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Monday, December 28, 2009

*Granny's Peach Pineapple Pie


This is, by far, the best fruit pie you will ever taste. The sweet tangyness of this pie is amazing! I have heard this pie called an Amish pie, but it came to my family through my Granny, Betty Watts. My mother made this pie for our Christmas dinner in the form of a cobbler. Either way, you must try it!

Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium sauce pan heat together:

1 - 16 ounce bag of frozen peaches
1 - 15 ounce can crushed pineapple

To fruit mixture add:

2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix well.
Pour into prepared piecrust and dot mixture with butter. Top with another pie crust and bake at 375 degrees till golden brown and bubbly.
For a pie crust, you can use storebought or make your favorite recipe.
Love ya Granny!




Saturday, December 26, 2009

Aimee's Roast Turkey


1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
½ stick butter
3 or 4 tablespoons of Salt Grass 7 steak spice or your favorite
1 onion, peeled and cut in two
1 apple cut in two

Preheat the oven o 350 degrees.

Remove giblets and neck from turkey and set aside. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey in large pan.

Place the onion and apple in the cavity of the turkey. I also place either half the apple or half the onion in the neck cavity. Melt butter in microwave and brush on the turkey. Sprinkle the bird with the Salt Grass 7 steak spice, coating well. Tie the legs and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

Roast the turkey 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until juices run clear. Remove from oven and cover with foil and it rest for 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Use giblets to make your favorite giblet gravy.

I used a Natural Honeysuckle White®, no hormones, etc. I have also used this recipe with a Smart Chicken®, whole and leg quarters. I love this method for roasting turkey and chicken. They turn out very moist and YUMMY!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits




Store bought dog treats are expensive, so I've gone to making my own from time to time. Gracie and Glory absolutely love them, and I like the fact that I know exactly what ingredients they contain.

2 cups of whole wheat flour (I have also used unbleached flour.)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup natural peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1 cup skim milk (I didn't have skim milk so I used 1/2 cup 2% milk and 1/2 cup water)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, combine peanut butter and milk, mixing well.
Add the milk mixture to the flour and mix well. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. (You could also shape the dough into a log and slice or roll into balls and press with a fork.) Place biscuits on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack. When cool, store in an airtight container.

For me this recipe yeilds approx 74 biscuits of different shapes and sizes.




Fried Fish - Two Ways














Version 1:

What you need:
2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
Tony Chachere's Famous Creole Seasoning, to taste, or your favorite seasoning
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoons mustard (not dry mustard)
Fish fillets
Oil for frying

Mix cornmeal, flour, and seasonings in a large bowl or bag. In a seperate bowl, mix buttermilk and prepared mustard. In a skillet or fryer, heat oil to 350.

Dip fish fillets in the buttermilk mixture, then in the cornmeal mixture and drop into hot oil. Cook until golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate.

We love this version. The mustard mixed with the buttermilk give the fish a nice flavor and the cornmeal adds crunch.

Version 2:

What you need:
1 cup flour
1 cup potato flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons buttermilk
Oil for frying
Fish fillets

In a bowl, mix the egg and buttermilk. In a seperate bowl, mix the flour, potato flakes, and salt and pepper. Heat your oil (about an 1/8 inch of oil) in a skillet to 350.

Dip fish fillets in the egg and buttermilk mixture, then in the flour and potato flake mixture, coating well. Fry first side for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. Turn and fry the second side till golden brown. Cook two to three fillets at a time, don't overcrowd your skillet. Drain on paper towel lined plate. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.

They are YUMMY! You could also add parmesan cheese to your dry mix for a different flavor. For both of these recipes I have used Crappie fillets, but any fish would do including Bass, Catfish, Tilapia, Cod, and the list goes on... Leftovers make great fish sandwiches.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Cheesburger Soup as seen on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives















I love to watch Diners, Drive-ins & Dives on Food Network so when I saw this soup on the show I had to try it. How could soup taste just like a cheeseburger? I wanted to know. This soup is very nice. The addition of lettuce and tomato really makes it. It was fast and easy to make.
What you need:

1 pound super lean ground beef or ground buffalo
16 ounce can of chicken stock
1 pint half and half
1/2 block of Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 large onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups Iceberg lettuce, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour mixed with 3/4 cup water

In a large pot, melt butter and onion until translucent, remove. Add ground beef to pot, salt and pepper to taste, and cook till browned and crispy, remove to a plate lined with paper towles.

To the same pot, add your chicken stock and flour slurry, bring to a boil scrapping the meat bits off the bottom. Add half and half and Velveeta and cook till the cheese is melted, not boiling. Add the onion and meat to cheese mixture. Season to taste and lower heat. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

You can add the lettuce and tomato to the pot of soup or garnish each bowl.

*NOTE: The recipe I printed from the internet said to cover and cook for 1 hour. I cannot imagine cooking a soup with half and half for one hour without it ruining. Mine turned out just fine cooking it for less time. I used 2% Velveeta instead of the regular. I also didn't use half the block, but about an inch less than half.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Homemade Egg Rolls















.

What you need:

1 package egg roll wrappers
1 bag of Coleslaw mix
1/4 to 1/2 pound of cooked chicken, shredded.
1/4 to 1/2 jar of Kikkoman stir fry sauce to taste
1 egg, beaten
Oil

In a large bowl combine your cooked shredded chicken with the bagged coleslaw. Add Kikkoman stir fry sauce to taste and mix well.
Fill egg roll wrappers following the directions on the back of the egg roll wrapper package, using the beaten egg to seal the wrapper. They are very easy to roll.

Heat oil in a skillet or fryer to 350. Fry egg rolls three or four at a time. Serve hot with your favorite sauce. We love sweet and sour.

You may use the entire package of egg roll wrappers or not, depending on how full you fill them. You can also half the recipe.
The cole slaw mix can be found in your grocery store with the other bagged fresh spinach and salad mixes. The egg roll wrappers are usually close by.
I use chicken tenders that I boil, cool, and shred. You could use any chicken, even leftovers. You could also use pork or shrimp.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

















Chunky Zebra Fudge (the grand prize winner at Autumn Fest!)
by mom (Donna)

4 cups sugar
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup butter or margarine (she used butter)
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream
3 cups (18 oz) white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 to 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (melted)

Combine Sugar, milk, and butter in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add marshmallow cream, chocolate chips, and vanilla; stir to blend or until there are no lumps. Pour the mixture into a butterd 13X9X2 inch pan (we also lined our pan with foil, then buttered, for easy removal); dollop melted semisweet chocolate chips on top of mixture and use butter knife to gently swirl for a marble effect. Chill till firm; cut into 1-inch squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Makes 5 about pounds.


Sambo's Tiger Butter Fudge
by me (Aimee)

4 cups sugar
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup butter or margarine (i used butter)
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream
3 cups (18 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter (I used the Reese's brand, creamy) Softened for easy dolloping, lol

Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a heavy saucepan; bring to boil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add marshmallow cream, chocolate chips, and vanilla; stir to blend or unti there are no lumps. Pour half the mixture into a buttered 13X9X2 inch pan (i lined the pan with foil first); dollop with spoonfuls of the peanut butter. Pour remaining mixture over the peanut butter. Gently swirl mixture with a knife to create a marble effect. Chill till firm; cut into 1 inch squares and store in airtight container in fridge.
Makes about 5 pounds.

NOTE: After I swirled my mixture, I couldn't see the peanut butter so I warmed about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter in the microwave, just till smooth, and drizzled it on top of my fudge. I then took a toothpick and ran it back and forth over the peanut butter to create tiger stripes.
ENJOY!!!