Craw Fish Bisque

This is delicious!  We are treated to it once a year.  It's thick, buttery and has a little bit of a kick to it! This recipe comes from my cousin Nathan Jacobsen.  He has made this bisque for us 2 or 3 years in a row now around Thanksgiving!  Thank you for sharing your recipe Nathan!

2 lbs. chopped craw fish

1 cup chopped yellow onion

4 sticks butter

2 cups flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 bunch finely chopped green onion

8 cups half & half

4 tsp. garlic powder

4 tsp. onion powder

2-4 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a stock pot over medium high heat saute the chopped yellow onion in all the butter till soft.  Stir in flour, keep stirring for 2 mins. so that all the flour and butter are mixed well together. Stir in broth slowly.  Add a little at a time to the flour butter mixture so that it doesn't become lumpy.  Stir and let it come together for 5 mins.  Add in chopped craw fish and green onion.  Stir and let it come together for 5 mins.  Stir in half & half, 5 mins.  Stir in seasonings.  Cook all together for 20 mins., stir occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Let it stand for 5 mins and then serve.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Casserole

The BEST sweet potato casserole I've ever had comes from my brother-in-law's grandma in North Carolina, Grandma Gill.  Thank you Mimi for sharing your recipe with us!  If you usually don't like sweet potato casserole, I highly recommend you try this recipe and give sweet potato casserole One Last Chance!

Casserole

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. flour

Dash of cinnamon

Topping

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

 Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.  Peel your sweet potatoes. Cut them up into big chunks.  Place sweet potato chunks in a pot with 8 cups of water on the stove and boil till soft.  Drain and mash them.  In a mixing bowl add 1/3 cup melted butter to the mashed sweet potatoes.  Stir in sugar and salt.  Beat in eggs, vanilla and flour.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour mixture into a greased 9x9 casserole dish.

For the topping mix all the ingredients together and sprinkle evenly over the sweet potato mix.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 mins.  Enjoy!

Tuna Noodle Bake

Here is another Haynes family favorite!  In fact if you ask my brother what he wants for his birthday dinner he'll still say, "Tuna noodle bake."  I think I've been making this dish since I was 10 years old, with the help of my mom of course.  It is from my childhood cookbook, For Good Measure.  This recipe can easily be doubled and cooked in a 9x13 dish.

6 oz. wide egg noodles

1- 12oz. can of tuna, drained

1- 10oz can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup of milk

2 cups crushed ruffles classic potato chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook noodles according to package but drain noodles when done, rinse with hot water, drain again.  Pour cooked noodles into a buttered 9x9 baking dish.  Spread tuna over the cooked noodles.  Mix soup and milk together, pour over top of the tuna.  Top with crushed potato chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Butterscotch Bars

This comes from my favorite cookbook!  My aunt Jan bought me my very first cookbook for my 7th birthday!  For Good Measure, a cookbook for children.  I love the very simple but tasty recipes that come from this book.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp maple extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (you choose)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl.  Add sugar. Melt butter and mix in.  Beat in eggs.  Stir in vanilla, maple flavoring and nuts.  Spread in a buttered 9x9 pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 mins.  Let them completely cool and cut into squares.  They are so delicious!  Enjoy!

Autumn Apple & Cheddar Salad with Pecans

As the weather gets colder I find myself eating less and less salad.  Here is an easy salad using the tastes and ingredients of  Autumn. Serves 6

12 cups of leafy baby greens

1 cup seedless red grapes, halved

1 large McIntosh apple, cored and cut into 18 wedges

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/3 cup of your favorite Italian salad dressing

In a large bowl combine greens, grapes and apple wedges.  Add your favorite Italian salad dressing.  You can use less dressing or more depending on how you like it. Toss gently to coat.  Arrange salad on individual plates sprinkle each serving with cheese and pecans.

Enjoy!

Pimento Cheese.... It's a Southern Thing.

For most of you, you already know that my husband was born and raised in the South, North Carolina to be exact. For him Pimento Cheese was a staple in his house. When we lived there for two and half years his grandmother would serve pimento cheese at least once a week and if it wasn't on the dinner table for a meal it was in the refrigerator for a "any time of day" snack.

To be honest, at first I didn't touch the stuff....cheese, mayo and pimento's....bla! But as time passed and it was obvious that it was always going to be apart of a meal...hahaha.... it grew on me and now I love it! 

