Hearty Split Pea Soup

I don't like cold weather at all, but I do love cooking and eating soups and stews to warm from the inside out.  This is one of my personal favorites.

Ingredients:
Leftover ham shank bone, with some meat on it
1 bag split peas, rinsed and picked over
4 medium potatoes, cubes
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, grated on large side of grater
1 box Chicken stock
1 TBS. bacon grease
1 bay leaf

Instructions:
Saute vegetables in bacon grease until soft, add ham bone and chicken stock.  Cook for about 15 minutes, then add washed split peas and bay leaf.  Simmer until peas are done, adding water if necessary, so soup doesn't get too thick.  I do not strain this soup, because we love the pieces of potato and chunks of ham in it. Yum!

Chicago Style Mostacolli

When we lived in Chicago, we ate this often.  Either I would make it at home, or pick up take out.  A very simple, very flavorful pasta!

Ingredients:

1 box Mostacolli, cooked al dente per package instructions

1# ground chuck

3 sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from casing

1 large jar Prego with mushrooms

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

2 TBS olive oil

½ C red wine

1/2  C water

½ C shredded parmesan cheese

½ C shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Brown meats in olive oil; add garlic, Prego, tomato sauce, bay leaves, wine and water.  Simmer about 1 hour.  Cook pasta using instructions on package for al dente.  Drain pasta; mix with meat sauce and cheeses.  Put in baking dish and sprinkle with both kinds of cheese.  Bake at 350* until bubbly.  

Bacon, Egg, and Swiss Cheese Brunch Casserole

This is a less common version of an overnight brunch casserole.

Ingredients:

White loaf bread

½# Kraft sharp cheddar, shredded

½# Swiss cheese, shredded

1pkg. bacon, fried and cut in bite sized pieces

½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper

Instructions:

Remove crust from bread.  Place in bottom of 9x13 pan, fill in spaces.  Sprinkle cheeses over bread, then crispy bacon over cheese.  Beat eggs, and milk and seasonings, pour over other ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350* for 45 minutes.  An almost instant dish for a crowd!

Strawberry "Mimosa"

This makes a tasty, and pretty drink.  It is perfect for a romantic Valentine's Day brunch with your sweetheart!                     
                                                                                

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen strawberries, thawed (if not sweetened, add 4 TBS sugar)

1 bottle champagne

Instructions:

Put berries and sugar in blender and blend until creamy.  Put 2oz. in bottom of champagne flute, and top with 4oz. champagne, or to taste.

Faux Pate'

I know, I know...not everyone likes Pate'...but I love it!  This is a very mild version, and when I serve it at parties, it disappears rather quickly.  Come on, don't be afraid...give it a try!

Ingredients:

8 oz. Brunsweieger

3 oz. room temperature cream cheese

1 TBS finely minced onion

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. dry sherry

3 drops Tabasco

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients until Smooth. Refrigerate until serving.  Best with crostini or crackers and cheeses.  Garnish with finely minced chives or parsley.

Bananas Foster Ice Cream Cake

I was looking through my recipe files this morning, and found this cake and photo from Taste of the South Magazine 2006.  I made it for a birthday brunch for my son and granddaughter...it was delicious, and made a beautiful presentation.  Perfect for a special occasion.

Ingredients:

1. 1 (18.25-ounce) package butter-recipe cake mix
2. 3 eggs
3. 1/2 cup butter
4. Water as needed
5. 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
6. 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
7. 2 to 3 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
8. 1 recipe of Caramel Rum Sauce (recipe below)

1. To assemble cake, place 1 cake layer, smooth-side up, on a cake plate. Top with 1/4 of softened ice cream, smoothing surface with a knife or spatula. Repeat with remaining two layers of cake. (For best results, place cake in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes after adding each layer of ice cream.) After third layer of ice cream, arrange small scoops of ice cream on top around edge of cake. (Scoops should be touching). Return to freezer until serving time.
2. To serve, pile banana slices in center of cake, and pour 3/4 cup cooledCaramel Rum Sauce over bananas. (Rum sauce will run down sides of cake between ice-cream scoops.) Serve remaining rum sauce with cake as an accompaniment.

