Southern With A Twist

Voodoo Rolls

2013-05-20T12:39:00.003-07:00

I saw a picture of Voodoo Rolls for the first time the other day on Serving Houma's Facebook Page. They offer an amazing service. For restaurants in their area that don't deliver, they'll order for you, go pick it up and deliver it to you! What a wonderful service especially for those house bound individuals! Anyway, I contacted them and told them that I wasn't asking for a recipe, because I knew that only delivered, but could they describe the rolls to me. Their picture looked so good, and they were very nice to describe them for me. To me, they sounded like a Louisiana version of the lobster rolls that Red Lobster used to sell... just kicked up with some good andouille sausage! I had worked for a long time to try and replicate the Lobster Rolls, so I figured I'd try my hand at these Voodoo Rolls! I'm not sure if these taste anything like the ones in Houma, La, but they were VERY good!!! The hubby gave them a thumbs up... because his mouth was to full to talk! LOL

Voodoo Rolls

1 1/2 cups Crawfish Tails, chopped
2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

1 tsp Butter
1/4 cup Onion, minced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3/4 cup Andouille Sausage, cut in a small dice
4 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup corn

1/2 block of Cream Cheese (4 oz, room temp)
12 Egg Roll Wrappers

In a large bowl, add crawfish and seasonings.

I didn't have the crawfish this time, so I substituted shrimp.

I'll try the crawfish next time!

In a skillet, saute onions and garlic in butter and Worcestershire

sauce,

until tender. Add crawfish and sausage.

Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Dump back into the large bowl to cool.

Mix cheeses and corn until well mixed.

Add to the cooled meat mixture.

Put an egg roll wrapper on a dry surface.

Place 2 tablespoons or so of the filling mixture

in the middle of the wrapper.

Fold the top down...

Tuck the bottom in a little and fold over the sides...

Fold in the other side... Notice the small white bowl?

It has water in it...

Wet the top edge with a water on your fingertip

and roll toward the end. The water will seal the edges.

Press to seal.

Fry rolls at 375 degrees until golden, about 2 minutes.

My plate...

The Hubby's plate!

Potato Salad

2013-05-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Potato Salad... or as we say in the South... Tater Salad is a must for any gathering, picnic, church social, pot luck, etc. This is also another recipe that I NEVER measure! It's always by look and taste. That being said, I try to come up with recipes for those of you that comment that you NEED a recipe. LOL

Here is what I came up with... try this recipe, and as always, taste and adjust until it's just right for you! :-)

6 potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
4 eggs, boiled and peeled
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish*
pinch of salt
fresh ground black pepper

Cut eggs in half and remove yolks and place. Chop egg whites and place in a large bowl with the cubed potatoes. Mash yolks with fork then stir in mayonnaise, mustard, pickle and salt and pepper. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the potatoes and eggs. Stir all ingredients together well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

* If you don't like the bits of pickle in the potato salad, or if you have a little one that doesn't like pickle, just add 1 tsp of sweet pickle juice from the relish jar. They will never know. I do this for my church crowd, and they always tell me that they love it! Onion is also optional. If you like the flavor, but not chunks of onion, grate the onion and add about a teaspoon to the salad.

Greek Chicken and Poatoes

2013-05-16T11:42:00.004-07:00

This recipe is so delicious! The lemon and spices and herbs make my house smell so good! This is so simple, but it can make you look like a master chef in the kitchen. The key is to use the Cavender's Greek Seasoning and a whole chicken cut into pieces with the skin ON! Please don't use skinless or it will dry out. If your diet dictates that you can not have the skin, you probably should not be eating a dish that calls for half a cup of oil. OR! Maybe you can forego the diet for one meal! It is so worth the guilt.

Greek Chicken and Potatoes

• 1/2 cup butter, room temp

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• Cavender's Greek Seasoning
• 2 lemons, juiced or 1/4 cup juice

• 1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces

• 4 or 5 baking potatoes, cubed
• 1 large onion, cut into thick slices
• 2 lemons, sliced thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix the butter, garlic, 1 tbsp Cavender's and lemon juice. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers or with the handle of a spoon. Be carefull not to break the skin. Loosen as much as you can even down the legs. Place a scoop of the butter mixture under the skin and rub down, spreading the butter under the skin. Repeat this process until the butter is covering the entire chicken. Dust chicken with Cavender's Greek Seasoning. Place the potatoes, onions and some of the lemon slices in a 13X9 casserole dish. Drizzle with oilive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle the Greek Seasoning over the potato mixture. Place chicken on top of potatoes and onion.

