White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies!

I think white chocolate is good in just about anything sweet, but when you pair it with macadamia nuts it just makes it extra special.  These cookies are so easy to make and the flavor is just wonderful.   They are soft and chewy and stay that way if you don't over bake them and store them in an airtight container.   Here is what you need for these: 

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup macadamia nuts, crushed
12 oz. bag of white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.   Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour, soda, salt and baking powder in another bowl.   Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing after each addition.

Stir in the nuts and white chocolate chips.   Drop on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for approximately 9-10 minutes.  Don't over bake them if you like them soft and chewy. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the cookie sheet. 

For the best results when making home made cookies, use a good heavy cookie sheet, not a thin flimsy one.  The thin cookie sheets burn the bottom of the cookies and they don't rise as much.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies!

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Kentucky Hot Brown...a Derby Favorite!

 

 

The Hot Brown was invented and made famous at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky by Chef Fred Schmidtt.   Back in the 1920's the Brown Hotel had about 1200 guests each night for dinner and dancing into the wee hours of the morning.  The partiers would get hungry and tired and would end up in the hotel restaurant for a bite to eat.  They were getting tired of the same sandwiches and wanted something  a little different so Chef Schmidtt created the 'Hot Brown' and it was an instant hit.   Here is what you will need to make two Kentucky Hot Browns:

3/4 lb thinly sliced roasted turkey breast

6 slices bacon cooked crisp

4 Tbs butter

4 Tbs flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

dash of cayenne

2 cups half and half cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

four slices of toasted bread  (Texas Toast or Italian Bread)

 

First make a mornay sauce, which is just a fancy schmancy word for a white sauce with some Parmesan cheese in it.   Melt the butter and flour together and cook the flour just a little, slowly add the half and half, salt pepper, and cayenne.   You can do this on the stove top or I do it in the microwave.  Whisk it together and bring to a gentle boil and then turn it down and whisk again.  If doing it in the microwave,  microwave on high about 3-4 minutes and whisk until smooth.

Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk to melt and blend until smooth.

Toast the bread and arrange it like this.  If you are using Texas Toast, you can just use one piece.  I prefer this Italian bread for this.

These are placed under the broiler, so either arrange them in individual serving dishes that are ovenproof or in a baking dish and then transfer them to a plate with a wide spatula.  Stack the turkey slices and pour the sauce over each one.

 

Place two slices of tomatoes on each serving.  Place under the broiler until they are starting to brown and are bubbly.  When they come out place three strips of bacon crisscrossed on each and sprinkle with more Parmesan. 

Kentucky Hot Brown!

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German Chocolate Upside Down Cake!

 

This recipe takes a German Chocolate Cake and turns it literally upside down.  It's the slightly less attractive cousin to the more traditional, layered and beautiful  German Chocolate Cake !

However, what it lacks in good looks, it more than makes up for in deliciousness.  It's also a lot easier to make than a layered German Chocolate Cake.   This actually might be one of my all time favorite cakes!   Here is what you will need to make this:

 

 

1 box German Chocolate Cake mix, prepared according to the package directions

1  1/2 cups pecans, chopped

1  (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 lb. box of powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1  1/2 cup flaked coconut

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Spray a 9"x 13" baking pan with nonstick spray for baking or grease well.  Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over the bottom of the pan.

 

Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box. 

 

Pour over the chopped pecans.

 

Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until whipped.  Add vanilla and slowly beat in powdered sugar until smooth.  Fold in the coconut. 

 



Drop the cream cheese mixture by spoonful evenly over the cake.  This doesn't have to be perfect, as you can see in the picture, because it will sink to the bottom as it bakes and the cake will rise over it.

 

Bake for 42 to 45 minutes.  It's best to place a baking sheet under the pan in case this rises over the edge.  Every now and then I have had it do that, but usually not.   As you can see, it's not a beauty, but the taste makes up for it.

 

  If you are serving guests, you can sprinkle the top with powdered sugar to make it prettier or just sprinkle each piece individually. 

 

Or a dollop of whipped cream is also pretty! 

 

 



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Old Fashioned Lemonade!

