Screwed Up Texan Recipes

Screwed Up Texan Recipes has Moved!

2010-09-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

That's right! When I made the move to Wordpress for my main blog, I went ahead and moved all posts for Screwed Up Texan Recipes over there too! Now you can find all my recipes in one convenient place and organized under the "recipes" tab on Screwed Up Texan. I am so excited about the move and I wanted to make sure everything was working correctly before I made the announcement.

Here are a couple things you may want to do while you are at my new site if you haven't already:

1.) Put me in your reader by subscribing to my feed.
2.) Add yourself to my Google Friend Connect found in the sidebars.
3.) Check out my Cilantro Soup with Pecans recipe, as well as many more fun and light-hearted humorous stories.
4.) Get ready for a fun give away next week featuring Chef Richard Chamberlain's cookbook, The Healthy Beef Cookbook next week!

Much thanks to Shauna for helping me make the transition to Wordpress! I love the new features on my blog!

Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles

2010-08-18T13:50:00.000-05:00

When I was younger there were three things that I remember refusing to eat: pinto beans, oatmeal with raisins, and any type of sweet pickle. Of course this was all after my stint with hiding green beans down my pants at the dinner table. So, you can understand my dismay in the summertime when my mother would get her canning supplies ready and start up another batch of sweet or bread and butter pickles. Honestly, I never knew the difference between the two until I got older and decided to make my own...after all, my pantry was already full of dill pickles.

Even though I still won't eat sweet pickles to this day, I have learned to enjoy bread and butter pickles. Yes, they're sweet, but they are also tangy and full of spice with just the right amount of onion. My bread and butter pickles even have a slight bit of heat for extra flavor, done just the way we Texans like our food. Not overly powerful, but not flavorless like my mother's bread and butter pickles.

Interestingly, bread and butter pickles got their name during the Great Depression when meat was scarce or too expensive and so were used in their place. If you ask some they will say bread and butter pickles are great between two slices of bread with just a little bit of butter.

Spicy Texan Bread and Butter Pickles (FREE printable recipe here)

10 cups sliced cucumbers (about 20 whole small)
6 onions, sliced
1/2 cup peeled and halved beets (optional)
2 T minced garlic
1/2 cup salt (use pickling salt if you prefer a cloudless end product)

3 cups apple cider vinegar (or 2 1/2 cups distilled white plus 1/2 cup red wine vinegars)
5 cups white sugar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 t coriander seed
4 cloves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 t celery salt or celery seed
2 T mustard (I used spicy dijon)
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Toss the first five ingredients together and allow to sit and drain in a colander for at least 3 hours, but preferably five at room temperature. This step allows the cucumbers to be at their crispiest after processing.

Blend the remaining ingredients together using a whisk in a large saucepot. Add the cucumber mixture and stir gently with a wooden or plastic spoon. Turn heat to medium high and allow to boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and immediately begin filling prepared jars.

Process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner at less than 1000 ft above sea level leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust for your altitude. Allow pickles to sit for at least 24 hours before consuming.

Cheesy Tomato Hamburger and Pasta Dinner

2010-08-10T12:47:00.000-05:00

I've been searching for and creating new easy meals for my family the last few weeks. With summer heat turned up full blast outside, I really haven't had much energy for cooking lately. The following recipe is a result of my desire to create wholesome, yet delicious, meals for my family. It's so good that not only will I be making it again and again, but the kids licked their bowls clean.

Cheesy Tomato Hamburger and Pasta Dinner (free printable recipe here)

1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 10 oz can tomato sauce (pureed tomatoes for you Aussies)
2 cups milk
2 cups rigatoni pasta, uncooked
garlic salt to taste
2 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh
1 to 2 T corn starch for thickening, if needed

Brown ground beef in a large skillet on medium high until about 2/3 done. Drain off excess fat (do not rinse), then return to skillet and continue browning over med high heat. This process ensures good flavor while eliminating much of the fat. Season with garlic salt.

Turn heat to medium, add milk, tomato sauce, 2 cups milk, pasta, and cheese. Stir, increase heat and allow mixture to boil. Top with fresh oregano or dried oregano. Cover. Turn heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes or until pasta is tender.

If dinner is too thin, thicken with cornstarch mixed with a little cold water. Add slowly to dinner while stirring. The meal will thicken. You could also use heavy whipping cream in place of milk for a thicker end result.

Bacon and Beet Greens

2010-07-29T09:55:00.000-05:00

A couple months ago I fell in love with Swiss chard. Just when the spinach in my garden was beginning to turn bitter, the Swiss chard in my neighbor's garden was growing large and tender. I had never tasted Swiss chard before that moment, but I got some cooking advice from the neighbor and went home and prepared it. Since then, cooking greens whether spinach, chard or beet tops in a garlicky mixture of onions and bacon is my favorite way to prepare them. Try it--you won't be disappointed.

Bacon and Beet Greens (printable recipe here)

4-6 cups beet greens and stems, sliced into bite size pieces
3 slices of bacon (see notes)
2 T bacon grease or butter
1 small onion
1/2 t garlic salt
1/4 t red pepper flakes (or to taste, optional)
black pepper to taste

In a small skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove crispy bacon from skillet, reserving the bacon grease to use in recipe, and crumble bacon into bowl.

Chop onion and saute in skillet in bacon grease. Add garlic salt, red pepper flakes (optional), and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Add beet greens, all at once, and stir to coat with onion mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Cover and turn heat to simmer and cook greens for five to ten minutes or until the tenderness of your liking. You can also add a couple tablespoons of water and cover with a lid to "steam" the mixture.

Serve with Spicy Apricot Glazed Salmon with Sauce or Southern Battered Fish Fillets. Serves 4-6.

Notes: If you want to cut some fat out of this dish...which is totally not Southern...use butter or vegetable cooking spray like Pam to saute the onions and add two tablespoons of bacon bits in place of crumbled bacon.

Spicy Apricot Glazed Salmon with Sauce

2010-07-22T07:00:00.002-05:00

Unless it's catfish, bass, or canned tuna fish, we don't eat fish much in our family. Especially salmon. Salmon is a "fancy food" to be enjoyed by "fancy people" and quite honestly we ain't very fancy people. In fact, the first person I ever met that cooked and ate salmon was a Yankee (that's anyone north of the Red River y'all). However, once in a while my husband and I will treat ourselves to some Yankee food...spiced up the way we Texans like it. When the kids enjoy it, well we know the recipe must be worth sharing.

Spicy Apricot Glazed Salmon (click here for printable recipe)

2 medium salmon fillets
8 oz apricot or wild plum jam
1/2 t red pepper flakes (use more or less according to your likes)
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 t garlic salt
1 T lime juice

Cover the bottom of a roasting pan with foil and then spray with vegetable oil for easy clean-up. Lay salmon fillets inside side by side.

In a small saucepan, mix together red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, jam, garlic salt, and lime juice over medium heat. Brush about three tablespoons over salmon fillets. Broil salmon for 5 minutes, meanwhile continue stirring and heating the jam sauce.

Take out salmon and brush again with three tablespoons of jam sauce. Return to oven and broil again for another five minutes. Continue stirring and cooking jam mixture.

Once again take out salmon and brush with three tablespoons of jam sauce. Return salmon to oven and broil again for another five minutes or until salmon is done (will be opaque and flaky). Remove jam sauce from stove.

Garnish salmon with a dipping bowl of jam sauce to be served with salmon or brush the remaining mixture over the salmon and serve immediately.

This recipe is wonderfully sweet and spicy all at once. My boys gobbled it right up! Serves 4-6.

NOTE: You can also use the sauce for glazing chicken or pork.

Fresh Cucumber Salad

2010-07-19T14:24:00.000-05:00

Our cucumbers this year have been in one word: prolific. I've now got several quart jars of pickles from the cucumbers we've picked, not to mention the many we've sliced and salted to eat. Needless to say, I've been experimenting with a few recipes calling for cucumbers in recipe books I've picked up at garage sales. My favorite recipe comes from a Justin, Texas family that I've tweaked to my liking and it's perfect on a hot summer day like the ones we've been having.

Fresh Cucumber Salad (printable recipe here)

4 small cucumbers, sliced thinly
1 small yellow sweet or Vidalia onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup sour cream
3 T red wine vinegar
1/4 t honey Dijon mustard
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
cracked black pepper to taste

In a blender, combine all ingredients except the cucumbers and onions and blend until smooth. This is the dressing.

In a small casserole dish, a glass loaf pan works well, layer the cucumber, then onion, then dressing alternatively until all ingredients are gone. You can also double this recipe and use an 8 x 8 square baking dish.

Refridgerate for at least one hour before serving. Makes four to six servings.

Hill Country Apple Crisp

2010-07-11T07:00:00.004-05:00

A layer of toasted chopped pecans tops this favorite apple crisp with a touch of Hill Country Texas. Serve warm with whipped cream, ice cream, or plain. Easy version in notes below.

Hill Country Apple Crisp (FREE printable recipe here)

6 medium apples, peeled
1/2 cup sugar
2 T lemon juice
4 T butter or margarine, melted
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp molasses, optional
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 cup pecans, chopped

or you may omit all the ingredients above and use one can of apple pie filling, plus 1 cup pecans, chopped.

Core and slice apples as you would for apple pie. In a medium bowl, add cored and sliced apples, white sugar, and lemon juice. Stir until all apples are coated.

Add butter or margarine, oats, brown sugar, molasses (optional), cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until apples are coated once more.

Place apple mixture into an 8 x 8 greased pan and spread evenly. Top with chopped pecans. Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes or until tender.

NOTE: If using canned apple pie filling (either store bought or canned yourself in one quart size), just spread into greased 8 x 8 pan, top with chopped pecans, and bake for time required.

Sausage Cheese Grits Casserole

2010-07-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite dishes that brings back many fond food memories is a bowl full of creamy white grits. Too often as a child, I think anyway, my mother made oatmeal. Occasionally she'd mix breakfast up with a bowl of white rice or cream of wheat with milk, butter, and sugar. However, what I really looked forward to were the times she'd cook us grits.

In hour home, we ate grits two different ways: 1.) for breakfast with milk, sugar, and Country Crock mixed in, or 2.) for dinner with cheese and salt or more Country Crock and salt. It wasn't until much later that I discovered that there was more to grits than Country Crock.

One day, I came across a recipe that blended the flavor of fresh country sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, whipped eggs, and grits all into one handsome casserole. I've been serving the dish to my family ever since.

Sausage Cheese Grits Casserole (printable recipe)

1 scant cup quick cooking grits
4 cups water
4 eggs
2 cups any yellow cheese, divided
1 cup milk
1 pound mild sausage (or your choice of flavor)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and minced finely (optional)

In a large pot set over medium high heat, add the sausage all at once and begin to brown. Once the sausage is about half-way cooked, drain to remove excess oil (do not rinse!) and then return to the pot and continue cooking until thoroughly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using the pot you just browned your sausage in (there should be a small amount of fat left), slowly add the water all at once and bring to a boil. Add grits and cook for about 4 1/2 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Remove pot from heat.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the four eggs. Add a small amount of grits to the eggs and then add the entire egg mixture to the grits. You want to be careful not to make strings of cooked eggs in the grits so it's important to get the eggs about the same temperature as the grits before adding them to the pot.

Add the sausage, milk, and 1 1/2 cups of cheese to grits/egg mixture. Stir thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the entire mixture to a two quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 F for one hour. Cool for ten minutes, cut and serve with Southern hospitality.

NOTE: If you are using jalapenos in this recipe, add them when you add the sausage, cheese and eggs to the grits mixture. You can optionally top with sliced jalapenos on top. An easy method would be to use canned jalapenos. Chili peppers would be a milder choice.

Chicken Primavera

2010-06-04T20:28:00.000-05:00

With temperatures already feeling like midsummer rather than late spring, I have had a plethora of a harvest from my garden. Already I have harvested cucumbers, squash, sweet banana peppers, tomatoes, violet green beans and more. With my bountiful harvest comes a desire to create and explore in my culinary endeavors. Tonight, we had a colorful and tasty chicken primavera made from leftover roasted chicken and some of the vegetables from my garden.

Chicken Primavera

1/2 roasted chicken, chopped (TIP: Use a precooked chicken if you're short on time)
4 small yellow or green squash
1 handful of cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh green beans
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
2 T freshly chopped basil
1 t freshly chopped oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
1 T chopped fresh rosemary

Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and squash and saute for three minutes. Add beans and tomatoes and continue to cook for three or four minutes, until color changes and vegetables have slightly softened. Add all herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in heavy whipping cream and simmer on low heat for ten minutes.

Serve warm over freshly cooked pasta of your choice. Serves six to eight.

The Original Hot Pockets: Vietnamese Eggrolls

2010-05-26T20:50:00.009-05:00

I'll admit it, about the only thing I'm good at frying is chicken fried steak. I'm terrified of buying a fry daddy because I know what would follow- and it ends with 'besity'.

Unfortunately, I also have been trying to make egg-rolls. Trying might be too strong a word. Abysmally failing would be closer. Bland, greasy, uninspired blobs of meat and dough were all I accomplished over the past year. Until; sensing my desperation (and no longer wanting to sample my experiments) my wife mentioned my predicament to a co-worker who provided me with a great recipe, the mung beans, and the vermicelli (which is AWESOME stuff).

This is a vegetarian egg-roll, but one could easily add ground pork, chicken, or turkey with some teriyaki seasoning. Just cook the meat and drain well.

The night before, take about a cup of mung beans and place in a bowl with water just to the top of the beans. Let soak overnight. These guys have a great meaty texture and cook really quickly

during the frying. They also give you a bit of a bean sprout flavor and brighten the taste of the egg-roll.

I happen to have purchased a mandolin a couple of years back (the cutting device, not the stringed instrument) which is perfect for these types of recipes. The food processor will juice the veggies, whereas the mandolin; or a sharp knife, will keep from damaging too many cell walls, which results in soggy rolls.

Julienne two to three carrots, and thinly slice half of a head of cabbage- one about the size of a softball will do. Mix with the mung beans. Add 1/4 cup of minced onions which you've patted dry with a paper towel, or, do the unmentionable and use 2 tablespoons of minced onion flakes (which I did).

Add two teaspoons of powdered ginger (fresh grated if you've got it will be sharper) and then pepper to taste, I used about a tablespoon of fresh ground McCormick 'Peppercorn Medly' which is green, red, and black peppercorns with coriander and allspice. The allspice really works with this mix.

Finally, take one bundle of vermicelli and dip it in water, just enough to moisten it and let it sit

for about 10 minutes. This will make it flexible enough to cut. Cut into 2-3 inch long noodles and mix into your veggies. Why starchy noodles you may ask? Ancient recipe secret, I've been informed. The noodles absorb water during the cooking process and that keeps your egg-rolls from being soggy! The kicker? It WORKS! Even with all that cabbage and carrot these were moist without being gooey.

I also pan fried some extra firm tofu which I rubbed in teriyaki sauce before frying. Slice into 1/4 inch thick rectangles, fry in just enough oil to keep the tofu from sticking, then dice into strips for placing in the egg rolls. I placed four of these strips in each roll.

Place a good pinch of vegetable mixture on top of the tofu strips, roll your wonton/egg-roll wrapper TIGHTLY, and use damp fingers to glue the last flap down. This is exactly like making mini burritos, tuck in the ends and glue the last corner with water. Fry in 350 degree oil until golden brown. Cool and drain on a rack over paper towels. If you can, get the wrappers from an asian market. The ones sold in regular grocery stores are a bit thick and can be chewy.

To serve, make up some 'redneck hoisin sauce'. I mix equal parts mustard, ketchup, and teiryaki sauce in a bowl and serve. It's sweet, tangy, and just a little spicy. I like it better than duck sauce, especially if I use a horseradish mustard.

These are a great relatively low calorie egg roll that even the kids liked. This will make about twenty rolls. Take the leftover veggies, toss with a vinegarette and throw in some mandarin orange slices and you've got a great asian salad.

Post by TJ Gilmore, co-contributor on Screwed Up Texan Recipes.

