Alaska State Fair

 This past weekend we attended the Alaska State Fair, for what will probably be the very last time. The Fair is one of the greatest things about living in Alaska, and it definitely lives up when it comes to "fair food"! As you can tell from above, one of our favorite things to get is a hand-dipped corn dog. These things are addictive!

 This is Scarlet's friend Emalie's Dad Marc. That was one huge burger! I didn't get a pic, but Jake also enjoyed a bison burger. I had a bite and it was actually pretty good. Very lean,but seasoned well.

 This place was so good! Jake and I shared a crab bisque and crab cakes as appetizers while we searched for other stuff to eat! LOL! This bisque really hit the spot since the weather was on the cool side.

We didn't eat this, a) because I wasn't brave enough, and b) because I like my arteries! But I thought it was really neat and they had a line, so it must be good!

The Alaska State Fair is a typical state fair, in that it still holds a competition for baked goods. They had everything from cakes and pies, to cookies and breads. They even had a section for canned goods and homemade wine.

The  fair was great, but when we left I told Jake that if they had fried pickles and boiled peanuts, it would have felt almost like home!

Happy Birthday Cara

Last Friday we were lucky enough to celebrate the birthday of of Scarlet and Wyatt's best friends. She is the sweetest little girl, and I know one day she will be a Prima ballerina! Since her family will be going out of town before we move, we wanted to have a chance to celebrate with her before she left. I decided to make an all kid friendly menu. We had veggies with dip, sloppy joes, cheese fries, and frozen lemonades. We then had some amazing cupcakes for dessert. We finished the evenning by picking raspberries in the backyard. Food is always great, but it's the people you sit down to share a meal with that make it special!

This recipe comes from Southern Livings,"1001 Ways to Cook Southern". They were easy and delicous! I would even dare to say better than Manwich!

Mini Sweet and Sour Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1 (8oz) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 (13.9 oz) package dinner rolls, toasted ( I used Hawaiian rolls and they really made these delicious)

1. Cook ground beef in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove meat from skillet, and drain well.

2. Saute onion and bell pepper in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Return meat to skillet; stir in tomato sauce and next 5 ingredients. Bring mixture to a boi; cover, reduce heat, and simmer stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Spoon mixture evenly into toasted dinner rolls, and serve immediately.

These would even be great with deer (vinison), instead of ground beef.

Come on back this week, as I'll be sharing some photos of the food at the Alaska State Fair!

The Budenski's & Midwest Livinig

 There are many great advantages to being a military family. The greatest of these advantages is that you often meet people who will be friends for life. When our family thinks back to our time in Alaska, we will always think about the Budenski family. Wyatt and Scarlet both took to Jill immediately, and the same goes for Jared (Jarron) when he and Jake returned from deployment. And after their son was born, we became attached to him. Jill actually introduced my to a great sister publication of Southern Living, called Midwest Living. Same concept as Southern Living, but focuses on Midwest travel and foods. This recipe actually comes a recent copy that Jill sent me with a couple of other goodies! I also blame the Budenski's for my children's eating habits. Because of them I'm raising major corn lovers, so needless to say this dish will be making a return trip to our dinner table!

Chicken and Corn Hash Brown Bake

1 (10.75 oz). can reduced fat and reduced sodium condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (8 oz) carton sour cream

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons dried dillweed or dried basil, crushed

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (28 oz) package frozen diced has brown potatoes with onions and peppers, thawed

2 cups chopped smoked or roasted chicken or turkey

2 cups fresh corn kernels; one (10oz) package frown whole kernel corn, thawed; or one (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, cubed

1 (8oz) package shredded Colby, cheddar or Swiss cheese (2 cups)

1 cup seasoned croutons, coarsely crushed (optional)

1. In a very large bowl, stir together the soup, sour cream, milk, dillweed and pepper. Stir in potatoes, chicken, corn, cream cheese, and 1/2 cup of the Colby cheese. Spoon the chicken-corn mixture into a greased 13x9x2- inch baking dish (3 qt. rectangular)

2. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and stir mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups Colby cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 40 minutes more or until top of casserole is golden and potatoes are tender, if you like, sprinkle with the croutons the last 10 minutes of baking. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

It's always great to have a dish that makes you think of certain people and this dish will always remind me of the Budenski family!

