Texas Christmas Y'all

Hello Tempt My Tummy pals! I've missed posting the past few weeks but have been stalking your recipes when I have time and yummmy!  I love all the holiday recipes.  

Tonight I actually get to join the land of grown ups and go to a Christmas Party!  My husband has been out of town for a few weeks on business and I have missed the adult interaction!  I wanted to post a recipe I shared last year because I am taking this tonight to the party.  We are having a traditional Texas Christmas party... Bar-B-Q.  I'm really looking forward to it.  The meat is from ledgendary Cooper's BBQ and we are all bringing the sides.  I'm bringing this great Broccoli Salad.  I love it!  I originally saw Paula Deen make a version of it and I've modified it a bit.  How great will that be?  Now, for you non-Texas folks... I hope you understand how much we love our beef bbq.  Lisa,  I hope you are not too jealous now that you are up in pork bbq St. Louis land....

mmmm I can hardly wait...I'm sure someone will be bringing some 'Nana Puddin'  cuz it goes so good with the bbq.  

Merry Christmas Y'all! 

Now to go find a great (really bad) white elephant gift.  This group gives some doosies... last year a bottle of laxatives and expired vitamins were amoung the gifts... ;-)

Broccoli Salad and dressing
Ingredients
1 head of broccoli. cut individual heads off
1 cup of small grape tomatoes - cut in half
1 1/2 cups cubes colby cheese
1/2 small red onion chopped
1/4 cup real bacon pieces chopped
optional additions:
raisins
craisins
broccoli slaw


Dressing
1/4 cup mayo
2-3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Red Wine vinegar
1-3 packets of splenda or sugar substitute of your choice
*mix the ingredients of the dressing together. All is to taste. You may want it sweeter... you may like it with more vinegar, honestly, PLAY with it. I also LOVE this on a green salad. It is my go to dressing.


Pour dressing over all the salad ingredients and let it sit overnight in the fridge.  Serve the next day!

Peanut Butter Cookies

***THIS WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ME ON JULY 7, 2008****

Welcome to our blog carnival. My twin sister, Lisa, will be co-hosting with me. From time to time, she will host the at her blog, Blessed with Grace other times I will. We will let you know when we will change it up. Just to keep you on your toes. For now, go to Blessed With Grace, and enjoy the fun.

Now, I want to start by saying that Lisa and I are not expert cooks, culinary geniuses, or recent winners of Bravo's Top Chef. We do, however, love food and love to eat, I know that is not a shock to any of you! We thought it would be fun to have every one share great recipes, cooking tips, great food finds, and/or restaurant reviews with each other. Sound good? Great, then join along. Also, feel free to copy the Tempt My Tummy Tuesday button and use it on your post. Just remember to link back to us.

Today I want to share with you the BEST Peanut Butter cookies I've ever had. I found this recipe in an Better Homes and Garden's Christmas Cookie Issue YEARS ago. This makes a ton of cookies which is good, because you will eat a ton of them.

Now, before I give the recipe, I MUST share with you a little story. I was co-hosting a bridal shower last year for my pal Becky. Well, I had been baking batch after batch of peanut butter delights getting ready for the shower. When I turned on the TV to hear the peanut butter I had used had just been recalled. Remember that? The great Peter Pan debacle of 2007? Well I had a freezer full of cookies. Now, you KNOW I had been tasting a few cookies along the way... just for quality assurance. I had not gotten sick, well, I mean, I had eaten enough to make me sick, but I was not.

So, you know where I am going with this don't you? What to do? Take and serve the possibly tainted cookies or throw them out? Well of course you know what I did...

I kept them for my family.

I made snicker doodles for the party and that was that!

So here it is... the BEST darned Peanut Butter Cookies you'll ever dare to poison you family with.

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 18oz jar creamy peanut butter

Preheat to 350. Combine first four ingredients. Mix on medium speed, butter, brown sugar and sugar, 2 minutes until creamy. Reduce speed beat in vanilla, eggs, one at at time. Beat well and add peanut butter until creamy. Beat in flour mixture until just blended (try not to eat too much at this point) .

Drop rounded Tbsp of dough. Dip fork in remaining sugar and cross the cookie (to make it pretty)
Bake 12-14 minutes.
Cool on Cookie sheet 2 minutes then move to cooling rack.

