Tag: Paula Deen Recipes

Daily Thoughts · Holiday Fare · Salads · Uncategorized · Vegetables

Fried Okra Salad

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Happiest of New Years! As we sit and wait for the traditional black eyed peas to finish cooking to take to friends for dinner, it dawned on me that I had not posted this new recipe. This morning I realized that for the first time in probably 10 years, I had forgot to buy black eyed peas. How could we begin 2020 without them? Everyone knows that if you don’t have a helping of them Jan 1st, your hopes of ever winning any lotto, well, just forget it. Also, “they” say that if you don’t have the peas, you will probably catch every flu that there is no vaccine for, and you will gain weight just looking at cake and DSW will never have the shoe you want in your size. So just to be sure you are covered for all these things, have a helping of the little gems. Why take chances?

Well, this morning when we realized that we didn’t have a black eyed pea in the house, Randy stopped at the grocery store across the street and I ran in to see if I could find either frozen peas or dried (just can’t do the canned ones, well, let me rephrase that, that would be my last choice if all other possibilities were exhausted) BE peas. Walking up to the frozen food aisle, there was a lady standing looking at the frozen veggies and she saw me looking and moved her cart out of the way, apologizing for being in the way. When I assured her she was certainly not in my way, as I was just looking for BEP, she stated that she was just trying to get some new ideas of foods to make. It was in that instant that I began an internal struggle. Do I just ignore her and assume she was just making a statement, or should I tell her that I have a cooking blog and hand her a card with the blog info on it. It took me about 30 seconds before I finally said, “do you like fried okra?” When she said yes I do, I handed her a card and told her that I would be posting this recipe later today for Fried Okra Salad. That lead to her reading my business card and she said, “oh I’m a believer also, what church to you go to?” And then she noticed my name and as we began to talk, she told me that she was in the title business, just like Randy. In fact she knew several people which we knew. It was just so great to visit. It always amazes me how God orchestrates these sweet little blessings that happen when we are just running into a store to pick up something.
January 2020….the beginning of a new decade. We have so much to be thankful for in this past decade. May we continue to always give thanks and always look for opportunities to share joy and kindness with others, all the while giving thanks for all the joy and kindness we have received from others. Here is the recipe which was given to me from a precious friend, Dena. Can’t wait to have it with a pot of cabbage and onions, potato casserole and ham….a perfect southern meal.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 pounds frozen breaded okra, thawed and fried according to directions
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

IN a small saucepan, cook oil, sugar and vinegar over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Set aside

In a large bowl, combine fried cooked okra and remaining 4 ingredients. Pour vinegar mixture over okra, tossing just to coat. Serve immediately.

*Taken from Paula Deen Magazine

Breads · Daily Thoughts · Salads

Wedge Salad With Tarragon Buttermilk Dressing & Crunchy Garlic Bread

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One of my favorite days of the month is when my Paula Deen magazine arrives. I tend to save sitting down looking through it, for when I can sit with any type of chocolate or dessert , a glass of tea (sweet of course) and quietness lurking in the room, with no television or radio. It is just my way of “getting away” from daily thoughts and it seems that by the time I finish, I stand up with a smile on my face and a new determination to try new recipes. Don’t you just love that about cooking magazines? They just inspire us to get out of our comfort recipes of meatloaf, chicken casseroles and store bought salads.

If you enjoy cooking magazines, I would like to recommend Cooking with Paula Deen…it has the most fabulous recipes. Haven’t tried one I didn’t love! Pure Southern goodness!

When I turned the page and saw this delicious looking salad with crunchy garlic bread to go alongside, it drew me in. Randy and I love wedge salads, so this one will grace our table this summer.

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup mayo

2 tables chopped fresh tarragon

2 tables chopped fresh parsley

2 tables whole grain Dijon mustard

1 table minced green onion

1/4 teas black pepper

1/2 teas salt

2 heads iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges each

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup sliced radishes

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

In small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and next 7 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Top each lettuce wedge with carrots, radishes, and tomatoes; drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

Crunchy Garlic Bread

2 (16 oz) loaves Italian five-grain bread

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tables minced green onion

2 tables chopped fresh parsley

1 tables garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut bread into 1″ thick slices, cutting to but not through bottoms of loaves.

In a small bowl, stir together butter and all remaining ingredients. Spread butter mixture on cut side of each bread slice, being careful not to separate slices from bottom of loaves.

Place bread directly on oven rack.