Texas Style Barbecue Sauce

2010-05-18T11:07:00.001-05:00

For as long as I can remember I have loved barbecues. My love affection with grilled meat probably started when my stepdad and his family would gather for family events and sit around the grill filled with white hot charcoals when I was a young girl. When dad brought home a bag of those black briquettes, I knew my favorite meal was on the way.

Sometimes we had Beer Butt Chicken, but mostly I loved the barbecued porkchops and blackened hotdogs.

After my mother and stepfather divorced when I twelve, we moved away to Indiana. I don't think I had one decent barbecue like I remembered our Texan barbecues to be. I lived in Sapulpa, Oklahoma for a little while and too found a lack of good barbecue cuisine there. Although I think my lack of barbecue options stemmed from my father's affection with Hamburger Helper (can't beat a meal in a box--not), I also think we Texans just do our grilling a little different than other folks.

I graduated from high school in Texas, having moved back less than a year earlier, and immediately moved to Rexburg, Idaho to attend college. While attending school I met a group of Texans that not only were proud to be from Texas, but also missed good barbecue. At this picnic, we had some of the most delicious barbecue I have ever tasted. I asked for the barbecue sauce recipe and alas the chef would not reveal it to me. I felt discouraged at first by his little secret, but no way was I going to let that dispel me.

A few months later, my boss and his wife invited me to their home for a dinner. On the menu was barbecued chicken. My boss and his wife were some of the kindest people I ever met--Harley and Mary Jensen, the owners of Nature's Nook in Rexburg, Idaho. Barbecued chicken came as a surprise to me only because they were the owners of a health food store, but I should have figured it since Harley was always sneaking me raisin-filled cookies from next door at Fred's Bread. Oh I tell you, I would eat those raisin-filled cookies even when I didn't want to only to make Harley happy.

Back to the barbecued chicken--I loved the sauce being served along with it so much I asked for the recipe, and to my joy the Jensens gave it to me. I've changed their Western recipe up a little over the years and added a little kick to it authentic Texas-style. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce (printable recipe here)

1 small onion, diced
1 medium ripe tomato, quartered
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground, dry mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne powder (I use 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

Add all ingredients to a blender and puree on highest speed until completely smooth, about two minutes. Pour into a medium saucepan and simmer on medium/low heat for 40 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken, but if you'd like a thicker sauce you can thicken with flour or cornstarch. Makes one pint, or enough to baste two chicken fryers or one 4 lb rack of spareribs.

This is a really good basic barbecue sauce recipe--feel free to add other ingredients like chopped peaches, pureed jalapenos or even a small amount of drained raspberry juice.

Note: When I make my spareribs, I baste half the recipe on the ribs before roasting, roast at 350 F for just under 3 hours, then baste with more sauce after the ribs are finished cooking. I never use a meat thermometer, but if you're not experienced with cooking, then by all means go get you one and learn how to use it. Maybe I'll write up a good guide to cooking meat sometime...but first I have more barbecue sauce to make.

Tropical Orange Shake

2010-05-14T16:17:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer: No oranges of any kind in this shake! I'm talking orange the color here.

A refreshing beverage combining the best of two worlds: the tropics and delicious root vegetables. Papayas, sweet potatoes, and carrots are loaded with beta carotene (vitaman A). My shake is sweetened with ripe bananas, no sugar added so you know it will be better for you than some other shakes. Plus it's delicious!

Tropical Orange Shake

One ripe banana
1 cup frozen papaya cubes
2 carrots diced
3/4 sweet potato, diced
1 cup ice
2 cups milk

First, puree carrots and sweet potato in a food processor, adding a tablespoon of water if neccesary. Alternatively, you may add small amounts of the carrots and sweet potato and puree it in a blender (this will take longer).

Add pureed mixture to a blender. Add all other ingredients to the blender. While covering the blender, blend on highest speed for two minutes until all ingredients are smooth.

Makes three 16 oz glasses or six 8 oz glasses.

Herbal Pineapple Batido

2010-05-03T09:18:00.000-05:00

Now with summertime weather quickly approaching (it's supposed to be 92 this Wednesday!), I've been experimenting in the kitchen with various homemade fruit drinks. Here's one of my favorites made with fresh pineapple and a hint of pineapple sage.

Hint: Although not absolutely necessary for this drink, you can purchase pineapple sage at your favorite store in the garden department. I've seen it at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, and other garden centers. Hurry if you live in the South or Southwest though, because I've noticed a lot of these places are beginning to clearance their herbs right now. Pineapple sage smells like pineapple when you crush it between your fingers. I plant mine in my yard--it completely dies in the winter, but springs back when the weather turns warmer.

Herbal Pineapple Batido

1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, cubed
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
2 T lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
5 or 6 pineapple sage leaves (optional)
1 cup ice

Put everything into a blender and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Fills two 16 oz glasses.

Buttermilk Chocolate Toffee Cake

2010-04-21T09:25:00.000-05:00

When I tasted this dessert that my friend Emily originally made, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist getting the recipe from her and making it my own. The dessert is a lovely combination of not too sweet buttermilk chocolate cake, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and rich caramel sauce topped with homemade toffee. Of course you could always substitute the homemade toffee for crushed Heath bars if you desired as well.

For this cake, you will need to make one recipe each of:

1.) Butterscotch Caramel Sauce
2.) Homemade Toffee (recipe coming soon)

You will use about half of each recipe above.

The following are recipes for the whipped cream and buttermilk chocolate cake:

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 T sugar, white

Whip together using the highest possible setting on your mixer until soft peaks form, about three minutes.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

¼ c cocoa
1 c water
½ c butter
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
½ c oil
½ c buttermilk

Note: If you do not have buttermilk for this recipe, you can make traditional buttermilk by taking one cup of heavy whipping cream and beating for about ten minutes. The whipped cream mixture will separate into about 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/2 cup butter. Use this butter for the 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup buttermilk called for in the above recipe.

Boil one cup of water in a teapot or pan on the stove. In a medium size pan, add the boiling water, cocoa, and butter together. Heat until butter melts, but do not boil. Remove from heat.

In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and baking soda.

Whisk together the eggs, oil and buttermilk, then transfer to the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed just until moistened.

Add the cocoa mixture to the egg and flour mixture and beat to completely combine. Batter will be runny.

Bake in a greased and floured (I use cocoa powder) medium bunt pan at 350 F for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool in pan for five minutes, then remove from pan and cool on wire rack completely.

Buttermilk Chocolate Toffee Cake Assembly

Take one slice of buttermilk chocolate cake and top first with 2 T whipped cream, 2 T rich caramel sauce that has been warmed, and then a sprinkle of crushed homemade toffee or Heath bars. Serve immediately.

Southern Battered Fish Fillets

2010-04-07T09:57:00.000-05:00

My childhood is filled with memories of fish fries. My stepdad often went out with the guys fishing on our local lake and there they would bring back buckets of bass and catfish. When my stepdad came home with fish, I knew supper was going to be good.

When I got older, perhaps around age twelve or so, I began fishing with my brother and sister in a pond on the property of the people my mother used to care for out in the Hill Country of Texas. When she'd take us with her to the Tisdale's home, we kids would bring along our fishing poles and bait and try to catch us some fish. It seemed that we almost always caught something out there.

Those were the good days.

Now, if I'm not getting my fish from my neighbor or catching it myself, I purchase it from the store. I think the trick to eating fish is in properly preparing it. I often hear complaints from others that they don't like the fishy taste or smell from fish, but I've never noticed any fishy taste from what I cook.

If you're not a big fish eater, I recommend dipping your cooked fish in ketchup (as I did as a kid) or homemade tartar sauce (salad dressing, lemon, paprika, garlic salt, and sweet pickle relish).

Southern Battered Fish Fillets

10 to 12 fish fillets (bass, catfish, perch or tilapia)
1 cup cornmeal
generous pinch black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, ground
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp onion salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c milk
1 cup oil for frying (I suggest corn oil if you can afford it)

Heat skillet on medium high heat or to about 220 F in an electric skillet. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Blend together the cornmeal and spices in a large wide bowl or a flat plate with rims.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and milk.

Dip fish fillet first in milk and egg mixture and then in cornmeal/spice mixture, being sure to evening coat both sides of fillet. Transfer to heated oil and cook on each side for approximately three to four minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and then to foiled lined baking sheet. Repeat for each fillet (I like to cook three to four fillets at a time).

Bake fried fish fillets in preheated oven for ten minutes or until tender. Be sure not to overcook.

Dip in either ketchup or tartar sauce.

Blender Whole Wheat Pancakes

2010-03-23T14:18:00.000-05:00

My volunteer position (aka calling) in my church is Emergency Preparedness Specialist. As such, I get the unique opportunity of finding ways to help the women in my church prepare for the future through budgeting, helping them find ways to obtain life skills, inspiring them to further their education and prepare for the uncertainties of life. One of the ways I fulfill my calling is coming up with recipes in our monthly Emergency Preparedness newsletter for the sisters to use with their food storage (it's our goal to have a three month supply of food).

What I don't like so much from recipes I find on preparedness geared websites and blogs is the lack of tasty and easy recipes--especially when it comes to whole wheat. A couple years ago, I obtained seven 25 gallon buckets of whole wheat, enough for my family plus some. However, I was at a loss as to what to do with the wheat besides purchase a $250 wheat grinder and make bricks of whole wheat bread.

Once my kids broke said wheat grinder by trying to grind a sheetrock screw, I had to find another way to use my opened wheat container while saving up to buy another grinder. That's when I came across a whole wheat pancake recipe that did not require the use of a wheat grinder to make. Most importantly, after trying the recipe out and then tweaking it here and there, I discovered the deliciousness of this simple yet pleasing traditional breakfast time meal. Now we eat Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes at least once per week.

This article lists the health benefits of whole wheat and also gives information on the differences in wheat grinders. Personally, I prefer the NutriMill wheat grinderand purchased mine from Pleasant Hill Grain.

However, for this recipe you won't be needing a wheat grinder. Your kitchen blender will work just fine.

The following recipes list two sets of ingredients. If you don't have dried eggs or dried milk, use the second ingredient list. Whole wheat can be purchased from a variety on online and retail sources.

Blender Whole Wheat Pancakes

Out of your food storage, use these ingredients:

2 1/2 cups water
4 T whole egg powder
2 T baking powder
6 T milk powder
4 T cooking oil
4 T sugar or honey
2 cups whole wheat uncooked
1/2 tsp salt

If not using your food storage, use these ingredients:

2 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
2 T baking powder
4 T cooking oil
4 T sugar or honey
2 cups whole wheat uncooked
1/2 tsp salt

Method

Put the water, milk powder, and wheat (or alternatively the milk and wheat) in blender and blend on highest speed for four to five minutes or until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Cook on medium griddle (about 200-225 F) that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Makes 12-18 pancakes.

For waffles, add additional 2 T wheat and 4 T oil.

Ginger Rosemary Tea

2010-03-16T15:44:00.000-05:00

Refreshing ginger and rosemary infused tea perfect for anytime of the year. Reminiscent of homemade gingerale, but with a more pleasing snap. Make this tea using your favorite mild tasting tea such as green tea, chamomile, or herba mate as a base. A simple tea using three sprigs of five or six inch long cuttings of fresh rosemary steeped for a fifteen minuutes in one cup of very hot water will make enough tea for eight servings.

Ginger Rosemary Tea

2 cups mild tea (green, chamomile, herba mate) cooled, may be sweetened
1/4 cup unsweetened rosemary tea
6 ice cubes
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar or honey
3 leaves of lemon sage (optional), plus extra leaves for garnish

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. Serve immediately. Garnish with lemon sage if desired. Serves two in 16 oz glasses.

TIP: To "frost" the glass rims, wet rim with water or a lime wedge then dip into sugar. For a salty sweet coating, use 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt mixed together.

Spiced Ginger Peanut Chicken

2010-03-12T08:25:00.000-06:00

Perfect blend of vegetables and chicken in a lightly spiced ginger, peanut, and caramel sauce on top of a bed of bean noodles or white rice topped with fresh cilantro.

This meal was quick to throw together since I used a roasted four pound chicken and didn't have to cook the meat. The caramel sauce called for in the ingredient list is from my butterscotch caramel sauce recipe, or you can use your own.

Spiced Ginger Peanut Chicken

1/2 cup roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted)
4 medium carrots, peeled and julienned or shredded large
8 oz package sugar snap peas
1 full roasted chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
2 T vegetable oil
1 small onion, sliced into strips
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
3 T caramel sauce
3 T chicken broth or juices from roasting bag
2 tsp soy sauce or liquid aminos (I use Bragg brand)

Heat oil in skillet on medium high until thin and flows easily in pan. Saute onion and garlic until lightly browned and translucent. Add carrots, sugar snap peas, and roasted chicken breast and fry for two minutes. Stir in ginger, red pepper, caramel sauce, chicken broth or roasting juices, and soy sauce and simmer on low heat for five minutes. Serves four.

To Serve: Serve half a cup of chicken and vegetables over one cup of vermicelli bean noodles or white rice. You can find vermicelli bean noodles in the Asian section of your grocer or at an Asian supermarket. They are usually tied into small bundles. One bundle is about one serving. This recipe takes four small bundles. Cook by placing in boiling water for three to four minutes or until fat and tender.

Butterscotch Caramel Sauce

2010-03-10T08:36:00.001-06:00

Caramel sauce has always bee my husband's favorite dessert topping. I never consumed much of it until I met him, but the caramel he bought at the store in a plastic bottle never quite satisfied me. That's when I made it my personal mission to create a caramel sauce that was not only more reminiscent of butterscotch candies, but also rich in flavor.

The end result is the perfect caramel sauce topping for ice cream, french toast, desserts, and especially Buttermilk Chocolate Toffee Cake. It is also the secret ingredient in my Spiced Ginger Peanut Chicken recipe. You can even use it as a dipping sauce for freshly sliced apples.

Butterscotch Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, real
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp molasses
1/8 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until sugars dissolve. Turn heat to medium high, swirling frequently. Boil for two minutes or until large bubbles form. Remove from heat. If you notice your sauce gets too thick after cooling, you can reheat on the stove over low heat. Store covered in the refrigerator for one to two weeks.

Scrambled Eggs with Pep

2010-03-08T09:11:00.000-06:00

A pepped up, yet simple, twist on traditional scrambled eggs, because let's face it--regular scrambled eggs get boring after awhile. Slightly spicy, completely cheesy. I recommend you use fresh cilantro from your garden--you'll instantly notice the difference. I plant whole coriander seeds just for this purpose. This is certainly a recipe I'll be making over and over again.

Scrambled Eggs with Pep

6 whole eggs, slightly beaten
1 T butter
2 T cilantro (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp finely minced bottled chili pepper
1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in medium sized skillet over medium heat. When butter is almost melted, add the slightly beaten eggs all at once. Cook as you would normally while making scrambled eggs just until the eggs are about half-way cooked. Add cilantro, minced chili pepper, and the cheese quickly. Stir to blend into eggs and continue cooking until done being sure not to overcook. Salt and pepper to taste.

Great alone as a main breakfast dish, or between two slices of toasted bread as a sandwich. Serves 4.

Traditional Snickerdoodles

2010-02-28T09:57:00.001-06:00

Oh how I remember the days as a child when my mother would spend an entire day baking delicious treats and making tantalizing desserts. Even though my mother was diabetic, that didn't keep her from whipping some sugar, while flour and crisco together for not only sweet cookies, cakes, and candies, but also calorie laden ones as well.

One of my favorite cookies that she'd make from time to time were snickerdoodles. In our family, and I am sure in many Southern families, crisco was the main staple of desserts. Now crisco didn't have to be the actual Crisco brand, just any kind of white lard, also known as shortening. Sort of like saying "coke". Coke down here in Texas isn't just cola, but also Dr Pepper, Sprite, rootbeer, and any other carbonated beverage. Here we ask what kind of coke do you want. Here we ask what kinds of coke are available. Thus it was the same way with cooking--crisco is any kind of canned solid fat whether it's of the vegetable or animal variety.

