Monkey Bread

                               Monkey Bread
I fixed this for Christmas morning, it is perfect with coffee.
This is so good, Wendell ask me to pick them up, occasionally.


Every cook needs a break, every now and then.
I was shopping for all the ingredients to make a homemade monkey bread and spotted this in the freezer section with the frozen rolls. I don't think I will ever bother making the homemade ones again.

All you have to do is take it out of a plastic bag and heat the pan in the microwave for 2-2 1/2 minutes.

                Take out of the microwave, place a plate over, and flip.

                                              Take the pan off and walla!

                                                     So EASY, So GOOD!
If you didn't tell ,nobody would know, you didn't  make it.

                          Thank you for making my life a little easier!

Texas Potatoes

Texas Potatoes- This picture was taken before it was baked, Its wonderful with the cornflakes on the top, but there's usually somebody that doesn't like it so I leave an end without.

I made this for dinner Christmas night and I was waiting to get it on the table, so I forgot to get a cooked picture.  There were no leftovers.
This was such a hit, I'm making it for Thanksgiving this year.

Aunt Sheila Makes this at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Alma Collis use to make this at church, and I got it from her cook book, "A Third Helping Please"


Ingredients:
2-lb bag  frozen, hash brown potatoes
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz. Kraft Velveeta Cheese, cubed(or shredded  Sharp cheddar cheese)
8 oz. Daisy Sour Cream
1/2- 1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. dried chopped onions or 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. onions salt or Salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper


Topping:
2 cups Kellogg's Cornflakes, crushed or not
1/4 cup butter


Mix thoroughly all ingredients except topping. Place in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with corn flakes then dot with butter. Bake uncovered at 350 degees for 45 minutes. This can be made ahead and frozen. Just be sure to add the topping after you have thawed it.
I love onion, so I put the onion powder.

Fluff

Pink Fluff

                                                                                                   

Lynn Griffey Smith's  family always made this for Holidays it was always so good. They usually had two flavors made orange and lime when I was over.
 I call it Pink Fluff because I love the strawberry flavor.

                                                              
20 oz can Dole crushed pineapple in own juice

1 small Jell-o (Can use sugar free)

1-2 cups Kraft miniature marshmallows

16 oz. Daisy sour cream (light)

Large  Kraft cool whip

 Place mesh colander over a large bowl,Drain the juice from the pineapple using your fingers to help press the juice through.

 Pour juice into a small(2cup) microwavable dish,(reserve bowl for later use) microwave juice on high heat until boiling,(about 2 to
2  1/2  minutes add jell-o and stir until dissolved, after it has cooled a little add 1/2 of the marshmallows. If it is too hot the marshmallows will melt completely. That's why I only put half at a time. Then add the rest of marshmallows if the first cup didn't completely dissolve.

 In the reserved larger bowl fold sour cream into the cool whip, then fold in crushed pineapple, then the cooled off jell-o mixture.

Pour into pretty dish to serve from. Chill.

This is so light and refreshing.

This amount usually fills this trifle bowl almost to the top. I filled the cool whip bowl 1/2 full to take to my mother-in-laws.

She likes for me to bring her some when I prepare "Pink Fluff".
Use your imagination, try different fruit, add coconut, pecans what ever you like.

Cashew Chicken

Cashew Chicken

Just made this for dinner, It was so good. John said I should cook it more often.

4 chicken breast, skinned, boned, and cut in 1” pieces.
1 chicken bouillon sprinkled over and thoroughly mixed or salt and pepper and
1cup buttermilk, or enough to cover chicken.
Mix: Chicken seasoning and buttermilk, marinate in fridge for several hours or overnight.

Rice: Cook rice just before cooking chicken.
2 ¼   cups water
1 cup rice
½ tsp. salt
In a small boiler bring water to full boil, add salt, and rice, cover with lid, turn down to slow boil. Cook 15-20 minutes until all water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Dredge chicken in flour and fry in hot oil 355 degrees until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Sauce:
Mix 2 Tablespoons cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water, whisk into
 2 cups chicken broth (2 cups water with a chicken bouillon)
1 Tbsps. soy sauce or Dales
½ tsp. Sesame Seed Oil (optional) this is an ingredient in most Asian foods.

Bring to a boil. Whisk and make sure it is smooth. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

3 green onions washed and chopped including most of white.
2-3 cups lettuce, washed and torn into small pieces
1/3-1/2 cup cashew halves (small snack bag.)

Layer in this order:     Rice, Lettuce, green onions, Chicken, Sauce and Cashews

Green Onion Cheece Ball

Green Onion Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
2-8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2  cup       Green onions
1 tsp onion powder
1tsp. garlic salt
Cut the root ends off green onions and strip one outermost layer of onion off, if needed. rinse and pat dry. Chop onions finely. Take knife and cut through the centers of the white slices to half them.

Combine all the ingredients

Lay a piece of Saran wrap out and place mixture in the center, pull the edges up and cover, forming a ball.

I was making one for a shower, I had to make an extra one for Wendell.