Store in tightly covered container for 2 weeks (as if they will last that long) or 3 months in the freezer ( yea, Right...)

Don't forget to leave a comment and go to Lisa's to add your post to Mr. Linky

Join us again next Tuesday for more Food FUN!


recipe photo from: stock exchange
tmtt button designed by me

Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

Well I know it is getting cooler out because I want to make soup!  Yesterday I made my favorite  Baked Bean Soup and it finally felt like Fall to me.   I am  posting another great soup recipe today from my friend Ashley.  She got this recipe from her mother in law who lives in Minnesota.  I was lucky enough to have this one day at her house and honestly think I have dreamed about it ever since!  She graciously gave me the recipe today and  I am sure we will be having it soon.  I can hardly wait!  Honestly, how could it be bad when the first ingrident is 1 lb of bacon? 

Hope you enjoy it!

4oz wild rice

1 lb bacon
3 T bacon grease
1/4 c chopped green pepper
3/4 c chopped celery
3/4 c chopped onion
2 cans chicken broth
3 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c sherry or red wine, optional

Prepare wild rice as directed on package.  While that cooks, fry bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon to drain, then crumble.  Reserve 3 T for soup (*Ashley note* pour the rest in your grease container for green beans**).  Saute pepper, celery and onion in bacon grease until soft.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer on the stove for an hour or more (tastes better the longer it simmers).

Alright... be sure to join all the fun at Lisa's blog!

 

Pumpkin Pie



Hello and welcome to Fall.  Actually, it does not feel like Fall here in central Texas yet.  I am anxiously awaiting it.  I think it will be 92 degrees here today.  Seriously!  I am so ready for some cooler weather, I can hardly wait. 

My daughter has been begging for Pumpkin Pie for two weeks now.  People are putting pumpkins out and decorating because we are hopeful that we will eventually get Fall.  So this weekend my daughter and I made pie.  I am all about easy and tried and true recipes.  If is ain't broke, don't fix it! I like the recipe on the McCormick Pumpkin Pie Spice container.  It is perfect.  

It is so simple!  I hope you will try it! 

McCormick Signature Pumpkin Pie

MIX 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin, 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice.


POUR into 1 frozen unbaked pie crust.

BAKE in preheated 425ºF oven 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF; bake 40 minutes longer.

COOL completely.

Tex-Mex Burritos

Hello Tempt My Tummy friends.  I'm doing a re-mash of a recipe Lisa did not too long ago.  I would be a good blogger and link to her post but I can't find it.  Sorry Lisa...

AnyHoo... We are in full crazy, ain't it fun to be a parent mode around here.  Today is our first day for my son to have his Doc Band helmet for Plagiocephaly.  So far he has done great EXCEPT for sleeping.  So hard for him to get comfortable.  He is sleeping right now so quick, say a prayer that he stays asleep!

He is a little trooper.  Doesn't he look ADORABLE?!?!?!  Yes, I decorated it because even a boy needs some BLING for his helmet.  I will be documenting our special little journey with Plagiocephaly soon. 

Now for my super quick and tasty

Tex-Mex Burritos.

Ingriendents

1 lb hamburger meat  (salt and pepper)

1 medium onion chopped

1 small can chopped green chilis

1 can Tex-Mex Enchilada sauce

1 can refriend black beans

8 flour tortillas

2-3 cups Colby/Jack cheese shredded

Brown the meat with the onions, chilis and salt and pepper to taste.  Take your tortilla, spread some beans on bottom then layer with meat and a little bit of cheese.  Roll tortilla and place in the baking dish.  When all are completed, pour the enchilada sauce on top.  Now thrown on all the chesse you want.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.    Easy Peasy as my daughter would say!  Enjoy!



Peach Pie

Yep!  We're talking pie!!!

My mother in law brought me the most delicious fresh peaches the other day and I thought PIE!  Now, I have never made a peach pie but I thought, now is a good time to try.  It was AWESOME!!!!  I found a recipe that seemed super easy and aren't those usually the best anyway?   I WILL be making this again.

