When Life Gives You Lemons....

Do you follow Pioneer Woman? If you don't you should. Her stories make me laugh out loud, and her recipes are to die for....okay, maybe not. But, they are definitely worth a serious illness.

A few months ago she posted a recipe for a drool-worthy pound cake that the Southern Girl in me just could not ignore. So, I decided to try it out...for the first time...when we had over 30 guests coming to our home...'cause I'm a little crazy like that.

It baked beautifully, and the scent was divine. Then, I tried to turn it out of the pan and got this:



My first course of action was to take a spoon and dig the warm cake out of the bottom of the pan. What?!? I had to see if it was worth saving! It was irrefutably the best pound cake that I'd ever made. So, I had to come up with a way to camouflage it's appearance.

I looked at recipes that included drizzling sauces and syrups on top. I tried slicing it and arranging it on a plate. We all know that didn't help at all. Then, I decided to fall back on a Southern Classic ~ The Trifle.

If you do a search for Trifle recipes, you will find a myriad of way to assemble one. The basics ingredients are
1) Some sort of cakey substance
2) Some sort of creamy substance
3) Some sort of fruity or chunky chocolate substance

Now, hear me please, run screaming from the ones that include fruit cocktail, 'kay?

I decided to make up my own and here is what I came up with, it disappeared at my party.



Berry Trifle
1 Pound Cake, cubed
4 Cups Fresh Berries, sliced if appropriate
4oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 Lg Vanilla Pudding
Sugar

Combine berries in bowl and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Let this sit on the kitchen counter, covered, for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally. Prepare pudding as box directs and then add cream cheese, whisking to combine.

In a large bowl or trifle dish (preferably a clear one), place half of the cubed pound cake. Add half of the sugared berries. Add all of the pudding mixture. Then finish with the rest of the pound cake followed by the rest of the berries. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

This is best eaten the same day that it is prepared, but leftover will keep for another day or so. I've since made it with a store bought lemon cake, which was also good, but not nearly as yummy as PW's Pound Cake.

Enjoy!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Parmesan Chicken

I love, love, love this recipe. It is another that has been with me for many years. I often fix this for company or for a crowd. I hope your family loves it like mine does!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Parmesan Chicken

4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Sleeve Ritz Crackers

1 Stick Butter

1/2 C. Grated Parmesan (the powdered version)

Preheat oven to 375°. Rinse & trim the chicken, cut into 3-4 tenders. Pat dry. Crush crackers and place in shallow dish add cheese and toss together. Melt butter in cereal bowl. Dip chicken in butter then roll in cracker mixture. Be sure to press some of this into the chicken so it is well covered. Place chicken on cookie sheet (greased) or baking stone. Sprinkle any leftover cracker mixture on top, covering any bare spots. Bake for 20-23 minutes (depending on the size of your tenders) until no longer pink.

I served this with THESE Tomatoes, Corn, and Pear Salad...Yum!

Easter Treats

I signed up to bring the sweet treat for my preschooler's Spring Party this week. After the last party (Valentine's ~ Remember the Conversation Heart Cupcakes?), one of the teachers mentioned that she had consumed 4 cupcakes that week. (They have multiple classes, each of which has it's own party.) She wasn't complaining at all, just stating the facts. As much as I love cupcakes, I have to think that gets old after a while. So, I decided to change things up a bit for this party.

Rice Krispy Treat Eggs

3 T. Butter
1 Bag Marshmallows
6 Cups Rice Krispies
1/2 Pkg. of White Almond Bark
Sprinkles

Make Rice Krispy Treat recipe by melting butter on low heat in a large pot. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Dump in Rice Krispies and mix well. Then, with buttered hands and a small ice cream scoop, scoop out and form the mixture into an egg shape. Press it together so that it will hold it's shape. I put mine on a silpat to set up, but you can use waxed paper (either way, put it on a cookie sheet so that they can be transferred to the fridge later).

Wait about 30 minutes. Then, chop up the almond bark into small blocks. Place in a microwaveable bowl (avoid shallow bowls, you want to be able to dip the eggs easily) and cook at 30 second intervals, stirring after each. When it is completely melted, dip the bottom half of each egg in the candy coating and top with sprinkles. Dip only three or four at a time, to be sure that your sprinkles stick. Allow to cool, then pop them in the fridge for about 10 minutes to harden.

I then placed mine in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to enjoy them within 24 hours for the best quality.