In our kitchen we kept one ingredient on hand always for making snickerdoodles--cream of tartar (pronounced down here as cream of tarter). I never knew what that white powdery stuff was until yesterday when I looked it up online. Cream of tartar is a by product of grape winemaking and is used as a leavening agent to add acidity to a recipe that uses baking soda. It was also the ingredient used to make baking powder before baking powder became widely available.

However, as tradition speaks in my home baking, I still make my snickerdoodles using cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is easy to find and one container will last you a long time. You can find it at most grocery stores, as well as online.

My recipe for snickerdoodles includes a combination of crisco and butter, cream of tartar, as well as a cinnamon sugar coating for cookies that crack perfectly on top as they bake and nearly melt in your mouth. If you can find it, I recommend rolling the raw cookie dough into a combination 1:2 ratio of cinnamon and sparkling sugar crystals which you can find in the baking section of most grocery stores or even the baking section of craft stores that sell cake making supplies, such as Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's, and Micheals.

Traditional Snickerdoodles

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 whole eggs
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup of cinnamon sugar

Cream together in a medium bowl the shortening, butter, and sugar for three minutes on the highest setting your mixer will allow. Add the eggs and continue to cream until the mixture is light yellow and very soft, about three minutes longer.

Sprinkle in the cream of tartar, salt, and the baking soda. Mix on the highest speed possible for one to two minutes or until fully incorporated. Add the flour, all at once, and mix in completely. Dough will be thick.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls using clean, dry hands. Roll into cinnamon sugar mixture and then place onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 F for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are slightly golden on top. Goes great with a tall glass of milk.

Spiced Apple Cider

2010-02-24T08:00:00.003-06:00

Spiced Apple Cider

My two favorite drinks to sit down and relax with are hot chocolate and spiced apple cider. Spiced apple cider is perfect on cold days or rainy days and tends to be less sweet than hot cocoa, so it is also great when I want something refreshing. Spiced apple cider also feels good on a soar throat. I like hot spiced apple cider because it reminds me of warm apple pie on an early autumn evening.

I usually blend all the dry ingredients together when I make my spiced apple cider and store them in an airtight glass jar so all I have to do is add some to hot apple juice instead of going through the fuss of making it from scratch every time. I'd suggest you do the same. You could also use a plastic bowl with a lid.

My spiced apple cider is a traditinal blend of ingredients you probably already have on hand in your spice cabinet and pantry: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves. This recipe is so versatile you could easily switch one ingredient out if you don't like it or cannot eat it. I like to add orange slices to my spiced cider for an extra tang.

Spiced Apple Cider

2 quarts apple juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 to 1/2 tsp powdered cloves
2 oranges, sliced

Mix together all of the spices and brown sugar. Double, triple or quadruple this recipe according to the size of storage container you have if you plan on storing it for later use (one cup mix to two quarts apple juice).

Heat the apple juice over medium heat. Add the orange slices. Measure and pour in one cup of spiced apple cider mix. stir and simmer over low heat for thirty minutes to one hour. You may remove the orange slices after the cider has cooked to this point or you may keep them in.

Enjoy your hot spiced apple cider in a mug. Makes 8 one cup servings.

Tip: You may also heat your apple juice on demand and make like you would hot cocoa. Simply add one cup of apple juice to a mug and stir in 1-2 tablespoons mix. Heat in the microwave.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2010-02-19T09:00:00.002-06:00

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I was first introduced to this salad at a ladies church luncheon a couple years ago. My first reaction to fresh sweet strawberries mingled with bright green spinach was apprehension, but once I tried it my palate couldn't have been more pleased. This beautiful appearing salad has just the right touch of sweetness from the strawberries and tartness from the vinegar dressing with a perfect undertone of buttery pecans.

When I recreated the salad at home (without a recipe to guide me nonetheless), I made a couple changes. First, I toasted the chopped pecans in a light brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger coating. I also added fresh green onions from my garden for some interest. Additional ingredients that would have been a wonderful accompanying flavor are chopped fried bacon and/or a few ounces of cooked chicken. Fresh Parmesan cheese grated over the top would have been a great final touch.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Dressing

1/2 c red wine vinegar (I used 1/4 cup each red wine and tarragon wine vinegars)
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
generous dash black pepper (optional)
1/8 tsp salt
3 large ripe strawberries, finely minced or pureed
1 T chopped green onion (optional)
1/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Salad

1 pint fresh strawberries
8-10 cups fresh spinach

In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients together. Whisk very well. Toss together the strawberries and spinach in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over top and mix well to coat.

Makes 8-10 one cup servings.

Creamy Corn Chowder

2010-02-17T08:00:00.011-06:00

Creamy Corn Chowder

As the result of an impulse purchase of a six pound can of corn at my local grocer, I sat down one evening and thought of different recipes that I could make with that much corn. I knew once I opened the can, that I would have to come up with either one recipe that would use the entire contents of the can or several recipes that would use it up. So, I decided to make Mexican Corn Dip and double the following recipe for Creamy Corn Chowder. I made a large batch of Creamy Corn Chowder and froze half to be eaten at a later date and half to be eaten immediately.

I knew I wanted to use every day practical ingredients in my recipe, so I looked around my refrigerator and pantry and decided upon Idaho potatoes, celery, bacon, and dairy as the key ingredients for my recipe. I think if I would have added carrots, this recipe would have come out even better, but it was still great.

If you are sensitive to dairy products, you could substitute plain rice or soy milk and imitation sour cream instead of the heavy whipping cream and milk. Add a bit of cornstarch or flour to thicken this recipe. For a lower fat version, omit the bacon fat and use low fat or skim milk for both the milk and heavy whipping cream. You could also use low fat or fat free sour cream. Personally, I'd rather just eat the fat and then run up and down the stairs a few times.

In any case, this recipe is perfect for a cold day. It would also taste great with the addition of cooked ham or roasted chicken. Cook in a crockpot on low in the morning for eight hours for a super easy dinner.

Creamy Corn Chowder

6 slices of bacon, cooked medium crispy (reserve bacon fat)
6 medium potatoes, diced into bite size pieces
3 cups milk
2 celery stalks, sliced
4 cups whole corn kernels
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp paprika
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp onion powder or 1/2 small onion minced
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

Mince the cooked bacon. In a large pot set to medium high or a large crockpot set to your preferred temperature, add all the ingredients and stir well to mix. Stir occasionally (unless using a crockpot) until the potatoes are tender. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until there are only small chunks left. Continue cooking for twenty minutes (slightly longer if using a crockpot). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in medium bowls with saltine crackers. Makes eight to ten servings.

Savory Vermouth Sauce

2010-02-14T09:16:00.006-06:00

By TJ Gilmore

So I've been playing with sauces and had this random bottle of vermouth in the bar. For those of you with a degree in mixology you've probably got a few more uses for vermouth. Me, martinis are about it. Needless to say, this bottle of vermouth has been in my house for a looong time.

This recipe calls for the grape and herb infused flavors found in a sweet red vermouth. The brand I've got is Martini and Rossi Rosso Vermouth. It's got quite a bit of what the Japanese call 'umami' or a sweet and savory flavor which is what gives this sauce it's kick. Even my three kids love this sauce on rice, their steaks, or even sopped up on bread.

The wet:
1-2 shots (about 3 tbsp) of vermouth. I've made this sauce without meat, with a tablespoon of bacon grease, and in a skillet after pan frying some steaks. If you've just cooked up some beef, use the vermouth to deglaze the pan, if not, start with a tablespoon of butter or bacon fat mixed with about a tablespoon of flour until it makes a moist paste. Cook in your sauce pan over medium heat and stir until the fat / flour mixture turns a light brown (a roux) then add the vermouth. After that basic difference the rest is the same.

You'll want 3/4 cup of heavy cream- but that's the last bit in the sauce.

Add the vermouth to deglaze the pan or to the roux, mix and scrape thoroughly until the liquid comes to a quick boil. Now it's time to add some tooth.

The dry:
Grab 6-10 of your favorite mushrooms (white, crimini- which are small portobellos, or my favorite shitaki) slice and set aside. 3 tablespoons of French's fried onions (I had some left over from Thanksgiving) or sautee up some regular onion. This is purely up to you, you can even go without one or the other depending on your taste, this sauce doesn't mind.

Add the mushrooms and onions and keep simmering until the liquid is reduced by about a third. This concentrates the flavors. It'll take a bit because you've introduced a bit of water with onions or mushrooms.

Once you've got a dark, slightly thick sauce, add your heavy cream and bring the heat down to medium low. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer until it reaches consistency that sticks to your spoon but still drips off the end (not runny but not gravy either). It should coat the mushrooms and onions easily.

The vegetarian version of the sauce (butter roux) is just as savory as the beef or bacon versions, aside from being just a bit sweeter in taste. I've not gotten up the courage, but this could be a great base to work up as a mushroom or onion soup.

Mexican Corn Dip

2010-02-13T16:36:00.000-06:00

Mexican Corn Dip

I celebrated my twenty-ninth birthday with my friends at one of my friend's home. That night out with my friends was long-awaited and perfect in every way. Along with the two birthday cakes that were consumed at my birthday party, we also devoured homemade quesadillas (which I like to call quesa-dill-ahs after Napoleon Dynamite) and a delicious homemade light-tasting dip chock full of whole kernal corn in a creamy sour cream base.

After I went home later that evening, I tried to imagine what could have been in the dip to make it taste so good. So I asked my dear friend who made it and she surprised me how simple the recipe really was. I had her send me the recipe and I went on a Santitas run. The original recipe calls for canned chili peppers, but I think the dip is perfect without the added spice. I've beefed up my friend's recipe for additional flavor, but you're welcome to change the recipe as you see fit also.

Mexican Corn Dip

2 1/2 to 3 cups of whole kernal sweet corn or 3 cans (15 oz) of whole kernal sweet corn, drained
1 cup mayonaisse or salad dressing
1 cup sour cream
2-3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup or more of freshly chopped cilantro
1 small roma tomato diced small
1 tsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Cover and chill for at least two hours. Serve with yellow corn chips (may I suggest Santitas) or your favorite chip.

Dr Pepper Peanut Pralines

2010-02-07T17:30:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite candies to eat as a little girl were pralines that my parents would purchase at the local grocer. When we lived near Dallas when I was younger we usually only got these treats during Christmastime. Once we moved to the Hill Country the summer before my sixth grade year my brothers and sister and I got these delectable treats more often. I don't know if it was because they were more plentiful or if it was because my mother got them straight from the confectioner--all I know is that those pralines were especially good.

We had many different kinds of pralines. Some were bigger than my hand and some were small like a cookie. Some were made with pecans, while others were made with peanuts or cashews. Some were a milky color and others tinted pinkish-red. No matter the ingredients or size, my parents always broke off a piece or two and gave one to each of my siblings and me. We never got a whole praline I think because of how sweet they are unless it was a special occasion.

My favorite way to eat pralines had to be with a coke and peanuts. We'd then drop peanuts into our cokes (I usually had a Dr Pepper) and sip on that during the day. The peanuts would make the coke fizz, plus it was fun eating the coke-soaked peanuts at the end.

The memory of peanuts in my Dr Pepper had me wondering how pralines might taste if made with Dr Pepper and peanuts. So, seeing as I had never made a praline before, I set out to find a recipe that I might be able to change to accommodate my craving for Dr Pepper and peanuts. I got it right the first try.

Dr Pepper Peanut Pralines (click here for printable recipe)

1 cup white sugar (use Imperial brand for authenticity)
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup Dr Pepper
1/4 heavy whipping cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 T butter (real, no substitutions)
1 1/2 c peanuts, shelled (you can use roasted, salted, unsalted, whatever you like)

Over medium high heat in a heavy three quart saucepan, mix together the sugars, Dr Pepper, heavy whipping cream, and baking soda. Stir frequently. As the mixture heats up it will foam, so stir to break down the foam or remove briefly from heat to allow the foam to die down. Once the mixture reaches 210 F on a candy thermometer (or a very thick syrup), add the butter and continue to stir frequently for about two minutes.

Add the peanuts all at once and stir to combine the mixture. At this point it is necessary that you stir as little as possible and very sparingly, if only to keep the peanuts from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you don't, your praline will come out grainy. The mixture will thicken and darken once it nears the soft ball stage or at about 230 F.

Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon for eight minutes, until the mixture thickens. Spoon out on foiled-lined baking sheets and allow to cool for fifteen minutes. Makes about ten pralines.

Enjoy!

Cordial Cherry Brownies

2010-02-05T19:02:00.000-06:00

I had to create something special for a Valentines "pamper me" class for a ladies group at church and the ingredients provided to me were: two mini-muffin tins, two boxes of brownie mix and one can of cherry pie filling. Normally, I like to make my brownies and fillings from scratch, but I was short on time and had to whip up something quickly.

For the brownies, I followed the directions on the box for the cake-like brownies. I then let the brownies cool for a few minutes, removed them from the muffin tins, then made an indent into the center of each muffin which I then filled with one cherry from the canned pie filling. I ended up not having enough cherries for the two boxes of cherry pie filling, so I made a toffee sauce to fill the remaining brownies. The following is the recipe for the cherry brownies.

These would be excellent for Valentines Day, Christmas, Mothers Day or any other special occasion. Heck, why wait for a holiday, they're so easy to make you can whip them up for after dinner tonight.

Cordial Cherry Brownies

1 box brownie mix, plus the ingredients to make the cake-like version
1 can (about 21 oz size) of cherry pie filling
1/2 cup melted white chocolate

Prepare and bake the brownies according to the cake-like version in a greased mini-muffin tin (should make around 40 brownies total). Be careful not to overbake. Allow brownies to cool for two minutes in tin and then carefully remove.

Using your knuckle or thumb, make an indentation into the center of each brownie. Fill with one cherry from the canned pie filling for each brownie.

Drizzle melted white chocolate over the tops of the brownies.

Enjoy and serve either immediately or cover and serve for later.

Or cheat and keep them all for yourself! I won't tell.

Homemade Moonpies

2010-02-03T16:34:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite desserts as a child were moist, chewy moonpies that I would get on special occasion from my great-grandma Dolly. She didn't make hers by hand, but rather bought them from Mrs Bairds (still my favorite breadstore). The moonpies Grandma Dolly bought were filled with marshmallow and came in five flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, banana, and lemon--chocolate being my favorite of course. The kind I purchase at Mrs Bairds come covered in a thick icinglike coating and are easily addictive. So one day I set out to recreate these chocolate heavensents and I think I came pretty close. I left my moonpies uncoated, but you could easily melt some chocolate bark and either dip them in it or pour it over the top for a more traditional look.

Note: Some people, mostly Northerners (aka Yankees) call these delicious desserts Whoopie Pies. I told my oldest kid that and he thought I was going to spank him. Personally when I say Whoopie Pie, I think of Sister Act or Corina Corina.

Moonpies

2 cups white sugar
1 c shortening
1 c cocoa, unsweetened
2 egg yolks (save the eggs whites for the Homemade Marshmallow recipe!)
2 tsp vanilla
1 c milk
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1 recipe for Homemade Marshmallows

Cream together sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating very well in between. Sift together dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Drop by tablespoon (I prefer to use my hands) onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until done. Do not overbake! Makes 16-18 cookies, which will equal 8-9 moonpies.

As each batch finishes baking, remove from oven and let cool for two minutes on cookie sheet. Then, using a spatula, remove cookies and place on cooling rack to cool completely. Once all cookies have finished baking and cooling, it is time to make the marshmallow filling.

Use this recipe for Homemade Marshmallows to make the filling to be used for the moonpies, except do not spread on cookie sheet just yet. Instead, immediately spread on one cookie, let set slightly; then cover with another cookie to create a cookie sandwich. Use a wooden toothpick to help moonpie retain it's shape. Let set for one to two hours.

Coat with chocolate if desired. Pour the remaining marshmallow mixture into a powder sugar coated cookie sheet and spread evenly. Allow to set overnight or for four to six hours, and then cut into squares for homemade marshmallows.

Eat and enjoy the moonpies with a tall glass of milk.

