Homemade Applesauce Recipe

There is nothing quite as delicious as fresh homemade applesauce.   By making your own you can control the amount of sugar and preservatives that go into your body.  Below is my recipe for some delicious applesauce that is made with apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.  I suggest using granny smith apples for this recipe.

Ingredients:

4 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 cup of water

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by taking a 5-quart saucepan and adding in your apples, lemon juice,  cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and water.  Then place your saucepan over a medium high heat.   Once it comes to a boil you should reduce your heat to low, cover your pot and then let it simmer until you apples are nice and tender so that you can mash them.  This should take 20 to 30 minutes.

When your apples are tender you should remove your saucepan from the heat and then mash your apples with a potato masher until you have the consistency that you want.  I like my applesauce to be slightly chunky so I do not fully mash my applesauce.  Then simply place your applesauce in an airtight container and then refrigerate until it is cold and serve.  You can keep your applesauce in the refrigerator for several weeks as long as you store it in an airtight container.

Beef and Barley Chili Recipe

I have always loved chili, especially during the winter.  Below is my recipe for making some delicious beef and barley chili that is made with pinto beans, ground beef, garlic, onion, bell pepper, carrots,  jalapeño, salsa, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin and paprika.  This is a great one pot meal that your whole family will love.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons of jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 3/4 pounds of ground beef
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
3 cups of hot chunky salsa
3/4 cup of tomato sauce
3/4 cup of pearl barley
1 (14 oz.) can of beef broth
2 (15 oz.) cans of pinto beans, drained

Instructions:

To begin this recipe you will want to take a Dutch oven and add your oil into it.  Then place your Dutch oven over a medium high heat.  You will want to add in your onions, bell peppers and carrots when your pot gets slightly hot and sauté your vegetables until they are tender.  This should only take 4 to 5 minutes.  Then add in your jalapeños and garlic and sauté for one minute.  Now add in your ground beef and cook it until your ground beef has browned.  Make certain that you break up your ground beef as it cooks.  This should take about 5 minutes.  At this point you will want to drain any grease from your pot.

Now add in your chili powder, cumin, paprika, salsa, tomato sauce, pearl barley, beef broth and pinto beans into your Dutch oven and bring it to a boil.  When your chili comes to a boil reduce your heat until  it comes to a simmer.  Then let your beef and barley chili cook for 45 to 60 minutes so that your flavors come together and your chili thickens.  Make certain that you stir your beef and barley chili periodically as it cooks.  Pay careful attention to it during the last 20 minutes.

Smoked Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry

The following is my step by step recipe for making a delicious sausage and veggie stir fry recipe, that is relatively easy to make and definitely delicious to eat.  It is made with andouille sausage, celery, onion, carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, green beans, mushrooms, garlic, soy sauce and your favorite stir fry sauce.

Ingredients:

1 pound of andouille sausage, sliced
2 celery stalks sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut julienne style
3/4 cup of sugar snap peas
1/2 cup of fresh green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces
4 mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons of soy sauce,
2 - 4 tablespoons of stir fry sauce.

Instructions:

You will want to heat a pan or wok with about a tablespoon of oil.  When the wok is hot you will want to put the sausage into the wok and stir fry it until the sausage browns.  Since your wok is hot you will want to make certain that you keep the sausage moving as it cooks.  This should only take about 2 minutes since the sausage is already cooked and you just want to lightly brown your sausage.  When your sausage is done, set it aside for use later.

Next add 1 more tablespoon of oil into the wok and add in your onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and carrots and stir fry for about 3 minutes making certain that you stir and toss while they cook.  You will then want to add in your sugar snap peas, green beans and mushrooms and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes.  Then add in your garlic and stir fry for an additional minute.

Now add in about 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and your sausage into the mixture and continue to cook about two minutes more.  The amount of soy depends on your taste.  If you like more you can add a bit more.  At this point you should now pour about 2 tablespoons of the stir fry sauce over the sausage and vegetables and continually stir and toss while your sausage and veggie stir fry finishes cooking.  The exact amount that you pour in will depend on your taste.  You will only have to cook for about another two minutes, making certain to continually move around your food in the wok as it cooks so that they do not burn. After this time, you are now finished and you now have a healthy and very appetizing sausage and veggie that you can serve with pride.  I will usually serve this with some freshly made steamed rice.

Chicken And Rice Recipe

One of my favorite simple meals is Chicken and Rice made all together in one pot.  My recipe for making chicken and rice is very flavorful and very simple to make.  In this dish you have your chicken, rice and vegetables all cooked together in one pot.  Simply serve with a salad and you will have a wonderful and easy meal.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
2 chicken wings
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 1/4 cups of water
1 Knorr tomato bouillon with chicken flavor cube
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon of a Cajun Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups of long grain rice
3/4 cup frozen carrots and peas

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a Dutch Oven over medium high heat. Add in your chicken pieces to the pot and brown them, turning them several times until browned on all sides.  This will take about 5 minutes.  When the chicken is browned nicely, transfer the chicken to a plate and then set aside.

Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the Dutch Oven and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook  your onion until they have softened.  This should take about 6 minutes.   Then add in your garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Now, stir in about 1 cup of your water, making certain to scrape off any of the chicken pieces that are stuck on the bottom of the pot.  This will add a lot of flavor to your dish by incorporating them into your liquid.   When you have finished deglazing your pan add in your remaining water along with your bouillon, paprika, Cajun seasoning, pepper, rice and your frozen carrots and peas.

Bring the rice to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and bring it to a simmer.  At this point you will want to return your chicken to the Dutch Oven by placing your chicken pieces on  top of your rice.  Make certain that you add any juices that are on the plate that your chicken was on.  Then cover the pot and let simmer on the stove for about 25 minutes until the rice is tender and the rice has completely absorbed the liquid.  After your chicken and rice has cooked for 25 minutes, remove your top to your pot and fluff your rice with a fork.  Then cover your pot and let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes.  After that time your chicken and rice is done.  Serve while still hot.

Baking Powder Biscuits Recipe

Below is my recipe for making some light and flaky baking powder biscuits that are simply made with flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter and milk.  The trick to making light and flaky biscuits is to handle the dough as little as possible and to use cold ingredients.  That means cold butter and yes even your other ingredients such as your milk and flour should be cold.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
6 tablespoons of cold butter, diced
1 cup of cold milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of water

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by taking a food processor and then place your flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into the food processor and pulsing your ingredients together a few times.  Then add in your diced cold butter and pulse your food processor until your mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  The reason I do this with a food processor instead of b hand is to keep the butter cold and using your warm hands could melt the butter.

You should now place your mixture into a large mixing bowl.  I found that if I mix the milk into the ingredients in a food processor it will over mix the dough and create tough biscuits, so I add in the milk into the bowl and mix the ingredients together with a large spoon.  Stop mixing when your dough just comes together.

