Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• .
• Topping:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Combine first 6 ingredients. Pour into a buttered 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, until hot and browned.
Serves 6 to 8.

I have made many varieties of this casserole, but found that I did not have one on my blog.  This is the one I made yesterday for Thanksgiving and it was wonderful. 

It's a Southern Thing

When the crisp fall air begins we all know in the south that it is time for beans.  Pinto beans with corn bread specifically.  We like to crumble the corn bread in the "juice" pintos and eat it like that.  This is one of those things you don't really like as a child but then you grow up and want it because it reminds you of all those childhood memories with grandma making pintos and then you wonder why you didn't like it as much as a child.  A meal in itself!

P. S.  That meat in the beans is ham in all it's goodness.  Now I just need to make some good old sweet tea to make it complete.

Butter aka Butta

When I was in second grade (a very long time ago) I remember a lady coming into class and making butter right in the classroom.  I still remember it as the best tasting butter I ever had!!  Today I found this recipe at www.southernplate.com and it was exactly like the childhood memory in my mind.  I can't wait to try it.
I promise to get back to some of my own recipes soon, but I have been in a rut and looking for new things myself lately.  I hope you will try the butter yourself or with your kids.

Making Butter At Home (Fun activity for all ages!)

• Whipping Cream
• Mason Jar
• Salt (optional)

Fill jar 1/2 to 3/4 full with cream. Place lid on tightly. Shake for ten to thirty minutes, or until you hear solids shaking around and can see through the glass that the solids have separated from liquid (read up in post for more details of what the shaking stages will be like). Pour into colander to separate liquid from butter. Place butter in a ramekin or bowl and stir in salt, if desired. Refrigerate until hardened. Enjoy!
(photo and recipe from www.southernplate.com - she has a great cookbook out too!!!)

Cubed Steak and Gravy

When I was thinking of things to make this week I was shopping my freezer.  I have found that I tend to plan meals and go to the store for items I need even though I have a stocked freezer.  I decided this week I would plan my entire week based on things I already have on hand.  I saw the cubed steaks first and knew I would make cubed steaks and gravy.  I never used a recipe for this dish because I have just always know how to make them, but I started thinking that some non southern girl out there might need this information so here goes.

First start with a package of cubed steak.  I usually get a 4 or 6 pack of them but you can find larger packages at Sam's Club or Costco and divide and freeze them.

Fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch of so of canola or vegetable oil and allow it to heat while you flour each steak.  Using self rising flour fill a pie plate or other dish and make sure you cover every nook and cranny with flour.  Gently place each steak in the oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  The most important step is to now cover with a lid while cooking on medium heat.  Luckily mine is clear so I can see inside, but if yours isn't make sure you don't turn them too soon.  The goal is to allow the heat and steam to make these wonderful little bubbled areas on the side you can see while it is browning the side on the bottom.  When it appears both of those things have taken place you can use a spatula and gently turn them over to repeat the process.

Again the steam allows the side that already cooked to "ruffle" a little and make the yummy crust.  I try to limit my turning to this one time, so I don't lose any crumbs.  I also think it makes for a more tender steak.  Carefully transfer to a dish with paper towels to soak excess oil while you prepare gravy.

With the drippings (aka leftover oil) still in the pan sprinkle 2-3 heaping tablespoons of self rising flour in pan and stir to combine with oil.  This is called making a "roux" in case you like to know the technical terms.  I season at this step with salt and pepper and get the milk out of the fridge.  You want this to look like the color of peanut butter before adding milk, but you don't want to scorch it.

At this point I add my milk.  This is the tricky part because I have never measured, but I think it is about 1 1/2 - 2 cups while stirring constantly with a whisk.  I also add a dash of Worstershire sauce for flavor.  Now keep stirring until it begins to thicken.  (It WILL thicken a little more after you remove from heat to don't let it get too thick before you take it off the burner.) 

The end product should look something like this. 

Some folks also call this chicken fried steak and there are many variations, but this is how I have always done it.  I personally serve the steak and gravy separate because my picky husband doesn't like gravy.  He has even been known to make these wonderful cubed steaks into a sandwich! 

I hope you enjoy.  I usually serve them with mashed potatoes covered in this gravy and green beans. 
Note- this is the basic formula for making gravy from any "drippings", i.e. pork chops, chicken, bacon, even hamburger meat.

Meal Ideas - Sides Edition (Specials)

Sweet potato casserole
hash brown casserole
baked rice
broccoli rice and cheese casserole
mixed vegetable casserole
baked beans
green bean casserole
squash casserole or souffle
fried squash
baked macaroni and cheese

Meal Ideas - Easy Sides Edition

Everyday / Easy sides:

corn
steamed broccoli
green beans
easy baked beans
green peas
hominy
rice
pasta, rice or potato side dish
carrots
macaroni and cheese
roasted red potatoes
fried potatoes
baked potatoes or twice baked potatoes
creamed potatoes

Jeans Baked Beans

This was my mother-in-law's recipe for baked beans.  I had never had any with hot dogs in them, but now that she has passed I make these from time to time to keep her memory alive.  They remind me more of "beanie weenies."

6 red hot dogs
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. chopped red onion
1 T. chopped green pepper
4 large T brown sugar
3 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
large can pork-n-beans


Mix all ingredients except hot dogs. Please sliced hot dogs on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Baked Rice

1 cup uncooked rice
1 can beef broth
1 can consomme
1 stick margarine
1/2 diced onion

Preheat oven to 350. Place margarine in dish to melt. Add remaining ingredients and bake for 45 minutes.

