaw. They taught me a lot about baking, measuring, and the science of cooking. (Like how you should make candy on a crisp, cool day with no humidity. It sets better!) They also spent time investing in my life, showing me what it’s like to be family, to be a Christian woman, and to be good in the kitchen.

Every time we baked, we had our very own taste tester. My Papaw had a major sweet tooth, and would always sneak in and take a nibble of what we were up to. He was incorrigible when it came to the kitchen! We absolutely couldn’t keep him away from the candy, but that was okay because it needed to be tested anyway!

Papaw’s favorite homemade treat, or so I recall, was chocolate fudge. (His real favorite candy was chocolate covered cherries. The last thing I gave him was a box of those in the hospital.) Papaw was always a sucker for fudge. Anytime we made it, he came in and stole a piece, or two, or three... Sometimes he wouldn’t even let it set up properly before he stole a piece. I remember teasing him, and slapping his hand away, but always laughing because he was so silly and fun.

I have such good memories of those days with my grandparents. They really loved me and invested their lives in me, and I am so thankful for those times. I am thankful that I lived just a few miles away from them for most of my life, and that they were able to attend choir performances, plays, band recitals, soccer games, etc., etc. They took me camping, to ballgames, to the movies, to church, and were such an integral part of my childhood. I am thankful for their love and support of me over the last 30 years.

On June 6, my grandparents celebrated their 62 wedding anniversary. It’s remarkable to me to have been married so long. It was a blessing to witness how much they loved and cared for each other through the years. They continued to tease one another, flirt, hold hands, bat eyes, and act like two teenagers in love. They were sweet, and truly lived for the other. They showed me what it was like to love someone else unconditionally.


On June 6 my sweet, loving, adoring Papaw joined our savior in heaven. Mamaw was by his side holding his hand.

To say the last month has been hard is an understatement. I know grief is a process, and he is not the first person I have lost. But he is by far the most significant person in my life to go. I still get very sad at times when I think that I will never share a laugh, a hug, or a sweet moment with him. But at the same time I had 30 years of shared moments that will stay with me forever. I will always miss him, and I will always love him. I will always be thankful to our time spent together. And I look forward to one day seeing him again in heaven and worshiping our Lord for eternity.

My Papaw loved fudge. Plain, simple chocolate fudge. Every time I make it, I will think of him.

Love you, Paps!

Easy Chocolate Fudge
Adapted from the Eagle’s Brand Milk recipe

Ingredients
3 cups (18 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
Dash salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Wax paper

Directions:
Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with wax paper. Slowly melt chocolate chips with the
sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan. Be careful not to heat too quickly because it can burn. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and add vanilla. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Chill fudge for 2 hours until it sets and is firm. Then remove the fudge by lifting the wax paper out of the pan. Cut into small, bite-sized squares with a knife.

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!

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!

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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!

Update on Cookie Making...

I ran across this video of Will making cookies over Christmas and had to post it.

Chicken Spaghetti (Bok, bok, bee-gok)

Random facts:

1. Whenever my family eats chicken, whether at home or out somewhere, my father believes it is necessary to make “chicken noises.” It is kinda funny as a child, very embarrassing as a teen, and “just dad” as an adult. My father is now on a quest to teach my nephew the art of chicken noises.

2. I’m quite a fan of chicken. In fact, I eat very, very, very little red meat, and stick mostly to chicken, turkey and fish. Chicken is very much a staple in my diet.

3. The person who made the below recipe famous is my maternal great-grandmother. (Mother of my mom’s mom.) I have several friends who barely knew their grandparents, much less a great-grandparent. But I had the fortunate opportunity to be very close to my great-grandmother, Grandmother Chandler. She kept us at home as babies while my mom taught, lived with us, and was around quite a bit during my childhood. I best remember her for lunchtime tuna salad and Nutty Bars. But apparently Grandmother Chandler’s famous recipe was her chicken spaghetti.

I haven't made this recipe before or even tried it…I don’t think. But I have heard several people in my family talk about this particular dish. And since I had a request from a former teacher of mine, I thought I would go ahead and post the recipe. Guess I’ll have to make it now sometime!!!

