Dorne Sandifer - EzineArticles Expert

Saturday, October 13, 2007

THREE OF THE VERY BEST RECIPES

Let's try another of the GREAT family recipes. It's very good and tasty and easy to prepare. Don't think for one minute that this won't have both sides of the mouth chomping. Here we go.

Sausage and Bean Chowder

2 lbs. pork sausage (or 1 lb. of hamburger and 1 lb. sausage)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
4 cups water 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cans kidney beans 1/2 tsp. thyme
2 16oz. cans crushed tomatoes 1 bay leaf
2 med. onions, chopped 1/2 cup frozen corn
4 med. potatoes, chopped 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Brown sausage with onion; drain fat. Stir remaining ingredients and bring to boil. If using hamburger, increase seasonings. Cover and reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve with crackers and green salad or cornbread.
Aunt Helen

Get out of here. This is delicious!!

Spinach Casserole

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of mushroom soup 1 cup herbed dressing crumbs
1 sm. onion, minced (1/2 cup) 1/4 cup margarine, melted

Cook spinach in microwave by pkg directions. Drain and add onion, soup, and cheese; mixing well. Pour into greased casserole dish. Mix crumbs and margarine and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Aunt Mary Lou

Down right good!!

Chocolate Pound Cake

1 cup butter 5 eggs
1/2 cup Crisco 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups sugar 1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour 7 table spoons cocoa
1 cup milk

Mix butter, Crisco, and sugar, Add eggs, one at a time. Sift together all dry ingredients. Add alternately with milk. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve when cooled.

Aunt Shirley
prepare. Don't think for one minute that this won't have both sides of the mouth chomping. Here we go.

That is hard to beat. Try these great recipes. See ya soon for more goodies.

Friday, October 5, 2007

Two of the Very Best For You

Here are a couple easy to prepare and great to get your mouth into!!

LASAGNA

2 lbs. hamburger meat 1 cup minced onions
2 lg. can tomatoes, crushed 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 6oz. can tomato paste 3/4 lb. cottage cheese
1 tsp. salt 1/2 lb. Mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tsp. oregano Cooked lasagna noodles
1 tsp. onion salt

Brown beef in a large skillet with onion and other seasonings. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer slowly for 2 hours. Cover bottom of a baking dish with 1/3 of sauce; put cooked lasagna noodles on top and put cheese on top of this. Repeat these layers and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Aunt Barbara

Goodness my my. Put some on this plate please!

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

3/4 c. pecans 1 c. sugar
3/4 c. quick cooking oats, uncooked 16 oz. sour cream
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c. sugar 8 oz. white chocolate, melted
1/4 c. + 2 t. margarine, melted 4 egg whites, room temp.
2 8oz. pkg. cream cheese softened 1/8 tsp. cream of tarter
1 T. powered sugar

Combine pecans, oats, graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c. sugar, and margarine, blend well. Press into bottom and 2" up sides of a 10" springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Combine cream cheese and 1 cup sugar, beat at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy. Add sour cream and vanilla, mix well. Stir in melted white chocolate. Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy, add cream of tarter, beat until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, beat until peaks form. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture, spoon into crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes; turn off oven and leave cake in oven for 30 minutes. Partially open oven door and leave for another 30 minutes. Cool and chill for 8 hours. Remove from pan and enjoy!

Aunt Sheryl

If you love cheesecake like I do, this won,t last long. Simply put...GREAT!!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Two Great Gotta Try

Have you ever had the desire for the best, quick meal? Have your taste buds been craving something great tasting for lunch or dinner? How about something to snack on while watching television or a card game. What would be great to take to the beach or lake? Well, don't worry any more. Here are two great recipes are for you. You will certainly satisfy your family and friend's taste with these. The first one is for a great chicken and broccoli casserole and the second is for a superb black bean salsa. One of the best things about these two recipes is that they both keep really well. Try them out before too long and surprise every member of your family.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

2 10oz. packs frozen broccoli

3 chicken breasts, boiled, boned, and shredded

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup of mayo

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese

1 cup Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix

3 Ts. margarine, melted

Cook broccoli by package directions and drain. Arrange broccoli in a 9x13 casserole dish and top with chicken. In a separate bowl, combine soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry powder. Spread on top of chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs. Drizzle melted butter all over. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve when cooled.
Easy, quick and just great!

