Printfriendly

Vidalia Onion Casserole!


I love Vidalia onions and I use them as much as I can when they are available.  If you are not familiar with the Vidalia onion, they are a sweet onion that you can easily eat raw without the usual pungent effects of a regular yellow or red onion.   They are called Vidalia because of where they are grown which is Vidalia, Georgia.   They are unusually sweet, because of the low amount of sulfur in the soil there.  The Vidalia onion is the Georgia state vegetable.

If you cannot get Vidalia onions in your area, use any other sweet onion you do have access to.  The Walla Walla, Texas Sweet Onion or the Bermuda Onion would work.   This casserole is a great side dish for a good grilled steak, pork chops or even ribs. 

Here is what you will need:

2 large Vidalia onions, sliced thin and separated into rings (if they are smaller, use three)
1/2 cup butter, divided (1 stick)
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar Monterrey Jack blend cheese (can use all Cheddar)
1 sleeve butter flavored crackers, crushed (like Ritz or Town House)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt 4 Tbs. of the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion rings.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt and black pepper.  Toss in the butter and saute just until they start to soften.  I don't like to overcook them so they have a little texture after this bakes.


Add the sour cream and toss to blend.  Turn the heat off at this stage.  You don't want your sour cream to break.

Spray an 8"x8" baking dish or a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Layer half of the onion mixture in the bottom.


Sprinkle with 1/2 of the grated Parmesan and 1/2 the shredded Cheddar Monterrey jack blend
.

Melt the other 4 Tablespoons of butter and toss the crushed Ritz crackers in it.  Sprinkle half of the buttered crumbs over the cheese. 


Repeat the same layers all again, ending in the buttered cracker crumbs.  Place in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes!


It should be slightly browned and bubbly when you take it out!


Serve immediately!  This is a great side dish, but I can eat it by itself leftover the next day.  It reheats well! 



Ruth Ann's Banana Cream Cheese Muffins!



The recipe for these "Banana Cream Cheese Muffins" came by way of my parent's neighbor, Juanita.  She got the recipe from a friend of hers, Ruth Ann.  Not only did Juanita provide us the recipe, she baked a batch of the muffins and brought them over with it!   I love when that happens!   I especially love it when the muffins are this delicious! 

The beauty of this recipe is that it is so flexible.  You can substitute zucchini for bananas and make them zucchini muffins and you can also make this into banana or zucchini bread.  


Here is what you will need for these yummy muffins:

2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
3 very ripe bananas, mashed  ( to make zucchini muffins substitute 2 cups unpeeled, shredded zucchini)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla together for about 3 minutes.   Add in the cream cheese and beat until smooth.

Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix just until combined and dry ingredients are moist.


Add in the nuts and bananas (or zucchini).

Spray a 12 cup muffins pan with nonstick spray or use liners.


This makes 12 large muffins or 18 smaller ones.  Bake the larger ones for about 25 minutes.  The smaller ones will take about 20 minutes.  The baking time will vary according to how full you fill your muffins tins.  Test with a pick inserted in the center.  It will come out clean when they are done.



Kentucky Bourbon Sticky Chicken!


When you think of Bourbon Chicken, you probably think of it as a Chinese carryout or buffet type of chicken, because that is where you usually find it.  The story is that a Chinese chef who cooked in a restaurant on Bourbon Street in New Orleans created the dish.  This "Kentucky Bourbon Sticky Chicken" is not that Bourbon Chicken.  It's a bit different and it is lip smacking.


Since 95% of the world's bourbon is manufactured in Kentucky  it's only right that Kentucky have it's own bourbon chicken recipe, so here it is!  I used skinless boneless chicken breasts for this, but if you like the dark meat, you can use thighs or even chicken legs and wings would be fabulous!


  Here is what you will need:

5-6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
juice one lime (could substitute a lemon)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup good Kentucky bourbon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
3 green onions, sliced thin
2 Tbs. bacon drippings (can substitute oil)


Cut your lime in half and juice it.


Add all of the other ingredients except the bacon drippings to make your marinade!  I like this juicer, because I can just mix everything up right in the same dish!   Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved 


Place the chicken a gallon size Ziplock bag and pour the marinade over all in the bag.  Zip it up and turn it until all of the pieces are coated.  I usually put the bag on a platter or on a cookie sheet, in case it leaks.  Place this in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours to get good and soaked with the flavors.  If you can think far enough ahead, you can even do this the night before and let it hang all night.  I don't usually think that far ahead unless I am cooking for company. 


 In a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, but if you don't have one any you have is fine, heat the bacon drippings or oil.  This recipe requires a good constant conduction of heat and the cast iron is good for that.  Take the chicken out of the marinade and just brown it on each side.  Reserve the marinade.   The bacon drippings give this such great flavor, but if you don't keep bacon drippings, use vegetable or canola oil.  Get some good color on both sides of the chicken.