You now want to create an egg wash to brush on the tops of the biscuits before they go into the oven.  To make your egg wash you will want to take a small bowl and quickly mix together your egg and 1 teaspoon of water.  

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Now, take your dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough a few times until it becomes a mostly a cohesive ball.  Now take a wooden rolling pin and roll out your dough evenly to about 3/4 of an inch thick.  Then take a biscuit cutter or the rim of a small glass and press down to create your biscuit rounds.  You will have scraps left over after you do this, so gather your dough scraps and kneed a few times to create a circle.  Be careful not to overwork the dough since overworking it makes tough biscuits.  Now roll our your dough to 3/4 of an inch thick and then stamp out the remaining biscuits.   You will want to brush the top of your biscuit rounds with your egg wash and then place them on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Now place the baking sheet with your baking powder biscuits into your preheated oven and bake at 450 degrees F. until your baking powder biscuits are golden brown.  This should take between 12 to 15 minutes.

Banana Meringue Pie Recipe

One of my favorite deserts for the holiday season or in fact at any time of the year is a delicious banana meringue pie.  Below is my recipe for a very tasty banana meringue pie that is packed full of sliced bananas that are surrounded by a delicious custard that is made from eggs, milk, sugar, butter, vanilla extract and almond extract and then topped with a sweet and tasty meringue topping.

Ingredients:

1 (9 inch) pie crust
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of whole milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
3/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon of almond extract
4 medium bananas
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
6 tablespoons of sugar

Instructions:

You will want to begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line your pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans.  Then place your pie crust into your preheated oven and bake your pie crust until the crust is set.  This  should take 12 to 14 minutes.   Then remove the paper and weights from your pie crust and then continue to bake until golden brown.  This should take 8 to 10 minutes.  Now, remove your pie crust from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Then reduce the temperature of your oven to 350 and leave your oven on.

To make the custard you will want to whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk until smooth in a heavy large saucepan. Cook and stir the mixture over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. You will then want to reduce the heat and cook while stirring for 2 minutes longer.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and then stir in a small amount of hot mixture into a bowl that you have beaten your eggs in.  This is called tempering the eggs and you do it so that you don’t create scrambled eggs in your mixture.  Once the eggs are tempered return the mixture to the saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Your next step is to remove the saucepan from the heat and then gently stir in the butter, almond extract and vanilla extract.   Then, after your custard has cooled slightly you will want to slice your bananas into the custard and mix them in.  Then immediately pour your custard into the pie shell that you baked.  Most cooks simply slice the bananas into the bottom of the pie shell and then pour the custard over top but I found that I like the bananas throughout the custard not just on the bottom of the pie and doing it this way better achieves that result.  Then set your pie aside while you make your meringue topping

You will now want to prepare the meringue by taking a medium mixing bowl and add in in your egg whites and cream of tartar and beat your ingredients with a hand mixer on a medium speed until soft peaks form.  Then gradually add in your sugar a tablespoon at a time while you beat your mixer on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form in the meringue and your sugar has completely dissolved.   Then spread your meringue completely over your banana filling that will still be hot.  I think curly peaks give a great texture to a banana meringue pie’s top so use a spoon to swirl and twist the meringue until you achieve this result.  Make certain that you seal the edges of the meringue to the crust of your pie shell.  If you do not then the meringue will shrink a bit as it bakes.

Now place your banana meringue pie into your preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees F. until the meringue is golden brown.  This should take 10 to 15 minutes.  Keep an eye on it after 10 minutes to make certain it doesn’t over brown   Then cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  After that time place your pie in the refrigerator and chill your banana meringue pie for 3 to 4 hours or overnight before serving.  enjoy

Garlic Tea Recipe

Garlic tea is a very healthy drink.  It will help you with your sore throat and since garlic stimulates the immune system, is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory it can help your body fight off the symptoms of a cold.  Below is my recipe for making a delicious and healthy garlic tea that is simply made with water, garlic, ginger, lemon herbal tea, honey and lemon juice.

Ingredients:

4 cups of clean fresh water
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 (2 inch) piece of ginger
1 individual lemon herbal tea bags
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of lemon juice

Instructions:

You will want to pour your water, garlic and ginger into a 3-Quart Saucepan and bring the water to a boil.   When it comes to a boil turn your burner off and take your saucepan off the heat and add in your tea bag, lemon juice and honey and give it a stir.

Then place your lid on your saucepan and let your garlic tea steep for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how strong you want your tea.  After that time strain your tea and enjoy your garlic tea throughout the day until you are feeling better.

Garlic & Parsley Mashed Potatoes Recipe

These garlic and parsley mashed potatoes get their intense and delicious flavor from the roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese and parsley along with the butter and cream that is mixed into the mashed potatoes.  They are a great addition to any meal and are not difficult to make.

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and quartered
Kosher salt, to taste
3 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
Black ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:

You will want to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

You should cut off the top 1/2 inch of the head of garlic.  Place the garlic on piece of aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil over the garlic cloves and then close tin foil and make a pouch to roast your garlic in.   Now place your garlic in your oven and roast it for 30 minutes or until the garlic has completely softened.  When its done remove the pouch of garlic and let it cool completely.  When its cool squeeze out the garlic cloves and then crush the garlic cloves into a paste.  

While your garlic is roasting place your potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a large saucepan and cover with cold water.  Now  place your saucepan over a medium heat and bring your potatoes to a boil.  Now reduce your heat to a medium low and let your potatoes simmer until they are tender when pierced with a fork.  This should take about 20 minutes.  Drain your potatoes when finished.

When your potatoes are done place your butter, cream and Parmesan cheese into a small saucepan over a low heat and heat your ingredients until the butter just melts.  You just want to melt your butter and warm your cream.  Then remove your saucepan from the heat and set aside your Parmesan cheese mixture.

Now place your boiled potatoes, garlic paste, Parmesan cheese mixture and parsley into a large mixing bowl and beat your potatoes with a hand mixer until your potatoes are the consistency you want.  Do not over beat them or they will become gummy.

Now, taste your mashed potatoes and then season them with salt and pepper to your taste.

Curried Split Pea Soup Recipe

I love split pea soup on cold days or any day of the year.  There are many ways of making split pea soup.  Some recipes use water, some use some kind of broth and some add some milk so it’s creamy.  Cut up ham, a ham or pork hock and a variety of vegetables can also be added in.  Below is my recipe for making a curried split pea soup where I have added in some curry powder, cayenne pepper and cumin seasonings into my normal split pea soup recipe to create a different and delicious curried split pea soup.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 1/2 pounds of smoked pork hocks
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried basil
5 cups of chicken broth
3 cups of vegetable broth
2 potatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoon of curry powder
16 ounces of green split peas
1 cup of half and half

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by taking a Dutch Oven and melting the butter in it over medium-high heat. Next, add your onion, celery and carrots and sauté them until the vegetables begin to soften  This should take about 8 minutes.   Then add in your pork hock, thyme, and basil and stir for a minute.   You should then add in your chicken broth, vegetable broth, potato, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, curry powder and peas and then bring your soup to a boil.  Now, reduce the heat and bring the soup to a simmer over a medium low heat.  Now partially cover your Dutch oven and simmer your soup until your split peas are soft and tender.  This should take about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  You will need to stir your curried split pea soup periodically during this time so it does not burn.