 

There is nothing on a hot summer day  in the South that tastes better to me than a glass of  'real' old fashioned lemonade!  Now, I love sweet tea and I drink it everyday, but that is just it, I drink it every day, so sometimes a change to lemonade is just very refreshing!   It seems that not a lot of people make real lemonade anymore.  There are so many of the mixes and lemonade products you can buy already prepared and some of them are pretty good.  I will admit that I am sort of addicted to the Crystal Light lemonade.  However, none of them are the same as real lemonade made with real lemons and sugar.  

 

The key to making good homemade lemonade begins with a simple syrup, which we will learn how to make here.  It's really quite...simple! 

 

This lemonade is  good to make for various parties and cookouts that so many are going to be having in the few weeks....graduation parties, baby and wedding showers, holiday cookouts.  It gives those who don't care as much for sweet tea and soda another choice.  My mother always makes this for such events and the lemonade is always gone pretty quickly.   Children, especially, really love it!

 

Here is what you will need:

 

6-8 lemons or enough to produce 1 cup lemon juice (depending on their size and juiciness)

1  1/2 cups water

1  1/2 cups sugar  (If you like your lemonade a little more tart reduce the sugar to 1 cup)

1 lemon, cut in thin slices

 

Place the water and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil to make the simple syrup.  Boil for about 1 minute.

 

Juice the lemons, removing seeds and pulp.  Add lemon juice and simple syrup to a 2 quart pitcher and blend.  Add water and ice to fill. 

 

Lightly score one whole lemon you have reserved for garnish.  Don't cut deep, just light cuts in the skin.  Then slice in nice thin slices.    Add the slices to the pitcher of lemonade and stir.   Cutting the outer skin a little releases more of the oils and flavor of the lemon.   

 

Allow the lemonade to sit for about 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor. 

 

After about an hour, if there is any leftover and you want to save it for later, remove the lemon slices before refrigerating.  If the lemon slices are left in they will cause the lemonade to become bitter.

 

 

 

 

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Spicy Taco Pork Chops!

These "Spicy Taco Pork Chops" take plain old boring chops and kick them up a notch or two, depending on your tastes.    You oven fry these and they turn out so moist and flavorful.   Here is what you will need for these:

6-8 boneless loin pork chops
4 Tbs. butter, melted
2 cups dry, unseasoned bread crumbs (I used Progresso)
1 cup Mexican cheese blend
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional, depending on your taste for spiciness)

In a large Ziploc bag, mix the bread crumbs, cheese, taco mix and other seasonings until well blended.  Place the melted butter in a shallow dish and dip each chop in the butter to coat.

 Place two pork chops at a time in the Ziploc bag and shake to coat the chop on all sides.  Remove from bag and place on a baking sheet that you have place a sheet of foil on and sprayed liberally with nonstick spray.   I used the nonstick foil made by Reynolds Wrap for this.  It gives anything you 'oven fry' a nice crispy coating and does not allow it to stick.   When I finish coating all of the pork chops, I take the rest of the coating mixture and sort of sprinkle it on top of each pork chop for a little more 'crust'.  

Place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Do not turn them while they cook.  They will brown on both sides.  

That's it's!  Add some rice or potatoes and a green vegetable or salad and dinner is served!

 

Yummy! 



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2 - Ingredient Pineapple Cake with a Warm Pineapple Sauce!

 

This is another one of those two ingredient recipes that I am fairly sure originated in a cookbook put out by they American Heart Association for their 'heart healthy diet plan'.   My late father-in-law had a heart attack in his early forties and he and my mother-in-law really tried to follow that diet fairly religiously.  All of their changes in diet and exercise must have worked, because he never had any further heart problems that I was aware of.   It seems that I remember my late mother-in-law making this little fat free cake from that book.  At the time, I thought it sounded very strange.   However, it's a good cake to be so easy and fat free, although I did dress it up a bit with a pineapple sauce. You know I couldn't just leave a fat free cake alone.  You can serve it plain if you don't want the additional calories, but the sauce does make it taste sort of like a lower calorie version of a pineapple upside down cake...not quite the same, but a good knock off version...lol.  

 

This is another recipe that is so easy the kids can help make it.  Here is what you need:

 

1 Angel Food cake mix

1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple with the juice

 

Pineapple Sauce

 

3 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple with the juice

pinch of salt

1/4 cup water

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Mix the angel food cake mix with the crushed pineapple in a mixing bowl with a large spoon.  Mix just until well blended.  DO NOT use an electric mixer.  That will beat too much air into this. 