Baked Chicken and Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk pie is one of my all time favorite pies! The sugar caramelizes on top to make the perfect crunchy top, and the inside is the most velvety custard you've ever tasted. This is an oldie, but it's still good!

This recipe comes from,"The Blue Willow Inn", cookbook. I've mentioned it before and I'll probably mention it many more times!

Buttermilk Pie

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 unbaked (9 inch) pastry pie shell

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the eggs, flour, and butter in a bowl, and mix well. Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Pour into the pie shell. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pie is set and golden brown.  I served this one was raspberries from the bushes in our backyard!

Unfortunately, I didn't get a pic of the baked chicken. We were so hungry when it came out, that I couldn't get it carved fast enough. I promise you it's not only easy, but beautiful as well. It's a go to for entertaining guest for me! This recipe is based on one from an old Food Network show called, "How to Boil Water".

Baked Chicken

1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, giblets, heart, and liver removed

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees. Pour the melted butter over the chicken, making sure to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle  salt and pepper over chicken and inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and fold the wing tips under the back. Set the bird breast side up in a 9x9 roasting pan or casserole. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes. Then increase the temperature to 425 degrees, cooking until an instant-read thermometer stuck into the chicken thigh registers 160 to 170 degrees.

This chicken is amazing and come back to see what I did with the leftovers! It's got all the goodness of Summer!

Texas Baby Shower (part 2)

 These are a great take a jalapeno popper. They're baked instead of fried, which if you  overlook all the cheese, that makes them pretty healthy! LOL! These are from, "Home Cooking with Trish Yearwood".

Jalapeno Bites

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened

8 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

4 tablespoons seeded and chopped jalapeno peppers

1 large egg, beaten

3 cups dry bread crumbs ( I only used about 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, jalapenos, and egg to form a paste. Shape into balls using about 1/2 teaspoon of paste for each. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs. Place on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.  Makes 36 bites.

I even put this in the fridge overnight before making into balls and they were easy to form!

Guacamole is to be eaten by the bowl. At least that is my opinion! I always feel like it's messy and hard to make, until I found this recipe ( you make it in a zip tip bag!) This recipe is from a Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication, "Recipe.com: Serving up Savings".

 Too-Easy Guacamole

2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled

2 tablespoons dairy sour cream

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

sliced green onions

chopped tomatoes

Place avocado halves, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a sturdy resealable plastic bag. Seal bag. Knead bag with your hands to combine ingredients. Place in fridge until ready to use (up to 8 hours).

Snip a large corner of the bag and pipe into bowl. Garnish with tomatoes and onions! Makes about 1 1/2 cups.  Great for kids to make!

This dip was probably my husband Jake's favorite thing. I swear I saw him standing by this at least 5 or 6 times! I love that it uses black beans instead of refried beans. It's just a different take a traditional party favorite! This recipe comes from,"1001 Ways to Cook Southern".

 Layered Spicy Black Bean Dip

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 (16 oz) jar spicy black bean dip

1/2 (8 oz) package shredded Mexican cheese blend

Toppings: sliced green onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives

Layer cream cheese, dip, and cheese in a 1 qt. serving dish. Add toppings, serve with chips.

*** I found it hard to find the spicy black bean dip, but I did find a black bean and nacho sauce (Salpica) in the ethnic aisle at Walmart. You put it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then pour over cream cheese. It's heaven served warm!***

I have been making this dip for about as long as Jake and I've been married. This dip was actually served at a baby shower for me, that was hosted by my friend Kerri Campbell. It's a take on one that Paula Deen makes. I've changed it up a bit to make it a little less time consuming to make!

 Fruit Dip

1 (8oz) cream cheese softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons orange juice

1 (8 oz) tub whopped topping

Cream the cheese and powdered sugar together, adding OJ to thin. Fold in whipped topping. Serve with fruit of your choice. My favorites are apples, pineapple, and strawberries, but anything in season is great!!