When your soup is done cooking you should remove your pork hocks from the soup.  Place the pork hocks in bowl and set them aside for use later.  You now want to puree about half of your soup in batches in a food processor.  You should then return your soup to the Dutch oven. Your next step is to cut off the pork meat from the pork hocks and then dice your meat.  Place the pork back into your soup.  You will want to finish your soup by slowly adding in the half and half into the soup, making certain to stir it in.  You will need to heat your soup over a medium low heat until your soup is once again hot, making certain not to boil your soup.  You will now want to give your soup a taste and adjust your seasonings if needed.

Turkey and Bean Chili Recipe

I have always loved making chili on a cold wintry day.  It warms the body, fills the stomach and is a great one pot meal.   Below is my recipe for making a very delicious and somewhat spicy turkey and bean chili that is made with onions, garlic, jalapeños, bell peppers, tomatoes, ground turkey, pinto beans, kidney beans, tomato paste, beef broth, chicken broth, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and pepper.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 karge green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded & diced
6 tablespoons of jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 tablespoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups of beef broth
1 cup of vegetable broth
1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
2 (15 oz.) can of pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz.) cans of kidney beans, drained & rinsed

Instructions:

You will want to being this recipe by taking a large pot and adding in your oil.  Then place your pot over a medium high heat.  When the oil begins to shimmer you will want to add in your onions and green bell peppers and sauté your vegetables until they become tender.  This should take about 5 minutes.  Then add in your jalapeños and garlic and sauté for one more minute.  Your next step is to add in your ground turkey and cook it until it has browned.  You will want to make certain that you break up your ground turkey as it cooks,  Browning your ground turkey should only take about 5 minutes.   When your ground turkey has browned you will want to use the lid of your pot and drain any grease from your pot.

Your next step is to add and stir in your seasonings of oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, black pepper and sugar.  Then add in your tomatoes, beef broth, vegetable broth, tomato paste, pinto beans and kidney beans.  Cook until your chili begins to a boil and then reduce your heat and bring it to a simmer.  Then simmer your turkey and bean chili for about 60 minutes so that your flavors can come together and your chili can thicken.  Make certain that you stir your chili regularly as it cooks and pay careful attention to your chili in the last 20 minutes to make certain that your turkey and bean chili doesn‘t burn.

Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins Recipe

There are many comfort foods that Mom used to make for us when we were young but nothing says Mom better then meatloaf.  Below is my recipe for some delicious barbecue meatloaf muffins that are cooked in a muffin tin so each person has his own individual miniature meatloaf.  They are made with lean ground beef, ground pork, barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, onion, celery, garlic, parsley and other herbs and seasonings.

Ingredients:

1  pounds of lean ground beef
3/4 pound of ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
3 tablespoons of milk
11 tablespoons of barbecue sauce, divided
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4  cup of finely chopped celery
1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of freshly minced parsley
1 teaspoon of dried thyme

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

You will want to begin by taking a large mixing bowl and adding in your ground beef, ground pork, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, 2 tablespoons of your barbecue sauce, mustard, garlic, onion, celery, salt, pepper, parsley and thyme and mix your ingredients together with your hands.  Then, take a 12 muffin tin and brush the inside of the tins with some vegetable oil.  You will want to divide your meat mixture into the 12 tins.  Then take your thumb and press it into the top of each muffin loaf and finally place 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce over top of each individual loaf.

Now, place your muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake until your barbecue meatloaf muffins are cooked through and your instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees F.  This should take 18 to 22 minutes.  When done, remove your barbecue meatloaf muffins from the oven, let them rest for about 5 minutes and then take a knife and cut around the edges of each meatloaf muffin and remove them from your muffin tin.  Then serve and enjoy.

Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe

Making pancakes can be tricky if you don’t know what your doing but once you know the trick of making pancakes they are easy to make.   Below is my recipe and my step by step instructions for how to make some delicious and fluffy buttermilk pancakes that your whole family will love.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoons of baking soda
3 tablespoons of sugar
3/4 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups of buttermilk
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of butter, melted and cooled
Vegetable oil for griddle

Instructions:

Take a medium mixing bowl and add in your flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt and whisk your ingredients together.  Now take a large mixing bowl and add in your eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and butter and mix your ingredients together until they are fully mixed together.   Now, take your dry ingredients and slowly add them in a little at a time and mix your ingredients together until all of your dry ingredients are mixed in with your wet.  Do not over mix or your batter will be tough, so mix just until your ingredients have come together and you have a nice batter.

Now preheat your oven to 175 degrees F.

Now, take a griddle and pour just a bit of vegetable oil on the griddle and use a paper towel to coat the griddle lightly. Now place your griddle over a medium heat. When your surface is hot take a ladle and pour about 1/3 of a cup of your batter onto the griddle and spread your batter into a circle using the back of your ladle.  Spread your pancakes about 3 inches apart. You will have to work in batches.

While the pancakes cook you will see some bubbles form in the batter. When the bubbles begin to pop, your pancakes are ready to be flipped so take a spatula and gently flip them over and then cook until golden brown on the bottom. This should take 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove your buttermilk pancakes and place them on a baking sheet and place your baking sheet in your preheated oven to keep warm.  Now, continue to make your pancakes as shown above until you have used up all of your batter.  Serve your buttermilk pancakes with butter and maple syrup.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

When you make biscuits you want them to be light and flaky.  The way to do this is to keep the dough cold so I always handle the dough as little as possible with my hands and I used cold ingredients.  The reason for this is that you will have small little bits of butter throughout your dough so when you bake your biscuits your butter melts and you will then have little air pockets throughout your biscuits, which will make them light and flaky.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
6 tablespoons of cold butter
1 cup of cold buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of water

Instructions:

You will want to take a food processor and add in your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and pulse your ingredients together a few times.  Then add in your cold butter and pulse until your mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  I think at this point its important for me to explain why I am using a food processor.   One of the important things in making biscuits is to keep the butter cold so touching it with your warm hands as little as possible is important and using a food processor allows you to handle the dough as little as possible.

You will now want to then dump your mixture into a large mixing bowl.  I found that if I mix the ingredients with the buttermilk in a food processor it will over mix the dough and create tough biscuits, so add in your buttermilk into the bowl and mix together with a large spoon and stop when your dough just comes together.

