New Years Eve 2009

Boy has this year flown by. I thought I would share a few of our traditional recipes we fix on New Year's Eve along with a few new ones. I don't make New Years resolutions but I would like to exercise more. We will see if that one pans out. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek this New Years Eve. You can find most of the recipes here but I will post the ones that are not listed in a little while.



Pigs in a Blanket-Ransie always wants these

Trisha Yearwood's Dip-to-Die for with pita chips

Fruit Dip

Veggies and Dip

Punch

Cheese Crisps

Cheese Dip

Bacon Wrapped Little Hot Dogs

Sweet Potato Balls

Cheese Balls

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, say what??

We have always roasted chestnuts in a fireplace but this year our little Raine is terrified of the fire. I'm not exactly sure why but I suppose fire is a good thing to be scared of when you are only two years old. I remember that Raven was scared to death of butterflies at the same age. This made for some interesting trips to the zoo let me tell you. I decided that another way to roast our chestnuts was in order so into the oven they went. They turned out just fine and the little one is left off the traumatized at Christmas list. After all, what is Christmas without roasted chestnuts? This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today!

Needed:

3 pounds of chestnuts

A sharp knife

1-2 cups water

Cut a "x" on the rounded side of your chestnut. You must do this or they will explode. My MIL had this happen in her microwave a few years ago and my father also after trying to roast them without cutting the "x". Once all of the chestnuts are cut, place on a baking sheet with cut side up and add 1-2 cups of water to them. Place in a 400' oven for 20 minutes. Peel them using a tea towel and serve warm with a little sea salt.

Party Mix

We love Chex Mix and I always make our spicy version of this popular snack. Marx Foods sent me a package of items to try in a few of my recipes and the timing couldn't have been better. As I said, we like our party mix a little on the spicy side and Tabasco just doesn't do the trick. Their Habanero Salt is the absolute perfect seasoning for our spicy mix. Check out Marx Foods , some very unique products for your future recipes. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 cup of roasted and salted peanuts

1 cup English walnuts

1 cup pecans

3 cups pretzels

3 cups Rice Chex

3 cups Corn Chex

3 cups cheese crackers

3 sticks butter

2 t Habanero Salt

2 T garlic powder

2 T chili powder

1 t seasoned salt

2 T Worcestershire Sauce

Mix all of the dry ingredients and place into a large baking pan. In a small sauce pan melt butter. Now add to the melted butter all of your spices and Tabasco, stir very well. Now pour over the dry ingredients and stir. Place in a 300' oven for 1 hour. I stir mine every 15 minutes. Cool completely and store in a air tight container.

Chocolate Fudge like no other

I have always made fudge but let me tell you, I had to work at it. Either this recipe is really easy or maybe I have finally mastered my fudge making skills... Who knows, but this one is a definite winner. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today, and many days to follow in this busy Christmas Season. I am also going to give it a try with peanut butter chips.

Needed:

4 cups chocolate chips-I used semi sweet but any will do

2 cups white chips

1 can evaporated milk with 4 cups sugar or 1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 t Kahlua

1/2 t salt

Time

First you need to make your sweetened condensed milk (or buy a can of sweetened condensed milk). Over a low heat on top of the stove, mix one can of evaporated milk with 4 cups of sugar and cook for 1 hour. By this time it should be thick enough when stirred to divide in the pan.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan place your chocolate chips with your homemade sweetened condensed milk (or your store bought sweetened condensed milk) and heat over low heat again. When chocolate starts to melt, stir gently. When all is melted, in about 20 minutes, remove from heat and add your Kahlua, salt, and white chips then stir quickly. Now pour into a parchment lined 8x8 pan and Cool completely. When cooled, remove from pan and cut into bite size squares.

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Chicken Barley Soup

My MIL made this soup the other night and we loved it. We thought everyone else might enjoy the recipe so to the blog it went. It takes a little time to chop all of the veggies but once that part is done, all goes together quickly. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 T oil

1 onion-chopped

1 cup celery-chopped

4 cups mushrooms-sliced

4 garlic cloves-minced

1 cup carrots-peeled and sliced

3 quarts chicken broth

5 cups diced new potatoes

3 cups cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 cup barley

1/4 cup butter

1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium heat, to it add your onion, celery, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, and chicken. Saute until veggies are tender and chicken is slightly browned. Now pour in your broth. Make sure to scrape the your soup pot to deglaze the goodies. Now add in your potatoes and barley and cook for 35 minutes. Now is the time to toast your almonds in a 350' oven for 10 minutes. Right before serving drop your butter in the pot and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your toasted almonds on top and with a crusty bread.

Kanuchi

Kanuchi is a hickory nut soup with hominy that is eaten hot or cold and with sugar or honey, I like mine cold with sugar. My husband's Grandmother would make this every year and I have continued this tradition for our children. I believe most Cherokees make Kanuchi during the winter holiday season because the fall crop of hickory nuts are now seasoned and ready for use. Finding people who make the Kanuchi nut balls are getting harder and harder to find. We will most likely be making our own next year. Stay tuned. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

Kanuchi Ball

1 pound bag of dried hominy

1 quart of water

Take your nut ball and simmer it in a soup pan with about 2 cups of water. Now you will drain your nut mixture through a sieve several times. The Kanuchi ball has some of the nut shell along with the hickory nuts and you don't want shells in your finished product. Meanwhile take a quart of water and pour over your hominy in a large soup pot. You will cook this for 1 hour. Watch it because you will have to add about 1 more quart of water to the hominy as it cooks. Once hominy is cooked, pour your sieved nut mixture in and stir. Continue to cook for about 1 more hour.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I love cheesecake of any sort. The problem with that is I am not close to a Cheesecake Factory or a bakery that makes cheesecake. I had to become my own best friend and make a good cheese cake. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted margarine or butter
Mix ingredients, and press into a 9-inch springform pan.