This punch has been finding it's way to almost every shower and wedding in our family for about as long as I can remember. I requested that my Aunt Donnie make it for my baby shower with Scarlet. I'm now making it a tradition among all my fellow military spouses. This punch makes me think of a dear friend of mine, Jill Budenski. I made it for a Fall Festival at Jake's unit, adding gummy worms to make it a witch's brew. She loved it so much we had it at her baby shower and added gummy bears!

Green Punch (Witch's Brew)

1 large can limeade

1 2 liter Ginger Ale

1 container lime sherbet

Mix limeade and ginger ale together. Add lime sherbet using an ice cream scoop. If you are feeling festive, add gummy candy for your choice!

Keep coming back this week, as I'll be sharing my no fail baked chicken. It's better and easier than picking one up at the grocery store!!

A Taste of Texas Baby Shower (Part 1)

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to host a baby shower for the Gonzales family. They are expecting will be adding a little boy to their already adorable family! Since both Mom and Dad have families located in Texas, I decided to do a little Tex-Mex flavor to remind them of home. This post is the 3 salsas that were featured. The following post will be drinks and dips.

The first salsa is a traditional salsa that comes from, "1001 Way to Cook Southern". I love that it uses ingredients that are in season right now. It had the perfect amount of heat!

Traditional Salsa

3 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp. minced onion

1 to 2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper

1 tsp. fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Makes 1 1/2 cups

The is a corn salsa, which was probably my favorite. Everyone in my family adores anything with corn in it. Lucky for us the season for corn is upon us, and thanks for my friends the Budenski's I'll be featuring a a few corn recipes over the next couple of weeks. This particular recipe comes from, "Home Cooking with Trish Yearwood".

Corn Salsa

1( 15 oz) yellow corn, drained

1( 15 oz) white corn, drained

1( 4 oz) can chopped green chiles, drained

1 (2 1/2 oz) can sliced black olives, drained

4 green onions, minced

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Mix the corn, chiles, olives, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, vinegar, oil, and salt in a medium bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, add the cilantro. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. Serves 20.

This salsa is great because it doesn't use tomatoes. It uses my favorite summer fruit: watermelon! It has a fresh and lightly sweet taste that is unbelievable. It would even recommend serving with fish because of the amount of citrus in it! This recipes is also from, "Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood".

Watermelon Salsa

1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest (from about 1 lime)

1/4 cup lime juice (about 3 limes)

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon pepper

3 cups seeded and finely chopped watermelon

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 small red onion, finely chopped

8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Stir together the lime zest, lime juice, sugar and pepper. Add the watermelon, cucumber, jalapeno, onion, and basil and toss gently. Chill the salsa until ready to serve and add the garlic salt just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips. Makes 3 cups.

Part 2 is all about dips and drinks, so come on back!

Sausage and Wild Rice Casserole

This is one of my new favorite finds! There is just something delicious about eating sausage at another meal, other than breakfast. This recipe mixes all things that are delicious to me: sage sausage, mushrooms, wild rice, and cheese! It's a pregnant woman's dream! This recipe comes from a cookbook that I've mentioned many times before, "My Southern Food a Celebration of the Flavors of the South". In the cookbook, she uses it more as a holiday side, but I find it filling enough for a main dish. Green beans or a salad, and some type of bread really make it a meal for me!
Sausage and Rice Casserole
1 (6 oz.) package instant wild rice
1 pound ground pork sausage with sage
1 onion, chopped
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, drained if canned or jarred
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare the wild rice according to the package directions. In a separate skillet, brown the sausage like ground meat and saute the onion. In a large bowl, blend the rice, the sausage mixture, soup, Cajun seasoning, green onions, and mushrooms. Pour into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Top with the cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly!

Come back this weekend, because I will be sharing the recipes for a baby shower that I'm hosting. I'm doing a salsa bar!