BLACK BEAN SALSA

1 can black beans

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can black eyed peas

1 can Rotel tomatoes w/ lime and cilantro

1 green bell pepper diced

6 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 bunch green onions, diced

1 8oz. bottle Zesty Italian dressing

1 tsp. sugar

Rinse and drain the black beans, corn, and black eyed peas. Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with corn chips suitable for dipping such as "Scoopables". This recipe keeps really well. You'll get hooked on it once you try this recipe. Present as a quick snack for a home viewing of ball game, picnic or other outing, or to take to the lake or beach. It won't be wasted!
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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Two of the world's best Cheesecake Recipes

One of the most famous and tasty cakes from each cook is their cheesecake recipes. Nearly everyone on the face of the earth love cheesecake. These two recipes are the ultimate in cheesecakes. They will surely enhance any occasion you may have. They can be served year round and are sure to enhance any meal you serve. My hope is that you try these great cakes.

CHOCOLATE TURTLE CHEESECAKE


1 7oz. package caramels

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cups chopped pecans

3.9 oz. package chocolate instant pudding mix

9 inch chocolate pie crust

1/2 cup fudge topping

2 3oz. package cream cheese


Place caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan and heat over low heat until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans and pour into pie crust. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, sour cream, and milk in a blender and mix until smooth. Add pudding mix and blend well. Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, covering evenly. Chill until set, about 15 minutes. Drizzle fudge topping in a decorative pattern over cake ans sprinkle remaining nuts on top. Chill and serve.

THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE


crust:


1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 stick butter or margarine

2 Tbsp. sugar


Filling:


5 8oz. packages soften cream cheese

3 large eggs

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla


Topping:


1 egg white

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 cup assorted fresh chopped fruit

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup raspberry preserves


For crust, combine cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press into a 9 inch cake pan and chill for 30 minutes. For filling, preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese for 2 minutes and add sugar. Gradually add flour mix, mix well on slow speed. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Add sour cream, lemon peel and vanilla. Beat until just blended, pour into crust. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Beat egg white until frothy, add 1 Tbsp. sugar and beat until peaks form. Fold in 1/2 cup sour cream until blended. Spread on cake and return to oven. Bake until topping is set, not brown. Turn off oven and let cake cool completely with door ajar. Place on wire rack to cool completely. You may design on top of cake with the preserves and arrange fruit on top and chill. Soften preserves in microwave before spreading on cake. Serve and enjoy!

These are the two best cheesecakes on earth. Serve them after a great meal or during a special time at your home.

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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Southern Sweet Potato Pie


Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner time celebrations together along with the great meals being prepared regardless of the main meal is only a plain meal if it weren't for the great cakes, pies, cookies, an fruit salads that accompany the meal. This is the greatest recipe for sweet potato pie on the earth! Add this to your meal and watch the entire family ask for more. It is simple to make and great to consume. This addition will make these special times together more meaningful for both you and your family.

1 nine inch unbaked pie shell
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp. butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 lb and 2 oz can sweet potatoes mashed
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well, with mixer. At low speed, add mashed potatoes, alternating with milk until fluffy. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool and serve. This amazing southern sweet potato pie will become the main dessert feature at these festive meals or any other special day. My grandmother would be honored if you tried this great pie. She was one of the first creator of this special pie. Served with any meal, this pie will keep the smiles on the faces of all family members, guests, and friends. I assure you that you will be suprised at all the compliments you will receive.

Visit me at: http://www.check-outautoinsurance.com and http://www.tricetried.com

Dorne Sandifer. Great cook of Southern recipes. These recipes are secret family recipes handed down over the hundreds of years.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Otis's Select Catfish Stew

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Otis's Select Catfish Stew


One of the Southerner's most favorite passion is fishing. With all the beautiful lakes, rivers and ponds scattered around the south, fishing offers an enjoyable pastime events usually passed down through the generations. Nothing excites the young more than a cane pole, worms/crickets in a bucket, a corked fishing line, and a "nibble" of a fish while sitting with daddy, grand-daddy, or grandmother at the edge of a fish filled river or pond. Memories like this fill my mind and soul when I remember this activity with my father.


