Foodie Friday: Grits Y'all

Since we're talking Southern food lately, I thought I'd give y'all a tip on making grits. The key to making good grits is to use milk instead of water. Mama still uses instant grits, but she makes them with milk to make them creamier!

Just use the portions listed on the side of the box substituting milk for water and stirring constantly as the milk heats (so it doesn't stick or scorch). Pour in your grits and stir until they're done (again, check the box for how long it should take). Put in a pat of butter and you've got some kind of delicious!

Foodie Friday: Crock Pot Roast

I've shared a crock pot roast recipe here before, but I made one today that was pretty delicious and wanted to share. I cut up an eye of round roast, browned it and put it in the crock pot. I added two Vidalia onions quartered and sprinkled it with garlic salt. I then added about a cup of blush Chablis wine and a cup of water.

Seal the lid and cook it in the crock pot on high for about 6 hours or for about 8 hours on medium. I whipped up a pepper gravy (see next week for that recipe) with the "sauce" created as it cooks. It's delicious and SO, SO easy!

Foodie Friday: Easy Spaghetti Squash

My husband announced last week he's laying off pasta and rice. I pointed out that I use brown rice and whole wheat pasta when I cook, but he's adamant that he wants them out of his diet for the time being. I'm taking him at his word.

He doesn't know it yet, but instead of making (whole wheat) pasta, I'm substituting spaghetti squash for our pasta in a dish I'm making tonight. Quite honestly, I think it's easier to make!

First, identify a spaghetti squash in your local grocery store. It looks like a long yellow melon (or you can just look at the picture here). 

Then you poke holes into it like you do with a potato so it doesn't blow up in your microwave. Place it on some paper towels or a plate - because it will "weep" when cooked - and cook it in the microwave on high for 18 minutes - turning every 6 minutes. It should get squishy when you touch it once it's cooked.

Set it aside until it's cool enough to handle. Slice it in half on the long side of the squash and scoop out the long, spaghetti-like strands with a spoon. Toss with a little seasoning salt and butter before serving. I think it's a delicious substitution, but we'll see what he thinks!

Foodie Friday: Feta Burgers

Looking for a twist on your 4th of July burgers? How about Feta Burgers? If you like Feta cheese, you'll love these burgers.

 

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 8 oz. package Feta cheese, cubed

In a mixing bowl, mix 1 pound of ground beef, pour in cubed Feta cheese, crack an egg over it and add your packet of salad dressing mix. Mix with your hands and form into patties.























Place patties on the grill or fry them up in a skillet to your desired state of done-ness. Throw the cooked burger on a bun with lettuce and tomato and you'll have a delicious holiday treat!

Foodie Friday: The only thing I didn't ruin this week

I have a very patient husband.

Our second date consisted of my asking him to my home for a home cooked meal. For me, it was just a way to see if I was comfortable having him in my home - the cooking part was no big deal for me. For him, it was a life-changing event (because I'm telling the story). It was the first time a "date" had ever cooked for him. It was the best pot roast he'd ever had. It was the best salad he'd ever had. In short, my cooking hooked him on the second date. I was a rock star. (I promise some of this is true.)

This week, I've not been even close to a rock star. Not. Even. Close. I've ruined just about everything I've cooked. My loving husband has kindly eaten his way through my failures while I've munched on cereal. He must love me because I'd made some pretty bad stuff this week. The only thing that turned out, in fact, was a loaf of beer bread.

Ingredients I used on this batchMost of y'all know I don't bake unless it's from a box. I don't do bread because I don't like to get my hands sticky. Just not my thing. My mom, however, kept telling me about this beer bread recipe that was hopelessly easy to make and didn't involve getting your fingers sticky. I figured I could try it.

Ingredients include:
3 cups self-rising flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 bottle or can of beer - 12 oz.

Put your flour into your bowl - make sure you use self-rising because all-purpose flour just makes a rock solid loaf of bread that doesn't rise. Add your sugar and mix the two together. I then make a "moat" in my flour into which I then pour the beer. Take a fork and pull your flour into the beer until you no longer have dry flour left. You don't ever have to touch this stuff!

Take a large loaf pan and coat it with butter or cooking spray - I used Irish butter for this batch because it's St. Patrick's Day week... and because it's delicious. Then take about a tablespoon of flour and coat the butter so your loaf doesn't stick. Dump in your batter and evenly distribute it and you're ready to pop it into the oven - a COLD oven. Can you imagine? Turn it on to 350 degrees when you put it in and cook for an hour and 15 minutes. About an hour in, I put a little more of the Irish butter on the top to make the crust golden brown. When it's done, I immediately pulled it out of the pan and put it onto a cooling rack... and immediately cut myself a hot piece to cover with more Irish butter! Because this was my meal. Did I mention I'd failed at all the other dishes I made this week?

Foodie Friday: Asparagus Casserole

Holidays are made for asparagus casserole... uh, errrr, or asparagus casserole is made for holidays? How about we eat asparagus casserole every holiday. And some non-holidays. But especially holidays. Because it's delicious. It's a celebration in your mouth.