Filling:

3 packages cream cheese-softened to room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
5 eggs
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 can pumpkin
1 t cinnamon

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and brown sugar; mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, add remaining ingredients on medium speed, mixing well. Pour batter into prepared crust, bake for 1 hour at 350'.

Topping:

6 teaspoons butter-melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and pecans. Sprinkle topping on cheesecake and bake 15 minutes longer. Cool cheesecake and run knife around edge of pan. When cheescake has completely cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate

Turkey Noodle Soup

Here is an idea for what is left of your turkey. Make soup..... I make mine like I do my chicken noodle soup but use your leftover turkey carcass. I boil the carcass for a couple of hours and then strain all of the bones out. It is really good. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Pumpkin Pie

Nothing too different or special about my pumpkin pie. I use cream instead of evaporated milk and only use cinnamon for seasoning. Try this recipe, you will like it! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs (again I use free range eggs)
1 can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Whipped cream or Cool Whip


Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in heavy whipping cream.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip before serving.

Wild Owl Mushroom--Bearded Tooth

The Bearded Tooth mushroom is another one of my favorite wild edibles found around Beaty's Creek. The Cherokee name for this mushroom is "ooo-gook" or owl. When gathering the owl you must be careful to not make the mushroom mad. Say what??? This mushroom if removed roughly or if it hits the ground will turn bitter and not be edible. I have been told this by several old timers so we are careful when gathering these little jewels. I don't know if this is entirely true, but I like to respect the beliefs of the old folk. It is also just plain fun to look for mushrooms that can get mad! I like to soak these in cold water and then slice them, flour them up, salt to taste and fry to a golden brown. Before eating anything you pick in the wild, please check with someone if you are unsure of the edibility. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaves

I really like to make and eat quick breads. This recipe comes from the cookbook 125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes. Give this bread a try to tide your crew over until the bird gets done this Thanksgiving. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 t cinnamon

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 t allspice

1 t nutmeg

1/2 t salt

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup water

1 1/3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Sift together dry ingredients, except sugar. In your Kitchen Aid combine oil, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin, stir until well combined. Now add in your dry ingredients a cup at a time. Add in your chips now and stir until just mixed. Pour into well greased loaf pans and bake at 350' for 70 minutes.

Thanksgiving 2009

It is that time of year again and I am so excited. Is there something wrong with me? I love planning our Thanksgiving Dinner Menu! Do you? I think planning ahead really helps me out. I try to make a menu and then write down what I need for each item I am making. I like to make a few different things each year but of course most want the traditional Thanksgiving food. This is what I am planning so far. Stay tuned for changes and updates.




Turkey-I am going to brine it this year
Dressing
Ham
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Grandma Minnie's Sweet Potato Casserole
Some green veggie type casserole
Homemade Rolls
Cranberry Sauce-I am changing this a little this year but here is last year's recipe
7 Layer Salad
5 Cup Salad
Deviled Eggs
Pineapple Casserole
Granny West's Corn Casserole
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Pecan Pie
Chocolate Chip Pie
Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake-I have never made one but thought I would give it a try

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

I came up with this recipe out of sheer desperation. I wanted me some ORANGE CHICKEN!! Living in a rural area is great until you want something that is an hour drive away. I thought to myself, "how hard could this be? " Self answered, "not that hard!" Give this a try the next time you have to be gone all day. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

6 boneless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 T pepper

6 cups orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

1 T soy sauce

4 T cornstarch

2 cups mandarin oranges

Steamed Rice

Put chicken, ginger, salt, pepper and orange juice in slow-cooking crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours. The last hour or so I add in 4 T cornstarch to 1/8 cup of the cool orange juice just to thicken up the sauce. Serve chicken over hot steamed rice on platter. Top with mandarin orange segments .

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have made pumpkin pancakes each Fall since there have been little ones in our home. Raven and Raine just love them, this was actually Raine's first year to eat them. Maybe they are a girl thing because Sean and Ransome just want plain pancakes with no pumpkin, no blueberries, nothing else added. This is a great Fall recipe idea and is perfect for this time of year. Give it a try this weekend. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

1 cups all purpose flour

1/2 t salt

2 t baking powder-I use Rumsford

1/2 cup sugar

2 t cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 T oil

1/2 cup pumpkin

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Now add the wet. Stir just until all comes together. I measure out 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear and then flip. I cook mine over medium heat on a caste iron griddle. Butter and a good dose of syrup and you are ready to go.

