tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9262314833185986532024-02-18T21:52:39.214-06:00A Little Help in the Kitchenfrom Mammaw, Paula, Rachael, Betty, Ma Bell, & DarleneA Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-80026472906018516352011-07-14T14:29:00.003-05:002011-07-14T15:30:31.828-05:00Adventurous EatingIt appears keeping the blog updated is much more difficult than I envisioned! Such is life I suppose! :)<br /><br /><br /><br />We've had a pretty eventful year. Kyle spent last summer in China on a study abroad program. I signed up as a Pampered Chef consultant. We got to watch our first ever NFL game live-and-in-person at the Superdome in New Orleans. We completed our first year of marriage! Kyle graduated from Jackson State. I started training for a half-marathon I plan to run in October. And of course I've been doing lots of cooking!<br /><br /><br />Since I do cook 3-4 nights a week, often times I get in a cooking rut and feel like I make the same things over and over again. When Pampered Chef came out with their spring line, I got the new "Make It Fresh Make It Healthy" cookbook, and found a really interesting recipe: Chicken with Fresh Herb Chimichurri. I love cooking with fresh ingredients, whether it's herbs, fruits, or vegetables, especially when I've grown them myself! And every now and then I get adventurous and cook things a bit out of the ordinary. Such is the case with this dish.<br /><br /><br />Ingredients for the Chimichurri:<br /><br /><br />1 lime<br />3 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro<br />1-1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves<br />2 green onions, cut into thirds<br />3 tbsp water<br />1 garlic clove, peeled<br />1/2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot<br />1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes<br />1/4 tsp salt<br /><br /><br /><br />Juice one half of the lime to measure 1 tbsp. (Use the other half to shoot tequila... if you like to do that sort of thing... but wait til after you finish cooking :)) Place juice, cilantro, basil, green onions, water, garlic and ginger in food processor. Coarsely puree. Pour chimichurri into a small bowl. Stir in red pepper flakes and salt. Set aside.<br /><br /><br /><br />Ingredients for Chicken & Rice:<br /><br /><br /><br />18 crackers, crushed<br />4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br />2 tbsp mayo<br />1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper<br />1 tbsp canola oil<br />1-1/2 cups hot cooked sushi rice (or other short grain rice)<br /><br /><br /><br />Flatten chicken to approximately 1/2-inch thick. Brush chicken with mayo, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in cracker crumbs. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side or until centers are no longer pink. Place rice and 3 tbsp of the chimichurri in a bowl and mix well. Serve chicken with rice and remaining chimichurri.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbKM4CrUfYmMfNCnmQWZ1s3EKkT7VHJB7URmcPRoXfDRIk8QmUrIPQQg1uR5gFaIM-X3uc4xF9OEONUrWPoeQwjbNMO6UB5FFC-NBQewZAa0qDlwwaA8cIIEuAragO39PnhqFT6oyh7c/s1600/chicken+fresh+herb+chimichurri.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629305783823157538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbKM4CrUfYmMfNCnmQWZ1s3EKkT7VHJB7URmcPRoXfDRIk8QmUrIPQQg1uR5gFaIM-X3uc4xF9OEONUrWPoeQwjbNMO6UB5FFC-NBQewZAa0qDlwwaA8cIIEuAragO39PnhqFT6oyh7c/s320/chicken+fresh+herb+chimichurri.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Some things to note... Chimichurri is nothing more than a fancy word for sauce, specifically one that's Asain-inspired and popular in Argentina. I had no intention on searching for gingerroot; I used 1/8 tsp of the ginger spice I had in the cabinet. There is a reason the recipe actually calls for 18 crackers instead of a handful or specific cup measurement. 18 is the perfect amount! I doubled the oil; it just didn't look like enough in the pan to me. Three to four minutes on each side for the chicken was not near enough. I flipped it at 3-4 minute intervals to keep the browning even, but it probably took 20 minutes or so to get fully cooked (to my liking anyway). The rice is what my husband refers to as sticky rice... perfect for eating with chopsticks!<br /><br />And by the way, it was awesome! Very flavorful! Will definitely be making again!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbKM4CrUfYmMfNCnmQWZ1s3EKkT7VHJB7URmcPRoXfDRIk8QmUrIPQQg1uR5gFaIM-X3uc4xF9OEONUrWPoeQwjbNMO6UB5FFC-NBQewZAa0qDlwwaA8cIIEuAragO39PnhqFT6oyh7c/s1600/chicken+fresh+herb+chimichurri.JPG"></a>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-17057319137581368472010-04-15T15:37:00.007-05:002010-04-15T15:49:43.509-05:00He is risen!... And the bread did too!Easter is a very important time in the Christian faith! We are all reminded that God sent His son Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sins so we can spend eternity in Heaven. What a joy and a blessing that is!<br /><br />When I was a kid, Easter Sunday afternoon was always spent at either Mammaw’s or Grandmother’s hunting eggs and eating a scrumptious meal. If we were at Mammaw’s, she would make a caramel cake; and if we were at Grandmother’s, she would make the best homemade rolls. The Easter staple at my house: fried green tomatoes!!<br /><br />This was the second holiday we chose to spend all by ourselves as a married couple. Best Buy was actually closed on Sunday, but we had just made the trek home a couple weekends before and decided to lay low for the weekend. Of course I whipped up a fabulous meal to celebrate the occasion! We bought one of those boneless hams we love; and I cooked fresh peas, stuffed eggs, homemade bread, and my famous fried green tomatoes! They’re famous in our house at least!<br /><br />I made my first trip of the year to the farmer’s market a week or two before Easter in search of my favorite vegetable. I’m not going to debate anyone who says tomatoes are a fruit. This is my blog. Today they are a vegetable. :) Lo and behold, they had one left! I snatched it up before the lady beside me could even lay eyes on it!<br /><br />And what’s Easter in this day and age without the proper candy? We had Robin’s Eggs and Reese’s Pieces Eggs to boot!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrVRay-ryFkkT9Qitt6CTkGd_QudD0aD3k5oTSdR46tT8cDO6XoY3qQ59cd1V0fAAuERAidS2Rkoqz6Y9LZY3rfBKKatEZjpyyaUCJt6VHoR7jZXMPioVQetzNTyZng4LtRcKpn1cnVo/s1600/P1040378.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460466719855995026" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrVRay-ryFkkT9Qitt6CTkGd_QudD0aD3k5oTSdR46tT8cDO6XoY3qQ59cd1V0fAAuERAidS2Rkoqz6Y9LZY3rfBKKatEZjpyyaUCJt6VHoR7jZXMPioVQetzNTyZng4LtRcKpn1cnVo/s320/P1040378.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Dessert was a week late getting fixed, but still worth every bite! Nutter Butter-Banana Pudding Trifle…MMMMM!!<br /><br />3 cups milk<br />3 large eggs<br />¾ cup sugar<br />⅓ cup all-purpose flour<br />2 tbsp butter<br />2 tsp vanilla extract<br />5 medium-size ripe bananas<br />1 (1-lb) package Nutter Butters<br />1 (8-oz) bowl whipped topping<br />Garnishes: Nutter Butters, dried banana chips, fresh mint sprigs<br /><br />Whisk together first 4 ingredients in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.<br /><br />Fill a large bowl with ice. Place saucepan in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly chilled.<br /><br />Meanwhile, cut bananas into ¼-inch slices. (Don’t cut too early or they’ll start turning brown.) Break cookies into thirds.<br /><br />Spoon half of pudding mixture into a 3-qt. bowl or pitcher. Top with bananas and cookies. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies. Top with whipped topping. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Garnish, if desired.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemU_ortIOEdT0fXiTrAO53q6_IwAZqI3Y-tIFrHdTjrOGQyA6-N2pkt-fDhijppul9ukzm6hEt4shqTuoCGfAbT_LoWIRUFHOmTFR182GFhnYHJ0F2EfjaSJRoycbVE7DEZQSQ9eecr0/s1600/P1040393.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460467048340849970" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemU_ortIOEdT0fXiTrAO53q6_IwAZqI3Y-tIFrHdTjrOGQyA6-N2pkt-fDhijppul9ukzm6hEt4shqTuoCGfAbT_LoWIRUFHOmTFR182GFhnYHJ0F2EfjaSJRoycbVE7DEZQSQ9eecr0/s320/P1040393.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Banana Pudding before...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7UjzN68mHiQHXbbKPKJw4y5jBwHiljiD-VljISvVJQi486_v_s-Sc23rinQ0oapNPfNaK1849vodfAIE2Lr76_ghof33hpKR9T_rfB8b8aHWbNwgRnT3Fr1HoAAUND_6o35VwAsqtIg/s1600/P1040400.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460467440776651938" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7UjzN68mHiQHXbbKPKJw4y5jBwHiljiD-VljISvVJQi486_v_s-Sc23rinQ0oapNPfNaK1849vodfAIE2Lr76_ghof33hpKR9T_rfB8b8aHWbNwgRnT3Fr1HoAAUND_6o35VwAsqtIg/s320/P1040400.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />... Banana Pudding after!!<br /><br /><br />Can you believe something I made actually turned out REALLY pretty??!!!A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-1518623656551173762010-04-15T15:31:00.003-05:002010-04-15T15:37:24.722-05:00Chocolate Stout Cupcakes<div>Just a few short years ago, the only holiday I attempted special food for was Christmas. Mom and I usually make cookies and other confections together. One year, the kitchen counter was lined from one end to the other with snowman bowls and cookie jars full of sugary goodness! And there was that one Fourth of July when Jennifer and Leah came to the apartment to hang out by the pool, and I spent the better portion of a day making pulled pork bbq sandwiches. Other days, the thought might run through my mind how much fun it would be to “theme-cook”, but I’d always find something else to occupy my time.