Vegetable Salad...

Yesterday, we decided to check out an antique mall not too far from our house. As with any antique store, we find many goodies, some way over priced and some just the right price. I found an antique cigarette box, in the Franciscan Apple pattern for $95.00. I also found a booth of cook books, that were 40% off… not were talking!!

I bought a cook written by Russell Gardner, copyrighted in 1984.  The over 300 recipes are from famous Texan’s; it is going to take me some time to get through this cookbook since many of the recipes we want to try. There are few submitted recipes that are just a hoot; one of my favorites is from Senator Chet Edwards. The Senator writes his favorite recipe is Stouffer's Beef Teriyaki, and if he is having dinner for two he serves by candlelight.

The recipe that I am going to share with you today is from former First Lady Barbara Bush. The original recipe is for a service of 16. I have reduced to a service of 8 and would work well if you had a pot luck to attend. The reason I suggest this for a potluck is the salad has to chill for 12 hours. You make this before you went to work and it would be ready when you needed it.

Main Ingredients:

1 lb freshly chopped spinach

5 hardboiled eggs, sliced

½ lbs of bacon, cooked and crumbled

½ medium head of lettuce, shredded

½ cup shallots, sliced

1 pkg, frozen peas, thawed, uncooked

Directions:

Place in order in layers in a large salad bowl

Mix in a different bowl:

1 ¼ cup of mayonnaise

1 ¼ cup sour cream

Salt, pepper, lemon juice and worcherstshire sauce to taste

Blend and pour over the top of the peas.

Top with ¼ cup grated Swiss cheese  and chill for 12 hours. DO NO TOSS.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad…

This is a twist on the classic pasta salad; it is a creamy ranch-dressing version. The bacon in my book makes the entire salad.

 I think if you added cooked cubed chicken, this would make a wonderful meal for a warm spring or summer evening.

The recipe does not call for it, but I like to add green onions, and two to three teaspoons of the bacon drippings. You can also replace the large tomato with cherry or jelly-bean tomatoes.

 This recipe can be made healthier by using whole-wheat pasta, low or non-fat mayo, non-fat cheese, nonfat or 1% milk and turkey bacon.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of uncooked rotini pasta

10 slices of cooked bacon, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons of ranch dressing mix

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon garlic pepper

½ cup of milk or as needed

1 large tomato, chopped

4.25 ounce can sliced black olives

1 cup of shredded cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, dressing mix, garlic powder and pepper.

Stir in milk until smooth

Add pasta, tomato, bacon, cheese, olives, toss until well coated

Chill 1 hour before serving

**If salad seems a little dry, add in 1 tablespoon of milk at time**

Seven Layer Casserole...

We have all heard of and maybe even consumed seven layer dip, but what about seven layer casserole? I saw on Southern Food while looking for a tamale pie recipe and thought it was interesting. I would suggest adding a taco seasoning, omitting the bacon and changing the tomato sauce with a can of Rotel. Before serving top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole. I would serve with refried beans and tortillas.

Ingredients:

·         1 cup uncooked rice, washed and drained

·         1 cup whole kernel corn, drained

·         dash salt and pepper

·         1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water

·         1/2 cup chopped onion

·         1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

·         3/4 to 1 pound extra lean ground beef, uncooked and broken up

·         dash salt and pepper

·         1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

·         4 strips bacon, cut in half

·         1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Cheddar Jack blend

Preparation:

Layer the ingredients in a buttered 1 1/2- to 2-quart casserole in the order given. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes longer, until bacon is crisp. Top the casserole with the shredded cheese the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Seven layer casserole serves 4.

Popcorn…

We do not get excited for the Super Bowl like most people. Our excitement with the Super Bowl comes from the knowledge that soon we will hear the sweet crack of a bat or the purr of an engine. The Super Bowl means that The Oakland A’s and Texas Rangers are heading to Spring Training. It also means that NASCAR, F1, GT and Rally racing seasons are also starting. It is not that we do not like football, we just prefer college ball to professional.