Bake uncovered for an hour and a half

or until chicken is golden brown and potatoes are tender.

Southern Style Green Beans

2013-05-14T11:00:00.001-07:00

Usually in the South, when you see green beans on the holiday table, they are in the form of a casserole. You know the one... cream of mushroom soup with the crunchy french onion topping. I never liked the french onion stuff. I changed the casserole to a cheese topping with the cracker and butter crunchy topping, but it seems that my kids kind of skip over the casserole. When I serve them plain, just heated through with salt and pepper, they don't get much attention either. Sooo, this time I dumped them in the crockpot and let them simmer all morning. These turned out to be the best green beans I've ever fixed! (I would have used fresh beans, but I didn't have any available. Use fresh whenever you can.)

2 family-size cans Green Beans
4 slices Bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
2 tbsp of reserved Bacon Grease
2 beef bouillon cubes or 2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Kosher Salt

Combine the above ingredients in a crockpot and set on medium. Simmer beans for 2 or 3 hours or until the beans take in the flavor of the seasonings. The juices will darken as they cook down. This juice is awesome with a chunk of cornbread!

Cornbread Pudding

2013-05-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

After my hubby's Grandmother passed away, two different churches in the family brought food over to her house which is a tradition in the South. One of the dishes that was most talked about was the Cornbread Pudding. My daughter-in-law asked me about it, and asked if I could get her the recipe. I decided it was the perfect recipe to share here! It is an awesome casserole!

Cornbread Pudding

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can cream-style corn

1 stick of butter, melted

1 package Jiffy cornbread mix

Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Stir in cornbread mix and seasonings. Pour into a greased 13X9 baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center. Serve warm.

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

2013-05-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

When I went to shop for a catering job, I notice that my local Piggly Wiggly grocery store had Baby Back Ribs on sale for $2.99 per pound. Here, that is an awesome deal. I actually bought 3 slabs of them. I've also been looking at a dry rub and finally decided to try it. I usually just use my house blend of salt, pepper and garlic, but this dry rub has caught my eye several times. I tend to stay away from spice blends that are loaded with paprika because to me, it makes them bitter. This blend has paprika, but it is very well balanced. The flavors blend very well, and none stands out to strong. Willie's Hog Dust is a very good dry rub for these ribs! I heard that the manager of The Pig uses it on his steaks every time he grills out! I'm sold!

1 slab of Baby Back Ribs
Willie's Hog Dust

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. I cut the ribs in half and heavily dusted the ribs with Willie's Hog Dust. Place them on a grill pan or a rack in a pan.

I cooked them for an hour

and turned the pan for them to cook even.

I cooked them for about 2 more hours.

Sauce:

1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp butter
1 cup ketsup
1/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Texas Pete hot sauce
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce

Saute onion and garlic in butter in a large pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove ribs from oven and slather heavily with sauce. Increase the heat to 300 degrees and return them to the oven for about 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and created a sticky glaze on the ribs. (Be careful not to let the sauce burn!)

I almost forgot to take a picture!

I did one half with Daddy's BBQ Sauce.

Potato Wedges on the Side...

This is when I remembered that

I hadn't taken a picture of the finished ribs! LOL

Pizza Dip

2013-05-05T11:18:00.001-07:00

I found this dip on The Slow Roasted Italian and fell in love! My son loves all things pizza, so it was perfect for him. I served it with bread sticks, but you could serve it with crackers or chips. For the complete recipe and instructions, click on the link above.

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and cheese until smooth. Spread in the bottom of an oven proof dish.

I changed and added a couple of things.

I used a jarred spaghetti sauce and added hamburger.

Sprinkle with bacon and add cheese. Sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper.

Add pepperoni and a little more cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 or 20 minutes.

I used canned biscuit dough and shaped them into bread sticks.

YUMMY!

Pizza Tarts

2013-04-29T14:52:00.001-07:00

Most kids like pizza, but my son likes anything that resembles the flavor of pizza. I made a pizza dip last night and had plenty of stuff left over. He requested that I make these tarts!

1 can refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
Spaghetti Sauce
Cheese, (I used Colby/Jack)
Pepperoni
Basil
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Flatten out each biscuit and put them into a muffin tin. Top with a teaspoon of sauce, cheese, the seasonings and finally 1 or 2 slices of pepperoni. I added a tiny bit more cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Remove from the oven and use the tip of a knife to transfer the biscuits to paper towels to absorb any grease from the pepperoni.