Another fond memory I have of him was the way the cooked all the fish we caught and cleaned. The cleaning was not delightful but essential. He had his own way to deep fry the fish. The most amazing thing I remember is that he never failed to cook the best tasting fish on earth..Every time without fail! He would separate the various species of fish in separate bowls and cooked each one differently. The only (and I must admit) fish he prepared two different ways was the catfish. His best recipe was the catfish stew. He prepared this stew for lawyers, doctors, and several senators of our state. From festive occasions to the family suppers, he always prepared the stew this same way.


6 catfish boiled in water and boned
6 white potatoes peeled and diced


4 large onions chopped
1/2 lb fatback fried and cut up into 1 inch pieces


1 stick margarine 1
1/2 quarts sweet milk


1 8 oz. can cream
salt/pepper


Cook catfish in boiling water. Add 3 to 4 tsps. of salt and sprinkle in pepper. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until white in color in water. De-bone catfish if fresh. If catfish fillets are used, boil for the same time. Cook potatoes and onions in the water you boiled and de-boned catfish in until potatoes and onions are done. Add fish, strips of fried fatback drippings and margarine. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool and stir in milk and cream. Heat mixture until hot stirring so meat will not stick. Serve with oyster or saltine crackers. Some like ketchup added in their bowls of stew. Either way, it is great! Enjoy daddy's famous catfish stew.


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Monday, September 10, 2007

Great Collard Greens!!!

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There are few things better than Collard greens!!


Ingredients

2 large bunches fresh collard greens (about 5 pounds each)
1/2 pound fatback, sliced
1/2 pound hog jowl
1 tablespoon oil
4 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Remove and discard stems and discolored spots from greens. Wash greens thoroughly; drain and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Set aside.

Cook fatback and hog jowl in hot oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until fatback is crisp. Remove fatback and jowl, and set aside. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup drippings.

Bring 4 cups water, next 3 ingredients, and 1/4 cup reserved drippings to a boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add one-third of greens, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted. Repeat procedure twice with remaining greens. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until collards are tender. Add additional sugar and salt to taste, if desired.

Yield

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Be sure and check out the "CopyCat " recipe book. Get your copy and enjoy all the great recipes!

Meat Recipe with Baked Potato


Meat prepared recipes can be made in casserole dishes, deep fryers, and skillets. It is real easy to add appetizers, soups, and salads to these recipes. Add bread, rolls, pastry and desserts and you will fill anyone's hearty appetite. Her is one of my family's favorite secret recipe for a hamburger casserole. This is a main dish for any family, easy to prepare and just good food!

HARVEST HAMBURGER CASSEROLE

1 lb. ground chuck, browned, drained
1 cup minced onion
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes with liquid
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sliced potatoes
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 pack (10oz.) frozen corn thawed
1 pack (10 oz.) frozen lima beans thawed
1 green pepper cut into strips
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheese

In a mixing bowl, combine beef, onion, tomatoes with liquid, worchestershire, and salt. Pat into a greased 3 quart casserole dish. Layer with potatoes, flour, corn, lima beans and green pepper. Bake, covered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve when cooled. Serve for a great dinner or supper main meal.

Add to
that main dish a great cooked potato. This is a great side dish to accompany any meal.

TWICE BAKED POTATO

6 large potatoes
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled, and reserve the drippings
1 medium onion finely chopped
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoon salt, divided
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Pierce potatoes, run skins with butter, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Wrap individually in aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until for tinder. Saute onions in drippings. Set aside. When potatoes are done, unwrap and cut the top 1/3 off. Scoop out the pulp carefully, leaving only the shell. Combine the following with the scooped out pulp, butter, remaining salt, egg, cheese, bacon, onion, and pepper. Stir until creamy. Spoon mixture back into shells. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve hot. They're delicious! You can also add cooked broccoli or mushrooms for even greater taste!

