Baked Scallops

I hope everyone had an incredible Christmas and wonderful time with your family, friends, or friends who are family. We definitely did.

I made this dish tonight, on a whim, mainly because our local Harris Teeter had bay scallops on sale. I decided to give this one a try, and it was a hit! My husband took one bite, and with eyes all lit up, he said, "This is really good!" And my husband is one of those blunt honest types, so he doesn't tell me something tastes great just to save my feelings.

Anyway, the recipe here is just for the scallops, but I decided to serve these on top of spaghetti. Very yummy!
(ps. it's also super easy, and I happened to have everything in my pantry already!)

Baked Scallops

(Original recipe and photo by John Bragg)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Pour melted butter into a 2 quart oval casserole dish. Distribute butter and scallops evenly inside the dish.
3. Combine the bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, minced garlic and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this mixture over the scallops.
4. Bake in pre-heated oven until scallops are firm, about 20 minutes.

Yields 4 servings.

Perfect Char-Grilled Filet Mignon

Anyone out there not having to stuff little stockings or attend Christmas programs or worry about leaving Santa some cookies? How about taking advantage with a fancy, homemade meal?
How about you moms and dads... any of you needing a nice, romantic dinner for two?
I know, I know. Roll your eyes all you want. But try this: stick Rudolph in the dvd player, order them some $5 pizza, and then you have a nice (sorta) quiet dinner all to yourselves.

I know filets aren't quite budget friendly all of the time, but check your local circulars. Sometimes you can find an awesome deal (our local HT is having a special on them this week). But even if they're not on sale, treat yourself. With all of the Christmas craziness, it's nice to unwind to a good dinner... especially a melt-in-your-mouth, steak dinner!

Perfect Char-Grilled Filet Mignon

(Original recipe by Paula Deen)

(Photo courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) bottle zesty Italian salad dressing
• 2 beef tenderloin fillets, 1 1/2 -2 inches thick
• 2 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons steak sauce (Paula recommends Lea and Perrins Steak Sauce, but I just used A1 since my hubby loves the taste so much)
• 2 teaspoons water

Directions

Pour the salad dressing into a shallow pan, place the steaks in the pan and let them marinate for 3 to 4 hours. Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill (I used a gas grill; you could also use a grill pan if it's too cold outside). Wrap a strip of bacon around each steak, securing it with a toothpick or kitchen twine. Grill the steaks over hot coals for about 8 minutes per side (5 minutes per side for rare). Baste with a mixture of steak sauce and water. For perfect steaks, turn them only once.

Goes well with Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Let me guess... this last week left before Christmas left you feeling a little stressed? :) With all of the last minute shopping, baking, and card sending (yeah, my cards are patiently waiting to be mailed still), dinner probably isn't something you want to think about.
If you fall in this category (and you like pasta), then you'll like this recipe. It's incredibly easy. In fact, it's SO easy that if you wanted to shake things up a bit (and sub with ravioli or add meat or something), then you have total freedom. But we'll stick with the basic version for now.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Original recipe by Giada de Laurentis

(photo courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves  (you can use dried, it won't hurt anything)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (same here)
• 1 pound purchased cheese tortellini
• 2 ounces thinly sliced smoked mozzarella (I just used regular, but I bet the smoked makes it taste richer)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8x8x2-inch baking dish.

Whisk the sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley and thyme in a large bowl to blend. Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the mixture with the smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt, about 30 minutes.

Baked French Toast Casserole

First, I wanted to give a big shout-out to the new followers. I'm glad you like this place enough to want to keep reading. Thanks for that! :)
Secondly, a big apology for not posting more recipes lately. With the craziness of last minute Christmas stuff, plus I got sick (the kind that shouldn't be mentioned on a food blog), the blogs are just getting a tad neglected.