Italian Havarti Sandwiches

2010-01-27T10:41:00.000-06:00

Besides Tex-Mex, Italian flavors has to be my favorite ingredients to experiment with. Recently, I have been looking for healthier and lighter meals, but also something that my three young children would eat, so naturally I thought of enriched breads, thinly sliced cheeses, olive oil, spices, and fresh, ripe tomatoes.

I took inspiration from a recent meal at an herbal tea shop/restaurant. I wanted to recreate my favorite dish and drink into something that I could make on an everyday basis if I so desired. The end result is an open ended sandwich. Here's what I came up with:

Italian Havarti Sandwiches

8 slices of your favorite sandwich bread (wheat, white, et cetera), crusts removed
3 roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
8 slices of Havarti cheese, sliced in half
1/4 cup olive oil (I like to use extra virgin, because it is the least processed)
6 inch sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped finely
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Mix together olive oil, finely chopped rosemary, garlic salt, oregano, and black pepper. Using a butter knife, spread evenly onto one side of each slice of bread (if you have extra oil, you can use it to drizzle over the tops of the finished sandwiches).

On one slice of oiled bread, lay one slice of tomato in a corner, followed by a slice of Havarti cheese, another slice of tomato, and then one last slice of cheese. Carefully place onto serving tray. Repeat this process for all the slices of bread.

Drizzle with any leftover herbed olive oil mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered.

*If you'd like to serve this as an appetizer, slice bread in half for smaller portions.

Turtato Soup

2010-01-24T20:07:00.004-06:00

For some reason turnips are intimidating to me. They sit there, purple and white, daring me to make something out of them that children won't instinctively run screaming from. And yet they cook almost exactly like potatoes. So with a hand full of russets and a pound of turnips I set to work.

Turtato soup has a great earthy, sweet, starchy flavor that's just right for a cold evening. This recipe breaks down into the roasted and the liquid.

The Roasted:
Three medium russet potatoes. 1.5 lbs yukon gold or red roasting potatoes would be creamier but I like the starchy flavor of the russets for this.
One pound of turnips, they typically come in 1 lb bags.
1/2 lb of carrots
1/2 large white onion minced
1 tsp of Rosemary
2-3 Tbsp of olive oil, regular, not extra virgin
1-2 tsp of salt
6-8 cloves of garlic, if you can, get roasted cloves or set a head of garlic in a small ramekin with a generous amount of olive oil to roast the cloves next to the vegetables. I happen to roast up a lot of cloves once or twice a year and keep them in the freezer.

Chop all of the vegetables into a one inch dice toss in kosher salt, rosemary, and coat lightly with the olive oil. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until everything squishes with a pair of tongs and is browned around the edges. Set aside.

The Liquid:
You'll need about six cups of liquid for pureeing the vegetables. I used four cups of chicken broth and two cups of beef broth. You could go all vegetable broth as well but I wanted some beef flavor to punch up the turnips and bring out the roasted flavors.

Assembly:
Take 1/3 of the roasted veggies, make sure you've added the garlic, and place in your food processor. Add 2 cups of broth and puree until there are just a few small chunks of carrot still visible. I like a little texture. Pour into a big soup pot. Repeat for the other 2/3. Once all the soup is in the soup pot, add about 3/4 cup of cream and 1/2 pound of cubed ham, the smaller the cube the better. Grind in about a teaspoon of black pepper. Put on the oven over medium heat until heated through.

Toast up some french bread and top with cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. You'll have a soul soothing soup full of veggies that even your kids will eat.

Recipe by TJ Gilmore

Vino Chili

2010-01-10T20:58:00.003-06:00

We had our annual Chili dinner for the Cub Scouts, and of course my camera gave me fits. What you see, inelegantly displayed to the left is Vino Chili. A tasty chili that will work with beef but is best made with game meats or lamb. In this case, 2 pounds of ground venison.

For those of you with an aversion to game, chili is a great way to eat the meat your hunter neighbor hands you. It can easily perk up these great lean meats, and the flavors of chili work with the 'game' flavor to provide a smoother taste. If you don't have access to game meats, go with lean beef or lamb.

This recipe comes in two parts- Dry and Wet.

The Dry:

Cook 2 pounds of venison (cubed or ground, mine was a chunky grind) in 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil until browned. Do it in a big pan or in small batches, you want the meat browned, not just boiled in its own juice. Add 4 garlic cloves (minced) for a smokier flavor use roasted garlic. Add two medium onions to the meat and saute them until translucent. This is your base, throw it in your crock pot or a large pot.

The Wet - added to the dry:

Two cans of diced tomatoes. You could also coarsly chop four large tomatoes. For a thicker chili, drain the cans but don't smash the chopped tomatoes (I used all the juice). Next is 3 Tbsp. chili powder, don't be fooled! It needs to be pure chili powder, not a mix of spices. There are tons of boxes at the store that say 'chili powder' and they're full of garlic, salt, and other spices which, while tasty, will throw your recipe completely off. Add 1/2 Tbsp. ground black pepper, 1 Tsp. kosher salt, 1 Tbsp. basil, and 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin.

Now for the secret ingredients: 2 Tbsp. molasses and 2 cups red wine, which leaves two nice glasses of wine to share with dinner. The sugar helps bring down the acid of the tomatoes while the red wine works with the cumin to break down the game flavor of the meat and gives a rich hint of almost floral sweetness with the basil. At this point, if you like a thinner chili, add a cup of water, otherwise, let it simmer for 2 hours. As for the wine? I used a $3 bottle of Shiraz from Wally World. I wouldn't go much lighter than a shiraz as it would make things too sweet. Deeper wines like cabernet and merlot would bring a deeper note that would emphasize the meat a bit more.

Now I know chili has many different rules. For me, beans are persona non grata, however, 2 cups of pintos would stretch your dollar and add a bit more heft. You could also go for a diced bell pepper, or even add a pint of minced portabellos for a beefy substitute or even go all out and make a vegetarian chili with em.

Hopefully this recipe will get you to explore some different ingredients that have become mainstays in my cupboard, especially molasses and red wine!

Recipe by TJ Gilmore

Southwest Style Chicken

2010-01-07T12:02:00.001-06:00

As a child growing up in Texas one of my favorite dinnertime meals to eat was chicken. I didn't care if it was fried, baked, stewed, or grilled. When we ate fried and baked chicken like we so often did I always requested the skin. Chicken skin when cooked just right is tastily addictive, if not rather unhealthy. However, I only learned about the negative qualities of chicken skin when I became older. That didn't stop me from eating though--then again I am the kind of gal who eats pork rinds and saves bacon grease.

However, if you want to go the healthier route you could always season your chicken under the skin. I've known about this method for a long time only attempted it last year a few times. Phoo-D's recipe for Chipotle Beer BBQ Chicken is who inspired me. In fact, I tried this method on my Thanksgiving turkey and the meat seemed juicier and more full of flavor than turkeys in the past.

Another thing that got me to retry flavoring my chicken under the skin before cooking was the new roaster I bought at Walmart for $29. It comes with a rack for roasting and heats from 150 F to 450 F. I can use this roaster for many things including baking desserts, not to mention chicken of course.

The flavors that I put together for this recipe are perfect for a variety of dishes including Homestyle Chicken Soup, Arroz con Pollo, Enchiladas, and Chicken Pot Pie (recipes coming soon) with a Southwest feel. The chicken can also be served for dinner.

Southwest Style Chicken
(heating times are for two 4 pound whole chickens)

1/2 cup olive oil
1 heaping tsp of minced garlic
2 T salsa verde
1 T ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 T minced onion
1/2 small, seeded jalapeno optional
2 four pound whole chickens/fryers

Preheat roaster to 350 F with the rack inside and the lid on. Rinse chickens under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Mix all ingredients together using a fork in a small bowl. Measure out 4 T of mixture and set aside.

Using a small paring knife with one hand carefully insert the other clean hand under the chicken's skin being careful to not rip the skin. Repeat on the other side of the same chicken and then repeat on the other chicken.

Using your clean hands, spread olive oil mixture underneath the chicken skin until all olive oil mixture is used.
Carefully as to not burn yourself place the seasoned chickens into the preheated roaster. Now with the reserved 4 T of olive oil mixture, using a spoon or brush, spread it over the tops of the chickens. Cover and roast for 3 1/2 hours or until meat begins to fall off bones and no pink meat remains.

Once the chickens have cooled, you can take off the skins (or keep them) and then bone them. Use the meat in Homestyle Chicken Soup, Arroz con Pollo, Enchiladas, and Chicken Pot Pie. Great on sandwiches too! Don't forget to save the juices at the bottom of the roaster too for chicken stock and to cook your rice.

Texas Pecanlava

2009-12-28T21:00:00.006-06:00

Recipe by TJ Gilmore (new contributor to Screwed Up Texan Recipes)

So my office mate invited us to come pick up pecans this Christmas break. What's more Texan than pickin' pecans over the holidays? I realized quickly that I'd be the only one eating these pecans if they became pecan pie. So I did what I always do when I have a problem I can't noodle out: I put it in the cranial percolator and didn't think about the pile of pecans in my house.

The kids and wife were slowly shelling pecans, piling nuts up to a point where they couldn't be avoided. Finally, while roaming Wally World for the regular groceries, inspiration! There, blandly sitting in the middle of an aisle- one of my wife's favorite treats, baklava. But no normal baklava would I make, oh not me. This called for Texas Pecanlava (yeah... I'm not so great with the names).

The recipe breaks into three parts, the filling, the filo dough, and the syrup. Most baklava recipes have you just mix spices, sugar, and chopped nuts together and sandwich between layers of dough. I figured that candied pecans would make things even better.

The filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg white
2 tbsp walnut oil (vegetable oil works too)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne (you could go with smoked paprika or even candied jalapenos here although you'd have to be really good mincing jalapenos!)
2 cups pecan halves

Mix all but the pecans in a small bowl until frothy, then add the pecans. Make sure they get well coated then place them on an oiled cookie sheet and put in a 300 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring them every 5 minutes with a fork so they don't clump. If you dared use a different nut, chop them up, you need the nooks and crannies for the coating to stick to. Walnuts are a good, non Texas alternative.

Once they're out of the oven, chop the pecans into a small mince, about the size of lentil beans.

The filo. Get a 1 lb box of this terrifying stuff. Having only seen filo used once before, I was a tad out of my element. It comes in two 1/2 lb plastic bags within the box. Let it thaw. Melt a stick of butter and get a brush- this needs to be quick so the dough doesn't dry.

Lay 1/2 the dough out under a sheet of plastic wrap with a damp towel over that. The towel keeps things from drying out, the plastic keeps things from sogging out. Lay out a sheet of dough on your cookie sheet, brush entirely with melted butter, repeat til your arm falls off. Next time I'm thinking spray butter as I went through two and a half sticks of butter. The spray might be faster but probably not as flavorful.

Once you've put down the first 1/2 of the dough, spread your candied pecans evenly over the top, then repeat the layer and butter procedure for the remaining 1/2 lb of dough. Cut into two inch squares (I made one big piece and while not tough, it would be easier to cut before cooking). Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes- brown and crisp is the name of this game.

The syrup:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Burleson Honey (keep it local!)
1 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 shot light rum

Bring to a boil and let reduce for 20 to 30 minutes. This syrup doesn't thicken as much as you think it might once cooled so make sure it sticks well to your wooden spoon. You can really play with this by adding cinnamon schnapps, almond flavoring, or even orange. Just think about contrasting flavors that would either bring out the spicy/smokey flavor of the cayenne, or sharper 'twangy' notes that would be a good counter point to the sweet of the honey and sugar. Pour the cooled syrup over the pecanlava and let sit for an hour at least.

The fun part is that people didn't even notice the cayenne until they were done scarfing it down. It leaves just a warm tingle on the tongue (I don't do hot at the expense of flavor) and is a great counter point to the sweet. Even my kids enjoyed the kicky counterpoint.

Give this one a shot, and make extra candied pecans for snacking!

Cake Balls

2009-12-24T18:50:00.000-06:00

I first heard of cake balls on Pioneer Woman's recipe site when she had Bakerella over to do a demonstration in her kitchen. I fell in love at first sight of these beauties and immediately my mind begin creating all sorts of variations of these little wonders. I had forgotten about cake balls until last night when my sister (who doesn't read blogs and websites) mentioned she was making some for Christmas. You can bet as sure as the sun rises in the east that I was quickly searching Bakerella's website for the recipe to her cake balls.

In Bakerella's recipe, she makes her cake balls using a red velvet cake mix, but as she mentions you could really make these with any cake flavor. As I found out with my sister, you can also make these with any frosting as well (she made German chocolate cake balls using a boxed German chocolate cake mix and German chocolate frosting).

To make my cake balls, I used a French vanilla boxed cake and made my own cream cheese frosting using 8oz of cream cheese, 4 T heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2 cups powdered sugar (about) that had been whipped together until of thick frosting consistency. You could also use a premade frosting.

After I followed Bakerella's instructions for crumbling the baked cake, mixing in the frosting, and forming the mixture into balls, I then dipped half of the balls into white almond bark and the other half into chocolate bark. Immediately I topped each of them with sprinkles or chopped peppermint candies as I worked. Once the bark set, I drizzled chocolate bark over the vanilla coated balls and vanilla bark or the chocolate coated balls.

These cake balls are easy to make and (for once) I actually let my boys help me decorate them!

Bakerella's recipe for cake balls here.

Pasta with Clam Sauce

2009-12-20T23:38:00.000-06:00

I needed something to do with that can of clams that had been sitting in my pantry for at least four years. So this is what I came up with. Dang it sure was good.

Pasta with Clam Sauce

2 T olive oil
3 T butter, real
1/4 c onion, chopped
6/5 oz can chopped clams
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 28oz can petite diced tomatoes, well drained OR 4 roma tomatoes chopped finely
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp fresh basil if available
parsley, salt, and pepper to taste

Warm the olive oil and butter in a medium sized skillet over medium high heat until butter is melted. Add onion and saute until onions are translucent.

Add clams and continue to saute for three minutes.

Add heavy whipping cream, all at once, and stir frequently with a whisk. Allow the mixture to cook for three or four minutes (until it begins to thicken), and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add spices and seasonings now.

Add tomatoes and cook an additional two or three minutes. Remove from heat and pour over the pasta of your choice. Top with Parmesan cheese. Serves four.

Homemade Marshmallows

2009-12-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

You thought I was kidding, right?

Homemade Marshmallows:

You will need an electric mixer--trust me. You will also need a candy thermometer. Better than store bought marshmallows. Don't believe me? Try it yourself.

1.) In a medium sized saucepan, attach a candy thermometer and mix together 2 cups white sugar, 1 Tablespoon corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water over medium-medium high heat. The mixture needs to be occasionally stirred until it reaches 250-260 F, which will take ten to fifteen minutes.

2.) While waiting for the sugar mixture to come to temperature, take a small saucepan and add 3/4 cup water and sprinkle with 4 Tablespoons (4 packets) of unflavored gelatin. Allow to sit until the gelatin mixture is completely translucent (5 minutes). Turn heat to med and allow to heat until gelatin is clear. If you want to add any special flavors or colors, now is your time. I suggest either 1 T vanilla or peppermint to taste. Take gelatin mixture off heat and set in warm place. Likely, you'll still be waiting for the sugar mixture to come to temp.

3.) Take two egg whites and beat in metal bowl (stand mixer works wonders) until the whites reach a soft peak stage. You will know they have reached the soft peak stage b/c they will quickly fold over when attempting to make a peak. Stop beating whites when they have reached this stage, even if the sugar mixture has not come to temp.

4.) When the sugar mixture comes to temp, remove from heat and carefully add the gelatin mixture. Caution, the mixture will bubble up, so I recommend adding the gelatin mixture in thirds. Whisk together.

5.) Still using the whisk attachment, turn electric mixer to Low and and slowly, slowly add the sugar/gelatin mixture in a thin stream. Be careful as the sugar mixture will be very hot. Once the sugar/gelatin mixture is all added to the egg whites, turn the mixer up as high as it will go without splattering everywhere. Mix until the marshmallow has thickened to the correct consistency (5-12 minutes, depending on your mixer).

