tamale pie.

y'all know i love recipes on labels. seriously, what's a better source of inspiration than finding something to try on the label of a product that you keep stocked {or should keep stocked} in your pantry??

case in point? tamale pie. well, it's really called southern tamale supper...at least that's how you find it on the tendabake website.

i made this for dinner this week. it's super easy & super yummy. i had to tweak the recipe a bit in order to use what i had available and it still turned out great. if you'd rather print the recipe, you can click here.

ingredients:
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1-1/4 pound ground beef or turkey
1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 tsp of chili powder
2 tbsp of tendabake white self-rising corn meal mix
tendabake southern cornbread {for the recipe, which is found on the back of the bag, click here}

heat oven to 400*f. coat a 9x13x2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. {i used a large casserole dish & i didn't spray it. whoops.}

cook pepper, onion & ground beef {or turkey...i used turkey!} over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.

drain the meat/veggie mixture & return to pan. {i just tilt the pan and spoon out the grease...do you do that, too?}

add tomatoes, chili powder & two tablespoons of corn meal mix. simmer for 15 minutes & then spread into the baking dish. {i didn't have a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes so i used a can of ro-tel mexican & a can of margaret holmes' tomatoes, corn & okra. worked just as well, in my opinion, and totally upped the veggie factor of this dish! i also added a dash of garlic powder & a generous squeeze of ketchup...the turkey needed some color!}

mix tendabake southern cornbread using the recipe on the back of the bag {or just click here}. pour batter over tamale mixture. {we drink almond milk & the unsweetened worked just fine!}

bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. top with cheese, sour cream & salsa as desired. {we had some green onions left over from the weekend so adam sprinkled some over the top of my serving. he said it needed some extra color since i was photographing it for my blog. awww.}

this is the second time i've made this recipe. it's super easy, super fast & super yummy. my kids love it & i love eating this for lunch the next day.

and, just so you know, tendabake, rotel & margaret holmes didn't ask me to write about them or this recipe. my only incentive? a full, happy tummy. i hope you make this for your family and enjoy it as much as we do!

m-m-m, m-m-m good!

my husband can whip up a delicious meal using the most random ingredients {think: chopped}. me? not so much. i'm not very creative when it comes to preparing meals. and, because of that, i love, love, love to follow recipes.

i have a thing for cookbooks. but, i also have a thing for recipes on labels. especially if they are soup can labels.

last night's dinner - beef & mushroom lasagna - came to me while pacing the aisles of target {sorry to disappoint, ladies, but there was not one single missoni item in my shopping cart...too zig zaggy!}. i have an undying love for campbell's cream of mushroom soup. i eat it. i cook with it...a lot. i picked up a can and, voila, there was my dinner inspiration!

---

beef & mushroom lasagna {the recipe - that i tweaked just a little bit - is from campbell's kitchen}:

ingredients:
1 can campbell's condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk {we only drink almond milk so i used 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk}
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups prego fresh mushroom italian sauce {because i couldn't find this particular sauce, i used a whole jar of ragu - really, any sauce you like would work - and sauteed chopped button mushrooms with my ground beef}
9 cooked lasagna noodles {you can boil these while you cook the ground beef}
1 cup shredded italian-blend or mozzarella cheese

here's what you do:
heat your oven to 400*f. stir soup & milk in a small bowl until smooth.

cook beef in skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate meat. pour off fat. stir in sauce. {this is where i added a container of chopped button mushrooms since i couldn't find the mushroom sauce the recipe called for.}

layer half of the beef mixture, three noodles & one cup soup mixture in a two-quart shallow baking dish. top with three more noodles, remaining beef mixture, remaining three noodles & remaining soup mixture.

sprinkle with cheese & cover the baking dish. bake for 30 minutes or until hot. uncover the baking dish & place under the broiler for about two minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. {i broiled the dish on low for about three minutes or so. remember not to walk away while using your broiler!}

when finished baking & broiling, let the dish set for about ten minutes. {i didn't do that...whoops! we were hungry.}

slice, serve & enjoy!

this recipe makes six servings. nutritional information for this recipe can be found on the campbell's kitchen website.