BBQ Beans and Nanner Puddin'

This weekend we were lucky enough to be invited for a BBQ to celebrate the promotion of one of our Air Force friends. Not only are the Gonzales' one of the kindest families I have ever known, but they are also amazing hosts! All the food was amazing, and I'll be stealing the idea to put spinach dip in the Hawaiian bread! Just letting you know that! I asked Lisa what I could bring and she said she had been craving baked beans, so I found a great recipe for BBQ beans that I wanted to try. I have been having pregnancy cravings for banana pudding, so that was the dessert I decided to take!Banana pudding is one of those things that just completes a meal for me! Unless, it has meringue (YUCK)! I like mine with either cool whip, or homemade whipped cream. One of my favorite places to get this dessert is at Longstreet Cafe. They serve it warm! This particular recipe comes from a cookbook I feel like I mention every post, "My Southern Food A Celebration of the Flavors of the South". I love that it's easy and most everything is almost always in your house!

Good Ol' Nanner Puddin'

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 cups evaporated milk, divided

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

36 vanilla wafers

5 bananas, sliced

1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping (or homemade whipped cream if you prefer)

In a small bowl combine the cornstarch, salt, sugar, and 1 cup of the milk. Bring the remaining 3 cups of milk to a boil in a large saucepan and add the sugar mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat as the custard thickens. Reduce the heat and add the butter and vanilla. When the pudding is thick, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. In a large dessert bowl or clear compote bowl, layer the vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding, repeating the layers in that order until all the pudding is used. Top with the whipped topping, cover, and chill the pudding before serving. I like to eat it warm, but that's just me!

The photo for these beans didn't turn out so well, but they sure were tasty! I think I even saw one guy at the BBQ go back twice just for them! LOL! I like that they are an interesting mix of beans and that they are beautiful color. They would be great at any event. This recipe comes from, "Southern Living 1001 way to Cook Southern".

Barbecue Beans

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 lb. ground beef (optional)

10 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled ( I only used 5 and it turned out great!)

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can pork and beans, undrained

2 Tbsp. molasses ( I used maple syrup and it was just as good)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard ( I prefer spicy brown mustard)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1. Cook the onion and , if desired, ground beef in a Dutch oven, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink;drain. Stir in bacon and remaining ingredients, and spoon into a lightly greased 2 1/2 qt. baking dish. Chill 8 hours, if desired.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bean mixture for 1 hour, stirring once.

Come back tomorrow, when I plan to share a sausage and wild rice casserole that is so delicious it'll make you slap your mama!

Chocolate Pie

One of my favorite recent reads has been, The Help. It's not only a great story, but it also has lots of great food in it. A chocolate pie takes center stage in one of the plot points. If you've read the book, or saw the movie this weekend, you know it's one of the funniest parts! Jake and I were lucky enough to have some great friends take the kids for a while so we could go and see it and go out to dinner. So, in honor of the opening of the movie, I want to share this recipe with you!

This recipe comes from the same cookbook as the banana bread from my previous post, Southern Livings 1001 Ways to Cook Southern. What I love about this recipe is that it's made from scratch, but isn't overly time consuming. It's one of those things you can make the day before, and then bring our the next day to wow guest! This would make anyone a Two Slice Hilly!

Chocolate Pie

2/3 cup milk

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1/4 cup cold water

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

3 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. butter

1 (6 oz) ready-made chocolate crumb pie crust

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 (1.55 oz) milk chocolate candy bar, chopped ( I shaved it instead)

1. Heat milk until it just begins to bubble around the edges in a 3 qt saucepan over medium heat (do not boil). remove from the heat, and whisk in chocolate morsels until melted. cool slightly.

2. Stir together cold water and cornstarch until dissolved.

3. Whisk cornstarch mixture, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and vanilla into chocolate mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute or until mixture thickens and is smooth. (do not overcook)

4. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter. Spoon mixture into pie crust. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

5. Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream evenly over pie filling, and sprinkle with pecans and candy bar pieces.

This one is going into my regular dessert rotation for sure!

