Home Cooking Kitchen

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2009-10-25T18:36:00.001-04:00

No one can resist this warm, homemade favorite!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
pineapple rings
maraschino cherries
yellow cake batter (from scratch or box)

Melt butter in a cast iron skillet. You could also use a glass baking dish or non stick cake pan. Swirl butter in the pan to coat. Sprinkle brown sugar into the butter. Line skillet with pineapple rings with a cherry in each center. Pour cake batter over pineapples.

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges and allow to cool. Place a large plate over the top of the skillet and flip upside down. Remove skillet and viola! Pineapple upside down cake! Yum!

Pulled Pork Barbeque Sandwiches

2009-08-12T21:25:00.000-04:00

Home made slow cooked traditional southern style succulent pulled pork barbeque. Need I say more?

Pulled Pork Barbeque Sandwiches

5 lb or more bone-in fresh pork picnic roast
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
Paprika
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Barbeque sauce
Fresh wheat rolls, halved and toasted
Mayonnaise
Claussen pickles, diced

Generously sprinkle the pork with all of the seasonings on all sides. Place the roast in a roasting pan with a lid, fat side up. Cook at 275 degrees for about 1 1/4 hours per pound or until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to set until cool enough to work with.

Use forks (no knife should be needed) to separate sections of meat away from the bone. Discard fat. Place meat into a large bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart into shreds. While you are shredding the meat, have some barbeque sauce heating in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir when necessary. When all the meat is shredded and the sauce is heated through, mix the two together to lightly coat the meat. Only about 2 TBS sauce per 1 cup pulled pork is needed.
To assemble sandwiches, spread mayonnaise on rolls, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of barbeque pork, and top with diced pickles. Serve with kettle chips, cole slaw, potato salad, sliced tomatoes, and/or fresh tossed salad.
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Soft Shell Crab

2009-07-31T22:58:00.002-04:00

OMG I found a place where you can order soft shell crabs!

Linton's Seafood

1/2 dozen soft shell crabs for as low as 20 bucks... that's $3.33 per crab. Not bad, not bad at all - especially if you have ever had good soft shell crab. When its done right, oh, its sooo done right. My favorite is deep fried, but sauteed scampi style is a very close second!

Fried Soft Shell Crab

2 soft shell crabs per person
flour
buttermilk
cracker meal
oil

Thaw the crab if not fresh. Pat dry with paper towel. Dredge in flour for a thin coating. Dip in buttermilk, then cracker meal, then buttermilk again, then cracker meal. You could also use panko breadcrumbs if you like it crunchy. Deep fry in 350 degree oil until golden brown. Get creative on your plate presentation, too!

Sauteed Soft Shell Crab Scampi

2 soft shell crabs per person
salt and pepper
oil
1 small onion, diced
2 TBS garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup stock (shrimp stock is best)
2 TBS butter
parsley

Thaw crabs if not raw. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Saute onions for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and crabs. Saute 3 minutes. Add lemon juice, wine, and stock. Reduce to almost 1/2 the liquid, should take about 6 minutes. Add butter. After butter is melted, add lots of chopped parsley. Serve over linguine, if desired.

And you might want to check out this option:
Soft Shell Crab BLT with Lemon Pepper Mayonaise
Oh no they didn't!!!

Key Lime Cookies

2009-07-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

These lime cookies are really great for summer, but the green tint makes them a unique addition to the Christmas cookie assortment. Everything else is so sweet, but these cookies have a twist of tart, fresh lime.

Key Lime Cookies

Cookie:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
Zest of 1/2 of a lime
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
Green decorating sugar

Icing:
Zest of 1/2 of a lime
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
1 TBS maple syrup (sugar free works as a substitute here)
1 cup powdered sugar

Cream together butter and sugar with mixer. Mix lime zest, juice, and egg yolks into batter. Remove mixer. Add flour and salt all at once. Using rubber spatula, scrape sides of bowl and fold mixture until it forms a ball of dough. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a log. Roll logs in green sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cut and discard the ends off the log. Or, bake the ends for yourself as taste tests. Roll the log in green decorating sugar. Slice the rest of the log into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet, making a slight thumb print depression in the center of each cookie. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Remove from oven and let stand on cookie sheet 5 minutes. Then use spatula to gently transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Combine icing ingredients in a small sauce pan on very low heat. As icing heats up, it will be easy to drip from a rubber spatula in a little puddle on top of each cookie. When icing cools, it will be solid. Makes about 1 dozen cookies per log.