6.) Immediately transfer to a well confectioners/powdered sugar coated 9 x 13 inch pan. Use rubber spatula to spread evenly. Allow to set for 2-4 hours or until set. Turn pan upside down and transfer marshmallow out of pan and onto well confectioners sugar dusted surface. Cut into squares or other shapes and powder each side with more confectioners sugar. Will store for one week if you don't eat them all before then.

I suggest dipping marshmallows in melted chocolate and then coating with crushed graham crackers. Makes 36 marshmallows.

Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken or Turkey Enchiladas

2009-11-29T14:25:00.000-06:00

Easy to make, creamy and flavored just right these creamy enchiladas are sure to be a palate pleaser. This recipe calls for 3 cups of chopped, cooked chicken--you can use the cooked chicken meat from a precooked deli chicken ($4-6 depending on the store), a home-cooked chicken (around $3 for a whole chicken) or use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

Another option would be to pack the refridgeratd ingredients in a cooler and warm in a dutch oven on your next camping trip. Use powdered milk and reconstitute with water to save room in your cooler. Who says camping has to be hard?

I recommend making these enchiladas with my homemade tortillas.

Creamy Chicken (or Turkey) Enchiladas

1/4 cup minced onion (or rehydrate 2 T dried minced onion)
2 T margerine, butter or lard
3 T salsa verde (green salsa) or a 4 oz can of green chiles, chopped
4 oz cream cheese
1 T milk
1/2 t ground cumin
3 cups cooked, chopped chicken or turkey
10 7 inch tortillas, corn or flour
1 family size can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz carton of sour cream or fresh cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese.

In a skillet or bottom of heated dutch oven, saute the onion, fat, salsa verde or green chiles until onions are golden. Meanwhile in medium size bowl mix together chicken or turkey, cream cheese, 1 T milk, and cumin. Add sauted mixture to chicken mixture.

Take one tortilla and fill with chicken mixture. Roll and place seam side down in pan or dutch oven. Repeat with each remaining tortilla and place each rolled tortilla next to each other until all tortillas and chicken mixture is gone.

Using the same bowl that the chicken was in, mix together the condensed cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and milk. Pour evenly over tortillas. Top with cheese.

Bake in 350 F oven for 25 minutes or cook in dutch oven for approximately 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Makes ten enchiladas.

Homemade Tortillas

2009-11-29T11:15:00.000-06:00

Just like my grandmother used to make them, this recipe is simple to follow. You probably have all the ingredients already on hand in your pantry. The secret to making these tortillas soft is to preheat your skillet or griddle to medium or 200 F and cook for two minutes on each side. Don't overbrown or overcook the edges of the tortillas. Place on a plate and immediately cover with a clean dish towel. Repeat this process for each tortilla.

Tortillas taste great alone or with butter and salt or cinnamon and sugar. Make burritos or even Creamy Chicken Enchiladas with these tortillas.

Tortillas

4 cups flour (you may subsititute 2 cups for whole wheat flour)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons shortening (vegetable, meat, bacon drippings)
1 cup water or enough to make a dough that comes together, but is not sticky

Sift together the dry ingredients. Just like you would when making a pie or pastry shell dough, cut in shortening until well mixed. Slowly add in water, a little at a time, tossing flour mixture until dough comes together, but is not sticky.

Place dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for three to five minutes. Separate dough into ten evenly sized balls. Place dough in covered bowl and allow it to rest for thirty minutes.

On lightly floured surface, using your hands, flatten one ball of dough. Now using lightly floured rolling pin, flatten dough to 1/8 inch thickness while shaping it into a circle. Immediately place onto preheated 200 F or medium heated skillet or griddle. Cook for about two minutes on each side making sure not to overcook.

Makes ten 7 inch tortillas.

Queso Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

2009-11-13T19:25:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite appetizers to snack on are homemade Queso Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers. Last week, as I watched Funny Farm, I had an insatiable urge to spring into the kitchen and whip up these spicy and addictive treats. It may have had something to do with the bowl of homegrown jalapenos sitting in front of me or the new block of cheddar cheese nesting in my fridge just waiting to be used. I can't be sure which food had more influence over me, but I was determined to concoct poppers before the movie was over.

Making jalapeno poppers is quite an easy task. As with any hot pepper, care must be taken in preparing the peppers. If you are not used to handling hot peppers or have sensitive skin, wash your hands very frequently during the slicing and deseeding stage so as to rinse off any oils or juice in the peppers which can make your hands burn. Also do not put your fingers or hands in your eyes or nose or touch any other "sensitive" areas of your body. You will pay!

In fact, I recommend wearing latex gloves or at least placing plastic bags over your hands just in case. I once made an intriguingly hot fresh salsa in college without any hand protection and paid for it by having to place my hands in bowls of icewater all night and third degree burns the next day. Yes, your hands can and will blister from very hot peppers.

Queso Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

20 jalapenos
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup corn flour (you could also use corn meal if corn flour is not available)
2 eggs, beaten well
about 1 cup corn or canola oil for frying

Slice jalapenos with a pairing knife lengthwise and deseed under running cold water. Place halved jalapenos next to each other as you'll want to use the halves from one jalapeno per popper. Repeat until all jalapenos are prepared.

Wash hands thoroughly.

Place a small amount of finely shredded cheddar cheese in one half of a jalapeno and press with thumbs to pack cheese in. Repeat with the other half. Put slices back together to form whole jalapeno and secure with one toothpick. Repeat until all halves have been stuffed.

Begin heating oil in a pan on the stove at medium to medium high heat or in an electric skillet at about 230 F.

Dip jalapeno into beaten egg and then toss into corn flour. Immediately place into oil and begin frying on one side. Quickly move along to the next jalapeno and repeat until all jalapenos have been dipped, dusted, and placed in hot oil. Turn to cook other side. (You'll cook each side approximately 3 minutes on each side).

Place cooked jalapenos onto a paper towel to absorb extra oil. Serve with ranch dressing, salsa, or alone. Goes great with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Apple Pie Filling for Canning

2009-11-10T23:13:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite dessert fillings to can for either my family or to give as gifts to friends, I think this applie pie filling will quickly become a seasonal favorite of yours as well.

The most crucial step to making this apple pie filling is preparation of the apples beforehand. I will use almost any apple, except Red Delicious since I find them too bland for pie making, but I prefer Galas if I can find them at an inexpensive price. All the other ingredients you should be able to find in your pantry and spice cabinet.

If I could tell you to go out and purchase one thing for this recipe, it would be a apple corer/peeler/slicer. You can purchase them from Target (where I purchased mine) for around $20. The device I bought is heavy duty and easy to clean. If you will spend the $20 it takes to purchase an apple corer/peeler/slicer, you will save yourself frustration and impatience, not to mention loss time when it comes to preparing the apples. My children love the strings of apple peels the device creates and love to eat them while they watch me make the pies and pie filling.

If you have a little lemon juice or vitamin C powder (you can purchase this at a health food store), then I recommend you add a little to 2 quarts of water to soak the cored/peeled/sliced apples in as you are preparing the filling (1/4 cup of lemon juice OR 1 tsp vitamin C powder).

Apple Pie Filling

6-8 pounds of apples that have been peeled, cored, quartered, and sliced to 1/4 inch thin peices
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp nutmeg
4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
10 cups water

Set prepared apples aside and soak in lemon juice or vitamin C infused water.

Mix together the remaining ingredients in a large pot and slowly bring to a boil stirring frequently. Once the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from heat.

Drain prepared apples and pack into 6-7 quart size OR 12-14 pint size clean and sterilized canning jars. Immediately with either a wooden or plastic knife or spatula begin adding the thickened mixture to the apple filled jars. You will have to use the knife to get the thickened mixture down into the jars. Fill to one-inch from the top. Dont worry if you spill a little, you can always use a clean, wet cloth to wipe up any that has dripped. Repeat for each jar. Note: Do not use a metal knife or spatula as this can cause breakage during processing.

Wipe rims and threads of jars. Place hot lids on canning jars and tighten with a hot band to finger tight. Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes for pint jars or 20 minutes for quart jars. Once you have removed the jars from the water bath canner and allowed them to cool, check that lids have sealed. If they have, you can remove the band if you are storing for your own use or you can remove the band, place a pretty square cloth on top, then refasten with the band for gift giving.

I recommend you use my crust that I use with my pecan pie.

Allie's Apple Pie

2009-10-30T09:13:00.000-05:00

I love pies...in fact, each Thanksgiving as a child I can remember eating just a small amount of dinner so I could indulge on pie after pie for dessert. Usually, I didn't even touch the apple pies although I loved apples. I love apples so much that once I sneaked an entire bag of freshly picked apples into my bedroom and ate them all to my mother's surprise when she found me and the empty paper sack. I loved apples in everything--everything except apple pie. There was just something about the way people made apple pies in my childhood that did not please me. They were either bland, the crust not sweet enough, or the mixture of apples and spices not well balanced.

It wasn't until college when my roommates and I discovered the apple orchard at the gardens at Ricks College that I learned how to make a great apple pie. Never mind the sign that told us not to pick the apples because they were part of some research program, my roommates and I made frequent trips to the gardens where one of us would climb the tree and shake the branches while the rest of us would try to fill our plastic bags with as many apples before someone told us to stop. What can I say? We were adventurous.

Afterward, we'd take the apples back to Sarah Barnes Hall and we'd each take turns peeling and slicing the apples. Then we'd get to work making apple pies and other delicious apple based treats. Here my recipe that I've perfected over the years since then.

Allie's Apple Pie

6-8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4 inch thin quarters (use any apple except red delicious--I use Galas)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (can be adjusted to your taste)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (can be adjusted to your taste)
2/3 cup white sugar
2 T flour
small pinch salt
Recipe for pastry crust for bottom and top of crust (I use the same crust for my pecan pie)

Mix together dry ingredients. Add prepared apples and toss gently to coat. Pour into prepared unbaked 8 or 9 inch pie crust. Top with unbaked pie crust and sprinkle with a small amount of sugar (you can also brush with melted butter and then sprinkle with sugar). Bake in 350 F oven for 50 minutes.

Wild Fruit Spread for Desserts

2009-10-27T16:17:00.000-05:00

My favorite chocolate cake recipe from Hershey's paired with homemade wild fruit spread and vanilla butter cream frosting for a taste sensation that is sure to have your mouth wanting for seconds. The secret to this cake is literally in the sauce.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake Recipe

Butter Cream Frosting Recipe

Wild Fruit Spread

2 cups blackberries or raspberries
1 cup grape juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Note: I used wild picked blackberries and mustang grape juice. This recipe makes about 5 cups of spread.

Mix together blackberries or raspberries, grape juice, lemon juice, and sugar over medium high heat stirring frequently. Allow to come to a full rolling boil for 2 minutes. Add liquid pectin, all at once, and continue to boil for three minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Can if desired or immediately refrigerate or freeze in 1 cup portions. You will use approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups of spread for this recipe.

To Assemble Cake:

Mix and bake cake according to directions on Hershey's website or the back of the unsweetened cocoa container for two round 8 inch cakes. Cool cakes on waxed paper as this is a very moist recipe. Carefully remove rounded tops off cakes and blow/brush any crumbs away.

Spread a thin layer of vanilla buttercream frosting onto top of bottom layer of cake. Spread 3 -4 tablespoons of Wild Fruit Spread onto frosting being careful to come just to 1/4 inch from edges.

Place top layer of cake, cut side down, onto bottom layer.

Frost cake with Butter Cream Frosting.

Pipe a decorative edge onto top layer of cake and carefully fill with more Wild Fruit Spread.

Garnish with fresh mint or fresh pineapple sage.

Pecan Pie with Flaky Sweet Crust

2009-10-19T10:31:00.001-05:00

This is the recipe I've used to make pecan pies since my college days. I've modified it from the original recipe so there is no waste in regards to the eggs (the savory sweet crust calls for 2 egg yolks, so the two extra egg whites are added to the pecan pie). I make this pie every year in the autumn and it is always a hit--much better than store bought varieties.

The crust is a combination of a pastry and pie shell recipe. You can use vegetable shortening, such as Crisco, with this recipe as well as stick margerine, although I prefer to use real butter. If you do not have salted butter, add 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of regular salt to the mixture. I've also made this crust with whole wheat flour (you may have to use more cold water as whole wheat soaks up water more readily than white), and the results are fantastic. The crust has a higher than usual sugar content than typical pie crusts so 1.) it tastes great; 2.) it brown quickly so you may want to cover edges with foil the last 15 minutes of baking.

Pecan Pie

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
2 eggs, plus 2 egg whites left over from crust recipe (or you can use 1 whole egg in substitution for 2 egg whites for 3 eggs total)
1 cup white corn syrup
1/2 white sugar
2 T melted butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs slightly in a medium bowl. Add corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes or until light and creamy. Add chopped pecans and stir to combine. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes or until set.

Pie Shell

1 3/4 c flour
1/2 cup butter, margerine, vegetable shortening
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks (reserve whites for pecan pie)
3 T cold water

Mix flour and sugar together. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, mix together flour mixture, eggs yolks, butter until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Carefully mix in the water until the mixtures forms a ball.

On a lightly floured surface incorporate as little flour as possible so that the dough is not sticky when handled, but be careful not to overknead or else the dough will shrink. Divide the dough in half.

Using a rolling pin, on a lightly floured surface roll each half into a 9 inch circle. Lightly flour the top and then follow these instructions for getting your pie crust into the pie pan:

1.) Lightly flour top of rolled dough
2.) Fold in half (photos shows pie crust after beginning to unfold in pie pan)
3.) Fold in half once more and place folded corner into middle of pan
4.) Carefully unfold

Fold edges under and shape. Use to fill to uncovered 8-9 inch pies or 1 filled pie with crust. If recipe calls for baking the shell first, then bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until done.

Quick Fried Pies (Turnovers)

2009-10-08T09:28:00.000-05:00

These easy to make "pies" are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Technically a turnover, only 2 ingredients are needed to make the shell and then they are filled with a spoonful of your favoring filling or jelly.

Quick Fried Pies

2 cups Bisquick or other biscuit mix (I make my own)
1/2 cup of milk
1/3 cup of your choice of filling such as pie filling, jelly, pudding, et cetera.
powdered sugar, if desired

In a medium mixing bowl, mix by hand using a spoon the Bisquick and milk. Turn onto floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and ingredients are completely mixed together. Divide dough into 8 even sections.

Using the palm of your hand, flatten a section of dough onto lightly floured surface. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough as you would for pie into a 5 inch circle.

Place a tablespoon or so of filling in the middle of the flattened circle. Fold in half.

With a dinner fork, press the side of the dough together. Turn the pie over and repeat.

Carefully place "pie" into an electric skillet filled with 1/2 inch to one inch of cooking oil or melted fat that has been heated to 200 F. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until sides are golden brown. After fried pies have been removed from fat, place on paper towels to absorb excess fat.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Makes eight fried pies (turnovers).

Chipotle Beer BBQ Chicken: aka Drunk Chicken

2009-10-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of my family gathering together at the lake or in our backyard and barbecuing. Usually I was the sole child requesting burnt hotdogs, but when my stepdad would pull out the chicken I'd usually beg for a juicy drumstick. Usually these family get-togethers involved music, laughter, and lots of cold beers. Of course we children were never allowed to drink the beer, so you can imagine my intrigue when my stepdad pulled out a bottle of beer one afternoon and stuck it up the butt of a chicken to grill it. This was my first experience with Beer Butt Chicken...aka Drunken Chicken.

Fast forward to last month.

I had almost forgotten the simple culinary genius of beer and chicken until Phoo-D had posted a recipe for it on her blog. I still don't drink beer, but I do cook with it usually in pork roasts. The alcohol burns out of the beer while cooking, similar to yeast baking, and leaves a complimentary flavor to meat. The flavors that a cheap beer add to the juices and gravy of roasts is better than water or broth in my redneck opinion, so you can bet I imagined kissing my bishop's feet when he said I cook with it.

Ah, who wants to drink a Nasty Lite anyway? Nasty Lite is what you drink after you're so drunk you don't notice how badly it tastes anymore.