Now take a small bowl and quickly mix together your egg and 1 teaspoon of water.  You are creating an egg wash to brush on top of your dough before it goes into the oven.  

This is the point you want to preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Now, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough a few times until it is a mostly a cohesive ball.  Now take a wooden rolling pin and roll out your dough evenly to about 3/4 of an inch thick and then take a biscuit cutter or the rim of a small glass and press down to create rounds.  You will have scraps left over when you do this, so gather your dough scraps and pat into a circle, being careful not to overwork the dough since overworking it makes tough biscuits.  Now roll our your dough to 3/4 of an inch thick and then stamp out the remaining biscuits.   You will want to brush the top of your rounds with your egg wash and then place them on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Now place your baking sheet into your preheated oven and bake at 450 degrees F. until your Southern buttermilk biscuits are golden brown.  This should take 12 to 15 minutes.

Herb Crusted Chicken Breasts Recipe

One of my favorite meals is fried chicken.  The crust that you get from frying your chicken is very crispy.  Unfortunately, frying is not the healthiest way to cook chicken.  Luckily you can get the same crispiness from baking your chicken.  My recipe for making some delicious herb crusted chicken breasts uses some flour, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, parsley and other seasonings to create an extremely crispy, crunchy and delicious crust when baked in the oven.

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
Salt and pepper to taste
3 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1/2 cup of flour
1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon of finely minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
2 teaspoon of salt

Instructions:

Your first step is to season your chicken breasts.  Take each breast and lightly sprinkle each side with some salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. and lightly coat a baking sheet with some cooking spray.

You will now want to take a medium bowl or pie pan and add the eggs, milk and mustard to it and whisk your ingredients together.   Then add your flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, cayenne and salt into a second bowl or pie pan and whisk together.  Now lay your 2 bowls side by side on the counter

Then take each chicken breast, one at a time, and place it in the bowl with the egg mixture.  Then, dip the breast into the second bowl with your breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture, pressing lightly to coat on all sides.  You should repeat this process until all of your chicken breasts have been coated.  To keep your hands from getting sticky place your breast into the wet ingredients with your left hand and use your right hand to coat them with your dry ingredients.

Now place your herb coated chicken breasts on your prepared baking sheet and then place your baking sheet in your preheated oven and bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.  This should take 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breast.  You can tell they are cooked through by using a digital thermometer.  If it registers 165 degrees F. they are done.  You will want to turn your herb crusted chicken breasts halfway through cooking.

Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

In the South when you ask for a glass of tea they will assume that you are asking for a glass of sweetened iced tea.  Sweet Tea means tea that is sweetened with white sugar at the time that it is brewed.  The amount of sugar that you add will depend on your sweet tooth.   Below is my recipe for making some delicious southern sweet tea that is made with water, white granular sugar, lemon herbal tea and a bit of baking soda to get rid of any bitterness.

Ingredients:

8 cups of clean fresh water,
1 cup of white granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
5 regular lemon herbal tea bags

Instructions:

You will want to pour two cup of your water and all of your sugar into a 3-Quart Saucepan and bring the water to a boil.  Continue boiling until all of the sugar has completely dissolved.  Now take the saucepan off the heat and add a pinch of baking soda into the water and stir.  The reason for adding the baking soda to the tea us to remove the bitterness of the tea.

Your next step is to take a 2-Quart Pitcher and place the tea bags at the bottom of the pitcher.  I use lemon herbal tea because I love the taste of the tea.   In addition to that, herbal tea is caffeine free and I prefer non caffeinated drinks.  You will now want to pour the hot water over the tea bags as well as 6 cups of cool water.  Now simply cover the pitcher and steep the tea for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how strong you want your tea.  After that time remove the tea bags, making certain not to squeeze them when you remove them from the pitcher.  The reason for not squeezing them is that doing so tends to make the tea bitter.  Now place the Pitcher of your sweet tea into the refrigerator and chill until it’s nice and cold.  You will want to chill  your sweet tea for 4 to 6 hours.  When serving your drink pour the sweetened iced tea over a tall glass that’s half full of ice.   enjoy

Chocolate Cookies Recipe

There is nothing quite as rich, delicious and decadent as making some homemade chocolate cookies.  You want your cookies to be crispy around the edges but soft and chewy in the centers.  Below is my easy to follow recipe for some very delicious chocolate cookies that are made with flour, salt, eggs, butter, cocoa powder, granular sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.

Ingredients:

3 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup of granular sugar
1 cup of packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

You will want to begin by taking a medium mixing bowl and adding in your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Then give your ingredients a whisk to mix your ingredients together evenly.  Then set your bowl aside until use later.

Now, take a large mixing bowl and add in your butter, granular sugar and brown sugar and cream your ingredients together with a hand mixer until your ingredients are well mixed and are light and fluffy.  Then add in your eggs one at a time and beat until combined.  Finally add in your vanilla and beat until your ingredients are well combined.  You now want to add in your flour to your mixture.  Do so about a cup at a time and mix with your hand mixer until all of your flour is fully incorporated and you have created a cookie dough.

To make your chocolate cookies you will want to drop heaping tablespoon sized balls of dough, about 2 inches apart, on non-stick cookie sheets.  Then place your cookie sheets into your oven and bake until your cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center.  This should take 8 to 10 minutes.   Then remove your cookie sheets from the oven, and let cool for 1 to 2 minutes.   Then remove your chocolate cookies from the cookie sheet and let them cool on a wire rack.  You can serve them while they are still warm of place them in the refrigerator and serve them cold.  Either way, these chocolate cookies are absolutely delicious.

Hearty Split Pea Soup Recipe

I do love split pea soup on a cold day but it is also a wonderful soup any day of the year.  There are many ways of making split pea soup.  Some recipes use water some use some kind of broth and some add in some milk to make it creamy.  You can also add in some cut up ham, a ham or pork hock and a variety of vegetables to bring more flavor into the soup.  Below is my recipe for making a hearty split pea soup where I add in chicken broth , vegetable broth, onion, celery, carrots, pork hocks, potatoes, diced ham basil, thyme, a bay leaf and pepper.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
7 cups of chicken broth
3 cups of vegetable broth
1 1/2 pounds of smoked pork hocks
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 large bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
16 ounces of green split peas
1/2 pound of ham steak, diced
3 medium potatoes, diced

Instructions:

You will want to begin by taking a Dutch Oven and melting the butter in it over medium-high heat.  Next, add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté them until the vegetables begin to soften  This should take about 8 minutes.   Then remove your vegetables and set them aside for use later.  Now add in your chicken broth, vegetable broth, pork hocks, thyme, basil, bay leaf, crushed red pepper flakes and pepper.   When your soup comes to a boil you will want reduce the heat and let the soup come to a simmer over a medium low heat.  Now partially cover your Dutch oven and simmer your soup until your split peas begin to become tender and fall apart.  This should take about 40 minutes.  Then add in your vegetables that you set aside, your diced ham and your diced potatoes and cook until your potatoes are tender and your split peas are falling apart.  This should take another 30 minutes.  You will need to stir your soup periodically during this time so it does not burn.