No matter what sport you chose to watch, popcorn is always a good snack to consume. In an effort to eliminate some unneeded chemicals from our bodies and to save money, I stopped purchasing microwave popcorn bags. I bought an air popper, popcorn popper, yes; you can still buy them new! I bought mine at either Walmart or Target for around $20.00. I have also found with the air popper, it is easier to make different types of popcorn.

* Just a note, one regular size bag of microwave popcorn is the equivalent to ½ cup of uncooked popcorn. You can use microwave popcorn for any of these recipes, would suggest a fat free or light butter variety.*

Screaming Yellow Zonkers is my favorite popcorn besides movie popcorn with Milk Duds mixed in. It disappeared for several years and this past summer it made a return to the stores. My husband saw it and bought me several boxes for my birthday; it was one of the best presents ever! I have made this recipe and given it as gifts at Christmas and is always a crowd pleaser. It is not quite Screaming Yellow Zonkers, but it is close! The recipe is from Todd Wilbur.

½ cup light Karo Corn syrup

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup water

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon butter etract

½ cup uncooked popcorn

Directions:

In small saucepan, over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, syrup and water. Stir to a boil, add a candy thermometer and bring mixture to 250°F.

At this point start cooking your popcorn, so when the sugar mixture reaches hard crack or 300°F, they should both be done about the same time.

When your candy has reached the hard ball stage, add the vanilla and butter extracts.

Pour popcorn into a glass microwave bowl, work quickly, pour the candy over the popcorn in thin streams. Mix the popcorn so that each kernel is coated with candy, put the popcorn back into the microwave for five minutes, then stir once again. This will help to coat each kernel. You can repeat this step once more if necessary to get all of the popcorn coated. Pour popcorn onto a large sheet of wax paper to cool. Spread the popcorn out to cool. Be careful it will be very hot handle, it is best little hands do not help at this stage. Once cook break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

This next recipe is Bacon Peanut Caramel Corn, by Chef Zac Young. This is almost a perfect recipe. I need chocolate, so feel free to add in a ½ cup of Reece’s Pieces when mixture is cooling! Again here feel free to use microwave or air popped, popcorn.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup popcorn kernels
• 1/4 Cup oil
• 1 3/4 Cup sugar
• 3/4 Cup corn syrup
• 2 Teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 Cup honey roasted peanuts
• 1 Pound of bacon- cooked extra crispy

Pop popcorn with oil in a large pot on the stove. The cover pot while cooking or risk eye injury. You know the popcorn is ready when the popping slows to 1 pop per 3 seconds.
Pour popcorn on to a cookie sheet lined with a silpat. Sprinkle salt, peanuts and crumbled bacon over the popcorn.
Heat the sugar, corn syrup and a ½ cup of water until light amber in color. Pour evenly over the corn. mix with a heat proof spatula to try and evenly coat the mixture. place in a 350 degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes until the caramel has melted. Work the mixture again with the spatula until every thing is evenly coated.
Let cool.
Okay so sweet popcorn is not for you…how about a seasoning to sprinkle on your popcorn? I found this one over at The Popcorn Board.

Blazing Buffalo Ranch Seasoning Mix for Popcorn

Yield: about 2 tablespoons seasoning mix

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ranch dressing or dip mix (from a 1 ounce package)
• 1 tablespoon seafood spice mix (or celery salt)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar (or sugar)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 6 quarts popped popcorn
• Cooking spray, optional

Directions

1. In a small bowl, blend ranch dressing mix, spice mix, garlic powder, powdered sugar and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle with vegetable oil and blend until well incorporated.
2. Place popcorn in a serving bowl and spray lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle seasoning mix over popcorn to taste and toss. Store leftover seasoning mix in an airtight container for future use.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole...