Homemade Dog Food

2009-07-12T19:11:00.005-04:00

I want the best for my puppies. They are rescues and had hard lives before they came to me, so I want to make sure they are as happy, healthy, and comfortable as possible. In exchange, they protect the house, entertain us with their antics, and give snuggles. We had quite a scare when our smallest one vomited blood. We took her to the emergency vet to find out it was diet-related. Then our pointer mix started vomiting daily. I was feeding them a good brand of natural dog food for sensitive stomachs, but it just seemed like it was not good enough. I researched and found out that the ingredients in dog food are not well regulated and can be quite disgusting, if not dangerous to pets.So, I started making my own dog food at home. Yes, it takes time - it helps to make a big batch ahead of time or even freeze portions. But, its about the same price as the higher quality dry dog food. My dogs stopped vomiting immediately, and no more diarrhea. They have super-soft fur - like baby bunnies, and they scratch less indicating healthier skin. They don't have any more of the infamous "dog farts" that send you running from the room. They are more calm and content, too - not as much whining and hyper activity. I am so glad I tried it. You have to be careful with the portions, and its always good to supplement with a doggie multi-vitamin. Choose healthy, recommended ingredients - even 2 tablespoons of excess fat can cause pancreatitis and intestinal bleeding, so you have to be careful. There is a lot of conflicting information on the net, so when in doubt, leave it out. Here are some of the recipes that I have been successfully using, and of course, they are a hit with the doggies!

Basic Homemade Dogfood Portioning

1 cup cooked grains
1/2 cup cooked, chopped meat
1/2 cup cooked veggies
4 TBS chicken stock

Everything should be bland - no salt, seasonings, breading, skin, fat, etc. I typically use boiled brown rice or cooked pasta for my grains. For the meat, I use boiled or baked chicken, diced. You can also use scrambled eggs, tuna, salmon, or beef. The easiest veggies are the frozen peas and carrots mix or broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower mix.

Mix it up and serve at room temperature.

Chicken Chow

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup diced bland chicken
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
4-6 TBS chicken stock

Mix and heat in a pan. Serve at room temperature.

Tuna Puppy Pasta

1 cup cooked macaroni
1 can drained tuna
1/2 cup frozen mixed veggies, cooked
4 TBS olive oil

Mix together and serve at room temperature.

Sunshine Scrambles

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup mixed veggies, cooked
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Beat eggs and milk in a bowl. Scramble in a greased pan over medium heat until done. Mix rice and veggies together and top with scrambled eggs. Serve at room temperature.

Awesome Crunchy Treats

Baby Carrots!

Yes, I keep a bag of baby carrots in the fridge at all times. A baby carrot makes a healthy treat, its cool and crunchy, you know its good for them, and they love it! I give them one at a time, and act like its a big deal when they get one :)

Shrimp with Lemon Asparagus

2009-07-09T20:30:00.000-04:00

The light flavors of shrimp, lemon and brown rice complement fresh baby asparagus in this healthy dinner. Its easy, simple, and a favorite at our house.

Shrimp and Lemon Asparagus

1 package instant brown rice

1 lb fresh baby asparagus

1 lemon

2 doz. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

sea salt

10 grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

Prepare brown rice according to package instructions.

Add about 1 inch of water to a pot. Bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, rinse the asparagus. Hold the tip of the asparagus in one hand and the bottom of the stalk in the other hand. Bend the asparagus until it breaks in two. It will always break at the perfect spot. Discard the bottom of the stalk and keep the tops.

When the water begins to simmer, add some sea salt and the asparagus. Cover tightly. First the asparagus will turn bright neon green. If you like your veggies very crisp, then remove them with tongs at this point. If you prefer more tender asparagus, allow them to cook a few minutes more after they turn neon green. When in doubt, remove a stalk, let it cool and try it. Squeeze half a lemon over the asparagus. Set aside.

Discard the asparagus water and rinse out the pot. Add some fresh water to the pot and return to the stove. Since the pot and stove are still hot, the water should begin to boil quickly. Season the water with sea salt. When the water boils, add the shrimp. Let the boil no more than 2 minutes (unless they are very big). Then remove the pot from the heat and allow the shrimp to sit in the hot water for about 5 to 7 minutes. The shrimp should turn opaque pink and white when they are done. Don't over cook them or they will get mushy.

Assemble your plates, arranging the asparagus over the rice. Garnish with some fresh grape tomatoes and lemon slices. Enjoy!