Pour the marinade you reserved over the chicken and bring it to a boil.  Let this boil for about a minute or two and then turn down to medium.  Leave this uncovered and cook for about 40-45 minutes, turning the chicken every 10 minutes.  The sauce will gradually start to reduce so you need to watch it, because as it thickens it will stick and can burn.   Spoon the sauce over the pieces as it reduces also.



At the end of 40-45 minutes the chicken will be nice and actually bourbon colored and that marinade will have reduced to the most wonderful sticky coating.   For anyone worried about the alcohol, it's long gone by this point, but bourbon leaves a wonderful flavor and is a natural tenderizer. 



It's a beautiful thing!


I like this served with rice and a green vegetable or salad, but potatoes work also!  This was a huge hit at our house! 









Quiche Lorraine!



This creamy quiche makes the menu even more suitable for an Easter Brunch.  If you are using the menu for a bridal shower or baby shower, you could bake the quiche mixture in the mini muffin tin and make the bite size quiches. 

This is a lighter quiche than some I have made and bakes up very nice. 

Ingredients:

4-5 slices of bacon cooked up crisp and drained
4 eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 Tbs. finely diced onion
2 cups cheddar or Swiss cheese (either works fine)
1 cup half and half cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 8 inch pie shell

Crumble the bacon and place in the bottom of the pie shell that has not been baked.  Beat eggs with wire whisk.  Add in half and half, onion, green pepper, salt, and pepper and whisk together.

Place cheese in pie shell on top of bacon and pour egg mixture over this.

Before you pour the egg mixture in the pie shell,  place it on a cookie sheet.  Place the quiche on the cookie sheet in a 300 degree preheated oven. 

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until the center is firm and not jiggly.


Chinese Chicken Salad!

  
This "Chinese Chicken Salad" is delicious salad using the Ramen noodles, but with several differences to the others I have posted before.   This one has bacon and chopped chicken in it, so it's almost a meal, but you could serve it as a side also.

 I could add egg rolls or spring rolls to this and serve it for  a light supper or lunch.   This is great for potlucks or company also, because it's a big salad.   This is a great way to use leftover chicken also!

Here is what you will need:

1 large bag mixed baby salad greens
1 bunch green onions, sliced including the green blades
1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 (20 oz.) can of pineapple tidbits, drained well, reserve 1/4 cup of the juice
1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
1 cup crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
2 pkgs. chicken flavored Ramen noodles, crushed reserve seasoning packets
2 Tbs. butter
Dressing
1/2 cup oil (whatever you prefer, vegetable, canola or extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine or cider vinegar
1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice
2 tsp. soy sauce
juice of one lime
2 Ramen seasoning packets

In a large salad bowl, mix the salad greens, green onion and bell pepper.  Add the pineapple that has been drained well and reserve 1/4 cup of the juice for the dressing. Toss together!


Add the diced chicken breast!  If you are doing this ahead of serving, stop at this point and cover and refrigerate!  If not go ahead and add the toasted almonds and bacon crumbles. 


Break up the Ramen noodles.  I just do it in the bags using something like a cup or a meat mallet to crush them up.  You need to leave some texture to them, not too fine. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the noodles.  Cook just until lightly browned.  Reserve the seasoning packets for your dressing.


In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until the sugar and seasoning packets have dissolved and the dressing has emulsified.   Pour over the salad ingredients and toss lightly.  Sprinkle the toasted Ramen noodles on top! 


Serve immediately!










Chili Cheese Cornbread Casserole!


This "Chili Cheese Cornbread Casserole" is one of those recipes I love, because not only does it taste wonderful, it all bakes in one dish.   Add a salad, like the Mexican Salad or some Spanish Rice and dinner is done!   We just love this casserole!  Here is what you will need:

1 lb. ground chuck or beef
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix, plus the water called for
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 (15 oz.) can of chili beans, undrained
2 (8.5 oz.)  pkgs. Jiffy Cornbread mix
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk (can use regular milk)
1 (15 oz.) can cream style corn
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack Cheddar blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large skillet brown the ground chuck or beef with the diced onion until browned.  Drain any excess grease.  Add the taco seasoning, water it calls for, chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne if you are using it.  You know I like a heat to things, but if you don't leave it out. 


Now add the chili beans and bring it up just to slight boil, than turn down to low .



In a mixing bowl stir the cornbread mixes, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, cream style corn, whole kernel corn and green chilies together until smooth. 
 Pour half of the cornbread batter in a 9"x 13" baking dish that has been sprayed well with nonstick spray. 


Now spread the meat mixture over the cornbread layer.  Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese.


Pour the rest of the cornbread mixture over the meat and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 -50 minutes.   The last 10 minutes of cooking pull it out and sprinkle the top with the other cup of the shredded cheddar cheese! 