The best part about weekend is having a time to cook breakfast. What if you could get the big breakfast during the week without cutting into that precious morning time. Well you can with a little pre-planning in the evening and using your crockpot or slow cooker. I found this recipe over at fit and fab living and it is a great way to make sure your kids get a good meal before heading out for school.  The recipe calls for ham or bacon, I have used pre cooked ground sausage and it turns out well. You can omit the onion and green pepper if you wish, but it is better with onion. Ingredients * 1 32 oz. bag frozen hash brown potatoes * 1 lb. bacon, diced, cooked and drained or 1 lb. cooked ham, cubed * 1 med. onion, diced * 1 green bell pepper, diced * 1 1/2 C. cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded * 1 dozen eggs * 1 C. milk * 1 tsp. salt * 1 tsp. pepper (more or less to taste) Directions 1. Place a layer of frozen potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker (Crockpot), followed by a layer of bacon then onions, green pepper and cheese. 2. Repeat the layering process two or three more times, ending with a layer of cheese. 3. Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. 4. Pour over the Crockpot mixture, cover and turn on low. 5. Cook for 10-12 hours.

BLT Dip…

With the Super Bowl a few short weeks away, I thought I would share this with you.

 The original recipe calls for seasoning salt and onion powder. I replaced those with Ranch Dressing seasoning mix. This is simple recipe and a true crowd pleaser.

Serve with crackers, bread or even vegetables. For those who like to get creative, cut shapes out of your bread such as stars, or footballs.

For my dieting friends, you can still have this wonderful dip, just use light mayonnaise, non-fat sour cream and omit the bacon drippings.

 I like to use this instead of mayonnaise on my BLT sandwich.

Ingredients:

1 lbs cooked bacon, crumbled

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon of bacon drippings

2 teaspoons of Ranch Dressing mix

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover

Refrigerate for at least half hour before serving.

Cream of Potato Soup

I remember the first time I had creamy potato soup. My sister had to make it if for a Girl Scout function. It was love at first bite. This is not your typical cream of potato soup, but it is tasty!

Serves: 10

6 large peeled baking potatoes

Enough water to cover potatoes by a little over an inch when chopped in a pot.

1 large Vidalia onion, minced

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons Hidden Valley ranch salad dressing mix

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

Dash of paprika

1 pound bacon, cooked and chopped

8 ounces sour cream

1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop 2 potatoes into small squares and place in a small baking dish. Bake until soft, about 15 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside until later.

Meanwhile, quarter remaining potatoes and place with the onions into a large soup pot.

Add water to the pot until it covers the potato chunks by at least 1 inch bring to a boil. Boil potato chunks until very soft, then turn off heat and allow standing until the pot is calm.

Very carefully use a masher to mash the potatoes while they are still under the water in the pot. Add the margarine to the pot as you are mashing. Continue to mash until you have a creamy thick soup.

Bring the pot to a simmer; add garlic and all remaining ingredients except cheese. Add the baked potato squares from earlier.

Keep stirring and simmering until the bacon gets a bit soft, usually about 10 minutes. Add all the cheeses, and keep stirring until cheese has melted entirely into the soup.

Check soup consistency. If it is too thick for your taste, simply add a cup of water and check again after stirring the soup for a few minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, serve.

Appetizers or Apateezers

If you watch show The Big Bang Theory, you will understand… “Apateezers.” For those of you who have not seen the show… you need to watch season three to get the joke.

The holidays are“party season" and  I thought I would share with you today a few ideas for appetizers.

Hot Macadamia Dip  

This is a nice creamy dip that really brings out the flavor of the macadamia nuts. This is served warm with crackers.

Ingredients:

11 ounces cream chesse, softened

2 Tablespoons milk

1 – 2 ½ ounce jar of dried chipped beef, shredded

1/3 cup onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

¾ cup chopped green pepper

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼  teaspoon ground ginger

¾ cup sour cream

½ coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

 Blend cream cheese and milk until smooth

Stir in beef, pepper, garlic , ginger,  onion, green pepper. Fold in sour cream, pour into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish.

In small skillet, sauté the nuts in butter until thoroughly glazed. Sprinkle glazed nuts over mixture and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. This should make 12 to 15 servings

This next recipe comes from Light & Tasty magazine Dec. 2008. If you saw these across a room, you would think they were a version of deviled eggs. The cucumbers are peeled, sliced in half then stuffed. This recipe makes 44 servings.

 Nutritionally, this would be a great choice for healthy low fat appetizers. The breakdown is as follows: 1 canape equals 6 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 27 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: Free food.