Country Style Barbeque Pork Ribs

2009-06-24T11:16:00.000-04:00

I'm not a barbeque cook at all. I love to eat it...but I just can't get it to turn out right. EXCEPT for this recipe. It's an easy, twice baked method using lemon slices as tenderizer. The ribs come out tasty and fall apart tender every time. Try it and see whatcha think.

Country Style Barbeque Pork Ribs

6-12 Country style pork ribs
salt
minced garlic
1-2 lemons, sliced
1-2 cups barbeque sauce

Put ribs fat side up (if possible) in a large roasting pan or casserole dish. Season with a little salt. Cover with minced garlic and lemon slices. Set aside a few slices for serving time. Use fresh sliced lemons; don't substitute lemon juice if you can avoid it. Cook covered with lid or foil at 325 degrees for 2 hours. This is a good recipe for a Sunday because you can get it started before church, and when you come home it is time for the next step. Take the ribs out of the oven and pour off juices. Discard lemons. Smother with barbeque sauce and bake for 30-45 more minutes. Serve with sweet tea garnished with the reserved lemon slices.

Why no posts?

2009-06-06T23:21:00.000-04:00

I got married June 6th!
We had a beautiful cake :)

Fish n Chips

2009-05-25T08:01:00.003-04:00

Does beer battered fish sound good to you? Of course it does! It doesn't become a classic favorite of the UK for nothing!

Fish n Chips

4 fillets white fish
salt and pepper
1 cup flour (for dry coating)
Oil for frying
2 cup flour
Old bay seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1 beer

Mix your beer batter up first. Season the flour with Old bay seasoning. Flour should be well seasoned, but not too dark. Add 1 beaten egg. Whisk the batter while slowly adding beer. You might not need the whole beer, you might need a little extra. The consistency of the batter should be kind of thick - somewhere between a smoothie and a milk shake.

Heat your oil to about 325-350 degrees. If you have a deep fryer, it makes your job much easier and the fish will probably come out nice and crispy.

If you don't, that's OK. Just heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy bottom skillet. I like to use a pan with high sides to keep any splatters from getting everywhere. Measure the temperature with an oil thermometer, or if you don't have one, sprinkle a drop of water in the oil. If it sizzles nicely, the oil is ready.

Rinse fish fillets in cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into smaller portions if desired. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Coat each piece with a dusting of dry flour. Then dip into the beer batter. Let the excess drip off. Carefully drop into the oil.

Repeat until the pan is full of fish, but not overcrowded. Allow to cook for about 3 mintues on each side or until done in the middle and golden brown. Remove fish and allow to drain on paper towels. Cook a second batch if needed.

Serve with lemon, tartar sauce, malt vinegar, ketchup, french fries, cole slaw, peas, etc.

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Super Fast Chicken Bake

2009-05-23T22:34:00.002-04:00

This is the "I don't have time to cook" chicken recipe. 2 ingredients, 2 minutes to make, rave reviews... who could ask for more?

Super Fast Chicken Bake

2-4 breast chicken
1 can condensed cream of celery soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a glass dish. Cover with cream of celery. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don't worry! EVERYONE loves this dish!

Serve with a starch (fries, rice, egg noodles, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc.) and some veggies.
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Simple Grilled Salmon

2009-05-23T13:42:00.000-04:00

Its summer time! Time to fire up the grill and have some delicious, healthy meals. Here's an easy recipe to try: some simple grilled salmon. Even if you're not the most experienced grill chef, I went over all the details like a grilling 101 class :) It only takes about 8-10 minutes.

Grilled Salmon

2 salmon fillets
water
olive oil
1/2 a lemon
Cajun blackened seasoning

Rinse salmon fillets and place in a container. Drizzle with olive oil and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Pick up the fillet, allowing the excess oil and lemon to drip off. Place on a platter and season with cajun spices. The seasoning will not stick to the salmon if it is too wet.

Heat grill until medium hot. If using a propane grill, let it heat for about 10 minutes on medium hi setting. If your grill is not seasoned, spray some oil on the grilling surface and wipe it off with a paper towel folded over several times.

Place fillets skin side down with the grain of the salmon perpendicular to the grates. Grill for 6-8 minutes. The salmon should flip over easily. The skin should be a little crispy, so it will come off easily and in one piece. Discard skin. Add extra seasoning after you remove the skin. Cook for additional 6-8 minutes or until salmon is firm to touch.