<br /><br />Now, in my newfound excitement for food, I look for reasons to cook something special! Sometimes it pans out, sometimes it doesn’t. Thanksgiving was the bomb-diggity, and Valentine’s Day was seven shades of awesome! However, I never made Halloween treats or Bubba’s favorite banana pancakes for national pancake week in February. (How bout another trip to the PHOP, Justin?!) But, I was not about to let St. Paddy’s Day pass me by!<br /><br />I searched my trusty websites for Irish-inspired dishes, and came across a chocolate cupcake recipe. Perfect! I can try my hand at cupcakes, which I’ve been dying to do, and I can display them on a prized wedding gift! And of course Kyle was very excited at my need for one can of Guinness (that left him three to watch slide down the glass in creamy, wavy satisfaction). I will say I never would have paired beer with chocolate, but these cupcakes were delicious! The icing was just divine!<br /><br />¾ cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for dusting finished cupcakes<br />2 cups sugar<br />2 cups all-purpose flour<br />1 teaspoon baking soda<br />Pinch fine salt<br />1 bottle stout beer (recommended: Guinness)<br />1 stick butter, melted<br />1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br />3 large eggs<br />¾ cup sour cream<br />1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature<br />¾ to 1 cup heavy cream<br />1 (1-lb) box confectioners’ sugar<br />Food coloring of your choice, optional<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350°. In large mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. In medium mixing bowl, combine the stout, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth. Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet mixture. Lightly grease 24 muffin cups. Fill each cup about ¾ of the way full. Bake for 25 minutes or until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out.<br /><br />For the icing:<br />In medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in heavy cream. On low speed, slowly mix in confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth. Stir in a couple drops food coloring. Repeat until you’re happy with the color. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Icing can be made several hours ahead and kept covered and chilled.</div><br /><div><br />Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa.</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAuYifXKBbEeqBB9Inu9lDnA6Rp2a2WKE_fC9YvIdx9ef5ecI_MrTqnNmYaEInZAG1GWQv5GqdshA4un1y3yho8JqXq-Nst4jl3HmnJ0-4RvwSuJTRDpbVBYwy308GzXJhSCGvty4eCQ/s1600/P1040150.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460465391544606322" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAuYifXKBbEeqBB9Inu9lDnA6Rp2a2WKE_fC9YvIdx9ef5ecI_MrTqnNmYaEInZAG1GWQv5GqdshA4un1y3yho8JqXq-Nst4jl3HmnJ0-4RvwSuJTRDpbVBYwy308GzXJhSCGvty4eCQ/s320/P1040150.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div><div> </div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-78136326717625414692010-04-14T14:30:00.001-05:002010-04-14T14:31:45.850-05:00Wastin' TimeAnd here we are playing catch-up again! There just doesn’t seem to be enough time for those things we really WANT to do after we do all we NEED to do. But who am I kidding? Do I ever do all I NEED to do? My CPA exam grades and messy kitchen can attest to that!<br /><br />One day I’ll get it all together! Ha! My husband sent me a text earlier asking how my day was going. My reply? “Pretty good I reckon. I approved a payment request this morning, read a few chapters in Deuteronomy, and found a really interesting blog written by a cattle rancher’s wife in Oklahoma. She was featured in Southern Living.” Exciting, I know... But just the way I like it!<br /><br />Now if I could just read all the boring stuff I’m supposed to be reading (Regulation study book) and still have time for all the fun things I enjoy reading (Bible, Disney blogs, Southern Living, recipe sites and magazines, FB statuses, etc.), plus cooking, gardening, jogging, blogging, and curling up on the couch with the hubs… I’d call it a frabjous day!! Callooh! Callay! :)A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-25682839288700245022010-02-28T21:02:00.002-06:002010-02-28T21:08:40.376-06:00Kiss My Shrimp & Grits!I am so excited about this new dish! Last week my friend Mollie asked me to find her a shrimp and grits recipe. As soon as I got home from church that night I went to the sources. I looked through all my cookbooks and a few trusty on-line recipe sites, and found 12 recipes! I narrowed the search down to three and decided to do something I’ve never done before. I took what I loved from all three recipes and made up my own! I was very excited to see how it would turn out, and am here to tell you it was fine! I even called Mom and told her it was good enough to warrant an hour and a half drive, but they better hurry or I would have it eaten by the time they got here!<br /><br />I’m so proud of it, I even entered the recipe in the 2010 recipe contest at Mississippi Magazine!<br /><br />1 cup whipping cream<br />2 tbsp butter<br />1 tsp salt<br />3 cups water<br />1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits<br />1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese<br />6 slices bacon, chopped<br />1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined<br />1 tbsp fresh lemon juice<br />2 cloves garlic, minced<br />Pepper and parsley to garnish<br /><br />Bring whipping cream, butter, salt, and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in grits. Cook until thickened, whisking often. Stir in cheese until melted, set aside and keep warm.<br /><br />Cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp; remove bacon from pan. Cook shrimp in bacon grease over medium-high heat until almost pink, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and garlic and cook a few more minutes. Stir in bacon.<br /><br />Stir shrimp mixture into grits mixture and serve. Garnish with pepper and parsley.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnp6labgty7UpGnv28mSM1tT_EF6siPLjewsLJmXrJbO8p3MZvVkjtDl-UI8-10MIKeKr5TQhhhxIAMU_PVYVK0InHhhbg4CUGOiBnOXEjte97vB34t88kF7SPRDhVeqdTtnuuqNF7jM/s1600-h/P1040137.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443496526789172018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnp6labgty7UpGnv28mSM1tT_EF6siPLjewsLJmXrJbO8p3MZvVkjtDl-UI8-10MIKeKr5TQhhhxIAMU_PVYVK0InHhhbg4CUGOiBnOXEjte97vB34t88kF7SPRDhVeqdTtnuuqNF7jM/s320/P1040137.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />Mollie, this one’s for you babe! Hope you enjoy!A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-21254812239176221102010-02-19T13:02:00.007-06:002010-02-19T13:11:47.746-06:00Happy Valentine's Day!And last, but certainly not least was our first Valentine’s Day! By far the best V-day I’ve ever had! It all started Friday the 12th. We woke up to nearly three inches of snow! It was so beautiful, and I could not believe we got so much! And of course we did what every 26- and 30-year-old kid should do… we built a snowman! And named him Jack! <div><div><div><div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFUKVhUTgxH1O_vUcqLuYCJd9bmYSRz0xWrF7idGCE729Ar55PdiadbIgBIFqpLkjMDOmV4-0zdCLdrk_uVtbSnUb3cwWp486Yu5OrotKv0FoaiqQc2-wPgkeTJ_8jQfJ1bMnWBmXnA4/s1600-h/snowman.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440032646866930242" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFUKVhUTgxH1O_vUcqLuYCJd9bmYSRz0xWrF7idGCE729Ar55PdiadbIgBIFqpLkjMDOmV4-0zdCLdrk_uVtbSnUb3cwWp486Yu5OrotKv0FoaiqQc2-wPgkeTJ_8jQfJ1bMnWBmXnA4/s320/snowman.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>And we walked around the neighborhood admiring God’s beauty…</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P_nIvNkldp6Ehyphenhyphen34UaitqLz1eSUNixz31Kn8jQhHLtecU_0MKdCj1a4oYX48SSetzj25gNWa73p3sgPCOGKduO6o49tuNCAc15zMrtrI0ha63E9IyDSWjmq39NOItMcUEQ6EuZRQAUc/s1600-h/woods.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440032827590645106" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P_nIvNkldp6Ehyphenhyphen34UaitqLz1eSUNixz31Kn8jQhHLtecU_0MKdCj1a4oYX48SSetzj25gNWa73p3sgPCOGKduO6o49tuNCAc15zMrtrI0ha63E9IyDSWjmq39NOItMcUEQ6EuZRQAUc/s320/woods.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><div>And we enjoyed just being together :) …</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRuzVXlLj7Y-3_gZgJSattkhZgCt2owLAmLXDvwFyFF4RyaFTmXbMctPdjyTBmgz6X0bsdWPE4BJ4pBQ3qR_2DYk8SreQ4k4gcS7qQZr25x1KGdysL3nHnzKuQ_yPIX90N5-2W6obVq4/s1600-h/us+snow.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440033020999170978" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRuzVXlLj7Y-3_gZgJSattkhZgCt2owLAmLXDvwFyFF4RyaFTmXbMctPdjyTBmgz6X0bsdWPE4BJ4pBQ3qR_2DYk8SreQ4k4gcS7qQZr25x1KGdysL3nHnzKuQ_yPIX90N5-2W6obVq4/s320/us+snow.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div>Saturday was the day we actually celebrated Valentine’s with a wonderful home-cooked supper! Kyle grilled us a steak and I made shrimp-stuffed potatoes, which were nothing more than twice baked potatoes with shrimp added to the mix. Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen!<br /><br />3 large Idaho potatoes<br />vegetable oil for coating<br />4 tbsp butter<br />1 cup grated cheddar cheese<br />1 cup grated Monterey Jack<br />1 cup sour cream<br />salt and pepper<br />1 lb shrimp, peeled and sautéed<br />paprika<br /><br />First, let me say I wanted the fresh shrimp David gets from the coast. But since we haven’t been home since Christmas and may not go back til Spring Break, I had to settle for the frozen shrimp ring at the grocery store. Not too bad, I have to admit. Even though the shrimp was already cooked, I sautéed it anyway with paprika, cayenne pepper, and lemon pepper to give it some flavor. Second, I know I’ve told you I pick up the pre-shredded cheese mixes for convenience, but this time I decided to go all out. I bought a block each of the cheddar and Monterey Jack and used a cheese grater we got as a wedding gift. Oh my gosh! To get excited over a cheese grater is probably a bit nutty, but that thing was awesome! I may start venturing out with specialty cheese as our budget allows since I can now grate with ease. And of course wine pairings! :)<br /><br />Now for the recipe. Preheat oven to 350°. Wash potatoes, dry them, and gently prick them with a fork on all sides. Coat each potato with vegetable oil, place on foil covered pan, and bake for approximately 1 hour. Place butter in large bowl. Remove potatoes from oven and slice each one in half. Gently scoop out potato and place in bowl. Using mixer on high speed, mix potatoes, butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Fold shrimp and both cheeses into mixture. Gently stuff mixture back into potato shells, making sure not to break them. Pile mixture as high as you can on top of potato shells. Sprinkle each potato with paprika for color. Bake in oven for approximately 20 to 30 minutes until browned on top.<br /><br />Very tasty!<br /><br />I decorated the table all pretty and romantic…</div><br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjpeo9t1lWfu_GjpktO1AhkOYfL3jeLWQVcsib-ADxA_u8B_gn65uADAFROqQc1gzLVYVCtp184RiEl8Eoz3nLPoF-ML4ZoKm9S7-uvm1gHZOwXKibWEEmzH3qNZLu7YrjCCJeNPRh6Y/s1600-h/valentine's+table.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440033559368054610" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjpeo9t1lWfu_GjpktO1AhkOYfL3jeLWQVcsib-ADxA_u8B_gn65uADAFROqQc1gzLVYVCtp184RiEl8Eoz3nLPoF-ML4ZoKm9S7-uvm1gHZOwXKibWEEmzH3qNZLu7YrjCCJeNPRh6Y/s320/valentine's+table.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div>And for dessert we had champagne with strawberries and sugared chocolate beignets!</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNa5zWh8MeqWyRb-RxHySw_ZmSrWhLYyF2SBxkU0iRnSPg9faGlR3AWCnKOfwnuaFPsocZEYahqUhyphenhyphen8ZJ1zqxGpdYgzFqmfhSgEnOxfcp9xECfX0g693UmK8U4aJO-KW_5Txb0jt7yr8/s1600-h/beignets.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440033854392056114" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNa5zWh8MeqWyRb-RxHySw_ZmSrWhLYyF2SBxkU0iRnSPg9faGlR3AWCnKOfwnuaFPsocZEYahqUhyphenhyphen8ZJ1zqxGpdYgzFqmfhSgEnOxfcp9xECfX0g693UmK8U4aJO-KW_5Txb0jt7yr8/s320/beignets.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div><div>This was my facebook status that night: “In honor of the Daytona 500, we’re drinking cold beer. In honor of St. Valentine’s Day, we’re eating steak, potatoes, and chocolate. In honor of the Saints winning the Super Bowl, our chocolate is Sugared Chocolate Beignets. And in honor of Black History Month and my husband graduating from an HBCU this summer, we’re jammin’ out to The Temptations! I think we have all our bases covered!! :)”<br /><br />Super awesome Valentine’s Day with my husband! Don’t know how we’ll ever top this first one!<br /> </div></div></div></div></div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-20001258246137615872010-02-19T12:55:00.002-06:002010-02-19T13:02:17.857-06:00Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints?Next on our busy agenda, was the Super Bowl, which inevitably became the kickoff to “Lomb-ardi Gras”! Hell froze over on Sunday, February 7, 2010, with the New Orleans Saints winning their first ever Super Bowl in the franchise’s history. Who Dat!<br /><br />We didn’t do anything at all in celebration, except for recording the entire game. Kyle refused to call in sick for work, which I thought was utterly terrible considering how long he’s been a Saints fan, so I watched the game at home alone and then watched it again when he got home from work! I didn’t see the point in fussing over a meal when he couldn’t be there to enjoy it, so I will leave you with this article written by Mark Lorando that printed in the Times-Picayune the week before the game…<br /><br />Dear Miami,<br /><br />The Saints are coming. And so are we, their loyal, long-suffering and slightly discombobulated Super Bowl-bound fans.<br /><br />While there’s still time to prepare – although a few hard-core Who Dats will begin trickling in Monday, most of us won’t arrive until Thursday or Friday – we thought we’d give you a heads-up about what you should expect.<br /><br />First things first: You need more beer.<br /><br />Yeah, we know. You ordered extra. You think you have more than any group of humans could possibly consume in one week. Trust us. You don’t.<br /><br />New Orleans was a drinking town long before the Saints drove us to drink. But it turns out beer tastes better when you’re winning. (Who knew?) So let’s just say we’re thirsty for more than a championship; adjust your stockpiles accordingly.<br /><br />And look. When we ask you for a go-cup, be nice to us. We don’t even know what “open container law” means. Is that anything like “last call”?<br /><br />It’s carnival season in New Orleans (that’s Mardi Gras to you), and we’ll be taking the celebration on the road. So don’t be startled if you walk past us and we throw stuff at you; that’s just our way of saying hello.<br /><br />Oh, and sorry in advance about those beads we leave dangling from your palm trees. We just can’t help ourselves.<br /><br />February is also crawfish season, and you can be sure that more than one enterprising tailgater will figure out a way to transport a couple sacks of live mudbugs and a boiling pot to Miami.<br /><br />When the dude in the ‘Who Dat’ T-shirt asks if you want to suck da head and pinch da tail, resist the urge to punch him. He’s not propositioning you. He’s inviting you to dinner.<br /><br />And if you see a big Cajun guy who looks exactly like an old Saints quarterback walking around town in a dress… don’t ask. It’s a long story.<br /><br />We know that crowd control is a major concern for any Super Bowl host city. Our advice? Put away the riot gear.<br /><br />Reason No. 1: Indianapolis is going to lose, and their fans are way too dull to start a riot.<br /><br />Reason No. 2: New Orleans showed the world on Sunday that we know how to throw a victory party. We don’t burn cars. We dance on them.<br /><br />Reason No. 3: Even if we did lose, which we won’t, leaving the stadium would be like leaving a funeral, and our typical response to that is to have a parade.<br /><br />Speaking of which: If you happen to see a brass band roll by, followed by a line of folks waving their handkerchiefs, you’re not supposed to just stand there and watch. As our own Irma Thomas would say, get your backfield in motion.<br /><br />And hey, Mister DJ! Yes, we know you’ve already played that stupid Ying Yang Twins song 10 times tonight, but indulge us just one more time.<br /><br />To us, “Halftime (Stand Up and Get Crunk)” isn’t just a song; it’s 576 points of good memories. It’s the sound of a Drew Brees touchdown pass to Devery Henderson, a Pierre Thomas dive for first down on 4th-and-1, a Garrett Hartley field goal sailing through the uprights in overtime.<br /><br />It’s what a championship sounds like. You may get sick of hearing it. We won’t. Encore, dammit.<br /><br />Inside Sun Life Stadium, you may find your ears ringing more than usual. We’re louder than other fans. Seven thousand of ours sound like 70,000 of theirs.<br /><br />Don’t believe us? Ask the 12th man in the Vikings huddle.<br /><br />Some people think it’s just the Dome that heightens our volume. But you’re about to discover a little secret: We can scream loud enough to make your head explode, indoors or out.<br /><br />It’s not the roof, It’s the heart.<br /><br />Well, OK, and the beer.<br /><br />Don’t be surprised if there are more Saints fans outside the stadium than inside. A lot of us are coming just to say we were part of history, even if we can’t witness it up close. The Saints are family to us, and you know how it is with family: We want to be there for them, whether they really need us or not.<br /><br />Because we know our presence will mean something to them, whether they can see us or not.<br /><br />Come to think of it, seeing as how you’re taking us in for the week, we pretty much regard you as family, too. So we’re warning you now: If you’re within hugging distance, you’re fair game.<br /><br />Hugging strangers is a proud Who Dat tradition, right up there with crying when we win.<br /><br />Most sports fans cry when their teams lose. Not us. We’ve been losing gracefully and with good humor for 43 years. Tragedy and disappointment don’t faze us. It’s success that makes us go to pieces.<br /><br />Hurricane Katrina? We got that under control. The Saints in the Super Bowl? SOMEBODY CALL A PARAMEDIC!!!