Anyways, I thought I'd share this recipe with you. It's one of my favorites, and is such a good one to have if you plan on entertaining family over the holidays. And oh.my.gosh, it's SO ridiculously good. I made it this past summer for some friends that stayed over, and one of my husband's friends asked me to send the recipe to his wife. He didn't stop talking about it.
It's really not that difficult to make. My only advice? Get the bread the no earlier than the day before you make it. Otherwise, it may go stale (or worse) by the time you get around to it. Bakery bread doesn't have as long of a shelf life (found that out the hard way).

Baked French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Simple Split Chicken Breast

Need a super easy dinner idea during this busy season?? Great, then keep reading.

I don't even remember where I found this recipe, but it's now one of my last-minute go-to recipes. It's actually really budget friendly as well. Watch your circulars. Most stores will do a major sale on bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. I think the lowest I ever found was $.77/lb. Still good, right?

Anyways, it takes about 5 minutes to prepare, and it smells divine while cooking.

Simple Split Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs split chicken breasts (bone-in)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt (this is important, don't sub for regular table salt)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

(To minimize the risk of transferring bacteria, I go ahead and pour olive oil in a small bowl, then mix the seasonings in a small bowl. Also, go ahead and get your roasting pan...with rack inserted...out next to the sink.)

Wash the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Use your hands to coat the skin lightly with olive oil. Season (on both sides) with the kosher salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Roast on a rack or tin broiler for 1 hour. Let sit 10 minutes and serve.

Clarifications

Ok, a couple of corrections. I've tried several times to make the Sweet Potato Casserole just like my aunt and grandmother, but it wasn't turning out quite right. Mine was coming out slightly soupy. So I asked my aunt what she does differently, and she explained that she doesn't use the blender to puree the mixture. She just uses a potato masher and mixes it all together. This makes it come out thicker.

Also, for the Holiday Essence, my mom was mistaken. It doesn't last all month (at least not as strong as the initial week). So I would toss it after 2 weeks and make it again. Nobody wants to smell overcooked orange peels. :)
I've gone back and edited the recipes, but I thought I'd let you know just in case you were all, "What?? A whole month? She's crazy!" and refused to ever look the recipe up again.

And lastly, a clarification...

My recipe blog was not named and has no relation to the ever-so-dear-to-my-southern-heart grocery chain Piggly Wiggly. No, in fact, the name is all based around this little guy:

My Piggy Wiggy

(fyi, he eats none of this stuff. this was me and my sister being funny. however, I'm now a little embarrased we were able to find this much junk food in our house. I'll blame it on the husband...)

Salmon with Lemon, Capers, and Rosemary

Need something to take the edge off of all the rich holiday food? This is it (thank Giada from FN). It's tasty enough to keep you interested, but doesn't leave you with that "I just ate a brick" feeling.
I made this awhile back for my husband, and he loved it. It's perfect with some sauteed veggies and maybe some rice.

Salmon with Lemon, Capers, and Rosemary

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 8 lemon slices (about 2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine (or white wine)
• 4 teaspoons capers
• 4 pieces of aluminum foil

Directions

Brush top and bottom of salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place each piece of seasoned salmon on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal. Top the each piece of salmon with 2 lemon slices, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of wine, and 1 teaspoon of capers. Wrap up salmon tightly in the foil packets.
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon. Serve in the foil packets.

(ps. if you don't have a grill or grill pan, skip the foil. It works just as well baked.)

 

Cookie Swap: Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

If you like oatmeal raisin cookies, then you'll loooove these.
It's almost like Ms Paula took your basic oatmeal cookie and took it up a couple notches. Very yummy (and all of the spices in them makes them seem more Christmas-y instead of just boring) and definitely won't disappoint. I made them for the first time yesterday, and they're super easy.

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

(photo courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Brown Butter Icing, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 1 or more cookie sheets. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Brown Butter Icing:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle on warm cookies.

