Year: 2014

appetizers · Breads · Salads · Vegetables

Cornbread Stuffed Tomatoes

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We picked up a few tomatoes yesterday that had the most delicious flavor. As much as I love Fall, I will miss the tomatoes that we have in the summer. This recipe is a great way to enjoy the last tomatoes of summer.

4 ripe tomatoes
2 cups crumbled cornbread
1/2 cup mayo
4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3-4 green onions, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Remove tomato cores, scoop out pulp and place in a bowl, leaving the tomato shell intact.
Stir together tomato pulp, cornbread and remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into tomato shells and serve immediately.
*Taken from Southern Living Magazine 2002 Sept

Dips

Cheesy Caramelized Onion & Bacon Dip

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What is wrong with me? Why am I posting all these dips? It is weird that these have all caught my eye when usually it is the desserts that get my attention. Oh no, I hope that my body chemistry isn’t changing from being a “sweetaholic” to a “saltaholic”…surely not. I just remembered why. I have been looking for an appetizer to take to a party. I have said I was going to take the shrimp salad that I posted last week to the sausage dip I posted a couple of days ago to now this…I cannot make up my mind…maybe I will have to take all 3 since they all sound delish!.
Taken once again from sweet Paula Deen magazine.
Randy thinks that it is because it is so hot I am not wanting to go outside to go to the grocery store, and since I have everything I need to make this one, that is why I decided to make it. Maybe he is right.

2 (8 oz) softened cream cheese
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Caramelized Onions (recipe follows below)
Crunchy Topping (see below)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2 qt baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and next ingredients at medium speed with a mixer until combined. Stir in crumbled bacon and Caramelized onions. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with Crunchy topping.
Caramelized Onions
1/4 cup butter
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tables balsamic vinegar
1/2 teas black pepper
1/4 teas salt
In large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onions, cover and cook for 40 min, stirring occasionally.
Increase heat to medium-high. Uncover and cook stirring frequently, until onions are caramel colored, 10-15 min.
Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, pepper and salt. Use immediately. or let cool and store in fridge up to 3 days before using.
Crunchy Topping
3/4 cup crushed buttery round crackers (about 15) (like Ritz)2014-09-04 12.29.44

Crunchy Topping
3/4 cup crushed buttery round crackers (about 15) (like Ritz
2 tables shredded parmesan cheese
1 tables fresh parsley
1 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Sprinkle over dip before baking.

Daily Thoughts

Fallish Frenzy

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2014-09-02 08.30.322014-09-03 17.34.07items for sale 014

It felt so good to have all my Fall Decorations out and placed strategically around the house, bringing a feel of festivity and food that I should be baking at all hours of the day and night.
Our kids have begun to call us Clark Griswald beginning in Sept, as I cannot wait to put up Christmas lights.
So beginning in September, we put up Fall trees, which turns to Christmas trees the day after Thanksgiving. I have promised sweet little Peter Pumpkin that I will make lots of pumpkin bread to sell to help pay our electric bill.
As soon as I got through placing the lights in the garland on the mantle,the trees decorated with Fall leaves and lights, plus a few lighted pumpkins in the courtyard, I sat down with a glass of tea to enjoy the different feel, Randy’s phone rang. I heard him answer and tell the person on the other end of the line that “yes, he would take care of it right away”! When he walked in I ask him what he would be taking care of. He said it was the electric company asking us to please turn off some of the lights. That we blew a fuse in the neighborhood and all the neighbors were calling, complaining. I couldn’t believe it. When I said, “really, you are kidding me” he said, “yes, but I’m sure that I will be having to come out of retirement to pay our electric bill.”
This reminded me of the Christmas that I decided that we should have blue lights outside instead of white. We went and bought all blue lights and Frosty proceeded to put up the 8-10 boxes outside. The yard looked beautiful and we were so proud. The next night, the lights automatically turned on around 6:30 and as I am in the kitchen cooking dinner. Randy drives in from work and as he walks quickly into the front door, I thought to myself that I hadn’t seen him move that fast since I ask him to marry me. When I looked up he came over to me and said, very seriously, “you won’t believe what is in the middle of the street! You have got to come look, it’s a plane, they tried to land, thinking that they were at the airport.” I told him that if this was his way of telling me that we have too many lights, it’s going to take more than that for me to give up my holiday lights.
If you are ever in Frisco and you see a glow by the tollway, you will know that our house is not far away…or a neighborhood that is totally in the dark, from us blowing a fuse.

Casseroles · Dips

Cheese Dip (Paula Deen Style)

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This recipe showed up on my phone today so am sharing it with you. I cannot wait to make it this weekend.
1 lb ground pork sausage
1 cup chopped onion
2 (8 oz) packages of softened cream cheese
1 (8 oz) package of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (6 oz) package of shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped roasted bell pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 1 1/2 qt baking dish with Pam.
In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat, stirring often, until sausage is crumbly and completely done. Drain. Add the cream cheese and remaining 5 ingredients, stirring until cheese melts.
Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.
Bake for 30 min or until hot and bubbly. Serve with pretzel rods or bagel chips.

