Thursday, June 16, 2011

Strawberries and Cream Trifle

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 - 1/2 cup water
Whisk the above together .

1 lg. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
Add this to above and whisk for 2 minutes and let it stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.
1 container cool whip - add to the above.

Cut 1 angel food cake into 1/2 inch squares and wash, cut and slice 1 container fresh strawberries.  

Spoon 1/3 of the pudding mixture into bottom of trifle.   Add layer of cake and then a layer of strawberries.
Spoon another 1/3 of pudding mix, layer of cake and strawberries.   Top with layer of pudding mix and can add whole or halved strawberries on top for decoration.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Layered Squash & Tomato Casserola

4 slices of bacon
3-4 small to medium summer squash, sliced
about 1/4" thick*
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Garlic salt
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups of shredded cheddar
Panko bread crumbs
Olive oil, to drizzle
Chiffonade of fresh basil, for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the bacon till crisp and set aside. Once cooled, chop it.

You'll be doing two layers, so be sure to divide the bacon, veggies and cheese for each layer. Butter a 9 x 9 inch baking pan, spread a layer of half of the sliced squash across the bottom of the pan and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Scatter half of the chopped onion on top of the squash and half of the chopped tomatoes on top of the onion. Salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle half of the bacon on top and add half of the shredded cheese. Repeat with another layer of squash, a light sprinkle of garlic salt, onion, tomatoes, salt and pepper, bacon, and all of the remaining cheese. Sprinkle top generously with a layer of panko bread crumbs and drizzle all over with olive oil.

Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until tender. Sprinkle top with basil if desired, and use a slotted spoon to serve.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Oreo Truffles

1 (1 pound 2 ounce) bag Oreo cookies, crushed
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (24 oz.) package white almond bark (Vanilla)
Red and Blue sprinkles

Combine crushed cookies and cream cheese.  Roll into balls, and refrigerate until hard.   Melt white almond bark in a glass bowl inthe microwave at 2 minute intervals on defrost until melted (about 4 minutes).   Dip each oreo ball into melted bark with a toothpick and allow to harden on waxed paper.   Sprinkle with red and blue sprinkles.   Yield:  36-40 servings.

Citrus Cooler

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups lemon juice
2 cups orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
2 liters ginger ale

Dissolve sugar in water.   Stir in lemon juice, orange juice and pineapple juice.   Freeze for 3 hours, stirring every hour to keep slushy.   Remove from freezer, add ginger ale and serve over crushed ice.   Garnish with fresh fruits and mint.

Lemon Pork Chops

4 bone-in pork chops
1/2 t. salt & 1/4 t. pepper
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4" slices
1 medium lemon, cut into 1/4" slices
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup

Place the pork chops in a 3-qt. slow cooker.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Top with onion and lemon.   Sprinkle with brown sugar; drizzle with ketchup.   Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until meat is tender.  Yield:  4 servings.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Divine Garlic Cheese Biscuits

These little biscuits just melt in your mouth and go with just about any meal. Slathered with melted butter along with the garlic and cheese, they can’t be beat.


2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (could use regular milk)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Place flour in large bowl. Cut in shortening until crumbs are the size of peas. Add garlic and sugar. Stir in cheese and milk. You can do these as drop biscuits using a tablespoon of batter and dropping onto sprayed baking sheet or you can shape them with your hands and make a larger biscuit. I did some of both with this batch just to show you. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Brush tops with the melted butter.

Sweet Tea - The House Wine of the South

June is National Iced Tea Month.   Southerners love iced tea and drink it by the gallon every month! We even like it in a Mason jar. It was Dolly Parton in the movie, Steel Magnolias, that called Southern sweet tea, "the house wine of the South". There was never a truer statement. Talk about the South and sooner or later sweet tea comes to mind. Southerners love this sweet liquid and Southern girls are taught to make it by their Southern mamas. In the South, sweet tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it before you can walk. Sweet tea makes Southerners think of home, tradition, picnics and hot afternoons "sippin" sweet tea while "swayin" in the swing on the front porch. Southern girls know you can't be considered a serious Southern belle unless you know how to make sweet tea.


There are lots of ways to make sweet tea but it has to have sugar. In many cases, the more sugar the better and I prefer to use Luzianne tea.