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Canapes Recipe

Ingredients

2 medium cucumbers, peeled

4 ounces smoked salmon, flaked

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.

Spoon into cucumber halves.

Wrap in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until filling is firm. Cut into 1/2-in. slices. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

I found this next recipe on Disney.com and even though it is more geared for children, I know a few adults and teens would go bonkers over these cute little Taco Cups. The recipe only makes about a dozen cups. I would suggest you double it if you are having a good size get together.  I think the kids and I will make these for dinner!

Taco Cups

Ingredients:

1 can of refried beans

½ pound cooked and seasoned ground beef

1 cup shredded cheese, you can use cheddar, I prefer a Mexican blend

1 cup of salsa

½ sour cream

½ sliced black olives

1 bag of Tostitos Scoops

 Optional if making for adults - ¼ cup sliced jalapenos

Directions:

Set chips on a large platter and layer each chip with beans, meat, cheese, salsa, sour cream and olives

This next recipe was sent to from my Dad, he found it on cooking.com It is a nice spin on stuffed mushrooms, using Brie and crabmeat. The recipe calls for jumbo lump crabmeat, if the cost is too much you can try using the imitation crab meat. 

Brie and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

18 large mushrooms, stems removed & chopped

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

4 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

3 ounces Brie, cut in 18 pieces

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F

Wash and dry mushrooms, remove stems.

Place mushroom caps on a cookie sheet. Brush caps with some of the butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.

In a skillet, sauté the mushroom stems, onion and Worcestershire sauce using the remaining butter.

In a bowl, mix crabmeat and mayonnaise.

Fill caps with mushroom and onion mixture.

Top with crabmeat and Brie. Bake for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted.

The last recipe is from Sandra Lee of Semi-Homemade. This would great if you need to transport a dish for either work or family gathering, since it is made in a 4 quart crock-pot. I picked this recipe for my sister, husband and daughter, who if given the chance would live on bacon!

 Spicy Cheese and Bacon Dip

 Ingredients:

16 ounce box of Velveeta cheese

½ pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded. If you can find it, try using Sonoma Jack Cheese

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

10 ounce can of diced tomatoes with habanero peppers

¾ cup cooked crispy, crumbled bacon

¼ cup diced green chiles

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Tortilla chips

Directions:

Coat a 4 quart crock-pot with cooking spray, before adding cheeses, tomatoes, bacon, chiles, and pepper sauce. Stir well

Cover and cook on low setting for 3 to 4 hours. Stir once halfway through cooking time.

Serve warm with tortillas

German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad is the topic for the day. My mother’s recipe is the only version of German potato salad I have eaten.

I decided to do some research to see what other variations are out there, or even if what I have been eating is German Potato Salad. Don’t shake your head and laugh. The French fry is not actually from France and several Chinese food dishes are not true Chinese food but American versions.

I found there are infact two basic types of Potato Salad (Kartoffelsalat) in Germany. The northern version is creamy and has a mayonnaise base. The southern version is served warm, it has a base of vinegar and broth.

My mother’s recipe based off the southern version and easy to make, I hope you enjoy it.

Kartoffelsalat – Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 pounds of small red potatoes, quartered

1/3 cup of bacon drippings

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup onion minced

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon salt

6 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled

Directions:

In medium pan cook potatoes in salted water until tender, drain

In small pan heat bacon drippings, vinegar, onion, salt and paprika.

In large bowl combine the contents of both pots, gently toss be careful not to break the potatoes

Serve warm

Morgan's Breakfast Pizza...

This morning for breakfast, I ate split pea soup with two biscuits crumbled into it. Strange I know, but it was tasty, it was like a split pea and dumpling soup. There is no rule saying you have to eat traditional breakfast foods only for breakfast. If there were, many people would get upset they could not have pancakes, eggs and sausage for dinner.

My daughter hates to eat breakfast during the week. I tell her to eat something; I do not care what she eats as long as she eats. Usually she makes smart choices; a few times, she has pushed the limits with wanting ice cream. This is where I have to take a step back and bite my tongue, because I did say “eat something, I don’t care what.” Oh the pitfall of parenting a teenager!

