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Showing posts with the label Southern

Southern Spoonbread

Southern Sweet Corn Spoonbread is a century-old Southern comfort food that has graced the tables across the South.     SOUTHERN SWEET CORN SPOONBREAD The Southern Spoonbread recipe is a classic Southern side dish.  It is creamy, moist cornbread that is more like a cornmeal-based souffle or delicate cornbread pudding.   This Sweet Corn Spoonbread is a quick and easy side dish. To make it, combine everything in a bowl, stir, and bake. It is a favorite around my house. We look forward to having it every year on our Easter menu. The recipe also works well for weeknight menus. It starts off with a box of Jiffy cornbread mix, then two kinds of corn, butter, eggs, and sour cream, simply delicious.

Raspberry Coffee Cake

Raspberry Coffee Cake in the morning will start your day off to a fabulous start.  Serve it anytime for dessert, an afternoon snack, or my favorite breakfast. RASPBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE The recipe is based on my Very Blueberry Coffee Cake, switching out with fresh raspberries, butter, sugar, eggs, and sour cream and sprinkled with a coarse finishing sugar. I grew up with something sweet on the table all the time because my mother had a charming sweet tooth, which she passed on to her four daughters.    Mother was an amazing baker.  Even though I learned from her, I wish I had written down more of her recipes and paid more attention when she baked.

Mama's Southern Baked Beans

Thick and rich with just the right amount of sweetness, these baked beans are a perfect side dish for whatever you cook up for your next gathering.   CLASSIC SOUTHERN BAKED BEANS Mother's easy to make baked beans are just that,  EASY.  This classic dish has canned pork n' beans, onions, bell pepper, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, and the star, Bacon.   I could not post my mother's Potato Salad recipe (previous post) without posting her Southern Baked Beans recipe, also.  Like the potato salad recipe, I have had this one in my head for years too. I watched my mother make her potato salad and baked beans a gazillion times, and I don't remember her making one without the other, but I suspect that there were times when she did. I know what the ingredients are in her baked beans, but I am not sure about the exact amount of the ingredients each time. 

Nutella Sweet Rolls

Nutella Sweet Rolls recipe follows a similar process to cinnamon rolls. They start with a soft, pillowy dough and are filled with the star of the recipe, Nutella, then iced with vanilla icing. Nutella Heavenly Sweet Rolls These ooey gooey sweet rolls are the most decadent breakfast treats you could ever imagine, either for breakfast or,  like at my house, for dessert. Nutella is an absolute favorite with my grandchildren, so I thought making Nutella Sweet Rolls would be appropriate for Valentine's breakfast or, why not, dessert :). These soft, sweet, fluffy sweet rolls are hassle free.   They only take 30 minutes to rise once, so you can spend your time making other special delicacies for your special day. As you see, these rolls are amazing plain, but to give them an additional gooeyness, I iced them with a rich buttery, vanilla icing.  A thin coat gives them a glorious shine and divine gooeyness. If you can't resist these sweet rolls, just take a look at these  sweet rolls an

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

  Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is simple to prepare and has as much flavor as a whole turkey.  Start with a bone in, skin on, and use the same seasonings, but the secret to the juiciest meat is the brining. CROCKPOT TURKEY BREAST This Crockpot Turkey Breast recipe is an excellent addition to serve extra white meat for your Thanksgiving meal, which my family loves.  We always run out of white meat, but not anymore. My recipe for Crockpot Turkey Breast is straightforward, with only 3 ingredients, turkey, poultry seasoning, and butter, that's it.  It turns out moist and flavorful every time.   Whether cooking a whole turkey or a turkey breast, the leftovers are always my favorite.   I love making turkey sliders, sandwiches, turkey soup, and my new recipe for turkey bubble up, which uses this year's leftovers.

Waldorf Salad

The Waldorf Salad recipe is straightforward and delicious and can be made with ingredients from your pantry.  It is ready in 15 minutes and easy for family gatherings or potlucks.    Granny's Classic Waldorf Salad I have been making this classic Waldorf Salad recipe for the holidays and special occasions for years. The recipe comes from my Mother.  It is one of my favorite recipes growing up. The original Waldorf Salad was introduced on March 14, 1893, at the Waldorf Istoria Hotel in New York by the first executive chef for a charity ball and became an instant success.  In years since, the original recipe, which consisted of apples, celery, and mayonnaise, has taken on more additions.

