Tony's Mexican Cornbread

My husband began making this Mexican cornbread on the weekends after working in GA all week. There was a man at his work that would make this regularly. Tony went on and on about how good it was. After finally retreiving the recipe he made it for us. It quickly became a regular at our house! Now, everybody has there own limits to the HOT jalepenos so adjust accordingly! The original recipe that he brought home said a half jar (YIKES) but we usually cut that down to 2-3 tbsp. It is moist and delicious!

4 eggs
1 1/2  cups milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups self rising corn meal
1 can cream corn
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 tbsp. diced jalepenos
2 cups course grated sharp cheddar cheese

Grease a 9x13 pan heavily with Crisco.
Do not preheat oven.
Turn oven on 350 degrees after placing pan into oven.
Cook about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on your oven.

Squash Dressing

1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup (1stick) butter or margerine
2 cups cornbread, crumbled
2 cups yellow squash, cooked
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can cream of chicken soup
Poultry seasoning or sage to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté onions in butter. In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour into casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes.

Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb lean ground beef

1 large onion (chopped)

1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

a dash of worcestershire sauce

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (I used 3/4 cheddar and 1/4 mozzarella)

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup of Original Bisquick mix

2 eggs

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°F.

Spray a 9 inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray

Cook beef and chopped onion in a skillet over medium about 10 minutes or until beef is brown. Drain excess fat.

Stir in salt, garlic powder and worcester sauce and then spread in pie plate

Next, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the beef

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and Bisquick. Make sure you try to get as many lumps out as you can. Pour over meat mixture.

Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out cleanBake in oven for 25 minutescheeseburger pie

Serves 4-5 people

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size cubes

2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp of brown sugar (organic)

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground ginger

Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.

Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into bite size cubes and place in the baking dish.

Melt butter in the microwave and pour over the potatoes along with the olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.

Add more sugar or cinnamon if desired.

Toss to coat evenly.

Bake in the oven for 60 minutes

Stir the sweet potatoes once or twice during roasting.

Creamy Crockpot Hot Chocolate

1.5 cups heavy cream

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14oz)

2 cups milk chocolate chips

6 cups of milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Meatloaf Minis

My kids are not easy to please when it comes to meatloaf. Well, I finally found a meatloaf recipe that my whole family can enjoy! It's really good. One thing I like about it is that it's really quick to fix! You will notice that there are 3 options for flavor. We have tried the american style so far...

prep: 10 min.
total time: 45 minutes
makes: 6 servings, 2 meatloaves each.

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix
1 cup water
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix meat, stuffing mix, water and add-inn (see options below). Press into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray.
Make an indentation in center of each meatloaf with spoon; fill with sauce (see options below).
Bake 30 minutes or until cooked through. Top with cheese; continue baking 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Option: American Style
1 tsp garlic powder stirred into 3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Option: Italian Style
1 tsp. italian seasoning stirred into 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce

Option: Mexican Style
2 tsp. chili powder stirred into 3/4 cup thick 'n chunky salsa

Source: Kraft Food & Family (love this magazine!)

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

The first time I tried this recipe it was a success with my family. I have also substituted meatballs for the smoked sausage and I have left the meat out before. I really like this soup because it's easy and hearty. I usually serve it with Rhodes yeast rolls.

32 oz. chicken broth
3 lbs. potatoes, diced (I use red potatoes.)
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, quartered
1 tsp. dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. half & half

Combine all ingredients except half & half in your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours (high, 3-4 hours). Just before serving, add the half & half.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits & Tomato Gravy

Yesterday, I got a hankerin' for something that my mom used to fix a lot for me! It sure brought back some memories!

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
2 cups self rising flour (I'm partial to White Lily but I know it's not available everywhere)
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
Buttermilk

Cut crisco and flour together in bowl using a fork or your fingers. Add enouph buttermilk to make a moist dough. I don't measure for this... sorry (It should not be as dry as when you roll it out. It should be rather moist) Drop batter by tablespoon or larger size onto a greased pan. Bake at 425 degrees until bottom is golden and top is barely golden and crisp.

(I love drop biscuits because they are fast, easy, no-fail, and I love the crisp top)

Tomato Gravy
bacon or sausage drippings or butter
about 2 Tbsp flour
salt & pepper
1 can stewed tomatoes
about 1/2 cup milk

In melted drippings or butter, add flour, salt and pepper. Stir and allow to darken over med-high heat. In seperate bowl, combine stewed tomatoes and milk. Pour tomatoes into hot drippings and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer until thick and flour is cooked.

