Jessica's Apple Pie

I finally had time today to make that cobbler I was telling you about in a previous post. we really liked it. I think you could use this just as pie. I made it in an oblong dish so I could stretch it a little to feed more folks.

Recipe:

6 Granny smith apples

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 stick of butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 eggs

1tbl vanilla

3tbl flour

Peel apples and place in a large pan, add remaining ingredients and cook until apples are soft.

While they are cooking, make your pie crust. You can use your regular recipe or 2 boxes of pie crust mix. Add some sugar to the pie crust while you are making it..Rub butter on the glass dish to prevent sticking and roll out the bottom layer. After you put the filling in it, you can cover it with a lattice crust if you like. I have some small apple and leave cookie cutters that I used to make the crust with. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and brown and then cover with powered sugar as soon as you take it out of oven.

Serve with ice cream.

Warm and Cozy!

I love it when it is cold outside and I can stay indoors. I have had the most delicious fire blazing all day. When my sweet husband came home, we decided to make some homemade loaded baked potato soup and hot cornbread! Yummy! I am warm and full and happy. Life is such a good place to be! When I stop to think about such things, I realize just how very blessed I am. I have such a wonderful husband, and great kids! Life is very rich when we look around and see all that God has done in our lives. Everyday we talk about how lucky we were to have found each other, even though it is late in life. Each day is extra special because of it.
Here is my recipe for my soup. Hope you enjoy making it.


Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Peel 6 potatoes and cut them into small size pieces. Put in large pot and boil until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add 1/2 stick of real butter
1/4 cup of flour or cornstarch
2 cups whole milk.
I always add the milk to starch and mix well with a whisk then pour into potatoes and water. This keeps it from clumping up.
I stir on low heat until thick and bubbly.

We fry several pieces of bacon and crumble
Shred sharp cheddar cheese
Chop green onion fine
Sour cream

When you serve, top with cheese, sour cream, chives and bacon. We love to eat cornbread with ours and I always use Jiffy cornbread mix, follow directions and add 1/4 cup of sugar. It think it tastes better with a little sweetness to it.

Hope you are warm and happy today!

Yum! Banana Pudding

Tonight we decided to have a little cooking lesson(I'm trying to teach my 16 y/o how to cook).

We had been grocery shopping Monday and bought a huge sack of ripe bananas for $1. I didnt know what I was going to do with them all, but put them in the buggy anyway.

We made two puddings, one for us to snack on and one to take to work in the morning. At least my co-workers will be happy. Here is the recipe we used:

Cover bottom of baking dish in Nilla wafer cookies, slice bananas over the top. In sauce pan melt one stick of real butter. Be careful not to scorch it! I mix 1/3 cup flour with 2 cups milk, whisking it well to mix. Add two whole eggs into milk mixture and whisk well. I put 2 cups of sugar in the butter, mixing well and then carefully add the milk mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat. As the pudding thickens, remove and add 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring. Then pour it over the cookies. I use extra cookies to make it pretty and usually crush a few broken ones and pour on top of the finished product. Add whipped topping and you've got Banana pudding!

Hope you have a wonderful night!

Baking!

I have been baking again! Oh, it was so much fun. I really enjoy making homemade bread and got the chance yesterday to make some for my sweetie. He was so happy! I also made some No- bake cookies. I do not have have a picture of them but the recipe follows. Try it out if you like chocolate and peanut butter. My Granny used to make these for us when we were kids. I made them for my kids and now my grandkids enjoy them also. I know you will love them and they are so easy to make. One word of caution, just do not make them on a rainy day!

No Bake Cookies

1/4 cup Hershey cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups quick oats
1/3 cup milk

Melt butter in heavy saucepan, add sugar, cocoa and milk. Whisk together until blended well. Over medium heat stir constantly until mixute boils. Let it come to a boil for 2 minutes stirring well. Take off of heat and stir in peanut butter until melted, add vanilla and stir in oats. Use a tsp and drop cookie mixture onto wax paper, let set until firm or overnight.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

ENJOY!

Oreo Cookies

We had a bakesale last week and one of my co workers brought a candy called oreo cookie balls. It was so good, but I could only eat one of them. They are very rich. Here is the resipe for you to try.

One pkg Oreo cookies regular
1 pkg softened cream cheese
dipping chocolate

Place entire pkg of oreos in a food processer and crush to fine
add 1 pkg of cream cheese and blend until smooth
chill contents overnight until firm
roll spoonfuls into a ball and place on wax paper

Melt dipping chocolate. You can use white or dark. Use a toothpick to dip balls until fully coated and place on wax paper until hard. This recipe makes about 2-3 dozen depending on the size of the balls.