<br /><br />So anyway, don’t let the tears of joy freak you out. We’re just… disoriented.<br /><br />OK. Let’s review:<br /><br />Order more beer. Throw me something, mister. Suck da heads. Wear da dress. Stand up. Get crunk. Hug it out. Protect your eardrums. Pass the Kleenex. Hoist the trophy.<br /><br />See you at the victory party.<br /><br />Faithfully yours,<br /><br />The Who Dat Nation<br /><br />GEAUX SAINTS!!!!A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-56082848497223952192010-02-19T12:51:00.003-06:002010-02-19T12:54:52.834-06:00Free Vacation?January saw unseasonably cold temperatures in Mississippi, and Jackson was no different. With below-freezing temps and the forecast of rain, people started getting antsy about the weather. No real snow to speak of, but the busted water lines in downtown Jackson caused just as much a stir! It was the Monday before Martin Luther King holiday. I was running late as usual, and stressed about all the things I needed to get done, again as usual. I have to interject a warning here. I hung out with and was “one of the” boys for a very long time, and I still have a bit of crudity to my ways. I was so frustrated that morning, and I remember texting Kyle on my way in to work telling him I’d give my left nut for a day off. He told me he loved me! Thank you, God, for sending me a man that gets me!<br /><br />Anyway, at 11:45 that morning our agency received an email that Governor Haley Barbour had declared Jackson a state of emergency. Apparently our building and many others downtown had lost water. Specifically our email stated, “State offices in Jackson will close at noon, and non-essential state employees in Jackson may go home.” Now I wasn’t sure which was funnier, that I was a non-essential employee or that I got to go home on a random Monday at noon! Either way, I was ecstatic, and thanked God the whole way home for hearing my cry (as un-lady like as it was) and for my afternoon off.<br /><br />Well my afternoon turned into four wonderful, productive days! And to make it even better, Kyle didn’t have school because the water crisis affected Jackson State too! I did, however, feel bad for the folks living in the downtown area. I tried not to brag too much about my time off because some were having to choose between flushing and showering.<br /><br />I made the most of it though, cleaning and organizing and whittling down the perpetual thank-you note list. And of course, I did a little cooking! I tried my hand at homemade cinnamon rolls, which turned out scrumptiously good! A bit heavy, but will definitely make again.<br /><br />2 cups sifted all purpose flour<br />1 tbsp baking powder<br />1 tsp salt<br />¼ tsp baking soda<br />¼ cup vegetable oil<br />¾ cup buttermilk<br />1 stick butter, softened<br />¾ cup granulated sugar<br />1 tsp cinnamon<br />1 cup milk<br /><br /><br />Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl and mix well. Stir in vegetable oil. Add buttermilk and stir just until blended. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll dough into 15 x 8-inch rectangle. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 9-inch round baking pan. Spread butter over dough. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over butter. Roll up rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting from one long side. Pinch seam to seal. Cut roll into 1½-inch slices. Arrange slices, cut side up, in prepared baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Pour milk over top. Serve hot.<br /><br />Trust me on the milk! It’s divine!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHHimbDwioQXpZ1UH0wygFpxNMQGwLMdHhv0eXISd8-fw0KvmUBXqYS4M8ZXanlyKuKtDgHSJUjVGZAyLhwjSv-G6KiQY9ofKv-uArl-DJ7yXRgNjsGnej61lGO8yyElfBuc95l4FDfs/s1600-h/cinnamon+rolls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440029318266714114" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHHimbDwioQXpZ1UH0wygFpxNMQGwLMdHhv0eXISd8-fw0KvmUBXqYS4M8ZXanlyKuKtDgHSJUjVGZAyLhwjSv-G6KiQY9ofKv-uArl-DJ7yXRgNjsGnej61lGO8yyElfBuc95l4FDfs/s320/cinnamon+rolls.JPG" border="0" /></a>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-61106353720853899332010-02-19T12:45:00.001-06:002010-02-19T12:49:51.277-06:00Happy Birthday to Me!!With all the hustle and bustle from the wedding, holidays, school, and work, Kyle and I both got run down… and wound up with strep. Not a fun way to spend Christmas and the week between it and New Years, but hey, at least we were together. And at least we managed to make it back home from Louisville even though both of us were running fever and had no business operating a vehicle! We were miserable for a few days and completely out of energy the rest. The worst I’ve been sick since I had the flu about 5 years ago. Mom and Dad both offered to come see after us. I told them as long as one of us could stand up long enough to fix the soup we would be ok. And we survived! By New Years we were feeling better, but still not up to celebrating my 30th birthday in style. We decided to go out for a special dinner to celebrate the occasion nonetheless. Wanna know what we decided to do?! We had a very nice romantic dinner… at Sonic… in our pajamas! It was great! :)A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-52643997223272389302010-02-19T12:40:00.002-06:002010-02-19T12:44:44.755-06:00Run, Run Rudolph!For our first Christmas we went back to our usual mad dash Christmas rush. I have been blessed with a very large family and I try to see as many as possible over the holidays, even if it runs me ragged, which it usually does. We had 8 places to go this year, and by the grace of God we made all 8! Luckily they are all in the Louisville/Kosciusko area. If the family was more spread out, it would be impossible to see them all. Christmas is my favorite time of year! Partly because people are generally in a happy mood, partly because it’s time off work and with the fam, and partly because you’re <em>expected</em> to eat yummy, calorie-enriched, sugar coated goodies every day all day long! A new one I tried out this year… White Chocolate Cookies ‘n’ Cream Fudge!<br /><br />1 cup sugar<br />¾ cup butter<br />1 (5-oz) can evaporated milk<br />2 (12-oz) packages white chocolate morsels<br />1 (7-oz) jar marshmallow cream<br />3 cups coarsely crushed Oreos (about 25 cookies), divided<br />Pinch of salt<br /><br />Line a greased 9” square pan with aluminum foil; set aside. Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add white chocolate morsels, marshmallow cream, 2 cups crushed cookies, and salt. Stir until morsels melt. Pour fudge into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cookies over fudge, gently pressing cookies into fudge. Cover and chill until firm (about 1 to 2 hours). Lift uncut fudge in aluminum foil from pan; remove foil, and cut fudge into squares.<br /><br />Yum yum delicious!! You just can’t go wrong with Oreos and white chocolate!<br /><br />Our first married Christmas was pretty special though! Nothing exciting happened really, it was just nice for us to be together, and be able to spend it with all our family even if we were jumping around from place to place like hot potatoes!<br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrlAdKuZOz_wuxBzaW3qZbjAmbiV000NyJtHcn9IXc2OBQL8m7HSZbGJornH4qZj57n9KaRTHCbiW4zNIrAWGLLuLrLwVy5nsvWPWP1xqDi8ljZJYPT7Lq4VuasM0BMeYP3Bqu7IvTVY/s1600-h/us+Christmas.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440027327560429474" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrlAdKuZOz_wuxBzaW3qZbjAmbiV000NyJtHcn9IXc2OBQL8m7HSZbGJornH4qZj57n9KaRTHCbiW4zNIrAWGLLuLrLwVy5nsvWPWP1xqDi8ljZJYPT7Lq4VuasM0BMeYP3Bqu7IvTVY/s320/us+Christmas.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0a0mtDub4VLFUh-57VTcDqB6LRvHz-jzuAVNF_FX1RTlXYDD7r_Gw1JTbZLwfCOePCB6t1fOVB7fDOMOiF6OdKAT3BNG0a-ST7l9ainUO8f2uI3rpAiaqYcSxVyWvkgyYbKVxYt9My8/s1600-h/us+Christmas.JPG"></a></div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-73609399564046454832010-02-19T12:35:00.003-06:002010-02-19T12:39:35.923-06:00Disney DaysNext on our crazy schedule was our honeymoon. We had a blast going back to the most magical place on earth… Walt Disney World! We flew, which I highly recommend, and spent a week at Disney’s All Star Movies Resort. We saw parades, fireworks, and characters galore, and ate some really great food! Other than breakfast, which was always at the food court, we tried restaurants neither of us had ever eaten at.<br /><br />Friday was T-Rex Café at Downtown Disney. It’s just like Rainforest Café only a prehistoric setting, and had a to-die-for chocolate brownie ice cream dessert called the Chocolate Extinction!<br /><br />Saturday was the Hollywood Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios. I’ve actually eaten there before with Mom, but we were limited to reservation times because of the fireworks show we were going to see. It wasn’t quite as good as I remembered it being, but they did bring us champagne and strawberries to congratulate us on our marriage!<br /><br />Sunday was Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom. It’s housed in Liberty Tree Square, and has a patriotic feel and awesome down-home food! We had roast turkey and stuffing (what Southerners would call dressing) and apple cobbler, to name a few things. Divine!