Serve immediately as fish cools down quickly. Add instant microwave brown rice and steamed veggies for a delicious, healthy meal.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-05-21T14:32:00.002-04:00

IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

The Chocolate Chip Cookie was invented in 1933 by Ruth Wakefield who owned the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Mass. Mrs. Wakefield was making chocolate cookies but ran out of regular baker's chocolate, so she substituted it with broken pieces of semi-sweet chocolate, thinking that it would melt and mix into the batter. It clearly did not, and the chocolate chip cookie was born. Wakefield sold the recipe to Nestlé in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate chips.

Every bag of Nestlé chocolate chips in North America has a variation of her original recipe printed on the back.

THE ORIGINAL Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
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Hard Boiled Eggs for Easter Eggs

2009-04-11T21:13:00.003-04:00

I am re-posting my hard boiled egg recipe in honor of Easter. If you are going to dye Easter eggs this year, get your PAAS egg dying kit, a dozen eggs, and have fun! Here's the secret to perfect hard boiled eggs with yellow centers that peel easily.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Water
6 to 8 eggs

Bring enough water to cover eggs to a boil in pot. Add cold eggs to boiling water and set timer for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, remove from heat and let stand 11 minutes. Plunge hot eggs in cold ice water. To peel, let refrigerated eggs come to room temperature first. The yolks will be bright yellow.

For egg salad, peel the eggs and mush them in a bowl with a fork. Add mayonaise, salt, and pepper to taste. Some people like to add pickle relish or mustard, too.

For deviled eggs, peel the eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Pop out the yolks and mush them up with a fork. Mix in some mayonaise, salt, and pepper. Again, some people like to add pickle relish or mustard, too. Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture and arrange on a plate. Garnish with red paprika.

Chicken Fried Rice

2009-03-29T17:42:00.002-04:00

Ah, chicken fried rice...the best Asian dish ever! This is a super easy dinner that is super tasty. You just gotta try it!

Chicken Fried Rice

2 TBS oil
1 cup cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup frozen or raw veggies
1 cup cooked brown rice, chilled
soy sauce
garlic powder
onion powder
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, then the veggies, then the rice. Make sure your heat is high enough to make steam rise from the dish, but not so high that it chars the veggies.

I like to use easy freezer rice that I made ahead of time and froze in portioned freezer bags. Just defrost in the fridge or microwave before you add it to the pan.

Add soy sauce, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper to taste and allow to fry until heated through and enough moisture has evaporated out. You don't want it to be mushy.

Serve immediately. Garnish with sliced green onion if you like, and serve with hot green tea.
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Make Ahead Freezer Rice

2009-03-27T13:39:00.005-04:00

kI don't like making rice, and I hate paying high prices for microwave rice. But I love to eat it - especially delicious brown rice packed with B vitamins. So, I found a great way to make a big batch of rice and freeze it. Freezer rice is great for once a month cooking (OAMC) or just for people, like me, that don't want to spend 45 minutes on a side dish.

Make Ahead Freezer Rice

5 cups brown rice
10 cups water
plastic baggies

Bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and stir. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer rice, covered for 45 minutes. Stir once during cooking.

It should make about 10 to 15 cups of cooked rice. I like to refrigerate the pot of rice first, and then place 1 cup portions of cool rice in sandwich baggies. Squeeze all the air out and toss in the freezer.

To reheat, just microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Serve as is for a side dish or add to your favorite recipe.

Pork Fried Rice
Red Beans and Rice
Beans and Rice with Spinach and Mushrooms
Quick Beans and Rice
Roast Pork with Black Beans and Rice
Shrimp and Lemon Asparagus
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Pork Fried Rice

2009-03-16T11:31:00.003-04:00

My favorite Asian food is fried rice. I love all the different dishes, textures, and flavors, but even with all those on the menu, my fave is always just plain old fried rice. I could never make it right at home because it always turned out mushy. I don't even want to remember my tofu fried rice experiment - yuck! I could never figure out the secret to good fried rice.

I came across an awesome blog called A Daily Obsession. It is written by a lady named Terri in Malaysia. The pictures and recipes are awesome! These words of wisdom forever ended my mushy fried rice conundrum:

"The secret lies a lot in control of the heat used in cooking this dish. I usually stir up a slightly charred veg (heat too high) or watery dish (heat too low)"

Finally! I made good fried rice! Thank you Terri! Yay!

