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Showing posts with the label Southern

Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe

Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe, the classic cake for a Fall dessert.  A soft, tender pumpkin chiffon cake filled with pillowy cream cheese filling, then rolled up in a jelly roll fashion and chilled before slicing.    Pumpkin Roll Recipe Take advantage of serving this eye catching, gorgeous dessert at your next Thanksgiving gathering. The recipe has few ingredients and is simple to make. Pumpkin Roll Cake is one of my favorite pumpkin desserts.  Although I have not made many of them, I have eaten plenty.  If they are served for dessert, I make sure that I have a slice to enjoy.   While Pumpkin Roll Cake may seem challenging, I can guarantee they are effortless,  so be confident. I can give you a tip that has improved how you roll the pumpkin roll.  Roll the pumpkin roll in parchment paper instead of a cool light towel dusted with powdered sugar. Which I used to do years ago, and the new way is much easier.

How To Make Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes Recipe

Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes, sweet little potatoes crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside with a generous sprinkle of coarse salt.  There is nothing complicated or fussy about them–– just easy.   My household agrees that potatoes are one of the most delicious, adaptable, and affordable foods on the planet.  Mashed, fried, roasted, and baked––they take them any way they can get them.   I must say, though, these Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes hit the high marks for richness.

Granny's Green Beans and New Potatoes

Fresh Green Beans and New Potatoes are a simple side dish full of flavors from the garden: homegrown green beans  and the first crop of new potatoes.   Old School Green Beans And New Potatoes Growing up, we could not wait for the first crop of green beans and potatoes to come out of the garden. Fresh vegetables are the best if they are fresh out of the garden, and you cannot beat them.  I love Fresh Green Beans and New Potatoes cooked with ham or bacon. This is another side dish that Mother would make by cooking a pan of cornbread, slicing onions and tomatoes, and calling it a meal.

Easy Jello Peach Icebox Pie

Easy Jello Fresh Peach Pie, three ingredients make a fresh peach filling, and a homemade buttery pecan shortbread crust will create a no bake icebox pie you see in your beloved diners.  Be sure to use fresh peaches. Peach Icebox Pie There is no need to heat up the oven with this dreamy peach icebox pie, featuring a nutty crust.   If you love peaches as much as I do and can not bring yourself to turn the oven on for a fresh peach cobbler , lattice top peach pie , this foolproof no bake pie is the perfect summertime solution. The best part of this fresh peach icebox pie is you can make it in the morning and serve it by dinnertime, or you can make it a day ahead before serving it. For an easy crust with a taste of a pecan sandie, I use my  no fail buttery shortbread crust recipe  and add 1/4 cup of toasted minced pecans.   There are only three ingredients in this nutty pie crust, yet it gives your favorite icebox pies a familiar sweet and salty combinatio...

Pork Belly Baked Beans

 Pork Belly Baked Beans, pork and beans enhanced with a glorious slab of pork belly chunks, rich molasses, chopped onions, bell pepper, and ever so slight sprinkle of red pepper flakes deliver these traditional baked beans to an umami adventure.  These Pork Belly Baked Beans are one of the most delicious ways to enjoy pork belly and baked beans, simply delicious. I made a spin on my traditional  Southern Baked Beans for the recipe for the bacon; I switched for a slab of pork belly that I cut up into 1/2-inch chunks.  The pork and beans need to be drained really well to start off with. And the pork belly needs to cook low and slow until done and golden brown, stirring and watching closely not to burn.  If you try to cook it faster, it will present chewy and dry results.

Baked Ham and Angel Biscuit Sliders

Baked Ham and Angel Biscuits Sliders, a country smoked ham sandwiched between a fluffy buttermilk biscuit.  These are perfect appetizer to serve at parties.     This time of the year makes me think of all the ways to serve Baked Country Ham and Angel Biscuit Sliders, Easter Brunch, Mother's Day Brunch, Graduation Parties, Bridesmaid Brunch,  and the list goes on and on.

Lemon Bars Recipe

Old Fashioned Lemon Bars are the quintessential southern dessert at teas, luncheons, and showers.  The only recipe you will ever need, a simple, straightforward method.   My Lemon Bars sings the praises of spring coming.  They are so easy to make and are bursting with so much lemon goodness. After you make my recipe, you will not want to go back to store bought or packaged ones again.   My recipe uses a buttery shortbread cookie crust and a rich tangy sweet lemon curd filling. The combination is amazing.