Ingredients:
4 cans asparagus
4 hard cooked eggs
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (we use reduced fat)
1 can milk
Cheese Nips, crushed (we use the about 4 cups pre-crushed - you can also use goldfish)

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. In a casserole dish sprayed with Pam, put in a layer of asparagus (about 2 cans). Slice hard boiled eggs into 1/4" slices lengthwise and layer over asparagus, using all your eggs. Mix your cream of mushroom soup with your milk and pour 1/2 the mixture over this layer. Finish with another layer of asparagus (about 2 cans). Pour remaining mushroom soup mixture over final layer. Put 4 cups Cheese Nips into a plastic bag and squeeze all the air out of the bag before you seal. Beat the bag with a rolling pin, wooden spoon or some such thing until your Nips are crushed. Sprinkle the crushed Nips over your casserole. Pop the whole bit into the oven for 20 to 30 minutes - you'll see it bubbling when it's done.

P.S. You can thank me later.

Foodie Friday: I Want Candy! Making Pretzel Cashew Bark

We like to entertain our friends and for some reason, making a main dish doesn't worry me. I do, however, need to dazzle on the dessert. Maybe it's years of watching my Mama dazzle her guests with her dessert selections? Whatever the case, I want to either rock my guests with presentation or make it so delicious that they have a hard time saying no to seconds.

We had a party to celebrate my hubby's birthday and because it was a mingling kind of party rather than a sit down dinner, I wanted to make a dessert that would allow for nibbling - no plate required. I settled on Pretzel Cashew Bark.

Ingredients:
1 bag white chocolate morsels
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate morsels
mini pretzels
cashews
optional: crumbled heath (toffee) bar, mini marshmallows

First, lay out a layer of wax paper onto which you'll would pour my melted chocolate. Then put a sauce pan of water on to boil and filled another pan that would fit into the first pan with the white chocolate morsels. Place the smaller (chocolate) pan into the pan with the boiling water to create a double boiler.

Make sure you stir the chocolate once it's in the boiling water. With a spatula, pull the melted chocolate into the unmelted chocolate, keeping it constantly moving so it doesn't burn or stick. Once your chocolate is completely melted (will have a bit of a sheen to it), spread it out on your wax paper making a long, thin layer of chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm and pliable, sprinkle on cashews and your broken up mini pretzels so that every bite will have a goodie inside.

While that layer is cooling, wash out your chocolate pot and dry it thoroughly, refill your water pot and start boiling again. Repeat your chocolate melting process as above until your chocolate is melted and pour this layer over the layer of cashews and pretzels. With your spatula, smooth out this layer so it's not clumping in any one part.

Allow to cool thoroughly. Line a storage container with wax paper and carefully lift your bark off of the initial piece of wax paper, breaking it into small pieces as you go. Place them into your wax paper lines storage container until you are ready to serve. This stuff (if it's not eaten) has a shelf life of several weeks. Know, however, that if you use salted cashews or pretzels that the dark chocolate will develop salt marks. These marks don't change the yummy flavor and I usually just serve them dark side down.

Enjoy!

Foodie Friday: Sparkling Juice

Looking for an easy but refreshing drink to serve guests? This might be just the ticket.

Ingredients:
Sprite
Grape Juice
Cranberry Juice
Ice
Fresh limes for garnish

This one is super easy. Take equal parts Sprite, Grape Juice and Cranberry Juice - I did 1 cup of each at a time until my pitcher was full - and pour it over ice in a pitcher. Slice lime into quarters, squeeze a bit of lime into your glass and garnish with remaining lime.

Delicious and SO EASY!

Foodie Friday: Spicy Roasted Kale

Here's another quick side dish that's super healthy: Spicy Roasted Kale. You'll need some kale, some cayenne pepper, olive oil and some salt and pepper. That's all!

Heat your oven to 375 degrees and pull out a casserole dish. Pile in 4 cups of kale - I used the quick and easy bagged kind for this recipe, but you can cut up kale leaves if you'd like to do that work. Pour about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over the kale and mix it up so that the oil covers most of the kale. (The olive oil is good for your hands!)

If you like spicy things, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cayenne over the whole mixture - use a little less if you're not a spicy person. Then sprinkle salt and pepper over the kale as well. Mix this together again to spread out the spices.

Pop it into the oven and leave it for five minutes. The picture to the right is how it looks after having cooked 5 minutes - about half the size of what you started with. Take some tongs and mix it up a little to stir up the spices. Pop it back in the oven again for another 5 minutes and you're done!

Foodie Friday: SUPER easy side dish - Tomato Mozzarella Salad

I know this is probably the easiest side dish in the world and most of you have figured it out, but for those of you who haven't here you go.

Gather:
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinegar (I used white for this dish)
Salt and Pepper
Basil is optional as is olive oil

I think this dish is best in the summertime because fresh tomatoes are more delicious, but vine ripe tomatoes will do in a winter pinch.

Slice your tomatoes in about 1/2 inch slices and lay them out on a serving dish. Slice the fresh mozzarella in the same thickness and lay one slice per tomato. If you like basil, put one basil leaf on top of the pile.

I then liberally pour balsamic vinegar over the whole thing and allow it to sit and marinate for 5-10 minutes. The cheese and tomatoes tend to soak up the vinegar with yummy goodness. I use white balsamic vinegar because it has a bit of sweetness that I enjoy, but regular balsamic is good too. Some people add olive oil, but I don't think you need it. I do, however, finish up with a little salt and pepper - I prefer sea salt and fresh ground pepper, but tonight mine are still in the bags that went to the beach and haven't yet been unpacked!

And there you have it my friends. The easiest side dish in the world that can also be a meal!