Pork Fried Rice

Oil
2 handfuls leftover roast pork, diced
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup veggies, chopped
Soy sauce
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Heat a few TBS of oil in a large skillet or wok. Get the heat pretty high. Too low and it will turn out mushy, too high and it will char the veggies.

Add the pork, then brown rice, then veggies. I used a broccoli mixture from the freezer. I just warmed it up in the microwave for a minute to defrost it first. Of course, you could use fresh veggies, too. Pick out what you like - mushrooms, broccoli, green beans, snow peas, carrots, green peas, bell peppers, etc.

There should be some sizzling and steam. The steam is the extra liquid evaporating - so the dish won't be mushy - and it gives the fried rice a nice smokey flavor. Occasionally toss the rice in the wok, or use a rice paddle to mix in the skillet.

Season with several dashes of soy sauce. Add onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Of course, you could use fresh diced onion and garlic instead. Let it cook a bit so the liquid in the soy sauce evaporates and every thing is heated through.

Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Sunday Dinner Roast Chicken

2009-03-01T19:28:00.001-05:00

Roast chicken is a regular on the Sunday menu in many southern homes. Its super easy, super tasty, and you can make it all in one roasting pan. Your house will smell delicious all afternoon!

Sunday Dinner Roast Chicken

1 whole fryer chicken
2 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
4 ribs celery
several baby carrots
7 cloves garlic
chopped or dried parsley
salt and pepper

Choose a whole fryer chicken. This means that the chicken will be very tender. Open the package, discard the giblets and rinse the outside and cavity thoroughly. Place in a roasting pan.

Chop up your vegetables into bite-sized chunks. Put the vegetables around the chicken in the roasting pan. Put 1 clove garlic, 1 wedge of onion, and 1 celery piece in the cavity of the chicken.

Sprinkle everything with parsley, salt, and pepper generously. Put the lid on the roasting pan and cook at 325 for about 20 - 30 minutes per pound of chicken.
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Hillbilly Housewife's Home Made Lasagna

2009-02-22T22:56:00.002-05:00

The Hillbilly Housewife is a site that I really like with simple, traditional country recipes and money saving advice. There is a blog, too. I could not resist posting this recipe - especially because you can make extra lasagnas and freeze them for dinners later in the month.

Hillbilly Housewife's Home Made Lasagna

* 10 uncooked lasagna noodles
* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 C onions, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3 t parsley flakes
* 1 t salt
* 1 t dried basil
* 1 t dried oregano
* 3 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
* 1 C ricotta cheese
* 2 egg whites
* 1 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Cook the lasagna noodles as direction on the package.
Drain well then set aside and keep warm.
Heat the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Place the beef, onions and garlic in a skillet placed over medium heat.
Cook 10 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink.
Drain and pat off excess grease with paper towel.
Return the meat mixture to the skillet and sprinkle in the parsley, salt, basil and oregano.
Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and stir to combine all the ingredients together well.
Reduce the heat to low and cook 10 minutes, stirring often.
In a small bowl mix together the ricotta cheese and egg whites until well combined.
Spread 1/4 C beef mixture into the bottom of a 9X13 ungreased baking dish.
Layer 1/2 the cooked noodles over the beef.
Layer more of the beef mixture over the noodles and top the beef mixture with part of the cheese mixture.
Continue with the layers until all the ingredients have been used.
Sprinkle the top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Bake 40 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese has completely melted.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

When freezing omit the two cheeses and do not bake. When ready to use do not thaw. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the cheeses and continue baking 30 minutes or until bubbly.
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Semi-Homemade Apple Pie

2009-02-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

Hot apple pie in 45 minutes - with about 5 minutes of prep time. I use this recipe when dinner is a little skimpy and I want to make sure everyone has a full belly. The topping is what makes it truly delicious!

Semi-Homemade Apple Pie

1 frozen Pilsbury 9-inch pie crust
2 cans Comstock apple pie filling
1/2 cup Quaker oats
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Prepare the pie crust according to package directions. Typically, you just prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and toast it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix oats, butter, and sugar in a bowl with a fork. It should stick together to form crumbles.

Remove the pie crust and add the apple pie filling. Sprinkle with oat topping. Bake according to pie filling instructions - usually 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pie is done when it is hot, bubbly, and the crumble topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Enjoy!

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Meatball Subs

2009-02-06T08:39:00.002-05:00

You will be the hit of the party if you serve these for Superbowl Sunday! Also great for a quick weeknight dinner, Father's day, or any old day, really.