 

 Pour the batter into a 9"x13" baking pan that has been sprayed well with nonstick spray.   Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.   Mine was done in 25 minutes. 

 

Remove from oven and cool.  Before cutting in squares, run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan. 

 

To make the pineapple sauce, melt the butter in a deep sauce pan on medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until it has dissolved and slightly caramelized.  Add the pineapple and salt.  Mix the cornstarch with the 1/4 cup cold water until smooth.  Stir into the pineapple sauce and bring up to a boil for a couple of minutes.  Don't let it boil over and stir frequently.  Remove from heat and stir the vanilla in.  Serve while warm over cake slices.   This also makes  a great topping for vanilla ice cream.

 

 

 

 



 

 



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Easy Cheesy Santa Fe Rice!

This is a really quick and easy side dish that goes great with any type of Mexican food...tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, whatever!   You can also add some meat to it and make it more of a main dish casserole.  Here is all you need for this tasty side dish:

2 cups instant rice
2  1/2 cups water
2 Tbs. butter or vegetable oil
1 can Rotel tomatoes (use mild if you don't like too much heat)
1 envelope of dry onion soup mix
1 Tbs. taco mix
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
dash of hot sauce (optional if you like more heat)
2 cups Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, shredded

***If you want to make this into a main dish casserole you can add 1lb. browned ground chuck, 1 lb. browned sausage, or 2 cups diced cooked chicken after you microwave the rice and before you add the cheese topping. 


In a 2 quart casserole mix all of the ingredients except the cheese.  Microwave covered on high for about 3 minutes.  Carefully remove the lid and stir around to mix again.   Microwave on high for another  2 1/2 - 3 minutes, depending on your microwave power.    Remove from microwave and stir again.  If you are adding meat, add it now.   The rice should still be moist.  If it seems too dry, add another 1/2 cup water and stir.  Not all rice is created equal and some of it really sucks up the liquid, others not so much.

 Top with the shredded cheese and place in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

Easy Cheesy Santa Fe Rice!



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Creamy Macaroni Salad!

 

 

It's getting to be that time of year for cookouts, family reunions and picnics and some of us love a good macaroni salad!   Now, there are good macaroni salads and there are mediocre macaroni salads and there are more in the latter category from my experience.  The main reason most of them are not all that dazzling is that they don't have a good dressing on them.  The second reason is usually that they have weird stuff in them.    I don't really want weird stuff in my regular old macaroni salad.  I just want the basics.  I do want a good dressing on it though and not just a big glob of mayonnaise.

 

This one meets all of those criteria, but to be honest when I first saw the basic recipe I was skeptical.  It sounded a little weird.  I have adapted this recipe...a lot, to get this end result and if I do say so myself, it's a delicious macaroni salad.  It's flavorful and it stays really creamy even after it sits and marinades in the dressing, which is essential to the flavor and consistency.   Here is what you will need for this and no, I am not crazy...lol.  Try it, you will be amazed at how good it is.

 

 

1lb.  (16 oz.) box of elbow macaroni (or whatever you like, rotini or shells work good also)

salt

black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

1 (14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk (like Eagle Brand)

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (can use white if that's what you have)

1 Tbs. spicy brown or Dijon mustard

1 medium sweet onion, diced (Vidalia is great for this)

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tsp. celery seed

 

Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water until just al dente or about 1 minute less than the directions give you.  Rinse and drain under cold water to stop the cooking process.

 

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, onion, and bell peppers.

 

In another bowl whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, seasoned salt, celery seeds and a pinch of black pepper (freshly ground is good).  Whisk until smooth and pour over the macaroni and fold together.  This will seem sort of soupy and that is ok.  This needs to be refrigerated over night and served the next day for best results.  The pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it chills.  Stir well before serving.

 

Creamy Macaroni Salad!

 



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2 - Minute Tropical Pie!

 

 

 

This is a fun little dessert that is so quick and easy a child could make it!  As a matter of fact, it's a perfect recipe to turn over to the children.  With a little help in chopping a few of the ingredients, and a little adult supervision, the kids can prepare the dessert for dinner!  They will be so proud of their creation!  