Broccoli Rice Cheese Casserole - Meredith's favorite

2 packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 small jar cheese whiz
1 stick melted margarine
1/2 c. onion
3/4 c. chopped celery (optional)
1 cup minute rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can water

Melt margarine and add onion and celery if used and saute until onions are clear.  Add to remaining ingredients and place in baking dish and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Potato Salad - Two Ways

I have always loved my mom's potato salad and when I met my husband and had his mom's version it was quite a shock because it was so different.  Eventually I came to love hers too, but at first it was a challenge.  I am posting both versions here so I will always have them.  My mom doesn't really follow a recipe so I am making estimates, but my mother in law had a recipe that we found after her death.  I now make hers mostly because she isn't here to serve it and I know it means a lot to my husband, but for the record I love them BOTH! 

My Mom's Potato Salad
2.5 -3 lbs potatoes
2 eggs

1/2 stalk celery, chopped (or celery salt for flavor)
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish (we use Mt. Olive in this area)
2 T. Mustard
1/2 -3/4 c. mayo
1/2 yellow onion chopped (I prefer red onion)
salt and pepper to taste.
paprika for dusting


Boil peeled and chopped potatoes.  Place uncooked eggs (still in shell) in water with potatoes so they can boil at the same times as potatoes.  When cooked drain potatoes and set aside egg to chop and add in.  Mix potatoes with all above ingredients including chopped egg.  Adjust mayo to desired consistency.  May increased pickles as desired. I even chop green peppers and add to this because I really like the flavor.  When mixed place in bowl and sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate.  I like it warm or cold, but most prefer if after cooled for several hours.

Mother In Law Potato Salad
2 lb potatoes
celery seed
1/2 c. finely diced red onion
1/2 c. diced sweet gherkin pickles (Mt. Olive brand preferred)
1/2 c. diced green pepper
1 cup JFG mayo (I use Kraft)
1 T. Cider vinegar
1 T. yellow mustard
1 t. salt
1/4 c. pickle juice from jar
Paprika for dusting

Boil potatoes until done about 20 minutes. Drain. Chop and mix above ingredients together while potatoes are cooking. Mix in cooked potatoes. Mash with potato mashers reducing lumps of potatoes.  Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate overnight.

There are two main differences.  My mom's version keeps potatoes to a chopped form and is more of a salted potato side dish.  My mother-in-law's version is much sweeter version and the potatoes are not kept in their form so the texture is a smoother potato.   I had the same difference of baked beans when I married into this family.  I will post both versions of those on another day.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1 box uncut macaroni noodles
1 stick butter or margarine
1 block sharp cheddar cheese
1 full size can pet milk (evaporated milk)
1 egg

Boil noodles. In the meantime shred cheese and beat with egg and small amount of the milk. Drain noodles. Stir in butter and egg/milk mixture; add remaining milk.  Save some cheese for the top but blend in most cheese.  Bake 45 minutes at 350 or micorwave 14-17 minutes.

Pineapple Casserole

I love this casserole especially at holidays when we are serving ham. Sorry I don't have a recent photo.

2 cans chunk pineapple, drained
1 cup sugar
6 T. flour
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together and place in a baking dish about 9X9.

Crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers and mix them with 1 stick melted margarine. Sprinkle on top of casserole.

Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Murphy's Famous Stuffing Recipe

This recipe originally came from a local DJ on the radio. It is very flavorful and moist and it makes a large amount.  I still make a regular cornbread stuffing, but this stuff is out of this world.

1 1/2 bags Pepperidge Farm or Brownsberry CROUTONS
1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice mix (prepared)
2 eggs
1 large chopped onion
1 bunch of celery, chopped
1 can sliced/slightly chopped
1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage with sage
1/2 t. black pepper
2 cans chicken broth
1/4 lb. real butter
1 clove garlic

1. Soak croutons in a large bowl with chicken broth while completing additional steps.
2. Saute sausage, drain and remove from heat.
3. Saute onion in the butter.  Add garlic then add sausage back with celery.
4. Add water chestnuts, cooked wild rice.
5. Combine above mixture with soaked croutons that have now absorbed most of the liquid. Stir in eggs until mixed through.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes in a VERY LARGE pan or two smaller pans.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

1 box elbow macaroni
1/2 stick margaring
2 1/2 c. cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 large can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. milk
salt/pepper

Cook and drain macaroni.  Place in crock pot with remaining ingredients using 1/2 c. cheese for topping.  Cook 3 hours on low heat.

My Favorite Meal!!

Use Adolph's meat marinade on ribeye steaks overnight in fridge. Serve with twice baked potatoes.

Mmm mm good!

This recipe is from my good friend Robin. Not only are the colors beautiful, the taste is wonderful too!!

Black Eyed Pea Salad

2 cans Bush's black eyed peas (drained)
chopped red pepper, green pepper and red onion
1 package canned or frozen corn (drained)
1/3 c. EVOO
1/3 C. Red Wine Vinegar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T lime juice (I use fresh)
garlic powder to taste

Chop veggies. Mix marinate.
Combine and keep in fridge.

This can be served as a side dish or on chips/crackers.