We recently took a trip to North Carolina (hadn't been back in a year) and his grandmother, as tradition would have it, had a fresh batch of pimento cheese waiting for us :) 

Not having the recipe written down, counting on my memory of watching his grandmother put a little bit of this and a little bit of that into her pimento cheese, yesterday's pimento cheese batch was a success! (according to Chris..... and I must say he's a little bit of a pimento cheese snob)  

Pimento Cheese goes great with a bowl of soup or chili served on a cracker or slice of french bread.... Also, as a sandwich or cheese ball (for party's) No matter how you serve it or eat it, it's delicious! And yes, it may be a "Southern Thing" but in my family it's become a "Traditional Thing" Enjoy!! 

Pimento Cheese

1- 8 oz. block Cheese, shredded

1- small jar of Pimento's

1 - 2tbsp. of Mayo (just enough to bind everything together)

black pepper

Combined all the ingredients in a bowl, refrigerate until cold (20 min.) and serve.  

ps. if you live where they sell the "premade" pimento cheese in the deli section at your grocery store, don't buy it.... homemade so much better plus you can control the ingredients and quality! 

Applesauce Coffee Cake

Made this for the first time last week for the Mother's In Touch group at church.  It turned out great!  

So I thought I would share it with you.  Serves 9

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 beaten eggs

1 cup applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  In a bowl combine 3/4 cup flour and sugar; cut in 1/2 cup butter.  Till it resembles coarse crumbs.  For topping, remove 1/2 cup crumb mixture into a separate bowl; stir in nuts, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon.  Cut 1 more tbsp of butter into the topping mixture. Set aside.

To remaining crumb mixture add remaining flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Add beaten eggs, applesauce and vanilla; beat till well blended.  Pour batter into a greased 9x9 pan.

Sprinkle topping on batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or till toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Torte

I found this recipe while searching through my old Pampered Chef cookbooks.  It is easy and delicious!  One small slice will completely satisfy your sweet tooth.  The first time I made it I didn't even get to try a slice because it was gone in an instant!  Serves 14-16

Nonstick cooking spray with flour

1 pkg (18-21oz) traditional or chewy brownie mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

6 pkg (1.5 oz each) peanut butter cup candies

1 bag (10 oz) peanut butter morsels

2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray torte plans with nonstick cooking spray with flour.  Place 8 in. circles of parchment paper over centers of pans; set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine brownie mix, eggs, 1/2 cup of oil, water and peanut butter; mix well.  Divide batter into two pans, spreading to edges.  Bake 10-12 mins or until centers feel firm to the touch.

Meanwhile using a knife, dice peanut butter cups; set aside.  In a microwave safe bowl combine peanut butter morsels and remaining 1 Tbsp oil; microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, till all are melted and smooth.  Spoon 1/4 cup of peanut butter mixture into a resealable plastic bag; set aside.  Fold marshmallows into remaining peanut butter mixture.

Remove pans from oven to a cooling rack.  Let brownies stand in pans 4 minutes.  To Assemble torte, invert one brownie well-side up onto a platter of your choice. Using a spoon, spread marshmallow filling into brownie well.

  

Take the second brownie and place it well-side up on top of the bottom layer.  Evenly distribute diced peanut butter cup into the brownie well.  Trim the corner off the plastic bag to allow melted peanut butter mixture to flow through; drizzle over torte.  You can serve immediately or make ahead one day prior to serving.  

Enjoy!

Fresh Roasted Green Beans

I like cooking my fresh green beans this way.  It's easy, it's different and the kids like it!

Serves 4

4 handfuls fresh green beans

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Wash green beans and cut off ends.  You can cut green beans in half too or leave them long.  Pat dry the green beans with a paper towel.  Lay green beans in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle olive oil over green beans.  Roll them around so they are evenly coated in the oil.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Place in the 425 degree oven for 10-12 mins.  Green beans will be slightly brown but still crunchy.  Serve with your dinner.  Enjoy!

Oven-Roasted Kalua Pork

I never realized I could make something like this at home.  My friend Robin made this for a ladies luncheon that I attended.  It was delicious!  I had to try making it for myself and my family.  Everyone loved it!  There are very few ingredients, it can be made ahead and it makes great left-overs.  Sign me up!  This recipe is a combination of how Robin cooks it and how a cookbook says to cook it.  Serves 8.

5 lb. boneless pork butt roast

2 1/2 Tbsp. Hawaiian alaea salt (sub kosher salt if needed)

2 Tbsp. liquid smoke

2 cups water

2 bananas

Preheat oven to 330 degrees.  Using a small knife make little cuts in the pork butt.  Rub the pork butt with 1 Tbsp. of the liquid smoke.  Then rub the pork butt with 2 1/2 Tbsp of the Hawaiian salt.

