by admin | Dec 16, 2008 | Cooking
We have a bumper crop of pecans this year. This photo is only a fraction of what my husband has shelled so far. We have also sold over 150 pounds to a local pecan broker, there are huge bags and bags in my utility room waiting to be shelled, the ground is covered, and the trees are still full! And we can’t get anyone to come pick some up for free – seems like everyone wants them shelled and bagged. Oh well, guess the birds and squirrels will enjoy what we don’t get picked up.
So, as you can guess, I don’t have to be stingy when using pecans for our Christmas gifts and baking. Turtles is one recipe we all like because it is simple and it is really good. And because there are several choices for ingredients.
Basically you need chocolate, pecans, and caramel. For the chocolate I prefer the Ghirardelli Candy Making and Dipping Bar that is available at Sam’s Club during the holiday season. I try to stock up on them because sometimes I want to make chocolate covered recipes other times of the year. You can also use almond bark or even chocolate chips. For the caramel, I used the new Kraft Caramel bits this year. In the past, I have used the dipping caramel for apples that you can find in the produce department. You can also melt the traditional Kraft caramels or if you are industrious, make your own.
3 Ingredient Turtles
pecan halves
chocolate (for dipping)
caramel
I toasted my pecan halves but you can leave them raw. Melt chocolate. On a sheet of waxed paper, spread a small circle of chocolate, leaving a couple of inches between each one. Place 3 pecan halves on each chocolate circle. If using caramels or caramel bits, melt in microwave. Drop a teaspoonful of caramal in center of pecans. Spoon melted chocolate over top of caramel and pecans, sealing the caramel as much as possible but leaving ends of pecans exposed. Let the chocolate become firm and enjoy.
by admin | Nov 29, 2008 | Cooking
I have written before about my woeful failure to produce light, tasty yeast rolls like my sister-in-law bakes for nearly every family gathering. Once again her rolls were to-die-for at our Thanksgiving meal. There was not a single one left over.
Being the stubborn (and competitive) person I am, I decided to try my hand at rolls again today. After all, if she could bake such good rolls, surely I could too. Of course I couldn’t let the fact that she had once run a very successful country style restaurant stand in my way. My failed rolls have always been the results of using the same recipe my SIL uses so I scoured Tastespotting for a different recipe.
Thanks to Cafe Johnsonia, I found an easy recipe that turned out great. Both my husband and son agreed that I had finally met the yeast roll standards – and they ate enough of them that I believed them.
Lindsey’s recipe is a step-by-step guide to refrigerator rolls and is illustrated with photos that show you exactly what to do as well as detailed instructions. She also includes instructions for Cinnamon Rolls and Orange Rolls using the same basic recipe. You can bet that I’ll be using this one again! Thanks Lindsey! You can find Lindsey’s recipe here.
by admin | Nov 25, 2008 | Cooking
Hot Onion Souffle is not actually a souffle but a delectable hot onion dip that is wonderful served with crackers. I especially like it with Carr’s Rosemary Crackers. My copy of the recipe states that it is one of the best kept secrets of Memphis cooks. I’m afraid I’m guilty of letting this particular secret out. It is so easy to prepare and everyone that tastes it wants the recipe. This would be a great recipe to add to your holiday menu.
The original recipe calls for frozen chopped onions but you have to thaw and squeeze and drain them. I prefer using fresh onions. I think the final result tastes better and I would rather peel and chop than thaw and squeeze.
Hot Onion Souffle
1 very large onion, chopped *
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese (not the powdery kind in shaker cans)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Corn chips or assorted crackers
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir together onions, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and mayonnaise until well combined. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart souffle dish. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with corn chips or assorted crackers. Makes about 6 cups.
