Southern Skillet Cornbread

 This cornbread is my family tradition.  It s true southern cornbread baked in a black cast iron skillet.

It is not a  sweet cornbread.  I  break it up and put it in  a glass of milk and eat it with a spoon.  My mother and grandfather would put it in  a glass of buttermilk and eat with a spoon.

Heat a heaping Tablespoon of Crisco shortening in black cast iron skillet in oven at 350.

In a bowl mix

2 cups White Lily self rising corn meal( you can take your cornmeal and make it self rising by adding 3 T baking powder and 1 t salt)(not as good as the White Lily)

2 eggs

2  Heaping T white flour

Pour some of the melted crisco into the batter and then add buttermilk until it resembles a cake batter.  Pour into hot cast iron skillet and bake 30 minutes.

Turn out onto plate to cool

Fried Okra with Fresh Okra

 Rinse Okra. Cut tips and ends off fresh okra. Slice into 1/4 inch slices. 

2 eggs

1/2 t salt

Beat eggs and salt and toss okra in mixture. Soak for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in black cast iron skillet until water drops pop.  375°

In a gallon zip bag add: 

1 1/4 c yellow corn meal

1/4 c flour

1/2 t ground black pepper

1 t salt

 Remove okra from egg with a slotted spoon shaking off excess egg.  Place in ziplock bag with seasoning and shake until well coated. With slotted spoon take out 1/2 of okra and fry until golden brown.  Drain on plate with paper towels. continue frying the other half.  Salt with Kosher salt as needed.

Macaroni Salad Kerry Style

 

8 oz Pasta/or Ditalini Pasta (cook and drain)

3/4 cup finely diced green or red pepper

1/3 c finely sliced celery

1/3 c finely diced red onion

1 c frozen  petite peas

 1/2 c small cubed cheese 

1/2 c sweet pickle relish

Dressing

3/4 c mayo

1/4 c sour cream

1 T red wine vinegar( can use white or apple cider)

1 T sugar

2 t dijon mustard

1/4 t salt

1/4 t ground black pepper

1/8 t garlic powder

Mix and cover and let chill for about an hour.

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients:

3/4 c chopped onion, 1 small
1 clove garlic
1 bag of shredded hash browns
1 c sour cream
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/4 c parmesan
1 1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c butter
2 c crushed cornflakes

Preheat oven to 350° Saute, garlic and onion in butter or small amount of olive oil.  Set aside.  In separate bowl combine shredded hash browns(slightly thawed),  sour cream, cream of chicken soup, parmesan cheese,  1 c of the  sharp cheese, and onion garlic mixture.  Mix until blended and spread into a greased 9X13 pan.
Add remainder of the cheese on the top.  In a separate bowl combine cornflakes and butter and spread on top.
Bake 50-60 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini

Ingredients:

4 zucchini quartered and cut into spears
1/2 c  grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried basil
1/4 t garlic powder
Kosher salt
2 T olive oil


Preheat oven to 375°  Spray pan spray on cooling rack and place on a cookie sheet.
 Mix dry ingredients.  Drizzle spears with  oil and then  sprinkle with mixture. Bake  on prepared rack 15 minutes, and then broil  2-3 minutes until crisp and golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Kim's Sauce

We love this dipping sauce it is well known from a Chinese restaurant " Kims" in Medford, Oregon but is now closed. Our first encounter was dipping egg rolls in it. One day Elsie and Kerry spent hours trying to recreate this sauce. Now that we have found it we put it on everything. Salads, sticky rice, any Chinese food, Japanese foods like Teriyaki chicken.

"Kims Sauce"

Submitted By Mom

2 1/4 c. canola oil
3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. ketchup
1 1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 c liquid egg substitute(do not use raw egg)
1 cup sugar

Chill all ingredients(but sugar) in refrigerator for about 1 hour before mixing. Combine first six ingredients in a blender; blend well. Gradually blend in the sugar .Blend until the mixture emulsifies. Store in refrigerator. Makes 1 quart.
Yum Yum !!!