They are so good, but very rich! We love oreos and I am making some this weekend!
Hugs,

A Favorite Recipe!

Here is a great little recipe that I use several times a month. It is quick, easy and delicious! I do not have a picture of it, but here is my recipe for Chicken Pot Pie.

Before I leave for work, I place two chicken breasts in the crock pot to cook all day.
I mix one can of cream of chicken soup and one can of the chicken broth in a saucepan until smooth, add 1 tsp of poultry seasoning, one can of veg-all drained and the two chicken breasts chopped. Mix over med heat until bubbly. Pour entire content into ready made pie shell and top with another pie shell, or you can use one of the frozen roll out pie crusts if you want it to look pretty. Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees until pie crust is brown and bubbly. It usually bakes for about 20-25 minutes. You can also use salt and pepper in it. I am trying to cut out some of the salt in our diet, so I use the poultry seasoning instead.

This is so quick and easy, it does not take long to put together after a long day at work. I usually serve with a side salad. My kids just love it. Hope you do too!
Hugs,
Lorri

Homemade Rolls

I have a recipe that I have tinkered with for several years. Here is my favorite recipe for homemade rolls. I usually knead them and mix by hand, but today I used my Kitchenaid mixer. I was impressed with the texture of the rolls. I like my bread to have a fine texture, but alot of yeasty good flavor.

1 1/4 cup warm water
2tsp salt
1pkg yeast
5 tbsp sugar

Stir together until foaming
Then add 1/3 cup evaporated milk
approx 3-4 cups bread flour (This varies on the amount of liquid)
mix together until it is easy to handle.
knead on lightly floured board and place in oiled bowl to rise
After the dough rises, punch down and knead lightly, roll out to form rectangle and use large knife to cut in strips about 3 in wide. Cut the strips into 3in chunks, roll in melted butter and place in glass baking dish. Cover and let rise for about an hour. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.
This is what the finished product usually looks like. Sometimes my strips are not even and thus the rolls are not exact, but my sweet husband does not care a bit. He loves my bread!
These are really delicious and easy to make.

Sunday Dinner

I am in the kitchen again, creating a scrumptious Sunday meal for the kids! I found a huge roast on sale this week, so I am cooking it in my cast iron dutch oven, smothered in onions. I am making a batch of homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and homemade macaroni and cheese. All of my kids favorite comfort foods. I made a killer Pecan Pie, hopefully there will be enough left for everyone to have a piece. If you have not made my Texas pecan pie, you really should try it. Recipe is in the archives.

I am hoping to spend the afternoon, working on my next project. Friday ,I ripped all of the wallpaper and border off the walls in the entryway. I need to spackle the holes and roll on some texture, so I can paint. I have two colors that I am going to experiment with. The entry is very tiny so I do not want it really dark. But,of course you know I always gravitate towards red! I am thinking about painting the bottom half red and the top half a cream color. Then I will have to put some molding on the walls. This will require some carpentry skills, so that may take a bit of time to accomplish. I still have some decorating to do in the bedroom, but the finished project will be posted soon.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I am not looking forward to going back to work on Monday. But it will go by fast I hope! This next week is Canton weekend and I am planning a trip there on Friday. My daughter is planning on going with me so I am sure it will be a great time. Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon!

Lorri

Pheasant and Quail

Yesterday, Donnie went hunting up in Arkansas on White Oak Lake. He brought home pheasant and quail that he had shot on the trip. Now, I am a farm girl and I remember mama cooking quail when I was little,but not sure how she did it. Thank goodness for the Internet! I immediately went to Food network and looked up recipes for ideas. After washing them really well. I marinated them in Italian dressing, salt and pepper for a couple of hours.

While they were in the marinade. I made a glaze of orange juice, orange zest, whiskey,brown sugar and garlic. I simmered it in a small pan until reduced by 50%. Then cooled it. I took the birds, wrapped them in maple smoked bacon and placed on a medium hot grill. About 10 minutes before they were done, I brushed on the orange glaze and cooked them until done. I wished that I had some wild rice to go with them, but instead I made baked potato, and some baked beans. When I am cooking, I just cannot stop in the middle and rush off to the store.

Well, I have to admit, they were wonderful. The bacon gave them just enough fat to be moist and the glaze sweetened them with extra flavor. Donnie was very happy with them. I think he had fried all of the birds before, so this was a little different. If I remember correctly mama fried hers also. But all of the 5 star recipes on the Internet called for them to be grilled or roasted.