Thanks Paula for yet another new food that I will become addicted to before the week is over.

Breads · Breakfast · Daily Thoughts · Holiday Fare

Brunch for a Bunch

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This morning we were invited to a friends house for a brunch. The friends who we were with are all friends who we use to have breakfast with once a month before moving to California. It was great to sit and visit around the table and catch up on simple everyday happenings, which is what makes friendships so great. It doesn’t take a lot of important happenings or earth shattering circumstances to make lasting friendships.
When we moved back here from California, I thought it would be easy coming back to Texas, because after all, it was our home. But, 4 years ago, I thought that moving to California was one of those “bends in the road”. But the truth is, it wasn’t. We truly fell in love with the beauty of California, the home that God had given us there, not to mention the friendships that were developed while we lived there. We were feeling very settled and oh so comfortable in the new environment that we had truly grown to love. But, once again, comes that “bend in the road” that we were not prepared for, moving back to Texas. I guess I fought it more than I expected.

After 8 months of being back, we are really beginning to feel like we are “home”, again. It has taken us a little longer than we anticipated, but days like today remind us that good friends are what makes life so sweet. We know that when we go back to California for visits, we will fit right in again, as that’s just the kind of people they are out there. But, just like this morning, as we all sat around the living room laughing and telling stories of grandkids, vacations and in-law stories, it was as if we had never left. It is times like today that make us feel so blessed to have great friends in our lives, no matter our location. Our lives have been so impacted by people who have reached out to us and loved us, even across State lines. We love you all and are thankful for so many precious friends God has put in our lives…that is what makes a heart feel at home. Thank ya’ll for not forgetting us!

Pam served scones, an egg casserole, fruit and she asked if I would bring French toast. My favorite recipe for baked French toast is from The Pioneer Woman. Everyone always loves it and ask for the recipe. Pam ask me to write it down before leaving her house. So here it is:

Butter for greasing the 9×13 baking dish
1 loaf of Crusty Sourdough or French Bread, cubed
8 whole eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tables vanilla
Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teas cinnamon (I used 2)
1/2 teas salt (oops, I forgot to add that to mine)
1 stick cold butter
Warm syrup for serving
1 cup fresh blueberries for serving if desired
For the French toast, place cubed bread in greased baking dish, evenly over bottom. Crack the eggs in a large bowl and whisk with milk, cream, both sugars and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread cubes. Cover and place in fridge over night or if needed, you can spread the topping and bake immediately. I think it is better made the night before.
Topping:
Cut the cold butter in slices and mix with the brown sugar and flour with pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. You can add 1 cup chopped pecans if you want. Right before you put the toast in the over, sprinkle topping over the bread and bake for 1 hour at 325, then after the hour, decrease oven to 300 and bake about 20-30 min longer, depending on how crisp you want the French toast. Serve with more butter, syrup and fresh blueberries.
This served 14 of us today along with the egg casserole, scones and fruit. If it is your only entrée, I think it would serve only 8.

Uncategorized

Hot Fudge Sauce

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1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
6 oz semisweet chocolate (such as Bakers but i didnt have that, so I used chocolate chips)
2 tables butter
1 teas vanilla
Over low heat melt chocolate with milk. Stir continually until all chocolate is melted. Take off the heat and Add the butter and vanilla. Stir until butter has melted. Keeps for 1 week in covered jar.
Serve warm over cakes, brownies or ice cream.

appetizers · Dips

Dips For The Day

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Going through the Frisco magazine that came yesterday. ( I bet you think that my house is nothing by a pile of magazines, and you are almost correct. I do allow room for my baking pans and fridge to stock butter and cream cheese). A whole page of dips, which will come in handy if you are headed out to tail gate parties, or a cookout tomorrow or just sitting at home watching TV. Here were are a couple that caught my eye and will save them.

Hot Corn Dip
Cooking spray or butter to grease dish
2 (11 oz) cams of Mexican corn, drained
2 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chiles, drained
2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup Mayo
5 oz cooked chorizo (or Jimmy Dean Sausage if you are not a chorizo fan)
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
Tortilla Chips for dipping
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
In a medium bowl, mix the corn, chiles, cheese, mayo, cilantro and meat until fully combined.
Spread the mixture in the prepared dish and bake for about 30-35 min or until edges or lightly browned.
Knowing me, I will probably sprinkle more cheese over the top the last few min of baking.

Ugly Dip (Named after…well, I guess I will keep that to myself)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green olives
1 (4 oz) can chopped black olives
2 green onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add garlic powder to taste, parsley flakes, basil and chives and black pepper to taste.
There are several additions I can immediately think of that I would probably add, like cubed avocado, artichoke hearts for example.