Sticky Rice

This type of rice is called Sweet rice, sticky rice, Malagkit or glutinous rice. It does not contain gluten, but is named due to its sticky properties. It is grown in Northern Thailand and Laos. It comes in short grain and long grain.  You can buy sweet rice in grocery stores or Asian Markets.


Ingredients:

3 3/4 c water
2 cups sweet rice
1 t salt

Rinse rice.  Cook in "one pot" on rice setting or on stove top.

Stove top method:
Boil water, add rice and salt.  Cover pot and reduce heat.  Simmer for 20 minutes.


Dip in "Kims Sauce" or Fish oil sauce, or your favorite sauce.

Zucchini Tomato Skillet

Ingredients:

2-3 T oil
4 medium zucchini, sliced
1 small onion chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 t basil
1 t sugar
2 fresh tomatoes cut into wedges
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper

Heat oil in skillet and fry zucchini until slightly brown.  Push aside zucchini and saute onion and garlic until golden. Sprinkle basil and sugar and stir fry until zucchini is crisp. Stir in tomatoes and heat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add Parmesan cheese(opt).  Serve over rice.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cans green beans, drained
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1 can of Durkee French Fried Onions
salt
pepper


Mix all ingredients with only 1/2 of onions. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Top with remaining french fried  onions, for the last 5 minutes.

Pakora Indian Fried Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen peas
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup cubed zucchini
1 cup cubed carrots
1 diced onion 

Dice/cube all veggies to be the size of the peas. You can use a variety of veggies. 

Batter:
2 cups flour (add an additional 1T of flour at a time if you want a thicker consistency)

2 cups water

1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t curry
1/2 t garam Masala
1 t baking powder

3/4 t salt 

When making batter, you want to aim for pancake batter consistency. Add 4 cups of diced veggies.


Drop by spoonfuls in a skillet of hot oil on medium heat and fry until golden brown. Salt to taste

Chevy's Red Rice

Chevy's Red Rice is a "MUST HAVE" for a Mexican feast. It takes a regular burrito or a Mexican meal to an amazing one. Enjoy!

Chevy's Red Rice

2 cans of diced tomatoes, blended
1/2 tsp  chipotle purée** (See note - you can increase up to 2tsp for added spiciness)
1 tbsp  chopped cilantro or 1 tsp of dried
2 cups of water 
1 tsp  chopped garlic 
2 tsp salt 
1/3 cup canola oil 
2 cups long-grain white rice 
½ cup chopped yellow onion

Blend the tomatoes and chipotle purée then stir in the cilantro and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the water, blended tomatoes, garlic, chipotle purée**(See note) and salt and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot/pan over high heat until just before the oil begins to smoke. 

Add the rice and onion and sauté until ¾ of the grains are bright white or slightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes - don’t drain the oil.

Add the tomato mixture from the bowl to your pot and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Remove from the heat, cover and let stand covered for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and tasting to see whether the rice is done. 

When the rice is cooked through, fluff with a fork then keep warm until ready to serve.

We usually double this and it keeps well in the fridge and makes great leftovers. 

**Do not omit this ingredient. It provides the main smoky flavor of this rice. CRITICAL ingredient. Chipotle Puree is just a can of "chipotles in adobo sauce" blended up until smooth - easy. They can be purchased at any grocery store, Walmart, Kroger, etc. You can keep leftover puree in the freezer. It will keep up to a year in the freezer. The original recipe calls for 2tsp. My family cannot do spice so I reduced it to 1/2tsp and it provides the flavor with a low spice. 

Julie's Guacamole

Julie's Guacamole

4 avocados
1/4 purple onion, finely diced
1 small tomato, finely diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp of cumin
Squeeze of resh lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients. Mash together but do not overmix, I like chunky guacamole. Taste with a chip and add salt and pepper to your liking.

You can really adjust any ingredients to taste. If you like a lot of onion, you can go up to 1/2 of an onion and if you like a lot of garlic, you can increase the garlic... you get the picture :) This is just my basic starting point.