I saw this idea somewhere this week...it could have been a commercial or a magazine, I just can't remember. But, I did find a version on a Kellog's site HERE. So, the idea was theirs. I just gave it my twist :)

By the way, this is the first time I've ever sculpted Rice Krispy Treats...a couple of them came out pretty wonky. Gotta HATE it when that happens. I have it on pretty good authority that these taste really good. ~wink~

Cheesy Brunch Bundles

I needed to whip up a quick brunch menu this morning, for a friend who was coming over to chat. This was one on-the-fly experiment that worked out quite nicely. May I say that it is amazing what you can do with a can of crescent rolls? I think this is a pretty versatile recipe, too. You can use any meat & cheese combination that you have on hand. It yields 4 servings.

Cheesy Brunch Bundles

4 oz. Chopped Lunch Meat (I used turkey)
3/4 c. Shredded Cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
2 T. Mayonnaise
1T. Stone Ground Mustard
1 Tube Crescent Rolls

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine first four ingredients and mix well. Separate crescent rolls into 4 rectangles, and pinch center seam together. Spoon meat mixture along the center of the rectangle, then pull opposite corners together and twist to seal. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. I served them with a side of cantaloupe chunks and blueberries.

My friend ended up not being able to join me, so my little guy and I enjoyed a fancy breakfast together.

My Quiche Experiment ~ Ham Casserole

My family loves my quiche. It is one item that I know EVERYONE will ALWAYS be excited to see on the table. One 10-inch quiche, with a side of fruit, has always fed my guys and me without a problem. That was until my boys became part-Hoover and started sucking up any food in sight. What in the world am I gonna do when they hit high school? (Denise told me this week that it was a good thing that I know how to buy food cheap. Amen.)

At first, I was going to make two quiche...quiches...that's not right, it must be quiche. (What is the plural for quiche, anyway???) It rhymes with geese, so I'll use the same rule...two quiche. (My 12th grade English teacher just broke a sweat without knowing why.)

Anyway...I was going to make two of them. Then, I decided that I didn't want to wash two pie stones. So,I started trying to figure out how to make one really big quiche...which kind of became a breakfast casserole, that still tastes like quiche. I used a can of crescent rolls as the base, which turned out nicely. But, I missed the distinct pie crust flavor from my quiche. Next time, I think I will try making a big batch of pie dough and lining my casserole with it.

We like baked ham in our quiche. Occasionally, I will buy a big ham and cook it for supper, then cube what is left and freeze it in quart-sized bags. On quiche day, I just pull one out and let it thaw.

One other note, I used my Pampered Chef Oval Stoneware Baker, which I have just discovered is no longer available. I estimate that it has about a 10-cup capacity.

Without further adieu...here's the recipe that I came up with. It is husband, 9-year old and 4-year old approved.

Quiche-Like Ham Casserole
1 Tube Crescent Rolls
5 Large Eggs
1 Can Evaporated Milk
Salt & Pepper OR Cavendar's Greek Seasoning (My Choice)
3-4 Cups Cubed Ham
2-4 Cups Grated Sharp Cheddar
(sometimes I use half cheddar and half mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 375°. Press crescent rolls into bottom and partially up the sides of a medium-sized casserole dish. Place casserole in oven while it preheats (no more than 5 minutes)to partially-cook the crescent rolls. Whisk together eggs, evaporated milk, and seasoning. When oven is preheated, remove casserole. Arrange ham on top of the crescent dough, then top with grated cheese. Pour egg mixture over the top. The liquid should just about cover the dough. Bake for 45 minutes, or until puffy and set in the center.

"A Man Full of Grits is A Man of Peace"

What's a Grit? I will never forget the first time time that someone asked me that question. (yes, it has happened more than once) My first thought was "Bless his heart, didn't his momma ever cook breakfast for him?"

Grits are as common on a Southern table as fleas on a dog's back. Growing up, it never occurred to me that grits weren't available everywhere. Then as a young bride I left the South...and eventually went to a restaurant...and asked for grits...and got a weird look from a waitress. I should have known better when I didn't see any Waffle Houses around.

Speaking of restaurants, the other day my sister in law (in South Carolina) went to McDonalds to order the Fruit and Maple Oatmeal that I've been raving about. This was before we were aware that my area is a test-market for the stuff. When she ordered oatmeal, the lady behind the counter said, "Oatmeal? Honey, we don't even carry grits!" ~GRIN~

So, let us first ask the right question, Grasshopper. It is not, "What is a grit?" The proper question is, "What are grits?"