Yield: enough to ice 5 dozen cookies (I actually had some left over, so don't hesistate to go crazy with it!)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Cookie Swap: Chocolate-Mint Cookies

There are several variations of this recipe strewn across the internet and recipe books, but this, I promise, is THE best.
My friend has made these several times when we get together, and it never fails... I always eat more than I should. So beware. They're addictive.
I got invited to a cookie swap this year, and I'm SO excited. Just another reason for me to bake and test out new recipes. I decided to ask my friend for this one, since it's such a crowd pleaser. I actually made them for my inlaws recently, and by the end of the night, they were gone. So fear not. This one will get eaten.

So here's my friend's version of the recipe...

Chocolate-Mint Cookies

(And yes, I actually took this picture... aren't you impressed??)

Ingredients:
1 Devil food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c shortening
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 pkg Ande's mints (1 batch=1 box, so if you are making double, get two boxes, otherwise, you don't need to get two)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix first four ingredients in an electric mixer (batter will be thick, so unless you've got some serious guns and a really big spoon, use the mixer). Roll batter into balls about the size of a whole walnut.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes. Don't overbake! Bake until they start to crack. Remove cookies from oven and let them set for a minute. Cut the mints approx 3/4. Place either a 3/4 mint or 2, 1/4 mints (get it? you'll have 1/4 pieces left over from cutting, so just put two small pieces on the cookie when you've run out of 3/4 mint pieces). Leave the mints on the cookie until melted slighty. Then swirl with the back of a spoon until completely melted. Cool.
*Tip: Pop the cookie sheet right into the freezer so the mint hardens and forms to the cookie.

1 cake mix yields approx. 40 cookies

Cookie Dough Truffles

Need a fun, inexpensive Christmas gift idea? How about whipping up something yummy in the kitchen instead of schlepping around the mall, hoping inspiration strikes?
These are great for neighbors, coworkers, friends, and secret Santas.

This recipe is (of course) from my lovely Paula Deen. I actually found it in one of her dessert magazines. I made them with my (then) 12 year old little sister, and it was so fun! Easy enough to get your kids involved, and there's no raw egg in this cookie dough... worry free licking!

I found these cute Christmas take-out boxes in Target's dollar section and some mini baking cups for $1.99. I figured these would be cute to dress up the truffles a little and give away. Fyi, it makes a BUNCH, so get plenty of cups.

I included the video in case you wanted to watch how Paula makes it. Otherwise, just go right on ahead and enjoy giving these out.

Cookie Dough Truffles

(photo courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark candy coating, melted

Directions

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.

*Cook's Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Makes 5 dozen truffles.

Holiday Essence

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving, full of good times and lots of yummy food.
Ours was awesome. You can read more about it here if you like. :)

And without further ado...

it's officially Christmas time!

So to kick us off, I thought I'd share a recipe that's perfect for getting us in the holiday spirit. The only thing is... you can't eat it.
Growing up, my mom made this every year, and it's incredible. Why spend a ton of money on plug-ins and candles if you can just make a Christmas-y fragrance yourself?? The BEST part is that it lasts at least two weeks.
Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Holiday Essence

Ingredients
1 grapefruit peel
2 orange peels
2 lemon peels
1 Tbsp cloves
1 Tbsp allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
water

Directions
Place first 6 ingredients in a crockpot (if you don't have one, use a regular saucepan on the stove). Fill pot with plenty of water and set on low.

Continue to add water as needed, and it'll last up to two weeks (sometimes longer, but the fragrance starts to wear off some). Of course, don't forget to turn off the stove at night if using that method. :) It smells heavenly!

Asparagus

Ok, so yall are going to start thinking I must have the poorest eating habits ever with the recipes I've been dishing out lately. I promise I eat a carrot every once in awhile...
So with all of the high calorie, artery-clogging sides that seem to come along with the holidays, I thought I'd give you at least one that you can feel okay about eating.
My husband isn't a huge fan of asparagus, but I love it. Not the canned kind, though. That's just nasty.