I have some great BBQ recipes, and a sausage and rice dish that is to die for coming up this week. So y'all come on back for some good home cookin!

Brunswick Stew

Brunswick stew has been a staple at almost every Southern BBQ joint for as long as I can remember. I've seen it mostly in NC and GA ( I never saw it on the menu of my favorite BBQ place in VA), but I'm sure it's served in other places as well. The orgins of Brunswick stew has been contested for centuries, but the one thing that holds true is that it originally was served with either rabbit or squirrel meat or a mixture of the two! LOL! Rabbit doesn't sound so bad, but I don't know if I could do squirrel.

I especially love it in the Fall when the air turns crisp. It's the perfect way to end the day, or to celebrate a big game (GO UGA)! What I love most about this recipe is that it goes in the crock pot, so you can put it on the in the morning and it's ready for you when you get home at the end of the day. This recipe is based on from a back issue of "Cooking with Paula Deen". Her recipe is little more complicated and time consuming, but does serve more people.



Brunswick Stew

2 cups roasted meat ( I use leftovers from a roasted chicken, pot roast, or a barbecued Boston Butt, or a mixture of the three)
3 medium potatoes, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1/2 large onion, diced
1 (15.25 oz) can corn, drained
1 (14.75 oz) creamed corn
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)

Place all ingredients in a crock pot and set to low. Cook for 6-8 hours or until potatoes are fork tender. Crock pot maybe turned to warm until ready to serve. I love this with a warm pan of cornbread or the garlic cheddar biscuits from my previous post!

I've already begun work on tomorrows special post about the movie The Help. So, come back and see the surprise!

P.S.
I've even seen my Aunt Donnie can Brunswick stew in the Summer, when all the ingredients are fresh from her garden, and have a great easy to heat weeknight meal come Winter!

Best Ever Banana Bread

I have tried many banana bread recipes over the years and this is my hands down favorite! One of the very first things I ever remember baking was banana bread. One year for Christmas, my momma gave me my very first cookbook. It was an A-Z Gold Medal cookbook. I probably made everything in that book at least 3 times. One of the great things, is that you can actually order a newer edition of that very same cookbook if you look on the back of a bag of Gold Medal flour. My momma finally let my have this cookbook for Scarlet's collection that we have started! This recipe is a little more complicated than the first one I made, but it's worth every step. With two little monkey's of my own who LOVE bananas running around, this is a go to-easy-make ahead, breakfast item!
This recipe comes from a cookbook that to many would probably be referred to as the Bible of Southern cooking. It's Southern Living's, "1001 Ways to Cook Southern". This cookbook enabled me to finally throw away a lot of my back issues of Southern Living, since almost every recipe that has ever been printed, is actually in this cookbook! I love that it adds cream cheese (who doesn't love cream cheese!!), because it adds a moistness to the bread that other recipes just can't get from other recipes!























Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) cream cheese softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (1 1/4 lb. unpeeled bananas, about 4 medium)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

2. Combine flour, and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured ( or sprayed with Baker's Joy) 8x4 inch loaf pans.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour until a long wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes to prevent browning if necessary. Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

VARIATIONS

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Muffins

To bake muffins, spoon batter evenly into 24 paper-lined muffin cups, Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.


Toasted Coconut Topped Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

Prepare and bake bread or muffins in desired pans. While bread is baking, stir together 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to boil, stirring constantly. remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut; 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans; and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. remove baked bread or muffins from oven, and immediately spread tops with coconut mixture. Preheat broiler. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until topping starts to lightly brown. Cool in pans on wire racks 20 minutes. Remove from pans, and coll 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Cinnamon Crisp Topped Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

Prepare bread batter as directed, and spoon into desired pans. Stir together 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans; 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour; 1 Tbsp. melted butter; and 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter. Bake and cool as directed.

The cinnamon ones are so delicious, I'm making mini pans of them to give out as favors for a baby shower I'm hosting at the end of the month ( more to come on that)! Come back tomorrow for a super easy Brunswick stew. And later in the week, I'll be doing a special dessert in honor of the new movie The Help. If you have read the book you probably already have an idea what dessert that might be!!!