 

I adapted this recipe from an original recipe published by Mr. Food!  I always loved watching Mr. Food and his quick and easy recipes.  I have a lot of his cookbooks and his way of delivering a recipe on TV was always soothing to me.  I think his appeal was that he made anyone believe they could prepare his dishes.  He wasn't afraid of some convenience items and he limited the amount of ingredients in a recipe.  Mr. Food knew that some folks needed something simpler and he delivered it.   It' s a good lesson to take a note from and one I sometimes forget.  RIP Mr. Food, I miss you, but your wonderful recipes live on!

 

 

It's called 2 - minute pie, because it literally takes about 2 minutes to prepare.  Now that is not exact and depends on how fast you move in the kitchen, so please don't time yourself and write me comments that it actually took 2 minutes and 47 seconds or some other such nonsense...lol.   I know most of you think I am kidding, but you would not believe some of the comments I get...lol.  Any who, here is what you will need:

 

1 prepared graham cracker pie crust or shortbread pie crust

1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple, undrained

1 (3.5 oz.) box of instant vanilla pudding

1 (3.5 oz.) box of instant lemon pudding (can use another vanilla or white chocolate is good also if you like a less tart flavor)

8 oz. sour cream

1 cup flaked coconut, divided

1/2 cup nuts, chopped  pecans or walnuts  (optional)

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped (optional)

whole maraschino cherries for garnish

whipped cream for garnish

 

Mix the crushed pineapple  with is juices and pudding mixes together until the puddings have dissolved and then add the sour cream in and stir until smooth. Be sure you buy the INSTANT PUDDING, not the cook and serve, it will not work in this.   Stir in 1/2 cup of the coconut, nuts and chopped cherries. 

 

Pour into prepared crust.

 

Top with the other 1/2 cup of coconut and a few whole maraschino cherries.  Chill for at least 2 - 3 hours before serving!  

 

 

 





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Mama's Ham Salad!

 

 

 

In the South, we tend to bake a ham for almost every holiday and occasion.  Christmas, Easter and some even add a baked ham alongside that turkey on Thanksgiving for good measure,  will all definitely call for a baked ham.  If someone dies, graduates, has a church potluck or family reunion, somebody is baking a ham.  We just love a baked ham.  A big ole baked ham can feed a bunch of folks and even after they have all gone home, there will usually be some leftovers from that ham.  If there isn't, you didn't buy a big enough ham.  Buy a bigger one next time...lol.

When I was a child and Mama was baking a ham, I knew we were getting ready for  some special event or company was coming! My job was always to stick the cloves in the little squares she had scored in the top of the ham.  The smell of cloves still takes me back to that little kitchen and sitting around that table with Mama and sometimes other family, while they diced celery and peeled hard boiled eggs for potato salad and deviled eggs.  You know those are a given if you are baking a ham in the South!

  Later on, I also knew there would be leftovers and I never minded that.  As a matter of fact, I loved the leftovers.  My father on the other hand, did not and would grumble for days...lol.  He still does according to Mama.  We had ham sandwiches, ham and rolls, casseroles, ham and noodles, quiches, and on and on, but the thing I really loved was the ham salad.  When my creative mother had made just about all of the things you could out of the ham and all that was left were the smaller pieces and ends of the ham, she would grind those up and make her ham salad.  The best ham salad is made with the remnants of a good baked ham.  That sweet glaze you bake the ham in just makes that ham salad so much better.  If you need a good recipe for baking the ham first, try my "Kentucky Bourbon Brown Sugar Ham" or "Nana's Smiley Face Ham"!

Now, on to the discussion of ham salad that I would call the 'real deal'.  We like the ham in ham salad ground up or at least chopped fairly fine.  Big chunks of ham do not spread all that well and for me, it's just not as appetizing.  However, if you like it that way, go for it.   It's best to  grind your ham with a food processor or a meat grinder, but don't over do it.  Sometimes, food processors do too much to food. We are not making pate.  You can use one of those manual food chopper things.  My favorite one is the kind Pampered Chef sells.  You can't chop much at a time, but it gets the consistency just right for things like this.   I also chop my celery for this very fine.  Here is what you will need for this ham salad:

4 cups ham, finely chopped or ground
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish (we grind up bread and butter pickles usually)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. sugar (You might need 2 tsp. if your ham was not baked in a sweet glaze)

Mix all ingredients together and serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.