Seasoned Potato Wedges

2013-04-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

My family loves potatoes. The hubby is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I love to bake and fry potatoes. We actually had potato wedges for lunch today... the hubby is home with a backache. This was the perfect treat for him. I like to try and get more flavor when frying, so I made up this simple coating. It turned out awesome!

4 potatoes, (I used Yukon Gold) cut into wedges
1 cup flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Oil for frying

Heat oil to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour and seasonings.

Add potato wedges and toss.

Remove from flour and gently place in hot oil. The oil must be up to temp or the coating will boil away.

Cook until golden brown and floating on the surface of the oil.

Yummy!

Cheesesteak ~ Style Sloppy Joes

2013-04-28T19:42:00.001-07:00

1 lb. ground chuck
1 onion, sliced
1 Tsp Worchestershire Sauce
1 c. beef stock
1 pkg. sliced mushrooms
Provolone cheese, slices

2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste
Buns/Rolls

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In large pan brown the hamburger, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until they start to get tender.

Stir in the Worchestershire sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has cooked down. If sauce is too thin, make a slurry with about an ounce of water and 1/2 teaspoon of corn starch. Bring to a boil for desired consistency.

Split open rolls, place a scoopful of the meat on the bottom half and add place one slice of cheese on top. Toast in the oven until the cheese is melted and the bun starts to take on color.

Old Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

2013-04-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Every time I bake, my kitchen dies a little. It usually turns out alright. It's never a pretty site! These cakes fell, but my hubby says that it only makes room for frosting! :-)

1 pound Flour = 4 cups
1 pound Sugar = 2 cups
1 pound Butter = 4 sticks
9 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar to the texture of whipped cream. Add one egg at a time until 5 have been added, beating each egg 2 1/2 minutes. Add the others 2 at a time, beating 2 1/2 minutes. Add lemon extract. Fold in flour, a cup at a time. Grease and flour cake, bundt or loaf pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

This recipe made 2 loaf pans and a 5 inch cake pan full!

Lemon Glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, finely zested

In a small bowl mix the confectioners sugar, lemon juice and zest together until well blended. Use a toothpick or skewer, poke holes in the cake for the glaze to soak into.
Using a large spoon, spoon the glaze onto the cake and spread it around using the back of the spoon.

Corn Chowder

2013-04-23T11:46:00.001-07:00

I received a request for my corn chowder recipe after I posted a lot of pictures and videos of our trip to Old McCaskill's Farm. We joined in the fun at the Grits Mill, shelling/shucking corn. The kids had a blast! So, as requested... here's my recipe.

Corn Chowder

1/2 cup diced bacon

1 cup diced sweet onion

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1 tablespoon flour

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups corn

1 1/2 cups half-and-half, or heavy cream... your choice

1/4 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon fine kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon in a large pot until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add onion, carrots and celery to bacon fat and cook, stirring, until onion is softened. Stir in flour until well incorporated. Pour in the broth a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Add potatoes and corn. Simmer, covered, until potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes. Add cream and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Return bacon to the pot and stir. Season with basil, salt and pepper.

Old McCaskill's Farm ~ Spring Farm Day

2013-04-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, some of my family and I went out to the 2013 Spring Farm Day. What a wonderful day it was! The sun was shining, and the weather was warm and breezy. The sites, the sounds, the smells... yes, a farm definitely has smells, but this was the smell of food. Awesome food! As we walked along the tents, I got a whiff of spices that were very familiar... Greek Seasoning! We tasted some local lamb seasoned with Cavender's Greek Seasoning... the lady laughed when I did my happy dance!

Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!

As we walked along the tents, we talked to the ladies about their tatting. For you folks who aren't familiar... that's not tattoo-ing. Tatting is a technique for handcrafting a particularly durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops. To me, it looks like crocheting with thread.

Another tent contained a live bee hive, and yes the store sells the honey from Bell Honey in Rembert! :-)

It was very interesting to watch the bees in the hive. My daughter-in-law's main question was, "Is the queen in there?" Not sure if the queen was entertaining guests yesterday. :-) As we walked along, we came upon a big barrel or tub half full of corn for the kids to play in.

Of course, Miss Kendal had to have a turn!

Her Granddaddy and Uncle JR buried her up to her tummy in corn!