Grandma's Peach Pie

• 1-1/4 cups sugar

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (sprinkled over the peaches)

• 4 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Stir in the peach slices and fold to coat with sugar/flour mixture.
Pour into a 9-inch unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust, seal edges and crimp. Make vents in top crust. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Chicken Marsala Tetrazzini

Well I could hardly wait to sit down and type out this recipe for you all today.  I saw it on Friday on page 133 of my  Sept 2010 Southern Living Magazine and I could not wait to make it.  It was almost like I could taste it just by reading the recipe.  I made this Saturday for dinner and after only one bite my husband said, "WOW this is really good."  Then he didn't say much else for all the eating.  My 6 year old also proclaimed it to be "fabulous."  HIGH praise indeed from that one.  I made a few changes to the recipe... cuz I can and to keep me from having to buy extra ingredients and it was perfect. 

Now, because I do not want to drag this out... here it is, with my changes noted.  

Chicken Marsala Tetrazzini

Ingredients

1 (8-oz.) package vermicelli
2 tablespoons butter (I did not use this as my bacon made up for it)
1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms (I had a can of sliced mushrooms)
3 ounces finely chopped prosciutto (I used 3 pieces of smoked applewood bacon diced)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup frozen baby English peas, thawed (I used a can of peas with the liquid drained)
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 (10-oz.) container refrigerated light Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Marsala
1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and prosciutto, and sauté 5 minutes. (I did not use the butter but cooked the bacon and mushrooms together with a teaspoon of minced garlic)

2. Stir together mushroom mixture, chicken, next 5 ingredients, and 1/2 cup cheese; stir in pasta. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

3. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until bubbly.


YUMMM I can hardly wait to sit down and finish the leftovers!!!! 
You can find this recipe on line HERE

Photo from Southern Living Magazine by: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Peanut Butter Baby!

Wecome to TMTT!  I am excited to be at At the Well today for all this fun, exciting foodiness!  Today I'm going Old School simple and telling you about a new favorite at our house.  Or I guess I should say, my daughter's new favorite.  In an effort to start cutting certain foods out of her diet... (a topic I will no doubt be talking about on this blog as I can figure out what is really going on with her and how to put it all in to words) I made this sandwhich for her a few weeks ago and now... well it is the most request food item in the house. 

She has always been a PB&J girl.  ALWAYS! But I thought, I need to eliminate the J part of that combo.  So we have been using honey, which she also loves, but then it occured to me that my Mom's all time favorite thing to add to the PB was Bananas. 

Growing up, I just could not wrap my head around it... I don't know, it was probably because I was too stubborn to try it, but now... ummm ummm good!  So I offered this to my daughter and WHA-LAH!  Instant success.  I even found her in the kitchen preparing this all by herself when she declared she was making us dinner the other night because she didn't want me to have to work so hard... I know... too cute, right?!  

Something else I discovered is a  Peter Pan's Honey Roasted Peanut Butter.  OH MY HEAVENS... SO stinkin' good!!!  

You gotta try this! 



Now, if you are an Elvis fan you KNOW the King loved his PB& Banana. Did you know what he added to his that I have refrained from adding to our version?  Yep... you got it... bacon!  As so many would say, if it's got bacon it's got to be good.  Elvis love his samich all hot and grilled... I'm just telling you because I know you really wanted to  know that! 

I've also been paring this with a glass of Almond Milk or Soy Milk, as we are also looking to eliminate dairy from her diet... again... a long story... but she has yet to realize she is drinking anything different. 

ENJOY!!!

Tropical Fruit Delight Cake

Welcome to another edition of Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. Don't for get to use the   Linky on Lisa's site.  Next week will be exciting because At the Well will be hosting TMTT.  It should be fun!
Now, today Lisa posted the Pacific Rim Chicken which made me think of this super yummy cake.  So I'm re-posting this.  Honestly... I may have to get these ingredients and make this tomorrow!  Forget that I started my new walking/running get my rear in gear for my 40th bday coming up in Dec.  :-)
So, enjoy!
(I originally posted this April 13, 2009)
Today's treat is Tropical Fruit Delight Cake
I made it this weekend for our family Easter dessert EGGstravaganza. We had so many people together this year (which was fantastic) that we went out to the Salt Lick for BBQ for Oh So Texas Easter lunch. Then back to Me Maw and PaPaw's for dessert and the Easter Bunny. We had wonderful treats! I hope you love my cake. I made it a few years back and have been looking for a reason to make it again. After the all the positive feedback yesterday, it looks like I WILL be making this again soon.

