Corn Pudding

This is a staple to any holiday meal for our family.  It is fast, easy, and we all love it.  I should probably make it more often.  There is nothing about it that makes it a special occasion dish, but for whatever reason, it has turned into that for our crew!

1 (6 oz.) can whole kernel corn

1 can cream style corn

1 small carton sour cream

1 egg (beaten)

1 stick butter

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

Drain corn.  Mix all ingredients together and bake for about 1 hour at 350.

Kahlua Cake

I have made this dessert for our family more often than any other dessert.  It never lasts long!  If there is one dessert that I would call a "family tradition" for us, this would be it.

1 (2-layer) package yellow cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) package chocolate instant pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup Kahlua

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil in a bowl and beat until smooth

Add Kahlua, sugar and water.  Mix well.  Batter will be thin.

Spoon into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for several minutes.

Remove to serving plate.

ENJOY!!!

Ranch Chicken

This delicious and easy chicken recipe has always been a hit when I've made it for the family.

Ingredients:
8 chicken breast halves
3/4 cup crushed Lays potato chips
3/4 cup parmesan cheese (from a shaker)
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
melted butter

Preparation:

Combine crushed chips, parmesan cheese, and ranch mix.

Dip chicken halves in melted butter, and then roll in chip mix.

Place in greased 9x13 pan

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mimi's Dressing

This is the dressing recipe that I grew up eating!

My nanny (Helen Thames Wood) made it, and then when she passed away, my mom (Jane Wood Dodd) took over the special tradition.

It is delicious, and in my opinion...the best dressing EVER!

Ingredients:
- 2 recipes of cornbread, crumbled- use recipe on bag of white corn meal mix
- 15 slices of dry white bread, crumbled
- 1 quart (more or less) of homemade chicken or turkey broth or canned broth
- 2 cups finely chopped onions
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
- 1 stick of butter
- 6 eggs
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 tsp. poultry seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. sage, or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
- Mix together crumbled white and corn breads together in very large bowl
- Saute' vegetables in butter until they are translucent, then add to broth
- Add chicken soup to hot broth and simmer for 30 minutes
- Slowly add and stir broth mixture into bread mixture until thoroughly mixed and very moist, but not too soupy
- Add beaten eggs into broth mixture
- Add salt, pepper and spices to taste
- Divide mixture between 2 large pans (may be refrigerated or frozen at this stage- thaw completely before baking)
- Bake at 350 for 45 min. (a few minutes longer if mixture is cold) covered loosely with foil, then uncover and bake another 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned, and center is firm

Garlic Roasted Chicken

I made this super simple recipe tonight.  It's a keeper, and as simple as can be!

This is the YouTube video where I got the recipe, and the only variation I made, was placing the chicken on a bed of sliced onions in the pan, so that the pan drippings would have that bit of added flavor.  Yum!!

http://youtu.be/vbReTDAFusk

Start by removing the chicken from the fridge, so that it won't be too cold when you start working with it.

Roast 3 jumbo bulbs of garlic, and mash the cloves together with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

With your hands, create a separation between the skin and the body of the chicken.

Use your hands to rub the garlic mixture generously between the chicken and the skin, on the breast side of the chicken.  Work the mixture all the way down, so that even the legs are being coated.

Make sure that the outside of the chicken is dry.

Rub any remaining mixture all over the outside of the chicken.

Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken.

Lay onion slices on the bottom of your pan.

Place chicken on onion slices.

Tie the chicken legs together, and tuck in the wings.

Bake at 425 for about 1 1/2 hours (or until meat thermometer inserted deep into thigh reads at least 160 degrees).

Baste with pan juices and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

The skin should be crispy, with a beautiful golden color, while the inside is juicy and delicious!

(The bones can be used to make bone broth in a slow cooker if you want to take advantage of them too!)

Party Sandwiches

This is a fun recipe that I like to take to parties, or make at home to serve with soup.

16-24 Rolls (Sour Dough or King Hawaiian are both good with this, but you can really use any kind.)
1/2 stick Melted Butter
2 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds
4 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 Tbsp. Mustard (Regular or Dijon)
Swiss Cheese Slices
Deli Sliced Ham

Melt the butter, then combine with the poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard.  Stir well.

Cut each roll in half, and spread sauce on both halves.  Put a slice of ham and a slice of cheese in each roll.  Close rolls.

Bake at 350 until cheese is starts to melt and bread is golden and crispy.  About 15-20 minutes.

Serve Warm.

Black Beans, Beef and Rice

I recently prepared a new recipe for my family, and it was a big hit with everyone!

I love it when that happens...because SOMEONE in our family (a cute little opinionated 4 year old), turns his nose up at most anything that is not Mac N Cheese these days!

What makes it even better, is that it is gluten free, so the whole crew can right dig right in, and not worry about Caylie getting sick...which has become a requirement around here.

I have made it twice so far, and the last time, as we were licking our plates clean, we decided that the next time I make it, I should do a double batch!

Black Beans, Beef and Rice

4 slices of bacon, cut into 1" pieces

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 c chopped onion

green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1C long grain rice
1C water

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

15.5 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 t dried Italian seasoning

1t salt

1C shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook bacon in large skillet on medium heat.  Add beef, onion, pepper, and garlic.  Cook, stirring often, until beef has browned.  Add water, rice, tomatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and salt.  Mix well.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is done (20 min. or so).  Sprinkle with cheese.