Best if refrigerated overnight.

Place in the center of a plate or platter and place crackers or garlic bagel chips around.
This is also excellent with chicken in a biscuit crackers.
This cheese ball is so simple and so good. 

Momma's Macaroni and Cheese

Mamma's Macaroni and Cheese

 

                                                              

 Ingredients:

8oz. Macaroni cooked with salt and drained well.

2  slice of bread torn into 1” pieces (divided)

12 oz. sharp cheddar grated (the sharper the better)

2 large eggs

4 cups low fat or 2% milk

½ tsp salt and pepper to taste

½ stick of butter

Grease a 10x10x4 inch baking dish. Sprinkle ½  bread crumbs on the bottom.

Put half of the noodles and then half of the cheese. Put the rest of bread and noodles.  In a bowl whisk the eggs, salt,pepper and the milk. Pour over the noodles. The egg-milk should cover the noodles, if some are more than half way poking through take spoon and try to get them under the milk. If they are still poking through pour small amount of milk  until the noodles are more covered. The noodles will get hard if not covered. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bake on 350⁰  for 50 minutes. It needs to puff up and set.  Have it covered with foil until the last 10 minutes.

When taken out of the oven slice  butter into pats and wedge pats into each corner and around the edges. It will help for it not to dry out.

Momma always put the pats of butter over the top before cooking.  mine sputters and drips in the oven and causes the oven to smoke a little.

Grandma Lavender lived in Livingston, Alabama after granddaddy retired, when we would go visit she always fixed Macaroni and Cheese.

I always loved to watch momma make this at home.It was always so good, I think hers is better than mine. (same recipe)

Stroganoff Goulash

Stroganoff Goulash

                                                                                                                                                                         

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained

1 cup sour cream

1 can beefy veg. soup

2 cups noodles.  Boiled and drained.

2 beef bouillon dissolved in

1 cup water

½-1 cup whole kernel corn and any other veggies.

1 can cream of mushroom soup


Looks are deceiving. This is soo gooood!



Mix together and pour in 11x13 greased baking pan.

Cut 3-4 cups bread cubes tossed with melted butter. Arrange over the top of casserole.

Bake 350 for 30- 40 minutes. Until bread is crunchy. Do not cover before serving.

Jesse Adams made this when Ruby Motes died. It was sooo gooood, I had to get the recipe. 
Put your favorite veggies in this dish. As long as you make it beefy and put the sour cream it will be wonderful.

Nanny Margaret's Pork Chops

Nanny Margaret's

Pork  Chops                                

                                                                                                 

Pack of thin Pork Chops

 (10 Chops for my family, they like left over)
salt and Pepper
self-rising flour
wesson vegetable oil

Rinse or take a spoon and scrape the fat and shavings from when the chops were  cut.
Place in a boiler and cover with water.
Salt the water, I used 1 Tbsp.
Bring to a full boil, turn down and cook for about 10-15 minutes. They will continue to cook slightly
Let set in water until cooled down.
Just before frying,remove and set on a plate, sprinkle  lightly with salt and pepper.
dredge in flour that has been salted also.

Heat enough oil in frying pan to go up 1/2 way up the side of the pork chops.
Cook on Medium heat until flour is just golden. The chops are already cooked.
They are very tender and juicy this way.

Egg in a Hole

                                     

Egg in a hole    

My mother would make this for us on special occasions.
Thomas wanted this every weekend for breakfast, I now only
 make it for Birthdays and if you make straight A's on your report card.
It makes it more special. They especially like the toast rounds that you have with this.
This egg hasn't been flipped yet. It's hard to see the beauty of it when its flipped.

Ingredients:
Large eggs
1/2 stick butter melted in a bowl
paint or pastry brush
biscuit cutter, or jar lid
 sliced loaf bread
Non stick cooking spray

On a cutting board use the brush to apply butter to both sides of the bread. Using the biscuit cutter cut the center out of the slices of bread, one at a time.

Need frying pan on medium heat. My children love the grilled toast, so I butter several extra whole pieces and grill them on both sides until golden brown.
The pan is good and hot now.

One person wanted their egg well done, before I flip I poke the middle several times to help the yolk to cook faster. I had left it in the pan to continue to cook while I started another egg.
I don't poke the yolk on the over medium eggs.





Spray a 3-4 inch circle in the pan where the center of bread will go, place hole in bread over spray, quickly crack egg and drop it into the circle.

let the egg set and cooked about 1/2 way or a little more.
If my non - stick pan is older I spray the egg slightly on the top before I flip it. Using a spatula go under egg and flip. Cook for about 1 minute.
 Sorry it was a fast assembly line and Thomas was waiting for his Birthday breakfast. I forgot to get a plated picture.
They are best hot with bacon and hash browns.

Smashed Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes

My sister Shirley and I were talking potatoes and she told me about some smashed potatoes she ate at a restaurant, it gave me the idea for these potatoes.

 They are very quick to fry up.

My sons love potatoes and these disappear quickly.