I could not find banana leaves to wrap my pork in so I used an actual banana.  Wash the bananas then cut the ends off.  Place the bananas on top of the meat.

The next step is to completely seal the pork butt with tin foil.  Wrap it all up.  Place the meat in a roasting pan. Add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the pan and 1 Tbsp. of the liquid smoke.

Cook at 330 degrees for 4 hours.  You want to cook it for 45 mins. per pound.  When it's done unwrap the pork and cool sligthly. You can throw the banana away. 

  

Shred pork and place in large bowl.  You can take some of the left over juices from the bottom of the roasting pan and pour over the top of the shredded pork. Serve with your favorite Hawaiian style sides.  Enjoy!  Or in this case...Aloha!

For another meal idea you can freeze the shredded pork meat and re-heat it another day in the crock pot.  Pour a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce over the pork and let it slow cook for a couple hours or more.  Serve on sandwich rolls.  Delicious & Easy!

  

Rice & Black Bean Salad

 I love all the vegetables and flavors in this salad.  It's light but filling.  This is a wonderful side salad that would compliment any grilled meat.  

Serves 6-8 people.

Lime Vinaigrette

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh herbs, such as oregano, Italian parsley, chives, or a combination

3/4 cup olive oil

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

 In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and mustard.  Add the garlic and herbs, and whisk in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Use immediately or refrigerate, covered for up to 3-4 days.

Rice & Black Bean Salad

2 cups canned black beans, drained

2 cups cooked long-grain white rice

Kernels from 2 ears of cooked fresh corn

1 cup Lime Vinaigrette

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne

3 Tbsp. minced cilantro leaves

1 red onion, diced

2 small zucchini, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 gold or orange bell pepper, diced

1 poblano chile, diced

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

Let the cooked rice and corn cool to room temperature.  Put the beans, rice and corn in a large bowl and toss together lightly.  Make the dressing:  In a small bowl, combine the vinaigrette, cumin, cayenne and half the cilantro.  Spoon half of the dressing over the rice mixture and toss lightly.

Put the onion, zucchini, bell peppers, and poblano in a medium bowl, pour the rest of the dressing over and toss.  Let both the rice mixture and the onion mixture rest for 30 min.  

Add the onion mixture to the rice mixture.  Toss together lightly and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the rest of the cilantro over the salad and serve immediately.  The salad can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days; bring back to room temperature before serving.  Enjoy!

Black Bean Soup

I found this recipe this past winter.  I've made it several times, but never took pictures or posted it.  I changed a few things from the original recipe to make it just the way I like it.  It makes a great and filling lunch or dinner. Serves 4.

1 cup of diced ham

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped carrots

3 minced garlic cloves

6 cups of vegetable broth

1/2 tsp. BBQ dry rub

1- 14oz. can of diced fire roasted tomatoes

1- 10oz. can of diced green chilies (drained)

2- 14oz cans of black beans (drained and rinsed)

In your stock pot over medium heat saute the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrots and minced garlic for 4-5 mins. in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Add the chopped ham.  Add a 1/2 tsp of your favorite BBQ dry rub.  It gives the soup a little smoky flavor.  Stir ingredients together.  Add the vegetable broth, fire roasted tomatoes and green chilies.  Stir together.  Bring soup to a boil and then turn down the heat.  Let it simmer for 1 hour.  Add the black beans.  Simmer for 30 mins.  

Pull 3 cups of the soup out of the stock pot and place in a food processor.  Pulse until beans are mashed.  Add it back to the stock pot and stir together.  Let the soup simmer for another 30 mins.  Then serve.  You can serve this with cheese on top or green onions.  Whatever you like.  You can also make this soup without the ham.  It's up to you!  Enjoy!

Roasted Chickpeas

You want an easy, delicious, healthy snack, do you?! Well, it's your lucky day :) 

These Roasted Chickpeas are so good and fast to make! They are a great snack to have while you watch your kids baseball practice or game..... or even just an afternoon treat. Hope you enjoy them.

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 tsp. of paprika

1-2 tsp. of garlic salt

Pinch of chili pepper

Dash of olive oil

Toss the chickpeas lightly in olive oil, then mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Spread chickpeas out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 30-40 min. (shuffling every 10-15 min.) They will be crunchy when you take them out and as they cool they will become more crunchy! Enjoy!!