* You can also use 12 to 16 ounces frozen chopped onions (3 to 4 cups) Thaw onions. Roll them in paper towels, squeezing to remove excess moisture.
by admin | Nov 20, 2008 | Cooking
One thing I have found extremely helpful is my stash of quick and easy recipes that are so good everyone wants the recipe. Saltine Toffee (aka Christmas Crack) is one of those recipes. It takes just a few simple ingredients, a little time, and a lot of self control. It is that good!I was a bit skeptical at first – crackers in a sweet snack? No need to worry – the flavors meld together so well that it is hard to believe that this delectable treat has a cracker base.
This recipe is great for any gathering and would also make a great holiday gift.
SALTINE TOFFEE
1 sleeve saltine crackers (4 oz.)
2 sticks butter (1 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with butter flavored cooking spray. Place crackers in one layer on cookie sheet. Melt together butter and brown sugar and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over crackers and spread over all. Sprinkle pecans evenly over top. Bake for approximately 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let sit until chips melt and spread with spatula. Place in refrigerator for an hour or two until chocolate is set. Break into pieces and enjoy.
by admin | Nov 11, 2008 | Cooking
If I had to name one food item that speaks “comfort food” to me, it would be chicken and dumplings. There is just something so soothing about it and tasty too! I am always surprised at how many different ways they are prepared. Some like them thick and fluffy (my preference). Others like them thinner. One friend was excited when he learned to cook his mother’s recipe for dumplings where he rolled the dough very thin and dried it overnight (I call that “noodles”). One of the ladies at my childhood church made her dumplings from scratch, going so far as to refrigerate the chicken broth overnight so she could use the chicken fat that hardened on the top in her dough. However they are prepared, dumplings are a favorite item, at least here in the South.
I have probably made dumplings using most methods – scratch dough, biscuit mix and frozen dough. I will admit, I usually resort to the biscuit mix which makes the fluffy dumplings my family likes with less effort than scratch dough. Yesterday I bought some chicken breasts on sale at Kroger for 97 cents per pound and brought them home and cooked them immediately. I like to take the meat off the bones and freeze to use for casseroles, chicken salad, and even to add to ramen noodles to make a quick meal. Once they were cooked, I decided to use some of the chicken to make dumplings for supper with Christy’s recipe from
Southern Plate. You can find her recipe
here. If you have not checked out Southern Plate, I would recommend it if you like down home Southern cooking.
As usual, I did not follow Christy’s recipe exactly. When you’ve been cooking over 40 years like I have, you just kind of do some things your own way. For one thing, I used the broth from cooking the chicken instead of canned broth and added one of my pantry staples, Chicken Base (you can get it in the spice aisle at both Sam’s Club and Costco). I also added chopped celery to the broth and left out the cream of chicken soup. Otherwise I followed the recipe. I think the primary difference in Christy’s recipe and my usual recipe is the canned biscuits.
The verdict? The dumplings were good – good enough for seconds (like we needed them). My guys said they still like the fluffy ones best but did not complain at all about these. I like the fact that it was not as messy to prepare – no flour all over the kitchen.
by admin | Nov 5, 2008 | Cooking
My husband’s mother and sister have always had a reputation for baking the absolutely lightest and best yeast rolls you have ever put into your mouth. They are so good that some of the grandchildren pretty much make a meal off just the rolls. Since I really don’t need the temptation, I have just enjoyed eating theirs at special family meals rather than bake them myself. My mother-in-law passed away in January and we haven’t had as many family meals as she was the center of the family. So having the same recipe, I decided awhile back to try baking some myself.
I’m not sure what I did wrong but my rolls did not even resemble the rolls I was trying to duplicate. They tasted fine but were very heavy. I used bread flour so that might have been the problem or maybe I just added too much flour. Whatever I did wrong, I had a pile of rolls that needed salvaging so I decided that bread pudding might just do the trick. Fortunately, the not-so-good rolls turned into a fabulous dessert.
BREAD PUDDING
2 cups granulated sugar
5 large beaten eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups cubed Italian bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.
Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, butter, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.
Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.
CARAMEL SAUCE
1 c. corn syrup
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
Combine ingredients except butter. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Add butter and stir until blended. Pour over cooked bread pudding.