Grits are made from milled corn, which is boiled to soften and then traditionally seasoned with salt and butter. This dish is based on a Native American preparation of corn, making it truly American fare. But, similar dishes such as Polenta (Italy) and Fungee (Caribbean) exist around the world.

Grits have had such a deep cultural impact in my home state that the South Carolina Legislature passed a bill in 2000 to name them the official food of the state.

Whereas, throughout its history, the South has "relished its grits", making them "a symbol of its diet, its customs, its humor, and its hospitality"; and

Whereas, every community in the State of South Carolina used to be the site of a grist mill and every local economy in the State used to be dependent on its products; and

Whereas, grits has been a part of the life of every South Carolinian of whatever race, background, gender, and income; and

Whereas, grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this State, but also the world, if, as The Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: "An inexpensive, simple, and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace". Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 1-1-703. The official state food is grits."

I told you grits were a big deal!

Do you remember "My Cousin Vinny"? I love Marissa Tomei in that movie! (The edited for TV version, thank you.) I can just see her in the witness stand explaining positraction and limited slip differentials. During the trial, one of the witnesses (who is identified in the screen play as "grits cook") says, "No self-respectin' Southerner uses instant grits, I take pride in my grits."

I have to disagree, sort of. Although I'm not a huge fan of the instant variety, quick grits are perfectly acceptable. And, they cook in five minutes instead of twenty. You won't find the long cooking version outside of grits country anyway.

If you have never tried grits, give them a chance. Cheese Grits are fun too, after your grits have cooked to package directions, just throw in some Velveeta and stir to melt. But, if you really want to go all out, try my Cheese Grits Casserole recipe below. I always make it for the team that we take to Mississippi every Summer to help with continued Katrina relief.

Cheese Grits Casserole

4c. Water
1c. Quick Grits
Salt to taste
1 Stick Butter
6-8 oz. Velveeta
2 eggs
Milk

Place water, grits and salt in a large saucepan and whisk (no one likes lumpy grits). Heat just to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add margarine and cheese, stir until melted. Set aside. Beat eggs with enough milk to make 1 cup. Add egg mixture to grits and combine. Pour into an 8x8 casserole and bake at 325° for 1 hour.

Remember...eating grits will contribute to world peace. Wouldn't you love to be a part of that solution?

Unbaked, No-Bake, Preacher Cookies

I've seen these cookies called everything under the sun. I don't care what you call them, they are my all-time favorite cookie...ever...in the world...in the universe...

It took me 5 years to get these right. Not because they are difficult, mind you. Nope...it was because my recipe was missing a step. My frustration grew with each gooey, runny batch. Now I can't even remember what was missing. What I do remember is miming the "I coulda had a V8" move when it finally hit me to look at another recipe for the same cookie. Yep, it was glaring at me, right there...used the new recipe and it worked like magic. Yes, they are magical cookies. **grins**

Unbaked, No-Bake, Preacher Cookies

2 C. Sugar
1 Stick Butter
1/2 C. Cocoa Powder
1/2 C. Milk
1/2 C. Crunchy Peanut Butter
3 C. Quick Oats
1 tsp. Vanilla

Before starting, prep an area to spoon out the cookies. I like to put a towel on my kitchen table, top that with some waxed paper, and then add a hot pad to set the saucepan on. Also, get out your scooper. I use a mini-ice cream scoop, but you can use a teaspoon as well.

Dump the sugar, butter, cocoa and milk into a medium saucepan. Bring to a full, rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and stir until melted. Add oatmeal and vanilla and mix well.

Drop onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

Yield: 4 dozen (by the teaspoon full)

These are not good for your waistline, in case you were wondering.

Momma's Cameo Cake

I learned this recipe when I was a very young bride. It is unique. I have never seen it printed anywhere else. I am quite convinced that this is what the New Testament calls Manna...of course, I've said that about Krispy Kreme Donuts too. Well, I'm sure it was one or the other. You can't go wrong with White Chocolate, Toasted Pecans and Cream Cheese...now can you? It is sweet, but not sickeningly so, and wonderful with coffee! This is not a beginner-level recipe. If you have baking experience, you'll be fine. If you haven't done a lot of baking yet, you may want to get your feet wet with some easier recipes first. But, please come back to this one. You won't regret it. You know...any recipe with "Momma" in the name has to be good!