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 large bell pepper
1 large onion
1 bottle ketchup
1 can English peas 1 chicken
1 pkg. spaghetti
1 can mushroom soup
Optional: Chicken stock

Directions: Boil chicken in large stock pot for about 45 minutes. Bone, chop, and set aside. Sauté chopped large bell pepper and large onion in butter in large skillet. Add 1 bottle of ketchup, 1 can of English peas, and chicken. Simmer 45 minutes. Stir in 1 pkg. of cooked spaghetti and 1 can of mushroom soup. Simmer 15 minutes before ready to serve. You may need to add chicken stock to keep moist. Not good too dry.

Grandmother Chandler’s Suggested sides - Serve with tossed salad, spiced picked peaches and garlic bread.

Pick-A-Fruit, Any Fruit, Cobbler

I come from a Southern family. Now, neither of my parents were born in the true South, but they were both raised here, and have family from here. With most true Southern families, one of the traditions that is passed down is cooking, baking, or anything to do with food.

My family is no different. I come from a long line of fantastically wonderful cooks. Cooks that not only created some of our favorite family dishes, but cooks that left their recipes behind! And last fall my mom let me sit down with those recipes and copy them for my cookbook. Yippee!

Tonight's post is courtesy of my late, Aunt Becky of Texas. She had a famous fruit cobbler recipe that is really easy and flexible. Easy, because it takes just a few items that can almost always be found around the house. Flexible because you can change the fruit based on season, availability, and taste.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 cup milk
4 tbsp. butter
3 apples, peaches, pears or about 3-4 cups of your favorite fruit

Directions:
Step 1: Slice fruit and heat on medium in saucepan with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Stir constantly and heat until thickened.
Step 2: Mix batter - 1 cup sugar; 1 cup flour; 1 cup milk.
Step 3: Melt 4 tbsp. butter in baking dish. (I used a 9 inch pie pan.) Pour batter in pan and pour in hot fruit. Bake until brown at 425 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.


I have made this with fresh peaches before, and it was pretty good. But tonight's creation with Fuji apples was OFF THE CHARTS! I'm not the biggest cobbler fan ever, but I could have eaten this whole thing in one sitting. (I didn't though...I had a normal size portion.)

Here are some pictures of my process (along with some of my tips for those less skilled in the kitchen...and who say my recipes are "too hard.")...

Tip 1 - Slicing and peeling apples - Never my favorite job, but made much easier with a few handy gadgets. I peel my apples with a swivel potato peeler. Fast and easy. Then I slice the apples with this handy, dandy apple slicer below. It not only cuts the apples in pieces, it also cores it. Now, I will say that you have to sometimes cut a bit of extra core out, and I cut the slices in half after using the gadget, but...its MUCH faster than doing it all by hand.

Tip 2 - When cooking apples, put them in before the flour and sugar. Let some of the juices heat up and seep out of the slices. Then add the sugar and flour and heat on medium. Be sure to stir constantly so the flour and sugar don't burn. The flour and sugar will coat the fruit and become thick.

Tip 3 - When adding the fruit on top of the batter mixture, poke down with a spoon or spatula to help it settle. The batter will rise, but it helps to mix the fruit in a bit.

Final product is beautiful and yummy! Tip - Just eat and enjoy!!! Wow all your friends or a loved one by serving this simple, fast, and easy dish!

Football Food Frenzy

This weekend we celebrated two exciting events in my family -
1. My mom's birthday (Friday)
2. Opening day of MSU football

Since it was a weekend full of celebratory happenings, my entire family came to visit. Saturday morning I welcomed 6 adults, a two year old, a 3 month old, and a dog. Needless to say, it was a FULL house!

The game you can read about on my other blog later (http://biglovesmalltown.blogspot.com/). But here, you can read about the menu for our big birthday/football/Labor Day cookout.

On the menu:
Appetizers - Cowboy Caviar with Chips & homemade Chex Mix
Hamburgers with pepperjack cheese
Mixed Vegetable Salad (Recipe in a previous entry.)
Baked Beans (canned)
Mom's Potato Salad (Prepared by my sister)
German Chocolate Cake (Box mix) with MSU Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (YUMMMMM!)

Appetizers

We always have to have at least one, and normally two, appetizers to snack on while cooking the main meal. This week my sister-in-law and I split snack duty and each provided a homemade treat.

Homemade Chex Mix (which I am munching on while writing this blog)

Ingredients:
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup Cheez-its
1 cup bite-size pretzels
1 stick margarine
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce (Tabasco)
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder

Directions: Heat oven to 250°F. In large roasting pan, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and cheez-its; set aside. Melt butter in microwave. Stir in seasonings. Gradually pour over cereal mixture and toss until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Also see previous entry on Sweet & Spicy Chex Mix.

