Salmon Teriyaki...

I took this recipe from my Celebrate Virginia Cookbook.
The Teriyaki sauce is made from scratch instead of opening a jar.
I prefer to use low sodium soy sauce. I think using low sodium the sauce it a bit sweeter, it is personal choice item.
If you are in a time crunch, make the sauce a day ahead of time, and then re-warm it before use.


Ingredients:
1. 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2. 1/4 cup soy sauce
3. 1/4 cup water
4. 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5. 4 salmon steaks
6. lemon slices

Directions:
In a medium to large skillet (big enough to hold the salmon snugly) mix the first four ingredients together.
Boil mixture, until the sugar is melted, stir occasionally.
Add salmon steaks, cover and reduce heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side
Remove salmon to a platter and keep warm
Boil sauce for about 4 minutes or until sauce has thickended.
Drizzle sauce over the steaks and garnish with the lemon slices

Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Sauce

 

 1/3 cup Kentucky Bourbon
 1/3 cup light soy sauce
 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
 3 large cloves garlic, minced
 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, or 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
 1/3 cup vegetable oil
 dash hot sauce
 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds

In blender or food processor, combine bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, mustard, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and oil; pulse until smooth. Place tenderloin and marinade in a food storage bag; refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. Cook 4 inches from a hot charcoal fire for 15 to 25 minutes or until the pork has reached 165° internally and is no longer pink in the center. Baste occasionally while cooking. Slice in 1/2-inch thick slices to serve.

If you prefer not to grill, cook terderlion in a low casserole dish on the top rack of the oven for 30 minutes on 400F. Turning once, baste twice.

Acorn Squash and Apples...

Acorn squash and apples is one of the best combinations of winter foods, sweet and tart. This recipe will make two main course meal servings. The recipe came from the Mayo Clinic; they suggest pairing this with whole-grain crackers and a small wedge of cheese for a complete “whole food” meal.

My husband has to have a meat on his plate, so I will make this and split between the four of us as a side dish. Before serving, I take each half of the cooked squash and half it. I usually serve it with the cinnamon chicken recipe found here on the blog.

Ingredients

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 small acorn squash, about 6 inches in diameter
2 teaspoons trans-free margarine

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together the apple and brown sugar. Set aside.

Pierce the squash several times with a sharp knife to let the steam escape during cooking. Microwave on high until tender, about 5 minutes. Turn the squash after 3 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Place the squash on a cutting board and cut in half. Scrape the seeds out of the center of each half and discard the seeds. Fill the hollowed squash with the apple mixture.

Return the squash to the microwave and cook until the apples are softened, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the squash to a serving dish. Top each half with 1 teaspoon margarine and serve immediately.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Calories	270	Sodium	140 mg
Total fat	6 g	Total carbohydrate	52 g
Saturated fat	trace	Dietary fiber	5 g
Monounsaturated fat	2 g	Protein	2 g
Cholesterol	0 mg

Fried Apples…

I love fried apples, but do not make them every often. This way it keeps a special food, like at the holidays. I was unable to locate my grandmother’s exact recipe, and with the help of my aunt, I winged it. This comes close to what I remember.

 With fried apples, you can eat them alone, a side dish or even use them to top crêpes, blintz, oatmeal or pancakes.

Yes, you can make these in a Crock-Pot or slow cooker! See below...

If you wanted to make these like a true Southern cook,  replace the butter for bacon grease. I think this is actually how Grandma made hers. I would suggest if you use the bacon grease omit the salt.

Ingredients:

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 dash of nutmeg

Directions:

In a large skillet, melt butter. Arrange apples evenly over skillet bottom. Add brown sugar, then salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until apples are tender. You do not want mushy apples, tender but not mushy. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Crock pot method:

Arrange apples in bottom of cooker, add sugar and spices. Place a pat of butter one top of each apple slice. Cook on low for 3 hours sitr gently, cook another 2 - 3 hours until soft but still tender.

Chipotle-Cinnamon Chicken

My brother-in-law and his family came over for dinner last night. It was the first time since Easter we have shared a meal. With my husband working out of town during the week and my sister-in-law working strange, shift hours we do not get much time with each other. 