Copper Pennies {Carrots} Recipe

Copper Pennies Carrots, a vintage salad recipe, are mainly known as Marinated Carrots, Sweet and Sour Carrots, but we affectionately referred to them as Magic Carrots.  Perfect for the holidays, potlucks, and even an elegant dinner. Magic Carrot Salad All the magic happens in these carrots when they are marinated in a sweet and sour mixture overnight, yielding a delightful taste of my childhood. Magic Carrots are a unique side dish that brings memories of my childhood.   Back in the day when I was growing up, it seemed mother would bring these carrots out around the time spring came; to me, they screamed Easter.  

Super Easy Homemade Marshmallows

Homemade Marshmallows have become the gourmet confection of the decade.  And it is no surprise that only a few ingredients are needed to make this candy. Not only do homemade marshmallows taste 100% better than store bought, they are also easy to cut into any size.   With Easter around the corner, using cutters in the shape of eggs, bunnies, little chickens, and tulips will wow your children.  

Homemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust

Homemade Pie Crust is made with a few simple ingredients, such as flour, butter, shortening, and salt.  This recipe is so forgiving that you will never use another recipe again. PERFECT HOMEMADE PIE CRUST Deliciously tender and buttery, our pie crusts are easy to make and perfect for even the most experienced cooks or if you are making your first pie crust. Transform your holiday dessert table with these simple delights! Homemade Pie Crust can seem daunting if you have never made it.  At least, that is how I felt the first time I wanted to make a pie using homemade crust.   I promise you that it will get easier and more comfortable the more you make it homemade. As my mother used to say, "Practice makes perfect."   For years, I used to make my homemade pie crust with just shortening, and I still do occasionally, but I find the added butter gives the pie crust an excellent, rich taste.   In my early years in home economics, "now you know how old I ...

Perfectly Cooked Eye Of Round Roast

Perfectly Cooked Eye of Round Roast, tender round roast generously sprinkled with a mixture of salt and pepper, forming a crust to hold in all the juices.  The roast is the star of the recipe, so no other ingredients are necessary to create the most succulent meat. Eye of round roast is a lean, inexpensive cut that comes from the hip and hind legs.  Often sold as a roast, steaks for marinating, and referred to the round when buying ground round hamburger.   I definitely recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure not overcooking the eye of round roast.  Overcooking the roast past medium-well will result in the meat being tough.

Canadian Bacon & Gruyere Egg Cups

Canadian Bacon & Gruyere Egg Cups only have three ingredients to make a simple but fancy breakfast recipe for special occasions or weekend brunch. Canadian Bacon Egg Cups These Canadian Bacon Egg Cups are cooked in cups of Canadian Bacon with a sprinkle of Gruyere cheese in between.  They are an inviting breakfast dish and an ideal low-carb option. These Canadian Bacon & Gruyere Egg Cups are great if you are on a low carb, keto, or gluten-free diet.  Canadian bacon is lower in calories than bacon, making it Weight Watcher friendly, too.   The Canadian bacon is crispy around the egg whites, with the egg yokes runny, making them inviting to dip with toast strips.   On weekends, when the whole family is here, I like to make big pans of breakfast food so everyone can eat at the same time. I love to make Canadian bacon & Gruyere Cups with a pan of country potatoes and a bowl of fresh fruit salad. The perfect breakfast!

Hatch Chili Pepper Cornbread

Hatch Pepper Cornbread ,  spicy, robust flavor from hatch chili peppers in classic cornbread gives a smooth heat rather than a kick.  The difference in the taste profile is due to the soil and climate in which the chili peppers are grown. HATCH MEXICAN CORNBREAD This Hatch Mexican Cornbread is embellished with sharp cheddar cheese, buttermilk, and the star of the recipe, hatch chili peppers. Every year, I look forward to the Hatch Chili Pepper season. It starts around the first of August and lasts until the end of September, but depending on the weather, the season can run shorter or longer. All the buzz about the Hatch Chili Pepper comes from its distinct flavor, which is smoky and sweet yet still packed with some heat without being too spicy, like the jalapeno pepper. Right now, my local grocery stores are showcasing all the ways to enjoy the Hatch Chili Peppers, from using them in salsa to adding them to ice cream.

Old Fashioned Doughnuts

Old-fashioned doughnuts , just like Grandma used to make,  are  easy and straightforward.   The dough is very forgiving and easy to work with.  One of the ingredients will surprise you, yielding a texture nothing short of perfection. CAKE DOUGHNUTS HOLES Cake doughnuts are leavened with baking powder, rather than yeast. These have the ideal texture, just like the ones you remember.  And they are perfect for just cutting out the doughnut holes when you want a mini version. Have you ever wanted to make old fashioned doughnut from scratch that does not take all day in the kitchen to make?   That's me...I like to get up early on a Saturday morning and whip up a batch of cake doughnuts, just like the bakery down the street, before everyone gets up.    I learned from Ashley Strickland Freeman, the author of The Duke's Real Mayonnaise Cookbook, that she also enjoys making homemade doughnuts on Saturday mornings.  Ashley reached out to me t...

