Macaroni Salad

Each year when the weather starts getting warm, I start thinking about salads. You will love this one and it makes a wonderful addition to any meal, picnic, or potluck.


2 cups uncooked macaroni
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup radishes, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 cup mayo
1 cup cooked ham, chopped

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add the mayo, along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and chill. Makes about 2 quarts of salad. Keeps several days in the refrigerator.

Crock Pot Barbecued Chicken

This crock pot barbecued chicken will make your mouth water! The sauce is wonderful and gives the chicken a great spicy flavor. You can make this using any parts of the chicken or the entire bird. Just double or triple the recipe for the sauce.


2 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2/3 cup tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoons celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Place chicken in slow cooker and cover with sauce. Cook on low for 7 – 8 hours or high 4 – 5 hours. Enjoy!

Note: This sauce could be used on pork as well as chicken. It gives both meats a great flavor.

Seasoned Fries

Seasoned Oven-Baked Fries


3 Idaho potatoes
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch sticks and place in a bowl. Add oil, seasoning salt, salt & pepper to the potatoes and toss to coat.

Spread potatoes on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet.Bake for 10 minutes, stir fries, and bake for 10 more minutes. Broil for 2 additional minutes to get a crunchy fry. Serve with steak sandwiches and enjoy!

Banana Pie with Shortbread Cookie Crust

Banana Pie with Shortbread Cookie Crust
If the banana slices are layered between divided filling, it helps to keep them from early browning and it doesn't tend to affect the texture of the crust either, like placing slices directly on the crust does. The combination of the shortbread crust with the buttery cream cheese filling and bananas was just amazing. Take that over the top with a whipped cream topping... ... a sprinkle of chopped pecans and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

To finish, I had set aside some of the shortbread crumbs and sprinkled those on top just before serving. This turned out to be an excellent dessert I am sure you will love.

Banana Pie with Shortbread Cookie Crust
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Homemade Crust:
2 (4.2 ounce) boxes of shortbread cookies
finely crushed, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish
1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep dish glass pie pan.
Combine the crushed shortbread cookies with the sugar and melted butter until well mixed. Pour and press evenly into the pie plate and up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and set aside until fully cooled, about 1 hour.
Filling:
1/2 block (4 ounces) of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1-1/2 cups of sifted powdered sugar (sift then
measure), set aside 3 tablespoons
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
3 to 4 bananas
Juice of one lemon
Topping:
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
The 3-tablespoons of reserved shifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup of chopped pecans, to garnish
Melted chocolate or Hershey's syrup, to drizzle
Set aside 3 tablespoons of the sifted powdered sugar. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix on medium low, adding the powdered sugar (except for the reserved tablespoons) and cream, beginning and ending with the powdered sugar, until mixed in well. Stir in the vanilla; set aside.
Cut the bananas into thin slices, about 1/4 inch, and toss very lightly in a small bowl with the lemon juice.
Place half of the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of the fully cooled pie crust and carefully spread it out all over the bottom of the crust. An offset spatula works especially well for this. Using a slotted spoon to drain, transfer the bananas and add them to the top of the cream cheese mixture. Place the rest of the cream cheese filling on top of the bananas and carefully spread it out into an even layer.
Beat the whipped cream in a mixer until it begins to foam up. Gradually add the reserved powdered sugar and beat until fully whipped and soft peaks are formed.
Spread the whipped cream topping evenly over the top of the second cream cheese layer. Sprinkle the top with chopped pecans and then drizzle with the chocolate syrup. Just before serving, garnish the top with the reserved shortbread crumbs.
Note: I used Walker's shortbread cookies. Can substitute another shortbread cookie brand, homemade shortbread crust, a store-bought Keebler Ready Crust Shortbread Crust or other prepared pie crust.
Tip: Slice number one out of a pie is always a challenge to extract in one neat piece. Sometimes it helps if after slicing into the first piece, to go ahead and slice out a second piece before trying to remove the first piece.

Chess Pie Cake

Crust:
1 box butter cake mix
1 egg
1 stick margarine

Filling:
3 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese
16 ounces confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix and press in bottom of 9x13 pan the cake mix, egg and margarine.   Set aside.   Mix 3 eggs, cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla until well blended.   Pour over crust in pan.   Bake 50 minutes to an hour until top layer is set.   Cut into small squares.

Kara Kimbrough - The Clarion Ledge - May 18, 2011

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter,
softened at room temperature
1 heaping cup of creamy peanut butter
1-1/4 cup of granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup of all purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1 (11.5-ounce package) milk chocolate morsels
3/4 cup of chopped peanuts, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper leaving an overhang for handles. If using parchment paper, you can spray the pan with a bit of non-stick spray to make the paper stay in place.
Cream together the butter and peanut butter. Blend in the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract, then add the flour and salt; mix. Fold in the package of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining chopped peanuts evenly on top.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes or just until edges are lightly browned; don't overcook. Let stand for about 10 minutes to set completely. Using the edges of the parchment paper as handles, carefully transfer the bars to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, transfer to a solid surface and cut into squares.

Slow Cooker Zesty Chicken

This simple whole chicken recipe will make your mouth water!


1 whole chicken (can remove skin, optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth or 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced garlic

Wash chicken and empty cavity. Remove skin if desired. Pat chicken dry and place breast down in slow cooker. In a bowl wisk together all the ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Spoon sauce over cooked chicken before serving.

This is wonderful served with brown rice and steamed carrots for a healthy meal. Enjoy!

Mom's Peach Cobbler

1 Stick Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Self-rising Flour
3/4 Cup Milk
1 can Sliced Peaches

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  
Mix sugar and flour together.  Melt the butter into 8 x 8 pan.   Add the sliced peaches.
Bake 40 minutes or until top is golden brown.