I made this side, however, one night, and he actually ate it without complaining. The first side is by Ina Garten (her show puts me to sleep, and she's kind of an ingredient snob, but her food looks pretty amazing). The second is by the lovable Emeril Lagasse. His is a little more amped up, which is good if you really like rich food. I prefer the basic, only because everything else on the table tends to be really heavy. It's a nice break from all of the richness.
Both recipes yield about 8-10 servings.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh asparagus
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and, if they're thick, peel them. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 25 minutes, until tender but still crisp.

Garlic-Roasted Asparagus



Ingredients

• 2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, rinsed and patted dry
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1/4 pound prosciutto, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place asparagus in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic and then lemon juice and pine nuts. Toast until nuts begin to brown slightly. Remove from heat and drizzle over asparagus. Roast in the oven until just cooked. Serve warm or at room temperature with eggs and prosciutto.

(Photos courtesy of Food Network)

Apple Shortbread Crisp

When people think of Thanksgiving dessert, most immediately picture pie... pumpkin, usually. This year, I'm still planning on making pumpkin pie. I mean, it's a classic. However, I decided to offer an alternative this year (just in case anyone is actually hungry enough).

This Apple Shortbread Crisp is sooooo simple. I got it out of one of my fav cookbooks, Southern Living Ultimate Quick and Easy Cookbook. The cinnamon and apples still remind you of fall harvest, and it breaks away from the traditional pie routine.
I actually made this for the first time on a whim back when my hubby and I were dating. We were both still living at home, so I made this for his family one night, just for the fun of trying it. The whole darn dish was gone by the end of the night.
(ps. it pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream!)

Apple Shortbread Crisp

Ingredients:

• 2 (12 oz) packages frozen apple chunks (you could also use fresh or canned... as in the kind you use for apple pie; the frozen just helps save time)
• 6 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 20 shortbread cookies, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar

Directions:

• Prick plastic wrap covering apple chunks several times with a fork; microwave at medium 7 minutes or until apple is thawed. Let stand 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add cookie crumbs and walnuts. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Combine 2 Tbsp brown sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon; sprinkle in a lightly greased 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of apple over brown sugar mixture; top with half of cookie crumb mixture. Repeat layers with remaining apple and crumb mixture.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Makes 6 servings (double it to feed a bigger crowd).

Easy Asian-Style Chicken Appetizers

I know we're all excited about Thanksgiving coming up and everything, but you realize that once those leftovers are stuffed in the back of the fridge, it's already time to start planning (or just attending) Christmas parties!

I love party food. It's like going to the grocery store and eating all those little samples, but you can come back for more. And you don't feel like a cow, because the majority of the food is bird sized! You just have to be smart about what you pick up. Not only for calorie reasons (but who watches those during the holidays...), but because you don't want to be left staaarving after the food is gone. Even if you're trying to impress your friend's cute neighbor by not scarfing cake, eating nothing but broccoli off the veggie tray is definitely a bad idea (also, don't eat broccoli at a party. it gets in your teeth, and people are just too awkward to tell you about it).

 

So on to the recipe...

 

This is the perfect party food. It's yummy, filling, and won't have the cute neighbor walking away disgusted by your teeth. Also, very easy to make!

 

It's from kraftfoods.com and is so worth trying.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

(ps. the caps... their emphasis on the brands, not mine. although I do agree, there's just no substituting a Ritz).

 

3 Tbsp. KRAFT GOOD SEASONS Asian Sesame with Ginger Dressing

1 Tbsp.  KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

1-1/2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken

8   snow peas, chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Dash  freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts

24   RITZ Crackers

 

Directions:

MIX dressing and mayo in medium bowl until well blended.
ADD all remaining ingredients except nuts and crackers; mix well.
SPOON chicken mixture onto crackers just before serving; top with nuts.

Makes 12 servings.

Extra tips:

Use a cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket to make this dish even easier!