When your soup is done cooking you should remove your bay leaf and your pork hocks.  Now place the pork hocks in bowl and let them cool for about 5 minutes.  Reduce your heat to low so that your soup no longer simmers.  You just want your soup to keep nice and hot at this time.  When your ham hocks are cool enough to handle you will want to cut off the meat from the ham hocks, dice your meat and then place your meat back into your split pea soup.  You will now want to give your split pea soup a taste and then adjust your seasonings, if needed.  Your soup is now ready to serve.

Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

One of my favorite meals, especially on a cold wintry day is chicken and dumplings.  I like to make my broth from scratch so this is a recipe that will cook throughout the day.  Below is my recipe for making some delicious chicken and dumplings that are made with chicken, onion, celery, carrots, peas, water, a bit of chicken bouillon, cream of mushroom soup, parsley, sage, pepper and garlic powder.  The dumplings are made from flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, butter, fresh parsley and milk

Ingredients:

4 quarts of water
1 (4 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 small onion, quartered
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 to 2 Knorr’s bouillon cubes
1 large onion, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
8 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of sage
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1 (10.5 oz.) can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of frozen peas
1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped
2 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of butter, melted
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, minced
3/4 cup of milk

Instructions:

You will want to put your water, chicken, onion, celery, carrots and bay leaves into a large pot or Dutch oven and heat it over a medium high heat.  When the pot begins to boil, partially cover your pot with your lid at an angle and then reduce your heat and bring to a simmer.  You will want to let it simmer for about 45 minutes or until your chicken is tender and the juices run clear.  You will need to skim the foam from the surface as necessary as it cooks, especially at the beginning.

At that point remove your chicken from the pot and let it cool until the chicken is cool enough to handle.  Then remove your meat from the bones, cut it into bite sized peaces and place your chicken into an air tight container and then into the refrigerator.  Then return your bones and skin to your pot and let your broth simmer for about 4 to 6 hours so that your broth gets some nice flavor  You will most likely need to add some water to your pot while your broth simmers since the broth will cook down.  At that time remove all bones, skin an any solids from your broth by running your broth, a little at a time, through a large strainer into a large bowl.  I usually push down on the solids in the strainer to make certain I get all the broth that I can.  Now discard your solids.  Then return your broth to your pot.  I usually have about 10 cups of broth at this point.  You can add some water to your broth if need be.  Then place your pot over a medium high heat.  Now add one bouillon cube into your broth and let the broth cook a bit so that the bouillon cube dissipates.  Then taste your broth to see if you need to add another bouillon cube.   If so, then add another bouillon cube, taste your broth and then decide if you have the right flavor.  You can always add a third bouillon cube if you wish but make certain that you do not add too much since bouillon is very salty.  The use of bouillon in this recipe is why I do not add salt.

You now want to add in your onion, celery, carrots, garlic powder, sage and pepper to your pot and bring your broth to a boil.  When your broth comes to a boil, partially cover your pot with your lid at an angle and then reduce your heat and bring your broth to a simmer and then let it simmer for about 45 minutes or until your vegetables are tender.  Then add in your add in your cream of mushroom soup and peas and let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes,

You will want to prepare your dumplings right after your add in your cream of mushroom soup and peas into your broth.  To do that take a medium mixing bowl and add in your flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt and whisk your ingredients together.  Then add in your butter, parsley and milk and mix your ingredients together with a fork until your mixture comes together as a dough.  You do not want to over mix the dough for your dumplings.

Now add the chicken that you set aside along with your parsley to the pot and make sure that your broth is at a simmer.  If so, then take an ice cream scoop and scoop out round balls of your dough and drop them into your broth.  They should float up to the surface when you place them in.  When all of your dumplings are in your pot you will want to place your lid on your pot, making certain that it tightly covers your pot.  Then let your dumplings simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, making certain to keep the lid on during this time since you want the steam to cook your dumplings and not the boiling broth.   Do not remove your lid for at least 15 minutes.  By cooking your dumplings this way they will be light and airy.  Your dumplings are done when they are firm to the touch.  When your dumplings are done your chicken and dumplings are ready to serve.  You will then want to ladle your broth, chicken and vegetables into some large serving bowls and then serve your chicken and dumplings with about 3 dumplings over top.  enjoy

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes Recipe

Below is my recipe for making some of the best apple cinnamon pancakes that you will ever eat.  I take two apples and dice them and then add them into the batter along with some cinnamon to get a nice apple and cinnamon flavor throughout my pancakes.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups of buttermilk
2 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon of canola oil
2 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced

Instructions:

Take a medium mixing bowl and add in your flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and whisk your ingredients together.  Now take a large mixing bowl and add in your eggs, buttermilk, honey and oil and mix your ingredients together until they are fully mixed together.   Now, take your dry ingredients and slowly add them in a little at a time and mix your ingredients together until all of your dry ingredients are mixed in with your wet. Do not over mix or your batter will be tough, so mix just until your ingredients have come together and you have a nice batter. Then add in your apples and fold them into your batter.

Now preheat your oven to 175 degrees F.

 Now, take a griddle and pour just a bit of vegetable oil on the griddle and use a paper towel to coat the griddle lightly. Now place your griddle over a medium heat. When your surface is hot take a ladle and pour about 1/3 of a cup of your batter onto the griddle and spread your batter into a circle using the back of your ladle.  Spread your pancakes about 3 inches apart. You will have to work in batches.

 While the pancakes cook you will see some bubbles form in the batter. When the bubbles begin to pop, your pancakes are ready to be flipped so take a spatula and gently flip them over and then cook until golden brown on the bottom. This should take 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove your pancakes and place them on a baking sheet and place your baking sheet in your preheated oven to keep warm. Now, continue to make your apple cinnamon pancakes as shown above until you have used up all of your batter.  Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

Cupcakes seem to be one of American’s favorite snacks.  Below is my recipe for making some delicious and flavorful red velvet cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting.  The cupcakes are made with cocoa, butter, sugar, vanilla, red wine vinegar, red food coloring and buttermilk  These cupcake are not only a treat for your taste buds but are also visually stimulating by the contrast in colors of the red velvet cake with the white cream cheese frosting.  I also garnish them with some fresh raspberries on top for a nice decorative touch.