Phoo-D's recipe for Chipotle Beer BBQ Chicken calls for Rogue Chipotle Ale, but being the cheapwad I am I went for the least expensive beer I could find. I found it, stuck it in my buggie, checked out, then realized I lost my identification. Darn my youthful appearance and I had to leave the grocery store empty-handed. So, I had The Hubs grab me a case on his lunch break--and subsequently found out who doesn't ask for identification when purchasing alcohol. Either that or they trusted that he was of age since he's bald.

By the way, did you know there's a beer on the market cheaper than Nasty Lite? I had no idea.

Phoo-D's cooking method uses what is called a vertical chicken roaster, but you could easily use a Drunk Chicken cooker like that you can often buy at trade shows or you could simply stick an opened can of beer up the chicken's rear which is the traditional method.

I went for the beer in the rear method.

It was also stormy the day I chose to make the Drunk Chicken, so I opted to roast the chicken in my oven. The trick is to turn the oven on AFTER you place the prepared chicken into your oven, unless you want 450 degree F heat blasting you in the face. Just remove the middle rack and stick your roasting pan on the lowest level. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 hours using Phoo-D's directions.

(Notice: I don't clean ovens either.)

The recipe for Chipotle Beer Chicken also calls for you to place the rub under the chicken's skin. To do this, simply use a small, sharp knife and your hand to gently pull the skin away from the chicken. It is quite simple really and should take you under three minutes to do.This will ensure that the flavors meld completely with the roasting chicken and don't slip off during cooking. Add an extra can of beer the last thirty minutes of cooking to the roasting vegetables, if you like. I served my Beer Butt Chicken with Mexican Rice and Corn Tortillas.

Phoo-D's recipe for Chipotle Beer BBQ Chicken is definitely worth trying. May the best Drunk Chicken win!

Click here for the recipe. If you don't have Kosher salt like me, reduce the salt content to three teaspoons for the rub.

How to Juice Prickly Pears

2009-09-19T19:16:00.000-05:00

Juicing fruits for making jelly is a rather uncomplicated task if you have the right kitchen tools. There are many ways to juice fruits other than buying the juice directly from the store. For this "How To" I will be focusing on juicing prickly pears, but you can incorporate most of these steps into juicing other fruits as well. My personal preference on juicing involves just a few every day not very fancy kitchenware staples:

medium sized pot for the stove
potato masher
fine wire mesh screen strainer/colander
large spoon
two large bowls such as mixing bowls

So what if I may just have America's Ugliest Chef's Kitchen.

For prickly pears, first you will need to scrub or burn off the thorns. I find scrubbing them off with a vegetable scrubber the easiest method. Just poke the prickly pear with a fork and then scrub the prickly pear with your other hand under water in the sink. You don't have to be perfectly exact in removing the tiny thorns, just make sure you get all the big thorns off. The cooking and sieving process will eliminate any remaining stickers.

Next, cut the prickly pear ends off, then slice the prickly pear long wise in half. You can quarter it, if desired. Put the quartered/halved prickly pear pieces into a clean bowl and discard the ends. Repeat until you have four cups of sliced prickly pears (this will take about 6 cups of whole prickly pears).

Dump the sliced prickly pears into a medium sized pot on the stove and pour 1 1/2 cups of fresh water into the same pot. Heat on medium high and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, mashing with the potato masher to extract juices occasionally.

Place fine wire mesh strainer over a clean bowl and carefully pour the hot prickly pear mixture over the strainer and into the bowl. The fine wire mesh strainer will catch any seeds, thorns, skins, pulp that you do not want. Mash with potato masher or the back of a large spoon to squeeze any remaining juices out. Discard seeds, pulp, and skin.

You should be able to measure 2 cups of juice into a measuring cup.

Use to make Prickly Pear Jelly, Prickly Pear Smoothies, and Prickly Pear Ice Cream. I've also had several people tell me Prickly Pear Margaritas are good.

Prickly Pear Jelly

2009-09-18T11:02:00.002-05:00

Prickly Pear Jelly

1 cup prickly pear juice
3 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 pouch (3 oz) of LIQUID pectin

Combine prickly pear juice, lemon juice and sugar in a medium size saucepan. Cook over medium high heart, stirring frequently. Once mixture begins to boil, start timer and boil for two minutes. All at once add liquid pectin. Allow mixture to come back to a boil and cook for two to three minutes more. The longer you cook, the firmer this jelly will be.

Remove mixture from heat and pour into sterilized 8 oz jelly jars. Fills four 8 oz jelly jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. See canning instructions here.

Note: Use only LIQUID pectin for this recipe or you will get unreliable results.

I've written instructions on how to make Prickly Pear Juice.

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

2009-09-11T18:12:00.001-05:00

Perfect for chicken and porkchops, coat both sides of meat with these seasoned bread crumbs and bake. Meat stays moist and tastes great! You can store the seasoned bread crumbs in an airtight container or freeze like I do for longer storage. I use generic bread crumbs. Experiment with more lemon pepper, Italian seasonings, Cajun spices, Southwest flavors or curry for a different take on these tasty breadcrumbs.

Kids love it and it is so easy to make they can help in the kitchen!

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

2 cups of plain bread crumbs
4 T seasoned salt (I use Lawry's)
2 T dried garlic, minced
1 tsp powdered paprika
2 T lemon pepper

Mix ingredients thoroughly in a medium sized bowl.

Measure out 1 cup of mixture for 6-8 porkchops or three to five pounds of chicken (depending on pieces).

Evenly coat both sides of meat and then transfer to a baking pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until juices run clear and meat reaches proper temperature.

We were so hungry, I forgot to take a photograph of the finished product. It was great!

Dang Good Chocolate Cake (Thank You Hershey's)

2009-09-03T22:28:00.000-05:00

I just discovered the secret to the most amazing and tantalizing chocoloate cake I have ever made from scratch myself. Look, I ain't going to lie and say I invented this recipe. What I will tell you is that you can find it on the back of your Hershey's Cocoa container. It's the recipe for Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake. Nothing beats chocolate in my book, but don't take my word for it--take Hershey's word:

"The natural antioxidants found in tea and certain fruits can also be found in Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa. Enjoy in moderation as part of a healthy diet and active lifestyle."

Now if only I can get that whole moderation thing through my thick skull. Ah nevermind, this is Hershey's we're talkin' about.

Recipe for Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake. (Hint: This recipe calls for boiling water: Use a Teapot.)

I suggest you either top with "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting in the same link above

OR

Butter Cream Frosting (adapted from 1963 Good Housekeeping Cookbook)

1/3 cup softened butter or shortening
1/8 tsp salt
About 3 cups powdered sugar
1/8 to 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together butter or shortening, salt, vanilla, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix in rest of powdered sugar and cream alternately, beating until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Now for the Cake Mixing (it's an art):

This would make an awesome screensaver:

Don't Forget to Lick the Bowl:

Then the Frosting (split those two round cakes for a four layer lite-tasting cake):

The Finished Product:

PS: We've made this cake twice already this week. Can anyone say no self-control?

Pasta with Green Olive Sauce

2009-08-27T15:29:00.000-05:00

Occasionally I attend recipe swaps with other women which are planned around a certain theme such as brunch, Tex-Mex, salads, et cetera. The last recipe swap I went to I had to create an Italian dish and being the procrastinator that I am meant that I had to come up with something at the very last moment using ingredients straight from my pantry and fridge.

Now technically this dish is probably not authentic Italian, however I felt with olives and pasta I could not go wrong. Or something like that.

What resulted was a delectable pasta with olive oil and green olive based sauce. It ended up being so good that even my four year old ate it. This is certainly a dish I will be making in the future as not only is it delicious, but it is also easy to make and inexpensive.

Pasta with Olive Sauce

6-8 cups of cooked pasta, drained (your choice of variety)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup green olives with pimientos, chopped
1/4 cup of vinegar from olive jar
1 mushroom flavored bullion cube
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 t rosemary, finely chopped
10 leaves of basil, chopped
2 leaves lemon sage, chopped (optional)
2 leaves pineapple sage, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add chopped green olives with pimientos, vinegar, bullion cube, and garlic; simmer for 10 minutes.

Add diced tomato and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add rosemary, basil, lemon sage and pineapple sage and simmer for an additional ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour olive sauce over freshly cooked and drained pasta of your choice. Toss to evenly coat.

Serve warm or cold. Serves 4-6.

Frosted Sugar Cookies

2009-08-24T09:49:00.000-05:00

Perfect after school snack for the first day of school or any special time--these frosted sugar cookies are sure to please! Roll out dough and use any cookie-cutter shapes or the rim of a glass or mug like I did to make the cookies. Cool, frost and sprinkle--just watch and hide these cookies carefully or they'll be gone in no time!

Frosted Sugar Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup shortening or butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 T heavy whipping cream

Stir dry ingredients together, then using an electric mixer mix in shortening or butter for 3 minutes on medium speed. Slowly add the granulated sugar, mixing thoroughly, then add the egg and cream and beat until completely mixed in. Dough should form a ball. Place in refrigerator for two to three hours or freeze for 30 minutes (you want to cool the dough).

On surface that has been lightly floured or sprinkled with powder sugar, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness using a rolling pin and cut with cookie cutters or the rim of a glass or mug. Transfer to a pan and bake in preheated 350 F oven for 8-10 minutes (watch bottoms carefully). Cool completely.

Cookie Frosting (adapted from the 1963 edition of Good Housekeeping Cookbook)

1/3 c soft butter or shortening
1/8 t salt
3 cups powdered sugar
1/8-1/4 c heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 t vanilla
food coloring of your choice

Cream together butter or shortening, salt, and 1 cup powdered sugar using an electric mixer. Alternately on medium speed beat in cream and remaining powdered sugar. Lastly, beat in thoroughly vanilla and a few drops of the food coloring of your choice.

Spread on cooled cookies and immediately sprinkle if desired.

Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2009-08-09T15:26:00.000-05:00

One of things my husband and I have in common is our love for mashed potatoes. Matter of fact, when we were dating, we went over to a friend's home and ended up eating all the mashed potatoes that were served for dinner. What can I say...I just can't turn down that creamy, buttery goodness. Probably one of the reasons I've always disliked the Atkins Diet.

Dang carb-counting.

Then one year for Christmas someone bought me a rosemary Christmas tree and instead of letting it die like every other houseplant I have had, I decided to stick it in my flower bed and see if it would grow. Can I just say that after a year that rosemary plant has grown into a bush four feet wide and three feet tall without hardly any watering. Time to see what rosemary tastes like in mashed potatoes...

Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

6-8 potatoes
1 T rosemary needles
1 clove garlic, minced (you can also use dried, minced garlic)
1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
4 T real butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Wash and peel potatoes, then cube. Cubing will allow the potatoes to cook faster and mash easier.

Boil potatoes in a large pot for twenty to thirty minutes or until white and a fork easily pierces a cube.

Drain completely. Do not rinse.

Transfer cubed potatoes to serving dish and top with butter and whipped cream. Mash until creamy. TIP: If you find your potatoes are not as thick as you'd like them, add a small amount of baby rice cereal (this will also add nutrition).

Chop very finely rosemary.

Stir into potatoes rosemary, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Yes I used dried garlic--please don't judge me.

Serve warm.

Noodle Doodle

2009-08-07T18:08:00.000-05:00

If the taste doesn't get your kids eating this meal, the name will. Hopefully.

What I love the most about this dish is that it is not only easy to make, but also costs just around $5 total to feed 6-8 persons generously. It is a perfect blend of vegetables, meat, and starch and packed with delicious flavor. Try it for lunch or dinner and substitute the zucchini and broccoli as desired.

Noodle Doodle

16 oz of cooked and drained pasta of your choice
3 small zucchinis, chopped
1 medium sized broccoli crown, chopped into small florets
1/2 pound ground hamburger or turkey
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T real butter
dash of seasoned salt or Cajun seasoning
salt and black pepper to taste
About 1/8 cup water

In a medium skillet under medium high heat, brown ground hamburger meat. Drain. Add back to skillet along with mined onion and garlic and butter. Turn heat to medium. Add zucchini and broccoli, then spices. Quickly add water, all at once, then cover until water has completely evaporated. The water causes the vegetable to steam without the addition of extra fat. The real butter will give the dish more flavor. I hardly ever use margarine. Turn off heat and transfer meat/vegetable mixture to a serving dish filled with cooked and drained pasta. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6-8.

How to Slice a Bell Pepper Video

2009-08-06T15:50:00.000-05:00

A friend sent this video to me a couple weeks ago after I published the "How to Cube an Apple in One Minute" post. I thought it was rather clever way of slicing a bell pepper with minimal waste, so I thought I'd repost it here. My friend drew his inspiration from Yan Can Cook. Check it out:

Feed/Email readers click here.

Do you have a clever way of cooking and would like me to post it here? If so, send it to me at screweduptexan at gmail dot com and I just may.

Strawberry Creme Cake

2009-07-28T15:12:00.002-05:00

I always requested strawberry cake when my birthday came around each year. When I made the honor roll in elementary school, I used my coupon for strawberry ice cream. My favorite doll--Strawberry Shortcake.

Then I forgot about those red fruits and went on to chocolate.

Then bananas.

Then back to chocolate.

Then somehow this last spring I was shopping at my local grocer and I found two pounds of strawberries for a ridiculous price and I couldn't resist. I bought four pounds of strawberries--cause baby I just can't pass up a good deal. Like that vintage cookbook I found for ten cents. That's right: I tweaked the recipe in my 1963 Good Housekeeping recipe book for Banana Cream Cake to make Strawberry Creme Cake, because nothing beats a homemade baked real strawberry cake.

Strawberry Creme Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs, unbeaten
2 cups pureed ripe strawberries (use a blender)
1 t vanilla
several drops red food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and flour well two 8-inch circular cake pans.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.

Drop in shortening, eggs, and 1 cup pureed strawberries.

With electric or stand mixer, beat together these ingredients for two minutes at medium speed. Scrape sides as needed while mixing.

Add remaining 1 cup pureed strawberries, food coloring (optional) and vanilla and beat for one minute.

Turn into pans and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire rack.

Using a bread knife or serrated knife, cut rounded top off of cakes. Brush or blow any crumbs off. Place on serving tray.

Frost bottom layer's top using recipe for Real Strawberry Frosting.

Place top layer on top of frosted bottom layer and continue frosting the entire cake starting with the sides and finishing with the top. Top with fresh strawberries.

Real Strawberry Frosting

2009-07-28T14:39:00.002-05:00

This recipe frosts the Strawberry Creme Cake, 24 cupcakes, or the inside of your mouth several times. Don't forget to share.

Real Strawberry Frosting

Ingredients

2 cups powedered sugar, plus 1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup strawberry puree (use blender)
few drops red food coloring (optional)

Blend together 2 cups powdered sugar, strawberry puree, and butter for one minute.

Gradually add additional powdered sugar until frosting is of spreading consistency.

Spread on completely cooled cake. PS: Try to scrape your bowl a little better than me.

Apple Bacon Ranch Salad

2009-07-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

I have been blessed with children that are not too picky in what they choose to eat. Occasionally, they refuse to eat a vegetable or try a new sauce, and that's when I pop open the ramen noodles and hot dogs. One food item that my children love to eat is bacon. Since I love bacon much also and like to save the fat in mason jars for cooking stir-fries, eggs, and other meals, I always keep bacon on hand in my fridge (or ice chest as we Texans like to call it) on my kitchen counter.

Sometimes though, I just want a meal that is not too heavy, somewhat healthy, and that even the kids will eat without complaining. Most of all, I just want something easy--life just get busy! That's when I make my Apple Bacon Ranch Salad. Enjoy!

Apple Bacon Ranch Salad

12 slices of bacon, cooked medium (well enough to chop easily with a knife)
2 apples, your favorite variety, cubed
4 medium sized carrots, chopped, sliced, julienned, or grated
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 T ranch dressing

Chop bacon into small pieces.

Cube apples. Follow these instructions for cubing an apple quickly.

Chop carrots. I love my Pampered Chef food chopper (no, Pampered Chef did not pay me to say that).

Throw all ingredients into a large bowl and add romaine lettuce.

Pour ranch dressing on top.

