Pecan-Grits Balls.

Here's another that I've never encountered before. I don't eat grits, but I'm sure that those who do will LOVE these things.

Pecan-Grits Balls

3 cups cooked grits, cooled and then mashed well to loosen up
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups crushed pecans
2 beaten eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
oil for deep frying

Add cream to grits, then Worcestershire and pecans. Form into 1 inch balls and chill for at least an hour. When ready to serve, dip into beaten eggs, then into bread crumbs. Fry in deep fat until golden brown on all sides. Serve hot.

Texas Lizzies.

I ran across this one in a newly acquired Christmas cookbook published in 1984. It has a few things that I haven't seen before. This is one of them. It seems to basically be the cookie version of fruitcake without the many weeks of preparation required for real fruitcake. This recipe makes about 200.

Texas Lizzies

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup bourbon
2 TBSP milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour (in addition to above)
1 lb. gold raisins
1 lb. dark raisins
1/2 lb. red cherries
1/2 lb. green cherries
1/2 lb. green pineapple
1/2 lb. red pineapple
1 lb. whole walnuts
1 lb. whole pecans

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, & nutmeg. In another bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and eggs with electric mixer until light & fluffy. Add bourbon slowly, beat well and add milk. Gradually blend in sifted dry ingredients. Place fruit in separate bowl and coat with 1/2 cup of flour. Add butter mixture to fruit mixture. Stir in nuts. Chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet, and drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool slightly before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Dough will keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks for multiple smaller batches of baking.

Ridiculously Easy Peanut Butter Cookies.

Cookies

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup chocolate chips

Stir together, drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, cook for about 10 minutes at 325 until just done.

Macaroni Salad.

• Macaroni Salad
• 
  
• 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons diced green onions
• 2 tablespoon chopped pimento
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. lemon pepper
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt, then more to taste
• 1 TBSP prepared yellow mustard
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 pieces bacon, cooked crispy then crumbled (optional; diced country ham works well too.)

Mix all ingredients together well and refrigerate. 

Deviled Eggs.

Deviled Eggs

12-15 eggs, boiled, peeled, & halved
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 stick butter, melted (this is the secret to truly amazing deviled eggs!)
2 TBSP sweet pickle relish
1 Tsp granulated garlic
1/2 Tsp ground black pepper
1 Tsp yellow mustard
Paprika, for garnish

Place egg yolks into a medium bowl. Mash with mayo & melted butter. Add pickles, garlic, pepper, & mustard. Stir together well, then spoon into egg halves. Sprinkle tops with paprika.

Optional garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, pimentos, sliced green olives

NOTE: To avoid overcooking boiled eggs and preventing the gray color around the yolks, use this method - put eggs into cold water; bring to a boil, watching closely. AS SOON AS the water boils, turn off the heat completely, put a lid on the pan, and set a timer for 10 minutes. At end of 10 minutes, pour off water, and cover with cold. Wait 5 minutes, pour off water again, and cover with more cold water. Peel when convenient.

Bourbon Balls.

I'm adding this to the Christmas candy schedule, after reading the article at NPR.....

Bourbon Balls

1 pound dark chocolate (55-71%), chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Evan Williams bourbon
pinch of sea salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Bring heavy whipping cream to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until smooth. Add bourbon; stir until well-incorporated. Add salt. Let the chocolate mixture (ganache) rest at room temperature until firm (about 4 hours).

Using two spoons, portion out half ounce balls of ganache. Hand roll balls until smooth and then roll it in the pecans. Makes about 40 truffles.

Squash Puppies.

I got this one from my hometown recently. It's very good. Just add the buttermilk LAST so that the batter doesn't get too thin. You may not need all of it.

Squash Puppies

5 medium yellow squash
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 medium onion, finely chopped (or grated)
3/4 cup self-rising corn meal mix
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Slice the squash, almost cover with water, add salt, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes until just tender. Drain well and mash. Combine all other ingredients except buttermilk. Add squash, then add buttermilk to reach proper consistency. Drop spoonfuls into about an inch of hot oil and fry until brown.

Buttermilk Pie.

This is an old Southern recipe, very similar to a custard pie or a chess pie. It is ridiculously easy to throw together.

Buttermilk Pie

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell, preferably the refrigerated kind, but frozen will work if necessary
1/2 (1 stick) cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp flour
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat over to 350. Cream together eggs & sugar, then beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into crust and bake for about 40-45 minutes, being careful not to over-bake. The top will brown a bit, but the pie should still be slightly jiggly when removed from the oven, as it will continue to set as it cools. Cool completely, then refrigerate before serving.

Optional additions, in any combination:

Stirred into the mixture -
*the zest of a lemon or two
*a pinch or two of nutmeg

Sprinkled on bottom of crust before adding custard mixture-
*2/3 cup shredded coconut (sprinkled on bottom of crust
*2/3 cup chopped pecans
*2/3 cup chocolate chips

Shrimp & Pasta Salad.

Shrimp & Pasta Salad

1 lb. shrimp, cooked & peeled

1 box tortellini, cooked according to package

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 can English peas, drained

1 package Good Seasons salad dressing, mixed according to directions (but using balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil)

10 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 bunch fresh broccoli, cut into florets

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Shrimp Salad.

I have recently become a big fan of shrimp salad. I even found a shrimp salad po-boy recently down at the beach in Gulf Shores. The stuff is addictive, and perfect for summer dinners. I've put this recipe together from what I believe to be the essential ingredients. There are endless variations, adding anything from grated carrot to chopped asparagus and even tomatoes and pickle relish. So make it your own!