Momma's Cameo Cake

1 1/2 C. Butter, room temperature
3/4 C. Water
4 oz. White Chocolate, broken up (the real stuff)
1 1/2 C. Buttermilk
4 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
3 1/2 C. All-Purpose Flour, divided
1 C. Chopped Pecans, toasted
2 1/4 C. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 3 9-inch pans (or use Baker's Joy).

Toast pecans in a small fry pan at medium heat, stirring frequently, until they smell wonderful and nutty.

Combine butter and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and stir until chocolate melts. Set Aside.

Combine pecans with 1/2 C. flour and stir to coat (this keeps the pecans from sinking to the bottom while baking.)

Combine remaining 3 C. flour, sugar and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Set Aside.

To your white chocolate mixture, add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Gradually add white chocolate mixture to flour mixture, stirring until combined. Fold in pecans. Batter will be thin. Divide equally between prepared cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks and allow to cool completely. Prepare Frosting.

Cameo Frosting

4 oz. White Chocolate (again, the real thing)
2 8 oz. Blocks Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/3 C. Butter, room temperature
6 1/2 C. Sifted Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. pecans, toasted

Toast pecans again, as above.

Melt white chocolate in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes, stir occasionally.

Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer until creamy.

Gradually add white chocolate, beat until blended.

Gradually add powdered sugar, beating between additions until smooth.

Stir in vanilla and cooled pecans.

Frost cooled cake.

Try not to eat any for about 5 minutes...I dare ya!


This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap over at Life As Mom.

Ma Ma Betty's Pimento Cheese

I grew up on pimento cheese. Now, I know that a lot of people in the Northern Territories either 1) Don't know what it is, or 2) Think it is disgusting. If you are in the second category, that just means that you've never had the good stuff. I don't mean from a deli, and I don't mean from a plastic tub near the bologna. I'm talking about real, homemade pimento cheese. And, if you are in the first category, please let me introduce you!

We didn't eat a lot of lunch meat when I was a kid. There were basically 6 options for a sandwich:

~Pimento Cheese
~Banana
~PB & J
~Tomato (come on summer!)
~Pineapple
~Bologna (the kind with the red ring that you had to peel off)

My favorite was always Ma Ma Betty's Pimento Cheese. It is so doggone good...and I have just discovered that it is very hard to type with it on your fingers...

There are 3 ingredients.

One half-pound block cheddar cheese (I like extra-sharp.) ~ Please don't buy that pre-shredded mess for this. Did you know that the anti-caking agent they use in that stuff is powdered sawdust? Read the package...it says powdered cellulose...that's wood, baby. Buy a real block of cheese and grate it. Your biceps will thank you.

1/2 C. Mayonnaise ~ This is not the same as Miracle Whip...ick. Do not use a "dressing", use real mayo. A Southern Gal's preference is Duke's Mayo. I am very distressed to announce that the one local store that was carrying it here has stopped. I'm gonna have to put in an order with my folks when they come to visit again.

Small jar of pimentos ~ If you've never bought these, they can be sneaky little devils to locate in the store. They are always on the top shelf. (Hmmm...wonder why?) You can look near the pickles and olives. I have found them near canned tomatoes as well. If all else fails, just ask for them. I have yet to go to a store that didn't carry them.

Grate the cheese, drain the pimentos, and dump it all together. Mix it up and you're done. Some folks add pepper, but I don't. This will keep nicely in a covered container in the fridge for several days...I don't know the limit 'cause it never lasts long!

Slather it on some white bread, and you are golden. In the winter, I love these toasted under the broiler with tomato soup. (Dip the sandwich in the soup...it's a rule.) It is also yummy on Ritz Crackers.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I am...right...now!

**This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom.

Corn Dog Muffins

I ran across this super-awesome idea recently over at Family, Stamping and Food. I just had to try it out and share it with you. My boys love corn dogs, and they are gonna dive into these like there is no tomorrow.

I decided to make full-sized muffins and double the recipe so that I would have some left to flash-freeze for a quick lunch or snack. I used...

2 Boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix
2/3 c. Milk
2 eggs
6 Ball Park Bun-Length Turkey Franks (halved lengthwise and then sliced)

Mix it all up and let it sit for a few minutes (this allows the cornbread to rise a little, making it crown better while baking). Grease a muffin pan with EVOO, fill, and bake at 400* for 18-20 minutes. My stoneware pan makes pretty big muffins, I got 14 out of the recipe. Regular muffin tins will probably give you 16-18.