How many of the national chain recipes do you like? Would you like to know just how they and the many other meals are prepared? Check out this: Copycat Recipes. You'll get all the recipes for all your favorite meals.






Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Baked Spaghetti


This is one of the truly great secret recipes of my family. This is the BEST spaghetti...EVER! Try it now and it will quickly become your favorite. Your children as well as the grown folks will rave at this spaghetti.

2 cans diced tomatoes (14 oz.)
1 can tomato sauce (14 oz.)
1 can tomato paste (14oz.)
1 1/2 tsp. Johnny's seasoning
2 tsp. salt
2 cloves minced garlic
1 small onion chopped
1 small pkg mushrooms diced
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground chuck brown, drained
8 oz. raw angel hair pasta cooked, drained
8 oz. cream cheese at room temp
4 oz. sliced green olives

Combine diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Johnny's seasoning, salt, cloves in bowl. Saute onion and mushroom in oil. Add to bowl ingredients. In a large casserole dish layer 1/2 of combined sauce, all the pasta. Now spread cream cheese, green olives, parmesan cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/3 topping of pepperoni. Top with remaining sauce. Add another layer of pepperoni and 2 cups of mozzarella, then more pepperoni. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Broil for 5 minutes insuring casserole doesn't burn. Serve when warm. Be sure to back off table when served!!( smile).

My Mother created this dish. Please enjoy.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

OKRA GOOD!

You might think that okra is a vegetable but it is actually a flowering plant from the mallow family. Known as ladies fingers (a translation of the Igbo - spoken in Nigeria), okra is grown in tropical areas and it is actually the seed pod of the plant which, when picked young, is used as a vegetable.

Although okra is used in eastern Mediterranean and Arab countries, usually in stews and in the USA, breaded and fried, it is in Indian cuisine that it is best known. Called bhindi in Hindi, ladies fingers should be about the size of the ring finger of a small woman; any larger and they will be too tough and hairy to use.

Okra is very versatile and can be stuffed, steamed, curried and fried, but here are a few suggestions for tasty dishes.

Fried Okra

Serves 4 as a side dish

300g okra, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, finely sliced
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
2 green chillies, split
Lemon juice
Salt

Heat the oil and fry the onion over a medium heat until lightly browned. Add all the powdered spices and continue frying for a couple of minutes. Add the okra, lemon juice and salt to taste. Mix well, cover and cook for another five minutes until the okra is cooked but still firm.


Okra Curry

Serves 4 as a main or 6-8 as a side dish

500g okra, cut into 2cm pieces
500g potatoes
4 tomatoes, chopped
3 onions chopped
25g root ginger
2 cloves garlic
3 green chillies, halved
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp oil for frying
Salt

Peel the potatoes and either par boil and cut into 2cm dice, or leave raw and cut to about 1cm by 2cm.

Peel the root ginger and the garlic and make into a paste with a little water. You can use a small food processor or just elbow grease and a pestle and mortar if you prefer.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and add the cumin seeds. Have a lid handy as these may spit. Add the onions, the green chillies, the garlic and ginger paste and fry until the onions are lightly browned. Add the tomatoes, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, potatoes and ladies fingers, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are done.

Crispy Okra

Serves 6-8 people as a side dish

Oil for frying
500g okra, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1 small onion
2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp chaat masala (see spice mix below)
Lemon juice
Salt
A large bunch of coriander leaves

To make the chaat masala dry roast 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 small dried red chilli,1 tbsp cumin seeds and 2 tbsp black pepper corns. Grind to a powder and mix with 1 tbsp dried mango powder. Store in a small airtight jar.

Deep fry the okra in small batches until crisp and drain on kitchen paper. Toss with the onion, tomato and coriander leaves. Squeeze over the lemon juice and season to taste with the chaat masala spice mix and salt.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Old Timey Turkey Dressing

Now that I've posted several articles, I thought I should get back to adding my family's famous secret recipes. This is on of the truly great dishes to be served with the special dinners at Christmas or Thanksgiving. It's easy to prepare and very good. As a matter of fact, it's down right GOOD!