Using salad tossers (or clean hands) mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Serve as a side salad or as a meal. Serves eight as a side salad.

How to Cube an Apple in One Minute

2009-07-12T20:08:00.001-05:00

One of the most time consuming preparations in cooking can be the simple task of cubing fruits and vegetables. Idealy, when cubing you want each cube to be similar in size and shape. I have tried various methods of cubing, however most have resulted in squished and loppy shaped food.

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

When I was seventeen, I randomly flipped on the television station one hot summer afternoon. The only show playing at that time was a cooking program. On that show, the chef was preparing various foods for stir frying and I became intrigued at how quickly he seemed to slice his ingredients. That Asian chef was kind of frustrating me--until I figured out his secret by close observation.

Over the past ten or so years I have humbly perfected the method, changing bits here and there to suit me. The following chart gives you my easy instructions for dicing and cubing fruits and vegetables quickly. In no time you'll be a pro as well.

Use the following instructions on potatoes, tomatoes, pears, cucumbers, zuchinis, peaches, avocados, and of course--apples:

Company French Toast

2009-07-10T23:09:00.003-05:00

I am not really sure if the name of this recipe is called Company French Toast, but Inge's recipe looks simlar to the French Toast concoction of some sort that I ate at the brunch a couple days ago. So, this is what I am calling the recipe.

I must state also that the recipe that I am posting is not my own recipe and I am not sure where the lady that made it got it. I followed her recipe directions (well so far because I still need to cook it), but when I make this recipe again I am going to tweak it a little bit. For instance, the recipe calls for eight eggs and one cup of milk. I think it can be easily modified using five eggs and one-and-a-half cups of milk instead. The recipe also calls for one loaf of French bread, but I think it is better suited for two loaves. The recipe also directs you to arrange the bread in a 9 x 13 pan and then pouring the egg batter over the top. I think it would be better to dip the bread slices in the batter quickly first, and then after the bread is arranged to pour the remaining batter over the top evenly.

We'll see tomorrow morning how my tweaks performed. Keep your fingers crossed.

Company French Toast

2 loaves French bread, cut into 1-1/2 inch slices
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 T sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 t salt

Praline Topping

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans or almonds, chopped
2 t corn syrup (I think maple syrup, molasses, or honey would substitute well)
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Beat eggs and stir in well milk, vanilla, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Dip sliced french bread quickly into batter and then arrange in a 9 x 13 well buttered baking dish. Pour any remaining egg batter evenly over slices of french bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the praline topping ingredients and then pour over uncovered battered french bread slices.

Bake for 40-60 minites or until puffy and golden brown. Serve with Butter Syrup.

Butter Syrup

2009-07-10T23:05:00.000-05:00

Again, I cannot lay claim to this recipe, but it is the topping of choice for the Company French Toast. I am going to try to make it with sweetened condensed milk for more of a caramel like sauce. I will let you know how it turns out. Photo to come later.

Butter Syrup

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
12 oz evaporated milk

Heat all ingredients in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved and syrup has thickened. Separates easily so stir often.

Cracked Black Pepper Beef Sandwiches with Juice

2009-07-09T14:47:00.000-05:00

I am constantly on the quest of discovering new and simple meals. As a very busy mother of three small boys and the wife of a very hungry husband, I have to be able to create delicious meals with everyday ingredients. One of the important things for new cooks is to be able to create a dish that is not overwhelming and yet still delectable down to the last bite.

My college roommate, Joy, had to have been the worst cook I have ever known when we were younger. Now she can cook today and can make a mighty scrumptious meal, but when we lived together in the dorms at Ricks College in Idaho she didn't know how to make spaghetti, much less condensed soup in a can. I remember Joy being able to make three things: ramen noodles, mac and cheese from a box, and toast. She was not made out for the cooking dorms to say the least.

Thank goodness Joy is in Spain right now or she might have flown all the way from Nevada to kick my hiney. Just keepin' it real.

So, if you're a beginner cook or a much more advanced cook (or perhaps somewhere in between) I give to you the following recipe...sometimes the simplest things in life are the best.

Cracked Black Pepper Sandwiches with Juice

2 9 oz packages of cracked black pepper thinly sliced beef (I used Hillshire Farm brand)
1 small onion cut into thin slices
1 T minced garlic
2 cups beef broth (you can use the bullion type, just omit the salt)
2 drops of Louisiana hot sauce (optional)
salt to taste
1 package of small sub buns (8)
butter for spreading

Slice onion into thin slices.

Heat 1 T butter or lard (I always use bacon grease) for one minute or until clear and warm. Add onion and garlic.

Saute onion and garlic until golden brown and translucent. Add hot sauce to taste.

Add cracked black pepper beef slices.

Add beef broth and cook over medium heat for ten minutes.

Remove beef from skillet and transfer to a bowl or plate.

Optionally you can thicken the broth slightly by adding cornstarch, cornflour or white flour in a small amount of cold water and then slowly pouring into hot beef mixture and stirring quickly.

Butter insides of buns and brown over medium heat until lightly toasted.

Place meat inside of buns with a few onions and serve on a plate with a small bowl of broth for dipping. Serves eight.

Savory Tomato Soup

2009-07-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

It is midsummer here in Texas and the tomatoes are ripening faster than I can pick them. Currently, I have over thirty tomatoes in various stages of the ripening process sitting on my kitchen counter and taking up valuable working space. Where I live, and I am certain other tomato growers can relate, I have to contend with the mockingbirds and squirrels eating my tomatoes before I can get to them. The trick I have learned is to pick the tomato while it is green, but has barely started to show red on the bottoms--this prevents pesky creatures from destroying my tomatoes and making me cuss like a sailor. Then I place the tomatoes inside a paper bag, (three to four at a time) and place the bag in a dark, room-temperature area for three or four days. Soon enough, the tomatoes are fully ripened. I never place my tomatoes on a sunny windowsill.

So just what does one do with thirty-something-odd tomatoes besides make tomato juice and spaghetti sauce?

After reading a recipe on this site last spring, I knew I would be on a quest for the best tomato soup ever. It couldn't be like those canned varieties--thin, pureed, and unfulfilling. Most of all it had to be good enough the kids would eat it. If it wasnt good enough for them to eat it, it still had to be good enough I'd pour it back in the pot and eat it myself.

So, I experimented with different quantities of butter and heavy whipping cream, garlic, onions, and spices until I found just the right blend of ingredients I was comfortable enough to share. Real butter and real whipping cream...yes this recipe has fat in it, but for a good reason. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxident, and as I found out here lycopene is highly concentrated in processed (cooked) tomatoes with high fat content such as spaghetti sauce and tomato soup.

Ingredients:

6-8 medium fresh whole tomatoes, quartered
1/2 medium onion or 1 small onion julienned
4 T real butter
1 c chicken broth
1 1/2 c real heavy whipping cream
1 tsp fresh or powdered dry garlic
6-8 leaves of fresh basil
1 tsp salt
1 dash black ground pepper
Additional water, as desired

Method:

Over medium high heat in a large pot, melt butter and then saute onion and garlic until lightly browned. Add chicken broth.

Place quartered tomatoes (including any juice) into pan along with fresh basil. Using a potato masher, crush tomatoes. When crushing the tomatoes, keep in mind that you still want some chunks of tomato to remain in soup. Add chicken broth. Simmer over low heat for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add salt, pepper, and heavy whipping cream. Add any additional water to your desired consistency. Stir and simmer over low heat for an additional fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve slightly cooled and with grilled cheese sandwiches for a perfect summertime meal.

Blackberry Muffins

2009-06-29T12:57:00.008-05:00

Each spring I await the moment that the first wild blackberries ripen on the canes at my secret spot. The spot is so secret that less than a handful of people know about it: Argentina from Guatemala, my friend I shall not name, and Amy Locurto co-founder of I Heart Faces photography website. The day any of these gals reveal my secret is the day I go into stealth mode and wreak some serious harm.

Oh fine, never mind. I am a pansy and everybody knows it.

From blackberry cobblers to blackberry lemonade, our late spring and early summer days are filled with freshly picked aggregates and our freezer is packed full of the leftovers. My husband's favorite blackberry treat are my homemade wild blackberry muffins. Don't have access to wild blackberries? No worries--you can substitute fresh blackberries from your local grocer.

I'll just pity you in the meantime.

The following recipe is adapted from the 2002 Better Homes and Gardens recipe on page 115 for muffins. I find that most recipes for muffins from scratch lack enough sugar for my taste buds, resulting in a dry, bland muffin. I have increased the sugar content by 1/3 cup. I am also including the ingredients for blackberry muffins using whole wheat flour. Just substitute the ingredients and measurements in the second ingredient list entitled Whole Wheat Version and follow the same directions.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c all purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 c milk
1/4 c cooking oil

Whole Wheat Flour Ingredient List

1 1/2 c flour
2/3 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 beaten egg
1 c milk
1/4 c cooking oil
Batter will be thinner than all-purpose flour method.
Method:

Grease muffins cups and preheat oven to 400 F. In a medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of dry mixture and set aside.

Beat egg and add milk and oil. Pour this into well of dry mixture.

Stir just until moistened. (Technically, this is where you can stop and bake for a plain muffin.)

Add 3/4 c of fresh or frozen blackberries or the fruit of your choice.

Stir well and fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or tops are golden brown.

Enjoy!

Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

2009-06-24T22:24:00.009-05:00

For breakfast this morning I had chocolate creme-filled Little Debbie snacks. Yah, you know which ones I am talking about. Since those rolled cakes didn't fill me quite up, I topped them off with chocolate Malt-O-Meal (cream of wheat) drenched in butter and sugar.

Yeah baby.

Then I filled up with caffeine and went for the Chinese spicy orange chicken from Lewisville, Texas' best kept secret restaurant, Wok-n-Roll. Oh my gosh I don't care that they serve food on styrofoam plates with plastic forks, that place is awesome!

So, when dinner rolled around you know I was ready for some home cooking--and grabbed that Duncan Hines French Vanilla cake mix and ingredients to make fluffy buttercream frosting did I!

Never take dieting advise from me. Never.

Look, I am going to let you in on another secret, I found the following recipe online. That link is where I found it first...then I noticed the recipe is in several places, so I am not sure who the original author is. End of disclaimer.

Ingredients:

3 T flour

3/4 c milk

6 T butter

6 T shortening

1/4 t salt

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 t vanilla extract

Cook over medium heat the flour and milk, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (will resemble paste).

Cover completely with plastic wrap, wax paper or foil touching the top of the mixture. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, make your favorite cupcakes. I love Duncan Hines French Vanilla (and no, Duncan Hines did not compensate me to say that).

Cool cupcakes completely.

Using an electric mixture, mix together the butter, shortening, salt, sugar, a few drops of food coloring if desired, and vanilla.

Mix on medium speed for four minutes. Mixture should be smooth and sugar dissolved.

Add cooled milk/flour mixture and beat an additional four minutes on medium.

Frosting will be light and airy when finished. Top cupcakes and add sprinkles if you like that sort of thing.

Voila!

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

2009-06-19T14:35:00.006-05:00

First, let me start this post off by apologizing for not photographing the final result...someone whisked these cookies off and put them in a storage container before I had known what happened to them. The cookies were made for my brother-in-law's and new sister-in-law's wedding reception (the whole reason we were on vacation). These cookies are rich autumn pumpkin colored and flavored with a warm spice undertone--perfect for my sister-in-law's colors and decoration theme. They were actually some of the simplest cookies I have ever made.

We doubled this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 box spice cake mix

1 reg size can pumpkin puree

1 cup chocolate chips (milk, semisweet, dark)

Pour entire box of spice cake mix into medium sized bowl and scoop can of pumpkin puree over it.

Add chocolate chips.

Mix with a spoon these three ingredients just to moisten the dry ingrients.

Using electric or stand mixer, blend ingridients thoroughly. Notice I was in a hurry here and did not mix completely.

Using a tablespoon or medium sized scoop, drop batter onto lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Note that whatever shape you drop the batter it will mostly remain as. These cookies will not spread like most cookies do.

Bake in 375 F degree oven for 14-18 minutes or until done. Top with a dallop of cream cheese frosting, if desired. Makes 24 cookies per batch.

Arroz con Pollo

2009-06-03T04:00:00.000-05:00

My affection with Tex-Mex and Hispanic cuisine began with me as a child. I remember many family outings eating at our local Panchos restaurant (back when Panchos was actually good). Usually, I filled my plate with fried chicken for dinner...I know so Tex-Mex...and sopapillas for dessert (I called them "soap pillows"). Even though my main course was fried chicken and the occasional hamburger, I still took samplings of enchiladas, flautas, and tacos from the rest of the family.

Then there was my mother's arroz con pollo or arroz con pork chops that she carefully created and served for my brothers and sister. Panchos sparked my love for Hispanic cuisine, however my mother's cooking set my love for it.

It would be many years later that I would learn how to make Arroz con Pollo properly. I found many recipes...some with not so familiar ingredients such as peas, cheese, and broccoli. Being the uncomformist that I am, I eventually discovered how to cook and serve Arroz con Pollo--not that there is anything complicated about it.

But then again, I have been known to complicate things.

Arroz con Pollo

1 cut up chicken (2 legs, 2 wings, 2 breasts, 2 thighs..hey, I used to work for KFC) or use all dark meat

1 small onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium bell pepper, julienned

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

2 1/2 cups hot water

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice or two large tomatoes, diced

1 T ground cumin

chopped cilantro, optional

In a large pan, heat a small amount of vegetable oil/lard over medium heat. Add chicken pieces and cook for approximately eight minutes per side or until chicken pieces are golden brown. Cover and simmer an additional ten minutes. Chicken will not be thoroughly cooked, however transfer chicken pieces to a plate covered in paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Before we move on to the next step, meet my best friend in the kitchen--this little gadget that I bought from Pampered Chef. It chops just about any food: Candy, onions, peppers, carrots, pecans, and many, many more foods. I highly reccommend this gadget to all my friends.

THIS is not my best friend. This is what I have to deal with on an every day basis. Eeek!

Meanwhile, in same pan that has been drained of fat except one tablespoon, onions, bell pepper, and garlic.

Cook until onions have turned translucent. Add rice all at once.

Bring heat to medium high. Using a spatula, coat all of rice with fat and cook until golden brown.

Once rice has turned golden brown add hot water, tomatoes, cumin, and cilantro.

Add cilantro, if desired.

Top with chicken pieces.

Allow juices to come to a boil and then cover pan with tight fitting lid (or heat resistant plate) and turn heat to low. Cook twenty to twenty-five minutes, or until all juices are absorbed.

Serve with hot fresh tortillas and your favorite beverage. May I suggest Aguas Frescas?

Savory Crawdad Monica

2009-05-21T12:00:00.001-05:00

If you are just now finding this post and didn't read how to prepare crawdads, please read this little introduction. That post will also explain why I use the term "crawdad" and "crawdaddies" instead of crawfish and mudbug. Just so you know.

Interesting fact: Just like crawdads are in the crustacean family, so are rolley pollies. Did you know rolley pollies breathe with gills?

Moving along...

After you've pinched the tails and removed the meat, you'll need to devein the crawdad tails like you would shrimp. It is actually quite easy: Just grab the little stringy thing and pull it straight back. Tadah! The crawdad is deveined.

Two pounds of uncooked crawdads will equal this much meat. Not a whole lot, but perfect for the following recipe I adapted from Real Cajun Recipe's Crawfish Monica. Go there for even more delicious Cajun recipes!

Screwed Up Texan's Crawdad Monica

1-2 pounds of cooked crawdad tail meat

1 pound angel hair pasta (you can use any kind of pasta you prefer)

3 T real butter (but who's really counting)

1 pint or so of heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup freshly minced onion

1 medium tomato, diced

1 T minced garlic

Salt, Black Pepper, and Cajun/Creole seasoning to taste

Parmesan cheese, if desired

First heat your skillet on medium high and add the butter. Let the butter melt almost completely.

Then add the minced onion and garlic and simmer until the onions are golden and translucent.

Next, pour the pint of heavy whipping cream into the skillet. Note that I don't really ever measure my ingredients exactly hence the mason jar.

