MEMORIAL DAY COOKOUTS - Try Grilled Corn

Grilled Sweet Corn

Getting ready for Memorial Day is always fun for me.  Our menu usually includes brisket, ribs, baked beans, potato salad, grilled corn on the cob, and lots of deserts.  Here's hoping that you have a Happy Memorial Day and that you remember all the men and women that have sacrificed their lives so that we have our freedoms.

Ingredients

As many ears of corn as you want
Aluminum Foil (heavy duty works best)
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Sweet Paprika

Directions

Put it all together in small metal bowl and place on coolest part of the grill.  Brush corn every so often with melted butter mixture .

My Moms Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients

1 package of spaghetti
1 whole chicken or 6 chicken thighs or breast
1 onion chopped
1 cup celery
1/2 tsp garlic chopped
1/2 stick butter
1 can crm mushroom soup
1 can crm chicken soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can rotel tomatos
1/2 soup can ckn broth
1 10oz can salad olives
1/2 lb Velvetta 

Boil, debone and shred chicken.  Put aside.  Put spaghetti in chicken water and cook till almost done.

In medium sauce pan, saute' onion, garlic and celery in butter.  Add soups, rotels and broth and stir till smooth. Transfer to a crock pot.  Add olives. Cut Velvetta cheese into 1 inch cubes, add to mixture and stir.  Add chicken and spaghetti and mix well.  Turn crock pot to high and cook till all the cheese is melted.  Keep on low to keep warm

Crock Pot Breakfast

Ingredients:

1 bag 26 oz. frozen hash browns
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 16 oz. roll sausage
maple, sage or regular sausage.
Salt and pepper
16 oz. bag shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Spray crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.
2. Crack 12 eggs in a large bowl.
3. Mix well (and slowly) using a whisk.
4. Add the milk.
5. Go ahead and sprinkle in the ground mustard. This might sound like a weird ingredient, but I've come to love (and use) this in most of my recipes.
6. Add plenty of salt....
...and lots of fresh pepper. Mix well and set aside.
7. Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and set aside.
8. Add sausage on top of hash browns.
9. Is this enough cheese? Maybe? Probably. Throw the whole big bag in there.
10. Mix it up well. Or good, depending on where you're from.
11. Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot. Using a wood spoon, even everything out so it's spread evenly.
12. Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.

Some fun variations of this recipe. Before cooking (during prep) you can add:

chunks of sourdough bread
diced chiles
salsa
diced green onions
mushrooms
green peppers
green onions
ham
bacon

Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into
1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
1 package shiitake mushrooms
2 to 3 carrots, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, diced
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Serving suggestion: Hot, cooked rice noodles

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the oils over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, pepper, and onion and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the water chestnuts. 

In a small bowl, combine broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch. Add to chicken mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium to medium-low, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Serve over hot, cooked rice noodles.

Recipe Provided By: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chicken-stir-fry-recipe.html

Old Fashion Brick Oven Bread

This is a bread for bread lovers, it’s a bread similar to what people had made in the old fashion brick oven that was found in most peoples back yard many years ago.
It is a firm bread but with great taste and texture, it is especially good when served hot right from the oven with butter and jam. This recipe makes six loaves but you can break it down to two loaves just by dividing by three.

Ingredients

4 ½ pounds all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
½ pound sugar
1 ounce dry yeast
6 cups warm water

Directions

In a stainless steel bowl place your yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 cup warm water and let the yeast work, when the yeast starts to rise you know that it is ok to use and that your bread is going to rise properly.

In a 10 quart mixing bowl place your flour, salt, sugar, oil, yeast you had started and 5 cups warm water.

Mix on low speed using a dough hook on your mixer until well blended, then mix on second speed for about four minutes, at this time you should have a nice well textured dough, if the dough seems too dry to you just add a little more water and mix for about one more minute.