Apple Dumplings

I have made way too many pans of this dessert. I first tried this type of apple dumpling at Silver Dollar City a few years ago. I liked them enough that I came up with this recipe so I could have them at home. These are good with ice-cream or whip cream or just straight out of the oven. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Crisco-cold
1 egg-I use free range
1 1/2 T rice vinegar
1 t salt
6 T ice water
4 apples-peeled and cut into 8 pieces
1 T cinnamon-optional

Mix flour, salt, and shortening until it looks like cornmeal. Mix in egg, water and vinegar. Now add flour one cup at a time. When dough comes together, roll out and cut into squares. My squares were about 4" X 4" in size. This proved to be the easiest size to roll my apples pieces in and to seal up. Cover dumplings with sauce.(Recipe follows)

For sauce
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
2 t vanilla
Mix all the sauce ingredients together and cook on stove over medium heat until sugar melts. Pour over dumplings and bake at 350' for 40 minutes.

Potato Chowder

I really wanted some potato soup but the kiddos wanted no part of my dinner suggestion. So I decided on the next best thing, Potato Chowder. It is creamy, potatoey, sausagey, this last ingredient sold them. We ate our chowder with crackers but a good crusty bread or cornbread would be great too. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek. I promise that soup is not all we have been eating, love it on cool days though...

Needed:
5 pounds of red potatoes-peeled and chopped
5 celery stalks-peeled and chopped
4 carrots-peeled and chopped
2 pounds skinless polish sausage-sliced into 1/4 thick pieces
1 yellow onion-peeled and chopped
Enough water to cover veggies
3 cups whole milk or soy milk
2 T Cornstarch mixed into 1 cup of milk from above 3 cups
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large soup pot add enough oil to coat bottom, then add your onion, celery, and sausage. Cook until sausage is slightly brown and onions soften. Now add in your carrots and potatoes and cover with water. I add my salt and pepper now. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add your milk and bring almost to a boil, now add in the milk in which you have added your cornstarch and stir. Chowder will begin to thicken up, serve.

Taco Soup

After a few days of some of the family not quite feeling up to snuff, this soup just sounded tasty. This one goes together pretty fast and can be made with beef, chicken, soy, or no "meat" at all. We are having ours with sweet cornbread. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3 pounds hamburger, turkey, chicken or soy-browned
2 cans Rotel
2 cans whole kernel corn
2 cans black beans-drained and rinsed
1 can hominy
1 can red beans-drained and rinsed
1 can tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 t garlic powder




Brown meat of choice and then add, Rotel, corn, black beans, red beans, hominy, tomato sauce, taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. I add about 3 cups of water to this, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Serve with shredded cheese and sweet cornbread.

Mustard Greens

Mustard greens top my favorite list of Fall veggies. I love to eat these greens along with fried cornbread, nothing else is really needed. This year Ransome decided he likes them also and actually asked for seconds... He was sick earlier in the week, maybe still hallucinating, not sure. I will, however, need to pick lots more to meet our ever growing mustard green need. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 Walmart bags full of fresh cut mustard greens-cleaned
Water
Canola Oil
Salt to taste

I wash my greens 3 times. I fill my sink with greens and then cover them with water, dip and then remove from sink and repeat this process 2 more times. I hate grit in my greens so I wash them extremely well. I then cover them in a pot with water and cook them for 30 minutes. Next drain the greens of most of their water and add about 1/2 cup oil and salt to taste. Continue to cook for 30 minutes. I cut mine greens with a metal spatula as they soften. Eat with fried cornbread.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I am sure everyone has a favorite chicken soup recipe that their grandmother made and here is mine. I guess I am the grandmother here, or at least I will be someday. One of our kiddos turned up sick and wanted this soup for lunch. Doesn't chicken soup make you feel good when you are a little under the weather?? This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
1 whole chicken-I use free range
4 stalks of celery-cleaned and chopped
4 carrots-cleaned and chopped
2 T ground sage or 5 fresh sage leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 pound of egg noodles
Water
Add to a large soup pot the following, chicken, sage, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. I cover all of this with about 3 inches of water. Cook covered for 2 hours. I like to cook mine until the chicken starts to fall apart. Remove chicken and remove meat from bones and place chicken back to pot. I add my noodles now and cook for about 29 more minutes. We like ours with cornbread.

Apple Pie

One of my best childhood memories is that of my Granny West making me apple pies! She had to use Sweet and Low but they were so good I did not notice the difference. Some people like cheese on their apple pies, not me, I just want a good old apple pie. This pie makes me feel warm inside on this cool Fall day and brings back great memories of my Granny West too. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

10-12 Granny Smith apples
1 cup sugar
2 T cinnamon-I like a lot of cinnamon
2 layer pie crust

Peel and slice apples. Coat with sugar and cinnamon. Roll out crust for top and bottom. Place bottom crust down into a pie plate, fill with apple mixture and place rolled out top crust on top and seal very well. Sit pie on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in a 425' oven for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and continue baking for 60 minutes.