Ingredients

3 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoon of cocoa (Dutch cocoa is best)
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of red food coloring
1 cup of buttermilk

Ingredients for Cream Cheese frosting:

1 cup of butter
2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese
4 cups of confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
24 fresh raspberries, for garnish

Instructions:

You will want to begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.   You will also want to line 2 (12 cup) cupcake pans with cupcake papers.

Take a mixing bowl and then sift in the flour, baking soda, salt and coco and give your ingredients a quick whisk to combine.  In a separate bowl add in your butter, oil, sugar and vanilla  and then beat your ingredients together with an electric mixer.  Then add in your eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until they are well combined.  Next add the red wine vinegar and food coloring to the bowl and continue to mix until your ingredients are well mixed.

Your next step is to add the flour and buttermilk to the mixture to create the batter for the cake.  You will want to do this by adding in about a cup of the flour to the mixture and beating with your mixture until it is incorporated into the batter and then adding in half of a cup of the buttermilk.  Continue doing this until all of the flour and all of the buttermilk have been added to the mixture and you have the batter.  Make certain to start with the flour and end with the flour.  Adding those ingredients a little at a time keeps the air bubbles in the batter, which makes your cake light.      

Now,  divide the batter evenly among the cupcake pans.  You want the batter to be about 2/3rd of the way up filled.   Then place your cupcakes in your preheated oven and bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through.  You can test the cupcakes to see if they are done by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cupcake and if it comes out clean its done.  When done, remove your cupcakes from the oven and then place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

When your red velvet cupcakes are fully cooled you will want to make the cream cheese frosting.  Before doing so you will want to make certain the cream cheese and butter have softened to room temperature.  Place the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl and mix them together with an electric mixer.  Next add the sugar and beat on high until its smooth, fluffy and creamy.  Now add the lemon juice and the almond extract and mix just until they are incorporated into the mix, but do not over beat the frosting.

You will want to frost your red velvet cupcakes with a butter knife or you can pipe the cream cheese frosting on with a big star tip. Then, garnish each red velvet cupcake with a couple fresh raspberries on top.  Now you have some delicious red velvet cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting that your whole family will love.

Crispy Chicken Fingers Recipe

A delicious yet easy meal to make when dinner time comes is chicken fingers. This meal is loved by children of all ages so not only will your children love it but so will your husband.  When making chicken fingers its important that they come out crispy. Below is my recipe for some very crispy and delicious chicken fingers that are simply made with chicken breasts, flour, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, eggs and milk.

Ingredients for Crispy Chicken Tenders:

4 boneless chicken breasts
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground Pepper, to taste
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon of milk
2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of Cajun Seasonings
1 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
Vegetable oil for frying

You will want to cut the boneless chicken breasts into about 1/2 inch wide and 3 to 4 inches long strips and then sprinkle both sides of your chicken strips with your salt and pepper.

Now, break the eggs into a bowl, add the milk and then whisk your ingredients together.  Next take 2 bowls and put 1 cup of flour in each bowl. In one bowl also add the Cajun seasonings and the garlic powder. The reason for this is simple. Flour has no taste and if you want your crust on the chicken to have some flavor then you need to add some seasonings.

Now, take the chicken strips and dredge them in the bowl with the flour and fully coat them. After you coat each tender place them on a paper towel.  Next, place the floured chicken strips, one by one, into the bowl with the eggs and then immediately dredge them into the bowl with the seasoned flour and coat them thoroughly. When finished put them on a paper towel. The reason for the double dusting of flour is to make a crispy coating on your chicken fingers once they are fried.

Now add the chicken fingers in a preheated large skillet that has about 1/2 of an inch of vegetable oil and fry them until golden brown.  You will need to fry them in batches so they are not crowded. The heat should be a medium/high heat and they should take about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place them on a paper towel when finished to absorb any lingering oil. You can sprinkle with a little more of the Cajun Seasonings if you wish but be careful not to over season them.  I like serving my chicken fingers with either a ranch dressing or some salsa for dipping them.

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Gingerbread cookies are normally made in the shape of gingerbread men, Christmas trees, stars and a variety of other shapes for the holiday season but these delicious cookies can and are made year round and are normally made in round cookie shapes.  Below is my recipe for making some delicious gingerbread cookies that are made with flour, egg, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and molasses.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons of baking soda
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
1 large eggs
1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by taking a medium bowl and adding in your flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves and salt.  Then whisk your ingredients together.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the brown sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.  This should take 2 to 3 minutes.  Then add in your egg, molasses and vanilla and continue beating until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, a little at a time, beating just until smooth and the dough comes together.  You will now want to wrap your dough in plastic wrap and chill your dough in the refrigerator for about an hour

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper when you remove your dough from the refrigerator.

Now remove your cookie dough from the refrigerator and let it sit out for about 10 minutes.  This will make it easier to roll out.  Then lightly flour a flat surface and roll out your dough to 1/4 of an inch thickness and then take a round cookie cutter and cut your dough into round shapes.  Then place your cookies on your prepared baking sheets about an inch apart.

Now place your baking sheets into your preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are dark golden brown.  You will want to rotate your baking sheet halfway through.  You should allow your gingerbread cookies to cool on your baking sheets for about 2 minutes before you remove them.  After that time transfer your gingerbread cookies to a wire rack and let them cool.  enjoy

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup Recipe

A beef barley vegetable soup is a nice and hearty soup that is basically healthy for you, will fill you up and will warm your cold body on a cold Wintry day.  it’s the perfect soup for winter.  Below is my recipe for a delicious beef barley vegetable soup that is made with pearl barley, London broil, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, peas, beef broth, water, parsley and other herbs and seasonings.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of canola oil
1 pound of London broil, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 (14-1/2 oz) cans of beef broth
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/3 cup of quick cooking pearl barley
1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes
3 small red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 cup of carrots, sliced
1/2 cup of celery, chopped
1 cup of onion, chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
1 cup of frozen peas

Instructions:

You will want to put your oil in a Dutch oven and heat it over a medium high heat.  When the oil begins to heat you should add I your London broil and brown your beef.  Once it has browned you should then stir in the broth, water, salt, pepper dried thyme and garlic powder and bring your soup to a boil.  When it comes to a boil reduce your heat to a medium low, cover your Dutch oven and simmer your soup for an hour.

After the hour you should then add in your quick cook barley, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and parsley, cover your Dutch oven and then simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until meat, barley and vegetables are tender.  At this point you need to add in your peas, let simmer for an additional 5 minutes and your beef barley vegetable soup is then ready.