We took a break to grab some good food. They had BBQ sandwiches, Ribs, Hot Dogs, Sausage Dogs, and brick oven Pizza. My son had the pizza and said it was good. For a teenager, that's a very good review!

Brick Oven for pizzas

Yummy Pizzas!

And then we were off to see the animals! We watched the Boarder Collies show off there herding skills with sheep and with ducks! Kendal got to pet the baby chicks. We watched the sheep being sheered, and we saw many other farm animals as well as a new baby goat!

Kendal's Mom holds up a baby chick for her to pet!

Some before sheering and some after...

My little calf buddy from the last visit!

Goats! :-)

The little pigs were cold in the wind...

Protective Mommy!

and the Baby Goat!

There was so much to see and do! There was the Blacksmith Shop, the Grits Mill, the Root Cellar, the Store and so much more.

After roaming around we came back around and the ice cream that was churning was done... and Kendal and her Granddaddy shared a Chocolate Frozen Banana!

Ice Cream

Kendal with Granddaddy... eating a chocolate frozen banana

and drinking Coca Cola!

If you know of a farm, a working farm, in your area, check them out and more importantly... support them! The quality of their products is unequaled by mass produced products! The lamb I mentioned earlier was totally amazing! If you know me, you know I love Greek food and the Greek seasoning that they used on the lamb. Here's a recipe for Greek Potatoes that would be awesome along with the lamb!!!

Greek Potatoes

This recipe is so delicious!
The lemon, spices and herbs make my house smell so good!
• 1/4 cup oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Cavender's Greek Seasoning
• 2 lemons, juiced or 1/4 cup juice
• 4 or 5 baking potatoes, cubed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a plastic bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, 1 tbsp Cavender's (I use more like 2 T, but we like more spice.) and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes. Bake uncovered for 45 min to an hour or until potatoes are golden brown and tender.

Stuffed Biscuits

2013-04-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I found a 4 pack of canned biscuits that I had bought for the party the other week and never got around to 'whatever' I planned to make out of them. I can't even remember anymore! Maybe Monkey Bread... Hmmmm! Never mind! I made these last night instead...

I did two versions... Chicken Bacon Ranch and Greek Feta and Black Olive

Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Biscuits

Canned Refrigerated biscuits, 10 per package
1/2 cup diced, cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
1/4 cup crumbled bacon, or more to taste :-)
1/4 cup ranch dressing, or enough to bind the mixture
a sprinkle of basil
Kosher salt & pepper

Greek Feta and Black Olive Stuffed Biscuits

Canned Refrigerated biscuits, 10 per package
1/4 cup diced, cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup Feta crumbles
1/4 cup black olives, diced
1/4 cup Greek Dressing... I suggest The Black Peppercorn's Greek Salad Dressing. It's the best I've found so far! Awesome!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In two separate small bowls, mix the fillings and set aside.

Working one batch (flavor) at a time, open a can of biscuits, working one at a time. With your fingers, flatten the biscuit to about 3 or 4 inches across. Put about a teaspoon of filling in the center. I closed them two different ways.

For the Greek Biscuits, I folded them in half and closed them with the tines of a fork.

For the chicken bacon ranch, I flattened them and brought all the edges together over the filling making a ball. I prefer this method and will make them all like this next time! Bake them for about 10 minutes, take them out and brush them with some melted butter with minced garlic in it and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Pop them back in the oven for a minute or two.

Greek Stuffed Biscuits

Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Biscuits

Inside the Chicken Bacon Ranch

Inside the Greek Feta... YUM!

Garlic Brats... Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches Kicked Up... Off The Chart

2013-04-13T14:04:00.005-07:00

Last weekend I had a party for 30+ people. I made my families famous BBQ and my Daddy's BBQ Sauce. Everyone was excited about that rare treat, but they left talking about my new favorite sandwich...

Recently, I had the good fortune to visit Sunny Cedars Farm and pick up several different pork products. The sandwiches that I made for the party were made with kielbasa and pork sausage. This time I used the Garlic Brats that Russell of Sunny Cedars (Facebook) suggested I try when I was shopping around his display case. Oh man, were they awesome!!! Don't be shy! Hit those links up there and see how to get some of Russell's pork products!!!

Garlic Bratwurst

Onion, sliced

Bell Pepper, sliced

Mushrooms, sliced

Soy Sauce

Butter

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic powder

Basil

Salt and Pepper

Squeeze the brats out of their casings and brown.