Chicken mixture can be prepared in advance. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator up to 24 hours before using as directed. For best results, spoon onto crackers just before serving.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Last night, my neighbor had an emergency. Her mixer had died on her, and she was in desperate need of finishing her yummy creation. I of course let her borrow mine (thank goodness her brother came too, that thing is heavy!). She came back about an hour later (brother and mixer in tow) and handed me a plate with two pumpkin whoopie pies on it. I laughed at her, told her all I needed was more sweets, and thanked her anyway.
My son was in the bathtub, so I had to rush back up to him asap. I ran up with the cookies in hand, took a bite, and oh.my.goodness. Heaven.
I let my little boy have a bite. Now this little guy is a picky eater. He eats well (his fav foods are peas and lima beans), but he doesn't like trying new things. I let him have one bite, and he was looking for more! I swear, yall, those two pies didn't stand a chance. They were gone in a matter of minutes.

So I know I said all of the recipes on here are tried and tested by me first... but I just can't hold out on yall. It's just too good for you to wait on me to try it (which by the way, I plan on doing within the next few days).  But hey, I ate it. Does that count?

My neighbor got the recipe from Martha Stewart and here it is:

Ingredients:

FOR THE PUMPKIN WHOOPIE COOKIES

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE CREAM-CHEESE FILLING

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.
4. Make the filling: Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)
5. Assemble the whoopie pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days.

Makes 12 Whoopie Pies.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These are BY FAR the best mashed potatoes I've ever had or made.
They're so creamy and good, you wouldn't know it was meant to be a side dish! I've made them several times throughout the year, and every time, they're a hit.
According to the Neely's, they're supposed to yield 3-4 servings, but they must be dishing out some pretty hefty servings!
To be safe, you can double it... hey, these are leftovers you'll want to be stuck with!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes



(photo courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds red potatoes, washed well and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice off the very top of the garlic head. Drizzle head with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a sheet tray and bake until tender and fragrant, roughly 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the cloves and mash with a wooden spoon.
Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender and drain. Mash the potatoes until smooth.
Meanwhile heat butter and cream until butter melts. Add the roasted garlic and potatoes and mash all together.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Creamy Corn Casserole

Ok, so this is for Heather who asked me for some more Thanksgiving favorites. I'll keep posting as I find them (and also when I'm not chasing my little toddler around).

The original title is actually called "creamy corn pudding", but my husband said it sounds gross. He was actually afraid to try it, just because of the name. So I now call it a casserole.

Creamy Corn Casserole

(from Paula Deen... who else?)

• 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp butter, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 (1 lb) bags frozen niblet corn, thawed
• 1 1/2 c round buttery crackers (Ritz), crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 3 qt baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt 1/2 c butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together cream and eggs. Stir in cheese, corn, and onion mixture.

Spoon into prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine crackers and 2 Tbsp butter; sprinkle evenly over corn mixture. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Good thing yall don't sit around and wait to eat, based on my posts, huh? Sorry about the long silence. Life's just been a little hectic lately.
Anyway, I figured I'd start featuring some Thanksgiving loves of mine. The first and (according to my husband) most important...

Sweet Potato Casserole!!

This is a staple at our big family feast. All of my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc meet up at my grandparents' house, and my aunt always makes the sweet potato casserole.

The recipe comes from an old cookbook... it was actually made the year I was born (1982). It has special meaning to me. You see, my family used to build custom homes. My great granddaddy started the company from practically nothing, then my granddaddy took it over, and my dad joined in too. My dad actually started sweeping out the houses in 5th grade and worked his way up (no entitlement complexes in my family, thank God!).
Unfortunately, a few years ago, the housing economy took them out. Because they designed and built custom homes, they couldn't compete with the cheaper, mass production style homes. It broke my heart to watch it collapse, mainly because my daddy worked SO hard to keep it going. I'm proud of him for at least trying.

Anyway, during the good years, my grandmother, along with my mom and several other special ladies in my life, headed up the Women's Auxiliary of Home Builders Association. Together, they put together a cookbook filled with all kinds of classic (and a few creative) recipes. Basically, those old southern recipes Paula makes? Yeah, she's just sharing what southern women have known how to do for generations (which is probably why I love that woman so much).