Shrimp Salad

2 pounds shrimp, boiled (and if large, coarsely chopped)

1 cup of good mayo

2 tbsp. ketchup

1 tbsp. of Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning

1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onions

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

juice of 2 lemons

4 eggs, hard-boiled and finely diced (optional)

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and chill for 2-3 hours, preferably overnight. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving. Serve with crackers or as a sandwich.

Toasted Marshmallow S'More Bars.

Warm Toasted Marshmallow S'more Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 cups milk chocolate chips (18 oz)
4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and crumbs. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over crust. Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 4 to 5 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars tightly covered.

Ham & Broccoli Pot Pie.

We had this earlier in the week, and were actually stunned at how delicious it is. It is now in the regular dinner rotation.

Ham & Broccoli Pot Pie

1 pound frozen broccoli florets, chopped
15 oz. can whole kernel corn (use lowest sodium possible, as this dish can get salty quickly from the ham)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (low sodium)
1 pound ham steak, cubed
1 eight oz. bag shredded cheddar or Colby-Jack
4 oz. sour cream
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 package refrigerated pie crust

Spread broccoli in the bottom of a lightly greased pie plate. Combine corn with next six ingredients and spoon over the broccoli. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, until heated. Place piecrust over mixture, fold edges under, and crimp. Cut slits in the top and bake at 425 for 15 minutes, until crust is golden.

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole.

This is pretty much the perfect version of this classic comfort food. We had it for dinner last night. And I've just had it again for breakfast!

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

4-5 chicken breasts (or 1 whole chicken), cooked & chopped
Two 6 oz. boxes long grain wild rice, prepared to package directions
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups water or chicken stock
1 cup mayo
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 can water chestnuts, drained (optional - I hate them!)
1 bag frozen broccoli, steamed & finely chopped
1 bag frozen chopped spinach

Combine prepared rice & chicken. Saute onion & celery in butter and/or olive oil for several minutes, then add to rice mixture. Stir in water, mayo, soup, cheddar, water chestnuts, spinach, & broccoli. Pour into a 9X13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Hershey Bar Cake.

If there is a signature cake  in Heaven, this is surely it.

Hershey Bar Cake

1 box Swiss Chocolate cake mix (or German Chocolate if you can't find Swiss)
1 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
10 Hershey bars, finely chopped
16 oz. frozen Cool Whip, thawed

Prepare cake batter according to package directions; then add nuts and two of the chopped bars into the batter. Pour into two 8″ round cake pans that have been sprayed with oil. Bake according to package directions. Remove from pans and cool completely; then slice each one in half, producing four layers. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar with mixer until creamy. Combine 6 chopped candy bars, Cool Whip, and the cream cheese mixture; then blend well. Spread this mixture between all layers, then on the top & sides. Take remaining candy bars and sprinkle them over the cake and at the bottom edge for edible decoration.

Cauliflower Souffle.

Cauliflower Souffle


1 head cauliflower
4 TBSP butter
4 TBSP flour
1 tsp salt
black pepper, to taste
1 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar
4 eggs, separated

Boil cauliflower until tender, then drain. Puree in blender. Melt butter, then mix in flour, salt, pepper, and stir until a smooth paste forms. Add milk and cook until thick. Remove from heat and add cheese and cauliflower. Add beaten egg yolks to mixture and let cool about 15 minutes. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture. Put into a buttered 2 quart casserole dish, and place in a pan of water 1 inch deep. Bake at 325 for 50 minutes.

Tea Cakes #2.

Last week, I posted a recipe for tea cakes from the local newspaper. In that same article, the local food editor put out a call for vintage tea cake recipes. This one seems to be the winner.

Tea Cakes

1 quart plain flour
1 teacup of butter
2 teacups sugar
1 egg
1 teacup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Add baking soda, baking powder and nutmeg to 1 cup of the flour. Add to creamed mixture. Add remaining flour by cups full. Beat only enough to incorporate flour. Dough will be sticky, but use only enough flour to keep from sticking to board. Roll out a little more than ¼-inch thick. Cut with floured cutter. Bake on oiled pan at 350 degrees until slightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.

Old-Fashioned Tea Cakes.

My mother still talks about the tea cakes that her paternal grandmother made. Sadly, that recipe was taken to the grave with her when she died suddenly, years before I was born. I don't know that I've ever even had a proper tea cake, but I'll try this one out soon. It was in the food section of the local newspaper today.

Old-Fashioned Tea Cakes

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2½ cups (or more) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat shortening in a mixing bowl at low speed. Add sugar, egg and buttermilk; milk well. Sift in flour, salt and baking powder together. Add to sugar mixture and mix well. Add vanilla; mix well. Roll dough ¼-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut with cooking cutter. Place on nonstick cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes 3 dozen

Southwest Avocado & Bean Dip.

Southwest Avocado & Bean Dip

1/2 cup chopped avocado
1/2 cup sour cream
3 TBSP lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 can (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen corn, thawed
1 tomato, chopped
2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro

Mash avocados in large bowl; stir in sour cream, lime juice, cumin and salt. Add all remaining ingredients except chips; mix well. Refrigerate briefly, then serve with chips & crackers.

Crock-Pot Mac & Cheese.

Crock-Pot Mac & Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

2 10-ounce bricks sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 5 cups)

Dash of paprika

In a large 4-quart crockpot sprayed with cooking spray, mix the macaroni, milks, eggs, butter, salt, pepper and all but ½ cup of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Turn off the crockpot, stir the mixture, and serve hot.

Chicken Chili Verde.

I devised this one myself, and am in love with it.

Chicken Chili Verde

4 boneless chicken breasts, diced to bite-size
8-10 boneless chicken thighs, diced to bite size
1 16 oz. jar Herdez salsa verde
7 oz. can diced green chilis

3 onions, chopped coarsely

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can chicken stock

1 1/2 TBSP cumin
1 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste

Mix all together and bake at 350 uncovered for about two hours. Serve over rice.