Many college students live on pizza, for all three meals. Why not? One slice of a thin crust pizza loaded with vegetables is actually a better choice than cookies and a coke.
My husband’s roommate, Morgan likes to play in the kitchen, and try new things as much as I do. One item he makes is weaving bacon into a basket. Morgan will then fill it with various items and cooks it on a charcoal grill. More like a heart attack waiting to happen if you ask me, since the main filling is sausage.

I have decided that Morgan’s breakfast pizza is a better choice to share with you. It is a great way to use the leftover scrambled eggs from breakfast instead of feeding them to the dog or throwing them out. Personally, I would also add some onions and maybe green peppers, but to each their own.

Ingredients:
1 can Pillsbury pizza crust
Salsa, heat your choice
4 eggs scrambled
Pico de Gallo
Thick cut bacon, cooked and chopped
Ham steak, cubed
Kraft 4 cheese blend, grated
Kraft pepper jack cheese, grated
Directions:
Heat oven per the pizza dough directions
Roll dough onto a pan, spoon salsa over the dough
Add cheeses
Add ham, bacon, eggs and Pico de Gallo
Cook per directions on the pizza dough can.

Wrap It In Bacon!

When I was in high school, my mother would take hard bread sticks, wrap them in bacon then pop them into the microwave. These would be quick, and supper easy appetizers.  I do not think even my daughter or my niece, Kylie could screw these up… well wait, they might. Both seem to have, a bad track record with that appliance. So let me amend my last statement… These would make quick appetizers, which the majority of new cooks would find supper easy to make.

Have you tried, bacon wrapped potatoes?

You will need:

3 pounds of small 1” baby potatoes, scrubbed clean

25 to 30 slices of thin bacon

Bamboo skewers, soaked for twenty minutes in water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F

Wrap each potato with 1 or 2 slices of bacon.

Slide bacon wrapped potatoes on bamboo skewers leaving one inch between each potato.

Bake for 40 minutes on a roasting pan or grill pan.

For a dipping sauce:

Combine 1 cup sour cream, 2 minced or finely grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of chives and ¼ teaspoon of bacon drippings.

Place skewered potatoes and dipping sauce on a platter and serve.

Have you tried bacon wrapped water chestnuts? These take a little pre-planning since the water chestnuts have to soak for several hours.

You will need two 8 ounce cans of water chestnuts, whole, drained. 1 pound bacon, slice each piece in half, toothpicks and 8 ounces of light soy sauce.

Soak water chestnuts for six to eight hours in soy sauce.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Line a baking dish with foil for easy cleanup

Using half a slice of bacon wrap the water chestnut and secure with a toothpick.

Place in baking dish and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

The next is wrapped asparagus, except we are not going to use bacon you will need: 1/3 pound of prosciutto, 14 spears of asparagus and olive oil.

Wrap each spear in one slice of prosciutto, brush with olive oil and place on a grill. Cook until the prosciutto turns golden brown. The asparagus should be tender but crunchy. Remove to platter and sprinkle with black pepper.

For My Sister... Green Beans and Bacon

Green beans and bacon is a common match in cooking. Growing up, this was the only way we ate green beans. I have never had the green bean casserole with the French fried onions. The holiday commercials make it look good. Especially the one with tree, grabbing the serving spoon...

 After posting Paddy’s Green Bean Supreme recipe, my sister sent me a note stating those would never cross her table. Why? There is no bacon in the recipe. I hate to say she is snob about it, but this is the only way she has eaten them for four decades.

So for all of the non-adventure or risk taking green beans and bacon eaters, I hope you might like this recipe. Angela, this has one whole pound of bacon in it just for you.

1 pound bacon, cut up

1 cup white sugar

½ cup white vinegar

5  14.5 ounce canned cut green beans, drained

2 large onions chopped

Directions:

In a large pot, cook the bacon and onions, until bacon is almost crispy. Drain on paper towels




Fall leaves in North Carolina, at their peak

Add sugar, vinegar, and green beans to the pot along with the bacon and onions. Mix well

Cook until bubbling. Turn off heat and let sit on burner until ready to eat.   

