Tag: Cookbook

Easy White Chicken Chilli

INGREDIENTS

6 cups chicken stock

3 – 4 cups cooked shredded chicken

2 (15-ounce) cans beans of northern beans or 1 big jar

2 cups (16 ounces) salsa verde 

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Optional toppings: diced avocado, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS

  1. Stir together chicken stock, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin in large pot.
  2. Cook on high heat until it simmers.  Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer.
  3. Serve immediately, garnished with your favorite toppings.

Kit Kat Cookies

kit kat cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped Kit Kat candy bar pieces
  • Optional: add semi-sweet chocolate chips after adding Kit Kat pieces

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients except candy bar pieces. Set aside
  3. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars on medium speed until combined. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined
  4. Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients; mix just until combined. Do not over mix
  5. Gently fold in chopped Kit Kat candy bar pieces; cover bowl and refrigerate dough for about an hour
  6. Place a rounded scoop of dough on an ungreased baking sheet, or silicone mat/parchment paper lined baking sheet. Keep dough chilled in between batches.
  7. Bake 7-9 minutes or until barely golden brown around the edges. Do not over bake. The tops will not brown. Do not bake longer than 9 minutes. Cookies may appear to be soft and undone, but they will set as they cool.
  8. Cool cookies on baking sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Option:  can use an 9×13 square pan and make bars.  Just add 2 eggs instead of 1, 2 sticks of softened butter instead of 3/4 cup and add a small box of instant vanilla pudding mix.  Bake for 35-38 minutes or until cooked through.

 

Rum Glazed Caramel Corn

This is a great recipe for movie night.

INGREDIENTS:

1 – 2 cups un-popped popcorn
3 cups of granulated white sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

  • Pop the popcorn on the stove with oil. Place popped popcorn in a large bowl.
  • Cover one to two sheet pans with aluminum foil.
  • In a large saucepan, combine sugar, rum, butter, vanilla, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring very often.  Cook until sugar melts and caramel becomes a dark caramel color, careful not to burn because it scorches fast.  Takes about 15-20 minutes. 
  • Add the baking soda and keep stirring. Be careful as it bubbles up quickly and almost doubles in quantity. Quickly remove from heat, pour over the popcorn and stir quickly to coat all the corn.
  • Spread the caramel corn out on foil lined sheet pans and allow to cool.

Option: You can add your favorite nut to this, just add them before you coat the popcorn so they can be coated also.

Another option: Bourbon Caramel Corn, use your favorite Bourbon instead of rum or Salted Whiskey Caramel Corn, use your favorite Whiskey and sea salt instead of rum.

 

caramel corn

 

 

Easy Cobbler

This was my Mom’s recipe, so quick and easy and very tasty!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 cup Bisquick
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 stick of butter, melted
  • 3 – 5 oz can of Peaches
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

Mix butter and vanilla in pan, add Bisquick, sugar, and milk in butter.  Pour peaches over the top of the mixture, do not stir.   Sprinkle cinnamon on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Fits a 9 x 9 pan!  Serve warm with ice cream.

Southern-Peach-Cobbler-2-1-of-1.jpg

 

 

Marinated Cheese & Crackers

I always try to keep some type of appetizers on hand for unexpected company.  This is a quick and easy one to pair with a good Moscato or a cold beer.

Ingredients

  • 2 blocks (8 ounces each) white cheddar cheese
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Crackers or small bread

Directions

  • Slice each block of cheddar cheese into twenty 1/4-in. slices. Cut each block of cream cheese into 18 slices; sandwich between cheddar slices, using a knife to spread evenly. Create four 6-in.-long blocks of cheese; place in a 13 x 9 dish.
  • In a small bowl, combine the roasted peppers, oil, vinegars, onions, herbs, sugar; pour over cheese.
  • Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once. Drain excess marinade. Serve cheese with bread or crackers.