Fall Pasta Salad

Last year I had the most wonderful pasta salad from Whole Foods. It had butternut squash in it and let me tell you it was delish!! I came up with this similar recipe and it is really good also. Give this a try if you have butternut squash running out of your ears and are looking for new recipes. I like butternut squash any way you can make it! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
1 pound whole wheat pasta-boiled al dente
A 2 pound butternut squash-peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound of baby green beans-blanched with pasta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese-grated
2 T garlic powder
1 T oregano
1 t cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

I place the butternut squash on a parchment lined cookie sheet with sides and pour olive oil on it. I then sprinkle on the garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. I like to coat my pieces evenly because I want every bite to taste good! Roast in the oven at 450' for 45 minutes. I like mine a little dark. Just check yours at 30 minutes if you just want the squash to cook through. Cook pasta til al dente. I put my green beans in the last 5 minutes of cooking the pasta. Once pasta and green beans are done, drain completely and mix with butternut squash and stir. I add a little more olive oil and salt and pepper to the pasta mixture. You can eat it warm but I like mine after it has been in the fridge overnight. I place a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top right before serving.

Beef and Vegetable Noodle Soup

A little bit of a tongue twister but by any name it is tasty. I made a homemade yeast cornbread with it and yes, all enjoyed. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 rump roast
2 cans green beans-I used home canned
1 can diced tomatoes-home canned
2 cans of whole kernel corn
1 can peas
1 whole white onion-chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1 pound baby carrots-whole
2 T garlic powder
2 T sea salt
2 T black pepper
1/2 pound dry egg noodles
Water

Cook roast in a large stock pot with enough water to cover meat. I add in at this time the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until meat falls apart. I cooked mine for approximately 5 hours. At this time add all of your veggies with canning liquid. Add carrots and noodles now too. Cook until carrots and noodles are done, this happened in about 20 minutes on my watch. You may need to add a little more water to your soup. I added about 3 cups, the noodles soak up a lot of the broth. Serve with a good homemade bread.

Coconut Cream Cake

I was wanting something sweet and cool and came up with this recipe. Fall is oh so close and this is a late summer dessert for sure. You might give this a try if you need an easy dessert. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.



Needed:

Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 cup butter-softened
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 t salt
2 cups sugar
2 t vanilla
Coconut Pudding
Cool Whip

Sift all of your dry ingredients together. Beat your eggs, and butter very well, and add them along with your vanilla to your milk. You will add this combo 1/2 cup at a time until all is mixed in. Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake at 325' for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Next you will make your coconut pudding according to directions. I used a 3.4 ounce box. Poke holes in your cake with a fork and pour pudding over while still warm. Place in fridge overnight. Right before serving top with a good layer of Cool-Whip. I used the large container.

A Three-Way you say???

I just love a good three-way. How about you? Now pick your mind up out of the gutter, this is a food blog for goodness sakes. I became addicted to these at Coney Island in Tulsa many years ago. You can't plan a trip to Tulsa without stopping by this local favorite. Pasta, chili, beans, and loads of cheese, what is not to love? Calories, yes indeedee but occasionally it is okay, okay. It was kinda cool and rainy on Beaty's Creek yesterday and this sounded like a good dinner. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

4 pounds hamburger
6 T chili powder
1 T garlic powder
2 T salt
1 T black pepper
3 cans tomato sauce
3 cans pinto beans
Shredded cheese
Parmesan cheese
Green Onions
Pickled Jalapenos
2 pounds spaghetti noodles-boiled and drained

Brown hamburger, now add your chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. I add my tomato sauce with one can of water now. Cook until chili slightly thickens. Heat beans up and you are ready to go. We like ours like this, spaghetti, chili, beans, cheese, Parmesan cheese, green onion, pickled jalapenos, and then cayenne pepper. Crackers are good on the side.

Black Walnut Cake

There are huge Black Walnut trees growing all around Beaty's Creek. As a child I would collect these walnuts and place them in narrow rows along our country driveway. After about week or two of family traffic, their outer green (now black) layer would be removed exposing the inner nutshell. This outer layer has been used for centuries as a dye. I have never tried to use it as a dye but always wanted to, maybe one day... Now to cracking them, it is not easy either. It takes a hefty hammer and some real patience to remove all of the goodies. Then why in the world do I do it????? Because they are so wonderful! My husband likes to call them "greasy rocks." That is fine because that means there are more for the rest of us. Raven and Raine just love them so they will be our new generation of pickers :). If you are lucky enough to have Black Walnut trees, you must make this cake. If you don't, you can buy them at this website and still make this cake. This is What's Cookin Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

6 cups flour-sifted
2 t baking powder
1 1/2 cups butter-softened
3 cups sugar
2 cups milk
1 t vanilla
12 egg whites
1 cup chopped black walnuts

Sift all of your dry ingredients together and place in a bowl. Now beat your egg whites until stiff. Mix into your dry ingredients your milk, vanilla, and black walnuts. Now fold in your egg whites. Bake in a 9x13 pan at 325' for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let cake cool completely. I ice mine with a store bought white icing and top it with 1 more cup of chopped black walnuts.

Sweet Cornbread

We are not real big fans of sweet cornbread. We prefer good ole southern cornbread with our beans but occasionally you just want sweet cornbread. I made this sweet version with my roast and it was a very good choice. I like mine with loads of butter but of course this is optional, at least this is what I have heard. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
4 t baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 t salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs

Sift all of your dry ingredients together, now blend in shortening. Mixture will be crumby feeling. Add your wet ingredients and stir until just mixed. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake 400' for 30 minutes. Now this is my oven and yours might cook a little faster or slower. I always know mine is done when it is golden brown.