Next time, I will have some Uncle Ben's wild rice on hand. I think it would make it a perfect dish!

Hope your day has been wonderful

Lorri

Comfort Food

Here in Texas, we love our comfort food. And nothing in the world is better than fried potatoes with chopped onion. Serve some crunchy home fries with cornbread and pinto beans, throw in a little chow chow or hot pepper sauce OH HONEY, you cant do any better than this. Yum! Of course, if you are on a low carb diet this meal will not be your friend. I have to limit cooking this to about once a month. It will pack the pounds on you in a hurry! In fact, I really cant think of any comfort food doesn't make me fat. What is your favorite comfort food?



I am off to the city to look for some more ideas for the bedroom. I left the pillow shams at the quilt shop yesterday to have them monogrammed. I really wanted to have the bedroom finished before tomorrow night, I am having friends over for dinner. But I am sure it will not be done. I have my lovely grandson this afternoon and a party to attend tonight. So, I have a busy day ahead of me. Enjoy the day!

Hugs,

Lorri

Cornbread Sandwich

Have you ever heard of a Cornbread sandwich? I had never ate one in my life until recently. We had taken another motorcycle ride to Jefferson one weekend and the usual biker bar we eat at was packed out. We decided to walk up the street and try out another little shop we had seen before. I believe the name of the cafe is called 'The Pie Shop'. Their claim to fame is the original Cornbread Sandwich. We stepped in to try it out. Basically, a cornbread sandwich is a large square of cornbread, cut in half , mayo on both sides, your choice of meat,cheese, tomato slices and red onion. Served with chips. We chose a sandwich called 'The Redneck'. It was very tasty! I was a little apprehensive about trying it, but we were starving that day!

Of course I cannot eat something new without having to go home and experiment with my own version.

So last night. I made a pan of cornbread, added shredded cheese, and chopped jalapenos, baked to a crispy brown and cut into four pieces. I used dental floss to slice the cornbread into. Spread on some mayo , fried some bologna for the sandwiches and added some sliced cheese.

Here is my version of a Redneck Sandwich! I know it sounds strange and if you are not from the south. It may sound terrible! I am from the south and I had second thoughts about it myself! This is a pretty good sandwich! I cannot eat an entire one, They make large sandwiches. I cut them in half to a more manageable size. Try one out, if you dare! It might just become one of your favorites.

Have a Happy Sunday!

Hugs,

Lorri

My Best Pecan Pie Recipe

I discovered this Pecan Pie recipe many years ago, and I have modified it a little to suit my own tastes. Here is of copy of the original and also my version of it.

I use a Pillsbury pie crust and place into a deep dish glass container.

One of my secret ingredients is pancake syrup! Don't tell anyone!

Mix well in my favorite Kitchen Aid appliance. I really do not know how I lived so long without one. If you do not own one of these it is a must have item. Put it on your list right now!!!

OK, this started out to be a pecan pie. I went to get the pecans out of the freezer and they were almost gone. Someone ( I wont name to protect the innocent), but someone has been snacking on my pecans!!! I didn't have but 1/4 cup of them to put in this pie. Soooooo what is a southern Texan woman to do?? I had to improvise. I renamed this pie Butternut pie and it was a huge hit! In fact the kids liked it better than pecan pie. Hope you try this easy recipe, it really is pretty tasty!

This is the original recipe:

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup pancake syrup

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup margarine

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs slightly beaten

2 tablespoons of flour

1 heaping cup of pecans

combine syrups, sugar,salt, and vanilla. Beat in eggs,flour and melted margarine. Add pecans stir together and pour into deep dish pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until set.

My version:

1/2 cup Karo syrup

1/2 cup pancake syrup

1 cup white sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick real butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs beaten

2 tablespoon flour

1 heaping cup of pecans or not

1/4 cup Crown Royal or good bourbon of any kind

Mix together as directed above and bake at 350 degrees until set.

My version is richer, because of the stick of butter and it also bakes lighter than the original version. The alcohol content cooks out and it leaves a slight taste of it, but just enough. No one can figure out what it is!!!..LOL This is a really good recipe. This year for Christmas, this was the only pie requested. Which is very unusual for my kids. I normally bake at least 4 different pies to please everyone. Try this out and let me know what you think.

Thank you for all of the lovely comments on Pink Saturday. Don't forget to scroll down and sign up for my first giveaway! I will pick a winner on Friday!

Have a great weekend!

Hugs,

Lorri