Caramel Rum Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/4 C butter

1 C brown Sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 C rum, plus 2 TBS water

I am sharing this with Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday  

Aunt Gladys' 1950's Lime Jell-O Salad with Pineapple, Cream Cheese & Pecans

I was thinking about my Aunt Gladys today.  She was my Grandmother's sister.  My Grandmother raised me, and Aunt Gladys was like a grandmother to me.  In the 1940's and 1950's, on the last day of school, her car would be in the driveway when I got off the school bus.  She and I would head for her home, where I would spend the entire summer.  What a glorious time I had with her!!  We would shop at Rich's and Davison's in downtown Atlanta for hours on end...until my skinny little legs wouldn't take me another step.  The next day, I knew what was coming..."Patsy, I don't think I want any of these things"...so off we would go to Atlanta to return them.  She took me to the movies, the swimming pool, church...anywhere I wanted to go.  When I was a teenager, she would arrange for me to meet some nice young men from well-to-do families...she picked some really cute ones!  It was at her house that I began my culinary love affair with asparagus...yum!  She made me sweet iced tea mixed half and half with pineapple juice...60 years later, I still love it... and we call it an "Aunt Gladys"...she was decades ahead of "Arnold Palmer" ;)  Also, she never failed to make this congealed salad for me...I thought it was divine...and still enjoy eating it.  Such sweet memories of such a sweet and special aunt!  Thank you, Aunt Gladys...I hope I said that often enough while you were still here...but I do hope God doesn't have to go shopping with you.  I would love to go with you again, though. :)

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese
1 pkg. (3 oz.) lime Jello
1 3/4 c. boiling water
1 can #2 crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Instructions:

Thoroughly blend cream cheese and Jello. Add boiling water. Stir until cheese mixture is completely melted. Chill until cool. Stir in pineapple and nuts. Chill again until set. Serve on beds of lettuce or make in a Jell-O mold, if desired.

Strawberry Gems

In the early eighties, we lived in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  A coupe of friends of mine had a lovely restaurant, and served delicious food.  They made these awesome little muffins, which went perfectly with their great salads.

Ingredients:
1 C self-rising flour
3/4 C sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C milk
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 C sliced strawberries
Topping:
1/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients, except strawberries until thoroughly incorporated.  Fold in berries.  Fill paper lined muffin tins 2/3 full.  Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over top of muffins.  Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.
Note: Blueberries may be substituted for strawberries.
I am sharing this with Tea Party Tuesday

Fake Ginger's Pasta Fagioli

This is the perfect for cold winter  nights served with crisp garlic bread, and a green salad.  It comes from Fake Ginger's blog.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled & chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage (casings removed if necessary)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 -2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3 – 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 cup ditalini (or other small pasta)
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it just begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.Add the sausage to the pot, crumbling as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper. Stir in tomatoes and stock Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.Stir in the beans and ditalini. (Add an extra cup of stock or water at this point if it’s boiled down too much.) Simmer for 6- 8 minutes or until pasta is tender.Serve piping hot with Parmesan cheese.  


Sharing with Foodie Friday 

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

This tasty recipe comes from Just Cook Already.  A nice flavor and presentation for green beans.

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed

5 strips of bacon cut in half

3 TBS melted butter

1/4 C brown sugar

1 clove garlic - pressed/finely chopped

1/8 tsp soy sauce

Instructions:

Boil green beans in large pot till tender. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a skillet over med-low heat. You want the bacon to cook ‘soft’; do not ‘crisp’ the bacon. Place aside on paper towels to cool and reduce grease, then cut the strips into halves.  After beans have been drained, put a little butter in the pot to melt on the beans (this is optional and not included in the ingredients above). In a 13x9 pan lay one of the ‘half’ pieces of bacon and place several beans (about 6-7) then wrap the bacon around the bundle of beans and secure with a toothpick. Continue doing this till the beans are gone.  Melt the 3 tsp of butter in small sauce pan; add brown sugar, garlic salt and soy sauce and mix continuously over med-high heat. Once completely blended, brush over the bundles with a basting brush until mixture is all used.  Bake at 400 degrees 10-15 minutes.

Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake

Everyone raves about this cake from Paula Deen...rich, but good!
Ingredients:

Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer.  Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.  In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.  Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Almost Famous Chicken Sandwiches

This is a recipe and photo from Food Network.  Tasty, but the original is still the best.

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Peanut oil, for frying
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon malted milk powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• hamburger dills-2 slices for each sandwich
• 4 soft hamburger buns, split
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Instructions:

Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets. Place the cutlets mallet or heavy skillet. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon between 2 pieces of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/8-inch thick with a each pepper and paprika.

Heat about 2 inches peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Meanwhile, whisk the egg, milk and 2 tablespoons water in a baking dish. Whisk both flours, the malted milk powder, confectioners sugar,baking soda, dry mustard, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in another dish.  Working in batches, dip the chicken in the egg mixture, turning to coat, then dredge in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Fry the chicken in the hot oil until golden brown, about 4 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. Drain on paper towels.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spread the cut sides of the buns with some of the butter and lightly toast in the skillet, buttered-side down; spread with more butter. Put 2 pickle slices on each bun bottom; top with a piece of chicken and cover with the bun tops.

Photograph by Kate Sears

* Restaurant Recipe

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. Food Network Kitchens have not tested this recipe in the proportions indicated and therefore cannot make representation as to the results.

 Copyright 2011 Television Food Network G.P.

Chicken Florentine Puffs

This is from One Lovely Life, and is delicious!