Remove sausage. Leaving the drippin's.

Melt about a tablespoon or two of butter.
Add a few shakes of soy sauce, about a tablespoon.
Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms.

Cook until a little color appears and the vegetables have softened.

Return the sausage to the pan.

Mix about a 1/2 cup of softened butter with

1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese. Add seasonings to taste...

I scoop the inside of the bread out to give the filling a place to sit.
(Makes them easier to eat, also... and I'm all for that!)

Spread some of the butter mixture on the top and bottom pieces.

Load it up!

Oooops! I almost forgot the cheese... Monterey Jack Cheese!

Wrap them up and stick them in a 350 degree oven for about

10 or 15 minutes, until warmed through and the cheese is melted!

In the meantime, fry up some zesty seasoned fries!

Hot and fresh out of the oven!

It's ready for it's close-up! OooooLaaaaLaaaa!!!

MINE!!!

OMGoodness!
The hubby says, "Naaa! It's not any good! Go away! Nothin' to see... ummm eat here!"

Mama's Bread and Butter Pickles

2013-04-11T14:56:00.002-07:00

This is my Mama's favorite kind of pickle and her favorite recipe for them... I made a half batch today. I'm delivering some tomorrow! :-)

Bread & Butter Pickles

Use 4 quarts medium-sized, cucumbers sliced thin (do not peel). Make sure they are not seedy. Add 6 medium white onions, sliced thin, 2 peppers, chopped and 3 whole garlic cloves. Add 1/3 cup salt. Mix thoroughly. Let stand 4 hours in covered container with cracked ice. Drain well. Combine 5 cups sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed, 2 tablespoons mustard seed and 3 cups vinegar. Pour this over the cucumber mixture. Heat just to boiling point. Seal at once in hot sterilized jars.

Chicken Salad Sammies

2013-04-08T14:21:00.002-07:00

Chicken Salad for Sandwiches

One of MY favorites to make and eat!!!

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

4 Eggs, boiled and chopped

1/4 sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup mayo (or more)

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp basil

pepper, to taste

Mix until well blended. Store in air tight container in the frig.

For a sandwich... choose your favorite bread. Slice some tomato. Tear some lettuce leaves and assemble! Now rock out! :-)

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Mama's Slaw and Baked Beans... at the 1st Annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt!

2013-04-08T12:19:00.001-07:00

This pasted weekend, I hosted the 1st Annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt. No... by "adult", I mean that this was an Egg Hunt for big "kids". Last year, I shared with my friends that the Hubby and I hide eggs for the kids as usual, but my son stared a tradition of them hiding eggs for the hubby and me. I got such response to that, that it wound up leading to the 1st Annual Egg Hunt for Adults! :-)

We had such fun! Not only did we have an egg hunt, we also had Redneck Golf, Carolina/Clemson Corn Hole Games and many egg games including Easter Egg Boccie Ball and the Spoon Race.

Everyone had fun! So much fun to get together and relax and play... even pulling out a blanket and chillin' out on the lawn!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sammies

Whole Boston Butt

1/2 Apple Cider Vinegar

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Pour about 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar over the pork, and then coat with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake the Boston Butt at 250 degrees for about 6-8 hours uncovered... until the bone slides out easily and clean. I picked the fat off, and it actually fell apart easily... no fork shredding necessary! Then I added Daddy's BBQ Sauce to it.

This time I used a Hamilton Beach Automatic Roasting Oven that Pixie gave me. Put the pork in it on 225 degrees and 12 midnight and Craig cut it off before he left for work.

Mama's Slaw

Baked Beans*

2 cans Baked Beans, drain some of the juice

4 slices Bacon or salt pork, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup ketsup

2 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking dish lightly with oil. In a large bowl, combine ingredients, then pour into the baking dish. Bake for 30-45 minutes uncovered.

* This time I used a crock pot to cook them and I added some of "Daddy's BBQ Sauce to them! YUM!

Red Velvet Swirled Bites

2013-04-01T16:48:00.001-07:00

Remember me saying that I am not a baker???

Well, I was making some Red Velvet Swirled Bites. I had the batter all mixed up and turned around to see these... Good Grief!!!

Left out the eggs... time to remix.

Then, the cream cheese mixture wasn't blended well enough

and stopped up my pastry bag. I had to start all over AGAIN!

This looks better!!!

The finished product, finally!!!