Old Timey Turkey Dressing

1 turkey, or baking hen 2 T. poultry seasoning, rounded
4 breakfast biscuits 1-2 T. sage, rounded
4 slices of bread 1 T. black pepper
1 10-inch skillet of cornbread 1/2 tsp. celery seed
2 cups celery, chopped 3 boiled eggs, diced
2 cups onions, chopped 1 stick margarine
2 T. salt, level

Bake or boil turkey, save liquid for recipe. Put celery and onion in pan with enough water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. In large bowl put all bread and add onions and celery in liquid, add butter, and enough stock from boiled turkey to make consistency of uncooked cornbread. If you have no biscuits, sub. with 4 slices of bread. Add seasonings; stir well. Add eggs and stir gently. Bake 30 minutes at 450 degrees. Opt: remove from the bone and add to dressing before baking. Serve warm with your meal.

Uncle Jim

You talk about good, you don't know what's good.

Ready? Here is another great one just for you.

Mystery Meat Loaf

1 lb. ground beef 2 T. mustard
2 slices bread 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg 1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 sm. onion chopped Mystery ingredients
1/8 c. chopped green pepper


Mix all ingredients in bowl, except mystery ingredients, and shape into loaf. Place in a pan that allows 2" clearance on all sides. Place meat loaf in pan, top with mystery ingredients, and add enough water to fill pan 1/2 inch. Bake at 350 degrees until firm, about 45 minutes. Mystery ingredients inc: Cereal mix, grape nuts, golden mushroom soup, etc. Serve when cooled.

Uncle Chip

All your friends will not believe what they are tasting. Only you will know the mystery! Jaw dropping good eating for everyone. Gotta try this one for sure!! this recipe is great for unexpected guests as well as for the family dinner.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

A Few Cooking Guides and Tips

People want to eat healthy foods today, and a good way to accomplish that is through poultry. There are some chicken cooking tips that can help you in the kitchen and protect your family as well.

Here are a few of the best chicken cooking tips available.

• You must take care to always wash your hands, knife, and cutting board in hot soapy water after preparing raw poultry.

• You should never use the same utensils and cutting board for other ingredients without thoroughly washing them first and after use. This prevents cross contamination.

• You should always marinate poultry in the refrigerator. Never leave it out in the open.

• Do not use the poultry marinade for basting.

• If the marinade is to be used for the basis of a sauce, bring it to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.

• Never put cooked poultry on the same plate that was used to transport raw poultry. Again, this prevents cross contamination.

Here are some chicken cooking tips for storing your poultry:

• Fresh poultry is a very perishable food. You should not leave it out in the open air. Instead, wrap it in plastic as soon as you get it home from the store and always store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator. You should use it within two days; if this is not possible, place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. You should always freeze giblets and livers separately from the whole bird.

• Cooked poultry dishes can be frozen. However, you should not freeze poultry dishes that contain mayonnaise or hard-boiled eggs.

• Allow small poultry dishes to cool completely before wrapping and freezing them. Allow larger items to cool in the refrigerator and then wrap airtight and freeze.

• You should never freeze stuffed poultry.

Some of the most important chicken cooking tips involve proper thawing of the bird.

It is especially important that the poultry be properly thawed before cooking. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator while it is in the original wrapper. You can place it on a tray to catch any drips that may fall as it thaws. When thawing in the refrigerator is not possible because there is not enough time, there are two other alternatives. For rapid thawing, you can put the bird in watertight wrapping and then submerge in cold water. You should change the water frequently as this will help quicken the process. Smaller birds require about one to two hours.

The other alternative is to leave the bird in its wrapper and put it into a heavy paper grocery bag. Close up the bag and put it into a cool room. You will need to check it frequently, and once the bird is thawed, you must cook it immediately.

Now for the Turkey!

Turkey is a long time favorite of many families and now there are some great cooking tips tricks that anyone can learn and use to better prepare these wonderful birds.

Selecting the proper size: You should plan on about 3/4 pound per person for generous servings. You should understand that this will not leave much in leftovers. If you like to have more leftovers, plan on 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person.

Hens or Toms: It may surprise you but the only real difference between a hen and tom is the size. Hens are classified under 16 pounds and toms are over 16 lbs. A somewhat secret cooking tips tricks is that both will be a young turkey, just a few weeks old at the time of processing. They will be equally tender and moist.

