Happy New Year Meal 2009

I got an email from Sal, a really good friend of mine asking "what was cookin" for the new year. Well here it is Sal and all of you.

Black-Eyed Peas ( This is a tradition in our home.)
Mustard Greens
Salt Pork
Homemade Cornbread

We cook our peas without meat in them, we like it on the side. I LOVE mustard greens anytime of year. I only eat a small bowl of peas and a huge bowl of mustard greens. I was always told that you ate the peas for good luck and greens for money in the new year. Not sure about the other items on my menu, they just go well with the peas and greens.

New Year's Eve 2008

Our New Years Eve is going to be great! Every year we have hors d'oeuvres, punch, and a little Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante for the adults. I really like planning, can you tell???
Here is what we are going to have this year. Some are kid friendly and some are for the adults. I will post recipes tomorrow and pictures as the food is made.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Needed:
2 pounds of button mushrooms with stems removed and chopped
1 cup of plain bread crumbs
2 eggs-beaten
1 stick of butter melted
1 pound of a really strong cheese (blue cheese will do but the stinkier the better)

In a large bowl combine chopped mushroom stems, bread crumbs, butter, cheese, eggs, and garlic. Once mixed well add to mushroom caps. Bake in a 425' oven for 15 minutes. Filling will be bubbling when you take them out. Serve immediately. They are so good! I like them cold too.

Stacey's Meatballs

Needed:
2 pounds ground turkey
1 cup plain bread crumbs-soaked with 1/2 cup milk that follows
1/2 cup whole milk- to soak bread crumbs in
2 t garlic powder
2 eggs-beaten
salt and pepper to taste
Spaghetti sauce for dipping

Mix turkey, soaked bread crumbs, eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper very well. Form into 1 inch balls and bake at 325' for 20 minutes. Put a toothpick in each ball and serve with warm spaghetti sauce.

Something with shrimp??

Brown Sugar Coated Bacon Wrapped Sausages (YUMMY)

Needed:
Cocktail polish sausage
1 pound bacon cut in 1/2 twice
1 pound brown sugar
Wooden toothpicks

Place bacon piece around cocktail sausage and toothpick it together. Place sausages on a PARCHMENT LINED 1 INCH SIDED COOKIE SHEET. You will be glad you listened when clean up time comes. Now spread brown sugar over sausages. Make sure you spread it evenly. Bake at 425' for 15-20 minutes. The bacon will be crisp when they are done. Remove from tray and serve hot. Very good!!!

Little Pigs in a Blanket

Needed:
Small hotdogs
Canned crescent rolls

Wrap pieces of crescent dough around hotdogs. Bake 350' for 15 minutes. Serve with mustard. Wasn't that a easy recipe???

Cheese Dip

Needed:
1 box of Velveeta-chopped into inch cubes
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 pound ground turkey-browned
1 pound turkey sausage-browned
1 jar Pace Picante Sauce

Place all of the ingredients into a Crock-Pot and heat on low until all has melted and come together. Serve with tortilla chips. This is so good! I like it with fresh veggies too.

Cheese Balls

This recipe comes from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook. It is so good that you have to try it!

Needed:
1 14 ounce package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup buttermilk, well shaken
16 ounces cheddar cheese-grated at room temperature
1 cup pecans-finely chopped

In a bowl, combine all ingredients but the pecans. Mix well. Divide mixture into equal parts and place covered in freezer for 30 minutes. When each ball is firm roll in pecans and serve with crackers. This is really a good cheese ball.
Veggie Tray with dip

Fruit Tray with dip

Needed:
Fresh fruit of your choice( I like different apples, bananas, strawberries, and grapes
16 ounces of cream cheese-at room temperature
1 large jar of marshmallow whip
2 t vanilla

Blend cream cheese, marshmallow whip and vanilla together until very creamy and smooth. Hint, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. If not your dip will be lumpy. Chill for at least 1 hour and serve with fresh fruit. Everyone likes this one!



Artichoke Dip with toasted pita crisps

This also comes from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook. You have to try this. Ransome really likes this one.

Needed:
1-14 ounces can artichoke hearts-drained and finely chopped
8 ounces feta cheese-crumbled
1cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
1-2 ounce jar pimentos-drained and chopped
1 t garlic-minced

Mix all the ingredients together and place into a small casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350' for 25 minutes or until lightly brown. I serve this with pita crisps. Can't wait to set this one!!!


I am sure there will be more items and I will add those too.

Corn Meal Pancakes

I did not make cornbread for our New Year meal but I made corn meal pancakes instead. Everyone liked them, so I guess I did okay. Here is the recipe.

Needed:
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 t salt
4 t baking powder
1 1/3 cups white corn meal
2 eggs-beaten
4 T oil
1 2/3 cups milk at room temperature

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add corn meal and mix well. Combine beaten eggs, oil and milk to mixture. Beat until smooth. Cook on oiled griddle. Only turn the pancakes once. I like mine with butter on them but my husband likes them plain.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

The first time I had this soup I was at the 25th Anniversary of the Reader Exchange Party thrown by the Tulsa World. Linda Fraizier made this soup and it was soo good I rushed home to make it! The only thing I do different is I use Italian pork sausage. You have to try this soup! It is so cold on Beaty's Creek that I am wearing socks with my Birks today. Note, I never wear socks! We eat this with homemade french bread.