Meatball Subs

2 crusty french hoagie rolls
Meatballs, heated
Warm Marinara
Several slices provolone cheese

Preheat your oven broiler, placing a rack in the middle of the oven. Slit the hoagie rolls and pull open to make a pocket. Spoon some warm marinara on both sides of the bread. Add meatballs, and more marinara. Place slices of provolone over the meatballs.

Heat under the broiler until the cheese is is a little browned and bubbly. Garnish with some dried oregano, basil, and parsley on top of the cheese. Delicious!
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Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

2009-02-03T11:15:00.000-05:00

A classic Italian favorite: Spaghetti and Meatballs! Everyone loves this recipe, even kids. Its surprisingly easy to make, and even easier if you buy a jar of sauce and a bag of frozen meatballs for busy weeknights. File this one under "comfort foods".

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 box of spaghetti noodles, cooked
2-3 cups of your favorite Marinara
1 lb. ground meat (hamburger, turkey, pork, or a mixture)
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS each oregano, basil, and parsley
1 TBS powdered garlic
1 TBS onion powder

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. I like to use my hands. Shape into balls and place on a baking sheet. I usually get about 20-25 meatballs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. That's it!

*This recipe is great for Once a Month Cooking OAMC or make ahead recipes, too. You can make a big batch of these and freeze them until you need them. Just reheat in a skillet with some sauce for 15-20 minutes or until heated throughout.

Serve spaghetti, topped with meatballs, and covered in sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and add some garlic bread if you like.
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Simple, Tasty Marinara

2009-01-14T22:32:00.000-05:00

This marinara freezes well and goes on all kinds of pasta dishes. You won't believe it is so easy to prepare.

Simple, Tasty Marinara

1 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
2 6 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS each oregano, basil, and parsley
1 tsp thyme
1 TBS onion powder
2 tsp sugar (to cut the acidity of the tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste

For a chunky marinara, leave as is. For a smoother sauce, run the diced tomatoes through a food processor first. Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and heat to a simmer until heated through. It is even better the next day!

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Greens

2009-01-03T22:52:00.007-05:00

No fancy introductions needed here. If you've ever had real Southern Greens, then you'll know. You'll just know.

Greens

3 strips bacon, cubed (or ham or salt pork or sausage)
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can beer, minus 5 or 6 sips (hahaha)
1 cup chicken stock
1 lb. rinsed and cut collard, turnip, or mustard greens
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS cider vinegar
1 tsp Cajun seasonings
Several turns of fresh ground pepper
3-6 healthy dashes Louisianna hot sauce
Salt to taste

Brown the bacon in a big stock pot until crispy. Add a few TBS of beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom. Add onion and garlic and saute for several minutes until soft.

Add beer and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add all the greens - they should fill up the pot. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. When the greens have greatly reduced in volume, add all the seasonings. Simmer with lid tilted for another 30 to 45 mintues or until soft, stirring occasionally.

Serve with cornbread, dipping the cornbread in the pot liquor.

Cornbread

2009-01-03T22:12:00.006-05:00

Here's my recipe for traditional Southern Cornbread. Its an old family recipe from turn of the century Kentucky. Cornbread is pretty easy to make, inexpensive, filling, and very tasty!

Cornbread

1 1/2 cups self rising cornmeal
1 egg, beaten
1 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk*
3 TBS oil
1 TBS sugar (opt.)

Grease a cast iron skillet. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the skillet in the oven to warm while it is preheating.

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. Sprinkle the bottom of the skillet with some cornmeal and then add the mix. Bake at 450 degrees about 15 to 20 minutes until it gets some color to the top, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting.

*If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 1 1/2 TBS white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups of milk and let stand for 10 minutes. Sometimes it actually turns out better this way!

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Ham and Bean Soup

2009-01-03T21:48:00.004-05:00

Here's my grandfather's recipe for Ham and Bean Soup, created from leftover ham from Christmas and other tasty fixings.

Ham and Bean Soup

1 cup each sliced or diced celery, cabbage and onion
1-2 TBS olive oil
2-4 cups chicken broth
1 cup diced ham
1/2 lb. sliced polish sausage
2-4 cups cooked white beans (great northern or navy)
1 tsp sugar
salt, red and black pepper to taste

Saute vegetables in oil until tender, add remaining ingredients and simmer.

Cornbread is an ideal accompaniment.
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Thanks to RecipeTips.com for letting us borrow the picture from a different recipe. It looks close enough to our recipe until we get a snapshot of our own.

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