When I did the marketing the day before, I bought a seven and half pound whole frying chicken. It was actually bigger and cheaper than buying a roasting chicken.

What is the difference between a roaster and fryer? Not much, a fryer is younger and weights less. Most frying chickens are 7 to 13 weeks old. A roasting chicken is 3 to 5 months old, and given the time to pack on more weight. In chicken terms, I would be a roaster. *smile*

Last night, I roasted my frying chicken. I used a combination of several recipes to make chipotle-cinnamon chicken rub. It turned out to be one the best-roasted chickens I have cooked in a long time.

 I use a stand up roaster and cooked the bird for twenty minutes a pound at 400°F. Make sure you use a meat thermometer and the temperature of the breast meat is at least 160°F. I rubbed garlic, olive oil on the chicken before coating it with seasonings. The chicken turned out a little sweet with a little bite of spice as an after taste.

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, or half a Knoor brand mini chipotle cube
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic powder

Grandma Webb’s, Bourbon Sweet Potatoes & More!

This recipe has been in my family for a while; my husband calls it a true southern dish. Keep in mind; this is the same man who deemed me a Yankee, because my family comes from Kentucky.

This recipe was my grandmother's. My second cousin, is six years old. Kate about had a fit when she saw her grandmother putting alcohol in this recipe. With the wisdom of a six-year-old, Kate questioned her grandmother, "does my mom know you're serving me alcohol?" Her grandmother laughed and said, "Well I sure hope so, she's been eating this all of her life!"

Grandma Webb’s Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 pounds sweet potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed

                or if you absolutely must 3, 1 pound cans of canned sweet potatoes (Not yams!)

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup a good Kentucky bourbon (If it is not good enough to drink, then it is not good enough to cook with)

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, preferably not imitation

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

Heat sweet potatoes until hot, mash if not already done so

Add ingredients, except marshmallows, blend well

Place mixture in a 2-quart baking dish, sprinkle top with marshmallows

Bake uncovered for 30 min. marshmallows should be golden brown

Paddy’s sweet potato soufflé:

I inherited this recipe when I married my husband. I have not tinkered with this recipe.*Please don't die of shock*I have threatened a few times though, to place this in a piecrust and serve it as desert. Again, make sure if you use canned sweet potatoes there actually sweet potatoes and not yams.

My father recently sent me a similar recipe that is my stepmothers. There are a couple ingredients differences between the two, but they are basically the same recipe.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, or if need be one 1 pound canned sweet potatoes

1/2 cup sugar, white

two large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Combine first five ingredients, until blended

Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish, sprinkle with topping

Topping:

In separate bowl combine brown sugar and flour

Cut in butter

 add pecans

Sprinkle over the top of the sweet potato mixture

Cook for 30 min. uncovered

Sweet Potato, Potato Salad:

My aunt sent me this recipe the other day, and I cannot wait to make. I would say it is a new twist on the traditional potato salad.

Ingredients:

two baking potatoes

one sweet potato

four eggs

two stalks of celery, chopped

one onion, chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large pot of salted boiling water add potatoes (baking and sweet) and cook until tender but still firm. This will take approximately 30 min.

Drain, cool, peel and chop

Place eggs in saucepan and cover with cold water bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 min.

Remove from hot water; cool, peel and chop

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, celery, and onion

In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Add to potato mixture toss well to coat.

Place in refrigerator for two hours and serve cold

Ginger Peach Sweet Potato Bake:

2 pounds of canned sweet potatoes, not yams

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup broken unsalted cashews,(you can substitute with either pecans or walnuts)

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 9 ounce can of sliced peaches

3 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

Place with potatoes and a buttered 10 x 6 x 2" dish

Open and drain peaches

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, cashews, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoons salt

Layer potatoes peaches and nut mixture

Cut butter into chunks and sprinkle on top of mixture

Cover dish and bake for 30 min.

Uncover bake for 10 more minutes

Spoon syrup from pan over sweet potatoes before serving

Bathing in the pantry…

Have you ever considered instead of going out and buying expensive bathing and bath products getting them from your pantry?

One of my hobbies is to make soap and bath items. When making soap and bath items for personal use, most of your ingredients in are your kitchen pantry. Items such as, honey, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, grape seed oil, olive oil, fresh lemons, oatmeal, cornstarch, sugar, salt, coco powder, seeds, cinnamon, baking soda, citric acid (sour salt) and yes even coffee just to name a few. Wow, overwhelming isn’t?