Hamburger Soup

Hamburger Soup is warming and satisfying, loaded with vegetables.  Ideal comfort food on cold nights. HERTY HAMBURGER VEGETABLE SOUP This Hearty Hamburger Vegetable Soup recipe is a simple and hearty soup made with lean ground beef, various vegetables, and a delicious beef broth. Soup season is in full swing here in East Texas. I couldn't be more excited.  On weeknights, I like to make a soup that takes little time and ingredients that I keep in my kitchen, but on the weekends, I want to do the long and slow method. Growing up, ground beef was one of the less expensive meats to feed a family.  I remember my mother would make Hamburger Soup several times in the winter months.   To get a few more servings, she would stretch the recipe by adding mini pasta shells.   This ground beef soup is hearty and chunky, loaded with delicious vegetables and plenty of juices for a chunk of cornbread to soak them up.   Also, It is a versatile soup in that you can play around with the vegetables and

Simple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Simple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad will elevate a meal for Kings or refresh a family potluck dinner.  The perfect salad with only six ingredients, including the creamy, tangy dressing. BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER SALAD WITH CREAMY DRESSING My recipe for delicious Broccoli Cauliflower Salad is simple and quick to make, full of fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets, julienne red onions, and tossed in a dressing you want to drink.   Growing up, anytime we had a big gathering, Mother would cook the biggest meal, and the whole family would come.   Recipes like this classic Broccoli Cauliflower Salad totally remind me of those days of the love and care my Mother took in hosting all the family and celebrating us. Just like Mother, I keep this salad as simple as possible.  My family loves this salad year-round, especially around the holidays.   This brings up Thanksgiving around the corner, always a favorite.   I know this salad will become one of yours, too.

Oven Smoked Brisket

Oven Smoked Brisket is tender meat that tastes like it has been smoked in a smoker for hours.  You don't need a smoker to enjoy this mouthwatering oven smoked brisket. Beef Brisket Smoked In The Oven The best Texas style brisket is tender without falling apart while slicing, and it has that thick layer of smoky, peppery bark surrounding each slice.  This recipe meets all of those standards. Brisket was a new cut of meat, you might say, at our house growing up as a teenager. When my mother first started cooking brisket, she would cook them in the oven at first, and then, when she got a smoker, she started smoking them. The best part about my mother cooking brisket was not how she cooked them but how she selected the one to buy. The briskets you buy in Texas are usually known as a packer cut—this means that it’s the entire chest muscle, and most of the time covered with a generous layer of fat and weighs anywhere from seven to eleven pounds. 

Very Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry muffins are made with simple, straightforward ingredients and bursting with fresh blueberries.  To taste even better, they are topped with a sweet streusel topping. Classic Blueberry Crumble Muffins These classic blueberry muffins are always a welcomed treat for breakfast or an easy grab and go snack.  They are so easy to make you will be making them often. These are my husband's favorite muffins.  So much so that I decided to update the recipe and add a streusel topping to them.  They are extra fluffy, soft, and moist.  Just like the ones you get in a bakery.   If you are a fan of these blueberries, try my recipe for  Very Blueberry Breakfast Cake ,  Lemon Blueberry Squash Bread , and  Blueberry Scones .

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes

Chocolate Chip Pancakes with mini chocolate chips are sure to please everyone for a special occasion or any day.   These melt in your mouth chocolate chip pancakes are rich, buttery, light, and fluffy, and incredibly easy to make.  Top them with whipped cream, and fresh fruit, then drizzle them with warm pure maple syrup. Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes If you want to wow your guests with big smiles on their faces, tell them you are making Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes for breakfast. We love pancakes at our house, but when special occasions come, we pull out all the stops. Birthdays and sleepovers are some of our favorites. My buttermilk chocolate chip pancakes are fluffy, sweet pancakes with the tang of buttermilk seeping through, giving them the perfect morning dream come true. What I love about making pancakes is there are no crazy ingredients to come up with.  I mostly just need to make sure my buttermilk is fresh.  I use full fat buttermilk in my pancake recipe, yieldin

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are a fast and easy recipe that is perfectly sweet with brown sugar and loaded with oatmeal. Oatmeal No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies This is a classic cookie recipe for those who can't have or just prefer not to eat chocolate. These Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are a version of the famous  Chocolate No Bake Cookies  using cocoa powder that I grew up eating in the 50s.  I am especially a fan of no bake cookies during the summer months.  Not having to turn the oven on is a big plus. They always satisfy the craving for something sweet.  I love the moist, chewy texture and rich peanut butter flavor that just takes minutes to make, and the hardest part is waiting for them to set up so you can eat them. When my children were small, I would give them a spoon to scrape the sides of the pan and get all that yummy peanut butter mixture.

Hearty Split Pea Soup with Leftover Hambone

Hearty Split Pea Soup is made with a meaty hambone, generous carrots, onions, and celery, yielding a flavorful broth.  It is easy to make on the stovetop, but I have added a slow cooker and instant pot option. Split Pea Soup It is soup weather, and Split Pea is one of my personal favorites.  It's so easy to make, and what better time to use the hambone leftover from the holidays?  There is so much flavor from the bone and meat I always save it for later when I cook beans or collards . This soup recipe is all about going back to my childhood using old fashioned ingredients you have in your kitchen.  The split peas are cheap, and you already have your hambone. The carrots and celery are also inexpensive, a delicious humble soup. I use fresh thyme, a couple of bay leaves, chicken stock, or vegetable stock to elevate the flavor.   WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE?  TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR Split PEA SOUP  Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and coo

Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake

Warm gingerbread cake baked in a skillet on top of a sweet mixture of caramelized pears and flipped over to a stunning presentation, fancy enough for a Thanksgiving dessert. Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake The pairing of gingerbread and pears brings this cake to the forefront for the fall.   The pears hold up really well and play nicely with the cake's warm spices. Upside down cakes are famous here in the south, pineapple being the most traditional.    This Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake tastes and looks impressive and is made using a simple shortcut to save time and effort in the kitchen. The cake is moist and dense, just like I like it.  Usually, gingerbread cakes get better with age, but you will want to eat this cake in a day or two since the pears begin to soften.   The structure of the pears changes when cooked more than other fruits used in upside down cakes, such as pineapple, peaches, and apples. Serve thick slices of cake at a dinner party dessert or as an indulgent

Epic! Pumpkin Roll Bread Pudding

My love for a pumpkin roll and bread pudding is the inspiration for the recipe.   The flavors of fall spices in the tender pumpkin roll cake and the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting are the beginning of an epic bread pudding.     Pumpkin Roll Bread Pudding  The bread pudding takes on a whole new level of deliciousness using a pumpkin roll cake cut up into cubes, and to add more richness, a pumpkin puree custard is poured over all the cubes.  It is served with the Ultimate Custard Sauce, made with a secret ingredient.  

Jumbo Banana Carrot Muffins

Banana Carrot Muffins are a cross between banana bread and carrot cake, all the cozy ingredients that make this breakfast treat so delightful. Banana Carrot Muffins The recipe for these banana carrot muffins is packed with a full cup of bananas and 2 cups of shredded carrots, enhanced with brown sugar and a tiny bit of cinnamon and cardamom, yielding a light, fluffy and moist muffin. I love muffins of any kind for grabbing a quick snack on the go, and when they have healthy ingredients, it is a bonus.   We have been enjoying these Banana Carrot Muffins for breakfast each morning since I made them.  With the weather getting cooler, I think they would be a warm cozy accompaniment to a cup of tea in the afternoon. These Banana Carrot Muffins are delicious out of the oven or reheated after freezing.

Baked Lasagna Stuffed Peppers

Lasagna Stuffed Peppers are full of rich Italian flavors, such as lean ground beef seasoned with fresh oregano and basil and sauteed in a marinara sauce.  And layered with a mixture of ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese, all packed in sweet and colorful bell pepper. LASAGNA STUFFED PEPPERS Two classic hearty dishes come together to make a comforting meal.  With just 20 minutes of prep work, you can sit back and relax as these stuffed peppers bake. Any time I can make a dish that takes little time or no time at all to make, I am thrilled.  That's how I feel about these Lasagna Stuffed Peppers. Everything is cooked and then assembled just before going into the oven.   The marinara meat sauce can be made the day before.   A lovely weeknight meal made for busy cooks.

Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes

These air fryer green tomatoes deliver a crunchy outside with a smooth succulent inside.  The perfect summer food you will ever devour.   Fried Green Tomatoes The air fryer is the perfect way to cook fried green tomatoes.  I like to call them healthified fried green tomatoes.  To finish them off, you can sprinkle a generous drop of coarse salt, salty capers, or a few drops of hot sauce. To make air fryer green tomatoes, start with medium size unripe tomatoes.   I like to use light green tomatoes that are pale green and have a little pink coming through the skin.  They are not quite so sour.   Don't make the mistake of choosing green heirloom tomatoes.  Green heirloom tomatoes are fully ripe tomatoes, a different variety of tomatoes. I love combining self=rising cornmeal and panko for the coating, and of course, don't forget to double dip to get the most delicious, crunchy outside, divine.

Southern Sweet Iced Tea Made in A French Press

Southern Iced Sweet Tea Made in a French Press is a quick and easy way to make tea using tea bags or loose tea since it strains automatically after steeping.   SOUTHERN SWEET TEA A French press is not just for coffee; it is so adaptable even for Southern sweet tea. I love sweet tea, and the stronger, the better.  When I think of a French press, I think of making strong coffee, but one day, I thought, why not tea. I have used my French press to make my tea for the last couple of years.  I pour the boiling water over the tea bags, let them steep for 4 or 5 minutes, and pour in my tea pitcher with a cup of sugar.   This summer, though, I have been adding the sugar to the French press, pouring the hot water over it, giving it a couple of stirs, adding the tea bags, and then pushing the plunger down just below the water to steep, oh my so good.

Crisp Blistered Okra Recipe

Crisp Blistered Okra Recipe is a simple and fast okra dish that is crunchy, flavorful, and not at all slimy.  Some like it better than fried. There is nothing like fresh okra in the summertime.  I love okra any way you can cook it, but blistered okra could become my favorite way to eat it. This okra is super easy to make and takes very little prep work.  What keeps the okra crisp and does not release its juices which can be gummy, is to not add any water (liquid) when cooking the okra.   Another tip is to heat the avocado oil, firing hot but not burning, and then add the okra.  This renders the crisp outside to the okra and a tender inside.  This is also how I cook mushrooms, which makes a great compliment to the okra.   Once the okra is cooked, stop stirring it.  Continuing to stir the okra will change the texture of the okra, which is why it is best to cook the okra just before serving. The seasoning is straightforward, salt and pepper with a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Montreal ste