---

this recipe was a hit with my family. this is also the second time this week that i cooked with cream of mushroom soup {we had beef stroganoff on sunday night}. if you don't like mushrooms {like my friend, rachel}, i'm sorry. if you do like mushrooms, but prefer not to use ground beef, i'm sure this would be great using ground turkey or even a vegetarian-friendly substitute!

oh, by the way, campbell's did not coerce or bribe me to write this post. i just love their soup...and the recipes that are found on each can's label. seriously, y'all, stock up your pantry with a few cans of cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of celery & tomato...you'll cook with them. i promise.

peach enchiladas.

do you subscribe to southern living? i do. it's the best magazine ever. really,  it is. but, maybe i'm biased because i grew up reading it. my parents had a subscription for as long as i can remember.

anyways, i became a little antsy & jealous when this fabulous lady said she was baking a peach pie thanks to july's edition. i panicked. where was my magazine? was my mailman holding out on me? no, he wasn't. my mail is just slow. okay, so maybe my mailman was holding out on me. but, i digress...

peaches.

they're crazy plentiful this time of year. there was a peach festival not long ago a little bit south of me on knotts island, nc. {my friend, laura, went.} the grocery stores & farm stands in my area are overflowing with peaches. and, if you're like me, you buy peaches at the store only to find that the very next day you need to eat all two or three pounds of them because they're going bad. that can get you can get a bit flustered...and sick of peaches.

have no fear. this is where the peach enchiladas recipe steps in.

first of all, let me give credit where credit is due. this is the creation of {according to southern living} hettie wilkerson of mcbee, south carolina. this recipe won first place at the 2004 south carolina state cook-off in columbia. sounds like a winner, right? it is a winner. trust.

peach enchiladas
2 {8 oz.} cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 lb. fresh, firm, ripe peaches, peeled & quartered {about 4 large}
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 {12 oz.} can citrus-flavored soft drink {like mountain dew}

preheat oven to 350*. unroll crescent rolls; separate into triangles. place 1 peach quarter on wide end of each triangle; roll up triangles around peaches, starting at wide end. place, point sides down, in a lightly greased 13x9 inch pan.

stir together sugar, butter & cinnamon, and drizzle over rolls; pour soft drink over rolls.

bake at 350* for 45 minutes or until golden brown & bubbly.

just so you know, i halved this recipe. easy, peasy. the first time i made it, i kept it true to the recipe. the second time i made it {we had this for dessert two nights in a row last week}, i added pecans, pitted cherries & i didn't use mountain dew at all {the version in my pictures}.

the only thing missing was vanilla ice cream.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker

months ago i was contacted by csn stores to review one of the many products their website offers. let me start off by saying it was difficult to decide what i wanted to review because csn stores has a wide variety of shops to choose from.  seriously, you can buy just about anything and everything from swing sets, lcd tv stands, furniture to pet accessories, art & luggage!  i settled on a new slow cooker.  boring, i know, but come on, y 'all, i own three other slow cookers in various sizes...i cannot live without my slow cookers!

i ordered the hamilton beach six quart "set & forget" slow cooker.  it's from the "stay or go" line.  this is my second six quart slow cooker, but i love this one much more than my other programmable slow cooker.  why?  there are many cooking options.  three of them, in fact.  i can program the slow cooker to cook manually {you keep track of the temperature & time}, cook using a program {the slow cooker keeps track of temperature & time} OR cook using the thermometer probe {it will stop cooking when your meat has reached it's desired temperature}.  i also appreciate that the slow cooker will automatically adjust to 'keep warm' when it is finished cooking.

the thermometer probe is cool.  i cooked a whole chicken in the slow cooker and it came out moist, juicy & the meat was falling off the bone {never mind the fact that i felt like buffalo bill when i had to skin the whole chicken prior to dropping it in the slow cooker}.  i love that the probe offers me further peace of mind when cooking larger portions of meat like roasts and such.