Pickled Jalapenos

Our jalapeno plants went absolutely crazy this year. This is good when you want to make fresh salsa but when you want to preserve them, you must pickle them. We love pickled jalapenos with a pot of beans and they are great with fried chicken also. Try these if you have not, you'll be pleasantly surprised. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s today.


Needed:

4 pounds of jalapeno peppers
4 cups white vinegar


Pack jalapenos tightly into your jars. I used quart jars because we eat a lot of pickled jalapenos. Boil vinegar and pour over jalapenos in jars. Seal and process in a hot water bath for 12 minutes.

Pot Roast

I have always loved a good pot roast. I bought a rump roast that was on sale and could not think of a way to cook it without having a tough roast. I finally decided to cook it in the oven and was pleasantly surprised to find it fork tender. Everyone just loved it and the leftovers were so good served over some homemade bread. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

4-5 pound rump roast
2 sticks of butter
1 white onion-cut into rings
1 pound button mushrooms
2 pounds carrots
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves-minced
Enough water to almost cover roast

Melt butter in a roasting pan and season roast with salt and pepper. Brown roast on all sides. Now add your garlic, onions, and mushrooms and enough water to almost cover roast. Place a lid on the pan and cook at 325' for at least 4 hours. I cooked mine about 7 hours. The last hour of cooking add your carrots. I added a slurry to the broth that was in the pan and made a really good gravy.

A Max and Ruby Cake for Miss Raine

Raine absolutely loves the Max and Ruby cartoon series. I have to admit that I like the show too, so sweet and the characters so cute. Max made a mud and Earthworm cake the other day so I thought Raine would enjoy getting one of her own. You should have seen Raine's face when I showed her the cake, priceless. She thought I had real worms on the cake and was hesitant about trying a piece. She loved it once she figured out the worms were just candy and the cake wasn't made of mud!! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

Chocolate Cake Recipe

2 Store bought chocolate icing containers
2 bags of gummy worms


Bake cake in 2-9 inch round baking pans. Let cool completely. Ice cake rather thickly. Now place "worms" on top of cake and enjoy.

Fried Green Tomatoes

When the Summer's bounty of tomatoes starts to wain it is time for fried green tomatoes!! I like fried green tomatoes with just a hint of pink because they are not so tart and have a fuller flavor in my opinion. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

10 green tomatoes-sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups white cornmeal
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 egg
1 cup milk
Oil for frying

Mix egg and milk together. Now sift flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper together. Dip tomatoes into milk mixture and then into cornmeal mixture. Pour a 1/4 inch of oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat until a bit of flour sizzles. Now place tomatoes in a single layer in your oil. Fry on each side for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain cooked tomatoes on paper towels. We like ours with ketchup (so wrong but taste so right) but plain they are great too!

3 Bean Salad

This is little Raine's favorite salad right now and it is super easy to throw together quickly. She ate it just about as fast as I could make it this weekend. It only takes a little planning to make sure it sits long enough for the flavors to mix well. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.


Needed:

1 can green beans-drained
1 can cannellini beans-drained
1 can kidney beans-drained
1 cup Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
1/2 cup sugar
1 clove of garlic-minced
4 basil leaves-sliced

Mix Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, sugar, and garlic together until sugar dissolves. Place beans in a bowl and pour dressing over them and stir to mix. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Coffee Cake

I love coffee cake with it's ribbon of goodness calling my name. They smell soo good baking in the oven and besides, Fall is just around the corner. Make a strong pot of coffee and bake this cake and you will feel all warm inside. This is What's Coookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

Topping

1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 T cinnamon
6 T butter-melted

Filling

1 cup brown sugar
6 T butter

Cake

3/4 cup butter
1 t salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 t baking powder-I only use Rumsford
1 T vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups milk
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Make the topping and your filling and set both aside. Now you will make your batter. First cream both sugars with your butter and egg, then add vanilla, milk, and sour cream. Now sift your flour with your baking powder and salt. Add this a cup at a time until all is mixed in. Pour half of this batter in a 9x13 pan, now sprinkle filling evenly over the top of your batter. Cover filling with the remaining half of batter. Sprinkle topping on the top of your batter and bake at 375' for 1 hour.

Zucchini Bread-Paula Dean style

If you are anything like me, you can use as many zucchini recipes this time of year as you can get. This one is so moist and sweet that you will be glad you made it. I like this toasted with cream cheese and a hot cup of tea. I bake mine in loaf pans but you could just as easily bake this in a 9x13 pan. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek today.

Needed:

3-¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ t salt
1 t nutmeg
2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1-cup vegetable oil
4 eggs-beaten
2/3-cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 t lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Mix dry ingredients (except for nuts) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Fold into dry, and add nuts. Bake in 2 loaf pans at 350’ for 1 hour, or until done.

Fried Crawdads

I had never eaten a fried crawdad until I married my husband and this is now my favorite way to cook them. The cornmeal gives them the best taste and with a bowl of pinto beans, there is nothing finer. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
3 pounds of *see note below* clean SMALL crawdads with third tail piece and head removed
4 cups of white cornmeal
1 cup of all purpose flour
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Place about a 1/4" of oil in a cast iron skillet and heat over a medium burner. Now place the cornmeal, flour and salt in a mixing bowl and mix well. After cleaning crawdads, place in the cornmeal mixture and coat well. Just as you would do when frying fish. Cook in a single layer in your skillet and brown on each side for about 5-10 minutes per side, depending on your heat source. That usually happens in about 10 minutes at my house but make sure you don't burn the little critters. Seems odd to eat shell and all but this is because you only fry the small size crawdads. When eaten this way they have a nice crispy crunch similar to fried shrimp.