<br /><br />Monday was The Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Another one I have eaten at with Mom, David, Justin, and Rhyne, but again not many options for that day because we wanted to see the night parade, and I felt it was good enough that Kyle needed the experience. It was even better than I remembered! It’s buffet character dining with Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. Kyle had his magical moment that night. He made Tigger laugh!<br /><br />Tuesday we met my friend Traci for lunch at Flame Tree Barbeque in Animal Kingdom, and had a great bbq sandwich and equally great visit with her! Traci and I were good friends on the college program, and I always try to meet up with her when I come to town. Tuesday night we went to the Boardwalk and ate at Big River Grille and Brewing Works. They have awesome hamburgers and the best light beer I’ve ever tasted! Later that night we met up with my friend Rick and his wife Erica for a chat. Enjoyed getting to meet Erica and catch up with Rick, another close friend who I hadn’t seen since we left the college program.<br /><br />Wednesday we ate lunch at Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom, not realizing it was just like Rainforest Café and T-Rex Café but with an Asian flare. It was at the base of Mt. Everest, decorated with Nepalese touches, and had a really cool atmosphere. We got that same chocolate brownie dessert, only this time it was called Chocolate Brownie Sundae for 2. Not near as cool of a name as the other two restaurants have, but equally delicious! Wednesday’s supper was back at the hotel food court. We met up with one of my former college program roommates, Rachel. Always a blast hanging out with her!<br /><br />Thursday was our last day and only day at Epcot, and we had the best meal of the trip at Teppan Edo in the Japan pavilion. It was hibachi-style cooking, and the food was incredible! By far my favorite meal of the trip! It cost us 2 table service meals on our dining plan to have dinner there, preferred seating for the Candlelight Processional, and preferred viewing for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth (the fireworks show), but was well worth it! The Candlelight Processional was a truly wonderful and spiritually rewarding way to end our honeymoon! The whole night was just perfect, as was the whole trip! I’m so glad Kyle likes Walt Disney World just as much as I do!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5FfMI88gzk2wEiEpVvS5gY5xCiChz7IqJUIT6-5hA821DaISMDTj3GlGnFkvnwyQFDrkeXM1V7NZjn7MUzDO_DsHReMU07vl7n_TqN122TvUqtjJ1E3eEpUoeKSO3qavvNt3leY3z8s/s1600-h/us+disney.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440025184758941010" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5FfMI88gzk2wEiEpVvS5gY5xCiChz7IqJUIT6-5hA821DaISMDTj3GlGnFkvnwyQFDrkeXM1V7NZjn7MUzDO_DsHReMU07vl7n_TqN122TvUqtjJ1E3eEpUoeKSO3qavvNt3leY3z8s/s320/us+disney.JPG" border="0" /></a>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-13820653399162759752010-02-19T12:17:00.006-06:002010-02-19T12:25:13.092-06:00The FeastNext up, our first Thanksgiving. For those that don’t know, Kyle is a student at Jackson State University and part-time employee at Best Buy. Working at Best Buy means he must face the dreaded Black Friday madness. He had to report to work at 2 AM Friday morning after Thanksgiving for crowd control in the parking lot, and work until 3 PM that afternoon in his regular home theater department. Craziness I tell you! So we did the unthinkable and didn’t go anywhere to be with our families, who all live an hour and a half away, for the holiday. We actually relaxed for a change! I got up Thanksgiving Day and cooked breakfast and a huge lunch which we ate on for days! Breakfast was homemade blueberry muffins, courtesy of Paula Deen. She says, “They’re the best damn blueberry muffins you’ll ever eat!” So far, I totally agree! <div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlh9WwcjLk9xAapWxWDLyFTwIPxlIK8HCJNQMJO8JhJ4_apheYFa5OtAyV_T9hNGLOyd2GCG2n97ELEnDBXcMmXjOQhQLPwIFOrHvx71sgmC-hECFuI7Ut7o_m0-IHtecJ41zEvlsXlSw/s1600-h/blueberry+muffins.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440021584668656482" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlh9WwcjLk9xAapWxWDLyFTwIPxlIK8HCJNQMJO8JhJ4_apheYFa5OtAyV_T9hNGLOyd2GCG2n97ELEnDBXcMmXjOQhQLPwIFOrHvx71sgmC-hECFuI7Ut7o_m0-IHtecJ41zEvlsXlSw/s320/blueberry+muffins.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div></div><div>2 cups all-purpose flour<br />2 tablespoons baking powder<br />½ cup sugar<br />1 stick unsalted butter, melted<br />1 egg, slightly beaten<br />¾ cup whole milk<br />1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries<br />½ cup granulated brown sugar or white sugar<br /></div><div>Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 12 muffin cups. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and the ½ cup of sugar. In another bowl, combine butter, egg, and milk and blend well. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture and, with a spatula, stir until just combined. Do not beat or over-mix; it’s okay if there are lumps in the batter. Gently fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Sprinkle tops of muffins with the granulated brown or white sugar and return muffins to oven to bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before turning the muffins out.<br /><br /></div><div>Lunch was a massive spread of ham, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole, peas, fried green tomatoes, homemade wheat bread, pecan pie, and sweet potato pie. The ham we bought and the sweet potato pie was given to us by my Grandmother and Grandaddy, but the rest was made right there in our kitchen! We also had summer sausage, cheese, and crackers to snack on while I cooked. It was delicious! I will tell you part of me felt rather guilty cooking that huge meal for just the two of us. There are so many people out there that don’t have the luxury of a home-cooked meal or the luxury of a meal period. God bless the food banks, soup kitchens, and churches all over this great country that do their part to take care of the needy. While it doesn’t make up for our lack of compassion for those that did without this holiday season, I will tell you we didn’t waste a drop of that food. We ate it for nearly a week until every bit of it was gone! </div><div> </div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ST0sKwrWXtworYsjzAabqzuV6I-B5bwrLZy8yMr3DLpFVA8uMmnMONNdWTabj9KJJTTGuIYXTuoMvzKwB449O0dQim8FVxunqrPl0A6jKi4dYC_wh_IIKUrZ7wZqD-a6VahDM-sOO8o/s1600-h/Thanksgiving+feast.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440021850274271362" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ST0sKwrWXtworYsjzAabqzuV6I-B5bwrLZy8yMr3DLpFVA8uMmnMONNdWTabj9KJJTTGuIYXTuoMvzKwB449O0dQim8FVxunqrPl0A6jKi4dYC_wh_IIKUrZ7wZqD-a6VahDM-sOO8o/s320/Thanksgiving+feast.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div></div></div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-1806477976632083462010-02-19T12:14:00.002-06:002010-02-19T12:16:13.151-06:00Cinderella and Prince CharmingFirst, the wedding. It was incredible and amazing and everything I could have ever dreamed of! The flowers were gorgeous, the food was delicious, and the cakes were oh-my-gosh-to-die-for! And the people! We had so many family and friends (nearly 200) come by to celebrate with us and wish us well on our new journey together! I’m not sure I will ever be able to describe the special feeling that rushed over me that day. It was truly a fairytale wedding and I felt like a beautiful princess!<br /><br />Thanks to Wright Griffis from Philadelphia, MS, we had 1100 pictures! He did an amazing job, and I was very pleased. This one is my favorite! <div><div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgT8jQRD1WwJR1D_tU-29knkOBRysSixu4AlJ9JVdvTXGvNxxaLFyw7X5JUaxHO7G9pvShbMKrYchKFZrMfvzhC7f2xOC8BrS5iLMMqMN4pTJApB-SBqURuh1OdPOkRwSPo0NYTr9nsS0/s1600-h/us+wedding.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440019636254842594" style="WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgT8jQRD1WwJR1D_tU-29knkOBRysSixu4AlJ9JVdvTXGvNxxaLFyw7X5JUaxHO7G9pvShbMKrYchKFZrMfvzhC7f2xOC8BrS5iLMMqMN4pTJApB-SBqURuh1OdPOkRwSPo0NYTr9nsS0/s320/us+wedding.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>That Special Touch in Pearl, MS made both cakes. I’m sure I just heard a resounding AHHH from everyone reading this that was at the reception to taste them. That Special Touch is unbeatable in the Jackson area! Just in case you’re wondering, the bride’s cake was butter cake with cream cheese icing and the groom’s cake was Bailey’s Irish Cream! William Box (also from That Special Touch, he may own it but I’m not 100% sure) did the flowers. They were absolutely beautiful! I kept staring at my bouquet saying “Ohhh how pretty!” I didn’t wind up with any good pics from the food tables, but we got lots of compliments on them, too. Catering by George’s from Reservoir Pointe was in charge of the food/tables/linens, and they did an impeccable job! I’m telling you the day was absolutely perfect in my eyes! A dream wedding!</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29IR4zNqsABk3oc0XIqYQ0Z1Y1gfDTrZvtftf7ztd88fDmckLM-aTsup1Aut7DdmDdyE0ZxTBjyAx6mfFxKKIy2S5o_5rueM5RuJX-Xmr-WCWHlA0X217jC-o6-VxBLkBaOLc_89lKgQ/s1600-h/brides+cake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440019787178560146" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 212px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29IR4zNqsABk3oc0XIqYQ0Z1Y1gfDTrZvtftf7ztd88fDmckLM-aTsup1Aut7DdmDdyE0ZxTBjyAx6mfFxKKIy2S5o_5rueM5RuJX-Xmr-WCWHlA0X217jC-o6-VxBLkBaOLc_89lKgQ/s320/brides+cake.