Tropical Fruit Delight Cake

Ingredients for Cake:
1 box Butter cake mix
1/2 cup oil
1 (11oz) can Mandarin oranges (with the juice)
4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together in a bow. Pour batter into 9 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes (it took more like 40 mins. this time.)

Allow Cake to cool. Remove cake from pan and refrigerate about 1/2 hour. Stick holes in cake with a fork and spread frosting. Refrigerate.

Ingredients for Frosting:
1 (3oz) package of vanilla instant pudding
1 (8oz) carton of Cool Whip
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple with juice

In a bowl combine pudding mix and Cool Whip. Drain half the juice from the pineapples then add remaining juice and fruit to the mixture.

This cake is SO refreshing and moist. You will love this for a Spring or Summer event.

I'm dying here... I need some cool relief!

Y'all I am HOT!!! No, not that kind of hot... HOT like Hell HOT!!! Who can stand it? It has been 101 -104 degrees here.  So YES, I am once again posting something cool and refreshing because it is all I think about. Snow, snow-cones, ice, ice cream, cold lemonade, iced tea, iced coffee... do you get the picture?
So, today it is Ice Cream. I've taken this recipe straight from the Eagle Brand Milk website.

It is Mint Chocolate Chip Ice... one of my favorites!!!

Ingredients
	1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND� Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
	2 teaspoons peppermint extract
	Green food coloring (optional)
	2 cups (1 pint) half-and-half
	2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream, unwhipped
	3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions
	In large bowl, combine EAGLE BRAND�, peppermint extract and food coloring (optional); mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients.
	Pour into ice cream freezer container. Freeze according to manufacturer�s instructions. Freeze leftovers.

 Check out Lisa's blog for Mr. Linky!


Thanks you Eagle Brand Milk for today's recipe!

A little Comfort with my food Please...

(this was orginally posted on Oct. 28,2008  by me)

Welcome to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. Glad to have you join us. My sister, Lisa, and I co-host this blog carnival. We share recipes, kitchen and cooking tips, and anything food related that you want to share. So, join the fun. Write your foodie post and then link back to my blog, mentioning Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. Don't forget to leave your link info, with Mr. Linky he lives at Lisa's blog.

Today I am writing about something amazing I saw last week. I could not believe my eyes. Could it be that simple I thought? Could it be that easy to have homemade doughnuts in my own home? Surely not!

BUT Paula Deen made it so. She made Doughnuts using... are you ready for this (you MUST do a drum roll in your head please)... store bought biscuits!

Yep, you read that right, biscuits. I was sitting there with my jaw dropped open like an idiot.
I got so excited. I plan to try this on Saturday for my little family as a treat.
You can go directly to the Food Network website to see the recipe and more wonderful Paula delights.

Paula Deen's Chocolate-Dippy Doughnuts

Ingredients:

Peanut Oil
1 Can store -bought biscuits
1 (4oz) bar sweet chocolate ( Baker's German recommended)
1/2 oz (1/2 square) unsweetened chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat fryer with peanut oil to 350 degrees
Separate pre-cut biscuits. Make a hole in the middle with your hand and sculpt dough into a doughnut shape. Place doughnuts into fryer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping to fry both sides. Place doughnuts aside onto a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir in the sugar, alternating with the evaporated milk, blending well. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, about 8 minutes. Stir in the vanilla then remove the pan from the heat.

Stick a fork through the doughnut holes and dip the doughnuts immediately into the chocolate mixture before the chocolate starts to cool. Place the doughnuts on a plate and serve when the chocolate on the doughnuts sets, about 5 minutes.


Seriously... this is NOT a weight watcher kind of post... it is all comfort here!

Have a great week and don't forget to come back next week for more foodie fun. Now, check out Lisa's for more exciting food posts.

picture from FoodTV.com

I've fallen in love again...

Yes it is true, I've fallen in love again... with... READING!  I have to be honest, for most of my life thus far, I have not been a reader.  Oh, in high school and college it was all about the "required" reading and I didn't jump full force into the wonderful world of books.  In 2000, when I was newly single again, I found comfort  at night in reading.  I had such a hard time going to sleep in my little apartment all alone, I would read until I fell asleep.  I enjoyed it, but the passion had not ignited.