Great addition to any party, meal, or mexican feast :)

Layered Green Salad

This is a traiditonal Christmas salad that I still make to this day. Enjoy!!

Layered Green Salad

1 can sliced water chestnuts

Chopped Celery 

10oz frozen peas

Shredded Lettuce

Chopped Green Onions

Mayonnaise

1 Tbs. Sugar

Parmesean Cheese

Layer in a clear bowl (if you have one): water chest nuts, a layer of celery (however thick), break up frozen peas (do not coolk) and spread over celery. Mix onions and lettuce and layer over peas. Stir mayonnaise and frost the top of the salad like a cake. Be sure to seal the edges. Sprinkle with sugar and parmesean cheese. Let set overnight or at least 6 hours. Recipe by Jane Friden

Spiral Pasta Salad

Spiral Pasta Salad

Grandma Elsie Thackeray


Cook:
Spiral Noodles (1 lb. Package)

Add:
Chopped celery
Chopped tomatoes
Sliced black olives

Dressing:
2/3 cup red wine vinegar (other types vinegar ok)
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper

Panda Express Fried Rice

 The best fried rice recipe ever!!

Panda Express Fried Rice

1 cup regular long grain Rice, uncooked or 2 cups cooked (freshly cooked is best)
2 cups water
2 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp butter, divided use
1 cup frozen green peas and carrots, thawed
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1/4 tsp Sesame oil
1/8 tsp ground white pepper, or to taste
table salt to taste
1 green onion, diced into pea sized bits, including green tops

In a covered saucepan on the stove top, bring 2 cups of water to a

boil. When the water reaches a full boil, stir in the rice. Stir to

bottom of pan to make sure all rice is moistened and not sticking on

the bottom of pan in lumps. Return water to a boil. Reduce heat to a very

low simmer, replace pan lid and cook for 20-minutes. After 20-minutes,

remove rice from saucepan and place in large bowl to cool. Makes about

2 cups of cooked rice.

Scramble eggs in skillet on stove top with 1 Tbsp of butter. After they

are cooked, chop the scrambled eggs into pea size bits with spatula.

After the rice has cooled in bowl, stir in the chopped scrambled eggs,

and thawed peas and carrots. Toss lightly until mixed uniformly.

Melt 2 Tbsp of butter over medium heat in a large skillet on the stove top.

When the butter is melted and heated, add the rice mixture to the skilled.

Mix the soy sauce with sesame oil in a cup and sprinkle evenly over rice

mixture in skillet.

Saute rice mixture for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and turning frequently

with a spatula.

When done, season with ground white pepper and table salt to taste.

Place in large serving bowl and garnish top with green onions.

Serve warm.

Makes about 3 cups.

Sesame Chew Bread

I am re-posting this with a picture. :) Chase made this to go along with dinner last night. We love chew bread.

Sesame Chew Bread
Printable Version

2 c. warm water
2 t. salt
4 c. flour
1T sugar
2T yeast
sesame seeds

Mix: warm water, sugar, salt, yeast, flour. Do not knead. Let raise until double (about 30-60 minutes) Press out in a large greased cookie sheet. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and pour on top - sprinkle with sesame seeds (opt.) Cook 30 minutes at 375. Tear into pieces and eat with a hot bowl of soup.

Serving suggestion: With Corn chowder or Hamburger Soup

Sweet Potato Fries

Doug found this recipe and I am SUPER glad he did. We make these at our house 4-5 times a week right now. We are hooked. They are not crispy like french fries from McD's...because they are healthy. They are lightly coated in EVOO and delicious spices, then baked. Each time I think I have made enough. When they are all gone someone says, "Next time, you should make more!" It's really the spices that make these so good. (I haven't ever gotten mine to crisp up) Try these and let me know what you think!