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Veggie Lover Lasagna!

 

 

If you have followed this site or read many of my posts and recipes for long, you know I am not a vegetarian.    However, I do love vegetables and eat tons of them. I can't even think of a vegetable I don't like.  Well, maybe brussel sprouts which I am not crazy about, but my sister showed me a way to cook them that made me actually like them. 

 

 I did try to give up eating meat once, for some reason that I cannot now imagine, and it was not pretty.  By the end of a week, I was meaner than a junkyard dog.  Everyone around me, who had to put up with me, begged me to just eat a pork chop!  I was just not designed to be an herbivore.  Bunny rabbits are cute, but it isn't me! 

 

  I do get requests for vegetarian dishes quite a bit, but I also get requests for low fat and sugar free ones and when I post them, no one pays much attention to them.  I always wondered why there weren't more food blogs dedicated to vegetarian, vegan, fat free, sugar free, gluten free, light...now I know!  Nobody reads them!  

 

I do love this vegetable lasagna though and I promise you, you will not even miss the meat.  I promise!  I think Italian food can get away with not using meat easier than most, because of all of the flavor you put in it and of course, the cheese.   This is a great recipe for summer when zucchini and yellow squash are so abundant.   Here is what you will need for this:

 

9 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup green or red bell pepper, diced

1 Tbs. garlic, minced

2 cups zucchini, diced

2 cups yellow squash, diced

1 cup shredded carrot or cut in very small matchsticks

2 cups fresh mushrooms diced

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (6oz.) can tomato paste

1 cup water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 Tbs. dried parsley

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. sugar

32 oz. carton of ricotta cheese

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

3 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

 

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and green or red pepper.  Saute until just soft.  Add the zucchini, yellow squash, garlic and carrots.  I like to cut the zucchini and yellow squash in thin circles and then diced.  I don't think they work as well if left in big hunks or huge slices. This should all cook down somewhat into sort of a vegetable ragout.  Add the mushrooms right at the end, because the will cook fast and does not need to be cooked too much.  You want the veggies soft but still with a little bite to them, not mushy.

 

 



Once all of the veggie are just soft, but still have some body to them, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste.  If the tomatoes are in big hunks, take your kitchen shears and cut them up some.  I hate big hunks of tomato in my lasagna sauce.  That's just me, if you like hunks, leave them in! 

 

 Add all of the seasonings, sugar and water to the sauce.   Bring up just to a bubble and then lower heat to low, cover and simmer while you assemble the other ingredients.

 

Mix the ricotta with the beaten eggs until smooth.  Add 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of the Mozzarella cheese and mix until well combined.  This mixture should be fairly thick.

 

 

Spread a layer of the sauce in a deep 9"x13" baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. 

 

Lay three of the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.  Dollop the cheese mixture over the noodles.

 

Continue to repeat the layers.

 

Finish with the sauce and the other 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

 

Finish the top with the last cup of Mozzarella and bake uncovered for about 40 minutes.

 

It will be bubbly around the edges and the cheese will just be starting to brown.  Let this sit out of the oven for about 10 minutes before you cut it so that I has time to set up.

 

Veggie Lover Lasagna!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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German Chocolate Brownies!

I love German Chocolate in any way....German Chocolate Cake,  German Chocolate Pie, anything German Chocolate, so German Chocolate Brownies sounded really good to me!  Guess what, German Chocolate Brownies are not just good they are excellent.  They are also much easier than making a German Chocolate Cake.   Here is what you will need for these:

2 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 (4oz.) pkg. German chocolate, melted
3/4 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter, melted (1  1/2 sticks)
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine eggs and sugar and beat well.  Add the melted butter and the melted chocolate that has cooled slightly.  Add the flour, pecans, vanilla and pinch of salt.   Combine well.  

Spray a 9 inch square baking pan well with nonstick spray or grease it.  Pour the batter in the pan and place in oven.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.  Do no over bake or they will get too hard.

To make the frosting,  combine milk, sugar, butter and egg yolks in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat.   Cook and stir until it thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in pecans, vanilla and coconut. . 



Allow to cool and then spread over the brownies.  Cut in squares.

German Chocolate Brownies!

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