Marinated-Cheese_EXPS_THCA18_41873_B01_23_3b-2-696x696

Mini Pumpkin Pies

I love to make finger foods, especially if they are sweet.  So, with the season being Thanksgiving I thought I would share an easy Mini Pumpkin Pie recipe.  Serve with a dollop of cool whip on top and enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 roll of sugar cookies
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 package (3.5 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
1 package cup cake cups
1 container of cool whip
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut cookies per instructions on the package and place in muffin cups.  Cook according to directions and let cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and pudding mix until thickened. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree until thoroughly combined.  Fill each cup 1/2 full with the pumpkin mixture on top of the cooled cookies.  You can sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice on top if desired.  Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve within 3 days.
mini pumpkin pies
Mini-Pumpkin-Pies

Pumpkin Soup

In thinking about Halloween and carving pumpkins, thought I would share my favorite pumpkin soup recipe.  Hope you enjoy it.

INGREDIENTS:

– 2 lbs pumpkin, skin and seeds removed, chopped into small cubes

– 1 small onion finely chopped

– 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

– 1 large carrot, peeled and diced

– 1 tsp crushed garlic

– 4 cups chicken broth/stock

– 2 chicken bouillon cubes crumbled

– Salt and pepper to taste

– 1/2 cup half & half

– 1/2 cup cooked, chopped bacon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place all ingredients, except cream, in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat, use a stick blender and blend until smooth.  Add the cream and stir through (do not boil after adding cream).  Add any salt or pepper if needed, and serve with bacon sprinkled on top (can put parsley or roasted pumpkin seeds on top if desired).

Pumpkin-Soup-IMAGE-13

A Tribute to Mom

Mom

img_2866_moment-e1536874430547.jpg

My Mother passed away on August 11, 2018 and the last month has been hard.  We know she is in a good place but I miss her dearly.  She was a great cook, had a gentle heart and was very much a Southern gal!  She taught me everything I know about cooking and the love of food.  She had many recipes so I can’t say I had a favorite cause they all were good.  To name a few:  red velvet cake, pumpkin poll, oyster dressing,  biscuits and gravy (with scratch biscuits), hot dog sauce, peanut butter fudge,  orange cake, cornbread and beans, pickle relish (which she canned every year), apple butter (made outside over an open fire in a kettle), and I could go on forever.   Thanks Mom for helping me become the woman I am today and  for showing me how to cook!

So, in memory of Mom, aka Mollie B.,  aka Mammie, here is her Orange Cake recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 box Duncan Hines Orange cake mix
  • Milk

Icing:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 1 large tube of Cool Whip

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Mix cake according to directions using milk instead of water and bake accordingly
  • Bake in 2 round cake pans
  • Once cooled, split in the middle to make 4 layers
  • Mix icing ingredients until smooth
  • Ice each layer on top only, not on sides and stack on top of each other
  • Sprinkle the top with crumbs left in the pans or from the bottom of a section
  • Serve and enjoy

 

Moms Orange Cake

 

Summer salad recipe

With summer winding down and gardens producing great veggies, I thought I would share one of my favorite summer salads.  It is quick, easy and very filling.  You can serve it with just about any kind of meat.  I hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot, and fill with about 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add the green beans to steam after the first 10 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut potatoes into quarters. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with fresh basil, red onion, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and olive oil. Pour over the salad, and stir to coat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

 

green bean and potato salad

Family & Friends

As the holidays grow closer it reminds us to stop and enjoy life.  Talk with family, reunite with old friends and appreciate what you have.

I recently lost a life-long friend to cancer.  It really puts life into prospective.  People come and go in your life and you may have a lot of acquaintances but how many true friends do you really have?  Something to ponder.

My Dad taught me growing up to always find the good in people; be positive and truthful; remember that when others are mean or sad there is something going on in their lives that is making them that way; and most of all, always take time for friends and family!!!

So my recipe I am sharing today is one that you can share with your friends and family anytime of the year.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Ingredients:

  • 1 graham cracker crust
  • 1 box instant vanilla pudding (or white chocolate)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup + 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 8-oz block cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, chopped fine (optional)
  • Chocolate syrup for drizzling (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Whip the pudding and confectioner’s sugar together. Set aside.
  2. Whip together the peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
  3. Sprinkle a little of the peanut butter mixture on the graham cracker crust. (less than 1/4 cup)
  4. Fold in half of the whipping cream into remaining peanut butter mixture and mix until blended.
  5. Pour into the graham cracker crust.
  6. Top with whipping cream.Optional:  Sprinkle nuts on top when ready to serve and drizzle with chocolate syrup.  Or you can reserve some of the peanut butter and sugar mixture and put on top (see picture below).  Store in refrigerator.

peanutbutterpie1