Pub Sauce
1/2 cup mayo
1 tables soy sauce
1 tables Worcestershire sauce
1 tables brown sugar
1 teas ground pepper
1/2 teas hot sauce
Mix all ingredients will, until thick. Serve over warm grilled burgers or use as a dip for fries.

Happy Labor Day! Remember all you Southern gals out there, it’s time to put away your white dresses, capri’s and shoes…The Fashion Police will find you if you continue to wear white after Labor Day…Just a warning, what if you have on white and for some reason you are caught on television!!! That is not a happy thought.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts

Eagle Brand Pound Cake

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OMGosh, you are kidding me! I cannot believe I just found a recipe using a can of Eagle Brand in a cake!
Eagle Brand, to me, should be in it’s own food group. I would probably even like liver if it was soaked in Eagle Brand. This recipe was in the old cookbook that had the “possum” recipe. I have to have some friends over so I have an excuse to make this wonderful cake.

1 lb (yep, you heard right, a whole pound) softened butter (do not use margarine as I will turn you in to the butter police)
2 cups sugar
8 eggs
1 can Eagle Brand Condensed Milk (there is only the one size)
3 cups flour
1/2 teas salt
2 teas vanilla
1 teas lemon extract (I will probably use butter extract as I like that combo of flavor with the vanilla)

Sift flour and salt and set aside. Grease and flour 10″ tube pan. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Continue beating, adding eggs, 1 at a time. Add flour and Eagle Brand alternately, blending just until well mixed. Add flavorings last.
Pour into pan and bake at 325 preheated oven for 1 hour. Reduce oven to 300 and bake about 25 min more, or until cake tests done.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over cooled cake if desired. Or set out different toppings, such as fudge sauce, fresh strawberries, ice cream or whipped cream when serving.

appetizers · Fish · Salads

Shrimp To The Rescue

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We have been invited to a steak cookout next week where I was told to bring an appetizer. Since my blog is mostly about cooking, I felt it necessary that I should bring something more than a can of bean dip and a sack of Fritos. I googled “appitizers” and up popped a whole page of them taken from Southern Living kitchens. How had I missed this great recipe? I guess I have had my head in the bag of Hershey Kisses way to much lately. When I saw this recipe, I knew instantly that this was the one that would make them all stand up and say, “wow, I bet she has a cooking blog we need to check out!” Well, maybe, but at any rate, it will be refreshing & as one of our good friends likes to say, “ridiculously good”.

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
4 tables finely chopped fresh parsley
4 tables finely chopped green onion (greens only)
6 tables olive oil
1 envelope Garlic & herb dressing mix (Like Good Seasons brand)
2 lbs cooked shrimp (I buy the bag of medium size shrimp at Costco and thaw overnight, drain and is ready to use)
1 large can of black or green olives, drained
2 cups halved grape tomatoes
2 (4 oz) package feta cheese, cut into 1/2″ cubes
Small fresh basil leaves *(I am changing this to fresh cilantro instead because I am adding chunks of avocado)
Whisk together vinegar and next 4 ingredients in a bowl. Stir in shrimp and next 3 ingredients. Cover and chill 8-12 hours.
Stir in desired amount of avocado chunks and fresh cilantro (or the basil if you are using that instead of cilantro) right before serving.
Serve with crackers

If you are serving as a salad, place in a large glass bowl. It makes a beautiful presentation!

Beef · Meats

Skillet Meatloaf

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We have just returned from visiting my mom in Corpus, where we stay with a couple who well, who make Randy and I feel pretty young. She is 80 and he is 92. We enjoy them so much and they are just so sweet to open up their home to us for as long as we need. Jane is quite the cook, as I have written about her before, and when the conversation turned to recipes, which it always does, she began to tell me about this skillet meatloaf that she use to always make for her 3 boys, because she could hide veggies in it and they would have no idea. It is a great way to have meatloaf without having your oven on during these hot summer days. She never follows an exact recipe and this is as exact as it is going to be until I get to the store and buy the things I need to make it. I will then post some exact measurements, but until then, make your favorite meatloaf recipe with the following exceptions.

1 lb of ground beef
breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs
diced very finely, onion and bell pepper
garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded carrot
Shape the meat into balls or 2 small loafs

Jane heats a little Crisco oil, but since I know that there are many younger people out there who believes that Crisco is nothing but heart attacks waiting to happen, may I suggest a little olive oil. Shape the meat mixture into balls or loafs and brown on both sides. Take meat out and set on a plate. Using a little flour, with a fork, whisk the flour in the drippings in the pan and continue to stir until the flour mixture is lightly browned. Add about 1 1/2 cups warm water all the while whisking, so mixture does not lump. Add your meat back in and cover. Simmer over low heat for about 30-35 minutes allowing the meat to thoroughly cook. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
*If the idea of making gravy scares you, use a packet of brown gravy mix, following directions on the package, but then pouring it into the pan drippings, to allow the flavors to meld together with the meat.
In a heavy skillet, heat your Crisco or olive oil until it starts to sizzle.