Roasting your bird: Remove the neck and giblets from the neck and body cavities. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. If you want to stuff the bird, you should loosely stuff the body and neck cavities and then fasten the leg clamp back onto the legs.

Cooking tips tricks: Place the turkey in a roasting pan with the plastic timer unobstructed. Cover with a lid, or fashion your own cover with a loose tent of foil. Remember to remove the cover for the last hour for browning.

Cooking tips tricks for Roasting Times: Roast in a preheated, 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. Roasting will take about 15 minutes per pound if the turkey is not stuffed. Stuffed turkeys require an additional 1/2 to 1 hour cooking time. However, it is always best to follow the instructions that come with the stuffing and the turkey. You oven temperature may vary as well which will require you to adjust your time, either upward or downward.

Cooking tips tricks for Basting: One of the most useful tools you can have is a suction basting tube. These inexpensive tools can make basting your turkey a snap and they can also help decrease the time that the oven door is open, which leads to losing oven heat. Baste your bird about every hour or so. This will help make it brown and tender.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Seafood Delights

Here are a couple of seafood recipes that you will find GREAT! Try them and enjoy!

SPICEY CATFISH FILLETS
2 lbs catfish fillets 1 tsp. salt
2 cups buttermilk 1/4 cup Tony Chachere's creole seasoning
1 cup corn meal mix peanut oil
1 cup flour

Soak fish in buttermilk 2 hours or more. Combine dry ingredients and place in plastic bag. Put a few fillets in the bag at a time and shake to coat. Deep fry in peanut oil at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or golden brown.

Uncle Laurence

This is easy to make a have a dy-no-mite taste! Try these killer fillets!

Crab Quiche

3 eggs, beaten 1 can fried onions
1/2 pint sour cream pie shell
1 can crabmeat
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine ingredients and pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake on 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Serve when cooled.

Aunt Joni

Again, easy and slap jaw great!!

Monday, August 13, 2007

Crispy Fried Mushrooms

I hope you have tried any of the previously posted recipes. Here are a couple additional recipes for ya!
1/2 cup all-purpose flour dash of pepper
1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. dry mustard 8 oz. whole fresh mushrooms
1/4 tsp paprika oil for frying

Mix flour, salt, mustard, paprika, and pepper in a large plastic food storage bag. Set aside. Place buttermilk in small bowl. Dip a few mushrooms at a time in buttermilk. Place in bag with flour mixtures. Shake to coat. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in deep fryer or heavy sauce pan at 375 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Turn over in oil several times. Drain on paper towels.
Jaw Dropping Good!

Aunt Sheryl

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Here is a couple I know you'll Love

Here are a couple easy to prepare and great to get your mouth into!!

LASAGNA

2 lbs. hamburger meat 1 cup minced onions
2 lg. can tomatoes, crushed 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 6oz. can tomato paste 3/4 lb. cottage cheese
1 tsp. salt 1/2 lb. Mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tsp. oregano Cooked lasagna noodles
1 tsp. onion salt

Brown beef in a large skillet with onion and other seasonings. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer slowly for 2 hours. Cover bottom of a baking dish with 1/3 of sauce; put cooked lasagna noodles on top and put cheese on top of this. Repeat these layers and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Aunt Barbara

Goodness my my. Put some on this plate please!

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

3/4 c. pecans 1 c. sugar
3/4 c. quick cooking oats, uncooked 16 oz. sour cream
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c. sugar 8 oz. white chocolate, melted
1/4 c. + 2 t. margarine, melted 4 egg whites, room temp.
2 8oz. pkg. cream cheese softened 1/8 tsp. cream of tarter
1 T. powered sugar

Combine pecans, oats, graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c. sugar, and margarine, blend well. Press into bottom and 2" up sides of a 10" springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Combine cream cheese and 1 cup sugar, beat at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy. Add sour cream and vanilla, mix well. Stir in melted white chocolate. Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy, add cream of tarter, beat until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, beat until peaks form. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture, spoon into crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes; turn off oven and leave cake in oven for 30 minutes. Partially open oven door and leave for another 30 minutes. Cool and chill for 8 hours. Remove from pan and enjoy!