Master Mix ( biscuits and chocolate gravy!!!)

One of my earliest memories, was sitting in my Aunt Donnie's kitchen waiting on a fresh pan of biscuits to come out of the oven so we could drizzle them with chocolate gravy. Her biscuits are still the best I've ever eaten! I even thought I was going to doing some major impressing a few months ago by hosting a brunch for some fellow wives and serving biscuits and chocolate gravy. Well, one of the wives who is from Oklahoma came in and was like," Chocolate gravy, I love that"! She said her family had been making it forever as well, just doing it in the microwave instead of on the stove! LOL! I'm sharing a recipe for a master mix that I use for biscuits. This mix is the equivalent of homemade Bisquick and can be used for all kinds of things including, biscuits, waffles, pancakes, and even those garlic cheese biscuits from Red Lobster that are so delicious!

This master mix recipe comes from a cookbook I've mentioned before called, "My Southern Food A Celebration of the Flavors of the South". I love this because I can make it up, but it in some Tupperware in the freezer and pull it out and make biscuits in no time!

Master Mix

9 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons cream of tarter

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups butter-flavored shortening (regular shortening works, of course, but this is a taste preference)

In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tarter, and sugar together at least 3 times. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until the texture is grainy. Use for any recipes in which you would normally use Bisquick: biscuits, pancakes, waffles, dumplings, and so on.

Biscuits

1 cup master mix

1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Roll out on a floured surface and cut the desired size. bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 6 biscuits!

Cathead Cheese Biscuits

Biscuits:

2 cups mater mix

1/2 cup cold milk

3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Glaze

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

To make the biscuits, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl combine the master mix, milk, and cheese. Drop by the large spoonfuls somewhat uniform in size on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes on a rack in the center of the oven. Remove from the oven and switch the temperature to broil.

To make the glaze, combine all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the glaze. return the biscuits to the oven and allow the tops to get crispy under the broiler. this will only take about 2 minutes. Do NOT leave the biscuits unattended, as they can easily burn. Serve hot with butter. Makes 10 to 12 biscuits.

Chocolate gravy is not just delicious on biscuits,but pretty much anything! I love it served warm on homemade vanilla ice cream. It's basically homemade chocolate syrup, so you can even use it for chocolate milk and hot cocoa!

Chocolate Gravy

2 cups sugar

2/3 cups milk

4 tablespoons cocoa

1 stick butter or margarine

Mix all ingredients (except butter) in a large sauce pan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and add butter. Once butter has melted, you may cover what ever you like in some chocolate heaven!

Tomorrow I'll be posting the best banana bread recipe ever!!!

Weekend Eats

If you asked of what foods made me think of Summer two that could come to mind instantly would be yellow squash and peaches. I can't remember a Summer when squash casserole and peach cobbler weren't regulars on the dinner table.


This peach cobbler is one of the easiest recipes you can imagine. It comes from one of my most coveted cookbooks, "The Blue Willow Inn Cookbook". This is wonderful cookbook to pick up if you are interested in how to make all great Southern staples. It even has a menu for all major holidays and occasions to help planning a meal easier. The Blue Willow Inn is not just a cookbook, but also an amazing restaurant as well. This establishment holds a special place in my heart because it is located in the same city as where my husband Jake's family hails from, Social Circle, Ga. The restaurant is an experience to say the least. It's located on main street in downtown Social Circle in an antebellum home. If you go at the right time, you'll even find young women dressed as Scarlett O'Hara who greet you on the large front porch with pitchers of sweet tea! The menu here is all buffet, and includes multiple meats and veggies, along a sprawling dessert table. If you are ever near Social Circle ( and even if you're not) got check some of the best Southern food you'll ever eat!

Peach Cobbler

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup self rising flour
1/4 plus 1/4 cup melted butter
1 (28 oz) can sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl coarsely mix the 2/3 cup sugar, flour, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle about one-third of this mixture on the bottom of a baking dish. Add the peaches and juice. Top the peaches with the remaining flour mixture. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until brown and bubbly. Serve hot. With vanilla ice cream!