Beef Enchiladas Recipe

I have always loved Mexican food.  Tacos, burritos, chili rellenos, fajitas, nachos, flautas, tostadas, taquitos, and quesadillas are all wonderful and flavorful dishes, but my favorite Mexican dish is enchiladas.  There are many different kinds of enchiladas.  There are shrimp, seafood, ground beef, shredded beef and chicken enchiladas and they are all delicious.  Below is my recipe for making some delicious ground beef enchiladas that are made with onion, garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, ground beef, salsa, tomato sauce, red enchilada sauce, sharp cheddar cheese, black olives and green onions.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
2 pounds of lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups of chunky Salsa
1/3 cup of tomato sauce
2 teaspoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
3 cups of sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups of red enchilada sauce
16 corn tortillas
1 (2.5 oz.) can of  sliced black olives
1/4 cup of green onions, chopped

Instructions:

Place your oil into a skillet and put it over a medium high heat.  Then add in your onion and sauté your onion until it softens.  This should take about 3 minutes.  Now add in your garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  At this time add in your ground beef and cook your beef until it browns.  Then drain your ground beef.  You then want to add in your salsa, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper and then reduce your heat to a simmer and then let your ground beef mixture simmer until it reduces.  You do not want your ground beef mixture to be wet, just a bit moist.  This should take 5 to 7 minutes.

While your ground beef is cooking you will want to place your shredded cheddar cheese into a mixing bowl and set it aside for use when you are assembling your enchiladas.  You will also need two 3-Quart baking dishes.  Place some enchilada sauce on the bottom of each baking dish and set them on the counter so that you can place your enchiladas in them as you make them.

This is the time you will want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Now take a 9 or 10 inch sauté pan and place your enchilada sauce into it.  You want it about 1/2 of an inch deep.  You will want to place your tortillas into the sauce and cook for about a minute or less to soften your tortillas. The sauce will also be absorbed by the tortillas and add to the flavor of your dish.  After your tortilla is softened remove it from the sauce and place it on a plate and take a slotted spoon and spoon in about 1/4 cup of your ground beef mixture into the tortilla and sprinkle your cheddar cheese over top.  Fold over your tortilla and then place it into a baking dish, seam side down.  Repeat the process, placing your enchiladas side by side until you have filled all of your tortillas.  You should have 8 enchiladas per baking dish.  Now pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top.  You will want about 1 cup of enchilada sauce per baking dish.  Now sprinkle the rest of your cheddar cheese over top and then sprinkle your black olives on top of the cheese.

Now, place your enchiladas into your preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until your cheese has melted.   Garnish your beef enchiladas with some diced scallions.  You can serve them with Spanish rice and beans.

Banana Cupcakes Recipe

I have always loved banana bread, banana cake, banana muffins and banana cupcakes.  I seem to love everything banana.  Below is my recipe for making some tremendous banana cupcakes with a delicious cream cheese frosting.  These cupcakes will please almost any guests.

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups of granulated white sugar
1/2 cup of butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup of ripe bananas, mashed

Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup of butter
2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese
4 cups of confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
Chopped pecans for garnish

Instructions:

You will want to begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.   You will also want to line 2 (12 cup) cupcake pans with cupcake papers.

Next, you should take a medium mixing bowl and then add in your dry ingredients of flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and whisk your ingredients together.

You should now cream the butter with the sugar, so place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat them together with an electric mixer until its well blended and nice and fluffy.  Now add your eggs into the mixture one at a time and beat until each egg has been fully mixed in.  You should then add in your buttermilk a bit at a time and continue to mix with your electric mixer.  Then add in your vanilla extract and mashed bananas and beat your mixture until all of your ingredients are fully incorporated.    Now add in your flour mixture about a cup at a time and beat until it all has been mixed in and you have created a batter.

Now, divide the batter evenly among the cupcake pans about 2/3rd of the way up filled.   Place them in your preheated oven and bake for about 18 to 23 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through.  You can test the cupcakes to see if they are done by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cupcake and if it comes out clean its done.  When done, remove from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

While the banana cupcakes are cooling you will want to make your frosting.  Before doing so you will want to make certain the cream cheese and butter have softened to room temperature.  Place the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl and mix them together with an electric mixer.  Next add the sugar and beat on high until its smooth, fluffy and creamy.  Now add the lemon juice and the almond extract and mix just until they are incorporated into the mix, but do not over beat the frosting.

You will want to frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or you can pipe the frosting on with a big star tip.  Garnish your banana cupcakes with some chopped pecans.

Molasses Sugar Cookies Recipe

There is nothing simpler and easier to make then making some sweet and buttery molasses sugar cookies.   Below is my simple to follow recipe for making some delicious molasses sugar cookies that are made with dark molasses, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and clove.  These molasses sugar cookies are truly exceptional and well worth the effort to make.

Ingredients:

3 cups of sifted all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground clove
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of dark molasses
2 tablespoons of water
1  teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 small eggs
1/3 cup of granulated sugar for decorating

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

You will want to begin by taking a small mixing bowl and add in your flour, baking powder cinnamon, ginger, clove and salt and whisk your ingredients together.  Set this aside.

Now take a large mixing bowl and add in your butter, brown sugar, molasses and water and cream your ingredients together with a hand mixer until your mixture is smooth.  Do not over mix though.  Next add in your vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix until your ingredients are fully incorporated.  Now take your dry ingredients and add them in about a cup at a time and mix with your hand mixer until all of your flour is fully incorporated and you have created a dough.

You will now want to chill your dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Overnight would be best though.

After 2 or more hours remove your dough from the refrigerator and shape the dough into balls about the size of walnuts and then roll the balls in the 1/3 cup of sugar.  Now place balls on a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart since they will spread a bit.  You will then want to place the cookie sheet in your preheated oven and bake until your cookies are golden brown.  This should take 10 to 15 minutes.   You will want to rotate your cookie sheet half way through.  Let your molasses sugar cookies stand on your cookie sheet for two minutes after you remove them from the oven.  Then place them on wire racks to cool.

Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe

One of my favorite dishes to make and then to eat is fried chicken.  It is very important to me that my chicken to be very crispy and perfectly seasoned.  The best way to do this is to double coat your chicken and then fry it until your chicken is perfectly fried.  Below you will find my instructions on how to make some perfect fried chicken.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons of paprika
3/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 (4 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, with the backbone and wing tips removed
1 cup of buttermilk
1 large egg
4 cups of flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper
Peanut oil

Instructions:

To begin with you will first need to season your chicken.  To do this you will first want to prepare your seasoning so take a small mixing bowl and then add in salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder into the bowl and then give your seasonings a quick whisk to mix them together.  Now take your pieces of chicken and season them on all sides.

You will now want to take a large mixing bowl and add your buttermilk, egg and 1/2 of a cup of water into the bowl and then whisk your ingredients together.   You now should take a large mixing bowl and add 2 cups of your flour to that bowl and then set it aside.  Now take another large mixing bowl and add in the remaining 2 cups of your flour, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of  pepper and then mix them together.

