Tag: Recipes

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.

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Split Pea Soup

One of my favorite meals in the winter or anytime really is soup!  So, this time I thought I would share a Split Pea Soup recipe.  I hope you enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 chopped medium onion
  • 4 thinly sliced carrots
  • 3 thinly sliced celery stalks (sometimes I skip this ingredient)
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Low sodium chicken broth (about 14 oz)
  • 16 oz bag of green split peas
  • 1 Ham bone plus 2 cups ham cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp “I Can’t Believe It’s Not” Butter

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Using a 5-quart heavy pot with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add broth, split peas, ham bone, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover; simmer until peas are soft, 30 to 45 minutes.
  3. Remove and discard bone from soup. Working in batches, puree only 1/2 the soup in a blender (don’t overfill); return to pot. Add ham cubes, and simmer until heated through. If necessary, thin with water. Add salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve warm with a hearty bread or crackers and a blend of primarily Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  ENJOY!

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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).

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A Tribute to Mom

Mom

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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

 

Don’t “FALL” Apart, Get Prepared

Fall is here and the first step to getting ready is prepping your kitchen. It is good to clean out your pantry and kitchen at the beginning of each season. I am not saying, throw everything away, but it is smart to reorganize and take inventory of what you have – you don’t want to be caught baking a pie and realize you are out of a main ingredient. Here are fall pantry staples I know you will be using the entire season.

  • Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, cardamom, turmeric
  • Almond butter
  • Canned pumpkin
  • Whole-wheat flour
  • Old-fashioned oats
  • Nuts: pecans, walnuts, and almonds
  • Brown sugar
  • Dried thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaves
  • Your favorite whole-wheat pasta
  • Root vegetables
  • Chicken stock – canned or homemade
  • Winter squashes

Make sure you keep a collection of hearty recipes close by for those cool fall nights to keep you cozy.

Here is one that is filling and light that everyone will enjoy:

BUTTER PECAN MASHED SWEET POTATOES

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds) – peeled, diced and cooked to be tender
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter – I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter or Country Crock
  • 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS

Mash sweet potatoes until desired consistency,  put into a serving dish and set aside.  Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir butter, milk, and salt into potato mixture and top with pecans.  You can use a small amount of natural brown sugar mixed in to add a little sweetness.  Serve warm with your favorite meat.

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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