Remove dough from mixer and divide into 24 ounce balls well rounded and tight, let them stand for 5 minutes on table covered with a towel, at this time grease your bread pans, take a ball of dough and flatten it removing any air in the dough (don’t get too rough with it) flap the bottom part of the dough up to the middle and the top of the dough in to the middle and press it down then fold it in half again and with the heal of your hand seal the seam of the dough, (it should look like a six inch hoagie bun) now place it in a well greased bread pan with the seam on the bottom and let it rise under a towel until it is double in size.

In a preheated 350 degree oven place all your loaves of bread and let it bake for 20 minutes then rotate it and let it bake for another 20 minutes, remove from oven and remove from pan, let it cool on a wire rack, even a refrigerator rack is good.

When it is cool enough to cut “enjoy it”.

Miss Kay's Honey Pecan Pie

Ingredients

3 - large eggs, beaten 
3/4 - cup granulated sugar
4 - tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 - teaspoon salt
1 - teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 - cup light corn syrup
1/2 - cup honey
1 1/2 - cups chopped pecans
1 - 9 inch store bought deep dish pie crust, unbaked or homemade

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 8 minutes). 

In a separate large mixing bowl stir together the sugar, salt, butter, vanilla and syrups. Gently fold in the eggs. Gently fold in the pecans. 

Pour filling into the pie crust and place pie on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes , until the filling is almost set (You still want the filling to jiggle just a bit in the center) because the pie will continue to set up as it cools.

Let pie cool completely before cutting. Pecan Pies are best made the morning of or a day before you want to serve them (to give them time to set up completely). 

Party Potatoes

Ingredients

8-9 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in cubes
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
5-6 slices of bacon cooked crisp
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
salt for cooking potatoes in

Direction

Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a pan with enough salted water to cover them. Bring up to a boil, then turn down to low and cook only long enough to get them slightly tender. If you get them too soft, you will end up with mashed potatoes. 

Pour potatoes into a colander and drain well. Place back in the pan and mix in softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, seasoned salt, and black pepper.   Pour into a 2 quart casserole you have sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Top with the shredded cheese and the crumbled crisp cooked bacon.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  If you prepared this ahead and it was refrigerated, take it out and place it on the counter about 30 minutes ahead of time to come to room temperature before you put it in the oven.

30 Minute Skillet Chicken and Spinach Parmesan

Ingredients

• 6-8 small chicken cutlets or breast filets (1.5-2 lbs)
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce
• 2 cup chopped baby spinach
• 1 cup grated mozzarella

Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Combine panko and parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
3. Coat the chicken with the bread crumb mixture pressing gently to adhere.
4. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the cutlets (do in batches to avoid crowding) and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. (Wipe skillet before repeating with remaining chicken pieces.)
6. Remove chicken from skillet and pour half of the pasta sauce onto the bottom of the skillet.
7. Gently lay the chicken on top.
8. Top each piece of chicken with a couple tablespoons of sauce, 1/4 cup chopped spinach, and two tablespoons of mozzarella. Just spoon and sprinkle till it looks right :)
9. Place in broiler for 2-4 minutes until cheese just begins to turn golden brown.
10. Serve immediately.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

1 unbaked deep dish pie shell
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup butter or 1/2 stick, melted
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring or 1 Tbs. of good Kentucky bourbon
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes which you can cook from fresh sweet potatoes or you can even use canned sweet potatoes that have been drained. When you mash the potatoes, if there are any fibers or stringiness to them, pick that out. Sometimes they do have stringy pieces in them. With an electric mixer, blend the potatoes, butter, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla or bourbon, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

Separate the eggs, blend the yolks into the sweet potato mixture. Place the whites in a clean dry bowl.

Beat egg whites with the baking powder and the 1 Tbs. sugar until peaks form. Be sure your beaters are clean and dry before you start this or the whites won't whip up. Gently fold the egg whites into the sweet potato mixture with a mixing spoon. Don't do this with the mixer because it will break the whites. Just fold them in until blended.

Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet and then fill it with the sweet potato filling. Don't over fill the shell or it will rise over the sides. See how full this shell is, that's too full...lol. I had to take some of it out. Because of the whipped egg whites with the baking powder in them, the filling does rise up while it's baking so leave a little room to rise...not much, but fill it to just below the rim of the crust.