Cowboy Caviar
Ingredients:
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can whole kernel corn (drained)
2 tomatoes (seeded and diced)
2 avocados (diced)
3 green onions (diced)
1/2 cup. salsa
freshly chopped cilantro (to taste)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a large box. Chill for 1 hour and serve with corn or tortilla chips. (Tostitos or Fritos scoops work best!)

Main Course

Hamburgers - There's nothing really special about the way I fix my hamburger patties. Typically I mix Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Tony Chateries Cajun seasoning, Dale's, salt & pepper, or really whatever is I feel like adding. However, this time I added a bit of cheese to the mix. I formed the patties it balls, and them made an indention in the center and placed two cubes of pepperjack cheese. Then I reformed the balls, and flattened into patties. When you bite into the burger, you get a surprise burst of cheese in the center. It was actually really good, and I would recommend trying with different types of cheese.

Mom's Potato Salad

My mother has perfected her potato salad recipe. Through the years, she has taught my sister and I how to imitate her creation.

Ingredients:
**This is for about 8-10 servings of potato salad. If you increase the ingredients in increments, you can make much larger portions. We make four large roasting pans each Christmas for my dad's company party. Tastes just as good if you get the proportions right!

3 Yukon Gold potatoes
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
Mayonnaise
Mustard
salt & pepper
Paprika

Directions: Peel & chop potatoes in cubes. Add to pot and boil for about 10-15 minutes. Drop eggs in potatoes to boil at the same time. Potatoes will be done when they are tender and can be pierced with a fork. Be careful not to cook too long because they will mash when mixing. Drain completely, remove eggs to cool, and pour potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in relish, about 4-6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon of mustard. The mayonnaise mixture needs to be eyeballed. Start with 4 tablespoons of mayo, and keep adding until you get desired consistency. Chopped boiled eggs and add to mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle finished mixture with paprika for a little color.


Our first little football cookout of the season was a great success. We ate way too much food and had a lot of fun while doing it! All in all, good times with the fam!

Christmas in July

In the spirit of Christmas (and the fact that some Michael Buble Christmas tunes came across on my iPod this morning) I thought I would share a couple of family recipes that are near and dear to our holiday hearts.

When I was a kid I grew up baking these candies with my grandmother and aunt before Christmas. I have so many wonderful memories of standing in my Mamaw's kitchen making candy...swatting papaw's hands away from the fudge bowl. (He was a self-declared taste-tester.) We made all kinds of holiday treats like divinity, fudge, chocolate-covered EVERYTHING, haystacks, and two of my favorites, both listed below. The memories of those days spent in the kitchen will remain with me forever! Some of the recipes will as well! I hope you enjoy!

Martha Washington Balls

Ingredients:
2 (1-pound) boxes powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups flaked coconut
2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 pkg. Chocolate Almond Bark (for dipping)

Directions: Combine powdered sugar, butter, sweetened condensed milk, coconut and pecans together, mixing well. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet. Chill. Melt chocolate almond bark in double boiler. Using a wooden pick, dip candy balls into chocolate and place on prepared baking sheet. Chill until chocolate is firm. Makes about 4 dozen candies.
Note: Try toasting the coconut for additional crunch and scrumptious flavor!

Buckeye Balls (AKA Peanut Butter Balls)

Ingredients:
12 oz. peanut butter
1 stick butter
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. chocolate bark

Directions: Mix sugar, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla together. Make into balls and chill. Melt chocolate in double boiler (or saucepan over boiling water). Stick toothpick in balls and dip into chocolate. Cool on wax paper.

I Scream. U Scream. We ALL Scream. For ICE CREAM!

My family absolutely adores ice cream! All of us do! Its one of our favorite treats in the entire world, no matter how hot or cold it might be out side. The running joke is that my mom, when pregnant with my sister, told my dad "the baby needs ice cream." So most every night of her pregnancy they would go to Baskin Robbins to get something for the baby. This continued more as a tradition with the second and third pregnancy, and eventually became a long standing family tradition.

Because of our love for the cold stuff, my mom bought my dad an uber cool homemade ice cream maker for Father's day one year. And since acquiring the fine kitchen appliance, my mom has become an expert at making gourmet ice cream. (Side note - I made an amazing batch of Dulce De Leche ice cream one time too!) Mom really has ice cream making down to a science.