You should now take each piece of the chicken and then dredge your chicken into the bowl with the flour in it.  Next dip your dredged chicken into the bowl with the egg/buttermilk mixture.  Lastly, you will then place your piece of chicken and dredge your chicken into the mixing bowl that has the seasoned flour mixture in it.  Place your coated chicken on a paper towel and then repeat the process on each piece of chicken until all pieces have been coated.

It is now time to fry your chicken so place your oil into a 10 inch cast iron skillet so that your oil is at a depth of 3/4 of an inch.  You will need to place a deep fry thermometer into your skillet.  Heat your oil over a medium high heat until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees F.   You are now ready to fry.

To fry your chicken, place 4 pieces of chicken in the skillet.  You will want to fry the chicken, turning the chicken with tongs every 4 minutes and making certain to adjust the heat to maintain a steady temperature of approximately  325 degrees until your chicken is a deep golden brown color.  You will want to fry your chicken about 16 minutes, which means you will need to turn your chicken four times.

When the chicken is done you will want to remove your chicken from the skillet using tongs and place them on a wire rack.  You will want to repeat the above frying instructions for the remaining pieces of chicken.  Let your chicken cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

I have always loved a good lemon meringue pie.  Below is my recipe for making a lemon custard pie that’s creamy and full of lemon flavor.  The lemon flavor comes from the half of a cup of lemon juice and from the finely grated lemon peel that is added to the custard.  I also use vanilla and almond extract in the custard to give the pie more flavor.  The pie then is topped with an easy to make meringue that is made from egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar.  The lemon meringue pie is then placed in the oven until the meringue is golden brown.

Pie Filling Ingredients:

1 (9 inch) pie crust
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of whole milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
1/2 cup of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract

Meringue Topping Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
6 tablespoons of sugar

Instructions:

You will want to begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line your pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans.  Then place your pie crust into your preheated oven and bake your pie crust until the crust is set.  This  should take 12 to 14 minutes.   Then remove the paper and weights from your pie crust and then continue to bake until golden brown.  This should take 8 to 10 minutes.  Now, remove your pie crust from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Then reduce the temperature of your oven to 350 and leave your oven on.

To make the lemon custard you will want to whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk until smooth in a heavy large saucepan. Cook and stir the mixture over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. You will then want to reduce the heat and cook while stirring for 2 minutes longer.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and then stir in a small amount of hot mixture into a bowl that you have beaten your eggs in.  This is called tempering the eggs and you do it so that you don’t create scrambled eggs in your mixture.  Once the eggs are tempered return the mixture to the saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Your next step is to remove the saucepan from the heat and then stir in your butter until it melts and is incorporated.  Then add in your lemon juice, lemon peel, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until combined.   After your custard has cooled slightly you will want to pour your custard into the pie shell that you have already baked.  Set your pie aside while you make your meringue topping.

You will now want to prepare the meringue by taking a medium mixing bowl and add in in your egg whites and cream of tartar and beat your ingredients with a hand mixer on a medium speed until soft peaks form.  Then gradually add in your sugar a tablespoon at a time while you beat your mixer on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form in the meringue and your sugar has completely dissolved.   Then spread your meringue completely over your lemon filling that will still be hot.  I think curly peaks give a great texture to a lemon meringue pie’s top so use a spoon to swirl and twist the meringue until you achieve this result.  Make certain that you seal the edges of the meringue to the crust of your pie shell.  If you do not then the meringue will shrink a bit as it bakes.

Now place your lemon meringue pie into your preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees F. until the meringue is golden brown.  This should take 10 to 15 minutes.  Keep an eye on it after 10 minutes to make certain it doesn’t over brown   Then cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  After that time place your pie in the refrigerator and chill your lemon meringue pie for 3 to 4 hours or overnight before serving.  enjoy

Ground Beef Chili Recipe

Chili is a great one pot meal that your whole family can and will enjoy.   Just serve it with a nice salad and some crusty bread or crackers and enjoy. Below is my recipe for a very good spicy beef chili that is made with kidney beans, ground beef chuck, garlic, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño,  tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika and other seasonings.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 medium sweet onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
5 tablespoons of jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 pounds of ground beef chuck
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes in juice
1 (8 oz.) can of tomato sauce
1 (14 oz.) can of beef broth
3 (15 oz.) cans of kidney beans, drained

Instructions:

Take a Dutch oven and add your oil into it.  Then place it over a medium high heat.  When it gets  slightly hot add in your onions and bell peppers and sauté your vegetables until they are tender.  This should take 4 or 5 minutes.  At that point add in your jalapeños and garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  Now add in your ground beef chuck and cook it until it has browned.  Make certain your break up your beef as it cooks,  This should take about 5 minutes.  At this point you will want to drain any grease from your pot.

Next, add in your chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, sugar, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth and kidney beans and bring it to a boil.  You will want to reduce your heat when it comes to a boil and bring it to a simmer.  Now let your chili cook for 45 to 60 minutes so that your flavors can come together and your chili can thicken.  Make certain that you stir your chili periodically as it cooks, especially during the last 20 minutes.

Smothered Pork Chops Recipe

Nothing quite says Mom’s home cooking better then pork chops that are smothered in onions and a creamy gravy.  This comfort food has been a favorite in the South for ages.  Below is my recipe for making some delicious smothered pork chops that are made with pork chops, onion, garlic,  poultry seasoning, paprika, pepper, chicken broth, buttermilk and flour.

Ingredients:

4 large pork chops, about 1 1/2 inch thick
1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 rounded tablespoon of flour
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

You will want to season your pork chops on both sides with the poultry seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper.  Then take a heavy or cast iron skillet and place your oil in it and place it over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add in your pork chops and brown your pork chops on both sides.  This should take about 5 minutes each side.  When finished remove your pork chops from your skillet and place them on a plate.

You  should now pour off the excess oil, and then place the skillet back on the burner over medium heat.  Then add in your butter.  When the butter has melted add in your onions and a pinch of salt and sauté for about 10 minutes.  The salt will help your onions caramelize.  Your onions are done when they have browned and have caramelized.  Now, stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

At this point you should stir in the flour and cook for 2 more minutes.   Then add in your chicken broth and whisk to combine.  Cook for a minute or two making certain to scrape off any brown bits off the bottom of the skillet.  You will add a lot of flavor by incorporating them into the gravy.  Now slowly add in your buttermilk and pepper and stir it into your gravy to create a creamier gravy.   Now reduce your heat to low and let your gravy simmer for 15 minutes.  You can add in a bit of water if your gravy becomes too thick.

Now, return your pork chops, and any juices on the plate back into the pan, and coat your pork chops with the gravy.  You will want to cook your pork chops in the gravy for about 10 minutes, or until the pork chops have become a bit tender.  When your pork chops are done taste your gravy for seasoning and adjust your seasonings if needed.  You should serve your pork chops topped with the onions and gravy.