But, at Christmas my husband gave me one of the best presents I have ever received.  A Kindle.  I absolutely love it.  It has been so great!  With all the problems I had during my pregnancy this Spring,  I found myself sitting in the recliner most evenings and days when I was not working.  Especially the last 2 months when I was having to be off my feet.  It was great because I would find a book online a the Amazon store and in a matter of moments it loaded to my Kindle and I was reading.  There are so many books that are free and under $9.  I read books I've been wanting to read for years but was too lazy to go to the book store and buy them.   

I have found a perfect time to read... it is while I am holding my little man and giving him a bottle, which happens quite often.  We get to snuggle and I get to read.   As soon as I finish a book, I am looking for the next one to start.  The BEST news is that the last 7 books I've bought were actually FREE because I use Swagbucks. com as my search engine.  You win swagbucks randomly for searching and doing surveys.  Once you have 450 swagbucks you can buy a $5.00 gift card for Amazon.com.  Well, when most of the books I buy are $9.99 or less, it only takes two gift cards and WHA-LA... Free book.  I have averaged a new book every 2 weeks.  I am LOVING it.  My husband loves it because well... they are free and now that I'm not working outside the home, I'll take all the free I can get. 

So, have you found any books you just can not put down?  I'd love to hear what they are.  I'm not big on sappy romance stuff-  I like intrigue, mystery or historical fiction, oh and really... almost anything!  I'll give you list of what I've read in the last 4 months. I can honestly say, I have enjoyed reading them all!  

Let me know what you recommend, PLEASE!

Here is my list...

"The Apothecary's Daughter"

"The Poisonwood Bible"

"Shanghai Girls"

"The Help"

"The Secret Life of Bees"

"The Kite Runner" 

"A Thousand Splendid Suns"

"The Lovely Bones"

"The Scent of Rain and Lighting"

"The Girls With the Dragon Tattoo"

"The Girl Who Played with Fire"

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest"

"The Shadow of the Wind"    

"The Heir"

OK... I think that is about it.  Whew!  That is more books than I have read in 10 years... seriously!  Now, when I finish a book and I'm waiting on more swagbucks to buy a new free book... I am re-reading some classics that I loaded for Free as well.

"Pride and Prejudice"

and all the Jane Austen collection.  I LOVE them as well.

Now, what is it I am forgetting to do... Oh Yes... laundry!  As much as I want to sit and read all day... I do have housework to do... blah blah blah... but then back to my book or should I say Kindle!  

Sticky Chicken Linky Love

Welcome to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. I am so glad you are joining us today. I co-host TMTT with my twin, Lisa. This blog carnival is all about sharing recipes, cooking tips, and wonderful kitchen and cooking finds. This is a very talented community of cooks. I know you will find something to tempt you.


By the way... have you seen Lisa's new blog layout? Pretty snazzy huh? I think it is so sassy!

Today I'm actually posting a link to a great recipe. If you have been around TMTT very long you have no doubt seen Lisa refer to this recipe. It is "Sticky Chicken in Crock Pot". I made it today an Oh my house smells so good! This recipe comes from "The Newlyweds" blog. She has fabulous stuff, you just have to visit her page.

The reason I made the Sticky Chicken is because tomorrow I will be making another one of her fabulous recipes that calls for the chicken, it is Enchiladas De Pollo Y Queso. Have mercy, they are so tasty! Being a Texas girl, we love our enchiladas and these certainly satisfy. So, follow the links over to The Newlyweds for some super good recipes!

God's Plans

I love going to church on Sunday night because our pastor is like a different preacher.  It is a much smaller crowd, much more intimate, and I think he just lets his guard down a bit more.  Tonight he was using 2 Samuel 7:1-17.  This is the passage where King David wants to build a temple to house the Ark of the Covenant, But God has a totally different plan.  David wasn't trying to do something wrong but it wasn't God's timing for the Temple to be built. 

It really got me thinking.  How many times do I think I'm doing what God would want because it is a "good cause" or "something for the church"  but God didn't need my help or even ask for it.   I was also reminded of Abraham who left all he knew to go to a new land that God would give him and he never made it there, but with faith he continued to go the path God sent him.  Moses never made it to the promise land but he continued to be faithful and obey.  They trusted that God had a plan even if they didn't understand it.

Waiting on the Lord, being faithful in the everyday things that he asks of us, listening and then obeying.  It really isn't that hard... why do we act like it is?  I hope this week I stop and wait and listen before just jumping right in.  It might do me some good to actually ask God what his plans are... he may just tell me.