The first time my husband spent Thanksgiving with me (we were still dating then), everyone kept telling him to try it. So he got the tiniest portion ever, just to appease them.

He ended up eating half the dish.
My aunt now makes two.

(photo courtesy of About.com)

Original recipe by Mrs. Betty Chillcott from the Whirlpool Corporation

Ingredients:

• 3 c sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (do yourself a favor and don't use canned)
• 1/3 stick butter or margarine
• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 scant tsp sherry flavoring (I usually skip this; it won't hurt anything if you don't have any on hand)
• 1 scant tsp pure butter flavoring (yeah, don't skip this one)
• 2 eggs

Topping:

• 1/3 stick butter or margarine
• 1 c light brown sugar
• 1 c chopped pecans

Mix the first seven ingredients. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with topping made with the next three ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. To freeze or refrigerate, do not bake first.

Hope you enjoy it! It's seriously like eating dessert...



Pumpkin Bread

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. It's sinful it's so good. I altered the recipe a little to skim the fat and sweeten it up a little. The best part? It makes 3 7x3" loaves (or two loaves and 6 muffins). I made it a couple of weeks ago, and I froze one of the loaves to save for later. We thawed it out last week, and it was like it'd just come out of the oven. If you want to get even sweeter, try adding a cup of chocolate chips to it. YUM.

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, applesauce, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

The Lady's Perfect Scrambled Eggs

You're going to start noticing a theme on here. I'm trying not to make it TOO obvious... but I have a feeling my readers are smarter than I'm giving you credit for. I'm a HUGE fan of Ms Paula Deen. Most of my tried and true recipes come from her... possibly because she makes incredibly yummy amped up comfort food look so incredibly easy.

I love to entertain, mainly because I love to feed people. It worked out great that my chunky-monkey (aka baby Noah) likes to eat. My favorite, though, is when my hubby's guy friends come to town and stay with us. It's like they revert to being teenage boys again, eating everything in sight, typically junk that their wives don't want them eating.
But hey, I appreciate it. I get to test out new "larger" recipes on them. I'm still working on losing the postpartum weight, so eating a big bowl of lasagna every night just isn't going to happen. Noah still doesn't eat much big people food. And my husband can't eat it all himself, as much as he wishes he could. So having a big group of guys to make this stuff for is perfect.

My favorite meal to make is breakfast. It's easy, filling, and fun.
Having that many boys over, I needed a way to stretch eggs. Which is how I found this recipe. It's perfect if you like scrambled eggs, but need a little something more to them. A more "grown up" version, maybe?

Anyway, it's simple and will feed a lot of people. It's actually perfect if you have family coming into town for the holidays and need an easy (but impressive) breakfast option. (Who wants turkey for every meal??)

Enjoy!

 The Lady's Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 2 heaping tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

In a medium size bowl, beat eggs, sour cream, water, and salt and pepper until fluffy. Using a nonstick frying pan, melt butter and cook eggs over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cheese. Cook until you reach desired consistency.

[it says it serves 4, but you could totally make it feed at least 6... keep in mind, this is Paula Deen. She tends to serve a little more than most would eat. :) ]

Chicken and Mixed Veggie Quesadillas

I'm a sucker for any type of quesadilla or taco loaded with veggies. I also prefer chicken instead of beef. So I was excited when I found this one on Food Network's website. It has a ton of flavor, aaaaand... it's super easy! What's not to like?? Ok, well, maybe you won't like it if you hate mushrooms. But seriously, you hardly know they're there. I swear it's worth trying. Come on, be adventurous. ;)

Chicken and Mixed Veggie Quesadillas

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 cooked chicken breast halves
• 8 (6 to 8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup chopped red onions
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers (from water-packed jar)
• 1/2 cup sliced artichokes (from water-packed can or jar) ... I know. Ew, right? I promise they're good. Just give it a try. If you really hate them, you can just pick them out. :)
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese, for each quesadilla 

Directions

Coat a large skillet or griddle with cooking spray. Set pan over medium heat to preheat. Using a fork, pull chicken meat from bone in shreds.
Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top 1 side of each tortilla with an equal amount of chicken, mushrooms, red peppers, and artichokes. Top vegetables with shredded cheese. Fold over tortillas, making a half moon. Place quesadillas in (or on) prepared pan and cook 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cheese melts.