All you need is ketchup and mustard for dipping...YUM!

Bakerella's Peach Crunch Cake

I love peaches. In fact I am a peach snob. I won't buy them in the grocery store. They must come from a peach shed. (It's a Southern thing, I'll tell you about it in a new series called Southern Charm sometime soon.) Once a year, in late July, there is a variety of peach available in South Carolina called the Freestone. It is called this because you can cut the peach in half and pop the stone out with your fingers. This was the variety of peach in Eden, I am sure of it. The smell alone makes my mouth water.

Alas, it is not late July, and this is not South Carolina. It is early February and there is an ungodly amount of snow on the ground outside.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a recipe on Bakerella's blog for a peach crunch cake. (If you don't know her, get to know her...she is fabulous!) This recipe is different from any I've seen. It calls for canned peaches, which I can deal with for baking. It looked so amazing that I just had to try it. I cannot wait to see how it turns out with a few of my beloved Freestones this summer!

Give it a try, you will not be disappointed!

Bakerella's Peach Crunch Cake

24.5 oz peaches in light syrup (she used jarred, I used 2 cans)
1 yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into 16 even slices
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c finely chopped nuts

Dump the peaches into a 9X13 dish (including syrup). Cut the peaches in half and distribute them evenly. Dump the cake mix on top and spread it evenly. Place the butter pats, spaced evenly, on top. Sprinkle on the brown sugar. Sprinkle on the chopped nuts. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes.

I wish I had a Smell-O-Blog so that you could get a whiff of what is coming from my oven right now...MMMmmmm.

If you want to see Bakerella's full tutorial for this recipe, you can check it out HERE.

*This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom...check it out!

Buttermilk Biscuits ~ Southern Style

I have not been able to conjur up a good batch of biscuits since I moved North, until recently. Well, let me tell you,

All I ever needed to know about life biscuits, I learned from my momma and Alton Brown!

Did you know that there is Yankee flour and Southern flour? I didn't! Southern flour is better suited for biscuits, because biscuits are a Southern food...imagine that! Mr. Brown explains the scientific reason behind this in his Good Eats episode, The Dough Also Rises. So, before telling you how to make fab biscuits, let me stress the importance of looking at the flour sack to see where it was produced. Find something from Tennessee, North Carolina...you get the picture.

Also, please use real buttermilk. Turning regular milk with vinegar just doesn't work as well. And, for heaven's sake, don't use regular milk straight up! Buttermilk lasts FOREVER in the fridge, and is good for so many things...cornbread...cakes....

I have adapted many of Mr. Brown's tips into my biscuit making. Here are the results....YUM!

Ingredients:
2 cups SOUTHERN self-rising flour
2 T butter
2 T shortening
1 cup buttermilk

(Mr. Brown contends that it is better to use all-purpose flour along with 4 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, and 3/4 tsp. salt. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find Southern all-purpose flour here. So, I'm making-do with self-rising.)



Preheat oven to 450*.



Lightly grease a shiny metal pan with shortening.



Add flour to a bowl (along with baking powder, baking soda and salt if you're using all-purpose flour).



Add butter and shortening.



Using a pastry blender, 2 forks, or your fingers cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.



Make a well in the center and pour in your real, bonafide buttermilk.



Stir it all up until it holds together, but not a second more. The more you work the dough, the tougher your bisciuts will be.



Flour some wax paper and turn the dough out on to it. Notice the extra flour on the sides, there. Well, you're gonna use that. Pick up the edges of the wax paper and bring them together, causing that flour to cover the top of your dough. Use the wax paper to pull the dough together. Release the wax paper and fold the dough onto itself several times.



Do this as little as possible, but until it is relatively smooth.



Now it is time to pat it out. Use a rolling pin if you must, but in my opinion it is just a waste of time and gives you something else to wash. (Save the rolling pin for pie crusts.) Besides, if your biscuits are too perfect someone is liable to accuse you of getting them from a tube! Pat the dough out evenly with your hands until it is about an inch thick.



Now it is time to cut. I do not like my cutter, I want one that is open in back. I feel like this one is pressing down on the top of the biscuit. But, for now it is what I have. Push straight down, do not twist as you cut. I sometimes find it easier to peel away the scrap before lifting the cutter, as you see here, in order to pick up the cut biscuit.