When it comes out the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.  Allow to sit for about 5 minutes before cutting in squares!



You can serve this just as is...



Or dress it up with toppings of your choice.  I like sour cream, salsa and green onions!  This is so yummy and it's good warmed over the next  day also! 







Apple Pie!



There is nothing more down home and comforting than "Apple Pie".  I guess that is where the saying "It's as American as Apple Pie" comes from!  It's really a fairly easy pie to make, but I do get asked about a recipe for it quite a bit, so I guess it's not something everyone already has.  This is my mother's recipe that she has made for years and it's got just the right blend of seasonings.   Here is what you will need:


Pie pastry for a two crust pie (use refrigerated or make your own)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
6 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced (preferably Gala apples)
4 Tbs. butter
1 egg white
1 Tbs. sugar mixed with a pinch of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl.  Add in the apples and toss together. 

Line a pie plate with one of the crusts.  Add the apple mixture.  Dot the top with the butter cut in thin slices.  

A lot of apple pie recipes call for Granny Smith apples, but we prefer a little sweeter baking apple like the Gala.  It still holds up for baking, but doesn't require as much sweetening.  If you do use Granny Smith's which are more tart, you might need to add a little more sugar.

Roll the other crust out and cut into 1/2 inch strips for making a lattice top crust.  Make sure to crimp the top crust pieces down to the edges of the pie plate so they don't rise up and come loose during baking.

Brush the top crust with egg white.  Sprinkle the top of the pie crust with the 1 Tbs. sugar mixed with the pinch of cinnamon.  Place on a cookie sheet for baking. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 30 more minutes. 

The top crust should be nice and brown. 


Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!


Shrimp & Asparagus Casserole!



This "Shrimp & Asparagus Casserole" combines two of my favorites.  I love anything with shrimp in it and I also love fresh asparagus.  It's so good this time of year!  This also comes together really quick and easy!  

 Here is what you will need:

2 cups cooked rice
1 lb. fresh asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces and blanched
8 oz. uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Cajun Seasoning (like Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning)
1 (10  3/4 oz.) can mushroom soup
1 Tbs. pimento, chopped
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup half and half (can use milk)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread rice in the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.  Place the blanched asparagus on top.   To blanch the asparagus, bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a skillet.  Drop the asparagus in and just cook about 4-5 minutes, because it will be baked in the casserole also.

In a skillet heat the butter and olive oil to medium high heat.  Place the shrimp in the skillet and sprinkle with the Old Bay and Cajun seasoning.  If you don't like a little spiciness, cut the Cajun seasoning back to about 1/4 teaspoon.   Cook the shrimp, just until they turn opaque.  Don't overcook, because they will turn rubbery.  Remember they are baking in this casserole also. 

Pour the shrimp over the asparagus in the casserole.

Mix the soup with the pimento, black pepper, and half and half.  Pour that over the entire casserole and sprinkle with the cheese. 


Place in  a 400 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or until it's hot and bubbly!


Add a salad and bread and dinner is served!  How easy was that? 








Banana Split Fluff!


This "Banana Split Fluff" is a creamy and scrumptious fruit salad that goes together so quick and easy!   This is one of those dessert 'salads' we are so fond of in the South!  


 Here is what you will need:

1  (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (like Eagle Brand)
1  (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping
1 (21 oz.) can of cherry pie filling
3 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 (20 oz.) can of pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
9 maraschino cherries, drained

In a  large mixing bowl, blend the sweetened condensed milk with the frozen whipped topping until smooth.  Fold in the cherry pie filling, bananas, pineapple and pecans.  Place in a pretty bowl for serving. 



Garnish the top with coconut and maraschino cherries . We also add a sprig of mint for color.  Chill until ready to serve!



It's really pretty salad!



If you serve it in a parfait glass, it makes it even more fun and festive! 
The kids will love this one!



Guacamole!


Guacamole is one of these things you either really like or you hate!  I happen to really like it!  If you have never made it fresh at home, you have missed out,  because it is so fresh tasting and delicious!  It's also a snack that's much healthier than some other dips and spreads.  Avocados are so full of good things for us!  


 Here is what you will need for this fresh tasting Guacamole:

2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 tomato, seeded and diced small
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced fine
2 Tbs. minced Jalapeno pepper (optional for a spicier version)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper 
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)


Place the diced avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork or I used my potato masher and it goes quicker.  I like to leave it a little chunky.


Add the juice of 1 lime or lemon and stir.



Dice the onion very fine.  I used my Pamper Chef food chopper thingy. Seed and dice the tomato and if you are adding jalapeno, mince it.  Add to the avocado mixture with all of the seasoning and stir to blend it all together!



Place it in a festive bowl and serve with tortilla chips or veggies!








FOLLOW ME HERE ON FACEBOOK FOR DAILY POSTS:

Follow Me on Pinterest