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNk9uWQju3KQbfBOOwWdwPhNliQUULhW7_9QZs3pnBKU0_hQueUIvTPn46zc5n_IV6ewM-XNP0u3G8MH1Xf3uAuiKWIubbrXcq9mfrBDEd3DQ4y9tqljqxvo91EMAWvnbN-7roPpSIo7Q/s1600-h/grooms+cake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440019873346832658" style="WIDTH: 315px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 212px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNk9uWQju3KQbfBOOwWdwPhNliQUULhW7_9QZs3pnBKU0_hQueUIvTPn46zc5n_IV6ewM-XNP0u3G8MH1Xf3uAuiKWIubbrXcq9mfrBDEd3DQ4y9tqljqxvo91EMAWvnbN-7roPpSIo7Q/s320/grooms+cake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-16909831369060984282010-02-19T12:05:00.006-06:002010-02-19T12:13:35.992-06:00And we're back!Well, the time has come for my blogging hiatus to be complete… at least until the next one! Ha! The past 3 months have been wonderfully exciting and eventful! We had our wedding, first Thanksgiving, honeymoon, first Christmas, first sickness, my 30th birthday which coincided with our first New Years Eve, a random unexpected vacation, an awesome Super Bowl, and equally awesome first Valentine’s Day (complete with snow)! We have been busy!A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-15196720283147096592009-10-27T21:55:00.004-05:002009-10-30T20:41:01.872-05:00Chicken in Wine SauceI have to be honest about this recipe; it isn’t a new one for us. It did, however, come out of Mrs. Darlene’s cookbook. I swiped Hailey’s a couple years ago and copied some recipes down. Hope you enjoy!<br /><br />A Food Network chef once said you should never cook with something you wouldn’t drink. Um… OK! You twisted my arm! And I just happened to have an unopened bottle of Barefoot Pinot Grigio! Coincidence… I think not! Consequently tonight’s menu is the famed Chicken in Wine Sauce. And this is actually a recipe I didn’t alter, not much anyway!<br /><br />4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br />½ cup white wine<br />1 8-oz package cream cheese & chives<br />1 package angel hair pasta<br />1 can golden mushroom soup<br /><br />Over hot stove combine soup, cream cheese, and wine. Heat until mixture is liquid. Pour over chicken and bake at 350° until chicken is done. Serve chicken and sauce over cooked angel hair pasta.<br /><br />This is by far one of the easiest recipes I have in my collection! I do have a tip for the chicken. Something I’ve started doing when I bake chicken is pounding it out to probably ½” in thickness. First I would drink a glass of wine to loosen up any aggression you might have. Then tear off two long sheets of wax paper, and place the chicken between them. Take a meat mallet and pound away. You may want to drink another glass just for fun when you’re finished! Also season the chicken before you pour the wine mixture over it, even if it’s just salt and pepper. And you’ll notice we eat whole wheat noodles. Regular noodles might make this dish prettier, but the wheat ones are a little healthier.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG31idkcYMqZkoTZldruB-5NZguHm5L3dNwXBLQN9LqVg_nF25aXomOvGJ8vbf6sVR-BcePjt_7PZBH0X5sKKGilmTwt8Y_-u9kBhreC5kksDRRgqJJ0BFUJjsvGEgd4snDIdtP4icPzM/s1600-h/P1010806.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397479689558638850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG31idkcYMqZkoTZldruB-5NZguHm5L3dNwXBLQN9LqVg_nF25aXomOvGJ8vbf6sVR-BcePjt_7PZBH0X5sKKGilmTwt8Y_-u9kBhreC5kksDRRgqJJ0BFUJjsvGEgd4snDIdtP4icPzM/s320/P1010806.JPG" /></a><br /><br />You’ll also notice the new plate and fork (courtesy of the wedding registry), the “not-so-centered” centerpiece (another wedding gift), and the super cool new martini glass (courtesy of my boss and his wife)! Cheers, Jon & Val! By the way, I do have wine glasses, but I just had to try these new martini glasses out. Love them! Hailey, you were right a wine glass would have held more; and Mollie, the way the past couple months have gone, the bottle was very tempting! If I had only had a brown paper sack to put it in…A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-68880777795043839352009-10-27T20:04:00.003-05:002009-10-27T20:09:18.859-05:00Taco BakeLooks like we are a bit behind on the blogging. Someone once told me planning a wedding was time consuming. I can second that now!<br /><br />I didn’t cook anything new the next week after baking Mammaw’s cake. I did get good reviews from the ones who tried it. Reed went back for seconds and David asked for a whole one next time. Makes a girl feel good! :)<br /><br />On to the new stuff! Last week Mom and David came to town and got to be guinea pigs for a new dish I’m going to call “Taco Bake”. I got the original recipe out of the Betty Crocker Bridal Edition cookbook. It seemed rather easy, and I didn’t have to buy a thing. My kind of dish! I cooked a pound of ground beef, seasoned with lemon pepper, and drained. I mixed one cup salsa and one can ranch style black beans with the meat until boiling, stirring occasionally. I placed two cups coarsely broken tortilla chips in an ungreased two quart casserole, and topped with meat mixture. I spread one-half cup sour cream on top, then one jar of Dad’s canned tomatoes (a store-bought can or chopped fresh one would work just as well I’m sure), and finally one cup shredded cheese. I can’t tell you what flavor because I’m not sure what we had that week. It was probably sharp cheddar or a fiesta blend. I baked it uncovered for 30 minutes at 350°. It was scrumptious! We all decided it was missing a little something. Had good flavor, but needed a little kick. I happened to have black beans so I used them, but the original recipe called for chili beans, so I’ll probably try that next time. Also may try a little cilantro with the meat and possibly some jalapenos. All in all, high five on the Taco Bake! <div><br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMhWtsPZpnDHe8jIkawIJE1Z6OFwPcI1cdSWuLJ7I-jtp3RvVCNY42Qxu39iwR0MVKVb1VZZ3mXql2vqCFFuiIKzNFSPjomq8vz-1cIxxsXYLCiMbTmRcns2CWPonifN_TLR6M6ufNAo/s1600-h/P1010802.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397451013243168450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMhWtsPZpnDHe8jIkawIJE1Z6OFwPcI1cdSWuLJ7I-jtp3RvVCNY42Qxu39iwR0MVKVb1VZZ3mXql2vqCFFuiIKzNFSPjomq8vz-1cIxxsXYLCiMbTmRcns2CWPonifN_TLR6M6ufNAo/s320/P1010802.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXZKH8ifxZS6POhhQShfWvC6tAlMcmkGMr9bwRE3A6dGYNk30bxen1qsUJ65yy243mSffFoAWqD7lgmrOS6hkGqmHnR-pjPM4m32NrBGN3t6a92OgKigIfbiINFPLr48yNsO6GirSKgc/s1600-h/P1010803.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397451264984841666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXZKH8ifxZS6POhhQShfWvC6tAlMcmkGMr9bwRE3A6dGYNk30bxen1qsUJ65yy243mSffFoAWqD7lgmrOS6hkGqmHnR-pjPM4m32NrBGN3t6a92OgKigIfbiINFPLr48yNsO6GirSKgc/s320/P1010803.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div></div></div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-42972138347832546092009-10-10T19:46:00.008-05:002009-10-10T20:01:18.301-05:00Mammaw's Famous Caramel CakeAttempt #1<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUElonagVgFfWMgTQwvhlrvuDi80qMsD8RGRdlxtuR4h-cLu-zS9n3rKCPiseuo8_JWBTXzE3y__NAVpK7mLCy5u5BE1M43FETIGZ2EZdxz8hI4Uq-TgpqGuOxO9R6KulN_q9mexY-WuA/s1600-h/P1010715.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391139462045431634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUElonagVgFfWMgTQwvhlrvuDi80qMsD8RGRdlxtuR4h-cLu-zS9n3rKCPiseuo8_JWBTXzE3y__NAVpK7mLCy5u5BE1M43FETIGZ2EZdxz8hI4Uq-TgpqGuOxO9R6KulN_q9mexY-WuA/s320/P1010715.JPG" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHDsq5gr91f12VnybBYZ9QLx5eDMStLfiRwShso7iqNAwzt4VKnX1RT-5vAGw3Rxda04yTVz6fx2DoMNdkNVtu0HKHYm6JTPwY0R3361M3DN8kEYyfELvKE1Hj5MzMbQhSbiuqniaH1I/s1600-h/P1010714.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391139251371433874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHDsq5gr91f12VnybBYZ9QLx5eDMStLfiRwShso7iqNAwzt4VKnX1RT-5vAGw3Rxda04yTVz6fx2DoMNdkNVtu0HKHYm6JTPwY0R3361M3DN8kEYyfELvKE1Hj5MzMbQhSbiuqniaH1I/s320/P1010714.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>Not too bad for my first try... Making the icing smooth will take some practice, and I need to learn the technique of icing a cake to make it pretty. Overall, I'm thrilled! Definite high five!! :)</div><div> </div></div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-20462749316500206782009-10-08T21:45:00.000-05:002009-10-08T21:46:23.962-05:00Baked Potato Soup and Zesty Pimento Cheese SandwichesThe weather was absolutely perfect Tuesday night when I cooked this meal, rainy and a bit cool. It made me want to curl up on the couch with a good book and hot bowl of this wonderful soup! The weather has since changed and gotten a bit warmer, but you know what they say about Mississippi weather. If you don’t like it, hang around for a couple days and I promise you it will change!<br /><br />This is the time of year we all break out the “comfort food” recipes, and the baked potato soup was every bit as comforting as I remember! The original recipe came from my favorite on-line recipe site, MyRecipes.com, and was published in the September 2007 edition of Cooking Light magazine. Of course I tweaked it a little for my taste!<br /><br />4 baking potatoes (about 2.5 lbs.)<br />⅔ cup all-purpose flour<br />6 cups 2% milk<br />¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />½ teaspoon black pepper<br />1 cup reduced-fat sour cream<br />½ cup chopped green onions<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400°. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.<br /><br />Place flour in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8-10 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, cheese, salt, and black pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.<br /><br />Stir in sour cream and green onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle soup in bowls. Garnish with cheese, chopped green onions, cooked and crumbled bacon, and black pepper if desired.<br /><br />Now that you’ve seen the recipe, let me tell you what I did differently. For starters, I don’t think I’ve ever cooked baked potatoes in the oven. Rinse them off, pat dry with a paper towel, wrap in plastic wrap, and put those babies in the microwave! It will take approximately 15-20 minutes for them to cook, and you should flip them at 5 minute intervals. Some of you may say the potatoes taste better actually baked, and you may be right. I don’t know the difference since I grew up eating them microwaved. Plus microwaving them takes a third of the time baking them does, and I was able to put together this whole meal in 1 hour. I probably could have done it quicker than that, but I wasn’t in a big hurry. Any of you that know me know I don’t get in a big hurry for much!<br /><br />Ok, back to the recipe! Be sure you level the flour off in the measuring cup with a knife. The original recipe actually states this, and you’ll see Paula Deen do it all the time. Martha Stewart and Betty Crocker both give these instructions as well. They don’t give a reason that would apply to soup, so I’ll just say too little or too much will alter the soup’s consistency. Someone feel free to correct me if I’m wrong! As far as milk goes, I always try to use the type of milk called for in a recipe. I once substituted fat-free for 2% milk in a homemade macaroni and cheese recipe, and the sauce was way too runny. When it comes to cheese, I always try to take the easy way out and buy the packaged shredded cheese. Taking the time to shred cheese might be more fun if I had a good grater, but it’s so much easier to buy it already done. According to the recipe notes, fat-free sour cream makes it taste too tart, which is why they went with reduced-fat instead. I actually left out the onions completely and like it better, but that’s just my taste. And truth be told, I didn’t garnish it with anything but salt, pepper, and cheese. I forgot to cook the bacon and was too hungry to wait on it by the time I remembered! One other tip for the soup is to constantly stir it, especially when it’s just the milk/flour mix. It will stick in that stage if you’re not careful.<br /><br />Up next is the pimento cheese. This is a Paula Deen recipe I got from FoodNetwork.com years ago. This recipe is great because it can be used as a sandwich spread or as a dip. We like it best with Fritos Scoops, but it’s yummy on a toasted wheat hoagie bun too.<br /><br />1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, room temp<br />1 cup grated sharp cheddar<br />1 cup grated Monterey Jack<br />½ cup mayonnaise<br />½ teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows<br />2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed<br />1 teaspoon grated onion<br />Pinch of salt and cracked black pepper<br /><br />Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.<br /><br />House Seasoning (this is Paula’s signature seasoning):<br />1 cup salt<br />¼ cup black pepper<br />¼ cup garlic powder<br />Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.<br /><br />And as usual, I’ll tell you what I changed. I bought a package of already shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese mix instead of grating it myself, and I thought it tasted fine having Colby instead of sharp cheddar. I put a quarter of a small onion (which turned out to be right at 2 teaspoons) and 3 tablespoons pimentos in my food processor to get them finely chopped. The only problem was I thought doubling the onion was a bit too much. Next time I’m going to leave out the onion altogether and drop the pimentos down to 2 tablespoons to see how we like it. Kyle said it was great like it was, but I didn’t like that lingering onion taste it left!<br /><br />I give both recipes a high five! Super easy and super tasty! Chad, I hope you enjoy!A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-80525630108054616512009-10-05T22:01:00.000-05:002009-10-05T22:02:54.343-05:00Chicken Pie, Acorn Squash, Peas, Fried Green Tomatoes, Homemade Ice Cream…. And Monday Night Football!!Ok first things first, I’m loving Brett Favre and the pink shoes for Breast Cancer Awareness in October! Kick butt, homeboy!<br /><br />Tonight was actually leftovers, believe it or not, all except for the squash. The chicken pie was a new recipe from Mrs. Darlene’s cookbook that turned out awesome! Definite high-5! I’m not going to post the recipe just yet though, because I want to tweak it a little and cook it again. Peas were from Dad’s garden, green tomatoes and acorn squash from the farmers market, and homemade ice cream courtesy of the new ice cream maker attachment Mom and David gave us at the Couples Shower that fits our KitchenAid stand mixer. Man, I love country cookin’!<br /><br />Since I’m not posting a recipe tonight, I want some feedback from ya’ll. Has anyone tried to cook acorn squash before? I’ve had it at Mom’s once, but this is the first time I’ve cooked it. I did what it said on the sticker: sliced it in half, scooped out the seeds, filled each half with butter and brown sugar, and baked it at 400° for 30 minutes. It was really good and had great flavor, it just didn’t scoop out very easily. I felt like I wasted a lot of the meat. I guess the easy answer might have been to peel it before eating it instead of trying to scoop. Any other suggestions or recipe ideas?<br /><br />Oh and Chad, your potato soup is coming tomorrow! It’s been perfect weather for it the last couple of days…A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-60450964826091928252009-09-29T21:39:00.004-05:002009-09-29T21:48:51.504-05:00Spaghetti and German Chocolate Cookies<div>I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful fall weather! I came home from work today, and all I wanted to do was sit in the swing, feel that cool breeze, and stare at the clouds!<br /><br />So my mom noticed I left out someone’s name in the title, and I had to add my girl Rachael Ray! I got a set of her cookware for Christmas last year from Kyle, and I absolutely love it! You might be asking why I didn’t wait until the wedding and register for new cookware, so everybody else could buy it for me, right? It’s because I was in dire need of a new set. You see, my old set was brand new when I moved to Starkville for college in 2002. So what, you say? Well, let me put it to you like this. I made potato soup one night in the stockpot, and as I was stirring I could see all these black specs appearing in the soup. But I had not added any pepper! About a week later, I had a new set. I sold the old set in a yard sale earlier this year, but oddly enough I kept that stockpot. It makes for a great spaghetti noodle pot, and I have a large pyrex bowl that fits nicely in it and can be used for a double boiler if need be.<br /><br />Speaking of Mom, I had to ask if she was serious about her creamed corn comment from last week. Now I’ve been cooking for a while now, I’d say probably 10 years. But by no means am I an expert or do I ever claim to know it all. I love to learn, so new or better ideas or suggestions about anything I write are very welcome. And I don’t have any problem (usually) admitting when I don’t know something… I did not know Mammaw really did cream her own corn! I can remember as a child seeing my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles sitting outside under the oak trees with tubs of corn at their feet. I can remember all the shuckin’ and silkin’, but I must have been too young to remember them cutting and scraping the corn off the cob. Mom says it’s sweet corn that makes its own cream when cooked. You don’t add anything to it (I thought for sure milk or whipping cream had to go in it), but you do have to be careful that it doesn’t scorch. How about that! Makes me wish I had a corn field!<br /><br />Ok so on to this week’s recipes. Honestly I had no plans to cook something new this week. This is an extremely busy week with softball last night, Bible study tomorrow, softball Thursday night, and my bachelorette party Friday night (woo hoo!). Tonight is the only night I’ll be home for any length of time, and that means leftovers! And my go-to meal when I need plenty of leftovers to last a few days, or at the end of the month when I need cheap meals, is spaghetti! Now my step-dad is the king of spaghetti, and he gave me the ingredients I use for my recipe. I can’t say he gave me the recipe, because I don’t know that David has a recipe for spaghetti. I don’t know that David has a recipe for anything! He just throws things together, and they always come out great! He makes the best cheesecakes ever, but Mom would always get aggravated because they tasted different each time! He’s also the king of shrimp, and happens to have some for sale right now if anyone is interested. (You like the plug, Dave?!) Anyway, I add basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and garlic salt to the hamburger meat and brown/drain it. Then add a jar of whatever spaghetti sauce you like, and a can of diced tomatoes, and simmer for an hour. Sometimes depending on what spaghetti sauce I buy, I have to add a little salt and pepper while it simmers. Easy and always good! Oh, and David always puts a couple bay leaves in his too. Great recipe, but by no means a new one.