Reader Request: Mac n Cheese

(photo courtesy of SouthernLiving.com)

I recently got a request for a good Mac n Cheese recipe... the "non watery" kind. :)
I knew exactly where to turn for one too. Usually, I head straight for the masters of straight-to-your-thighs type food like Paula Deen or the Neelys. But not this time. I've never actually made it myself, but I know I love it. It's my grandmother's recipe, and every time she makes it, there's never a noodle left.

Well... "recipe" is bit of a stretch.
See, the problem with the way that the older generation of Southern ladies cook is that they don't follow recipes. They just do it.

So yesterday, as she walked through the steps with me, I could tell she was literally making it in her head, trying to remember every detail. And this is the "no recipe" recipe of baked mac n cheese:

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
3 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
4 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (Tip: Shredding a big block of cheese tends to work better than buying the preshredded kind. It melts better and has a sharper flavor.)
Dash of salt and pepper

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain [Tip: Take a spoon and stir the noodles around in the colander to get all of the water out. Otherwise, your mac n cheese will still come out too watery. Cheese and water are natural enemies. :) ]. Spread half of noodles (about 2 cups) in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheese on top of noodles. Layer again with the rest of the noodles. Beat eggs and milk together until smooth and well blended. Pour over noodles and cheese. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 - 45 minutes.

The trick with this recipe is to go with your gut. If you want more cheese, go for it. If the egg/milk mixture looks too thick, add a little more milk. I'm going to have to try this one myself so I can give a better review. But I promise, you'll know if you got it right. The eggs help it stick together, so it should not turn out watery.

If the above "recipe" makes you a little nervous, I did do some searching and found a couple of recipes that seem to be pretty good. Make sure to read the reviews for these. Usually it helps to read other suggestions to enhance the flavors.

From Southern Living
From Alton Brown (food network)
Another from Food Network

Good luck!

White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

I made this recipe for my mom's Christmas party a couple of years ago (the same Christmas I found out I was pregnant!). I got it from an old Kraft magazine one of my coworkers gave me. It's so simple, and a big crowd pleaser. It's perfect for any little get togethers and can easily be doubled for a larger group.

 

 

White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

 

12 OREO Cookies, finely crushed

2 Tbsp.  butter, melted

3 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate, divided

2 pkg.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp.  vanilla

2 eggs

1/4 cup  red raspberry preserves

 

HEAT oven to 350ºF. Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 8- or 9-inch square pan. Melt 2 chocolate squares as directed on package.
BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is almost set. Cool 5 min.; spread with preserves. Melt remaining chocolate square; drizzle over cheesecake. Cool cheesecake completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Makes 9 servings.

Save 60 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving by preparing with Reduced Fat OREO Cookies, PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese and egg whites.

Mama's Lasagna

I used to rely on my grandmother's lasagna recipe every time I was in the mood for some good Italian food. And while hers is still good, I now have a new favorite.
I made this awhile back for my husband, and this has become his new favorite as well. It's cheesy, meaty, and best of all... easy!

Mama's Lasagna

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for pan
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) jar tomato sauce
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (8-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded mozzarella
• 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.

In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute meat, onion, and garlic until meat is browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Drain pan of fat and add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then mix in cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and seasoning salt.

Spread a little of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay half the noodles in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping by 1/2-inch. Spread half the egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle half the mozzarella and Cheddar evenly over the cottage cheese mixture. Pour half the meat sauce on top. Repeat layering in same order. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Bake in center of oven 30 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8 (maybe fewer if they like it as much as my hubby did!).