Ingredients:
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed and rolled out
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1 (10oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
1 roasted red pepper, diced
4oz cream cheese, softened
1c gruyere, grated
2-3 TBS. fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 TBS water
Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine chicken, spinach, red pepepr, cream cheese, gruyere, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss until well combined and cream cheese is completely mixed in.  Make an egg wash by beating egg with water.Roll out puff pastry. Slice each sheet into 4 pieces (for 8 squares total). Divide filling among the 8 squares. For each puff, place filling in the center. Brush the edge of one half with egg wash and fold in half diagonally to form a triangle. Press down the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the top of the puff with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of fresh Parmesan, if using. Make 2-3 small slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking.  Place puffs on two baking sheets lined with parchment or sprayed with nonstick spray (I recommend using parchment).  Bake at 300 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until golden.  Makes 8 generously-sized puffs.  *To re-heat frozen puffs: place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake at 400 degrees 15-18 minutes or till heated through.

Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

These are quick and simple, but very tasty!  I love lemony sweets!  This recipe is from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients:

• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine - softened
• 1 egg
• 8 ounces cream cheese - softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 lemon - grated
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 
  

  Instructions:

  • In a mixing bowl, blend dry cake mix, butter, and 1 egg.
  • Press into a 9 x 13 pan, ungreased.
  • Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
  • Gradually blend in the powdered sugar.
  • Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture and refrigerate it for later use.
  • Beat the remaining 2 eggs, add the vanilla, and then beat this mixture into the remaining cream cheese mixture until well blended.
  • Spread over the cake mixture.
  • Bake at 350° until set, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Cool completely.
  • Spread the reserved cream cheese mixture onto the bars.
  • Refrigerate until firm; then cut into squares and serve.

Snowman Pancakes

Here is a simple, but adorable idea for a cold weather breakfast for the kids...well, I like them too! I saw these on ohdeedough.  This is her cute photo from Pintrest.

Just use your regular pancake recipe/mix and make large pancakes for the body, and a smaller ones for the head.  Use blueberries for face and buttons, a strip of bacon for the scarf, and marshmallows for the snow.  Decorations can be "glued" on with your favorite pancake syrup. It only takes a few minutes, and the little ones love it!

Chicken Piccata

Source:  Cuisine at Home, complimentary issue.  This is a very tasty recipe.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded into cutlets
salt and black pepper
all-purpose flour
nonstick spray
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 c chicken broth
2 TBS. fresh lemon juice
1 TBS. drained capers
2 TBS unsalted butter
fresh lemon slices
chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.  Coat a saute pan with nonstick spray, add oil, and heat over medium-high.  Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side.  Flip cutlets over and saute the other side, covered, 1-2 minutes.  Transfer cutlets to a warmed platter; pour off fat from the pan.   Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic.  Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.  Add broth, lemon juice, and capers.  Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute.  Transfer cutlets to warm plates.
Finish sauce with butter and lemons.  Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets.
 Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Makes:  2 servings

White Trash

I made this mix three times this Christmas, and everyone who tried it, loved it.  It would be a good sweet addition for New Year's Eve or Super Bowl Snacks.

Ingredients:

2 bags white chocolate chips
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 c. wheat chex
3 c. rice chex
3 c. corn chex
1/2 lb. mini pretzels
3 c. Crispix
1 can mixed nuts

1 large bag M&M's

Instructions:
Put all ingredients, except white chocolate chips, into a large bowl and mix well.

Melt white chocolate in microwave.  Heat 1 minute, stir, then microwave about 30 seconds more. or until melted and well blended.  Pour melted white chocolate over all other ingredients. Stir gently, mix thoroughly so all the dry mixture is coated with chocolate, then spread out on waxed paper until dry. Break into pieces and store in covered containers.

Christmas Tree Vegetable Platter

A pretty and healthy appetizer for Christmas.  Add other veggies, if desired.  Use this dip, or your favorite.  Merry Christmas!!!

A broccoli and tomato "tree" with pretzel "trunk" and cauliflower "snow" are delicious dippers for a cool and creamy dip.

Prep Time
25Minutes

Total Time
1:25Hr:Mins

Makes

8servings

Creamy Herb Dip

1/2

cup sour cream or crème fraîche

1/4

cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

3

tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

3

tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

1/2

teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1

small clove garlic, finely chopped

Vegetable Platter

3

cups fresh broccoli florets

14

grape tomatoes

1/2

yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

1 1/2

cups fresh cauliflower florets

3/4

oz (about 40) pretzel sticks (from 15-oz bag)

1. In small bowl, stir together dip ingredients. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
2. Rinse and thoroughly dry vegetables. Trim broccoli and cauliflower floret stems.
3. Arrange broccoli on serving platter to form tree shape and tomatoes to form garland. Arrange bell pepper to form star and cauliflower to form snow (see photo). If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
4. Just before serving, arrange pretzels at bottom of tree to form trunk. Serve with dip.

Makes 8 servings (about 1 1/2 tablespoons dip and 1/2 cup vegetables each)