If it does bake over, the cookie sheet will catch it and as the pie cools it settles back down and the custard does tighten up some, so don't worry too much about it. If you have extra filling just put it in a small ramekin and bake it as a little extra treat for the cook. You deserve it and can test the final product without cutting the pie! Place in oven and bake for approximately 45 - 50 minutes. Don't let it get too brown on top. Remove and let cool on the counter. Serve with a nice dollop of whipped cream!

Stuffed Jalapenos

        mixture. Cook for 20 minutes until tops are golden brown (cook on a large baking pan).

Southern Roast

Ingredients

Roast (I used about a 4 lb rump roast,. You can use either chuck roast or rump roast, both work well. )

1 envelope of ranch dressing mix

1 cup flour

1 stick of butter

1 cup of baby carrots

1 cup of small red potatoes cut in forths

salt and pepper

Spray your slow cooker with nonstick spray. It makes clean up so much easier.

Melt the stick of butter in large skillet over medium heat. Take the envelope of ranch and the cup of flour and mix it together. Cover all sides and ends of roast with mixture. Brown your roast on all sides and ends till golden. Remove and place in the slow cooker and place potatoes and carrots on top.

Cook for 8 hours on low. You do not add any additional water to this! Your roast will be tender and delicious and will have made it's own gravy! When done, remove to a platter and surround with carrots and potatoes.

Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

10 oz tube of buttermilk biscuit dough

6 eggs

1 pkg powdered gravy pouch

1 lb sausage, any flavor

1 c cheese, shredded

1/2 c milk

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Take a 13x9-in pan and spray with cooking spray (or smear with butter). Cut biscuit dough into 1" pieces, and line the bottom of the pan.

Brown the sausage & drain.

Scatter the browned sausage over the biscuit pieces, then top with shredded cheese.

Whisk eggs and milk with a pinch of salt and pepper, then pour over the pan.

Make gravy according to instructions, and pour over the pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending how hot your oven runs.

Cut and serve. It's delicious warm right out of the oven!

Remember When....

CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:

5 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup light sour cream

10 oz. can of enchilada sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (canned corn works just fine, but drain it first)

4 oz. can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

Salt and pepper

4 scallions, thinly sliced

8 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.

2.In the bowl of your mixer cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup of each type of cheese.

3.In a second bowl toss together the chicken, corn, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper, green chiles, and half of the scallions. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and combine well.

4.Spread about half of the remaining enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

5.Spoon the filling into each tortilla, roll the tortilla up, and place in the baking dish with the seam down. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the filled tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve.

BUTTERMILK MARINATED CHOPS

Ingredients

4 6-ounce center-cut bone-in pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)

3 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon cayenne

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

Juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons salt, plus more for seasoning

1/2 tablespoon pepper, plus more for seasoning

Olive oil for brushing

Directions

Place pork chops in a plastic bag. Pour the rest of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Pour the marinade on the pork chops and marinate overnight in the fridge, turning occasionally. When ready to cook, remove pork chops from marinade and pat dry. Brush a little oil on each side and season with salt and pepper. Grill each pork chop for about 3 minutes each side, turning once. 

Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients

Gravy:

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Steaks:

Vegetable oil, for frying

Four 5-ounce rib eye steaks

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup egg wash (equal parts milk and eggs)

Directions

For the gravy: In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the butter until melted. Then stir in the flour, stirring through the process, until light brown and smooth. Next, add the milk, again stir and allow the roux to absorb the milk. Then season with the salt and white pepper and add the parsley. This process should take 4 to 5 minutes. Keep gravy warm.

For the steaks: Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F. With a meat tenderizer, pound the steaks until double in size and 1/4-inch thick. Add the salt and black pepper to the flour. Then dredge a steak in the flour, then the egg wash and finally again in the flour. Repeat the process with all the steaks. Then drop them in the fryer and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and finish until golden brown, a final 2 minutes. Remove from the fryer and allow any excess oil to drip off on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Serve with mashed potatoes, your choice of veggie and rolls or texas toast.