*This is how we clean our crawdads after we have cleaned our crawdads, Hee hee. Bring water to almost a boil in your tea kettle. Now pour hot water over your prepared crawdads and mix them around in the water. Pour water off and then cook crawdads as you like.

Homemade Salami

My mom made this every Fall and I always loved it with a strong mustard and some crackers. This is a lot like summer sausage so if you are a fan of it, you may want to try this. You can make this with venison but I used hamburger this time. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

4 pounds hamburger or venison
2 T Garlic Powder
2 T Accent
1 T Onion Salt
1 t Liquid Smoke(NO MORE THAN A TEASPOON!!)
2 T crushed (or whole) Peppercorns

Mix all of the ingredients together very well. Now form into 4 logs and wrap tightly with Saran Wrap and place in the fridge for 24 hours. Bake at 225' for 3 hours. Cool completely before eating or slicing.

Jalapeno Jelly

This jelly is so good poured over some cream cheese on your favorite cracker...Yummy! Be careful when you make this, the fumes from the vinegar and peppers will take your breath away. I left my kitchen exhaust fan on high. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek today.

Needed:

2 pounds of jalapeno peppers
1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
6 cups of sugar
1 box pf pectin

Cut tops off of peppers and place jalapenos in your food processor and process until fine. Now add your vinegar and process a little more. Now place this mixture in a heavy bottom pot and add pectin, mix very well. Now you will add your sugar and boil for 2 minutes. Watch your jelly very carefully because it can boil over quickly and oh what a mess that is. Ask me how I know this….. I strained my jelly but you don't have to. I like jelly opposed to jam in this case. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 12 minutes.

Canned Tomatoes

When tomatoes are coming out of your ears what do you do??? You can them. I can a ton of tomatoes each year and by winter's end, I'm out. Tomatoes are one of the easiest things to can and are the very first garden item that I ever canned. I use my canned tomatoes for chili, salsa, baked tomatoes, tomato dumplings and many other things. They are so good sprinkled with sugar and eaten right out of the jar too. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

20 pounds of tomatoes
10 t lemon juice
10 quart jars-sterilized


Place tomatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and then remove tomatoes from pot. I place mine in a large bowl to cool. Once cooled core and peel tomatoes, the skin will just slip off. Place 1 t of lemon juice in each jar and pack with tomatoes. When I say pack I mean PACK your tomatoes in. Now place your flats in a pan and pour water over them and bring to a low boil for 1 minute. Seal jars with flat and ring. Place in a water bath after canned and process for 12 minutes.

Pear-Licious Cake

This cake comes from Paula Dean's Kitchen Classics cookbook. Raven loves to cook and actually cooks quite well so she took the reins on this recipe. I just don't let her cook that much and probably should give her the kitchen more often. To me this cake tastes like a moist apple cake but better, make any sense? Anyway this is a good cake that I am sure you will enjoy. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.


Needed:

1 1/4 cups oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
2 cups chopped canned pears, well drained but save the juice for glaze
1 cup pecans-chopped


In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, and eggs, and beat well. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add this to the creamed mixture and stir until blended. Stir in vanilla. Fold in the pears and pecans. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan or Bundt cake pan and spoon in batter. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes at 325'. I had to bake mine for 1 hour and 30 minutes so just make sure your in done. Cool cake completely and then pour glaze over top. Glaze recipe follows.

Glaze:

1 T butter-at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powder sugar
2-3 T juice from pears

Mix butter and sugar first and then add juice a little at a time until you can pour it.

Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake

I like to watch Paula Dean on the Food Network and decided to try some of her recipes. Stay tuned, there will be more. I bought the Kitchen Classics Cookbook for my dad and of course borrowed it and found some good recipes. This pound cake is good on it's own but with homemade ice-cream would be the bomb!! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 sticks butter-softened
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 t baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1 t vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together, add sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased tube pan or angel food pan and bake at 325' for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pan.

Crock Dill Pickles

This recipe comes from a friend that I went to middle school with. Hi Tammy! I changed a few things around to suit our tastes. It is so refreshing when you find out people share the same interests as you do. Tammy and I both are home canning moms and we also homeschool our children. This recipe is so much like those store bought refrigerator pickles that you will feel silly for not making them all along. I know I did. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.


10 lbs cucumbers(I quartered some of mine because of their size.)
4 T dill seed
4 T pepper flakes
1 1/2 c pickling or canning salt
2 c white vinegar
16 c water
12 garlic cloves

In a large clean crock or glass or food-grade plastic container place cucumbers, garlic, and spices. Now heat to a boil the vinegar, salt, and water. Once boiling remove from heat and let cool completely. Pour over cucumbers. I placed a plate on top of mine to weigh them down. Cover with plastic wrap to keep any air out. Let sit in brine for 2- 3 weeks at 70'-75'. Mine were done in 2 weeks but my friend Tammy, the one who gave me the original recipe for these pickles, is still waiting on hers after 3 weeks. Temperature really does make a difference on curing.