So, last Sunday I was at home for a little weekend get-a-away, and was craving some homemade ice cream. Mom and I got on the Rachael Ray magazine site because she just published an issue with lots of great ice cream recipes. We found one that would be easy to make with the ingredients we had at home. It is Rachael's Triple Chocolate Crunch Ice Cream. Mom made a few minor adjustments based on available ingredients, and in the end, it was the ABSOLUTE BEST chocolate ice cream I have ever eaten.

If you love making ice cream, I definitely recommend this one!

Rachael's Triple Chocolate Crunch Ice Cream

Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2/3 cups milk
1-1/3 cups heavy cream
Ice Water
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup broken dark chocolate-covered pretzels

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar and the salt. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar over medium heat and cook, stirring, until steaming hot but not simmering, about 6 minutes. Add to the egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then pour into the saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and registers 175° on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 minutes.

Strain the custard into a medium bowl set in an ice water bath. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Using an ice cream machine, process the custard according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fold in the chocolate chips and pretzels, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

**My mom didn't have white chocolate chips or pretzels when we made this, so we just used a bunch of mini chocolate chips. It was AMAZING!!!!!

My nephew's "How to make salsa" video tutorial

My Sister's Salsa Recipe

roma tomatoes 4-6
2 stalks of green onion
1-2 hot peppers
2 cloves of garlic
balsamic vinegar (1 tablespoon)
lime or lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
fresh cilantro
spices to taste (chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt & pepper)

Directions: first chop green onion, hot peppers (de-seeded), cilantro and garlic in blender or chopper. add tomatoes (cut into quarters and take out seeds to make the salsa less runny). blend again. add the balsamic vinegar and citrus juice. blend. add spices. blend. I add about a teaspoon of each to start and then play with it a few times until I get it the way I want.

What does each spice do?
chili powder and balsamic vinegar change the color and give a bite.
cayenne gives heat, you can also add in some pepper seeds for heat. sometimes i add red pepper flakes also. the hotter the hot peppers are, the better it will be. the spices never really give it the right flavor without fresh hot pepper.
cumin and cilantro...makes it taste mexican.

PS - He's only 2 folks. Yet he's a great chef! (He gets that from his auntie!) He is available to cater events before 8:00 p.m., but he's expensive!

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!

Here comes Peter Cottontail....

For Easter this weekend I wanted to make a special cake for the family. The idea was to do a lemon bunny cake, and it turned out way better than I planned, thanks to my mom's directions on how to carve and decorate.

It's a very simple process, and a lot of fun to do with kids!

Ingredients:
1 box of cake mix and ingredients according to box.
1 can of frosting
jelly beans
coconut (about 1-2 cups)
food coloring
sprinkles

Step One: The basic cake
Bake cake mix of choice according to box in two 8-inch round pans.
After finished baking, let cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then dump cakes on large tray to completely cool.

Step Two: The carving
With a bread knife, carve two oval-type shapes off of each side of one cake round. This will form two ears and a bowtie. Arrange ears and bowtie around the other cake round.

Step Three: Decorating
Cover cake completely with thin layer of icing. When finished, add a thicker layer on top of the ears and face.
Use food coloring to dye remaining icing to make the bowtie another color. Can use sprinkles or jelly beans to decorate bowtie.
Sprinkle coconut over ears and face to give the appearance of fur. If it doesn't stick, press down slightly into the icing.
Take one tiny, tiny drop of red food coloring and drop it in a ziplock bag of coconut. This will dye the coconut pink for the center of the ears. If it is too red, add more coconut and disperse. Lay pink coconut in the middle of each ear.
Use jelly beans to make eyes, a mouth, and whiskers on the face. Licorice can also be used in lieu of jelly beans for whiskers.

Step Four: Eat
Amaze all of your friends and family with your adorable bunny cake and enjoy eating!

Rub a dub, dub, thanks for the grub...

Thanksgiving for my family is always a huge eating event. My parents host my mother's siblings and their families for lunch the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It has been that way as long as I have been alive I think. We begin the day usually with a pancake breakfast prepared by my dad. Then the family starts arriving about mid-morning. The snacks are put out, and we continue eating until our late afternoon lunch. Really...we just eat ALL DAY LONG! Here are some family favorites though!