* Fresh peaches can be used as well, just peel, slice, and cover with 1/3 cup of sugar, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before assembling cobbler. If your peaches are still a little firm, place them in a brown paper sack and leave them on the counter for a day or so until they have some give to them!

Squash casserole is one of those things that just make a meal. It's a nice balance of something creamy, but with a little crunch. Here in Alaska the yellow squash we get are a little different than what I remember picking out of my parents garden. Back home the squash tend to be

smaller with a more curved neck. In Alaska then tend to run a little larger, with a straighter body and neck. This recipe comes from a cookbook I've mentioned before, Trish Yearwood's "Home Cooking with Trish Yearwood". What I love about this is that it's simple and you always

have the ingredients on hand!

Squash Casserole

2 lbs. yellow summer squash, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia, peeled and sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese ( about 2 oz)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup butter crackers, such as Ritz, crushed ( about 12 crackers)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 quart casserole dish.

Place the sliced squash and the onion in a medium saucepan with about a cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool.

Mix the egg, mayonnaise, cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and the squash/onion mixture and mix until combined. Pour into the prepared dish, top with the crumbs, and back for 30 minutes.

Stay tuned this week, because I'm going to share and amazing master mix that can make everything from waffles to those special cheese biscuits from Red Lobster that we all love!

My Daddy

If there ever was a meal that made me think of my Daddy it would be this one! I swear he could eat this stuff everyday and never get tired of it. My mom and I during one of many phone conversations during the day, often discuss what we are making for dinner. I swear she says soup beans at least once a week! This is usually what would be characterized in many cultures as peasant food, or poor people's food. In the South, it's just know as a staple!





Soup Beans
1 package dry Navy or Great Northern beans
Water
Smoked meat ( I like to use a smoked ham hock, but a few pieces of bacon can also be used, as long as it's something smoky, fatty, and salty!)

Rinse beans in cold water. Place beans in a large mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Allow beans to soak overnight. Pick through beans to make sure there are no bad beans, or debris of any kind. Rinse beans again and place in a slow cooker, along with the smoked meat of your choice. Cover once again in water and set slow cooker to low. Cook beans for about 8 hours, testing for tenderness about 6 hours in. Once beans are tender they may be placed on the warm setting until ready to eat. Beans may also be cooked on the stove placed at a simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until tender. Personally, I learned from my Uncle Clay that soup beans are best with a dollop of Blue Plate mayonnaise! And for my Daddy, I always eat it with a slice of red onion too!

Salmon patties are another one of those foods that make me think of Daddy! We have been eating these things at our house for about as long as I can remember. I've even seen him eat these for breakfast with biscuits and gravy! These come from a cookbook I've mentioned before, "My Southern Food: A Celebration of the Flavors of the South". The author calls them Salmon Croquettes, but we've always called them Salmon Patties at our house! I think that these have the perfect balance. Who doesn't love something crispy and little spicy?!?!

Louisiana Hot Salmon Croquettes

1 (15.5 oz) can Salmon ( skinless, boneless), drained

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (or seasoning salt if you prefer)

1/2 medium onion, chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup cornmeal

Combine the salmon, eggs, flour, Cajun seasoning, onion, garlic, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Roll the salmon mixture into balls about 2 inches in diameter and coat the balls with the cornmeal. Put the salmon balls int eh hot oil and press into patties, frying until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. remove, drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.

Stay tuned, because who know what kinds of goodies I'll be cooking up this weekend! I'm thinking this rainy weather might need some Brunswick stew!

Promotion and PIE!

As I've mentioned before, I am married to an active duty Soldier. Yesterday, my children (Scarlet and Wyatt) had the honor of promoting my husband to the rank of Staff Sargent. This is an achievement that he has been working toward for some time. I can not express how very proud of him we are! To show him how much we appreciate his hard work, we made him a chocolate chip cookie pie!