To can:

Strain brine. You will pack your cucumbers into sterilized jars and cover with strained brine. You need to heat your strained brine to a roiling boil and then pour over cucumbers and seal with your lids. I processed mine in a water bath for 15minutes.

English Toffee Bars

When I saw this recipe I thought I hit the mother load. It comes from 1001 and Cookie Recipes, a gift from my husband when we were first married. I am a toffee lover and these bars are so good you will be making them all the time, at least I am. I think they would be the best ice cream sandwich cookie but have not ventured that far with them yet. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek today.

Needed:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 t cinnamon
1 cup Crisco
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Crisco and brown sugar, now add egg yolk mix until creamy. Now add flour, cinnamon, and nuts, mix well. Pour into a 9 inch square pan, dough will be thick. I flattened mine in the pan with parchment paper.. Bake at 275’ for 1 hour.

Butterscotch Cookies

Can you tell I grew up not eating sugar? See I have had Type 1 diabetes since I was 5 and really cannot believe how many sweets are listed on this blog. Shame on me! Hee hee... No, really I am a healthy diabetic and sugar is not an issue anymore. I should be thankful for that I guess. We like cookies around here and we have several Cookie Monsters to deal with. This cookie went very fast and by that I believe it must have been good. I ate one but that was it, the rest magically disappeared. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek today. By the way, this would make a great lunch box cookie too. That is if they last that long.

Needed:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
¼ t salt
½ cup butter-softened
2 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs

Cream butter, eggs, and sugar together. Now add eggs one at a time along with the salt. Sift flour and baking powder together and add a cup at a time. Wrap dough formed into a log in plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight. Slice ¼ inch thick and bake at 375’ for 14 minutes.

Fudge Brownies

As if we needed another brownie recipe. This recipe is crunchy on top and chewy inside, just the way a brownie should be in my opinion. Ice-cream would be really good on top of this sucker too. This is What's Cookin on this HOT August day on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

1/2 cup Crisco
2 t cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 bag of milk chocolate chips

Cream Crisco and sugar together until creamy, now add your eggs and vanilla and mix well. Lastly add your flour and pour into a 9 inch pan and bake at 350' for 25 minutes. Make sure you don't over bake these, they dry out if over baked. When you remove them from the oven sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Peach Upside Down Cake

I was craving something sweet and thought a peach upside down sounded like a winner. In this recipe I use a homemade yellow cake but you can use a store bought one. I will tell you that my recipe for this yellow cake is pretty good and should be tried. This cake is so moist you will not need anything else but some vanilla ice-cream on top! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.





Needed for Cake Batter

2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 cup butter-softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs-I use free range
2 t vanilla
3/4 cup milk

In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk, this is just like sifting. Now cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time along with the vanilla. Now add in this order, flour, milk, flour, and then end with milk. Now you will do the bottom of the pan the following way.

Needed for the peach "bottom"
4 cans of sliced peaches-drained
2 sticks of butter-melted
2 cups brown sugar

Mix melted butter and brown sugar together and pour into your 9x13 pan. Now place your peaches in a pretty pattern and pour batter on top of this combo. Bake at 350' for 35-40 minutes. Start checking at 25 minutes. Sometimes mine is ready then. Let cake cool completely and then flip onto a platter.

Coleslaw KFC style

This is a Todd Wilbur copycat recipe and it sure is a good one. To me this tastes just like KFC’s coleslaw, in fact my MIL thought it was. The size of your cabbage and carrot pieces will make all the difference and they shouldn't be much larger than a rice kernel. I shredded mine with a food processor and it worked out perfectly. Give this recipe a try the next time you fry a chicken. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek.



Needed:

½ cup mayo
1/3-cup sugar
¼ cup buttermilk
¼ cup milk
2-½ T lemon juice
1 ½ T white vinegar
½ t salt
1/8 t pepper
8 cups finely grated cabbage
¼ cup finely shredded carrot

In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients except the cabbage and carrot until very smooth. Now pour over cabbage and carrot mixture and stir very well. Cover and place in fridge for 2 hours before serving.

Ratatouille

This is a recipe that uses everything fresh from my garden. I made this for Raven’s lunch and everyone ended up eating it. I used whole-wheat pasta but your favorite pasta is fine. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek on this cool summer day.



Needed:

¼ cup olive oil
1 purple onion-peeled and diced
2 eggplants-peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
4 zucchini- trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 tomatoes-peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves-minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped basil


In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat, to that add onion until slightly softened. Now add garlic, eggplant, zucchini, salt, pepper, and tomatoes add cook covered until veggies soften up. Pour over pasta of your choice and top with basil.

Bread and Butter Pickles

Bread and butter pickles are Raven's favorite pickles and I love them too. A girlfriend and I had a bread and butter war a few years ago and yours truly won. How you may ask???? I know the secret to a crisp bread and butter pickle. Want to know my secret??? Ice and salt, that's it. You MUST ICE YOUR SLICED CUCUMBERS AND ONIONS DOWN WITH KOSHER SALT. If you do this I promise you will have crisp bread and butter pickles. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.