Baked Egg Rolls

1lb ground Chicken, Turkey or Venison
1/2 head green cabbage
1 cup sliced organic carrots
1 cup sliced organic portabella mushrooms
1 package of egg roll wraps
Soy sauce (reduced sodium)
Olive oil

Pre heat oven to 400, cook chicken completely, add chopped cabbage and veggies, add soy sauce to taste. Cook until veggies are tender. Fill egg roll and wrap. Lightly brush baking pan with olive oil and tops of egg rolls too. Bake at 400 until golden brown (15- 20 min.)  Note: can find egg roll wraps in produce dept of any grocery store. Make sure wraps are made with wheat and egg whites!

Enjoy!

Kale Chips

SERIOUSLY??! 

Who would of thought baked Kale would be so DELICIOUS and FABULOUS?! Not me, haha..... but honestly these have now become a staple in our home! Super simple, super yummy, even my 3 year old eats them... hello, miracle!

1 bunch of fresh (organic) Kale

*I get mine from the farmers market but almost every grocery store carries Kale near the fresh lettuce*

  2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Sea Salt

Pre heat oven to 350, wash and gently dry your Kale, take the leafs off the stem and tear into bite size pieces,  in a bowl drizzle the olive oil and sea salt, mix together so each leaf has some oil and salt, Put onto a baking sheet (not over lapping each other), place in oven for 15 min. and they are done! 

That's it, So simple!! They will be crunchy and healthy!!!! I store them in a zip lock bag, perfect for that chip craving! I hope your family enjoys these as much as I do!

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Veggie Pasta Salad

This is a great lunch, snack or side dish pasta salad! It's refreshing, easy and very healthy....Try to use only organic produce or local grown produce but it's great to try all sorts of combos depending on what you have in your fridge! (Black olives or some reduced fat feta would have been nice too if I had some handy)

• large 1/4 cup dry whole wheat pasta (cooked)
• 1/4 cup canned organic white beans drained (no sodium added)
• 1/3 of a cucumber chopped (skin on for more nutrients)
• 6 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 thick slice of red onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp. pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tsp. minced garlic

Instructions

Cook your dry pasta and allow to cool (or run it under cold water). Throw all ingredients together and enjoy. I made this the night before and the flavors really seemed to mix together in the fridge overnight- yum! Enjoy!!

Homemade Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

 This is a wonderful and EASY bread recipe. 

Try to use all organic ingredients if possible, the quality and nutrition value will be better but I know some people do not have organic stores close by. After making this bread I'm not sure I will ever buy store sandwich bread again. This recipe makes 2 loafs, the bread freezes great! 

Enjoy!

• 8 to 8-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 1/2 tsp quick-rise yeast (or 2 envelopes)
• 2 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup oil

Combine 3-1/2 cups flour, undissolved yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Heat milk, water, honey and oil until very warm (NOT boiling - it should just be a bit warmer than lukewarm). Gradually add to flour mixture; beat 2 minutes at medium speed with electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour; stir until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon or clean hands, mix in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. (NOTE - I only used about 7 cups of flour instead of the whole 8 to 8 1/2).

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes (NOTE - I kneaded about 2 minutes). Cover kneaded dough and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half to 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam sides down, in 2 greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.

Bake in preheated 375oF oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until done (NOTE - Mine took about 30 minutes). Remove from pans; let cool on wire racks.

Teriyaki Steak

We probably have this once a month.  Sometimes I get bored with making steak the same way over and over again.  The teriyaki marinade helps me go in a different direction with dinner.  I like to try different vegetables and different flavor combinations together.

One 3 to 5lb. Tri-Tip Steak or Flank Steak

1 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1- 6oz. lite beer

juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 green onion (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

Stir soy sauce, brown sugar, water, beer and lemon juice in a bowl until the brown sugar dissolves.  Pour marinade into a gallon zip-lock bag.  Add in the garlic and onion.  Add in your steak.  Let it marinate for 3 plus hours.  The longer the better.  Remove the steak from the marinade and grill or broil your steak.

2 cups (uncooked) brown rice

Cook rice according to the package.  However I cook my brown rice in chicken stock instead of water.  I think it gives it more flavor that way.

2 cups thawed & shelled edamame soy beans 

1 cup sliced red bell pepper

1 cup sliced carrots

1 chopped green onion

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame seeds

In a skillet over high to medium heat add the sesame oil.  Add in all the vegetables.  Stir and let them cook for 4 mins.  Add soy sauce to the skillet.  Stir the vegetables.  Let them saute a little more in the soy sauce.  Add in sesame seeds.  Let it all cook together for 1 more minute.

Place cooked rice in bowls.  Spoon veggies over the rice.  Slice up your steak and then add it on top of the rice and vegetables.  You can add a little more soy sauce if you want.  Enjoy!