*I like to add ½ tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the pot.This will give a little flavor without making them spicy*

The Get Together...

The potluck, tailgate, block party, or family large family gathering all require one thing, food.

Have you ever noticed that the same people always put out the same effort?

 You have the busy parent flying in from work, wrangling six kids and still manages to produce something fantastic. The (I fall into this) I have too much time on my hands, so let us make everything from scratch person. The person who either because they didn’t get the memo or didn’t care, sliding in with nothing in their hands. The person who on their way home from work, found out they are suppose to be bringing SOMETHING, stop by the store for either a baked treat or bread.

I have decided to use three recipes that would be great for a large get together. Some recipes are very simple and take just a few minutes to the more involved, Block Party Beans, Cornbread Salad, and a Bean and Corn Succotash.

Block Party Beans:

My Father-in-law passed this recipe to me. It came from Cook’s Country magazine and was written by Diane Unger. The best way to describe this dish is Boston Baked Beans meets Sloppy Joes.

Ingredients:

2 ½ pounds of lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped fine

4 mince garlic cloves

4 15 ounce cans of beans drained and rinsed (suggest one can of each: Kidney, Black, Pinto and Cannellini Beans)

2 28 ounce cans tomato sauce

½ cup barbecue sauce

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup of cider vinegar

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

12 ounces fresh green beans cut into ½ inch pieces

1 10 ounce package of frozen lima beans

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

In Dutch oven brown the ground beef, drain in a colander, return to pot.

Stir in onion, cook until softened

Add garlic, stir in canned beans, tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, sugar, vinegar, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon of sale and1/2 teaspoon of pepper bring to a boil.

Transfer pot to oven, bake covered for 30 minutes.

Stir in green beans lima beans, continue to cook covered for an additional 30 minutes.

Season with additional salt and pepper before serving, if needed.  

Cornbread Salad:

This is dish is so yummy, why? Three reasons: corn bread, ranch dressing and bacon, need I say more? I have to refer you to Southern Plate, for the original recipe of this dish. I have tried several cornbread salad recipes, and Christy’s is the best.

 The recipe, below is the extra additions suggested by Christy, I have also cut the amount of bacon. I know you can never have too much bacon, so do not even start that argument. I found it a bit salty and with adding the bacon grease, you can cut the amount of bacon in half. If you add two hard-boiled eggs, you almost have a complete and perfect meal. If you like this dish, please make sure you drop Christy a note on her page, she would greatly appreciate it!

Ingredients:

1 pan cornbread

Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix packet

1 Tablespoon bacon grease

1 cup diced onions

1 bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup diced tomatoes

15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

2-3 cups mayonnaise (I used two)

Directions:

 Crumble cornbread and place in large bowl.

 Mix in onions, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, corn, and bacon.

In a separate bowl, blend mayo and ranch mix and bacon grease.  

Add mayonnaise mixture to salad and stir until fully mixed.

 Cover and refrigerate at least two hours before serving, the longer this sits the better it gets.

Bean and Corn Succotash:

The original recipe came from the Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook. I have tinkered a bit with it and changed it to our liking. My daughter begs for this dish a few times a year. Do not get put off about the hominy. Yes, grits come from hominy. The first time I was a bit put off, because I had never had hominy… grits, yes. You need the hominy, I would suggest actually using half can of yellow and half can of white. If you need to make this vegetarian, omit the bacon grease and use vegetable oil instead of butter.

Ingredients:

¼ cup unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons of bacon grease

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small green pepper, diced

½ cup frozen green peas

1 15 ounce can of each, rinsed: hominy, corn, lima beans, black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas (garbanzo)

Salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

Directions:

Defrost green peas at room temperature

In large pan (suggest a soup pot) melt butter and bacon grease.

Add onion cook until translucent, about five minutes.

Add hominy and green peas allowing to cook for another a five minutes.

Add the drained and rinsed canned beans, season with salt and black pepper, cover and cook over low heat until warm, about eight to ten minutes.

Add crushed red pepper to taste, (can be omitted)