Red Velvet Cake Mixture:

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cocoa
3 tablespoons red food coloring
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. Mix cocoa and food coloring in a cup. Add to eggs and sugar. Add vanilla. Sift flour and salt. Add, alternating with buttermilk. Add soda and vinegar. Let foam and FOLD into mixture. Spoon this mixture into a mini muffin tin, filling each cup about half way.

Cream Cheese Mixture:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla

Cream ingredients and place in a pastry bag or zip-type bag. Cut the corner of the bag, and place the tip into the center and squeeze in the filling until the cup is about 3/4 full. Take a toothpick and swirl the batter and cream cheese mixture to create a marbled effect. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

Michele's Gigi's Turkey A La King

2013-03-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

I am continuing my project today where I cook and photograph a signature dish from my mentor and beloved friend Michele Wynn Gerhard of La Belle Cuisine! In the spirit of "Julie and Julia", I am featuring one of her family recipes, once a week. We will feature these special segments both on Southern With A Twist and La Belle Cuisine! I figured with Easter coming up, a lot of people will be having ham. I like to make turkey for a change sometimes. We have kids that travel back and forth from in-laws and Grandparents to us. By the time they get here, they are tired of the traditional stuff. I talked with Michele this week, and we decided that this is a perfect time to choose...Gigi's Turkey A La King! (Click the link for her recipe) I'll have leftover turkey, and this is a great way to put it to good use!
Let's get cookin' Michele! :-) ♥ ♥ ♥
~ Lynn

I started with the roux and added the stock and cream.

Whisk until smooth.

Next was the turkey, mushrooms and peas.

When you read Michele's recipe, you will notice that she adds the scallions and mushrooms in the butter at the beginning. I had leftover sauted mushrooms from my smothered chicken so I used them and added them later in the recipe.

... and last was the chopped boiled eggs.

I cooked some mini cornbread muffins.

Voila!

The hubby wanted corn with his plate.

I have made Chicken A La King before, but this Turkey A La King is awesome! The richness of the stock, if you reserve it from cooking the Turkey, is just so much better than any other canned or bouillon stock or broth. I think the leftover mushrooms I had complimented the sauce very well. I know I didn't follow the recipe to the letter, and I hope Michele will forgive me for that... living so far out in the country, I have to improvise from time to time. I handed the hubby a plate. (He is in the bed with a bulging disk in his back.) I waited for a response... "Mmm! Oh yeah! This is good!" I told him that I never put egg in mine. He said, "Yeah, but I think that is what just makes it sooo good!" Well, Michele... my hat is off to you and Gigi! Another success!

Dill Pickles... Easy Canning!

2013-03-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

I got inspired when we visited Old McCaskills Farm when I peaked in their canning room...

I stopped and bought about 15 pickling cucumbers...

Dill Pickles

30 pickling cucumbers
1 pickling mix package
7 1/3 cups water
3 1/3 cups white vinegar
1/8 tsp dill weed per jar
1/2 tsp chopped garlic per jar
Boil mixture. Pack jars with dill, garlic and sliced pickles. Pour mixture over cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch. Then follow canning instructions.

My son is such a pickle expert. LOL He loves them and eats at least a gallon jar full each week. He kept asking me when they'd be ready. I kept telling him in 24 hours! I went to town, and when I got back (before the 24 hours were up!) this is what I found!

I guess they are good! LOL

Foodies On a Farm Day Excursion and my Tuscan Soup!

2013-03-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my foodie friend, Mary from All Things Food ~ Cooking with Mary and Friends and I went with four of her friends to two local farms, Old McCaskills Farm and Sunny Cedars Farm! What a fun time! We had lunch at Old McCaskills Farm... Marinated Grilled Pork Chops, Rosemary Rice, Green Beans, Rolls and Coconut Cream Pie! Awesome! We wandered around looking at all the animals. When we first got there, one of their calves had gotten out and was wandering about. I walked over and she came straight up to me and let me pet her :-)

Oops! Who let the calf out? :-)

Kathy McCaskill led her back into the pasture.

This little fellow needed his hoof cleaned out.

I have a feeling I'm being watched!

A bunny!

I'm thinking the canning room. :-)

The Store on the right and Kitchen on the left...

Come on in... I didn't get pictures of the food.
Sorry, but I was hungry! I forgot! ;-)

Kathy McCaskill waiting on us in the store.

I love the glass sign!

Cathy found some friends... baby lambs!!!