Turnip Hash Browns

Turnip Hash Browns are an excellent low carb side dish and the perfect substitute for potatoes.  Make them in an air fryer or roast them in the oven, seriously delicious, not to mention keto friendly. Turnip Hash Browns This recipe offers a twist on the traditional breakfast hash browns, and although the ingredient of turnips may be somewhat intriguing, I hope you will give them a try.  Turnip Hash Browns are a yummy addition to any meal, not just breakfast.   I have always enjoyed turnips cooked with turnip greens, but I have played around with roasting them in the oven and cooking them in the air fryer as an alternative to potatoes in recent years.   I prefer to peel them and cut them into small cubes rather than shredding them.   I keep it simple and toss them in a little drizzle of olive oil or avocado oil and sprinkle your favorite seasonings on them.  If you would like to cook them in the air fryer, simply spray a little avocado oil on...

Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting is   the ultimate Southern dessert for any special occasion or a delightful dinner with family.   Fresh Homemade Strawberry Cake I often think of strawberry cake around Mother's Day. It possesses a certain charm, richness, softness, and sweetness that remind me of mothers.   This Fresh Strawberry Cake is a little different from my Mother's heirloom recipe she made when I was growing up in the '50s.   She made the cake from a white cake mix, strawberry jello, and a carton of frozen strawberries in their juice. The frosting was made with butter, powdered sugar, and a little of the frozen strawberries that give the glorious pink color, beautiful! In recent years, cake mixes have become increasingly smaller, making it more challenging to achieve the full volume of the original recipe in the cake batter. I began to see other recipes adding additional flour, sugar, and milk to the recipe, so I...

Pineapple Casserole

Pineapple Casserole, a sweet Southern casserole that can be served as a side dish or dessert at Easter on many Southern tables without a doubt.   It is made with canned pineapple, flour and sugar, sharp cheddar cheese, and topped with crushed Ritz crackers. Southern Pineapple Casserole This pineapple casserole with cheddar cheese is a classic that has been a staple on the tables of Southerners for untold years.   Who would have thought that pineapple, cheddar cheese, and Ritz crackers combined would make a remarkable, delicious dish only in the South?

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Whole Roasted Cauliflower,  a delicious side dish that is meaty and filling enough it could hold center stage as a meatless main dish. Cauliflower has become one of our favorite vegetables.  I have always broken the cauliflower into flowerets and roasted them with a little olive oil and seasonings.  After seeing several recipes come across Instagram, I was so intrigued by roasting a whole cauliflower I had to give it try. The key to getting a tender succulent return on roasting a whole cauliflower is to cook it in butter with fragrant spices and herbs before roasting.  This will cut down on the roasting time and lends a beautiful sauce to serve over the cauliflower cut into glorious steaks.

Summer Vegetable Gratin

Summer Vegetable Gratin, four simple vegetables layered in a gratin fashion on a bed of sauteed sliced onions then topped with a mixture of buttery breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese.   With summer overload of squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and eggplant, I like to make a lovely Vegetable Gratin.  The vegetables bake into a tender bubbly casserole, rendering them into a vibrant melody of summertime freshness. The vegetables are beneficial to using uniform size, so the gratin cooks evenly and not yielding too much moisture.  Also, the larger the vegetables, the larger the seeds. In the recipe, I use fresh Roma tomatoes, straight neck squash, slender zucchini, and mini Japanese eggplants.  At the last minute, I scattered a few garlic pods in and around the vegetables to enhance the flavors.

Summer Peach and Cherry Salad

Summer Peach and Cherry Salad with Fresh Collard Ribbons and Feta, an elegant salad showcasing fresh seasonal stone fruit.  A beautiful combination of sweet peaches and fresh cherries with the salty taste of feta on a bed of tender collard ribbons. Peach and Cherry Salad On A Bed of Fresh Collard Ribbons This Peach and Cherry Salad is lite and fresh with red onions and a sprinkle of feta on my favorite bed of leafy greens and tender collard ribbons.   Capturing the last of the peach season here in Texas.  We have eaten a ton of peaches this year.   Our favorite orchard is winding down, as well as our local Sams.   The salad is then drizzled with a simple White Balsamic Vinaigrette.