Allow the heavy whipping cream to thicken and bubble. Stir occasionally and place the heat on low. Season with salt, black pepper, and Cajun/Creole seasonings.

Add the diced tomato.

Add the crawdad tails and cook just a little more until the tails are heated.

Finally, place a mound of angel hair pasta on a plate and top with the crawdad cream sauce. Add additional seasonings to taste and top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

How to Prepare Crawdads

2009-05-21T04:00:00.001-05:00

Twitter is the answer to all my questions. Well, almost all my questions. I thought surely someone on Twitter who follows me would know how to cook crawdads. That's when I learned people are very particular on what you call crawdads.

"They're called mudbugs!"

"They're crawfish by the way."

Agh sheesh people. Then a fellow North Texan chimed in with: "Well, excuuuuuse me! They're called 'crawdads' here in North Texas."

Thank you sir, I feel much better now being reaffirmed. (I think this is where I type in "lol" or something.)

So, I followed the directions given by @gonendunit on how to cook the crawdads and they turned out spectacular. I then drew inspiration from a recipe found online to make what is called "Crawfish Monica" which I will promptly be renaming "Crawdad Monica" or "Crawdad Screwed Up Texan." However, since preparing crawdads are a little involved I am breaking the recipe into two parts: 1.) How to Prepare the Crawdads, and 2.) Crawdad Monica.

How to Prepare Crawdads

First, if your crawdads are alive like mine were, you will need to purge them. I've heard this term in the past, but it wasn't until this Twitter direct message that I learned what exactly purging means. Basically, you put the crawdads into a large bowl or bucket filled with water.

Then you add an ample amount of salt to the water and crawdads.

And then the crawdads basically puke and excrete. That is what purging means.

Grossed out yet? If not, then take the crawdads outside and rinse them off after you've purged them. You need to make sure you get all the dirt and sand off of them. You can do this without touching them by using a waterhose. Discard any dead crawdads.

Next, bring a large pot of water to a hard, rolling boil. Add your Cajun/Creole seasonings. If you cant do it yourself, like me, have your husband or wife pour the live crawdads all at once into the pot of boiling water. Cover.

Can you tell my son is happy to be cooking crawdads? I think he is going to kill me for this photograph when he gets older.

Boil exactly seven minutes. Then take out and place on ice for exactly five minutes. Times need to be exact "or the meat won't pop out of tail when you pinch bottom of tail."

Recipe Crawdad Monica coming soon. I used two pounds of uncooked crawdads.

Dreamy Creamy Cupcakes

2009-05-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

I love food...who doesn't? Every once in a while, I come across a lovely and delicious recipe that deserves a note. My oldest son was ill this last week and as I sat in the waiting room at his pediatrician's office, I saw an issue of Family Circle magazine with a photo of some lovely spring cupcakes on the front cover. After asking the receptionist, I tore the recipe out of the magazine and neatly folded it and placed it into my purse.

Then I forgot where I put the dang recipe.

I searched high and low. I checked everywhere. I blamed my kids for taking it. Then I blamed my husband. Then suddenly I had an epiphany and remembered that I had placed it into my purse, telling myself at the time that I would not forget it there.

Of course, I did not find the recipe until after I tweaked a couple other recipes I found online.

This is what I came up with:

Oh, they are oh so dreamy and creamy...my tongue coated in sprinkly delight.

So here,

Have some cheer,

Spring is near,

Get your rear in gear,

And make these dreamy, creamy cupcakes!

Ingredients:

Cake--

3 cups flour

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 c butter or margarine, softened

4 eggs

1 T vanilla

1 c milk (really good time to use that powdered milk no one will drink)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl; set aside. Using electric mixer, creme together the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Beat in flour mixture and milk, alternatively. Pour batter into lined cupcake pan and cook...well, I cant exactly remember how long...but I'd say about ten to twelve minutes. You better watch in other words. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Easy Marshmallow Frosting--

Ingredients:

3 egg whites (save the yolks for breakfast scramble)

2 1/4 cups sugar, granulated

3/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 T vanilla

few drops food coloring

3/4 cup boiling water (hint: use teapot)

Method:

Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients together except boiling water on low speed. Add boiling water, all at once, while on low speed. Turn mixer to high and continue to beat until peaks form (believe me, it will get there). Spread with spoon or pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Let your kids lick the bowl and whisk. Decorate as desired--I used sugar sprinkles and jellybellies.

It's pure, indulgent heaven. I made extra for my husband's coworkers. Celebrate spring!

Creamy Watermelon Pie

2009-05-13T18:38:00.000-05:00

It is now officially the season of Hot in Texas and to honor this unique season found in the south and southwest I have decided to introduce you to one of my favorite desserts:

Creamy Watermelon Pie.

It's full of flavor and high on nutrition. It is also high on sugar, but never mind that...it's got to taste good in order for you to eat it and therefor be good for you. I'm just sayin'.

And if you do decide to make this pie for your family, church event or other get together...I can almost guarantee you no one has heard of it. Unique...yet good it is. Perfectly chilled for a hot summer day.

Screwed Up Texan Creamy Watermelon Pie

2 cups of cubed or balled watermelon chunks. I prefer to use seedless watermelons.

1 cup sugar

1 package cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 drops of red food coloring (completely optional)

1 prepared graham cracker crust

2 cups prepared whipped cream for topping (you can also use cool whip)

Whip sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, heavy whipping cream, and food coloring together until smooth and fluffy, about two minutes.

Using a spoon or rubber spatula, fold in watermelon.

Spoon mixture into prepared graham cracker crust and top with whipped cream. Chill for at least one hour if possible or just eat right away.

You'll probably opt for eating right away.

Miracles in the Microwave

2009-05-13T12:05:00.000-05:00

My life is now complete.

I no longer need anything in this world.

I have found a miracle in the microwave.

And it involves chocolate.

My husband made a huge mistake the other day and allowed me canvas our neighborhood during our first ever Neighborhood Yard Sale. I told him I was just going to say "hello" to those that were gracious enough to get involved and introduce myself as the coordinator of our neighborhood's crime watch. Secretly though I had placed a wad of cash inside my shirt pocket and set on my path of criminal activities--buying other people's stuff.

And I scored.

I scored big time...with microware. You remember that stuff from the 80s when microwaves became popular and cookbooks became available showing you how easy it is to prepare homemade meals in the microwave? I don't. I was like totally three. Anyways, I picked up a bacon maker thing and two cupcake molds for fifty cents each while out on my excursion. It was completely liberating.

Then, after an hour...or two...of "canvassing the neighborhood" I walked home, pulled out a box of brownie mix, whipped it up and poured the batter into the microware cupcake molds. Five minutes later, I was the happy indulger of dangerously chewy brownies. Dangerous because I was only five minutes from chocolaty pleasure on my tongue.

Is your mouth watering yet?

Screwed Up Texan's Miracles in the Microwave

You'll need microware cupcake molds. You can purchase these at a second hand store or online at websites such as Ebay. I found several by typing "Anchor Hocking Muffin" in the Ebay search box. Small mugs will also work, just make sure they are microwave safe.

Line microware molds with cupcake liners for easy removal. Prepare brownie mix batter according to package directions and pour into lined mold about halfway to the top. Place into microwave and cook on HIGH for approximately 4 1/2 minutes for six brownies. Brownie is done when wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Watch carefully and do not overcook. Allow to cool in mold for 5 minutes and then remove and place onto clean plate or serving tray.

My box of brownie mix made 15 cupcakes. I made a total of 30 cupcakes and all were gone within 48 hours. I ate three. Apparently, these miracles in the microwave go really well with ice cream. Yes, my husband got me back.

Best Ever Sweet Potato Casserole

2009-05-12T13:38:00.000-05:00

It's like a pie and it's like a casserole--it is my best ever version of Sweet Potato Casserole to date! Oh my, this dessert/sidedish will have your tastebuds in heaven...and it is even better when paired with my famous (at least family famous) homemade whipped cream topping.

Welcome your mouth to sweet potato paradise: It is Home Sweet Home.

INGREDIENTS:

5 med sized cooked and peeled sweet potatoes (bake them or boil them)
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1/2 t salt
3 T butter or margerine, softened (nuke in microwave for 15 seconds)
1 egg
2 T ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 C heavy cream or whole milk (did I mention this recipe is fattening?)

Topping

1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
Marshmallows (optional)

METHOD:

Cream together the brown sugar, salt and butter or margerine with electric or stand mixer (you can use spoon, but it will take longer). Add the egg and continue to beat at med speed until the mixture reaches a whipped texture and mixture has lightened (about three minutes). Add the ground spices and blend well. Next add the sweet potato a little at a time (try cutting off portions of sweet potato). Beat in the heavy cream or whole milk and continue to beat for two minutes.

Transfer sweet potato mixture to baking dish such as a vintage pyrex baking dish or whatever suits your style. Now, mix together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon mentioned in the topping ingredient list. Sprinkle this topping mixture on top of the sweet potato mixture. Place this into preheated 375 F oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Take out and top with marshmallows and then turn heat up to 400 F and toast marshmallow for about 10 minutes.

Take out and allow to cool for ten minutes before serving with homemade whipped cream or cool whip.

Recipe for Whipped Cream:

1 c heavy whipping cream
1/2 c sugar
1 t vanilla

Whip together all ingredients until mixture forms stiff peaks (do not overbeat unless you want homemade butter). You can refridgerate mixture in a closed container for three days (or more if you live in this cheap family). Obviously, I love this whipped cream as you can see from the first photo. Who can blame me though when it tastes just like icecream!

Aguas Frescas

2009-05-12T13:36:00.000-05:00

There is nothing more relaxing, more refreshing, more fulfilling than sipping on an ice cold sweet drink after a long hard day's work in your favorite, comfy chair. Ah heck, you could just be relaxing on the beach and drinking it would be just as good. My favorite drink (sans caffeine because we all know I am a caffeine fiend) is aguas frescas homemade by me. Aguas frescas is essentially fruit juice or puree, strained and stirred into a simple syrup. Ice makes it even better.

Aguas frescas makes me feel my Hispanic heritage...even if I don't know jack about it.

My favorite way to drink these aguas frescas is with added herbs. Tamarind and cinnamon, blackberry and vanilla, cherry and hibiscus, apple and spearmint. This last week, I concocted a drink that I think beats all the others I have tried--strawberry and rosemary. I should call it strawmary or roseberry. It is a perfect blend of strawberries and syrup with a hint of minty herb.

Ah gosh dang, it's just plain delicious!

To make Strawmary/Roseberry Aguas Frescas, you will need to make a simple syrup. This is achieved by dissolving over medium heat:

1 cup water

3/4 sugar

Once the sugar and water has dissolved, you will need to add and steep over medium heat for ten minutes:

1 cup of fresh rosemary sprigs, loosely packed

Remove syrup/rosemary from heat and allow to steep while in a blender liquefying:

4 cups strawberries with up to one cup of water to help process

Once all the chunks of strawberries have pureed, blended, liquefied, whatever, get out a fine sieve such as a cheesecloth or fine wire mesh strainer and run the pureed strawberries through it. The idea is to get rid of most of the seeds. I recommend doing this in quarter amounts and rinsing the strainer out in between. Of course, you could also use a juicer, but I am too lazy to take mine out and clean it afterwards.

Once you have completed straining the seeds out of the strawberries, rinse your strainer out and grab that rosemary syrup nearby (don't use the cheesecloth, way to messy--if you don't have a strainer pick the rosemary out). Now run the syrup through the fine mesh strainer and then add the syrup to the strained strawberries.

At this point you can now add the mixture to a 2 liter pitcher and stir. Add enough cold water and ice to fill the pitcher and sweeten to taste.

Enjoy and share in the exotic delight.

Just one question: Should it be named Roseberry or Strawmary?

Cookie Pops and the Oreo Song

2009-05-12T13:35:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you cross a popsicle stick with an Oreo?

That's right! you get a cookie pop! So easy to make and decorate that even the kids can help (except I am a control freak and can't come to terms with my kids actually helping me). These treats are perfect for Easter or just as a Springtime snack. Or breakfast as the case was for me.

Ingredients

1 package of Oreos
1 package of chocolate flavored Almond Bark
Sprinkles of your choice

Method (aka how to make the temptuous things)

Stick, stab, poke, push popsicle sticks halfway into Oreo stuffing--you know, the white stuff. Melt chocolate in microwave (hey, does anyone even use a double broiler anymore?). Give it a good stir once melted. Now dip Oreos into melted chocolate, using a fork to cover any hard to reach areas. Quickly allow excess chocolate to drip off and transfer to waxpaper lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles. Sprinkle with sprinkles--I guess that's why they're called sprinkles. Anyways, once done with that, move along to the next popsicle stabbed Oreo and repeat until all Oreos are used or there is no more chocolate. Makes about 24.

Now for some fun: You know what writing about Oreos makes me think of? This:

Easy Thin Mintz

2009-05-12T13:29:00.000-05:00

Don't miss out on this classic favorite!

Did you miss the Girl Scouts this year or were you too busy wrangling kids when you saw them at the grocery store dressed up in their cute little outfits to stop and purchase some? Perhaps you're just trying to save a buck or two in this economy and skipped out buying their delicious cookies this year. Well, don't deprive yourself! Although not exactly the same, these cookies are sure to please your taste buds and soothe your comfort zone.

Ah heck! You're just not going to be able to put these babies down. Believe me, I tried...

And I miserably failed.

Easy Thin Mintz Recipe

Ingredients:

1 package plain Ritz crackers

1 cup chocolate almond bark

1 cup dark chocolate

1-2 tsp peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint oil (must use peppermint)

Method:

Melt the chocolate almond bark and dark chocolate by putting it in the microwave and stirring every 30-45 seconds. Stir in peppermint extract or peppermint oil. Dip individual Ritz crackers into chocolate, using two forks, making sure to coat the cracker completely. Personally, I just use my fingers to dip--utensils are too complicated. Allow excess chocolate mixture to drip off and place "cookie" onto wax paper to harden.

Last, but not least, engorge yourself. That's right--be a complete glutton. You know you wanna.

Now that was easy--especially the eating part.

Real Homemade Root Beer

2009-05-12T13:28:00.000-05:00

I've always enjoyed the taste of homemade root beer...the perfect pick-me-up after a hot summer day. The way it tastes on your tongue and it pops in your mouth is soothing and refreshing.

Now for the longest time my husband and I used "Root Beer Flavoring" when making this beverage which is easy enough to find at just about any grocery store. This artificial flavoring is what both my husband and I grew up on when it came to homemade root beer, and is probably what you grew up on also.

Then I discovered the real thing--sassafras root--the original flavor of root beer. And I'm tellin' ya, you've got to try it.

But first, a story from my husband's family history:

"There were three events that made me remember the summer (of 1919) so well...Mother made root beer for everyone this summer, adding a little hops as everyone did to improve the taste. One batch seemed especially good to one of the men, so he kept asking Mom for more. Mother, never dreaming that it could make him drunk, kept giving him more when he asked. To Mother's embarrassment the guy was soon laid out. She never again added hops to our root beer!"

Now that's what I call root beer!

Screwed Up Texan Root Beer

You will need to purchase Sassafras root bark. I'd tell you where I purchased mine, but you should know it is regulated by the FDA. You may be able to purchase yours from a health food store, although it may need to be special ordered. Those who are familiar with the plant can collect the root. Please, do not collect from the wild unless you know what plant you are collecting as some plants are highly toxic even in very small quantities. Now that I've covered my butt...

Method:

Make a tea using 6 cups of water and 1/8-1/4 cup of chopped, dried sassafras root bark, more or less to taste. Strain if necessary. While piping hot, add 1 cup of sugar (or other sweetener) and stir to dissolve. Add enough HOT water to make 2 quarts and pour mixture into a sturdy metal pot. Add a little dry ice to the hot sassafras tea to create carbonation. This is the part my kids love the most--watching the "fog" bubble up off the pan. When all the dry ice is melted, you can store covered in a pitcher in the refrigerator or drink at once.

Very delicious and hits the spot! Exactly what I'll need wrangling three kids at home this week since my oldest has no school over Swine Flu concerns. Hops anyone?