I love the feeder!

The Garden Shed...

The back of the Garden Shed

My buddy :-)

Itty Bitty Goat!

Cathy's new buddy!

I purchased a Sheep Tape Measure and

Eco-Friendly Wool Dryer Balls! Awesome lunch also!

If you'd like to have lunch or just visit the farm,

go to Old McCaskills Farm!

Cathy and I get in the last few pictures,

while the rest of the girls discuss our next stop...

Sunny Cedars Farm!

We have arrived at Sunny Cedars Farm!

Mary, Russel and me!

He let the pigs out into

the pasture when we got there.

I could not get the videos to load,

so if you want to see them, please visit me on

Facebook at Southern With A Twist. They really are

a must see... "The Running of the Pigs!"

If I can find out why the blog is not loading,

I'll add them here as soon as possible!

Big Girl! :-)

BP, the pig and her babies!

Piglets!

BP getting a drink of water! Awesome waterer Russell!

Gathering eggs...

Mary found a big one!

Ten eggs in one roost...

Russell grinds his own feed here.

Time for some shoppin' ladies! :-)

My Goodie Bag!

Sweet Italian Sausage, Bratwurst, Garlic Bratwurst,

Mild Pork Sausage and Country Style Ribs!

I held out the Italian Sausage from the freezer for this Tuscan Soup! Let me tell you that I noticed a difference immediately. The sausage didn't stick to the pan like the sausage I cooked for the Paella the other night! The hubby hollered, "What are you cooking? That smells amazing!" I told him and he said that it didn't smell like the Italian Sausage that I usually cook! He said, "If you need somebody to sample that... bring me a piece!" (He's in the recliner because his back it out.) The verdict? Sooooo good! It does make a difference the way a product is raised, fed, treated and processed! If you don't believe me, go see Russell at Sunny Cedars Farm and try some for yourself!!!

Tuscan Soup

6 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
4 links of Italian sausage
3 large potatoes, cubed
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1/4 cup evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

Remove skin from sausage and crumble into a 2qt sauce pan. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic and continue to brown the sausage a little. Add stock and potatoes. Boil until potato is cooked. Add spinach. Continue boiling until spinach is lightly cooked. Remove soup from heat, stir in evaporated milk, and season to taste.

What an awesome outing!!! I urge all you to seek out your local farms and try to do what we did. Ask to come out and take a look at the working farms and fresh local products. It is well worth it in the experience and the quality products you'll find. From the farm to the table... know where your food comes from and how it gets there! Thanks so much to Kathy McCaskill and Russell Singleton for letting us come out and visit! I'm already looking forward to another visit!

Broccoli Casserole

2013-03-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

I cook this for my church crowd. I leave out the onions when I cook it for them, because I have some people with "onion issues". You choose to add them or not; it works either way!

2 cups cooked white rice

5 tablespoons margarine
1 cup chopped onions
1 (10 ounce) package chopped frozen broccoli, thawed and drained
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt margarine in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until tender. In a 2 quart casserole dish combine onions, cooked rice, broccoli, mushroom soup and cheese; mix well.
Bake for 35 minutes.

Maui Made Teriyaki Marinade and my Teriyaki Crunchy Chicken

2013-03-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago, I received a sample bottle of Maui Maid Teriyaki Marinade. To say I was excited is an understatement! I love teriyaki and so does my son! We do teriyaki wings, teriyaki bacon wrapped chicken livers, teriyaki pork loin, teriyaki beef tenderloin... I think you get it. (I was beginning to feel like Bubba Gump! LOL) We love teriyaki! One problem that we have had is that our favorite sauce is sometimes hard to find. I was excited to try this sauce.

After trying this one... I want more! The hubby started out with "Mmmm!" which changed to, "Oh WOW!" and finally, "OMGoodness! This is perfect! The perfect balance of sweet and salty!"

I made chicken two different ways. I made teriyaki pan seared nuggets, for my son, and teriyaki pan fried crunchy chicken cutlets, for the hubby. Here we go...

I marinated skinless, boneless chicken breasts and cut some up into nuggets. I let them marinate for a few hours. When the hubby got home with the breadcrumbs, I mixed up some breadcrumbs and flour. I didn't add any seasonings, not on purpose, but because my step-son came in with his daughter, Kendal. (((SQUIRREL!))) I'm easily distracted! AND thus no pictures of the coating process or frying! :-(

Ok... One picture of pan searing the nuggets that were coated in sauce. Be careful with the temperature when cooking teriyaki. The sugars can burn if the temps are to high, and that it not good!