4 family sized tea bags
1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar
3 quarts water
Bring the water to a boil. Remove from stove and add sugar so it will dissolve in the hot water. Add tea bags and let steep about 30 minutes. Pour in enough water and ice to make a gallon of tea.
(I like a couple sprigs of mint in my iced tea, too)
Some people add a pinch of baking soda. This is supposed to keep the tea from becoming cloudy. Enjoy!

I think John Egerton said it best when he said: “Iced tea is too pure and natural a creation not to have been invented as soon as tea, ice, and hot weather crossed paths”.

Celebrate National Iced Tea Month with some "sweet" Southern tea!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Watermelon Coolers

YIELD: Makes about 8 cups (serving size: 1 cup)                               
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
FREEZE: 8 HOURS
STAND: 15 MINUTES
COURSE:Beverages, Beverages, Nonalcoholic

Ingredients
8 cups (1/2-inch) watermelon cubes
1 1/2 cups ginger ale
1/3 cup water
1 (6-oz.) can frozen limeade concentrate

Preparation
1. Place watermelon cubes in a single layer in an extra-large zip-top plastic freezer bag, and freeze 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
2. Process half each of watermelon, ginger ale, water, and limeade concentrate in a blender until smooth; pour mixture into a pitcher. Repeat procedure with remaining half of ingredients; stir into pitcher, and serve immediately.
Honeydew Cooler: Substitute 8 cups (1/2-inch) honeydew melon cubes for watermelon cubes and 1 (6-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate for limeade concentrate; proceed as directed.

Per (1-cup) serving: Calories 118; Fat 0.3g (sat 0.1g, mono 0g, poly 0.1g); Protein 1g; Carb 30g; Fiber 1.4g; Chol 0mg; Iron 0.4mg; Sodium 36mg; Calc 15mg.

Cantaloupe Cooler: Substitute 8 cups (1/2-inch) cantaloupe cubes for watermelon, and add 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger to mixture in blender. Proceed as directed.

Per (1-cup) serving: Calories 117; Fat 0.3g (sat 0.1g, mono 0g, poly 0.1g); Protein 1.4g; Carb 29g; Fiber 0.1g; Chol 0mg; Iron 0.5mg; Sodium 32mg; Calc 19mg.

Southern Living
JUNE 200

Sourdough Bread

Sourdough Bread
1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup corn oil (can use vegetable or canola)
6 cups all-purpose flour

Mix sugar, oil, salt, water and starter in a large bowl. Add flour. Turn out onto floured surface and knead several times until forms a ball adding flour if needed. Place the dough into a large, oiled bowl, turn once so that dough will be greased, cover with clean dish towel and let rise overnight.

The next day, punch the dough down, turn out onto floured surface, knead for several minutes, divide in half, place in 2 greased bread pans. Cover and let double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Turn out to cool.

Sourdough Starter
3 tablespoons instant mashed potato flakes
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or one package

Combine all ingredients in a glass container, stir with wooden spoon. Cover with clean dish cloth or cheese cloth and let sit for 5 days, stirring daily with wooden spoon. Do not refrigerate.

On the morning of the 5th day, feed the starter 3 tablespoons instant potatoes, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 cup warm water. Stir and cover and let stand until evening or at least 6 hours.

Remove one cup of starter and place the bowl in the refrigerator covered with saran wrap leaving a small opening on each side of the wrap. The starter needs to be able to breathe.

Every 5 days repeat feeding instructions and remove 1 cup and discard or make bread.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Cube Steak and Gravy

We love cube steak and gravy. It is a quick and easy recipe. Just add bread, side dish and salad and you got a meal.

1 1/2 to 2 pounds cube steak
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup oil
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
1 onion, cut into rings
1 package dry onion soup mix

Mix flour, pepper, salt, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Coat cube steak with flour mixture. In a skillet heat oil and cook steak about five minutes on each side until brown and done on inside. Remove steak from pan. Add beef broth, onion, and dry onion soup mix to pan and cook until onions are done. Can thicken gravy with a little of the leftover flour if you want it thicker. Serve gravy as a side or pour over steak. Serves 4. Enjoy!