Aunt Sheryl

If you love cheesecake like I do, this won,t last long. Simply put...GREAT!!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Wait Till You Try These!

I hope you got to try the recipes in the last post. If you didn't, I surely hope you try them real soon. I'm going to list a couple of new secrets now. They are for all those (men) who say that they can't cook. These will certainly make you a star at the family cook-outs or any time you have family and friends over for the evening. They are real easy and SO good! P.S. They will not consume but very little of your time for great results. Ladies, I certainly didn't mean to offend you. You can prepare this dish, too. I was just plugging all the men folks whom think they can' cook anything..

DRUNK BUTT CHICKEN ( OR HEN)

1 chicken or hen (3-6LBS)
1/2 can of your favorite beer (any can of beer will work)
1 BBQ grill
1 pizza pan
1 potato

Heat up the BBQ grill to 350 degrees (use either gas or charcoal grill). Use the pizza pan and put 2 cups of water in pan. Add spices to the water to enhance the flavors you like. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Run your favorite spices on the chicken. Take the 1/2 can of beer and stuff it in the butt end of the chicken or hen. Be sure the beer can is inside the butt but leave enough out to support chicken upright. Place the chicken upright on the pizza pan with water. Take the potato in the throat of the chicken. Make sure the potato fits snuggly in the throat. Take the pizza pan with chicken and place on the grill. Close the lid of the grill. Don't open the grill lid for 1 hour. Take off grill and serve.

Uncle Rex and Uncle Bryan
This will be the most moist, tender, and best tasting chicken or hen you ever had! What you do during the 1 hour cook time is up to you. DELICIOUS!!

What do you think would top this meal off? How about...

CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

1/2 lb. real butter 3 cups sugar
8 oz. cream cheese 5 eggs
3 cups cake flour 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. soda 2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time. Blend in flour and soda 1 cup at a time. Add vanilla. Fold in buttermilk. Pour into greased and floured tube pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 325 degrees. Serve when cooled.

Aunt Mary Scott

Boy o Boy!! Talk about GOOD!! Try these and come back for more goodies.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Appetizers and Main dishes

These recipes are my favorite dishes, appetizers along with main dishes. Anyone how has ever tried these have raved on their flavor and taste. To put it straight, they are just plain GOOD! They are Southern recipes held in the minds and hearts of my loved ones. I must warn you..if you try it, you gonna love it! Most are old family traditions cooked up to please. They are great. I must ask you a favor. Please don't tell anyone. Just kidding you. I'm not the Bush's secret dog.

Try these.

SPICE DIP APPETIZER

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
2 cups Cool Whip

Mix sugar and spices. Stir in whip topping. Refigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle additional cinnamon on top if desired. Serve with apples, pears, peaches or melon slices.

Aunt Shirley

YUMMY!!

STRAWBERRY DIP

1 16 oz. cream cheese
4 Tablespoons sugar (or substitute sweetener)
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup whipping cream

Blend on medium for 3 minutes. Chill and serve.

Cousin Janet

Just plain good!

CHICKEN DIVAN

3 chicken breasts or one whole chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mushroom soup
2 packages 10 oz. frozen broccoli
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp. curry power
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup soft bread crumbs

Boil chicken until tender. Remove skin and bones and chop into chunks. Cook broccoli as directed on package. In a baking dish put a layer of broccoli and a layer of chicken. Mix lemon juice, mayonnaise, cheese, and curry to make sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli. Top with buttered crumbs. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve.

What you talking about!

Aunt Mary Lou

AUNT PEARL'S ROLLED DUMPLINGS

1-1/2 cup plain flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 large fryer
3 Tablespoon Crisco
3/4 cup milk

Cook fryer covered with salted water, in a Dutch oven until tender. Cool and remove skin and bones. Put chicken back into pot with juice. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in Crisco. Add milk and make into dough. Put on a flat floured surface. Roll thin and cut into strips. Drop a few at a time into boiling liquid. Take a spoon and move them over to make room for all of dumplings.

Can't wait.

Come back often for more great recipes.