Don’t drink your coffee, wash with it…



If you love the smell of coffee, but can't stand to drink it you will love this.



I am going to show you how to make a sugar scrub, which is perfect for winter dry skin. We are going to need raw sugar, coco powder, coffee grounds, and grape seed oil.Each one of these items are actually great for your skin.

Grape seed oil is the closest oil that matches our natural body oils. This means it will absorb quickly into the skin. Coco powder will actually draw moisture to your skin. Coffee grounds help your skin get rid of radicals. Both coffee grounds and raw sugar is great for exfoliating your skin and leaving it extremely soft.  

Here are your ingredients:

½ cup raw sugar (you can use refined sugar but it doesn’t exfoliate as well)

1 Tablespoon of coco powder

2 Tablespoons of coffee grounds

¼ cup of grape seed oil

   SAFETY WARNING!! This can make your tile or tub slippery, use with caution.  



Dry ingredients



You want to mix all dry ingredients well in a shower proof container. I prefer to recycle the plastic lunchmeat containers.

Mix well




Slowly add oil

 Next, slowly add in your oil, you do not want soup, think paste.




Make sure you mix completely

 













 The sugar mixture should feel dry but look wet.Once all ingredients are blended, cover with a lid until you are ready to use.

When ready, scoop some mixture into your hand and rub on your skin. Even though you can eat this, I would not use this on the face it will be too rough. If you want your scrub to lather, feel free to add your own liquid body wash.

**Useage Tip** If you love to working in the garden, and hate wearing gloves. Mix some liquid soap with the scrub, this will remove dirt and works well if you have a "grease monkey."

SAFETY WARNING!! This can make your tile or tub slippery, use with caution.  

Oatmeal Packets - Waste or Savings?

  A few years back, our family income was cut in half. This was a problem, because my children entered the “I am so hungry” phase of life.  My youngest was the worst; I could not keep that child from feeling hungry.

 I decided the best way to approach the constant eating was to educate them on which foods keep you feeling full and which foods were fluff. We picked their favorites and increased our diet with, white potatoes, eggs, hot oatmeal, beans, apples, popcorn, and soup. These foods are high in protein or fiber, and keeps your mouth moving fooling your brain, you are eating a lot of food.

I grew up eating Quaker oatmeal single serving packets as did my kids. When we started consuming two boxes of oatmeal week, something had to change.

 A 15.1-ounce box of Quaker oatmeal (10) packets at Wal-Mart today costs $2.88 or $.19 per ounce. A 42-ounce container of unflavored Quaker oatmeal is $3.84 or $.09 per ounce. Per ounce, you will pay $.10 more for the packets. If you purchase the Great Value Brand by Wal-Mart a 42-ounce container is 2.24 or $.05 per ounce. Buying the generic oatmeal will save you $.14 per ounce over the brand name packet.  

I have actually taste tested this generic oatmeal with Quaker and there is no difference. I bought the generic and poured it into the empty Quaker container. I know, bad mommy pulling a fast one over on the kids. There was no complaint from them because there was no difference. I was able to keep this ruse up for half the school year!

Yes, I know I am comparing doctored up oatmeal to plain, bland oatmeal. Do you have brown sugar and cinnamon sitting in your pantry? When was the last time you used them? Making it from scratch is still going to cost less than a packet, especially if you use generic oatmeal.

 We like our oatmeal thick so we use a 1 to 1 ration (½ cup oatmeal to ½ cup of water), instead of a 2 to 1 (1 cup water to ½ cup oatmeal.) The kids also like it sweet.

1 cup of oatmeal

1cup of boiling water

1 heaping serving tablespoon of brown sugar

¼ measuring teaspoon of cinnamon      

You can still add other items such as butter, or fruit. The best part about making it from scratch is if you are diabetic, you can use sugar substitute. I would suggest Splenda’s brown sugar.

I bought the packets a couple of months ago and my kids told me not to buy them anymore. They prefer to make from scratch and it takes the same amount of time.   

If you enjoy this page, sign up to become a follower!  And as always, please pass this page on to your friends!