Rhodes Runzas (Bierocks)

Ok, folks!These cabbage biscuits brought back some special taste memories of when I was a child. My Aunt Annie, who is with the Lord today, used to make cabbage biscuits and it was always a favorite of mine. So, I found this recipe which is rather easy to make. My taste buds were happy :)

Servings:-12
Skills:-Intermediate

Ingredients
12 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls, or 24 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold ( I covered them loosely with siren wrap to allow them thaw. The siren wrap will prevent them from getting hard on top until you start working with them.)

4 cups sliced cabbage

1 cup sliced yellow onion

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

8 ounces ground beef

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Saute cabbage and onion in oil. Cover and steam for 40 minutes. Brown ground beef in a large pan, and drain well. Add cabbage, onion, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Flatten each Texas™ roll, or 2 dinner rolls into a 6-inch circle. Divide filling among 12 circles (about 1/3 cup). Place 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese on top of filling. Pull edges around filling and pinch to close.Place on a large sprayed baking sheet, pinched side down. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake at 350°F 30-35 minutes.

Five Layer Dinner

I tried this recipe the other night and it was very good! I like the recipes that use the basics.

1 lb. ground beef, browned with salt and pepper
2 med. onions, chopped
8 slices American cheese
5 potatoes, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Put hamburger in bottom of pan (I used a pan just a bit smaller than a 9x13). Put onions on top of hamburger meat, lay cheese on onions, then cover with potatoes and then cover with soup. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Loaded "Baked Potato" Soup

This recipe comes from a popular magazine. I love to fix a pot of hearty soup during the winter. I thought this would be a great time to add this recipe! Enjoy!

1 lb. baking potatoes, cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
1 can (14 ½ oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled and divided
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions, divided
¼ cup sour cream

PLACE cubed potatoes in large microwaveable bowl; microwave on high 5 min., stirring after 2-1/2 min. Add broth and milk to bowl; stir.
MICROWAVE on high 10 min., stirring after 5 min. Crush potatoes with a potato masher.
RESERVE 2 Tbsp. each of the bacon and cheese and 1 Tbsp. of the onions for topping; set aside. Add remaining bacon, cheese and onions to soup.
SERVE topped with reserved bacon, cheese, onions and sour cream.

Crumb Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
confectioners' sugar


DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Pour into a greased 9-in. x round baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

English Toffee

This is my absolute favorite homemade candy! This recipe belongs to my sis, Glenda.
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1(6oz.)pkg. Chocolate Chips
1Cup finely chopped pecans

Line a 9x13 pan with wax paper, let some hang over edge. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/3 cup pecans. Stir sugar and butter in sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly until candy reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Mixture will begin to brown. Pour over pecans , layer 1/2 chocolate chips over hot mixture smooth thinly over toffee. Add 1/2 remaining nuts, press into chocolate. Remove from pan flip over gently. Layer remaining chocolate and nuts cool for 1hr. or so. Break into pieces and store in covered container. ENJOY

Sausage & Rice Casserole

This is a recipe that I have used over and over. A dear pastor's wife brought this to me along with the recipe after I had surgery several years ago.

1 pound sausage (cooked)
2 cups rice (cooked)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine the first 5 ingredients. Put into a 13 x 9 baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake at 325 degrees 20 - 25 minutes.

Homemade Salsa

This recipe is from my dear friend, Kate Plourde. Her life verse follows...

Homemade Salsa

1 can Rotel tomatoes (do not drain)
1 can shoe peg white corn (drain)
1 can black beans (drain)
1/2 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
Juice from 1 lime (save)

Combine all the ingredients and top with lime juice. The longer it is refrigerated before serving, the better it will taste.

Serve with lime flavored tortilla chips! Yumm!

My life's verse is: ~Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (5) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (6)

These two verses really were lived with John's bout with cancer!

Broccoli Salad

When we lived in Little Rock I worked at a special children's day care called Helping Hands. It wasn't just a day care. It was for special needs children and they recieved physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. We would have dinners about once a month and one of the speech therapist brought this often. It was one of my favorites!

1 package of Broccoli Slaw or Rainbow Salad
2 packages of Chicken Ramen Noodles
3 to 4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, sliced
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Dressing:
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup canola oil, seasoning from ramen noodles and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix together. Stir dressing mix into salad. Crush ramen noodles and pour over top. Stir together.

This Weeks Memory Verse

I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
~Psalm 77:11-13

North Wind And Fried Rabbit Tracks With Frogs

This recipe comes from my dad's side of the family. It is from my dad's Uncle Bill Sjolander. He said that his mother used to serve this when he was a kid, they all loved it. He served it to his kids and grandkids also. I don't know how this recipe earned it's unique name. That is something I will have to ask my Aunt Yvonne!