Appetizers:

Mississippi Sin

8 oz. cream cheese (Softened)
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup chopped ham
1 cup shredded cheddar (mild)
½ cup chopped green onions
1 loaf Hawaiian bread

Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Dig out center of bread. Put mixture into shell and cover with foil. Cook for 45 at 350 degrees. Eat with bread bits, Fritos, melba toasts, etc.


Easy Cheesy Chili Dip

1 pkg. cream cheese
1 can chili
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Frito Scoops

Directions: Spread cream cheese in small baking dish. Dump chili on top. Cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chili is bubbling. Serve with chips.

Main Course: Fried turkey and honey baked ham.

Side Dishes:

Mixed Vegetable Salad

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Squash Casserole

3 lbs. squash
½ cup cracker crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup chopped onion
1 stick margarine

Directions: Wash and cut squash. Boil until tender, drain, and mash. Add eggs, sugar, onion and ½ margarine. Melt ½ margarine. Pour mixture into baking dish and spread melted margarine on top. Sprinkle crackers on top. Bake at 375 degrees until brown. (Apprx. 1 hour)

Desserts:

Dutch Apple Pie

It's The Great Pumpkin, Bars

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

1 butter cake mix
3 oz. chocolate instant pudding
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
¼ cup water
8 oz. sour cream
1 tbsp. vanilla
6 oz. chocolate chips
½ cup frosting (chocolate)

Directions:
Mix first seven ingredients well for 2-3 minutes. Fold in chips. Pour into greased bundt pan. Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Don’t open door. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake to serving plate and allow to cool for at least an hour. Drizzle frosting over cake. Allow frosting to set before covering cake.

Coconut Cream Pie

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix thoroughly in saucepan.

1/3 cup sugar
3 ½ tbsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup shredded coconut
3 egg yolks

Step 2: Stir in gradually until smooth mixture of following ingredients.

1 cup Evaporated Milk
1 cup water

Cook and stir over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Remove from heat and stir in 1 ½ tsp. vanilla. Cover and cool thoroughly. Put into cold 9-inch baked pasty shell. Spread with meringue.

Step 4: Meringue –Beat 3 egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Gradually beat in 6 tbsp. of sugar. Spread on top of pie.

Step 5: Sprinkle ½ cup shredded coconut over top. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until light brown. Cool thoroughly before cutting with wet knife.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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.

Great-great Grandma’s Zebra Brownies

This is a Speed family recipe!

Filling:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup very hot water
¼ cup oil
1 egg
Brownies:
22 ½ oz. pkg. Deluxe Fudge Brownie Mix
½ cup very hot tap water
½ cup oil
1 egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13x9 inch pan. In small bowl, blend all filling ingredients; beat until smooth. Set aside. In large bowl, combine brownie ingredients; beat 50 strokes with a spoon. Spread half of batter in pan. Pour cream cheese mixture over batter, spreading to cover. Place spoonfuls of remaining batter on top of cream cheese. With knife, gently cut through batter to marble. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cut and serve when completely cooled. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Mixed Vegetable Salad

I have had several requests for the mixed veggie salad recipe that my sister-in-law gave me. It makes A TON, and is great for cookouts or picnics. It also keeps about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. This is one of my brother's favorite snacks!

Directions:
Drain all vegetables and mix together in large bowl.
1 can shoe peg corn or Mexicorn
1 can Niblets corn
1 large can lima beans
1 large can English peas
1 can green beans

Add:
1 cup chopped purple onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 ½ cup celery chopped

Mix: (in separate bowl)
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup sugar (or Splenda)

Pour vinegar mixture over vegetables. Mix well. Marinate in refrigerator (the longer, the better).

I'll bake you a pie from the bottom of my heart...

Have you ever seen the movie Waitress? It's really great if you ever get a chance to watch it, and it served as an inspiration for my latest dessert. I decided to make a pie today that has been passed down through my family. I think it originated with my maternal grandfather's mother. Or grandmother. So it came from either my great-grandmother or great-great-grandmother. Anyway, it's a nice, cool, refreshing AND LOW FAT summer dessert! It's super easy to make too! Enjoy!

The "My Grandmother is a really good cook" Pineapple Pie

Ingredients:
1 9 oz. container Cool Whip (Fat free)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Fat free)
1 can angel flake coconut
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. lime juice

Directions: Mix and fold in together – chill or freeze. Makes 2, 9” pies with graham cracker crust.

**Since the recipe made 2 pies, I put one in the fridge for tonight, and one in the freezer for our company that is coming later in the week.**