Ingredients:

6  small to medium russet potatoes

light oil
onion powder
garlic salt

Pierce potatoes with a fork or knife.
Cook Potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for an hour, with a potholder squeeze the largest potato, it should indent easily if ready.
Let cool, peel skin off.

On a cutting board mash the potatoes down with the palm of your hand until flattened. The flatter the potatoes the crispier it will cook.
Drizzle oil in frying pan. Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.
Over Medium to Medium High heat, heat the oil, when hot, lift potatoes off of cutting board with large spatula, and set in the oil.
Sprinkle top with onion and garlic salt.

after about 2 minutes use spatula to go under potato making sure its not stuck to pan.

When it's as brown as you prefer, flip,
sprinkle seasoning on second side and continue to cook until this side is golden brown.
drain on paper towels.
Garlic powder will burn easily. If it looks like the flecks in the pan are to brown, wipe out with several paper towels, making sure not to burn yourself.
add small amount of oil to the pan and continue with the rest of the potatoes.

Instead of smashing, sometimes I just slice the potatoes, this works well also.

Fudge Log

Fudge Log

I took a candy class at Sherry's Cake Shop about 23 years ago. She taught us how to make some of the most delicious candy's, but the best part is, they are so quick and easy to make.
This Fudge Log only takes a few minutes to prepare. It does have to set for a little while before cutting.
It has a very creamy texture, and its sweet but not too sweet.

                                                       

Ingredients:

1 lb. melting  (milk) chocolate wafers

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1-2 cups  chopped pecans

I use a bread pan and lay a piece of plastic wrap that’s 2 feet long across the short width of the pan and there is a lot of wrap hanging out on both sides. This pan was a little wider than some so I had to lay 2 pieces of wrap to cover the entire pan. It is VERY IMPORTANT to have the pan ready.

Melt the chocolate in a large bowl for 1 ½ minutes. The bowl will be pretty warm if you can stir the chocolate it will continue to welt. If its not melted enough continue to microwave 30 second increments, stirring after each.

Stir, if melted add milk and stir hard and fast, add pecans. Stir harder and faster. When the milk hits the chocolate it instantly starts to harden. Its important to work quickly. Dump in the pan and smooth the best you can. Take extra wrap that’s hanging out and cover the top of the fudge. Let set.  Can put in freezer or fridge to set faster. Slice in 1” sections. Then slice into small pieces. I keep this in the freezer until I need it. It will keep for months. Its great if you have unexpected guest.

I was in a hurry and bought the log cabin melting chocolate at Walmart. It is not as good a quality as the chocolate that you get at the cake shops or at Michael's.

I saw a lady on TV make this recipe with chocolate chips. She used 1 cup milk chocolate and 2 cups semi-sweet chips.

With living so far out I like to have back up plans when I need to switch products.

If anyone gets a chance to use the chips before I do, Let me know how it turned out.

Rocky Road

Add miniature marshmallows, almonds.
Make it your own. Put your favorite things in and make it unique.

Peanut Butter Fudge

1lb. Butterscotch wafers

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup peanut butter (Smooth or Crunchy)
can add salted peanuts.

Praline Pecans

Praline Pecans

This recipe was given to me by a friend. She got it from a local Pecan Co.This is an easy recipe to make and they are good.
They were called Cinnamon Pecans. They are more like pralines to me.
Check out my other Cinnamon Pecans recipe if you like Cinnamon, they are really good. 


Ingredients:
1/4 cup Evaporated Milk
1 cup sugar
4 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons water
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except pecans

Place in medium saucepan, over medium heat, stirring until all sugar is dissolved.

Stir in pecans, continue to stir pecans slowly to keep from burning.

Cook until pecans are completely sugared with No Syrup Left in the saucepan. This takes about 10-15 minutes.They got difficult to stir when they were ready.

Quickly spread pecans on wax or parchment paper, separating them with 2 forks and then let them cool.

Using same pan you can repeat as often as desired. My friend makes 3-4 batches at a time.

Spicy Berrydale Grits

Spicy
Berrydale
 Grits

These are really good for brunch or they go well with fish or any seafood.


8 cups water
2 cups Quick Grits
1 stick butter
1tsp. Papa Gators Creole Seasoning
1/2 lb. Conecuh County Smoked Sausage(Mild or Spicy)
1or 2 cans Rotel Tomatoes (mild or spicy)
8 oz. cheddar cheese- grated or Velveeta- cubed

Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan. Stir in grits,
and butter. Cover and simmer over low heat about 7 minutes.

Add Rotel Tomatoes and Papa Gators Seasoning. Sometimes I put 1 can of tomatoes, sometimes I put 2, Its just what your in the mood for. Create and make it your own recipe.

Add Sausage, stir until well combined. Turn to medium heat until it boils, stirring occasionally.

lower temperature to simmer for 10 minutes. Check the sausage to make sure it is done.

Add the cheese, stir until fully incorporated. Turn the burner off or on the lowest setting, stirring often to make sure not to scorch. 

This is really good the next day reheated.