North Wind And Fried Rabbit Tracks

1 lb. ground beef (more or less)

salt & pepper to taste

3 Tbs. flour

2% milk to make gravy to desired consistency

Optional: onion salt, garlic powder, crushed garlic

Brown meat with herbs and spices. Cook till done. Remove from skillet, saving 2 Tbs. of drippings. Add flour and milk for gravy. Add meat. Serve over FROGS. You can also top it with Chili powder and chopped onions if desired.

FROGS

2 dozen Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls

Thaw and let rise to twice in size, stretch to 3 to 4 inch circles. Fry to golden brown in deep fat fryer.

Frogs can also be served with warm syrup.

Every Nighter

When I was a teenager my sister-in-law came to stay with us while my brother was in Okinawa, Japan. He is a Marine. I remember that we use to watch North and South for hours every night while we curled up on the bed. We came up with a simple dessert that eventually became a nightly routine! It became known as the "Every Nighter"! It was even put into a small cookbook compiled by the teen girls of our church. So that's the story behind this brownie recipe..

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 c. cocoa
2 eggs
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir all of the ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Chicken Supreme

This is a recipe that I tried one evening when my husband's parents were over. It is really delicious!

4 chicken breast
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. swiss or monterey jack cheese, sliced
1 cup stuffing mix
1/2 can milk (5 oz. evaporated)
butter to taste

Put chicken in 9x13 pan, put cheese slices on top of chicken and pour soup and milk mixture over all. Sprinkle stuffing on top and dot with butter. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours.

Taco Soup

Our family LOVES this recipe! My Aunt Linda fixed this taco soup last summer when I visited with her in Kansas. We have made it numerous times since!

(This is a large recipe but you can cut it in half easily for 5 - 6 people)

5 lbs. ground beef
3 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chili beans
3 cans corn
3 oz. ranch dressing mix
3 pkg. taco seasoning
1 cup onion, chopped

Brown ground beef with chopped onions. Drain. Add all ingredients with juice, except for the ranch dressing mix. Simmer until bubbly, then stir in dressing mix right before serving.

Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla or corn chips, and sour cream.

This Week's Memory Verse

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
~Romans 11:33

Memory verse of the week

Luke 15:7
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

I saw this recipe on a popular food network program last week. Last night my parents and my brother came over and allowed me to use them as taste testers! This was a huge hit! NO BUTTER!


6 slices bacon
2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
1 cup buttermilk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/2 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, yellow or white

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
Arrange the bacon on a sheet pan and bake for 12-15 minutes until crisp. Cool and chop.
Put the potatoes in a medium size saucepot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and season with salt. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash the potatoes with buttermilk and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chives and cheddar, then fold in the bacon.

Momma's Salmon Patties

These salmon patties turn out with a wonderful texture and flavor!

1 can pink salmon (do not drain)
1 egg
6 saltine crackers (crushed)
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 cup chopped onion
salt & pepper
garlic (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Fry tablespoons fulls of the salmon mixture in hot oil in a frying pan. Turn and fry both sides. Allow patties to drain on paper towels.

Papaw's Pancakes

My dad usually stirs up these fluffy homemade pancakes for my boys when they spend the night.
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour (self rising)

Mix wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients. Mix but do not over stir. Batter will be lumpy. Cook in a small amount of butter or oil. Makes about 6 medium size pancakes.

Sour Cream Cornbread

They will melt in your mouth. A delightful sweet cornbread!
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
1 egg
(1) 8 ounce container of sour cream
1 stick butter (melted)

Mix together and grease pan(9x9) with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Chocolate Cobbler

This was my Aunt Evie's recipe!

Melt 1 stick of butter in 9x13 pan.
Mix together:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pour over melted butter. (Do not stir.)
Mix together:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
Sprinkle over other layers. (Do not stir.)
Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Dump Cake

This recipe came from my Aunt Beverly. She introduced this to us when we were visiting with her one summer. It has become a regular for us and it is so easy!

Dump Cake

1 can pie filling
1 can pineapple tidbits
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup melted butter
pecans (optional)
coconut (optional)

In a 9x13 pan layer all the ingredients in the preceding order above. Do not stir! Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.

Tip: Serve with ice cream!

Awesome Chicken & Rice

Welcome to my recipe box! I will start off with the recipe that I fixed for my family last night. I think it is a keeper since my husband ate too much and ended up with a tummy ache! Is that a good or bad sign? hmmm...

He said it was a good thing. He named this recipe Awesome Chicken & Rice!

6 pieces of chicken breast (I buy the bags of chicken breast)
1 cup white rice (uncooked)
salt & pepper (I also use seasoned salt)
1 can cream of chicken (or other kind of your choice)
1 cup of water
1 pkg. of onion soup mix

Pour the white rice in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Rinse and pat dry chicken. Place the chicken on top of rice. Salt and pepper the chicken. In a separate bowl mix the cream of chicken and water. Pour soup over chicken & rice. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over top. Seal tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Enjoy!