Place gently on pan, lightly touching on the sides. Mr. Brown says it is important to gently mash your thumb into the center so that they will rise flat, instead of domed. Whatever... I just think it is fun to mark them. If they all have my thumbprint in them, then they are all mine to eat...right?

Baking times vary based on your oven. Mine is perfect at 18 minutes. Start watching them at 15. They should be golden on top. ( I let these go just a minute or two too long...they're still yummy, though!)

Now, while they're still hot, cut one open and put a pat of butter and a spoonful of brown sugar inside...then close it up and give it a few seconds to melt together. Make sure your momma is nowhere close, because it's gonna make you want to smack her!

The World's Easiest Baked Tilapia

I took a notion to try something a little different with my fish once. This is the result. It isn't fancy, and I doubt it will ever win an award. But, it is quick and tasty. And, I always have the ingredients on hand.


This is my stoneware bar pan. I love it very much. We have been together for 8 years now. When we met, my bar pan was very pale and rough around the edges. Now, over time, it has become seasoned almost to perfection. If you've never cooked with stoneware, you should try it. Limiting stoneware use to making pizza is just plain silly. If I ever break this pan I will cry...real tears. You can get your own from Pampered Chef. The seasoning takes time, but it becomes so wonderful.

So, rinse your Tilapia fillets and pat them dry with a paper towel...the drying is important. Place them on a baking pan. If you don't have stoneware, metal will do but you might spritz it with cooking spray first. And watch your time, it may cook just a couple of minutes more quickly.


The next step is pretty simple. Choose a few spices and sprinkle on your fillets. I just do the top, top and bottom can make the flavor pretty intense. I use Paprika, Fresh Ground Pepper, and Cavendar's Greek Seasoning. I devoted a full post to Cavendar's HERE, it is one of my favorite things.


Then, pop it into a 350* oven for 18-20 minutes, until the fish is flaky. It should look something like this. Easy as can be!


*This recipe is included at the Ultimate Recipe Swap over at Life As Mom.

Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes

Vegetables can be a challenge this time of year. Granted, the supermarkets are doing a better job than ever with displays of produce from all over the world. The flavor just isn't the same when the produce is out of season, though. This recipe works wonderfully during the summer, when tomatoes are bountiful, fresh and local. It also serves well to doctor-up winter-time tomatoes. (Sometimes the texture is just off a little...ya know?)

I picked up this recipe when I was a young bride from the "First Lady Cookbook". It was compiled 30 years ago by ladies who live along the "George Washington Trail" in South Carolina. This is one of my favorite side-dishes when we have company.

6 Tomatoes
1/2 c. Sour Cream
1/2 c. Mayonnaise
1/4 c. Grated Parmesan
1 t. garlic salt
1 t. chopped parsley
Juice of 1 lemon

Cut tomatoes in half crosswise. Arrange in a shallow pan, cut side up. Combine remaining ingredients, blending well. Divide mixture between tomatoes, topping each cut half. Broil until bubbly. Yields 12 servings.

This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life As Mom.

(I must confess...I keep forgetting to take photos of my food. So, I located the above photo at bing image search. Please accept the above photo as a stand-in for mine which look pretty much identical.)

Freebie Alert~3 Goseberry Patch Cookbooklets

I just came across a fun freebie that I thought you might like. Post and Sunmaid have teamed up with Goseberry Patch to provide three recipe booklets that look appealing. A Breakfast and Brunch booklet is available HERE. Fall Favorites and Family Favorite Recipes are available on one form HERE. I just love finding free stuff in my mailbox!

Thanks Freebies 4 Mom!

Saucy Smokies

In light of New Year's, I thought I would share one of the quickest and easiest "knick-knack" recipes that I have. (In some Southern circles "knick-knack" is used to describe snack food.) I have been making these for over 15 years. They are always the first to disappear from my snack table. I like to cook and serve these in a mini-crock pot. You could also prepare them on the stove and serve them in a chafing dish. (Although, they probably won't last long enough to get cold.)


Lil' Smokies
Prepared Yellow Mustard
Grape Jelly
Minced Onion

Place smokies in your crock. Whisk together jelly and mustard until relatively smooth. If you want your sauce sweeter, go a little heavier on the jelly. If you want it to be more tangy, opt for a little more mustard. Just eyeball the amounts, you really can't mess this up. Stir in the minced onions and pour mixture over the smokies. They should be well coated and with some extra sauce in the bottom. As everything heats up the sauce will loosen up. If you are cooking on the stove, use medium-low heat and give it a little time. Stir occasionally and be sure not to cook the sauce dry. When the smokies are plump, they are ready. Enjoy!