Southwestern Avocado and Black Bean Salad

You're probably going to start seeing a theme on here. I'm a massive Paula Deen fan (um... ok, clarification... I'm not actually massive. However, I have a feeling Paula's food may have the potential to make you that way if you eat it too often). And really, all she does is take what every Southern girl's MamMaw makes and adds more butter. Alright, I'll give her more credit than that. She just enhances awesome food.

Anyways...

I did get this recipe from Paula's show, but it's actually her son Jamie's concoction.

I fell in love with this salad when I tried it. Salads are always so incredibly good when they're filled with lots of different stuff. Every bite has a different flavor in it. I LOVE me some avocados too, so I knew it would be a winner.
But what really won me over was when we invited some friends over for dinner. At the time, my friend was going through a diet based off the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It leaves you with a pretty limited food selection. Basically all she was able to eat were fruits, vegetables, beans, tofu, and nuts, etc. Most salad dressings weren't allowed either. As soon as I heard this, I knew this salad would be perfect. And it was.

And there's really not a whole lot of thinking to it. Just dump it in a big bowl and mix. Fyi, I didn't use as many black beans as it called for. I only used one can, and that was plenty. Don't get too hung up on the measurements. Play with it and put the amount in that suits your tastes!

Ingredients

• 
  
  1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• 
  
  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 
  
  2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 
  
  2 or 3 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• 
  
  4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 
  
  2 avocados, peeled and diced
• 
  
  2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
• 
  
  2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 
  
  1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• 
  
  About 3/4 cup (3-ounces) grated pepper jack cheese
• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the cilantro, oil, lime juice and hot sauce.

In a large serving bowl, add the lettuce, avocado, corn, beans, tomatoes, and cheese. Add the dressing and toss well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Dark Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Well, let's start this thing off right...

Who doesn't love some warm, gooey, melt-in-your-mouth banana bread? ... with chocolate.

Fall weather has finally hit the South this week. I don't think our temps have reached 80 yet! It's been pretty rainy, cool, and wonderful. In my world, nothing says FALL more like freshly baked bread, whether it's pumpkin, banana, or zucchini. Any of it is good in my book.
And if it's sweet, combine it with a hot cup of coffee (or hot cocoa for you non-coffee drinkers), and it's oh-so-yummy.

Since I'm still working off the weight my little boy decided to leave me with after his arrival, I've been trying to find recipes with (slightly) fewer goes-straight-to-your-rear-end type of ingredients. This was the best I came up with (I mean, we still want it to taste good, right?).
I got this from Whole Grain Gourmet, and it didn't last but two days.

I only made two changes to it. I didn't have any whole wheat flour on hand, but I do keep unbleached white flour (I don't like the idea of eating the same stuff that I put in my laundry) in my fridge. So that's what I used. Also, since I wanted to let little Noah try some, I left the walnuts out. My hubby doesn't really like them much anyway.

So here you go!!
(I promise it's heavenly. My husband said it's the best he's ever had.)

Whole Grain Banana Bread
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup packed natural brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup mashed over-ripe bananas
• 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, preferrably 60% cocoa

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Lighly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter.
3. Combine flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Whisk and set aside.
4. In another large bowl, combine butter, honey, and sugar and beat for two minutes. Add the eggs and lightly beat until just combined. Mix in bananas and vanilla -- do not overmix. Gradually beat in the flour mixture in thirds.
5. Dilute baking soda in ¼ cup hot (not boiling) water, then beat into batter.
6. Stir in, by hand, the chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 325 for 52 minutes. (test for doneness being careful not to overbake as it may dry out the bread)
8. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool. If you plan to serve this to guests and want clean slices, then allow it to cool for 30 minutes. If you want to enjoy some melt-in-your-mouth, out-of-this-world, warm banana bread, then dig in after 5 minutes.