 Sweet Potato Fries

3 large sweet potatoes or yams
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar** (optional - I omit)
1 tablespoon kosher salt (I reduce to 1 tsp - it's plenty for us)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place two rimmed baking sheets in the oven while it preheats and while you prepare the potatoes (about 10 minutes). Peel the potatoes and slice the potatoes into about 1/4- to 1/2-inch strips or wedges. Try to keep most of the pieces the same size so they bake evenly.
Place the potato strips/wedges in a ziploc bag or bowl. Toss the potatoes with the oil. Add the seasonings and mix until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Carefully remove the hot baking sheets from the oven and divide the potatoes evenly among the two sheets, taking care the potatoes are not touching so they have plenty of room for the air circulate to circulate and bake evenly. Also, try to leave any excess oil in the bag or bowl so the potatoes don’t get too soggy while they bake.

Bake the potatoes for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, if desired, until they are tender and well-browned. Serve immediately.

 

Eliza thought these were done. She was ready to have some. :)

**Even though I omit the sugar, the original recipe says this about the sugar: "The purpose of the sugar is to help caramelize and brown the outside edges of the potatoes. Combined with the salt and other spices, you are left with a tender sweet potato fry infused with a sweet and smoky flavor. Preheating the baking sheets also helps the outer edges get a nice little crunch." I have made these with and without the sugar, and they are just as soft (but oh so delicious), either way.

Recipe Source: Mels Kitchen Cafe

Naan the Best so Far

Naan

submitted by Mom May 1, 2011

Naan is a type of flat bread, like pita, but softer. I have been looking for a good recipe for Naan for awhile. We love it at our favorite Indian restaurant "Seva".  Dad found this new recipe. July 6, 2019.
 Naan

1 t sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 c warm water
2 1/4 t yeast
2 1/4 c flour

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 T oil
3 T melted salted butter

1.  In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together.  Stir to combine well.  The yeast will be activated in about 10 minutes.
Add dry ingredients and mix.   Add yogurt, yeast and oil. Knead dough until shiny and smooth about 3-4 minutes.  Use bread mixer, ex.  Kitchen Aid.
Cover dough, let rise until double.
2.  Divide dough into 8 equal portions.  Roll dough into a 8" circle using a rolling pin.
3.  Heat skillet( preferably cast iron), over high heat and lightly grease skillet with oil so it won't stick to pan.  Put dough into skillet until it puffs up and browns, then flip and cook other side. Remove.
Brush melted butter on Naan while hot.
   

Comfort Corn Pudding

Why do I like corn pudding?

1) Basically...it's delicious!
2) You can serve it with almost any type of meal. We make it to go with hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken or bbq sandwiches. We even make it to go with a roast or pulled pork for a Sunday dinner.
3) It's SUPER SUPER easy! You can throw it together in 5min or less and let it bake while you prepare the rest of the meal.
4) Anytime I make this it gets rave reviews and gets gobbled up. Who doesn't like compliments to the chef? (That's you!)

Give it a try and let me know how much you love it too! :)

Comfort Corn Pudding

Printable Version

1 (8 oz) box corn muffin mix

1 (16 oz) can whole corn, undrained

1 (16 oz) can cream corn

1 cup sour cream

1 sick margarine or butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix until blended.

Pour mixture into a shallow, 2 quart baking dish

Bake, uncovered, for 45 – 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

Seriously... how easy does that sound? (PS It's delicious!)

Recipe from A. Trzeciak :)

Crash Hot Potatoes

Everyone in my house is singing my praises when I make these. We aren't huge fans of the potato, but these are a hit! Make at least two per adult... you will want more than one. Also, I think the smaller the potato you use, the better because you get a higher crispy to mushy ratio. (The crunchiness is our favorite part!) Enjoy!


Hot Crash Potatoes
Printable Version

12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to Taste
Black Pepper to Taste
Herb Of Choice to Taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender. (I used yukon gold potatoes for this picture. I have also used the small red ones and they were also delicious.)

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh herb. (rosemary, chives, thyme or whatever herb you have available.) I used green onion out of my garden.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe from Pioneer Woman Cooks