This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life As Mom.

Cheater Cookies~So Easy, It Feels Like You're Cheating at Cooking

This recipe was given to me years ago, when I was a young bride. I love them because they are versatile, take very few ingredients, and oh so tasty. I made dozens of these once for an after-concert and signing party for Jacqi Valesquez and Clay Crosse (they were just getting started and I managed a Christian Bookstore). When I take these to an event, they always disappear.

Are you ready for the ingredient list?

Cheater Cookies

1 box cake mix (your choice)
1 egg
2 c. Cool Whip
powdered sugar

Combine cake mix, egg and Cool Whip. Drop by teaspoonful into powdered sugar and roll until covered. Shape into balls. Place 1-inch apart on a greased cookie sheet or baking stone. Do not flatten. Bake 350* for 9-10 minutes, until set but not browned. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a loosely covered container (or they will get hard). Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

I have used chocolate, lemon, strawberry, spice, and butter pecan cake mixes. My favorites are chocolate and lemon. Strawberry is pretty for a bridal or baby shower. When using spice mix, I like to add cinnamon. These cookies are soft, chewy and wonderful. They spread as they cook, giving them a wonderful crinkled appearance. Enjoy!

This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom.

Great Cold-Weather Use for Leftovers!

I have been on the lookout lately for recipes that are flexible enough to use up leftovers. I came across this one on Recipezaar.com a couple of months ago, and I love it! In fact, since it only uses 1/2 bottle of barbecue sauce, I chopped up enough meat for a second fixing and added it and the sauce to a freezer bag for a 2nd quick meal. I am starting a container in the freezer for assorted leftover meat, chopped up, just for this recipe. (You know, a single chicken breast or pork chop.)

I like this mixture over brown rice. Add something green and dinner is served! By the way, I tried this in the crock pot...I like it better heated up on the stove.

Dirty Ranch-Style Beans
serves 6

1 1/2 lbs. cooked chopped, shredded or ground meat(chicken, pork, turkey, beef)
1/2 bottle barbecue sauce
2 cans Bush's chili beans (You can use others, but Bush's sauce is yummy!)
1/8 c. brown sugar

Add meat, sauce, beans and brown sugar to a saucepan. Heat over medium/high heat until bubbly. Viola...yummy leftovers!

This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom

"Good For You" Southern Style Green Beans

A few months ago we had some friends over for dinner. While going back for seconds "Tom" said, "These green beans are fantastic, I cannot stand the ones that come out of a can." I laughed and confessed that those green beans had indeed come out of a can.

This recipe is a result of my efforts over the years to make Southern-style food that doesn't clog your arteries. I promise, you'll love them! I am pretty faithful to Hanover's Blue Lake Green Beans. Allen Green Beans are good as well. But, use whatever is in your stockpile.

Canned green beans (amount appropriate for you)
Olive Oil
Cavendar's Greek Seasoning

Empty beans, liquid and all, into appropriately sized pot on medium heat. Add olive oil, I never measure but I would say 1 Tablespoon for every pound of beans. Then add Cavendar's. Again, I don't measure, but start with 1/2 teaspoon per pound and add more if you like later in cooking. I'm sure I use more than that. Now, stir well and let them simmer for a couple of hours on the stove, but make sure to not let them cook dry. I stir often. This disturbs some folks because the beans start to cook down and fall apart instead of keeping their "cut bean shape"...but that's the way we Southerners like them!

Life As Mom is having a Thanksgiving recipe swap today...go over and check it out!

Acorn Treats

Acorns might not be human food, but it sure is fun to make human food that looks like an acorn! I've made these for several Autumn events over the last couple of years and I'm always asked, "How'd you do that?" So...here's how!




1 Box of Donut Holes (Pumpkin Spice flavor is yummy for this!)
1 bag of English Toffee Bits (Near the chocolate chips)
Pretzel sticks (1 for every 2 donut holes)
1 tub of Milk Chocolate Frosting

Pour the toffee bits into a bowl. Frost the top 1/3 of a donut hole. Roll the frosted part in the toffee bits. Break a pretzel stick in half and push into the top for a stem.

One year I even got feisty enough to make leaf-shaped cookies to put with them. I put them in a basket with a Fall colored liner for a very pretty presentation.

This is one of many ideas that I have gotten from the Family Fun website.