Needed:

25 Kirby Cucumbers-sliced 1/4 inch thick
5 white onions-peeled and cut into 1/8 inch thick rings
1 cup kosher salt
5 cups sugar
5 cups apple cider vinegar
4 T mustard seed
2 T turmeric
Lots of ice!!
Jars


Wash and slice cucumbers and onions. Let stand 3 hours in the ice and kosher salt. Now mix vinegar, sugar, spices and heat until hot, drain cucumbers and onions and then pack into hot jars. Pour enough syrup in to cover cucumbers and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 12 minutes. Let pickles set for about 2 weeks before eating.

Homemade Sauerkraut

Nothing taste as good as homemade sauerkraut. Of course that is if you like sauerkraut, I am a lover of kraut and so is my family. I raised loads of cabbage this year and was so happy that our garden bunny ate only one head. By the way, he is enjoying my tomatoes way before I have and I may be doing an Elmer Fudd on him before long. Kraut is simple to make but you must have patience. Kraut takes 3 weeks to make at a room temperature of 75'. Any warmer is not good, kraut will spoil and any cooler it will just take longer to make. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek today. Note: The best way to keep homemade sauerkraut is to not heat process it, of course this means keeping it in the fridge. But due to space in the fridge I always have to process some of mine. When you process kraut you loose a lot of the good benefits of homemade kraut. Meaning the stuff that is good for you.

Needed:
15 pound green cabbage-hand shredded
8 T kosher salt
Huge crock and time.



When all of the cabbage is done begin layering cabbage, salt, cabbage until all of the salt is gone. You will mix the cabbage with your hands or a huge WOODEN SPOON. Do not use anything but wood or your hands. Metal will ruin your kraut. As you mix the cabbage it will get very watery, this is good. You want watery kraut. If your kraut is not in a good amount of liquid add brine. Brine is 1 t kosher salt to 1 cup of water. I added about 4 cups of brine to mine. You will want to weigh your kraut down with a plate. This is how I do mine. I fill a large Ziplock bag with brine and seal it. I then place it on top of the kraut, this seals off any air. I then place my plate on top of the Ziplock bag. Keep your crock on a cool dark place. Taste in 3 weeks and then fill into quart jars and process in a hot water bath for 12 minutes.

Baked Beans

I could eat baked beans with every meal. My mom always made them when we would have a cookout. My favorite part was and still is the crispy brown sugar coated bacon on top of the yummy baked beans.    I was asked by Foodbuzz to come up with a recipe featuring bacon for their BACONALIA and this one came to mind.I hope you give this a try the next time your family has a cookout.

 This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek.

Needed:
5 cans Pork and Beans
1-cup brown sugar
½ cup molasses
1-cup Head and Country Barbeque sauce
1 onion cut in quarters
1-pound bacon

Mix beans, brown sugar, molasses, and barbeque sauce very well. Now pour into a large caste iron skillet. Place onion and bacon on top of beans and place in a 350’ oven for 1-½ hours.

Quick Pickles

This a favorite around here. I used all garden produce but this is just as good made with store bought produce. It is great to have with almost any meal and there is no canning involved!! This is What's Cookin (not cookin) on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

6 Cucumbers-peeled and sliced
1 purple onion-peeled and sliced
3 tomatoes-did not have tomatoes this time but we usually add them in
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar

Mix sugar into vinegar until completely dissolved. Now pour over cucumbers and onion slices. Place in fridge for a couple of hours. Just as good the next day.

Brisket

This is my favorite thing to smoke. Believe me, finding a brisket to smoke this Fourth of July was a journey in itself. See I like to smoke a brisket that has at least an inch of fat on top. To me it makes all the difference in the world in the taste and moisture of the brisket. I finally found the brisket in a nearby town and wouldn't you know, it would be close and the last place I thought to look. I use hickory wood in the smoker but the wood choice is up to you. I think hickory gives the meat a very good taste, not over powering but just good. I hate it when you eat something smoked and it tastes like SMOKE. I think you should still be able to fully taste the meat that you have just smoked. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek

Needed:
8-10 pound beef brisket with an inch of fat on top
Rub
Wood of your choice to smoke with
Smoker--well duh...

I rub the brisket with a lot of my rub the night before I smoke it. After it is rubbed down, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. An hour before you are going to smoke your brisket, remove it from the fridge and let it come up to room temperature. You will smoke your brisket 1 1/2 hours per pound. Let your brisket rest for 20 minutes before you cut or chop it up. We eat ours on buns with a lot of sauce.

Fresh Blueberry Pie

I love to pick my own blueberries and thankfully my kiddos do too. We pick several gallons so we can have plenty of fresh berries and also have some to freeze for later use. Right now I have a blueberry pie in the oven begging for some vanilla ice-cream..... Back to the recipe, this is a very good pie recipe in my opinion. This would make a great dessert for the 4th of July. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
4 cups of fresh blueberries( I always put a couple of green berries in my pies. I think it makes a difference.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 T butter
2 T Cornstarch
1 egg yolk mixed with a little cream
Pie crust

Mix berries with sugar and cornstarch and pour into your pie pan that is fitted with your bottom crust. Now dot the berries with the 2 T butter and cover with top crust. make sure you cut some air holes in the top crust, this will help the steam to escape. Brush an egg yolk mixed with a little cream over the top crust and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 425' for 20 minutes, reduce oven to 350' and bake for 25-30 more minutes.