<br /><br />Well, I just couldn’t help myself! With all these new books and recipes, I’m like a kid with a new toy. I just had to try something! Enter my Bible study teacher, Mrs. Cindy. I had a wedding shower this past weekend at my cousin Pat’s, and Mrs. Cindy gave me a great gift! She wrapped up a cookie sheet, a German chocolate cookie recipe, and all the dry ingredients needed as my gift! Really cute idea for anyone heading to a wedding shower soon! And oh my gosh are those cookies wonderful! And super easy too. Mix together a boxed german chocolate cake mix, a 5.1 oz box of vanilla pudding, an 11.5 oz bag of chocolate chips, 3 eggs, ½ cup oil, and 1 cup chopped nuts. That’s it! Bake on a cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until done. I’m all about these easy recipes!<br /><br />I do want to give ya’ll a little tip though. If you want to make cookies, and you want them to look pretty, spend the money and buy a Calphalon cookie sheet. The recipe made more dough than would fit on the Calphalon cookie sheet she gave me, so I used a couple of my old Wal-Mart sheets. I never dreamed my cookie sheet was the reason none of my cookies ever looked good! The ones on the Calphalon sheet were perfectly round and plumped up really nicely, but the ones on the old sheets flattened out and split. Not pretty at all! </div><div> </div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387086065634077442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEOLP2tT1FBgkPUfpV63Ui_em6qcBIchClwt2DiOvvD5-J9PBLV32FDyCmMPzfKNlurW-Owk5j3opxGNwB-g4YQuRLCe_jIpRFP0_uSoqdDIJuoRFe52dCnmL10j2NhiousMrcBoyS64/s320/P1010691.JPG" /><br />I don’t know if the picture does it justice or not, but the cookies on the right came off the Calphalon sheet. One other tip: use a scoop to measure out the cookie dough. I always used two teaspoons to get the dough on the sheet, but bought a scoop a while back for some other recipe. The only one I have is a small one, so of course the cookies are small; but they’re generally the same size and shape, and look so much better! Hopefully there will be some left for those of you coming to the party Friday night!<br /><br />Since I’ve rambled on and taken up plenty of your precious time, I’ll leave you with these parting words, courtesy of Hailey: “If it’s un-ladylike, fattening, or fun… I’m in!”<br /><br /><div></div>A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-89345396671780491652009-09-24T17:57:00.000-05:002009-09-24T17:59:13.021-05:00Parmesan ChickenFor the very first testing I decided to use a recipe card from the shower given to me by Dad’s first cousin Bruce’s wife Terri. (Did ya get all that?!) She didn’t get to come to the shower, but sent the cutest Cinderella card! Ya’ll know I’m a big Disney nut so of course I loved it!<br /><br />The recipe was for Parmesan Chicken. Super simple recipe, which was the first reason I picked it. The second reason was I already had all the ingredients in the house: boneless skinless chicken breasts, saltine crackers, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and Paula’s favorite ingredient… butter! All you have to do is mix the crushed crackers, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt for the coating. Dip the chicken breasts in the melted butter, then the coating, and bake them for 35 minutes at 400°. My go-with-its were baked sweet potatoes and fried green tomatoes. Now I love fried green tomatoes, and over the past year I’ve almost mastered the art, but a sliced red tomato would have been better. The parmesan coating made the chicken a bit salty, so something a little sweeter would have paired perfectly. Creamed corn would probably have been good too. I wonder if Mammaw creamed her corn herself or served it out of a can. May have to search the books for that one. You can buy frozen creamed corn packaged like a roll of sausage that I think is pretty good. To be honest I haven’t had it in years, but I used to like it. The sweet potato was great, but didn’t last long with all the other salty stuff. Kyle and I both liked the chicken, so it went into the recipe box to be cooked again! High five for the Parmesan Chicken!<br /><br />I think I’ll give every recipe a rating of high five, low five, or no five. I’ll also be glad to share any recipes anyone might want.<br /><br />I’m not sure what I’ll try next week. I would love to try some cakes and pies, but will have to wait until I get some cake pans and a pie dish before tackling those. I do have a Bundt pan, so I could try out Noneine’s Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe she gave me at the shower. Chicken is what we eat the most of and what we keep in the freezer, so there will probably be lots of those recipes tested in the coming months. Dad gave us a deep freezer, which we have already put to good use storing the vegetables from his garden and everything we buy on sale at Kroger. If you have a suggestion or something you would like me to try but maybe don’t have a recipe, shoot me an email or Facebook message, and I’ll see what I can find. I expect I can find just about any recipe under the sun in my wonderful expansive collection of cookbooks! Until next time… eat well!A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926231483318598653.post-42390195318968119752009-09-24T14:59:00.002-05:002009-09-24T15:17:32.888-05:00Getting StartedI’ve wanted to jump on the blog bandwagon for quite some time now. I enjoy reading about my friends’ kids, families, vacations, and other random happenings in their lives, but never have been very comfortable putting my own life out there for everyone else to see. It’s very easy for me to post pictures on MySpace and Facebook which tell a pretty good story, but not so easy for me to put my life and feelings into words for others to read. I thought of doing a wedding blog, but decided against it. While I have been documenting wedding details, some of it hasn’t been pretty. I may take those moments, thoughts, and feelings to the grave! All of a sudden after my kitchen/dining room wedding shower, it hit me I should blog about cooking!<br /><br />The kitchen/dining room wedding shower was a big hit! Since I have been out of college for nearly five years and have owned my own home for nearly two, I already have all of the “needs” for a home. I looked at my wedding registries as the “wants” to tie everything together; and since the registries contained mostly cooking items and dishes, it made sense for the theme of this particular shower to be kitchen/dining room. Included with the mailed invitations was a recipe card for guests to write us a recipe. I didn’t expect everyone to do it, but out of the 21 people that came, 12 gave us a recipe. Two who couldn’t be there even sent their recipes with gifts. I was thrilled! I also was in for a huge surprise. For whatever reason, cookbooks never crossed my mind as potential gifts for this shower. I have no idea why, since it fit perfectly with the theme. I was shocked and excited to receive twelve cookbooks! Robin gave me the Bells Best set I-IV, and Mrs. Carolyn gave me a Bells Best III. Coach Hickman gave me the Betty Crocker Bridal Edition cookbook, and Arlene gave me “Confessions of a Kitchen Diva”. Mrs. Judy gave me “Who’s Cooking in Winston County”, a collection of recipes from my hometown offered by the Louisville Main Street Association. Hailey gave me a copy of what I like to refer to as the “Darlene Bane Cookbook”, which I was very excited about. Mrs. Darlene compiled a book some years ago of her favorite family recipes and those of her friends. I know Hailey loves her copy, so I was thrilled she got me one! The highlight of the cookbook gifts fittingly came from Mammaw. Mammaw moved to the nursing home a few days before the shower, and didn’t get to come. She wrapped up three of her favorite and most used cookbooks and a folder full of random loose recipes. It was the most special gift, and of course brought me to tears!<br /><br />After the shower I told Mom I should cook all the recipes in all the books and blog about it. I tossed the idea around for a couple of weeks, and finally decided to make a go of it. If you noticed the title and paid attention to the cookbooks received, you can figure out who all I’m referring to. The only name that doesn’t match anything is Paula. I didn’t receive any Paula Deen cookbooks, but love her to death so she had to be included!<br /><br />I’m not really sure where this will go or what I will talk about. I’m not even sure how many recipes of each book will get tested. I’m sure I’ll quickly find my favorites and cling to those. Right now I’ll shoot for one new recipe per week from one of the books or the random recipes. With the wedding planning, Becker CPA prep class, and CPA exam all going on right now too, I don’t even know how much I’ll actually get to do. We’ll just have to see how it goes for now. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I’m sure I will enjoy cooking (and eating) for it!A Little Help in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04523607934750705595noreply@blogger.com3