3-4 slices bacon cooked crisp
1 pound spicy Italian sausage- chopped and browned (Linda uses Healthy Choice Sausage)
3-4 shallots-minced
1 onion-chopped
2 garlic cloves-minced
1 bunch kale-leaves removed from stem and chopped (if you live in a small town kale will be hard to find so use spinach)
4-5 red potatoes scrubbed and chopped into bite size pieces
4 cups of chicken broth
2 cups half and half



Brown sausage and bacon with onion and garlic. Once sausage and bacon are cooked add broth. Scrap bottom of pot to release all the goodies the bacon and sausage left behind. At this time add the potatoes cook them until fork tender. This will not take very long. Once the potatoes are done add the kale or spinach. The greens will wilt very fast, so don't be scared that you added too much. Right before serving add your half and half. RIGHT BEFORE SERVING ADD THE HALF AND HALF! If you add it any earlier you will have soured half and half in your soup. Yuck!! I did this the first time I made the soup and was very sad to throw it out but that is what I had to do. Make some homemade bread and enjoy!

Peanut Clusters

This is one of my husband's favorite candies. His grandmother made them for him and I took over when we got married. They are super simple and oh so good! Make sure you use roasted peanuts and not dry roasted. The dry roasted give the cluster a funky sweet taste. That sounds weird right?? A candy that has a funky sweet taste.. Trust me don't use dry roasted! Anyway here is the recipe. Not much to do, just make sure you use a double boiler( a bowl on top of a sauce pan filled with water but not touching the bowl) or your chocolate may cease up.

Needed:
1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 container roasted peanuts, but not dry roasted


Melt chocolate over low heat in a double boiler. When melted add peanuts. Stir until covered in chocolate. Drop by tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Let cool completely, then remove and store in an air tight container.

Give these a try, You will not be disappointed and your friends will be impressed!

Christmas 2008

I bet you are wondering why I have not posted pictures in a few days. Well, I have been busy like most of you I am sure. Give me a day or two and they will appear. Now on to Christmas Dinner.

Menu:
Pinto Beans
Sauerkraut
Bean Balls
Salt Meat

I bet many of you have never heard of bean balls, correct??? Well around Beaty's Creek they were common when I was growing up. Now a few people still make them and I am one of them. My husband's dear grandmother, Minnie, taught me how and I am now teaching Raven. It is a family tradition, have to pass those down. I will give you the recipes and post the pictures in a few days.

Pinto Beans
5 pounds of pinto beans- rinsed
Water- enough to cover
Salt to taste
1/4 cup of oil
Large pot

Add beans to pot. Add water, salt and oil. I add oil so my beans will not boil over. It really works. Bring beans to a hard boil and reduce heat. Cook over medium heat all day. The beans will be done before that but we like our beans to have a creamy broth and cooking all day insures that. You will have to add a lot of water through out the day. DO THIS OR BEANS WILL SCORCH!!!

Sauerkraut
I make my own but if you are using store bought make sure it is not a Bavarian Sauerkraut. You want the ingredients to read cabbage, water, salt and vinegar ONLY!

I coat my skillet with oil and add drained sauerkraut to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until heated.

Bean Balls
White cornmeal
Pinto Beans
Boiling bean broth and water

Let me tell you this, you can always add bean water or boiling water but you CANNOT ADD CORNMEAL. REPEAT DO NOT ADD CORNMEAL. Now back to the recipe. I pour about 7 cups of cornmeal into a large bowl. I then add 1 or 2 cups of beans. Don't stir yet. Now is the time to add boiling bean water, yes the water you cooked your beans in. Add it a cup at a time and stir between cups of boiling bean water. You know you have added enough when you can make a ball and then flatten it out and the ball stays together. Make sense??? I hope so. Believe me it took me several attempts to get this right. Once the "balls" are made you will add them back to the bean water. I remove most of the beans and place into another pan with bean water. You want to have the bean water a slow boil. Cook for about 15 minutes. The cornmeal will already be cooked from adding the boiling water. You are just cooking the outside and firming them up a bit. Remove the "balls" from the bean water and plate up. We eat ours with oil over then with lots of salt and pepper. Yummy!

Salt Meat
Slice meat into 1/4 inch slices
Place into water and boil for until foam forms in water. This usually happens in about 10 minutes. Drain very well. Place on deep cookie sheets and place into a 400' oven until golden and crisp. I NEVER COOK SALT MEAT ON TOP OF THE STOVE!! It pops 100 times worse than bacon. In the oven is my trick and it works soo well. You just have to use your self clean on your oven the next day but it is worth it!!


I hope you will try all of this sometime! It is soo good and it is "what's cookin" tonight!

Christmas Eve 2008

It is that time again. I make an endless list for a meal that I hope all will enjoy. I love cooking! It is like Christmas for me every time I step into my kitchen. Wait, not every time, like when I must sweep or mop it is not so Christmas like but all the other times it is!! I talked to my dad yesterday and he was shocked that I actually "like" to cook, Thanks for noticing dad. Now on to the menu. We talked about doing a Cajun Boiling Pot of sorts but decided to take the Crown Roast route. Easy and good!

Here's the menu:

Crown Roast for 6 (Raine does not "count" on this one.)
Fingerling Potatoes roasted in the oven with garlic and Parmesan cheese
A really good salad of baby greens and organic veggies
Homemade wheat bread
Homemade butter
Not sure of the dessert will have to think about this. Maybe a Red Velvet or a Yule Log I will have to see what sounds good closer to the day.
Tea and Coffee