I set up a dipping station with just two pans. (Sorry, no pics) I put the flour mixture in one and more marinade in the other. I dipped the breasts in the flour mixture, then in the marinade, and back in the flour mixture again. This gives the chicken a thick crust and the teriyaki helps the flour mixture really stick to the chicken. I fried them in the pan until golden brown, then I transferred them to a 350 degree oven so the marinade in the coating wouldn't burn. After a few minutes, I turned the oven to warm so the chicken wouldn't dry out.

I made a sauce reduction by making a little slurry of cornstarch and water. I added that to about 1/2 cup of the marinade and 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar and some black pepper. I simmered it until it thickened a little.

I spooned a little over the fried chicken breast, and voila! Using the marinade as the liquid in the battering process is so awesome! What could be better than a crunchy teriyaki crust??? I had my step-son and his wife try it, and they loved it. As a matter of fact, my step-son said, "OMG Lynn! You are such an awesome cook!" Well shut the front door! That kid is hard to please so... 'nough said!

Surprisingly, (since the kids had eaten before they came over) I had some leftover, and the hubby says, "You're putting that up right?" I asked if he wanted more. He said, "Heck yeah! Tomorrow!"

Now... I want the spicy and the onion flavors!!! You can buy them from Maui Maid's Website and on Amazon. Click the link in the first of this blog and visit Maui Maid on Facebook. Be sure to tell her I sent you, and be sure to give her a like!

Michele's Gigi's Quick Chicken Paella

2013-03-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

I am starting a project today where I will cook and photograph a signature dish from my mentor and beloved friend Michele Wynn Gerhard of La Belle Cuisine! In the spirit of "Julie and Julia", I will feature one of her family recipes, once a week. (NOT 500+ in a year! LOL) We will feature these special segments both on Southern With A Twist and La Belle Cuisine! Michele is selecting the recipes for me, which was a daunting task for me... one I am glad she accepted to do for me. Michele has been such a blessing and mentor to me. Her guidance, advise and willingness to just listen to me has been such a blessing in my life! I hope you all will follow us on this journey and visit our blogs to keep up with the fun! She is starting me out on an easy one (she says) this week... Gigi's Quick Chicken Paella! (Click the link for her recipe)
Let's get cookin' Michele! :-) ♥ ♥ ♥
~ Lynn

I made sure that I had all my ingredients, which included the hubby stopping by the grocery store several nights on his way home! As in all undertakings that I try to pull off... I had no turmeric. I don't even know much about it, because I have never used turmeric. I did research it and found out that you may be able to sub some dry mustard, but I had no dry mustard or saffron to even remotely try to substitute anything for it. Oops... well, continue!

I almost forgot the garlic... Can't forget the garlic.

The first step is to brown the sausage on medium. I had Italian sausage, which does tend to stick or fall apart. It started to stick and brown in the bottom of the pan, which does impart some yummy flavors.

I set the sausage aside, and browned the chicken in the drippings. However, I didn't brown it as long as I should have because I was afraid the sausage bits and drippings were getting a little too brown!

I took out the chicken and set it aside... onions and garlic were next!

I got a little excited and lost focus (no pun intended) on taking pictures. This is where I added the broth to the onions and garlic. That released all those little bits of brown goodness off the bottom! Oh! I added the rice, sausage, carrots back to the pot and topped with the chicken pieces. It simmered for about 20 minutes.

Next were the artichokes, which were jarred, not frozen, peas and black olives. I wish I had whole olives, but all I had was sliced... no biggy! :-) Back to simmer for another 20 minutes.

The final touch was adding the tomatoes and letting them heat through. Very colorful and very fragrant! I just wish I had a little more color on the chicken... I know! I am my own worst critic.

As I am writing this, (we ate a couple of hours ago) the hubby is dipping another helping out to sit down and snack on while watching tv... I guess it's a hit! :-)

The final plating!

Thanks to my friend Michele at La Belle Cuisine for agreeing to let me do this... and for helping me do this, risking her reputation! Only if you could be here to help me NOT mess it up! LOL

OH! And thanks for NOT starting me out on a baking recipe! LOLOLOLOL
XOXOXOXOX ~ Lynn

Calphalon Triply Stainless Steel 5-Qt. Covered Dutch Oven (Google Affiliate Ad)