This recipe is based on one in Southern Living's,"Fast Family Suppers". I've mentioned this cookbook before, as it's where the previous post about enchiladas originated. The biggest difference about my pie and the pie from the cookbook, is that I choose to use homemade chocolate chip cookies. My favorite chocolate chip recipe, that I've been asked for many times, is actually off the back of the Hersey's Special Dark Chocolate Chip bag. It's easy and delicious! I also like to make a homemade graham cracker crust, instead of a store bought one. I usually just use the recipe on the back of the crushed graham cracker box. I think it gives a pie a fresher taste.

No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

1 (15 or 18 oz.) package chocolate chip cookies

1 cup milk

1 (9 oz) ready-made graham cracker crust

1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Dip 8 cookies in milk, and place in a single later in graham cracker crust. Top with one-third of whipped topping, Dip 8 more cookies in milk, and place on top; spread with one-third of whipped topping. repeat layers with 8 more cookies, milk, and remaining whipped topping. Crumble 2 chocolate chip cookies, and sprinkle over pie. Cover and chip 8 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.

* For prepackaged cookies, they suggest Nabisco Chunky Chocolate Chips Ahoy. You'll need 26 cookies for this recipe.

Weekend Goodies

Weekends are all about making things you don't always have time for during the week. For us that always means having a big breakfast at least one morning and making some delicious to snack on all weekend long.

This monkey bread recipe comes from a cookbook that I discovered when our local Borders went out of business. If anyone remembers the TV show Murphy Brown, this book is written by Faith Ford's older sister. The cookbook is called, "My Southern Food: A Celebration of of the Flavors of the South". This cookbook has some amazing recipes that I'm sure I'll be sharing down the road! What's great about this recipe is that is comes with a frosting/dip recipe that goes along with your monkey bread. I've always though monkey bread in itself is heaven, but with this cream cheese dip, it's truly over the top!

Monkey Bread

4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

4 (8 count) cans regular butter-flaky biscuits

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch loaf or tube pan. In a large zip-top bag, make a dredge out of the sugar and cinnamon (there will be some left). Cut each biscuit into quarters using kitchen shears and shake them in the bag, covering them with the mix. Begin layering the biscuit puffs in the prepared dish. Repeat the dredge and layer until all the biscuits are used and layered and the pan is full. Push down the layers so they stick together and all the biscuit puffs fit in the pan. In a small saucepan melt the butter and brown sugar and let it boil for no longer than 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture over the sugared biscuit layers and bake for 35 minutes. Turn out on a platter and either cut or pull apart for an amazing treat!

Monkey Bread Dip/Frosting

1 1/2 (80z.) packages cream cheese, softened

3 sticks butter, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a medium bowl whip the cream cheese and butter with a handheld mixer and then slowly add the powdered sugar, continuing to blend with the mixer for at least 10 minutes.

Add the vanilla, continuing to mix. Add the lemon juice, continuing to mix until the icing is creamy. Frost when the bread is cooled, or serve as a dip when the bread is still warm!

Pimento cheese always makes me think of my cousin Amanda. If I've ever met someone that is a pimento cheese connoisseur, she's it! I always think of her when I make this dish, because it was given to my by her mother and if I'm not mistaken it was served at her baby shower! Love you and miss you Manda!

Pimento Cheese

1 (8oz) block sharp cheddar cheese

1 (8oz) block extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 small jar diced pimentos

1/4-1/2 cup mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

Using either a food processor or a hand grater, grate both blocks of cheese into a large mixing bowl. Add pimentos, 1/4 cup mayo, and salt and pepper. Using clean dry hands mix ingredients together, adding more mayo as needed. This makes a thicker, chunkier pimento cheese. If you prefer something creamier mix with either a hand mixer or in a food processor. I love pimento cheese with a spoon or with buttery crackers, but it's also delicious made into a grilled cheese. Just coat one side of the bread with the cheese, add a fresh homegrown tomato, and grill like a regular grilled cheese! Enjoy!

Today my husband Jake was promoted to Staff Sargent, so stay tuned because the kids and I will be making a chocolate chip cookie pie to celebrate!