Bake for 10 min or until bread is browned and crisp. Serve warm.

Breads · Breakfast · Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Chocolate Toffee Biscotti

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Am caterning a luncheon for 6 women this week and I thought I would be great to have a little edible gift for each lady to take home. When I saw these in an 2009 Paula Deen Magazine that I was looking through, this seemed to be the perfect little gift to make them.

Makes about 2 1/2 dz

6 tables butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (light)

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teas baking soda

1/2 cup toffee bits

1/3 cup toasted and chopped slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Stir in toffee bits and almonds.

Shape patter into 2 (91/2×3″) logs on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 min. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 min. Using a serrated knife, cut dough crosswise into 3/4″ thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake for 15 min. Turn slices over and bake for 15 min longer. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack. Serve with coffee or tea or just sit and nibble on them while watching The Voice!

Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Chocolate Tart With Glazed Berries

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Recipe is in this issue of Paula Deen Magazine. It would be so easy to just open the pages and take a recipe from each page. This makes a beautiful July 4th dish. I truly love her recipes and they have never disappointed me.

1 pie crust (if using refrigerated pie crusts, you will only use 1 from the package of 2) At this season of life, when I get lazy I am hooked on the box mix of Betty Crocker pie crusts mix. Just adding water, it is flakier than the refrigerated and doesn’t taste as salty. Use half of the box mix if using box mix.

1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 (12 oz) package semisweet chocolate chips

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1 teas vanilla

1/2 teas orange zest

1/8 teas kosher salt

3 tables raspberry preserves

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll pie crust and fit into a 10″ removable bottom tart pan, trimming off any excess dough from sides.

Prick crust with fork if you do not use pie crusts weights.

Bake for 15 min. Remove from oven and let cool completely. If you used the weights, you remove them and then bake crusts for about 5 more min to lightly brown the crusts.

Reduce oven temperature to 250.

In a medium saucepan, cook cream and chocolate over medium heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and next 4 ingredients. Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture in a slow steady stream whisking constantly to avoid the egg cooking. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust.

Bake for 40-50 min at 250 or until center is set.(You might need to cover the top of the sides of the crust with foil to avoid over browning at this point.  Let cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled. In a microwave safe bowl, heat preserves until melted. Gently stir berries into preserves until coated. Spoon berries over tart just before serving. Top with additional whipped cream if desired.

Daily Thoughts · Desserts

Measuring Cups & Pie Crust

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If you are one of those that  you are just now taking the Warranty Papers and Care Instructions out of the oven you have had for 5 years, you might not be aware that there is a difference in measuring cups. Today, a sweet young lady was making cookies and called me to ask me why her dough wasn’t the texture that she knew it should be. We went over the instructions and the ingredients and discovered that she had followed them to a T. When I ask her if she had used liquid measuring cups of dry measuring cups, she didn’t know that there was a difference and she had in fact used the ones meant to measure liquids. It can make a huge difference in your baked goods, not using the right measuring cups. The liquid measuring cups add more flour than what is intended. She ask me why they aren’t labeled, “liquid” or “dry”. At lunch I was relaying this story with a friend and she said it was years before she knew that fact. So for all of you out there that aren’t quite sure which is liquid or dry, the liquid measuring cups have lines and usually a pouring spout. Dry measuring cups are just labeled 1/2, 2/3, 1/4, 1, 1/3, etc.  They are made to where you can scrape across the top of the measuring cup to level it off. Does this make sense?

Also, for those of you who like to make your own pie crust, last night I made the pie crust recipe I found in Paula Deen Magazine. It is undoubtedly the absolute BEST pie crust I have ever had….it was flaky and had such a great flavor. I will never make any other recipe again.

2 1/2 cups flour

6 tables cold butter

6 tables cold shortening

1 tables sugar

1/2 teas salt

1/2 cup cold water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles crumbs. Add water, 1 tables at a time, as you might not need all the water (I used 3 tables is all). Stir with a fork until mixture comes together. Remove from bowl and wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Flour a sheet of parchment paper, waxed paper or your counter. Roll 1/2 of the dough mixture into a 12″ circle. Carefully fold in half and place in a 9″ pie plate. Fill with fruit filling. Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough. Place over the fruit and make a few slits in the top crust, allowing for steam to escape. Bake at 425 for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.\

If you are needing a single crust, you can freeze the other half and just use the bottom crust. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes. Watch carefully as to not allowing to get to brown. Cool and use filling of your choice.