if you've never cooked with a slow cooker or if you are hesitant to buy one, do yourself a favor and take the leap, okay?  slow cookers help you save time {and even money!}.  you can prepare your meal in the morning and come home to a warm, fully cooked meal in the afternoon.  or, you can cook overnight.  i love using my slow cooker for large family gatherings, but - most importantly - it has been a lifesaver for our family in the afternoons especially on the days that i have class in the evenings {i'm a full-time graduate student in addition to being a wife & momma of two}.  by the way, the stoneware crock and lid are dishwasher safe.

i have not taken my slow cooker to any pot luck suppers yet, but i like that the lid seals to the crock with the help of two latches on either side of the slow cooker.  a serving spoon rests neatly in the slow cooker's lid.  the price of the slow cooker was just under $50.  while it may seem pricey to some, i believe that this slow cooker is worth the cost.  it would make a great wedding gift or a great holiday gift for a busy family in your life.  i'm very happy to have added the hamilton beach six quart "set & forget" slow cooker to my collection and i'm looking forward to cooking many boston butts {mmm, shredded bbq} in it this summer!

as for csn stores...what can i say, but WOW!  it was super easy to place an order on their website.  they follow up with emails letting you know the status of your order.  they also ship fast.  i wasn't expecting the slow cooker to arrive for nearly a week, but imagine my surprise when it showed up on my doorstep just a few days after placing my order.  definitely consider csn stores the next time you need to order something for your home or for a gift.  you won't be disappointed.


disclaimer: the slow cooker was my compensation for doing this review for csn stores. all opinions in this review are my own.

chicken bellagio.

we don't go out to eat very often, so it's a real treat when we do.  for christmas, we received a gift certificate for the cheesecake factory.  i can count on one hand the number of times i've eaten there.  yep, not often.

we used our gift certificate last month.  we enjoyed a great meal.  the kids loved bringing home a slice of cheesecake.  i, however, was completely smitten with my dish:  chicken bellagio.  the chicken bellagio was two crispy, thin cut chicken breasts served over a bed of pasta with a basil cream sauce.  a couple slices of prosciutto and peppery arugula topped the chicken.  it was divine.  it's not on the regular menu.  i'm guessing it's a special or seasonal thing.  regardless, it was good.  so good that i had to recreate it at home.

there are numerous recipes for chicken bellagio on the internet.  if you want to see a picture of what the cheesecake factory's version looks like, click here.

this is my version:

i swapped the chicken breast for chicken thighs {because that's what i had in the freezer}.  yes, that is pasta roni!  why not take a shortcut when you can, right?  and, since the store did not  have arugula, i substituted by using baby spinach.  the hardest part of recreating the recipe?  not eating all of the prosciutto while the chicken was cooking.  this recipe-recreate was a hit, especially with the kids, and will certainly be a part of our meal rotation.

croutons.

sometime last month i decided to make my own croutons.  i don't know why i never made them before because homemade croutons are ridiculously delicious, budget friendly & super easy to make.  it's a great way to use up a loaf of bread - stale or not.

really, think about it.  a loaf of french bread or a baguette costs next to nothing at the grocery store.  all of the other ingredients you'll need - olive oil, salt, pepper, parmesan, dried basil or oregano - you will have at home.  how much does a bag or box of store-bought croutons cost?  anywhere between $2 & $3, right...maybe more.  well, for less than $2 you will have bread for your meal AND croutons to toss in a salad {this is based on a family of four}.  trust.

{this was part of a baguette from trader joe's. the baguette was only $1.79.}

{after tossing the bread in olive oil, salt, pepper, dried basil & parmesan cheese, i spread it out on a baking sheet & baked it in a 350* oven for about 10-15 minutes.  just keep an eye on it.}

{while the croutons were baking, i cut & washed some romaine lettuce.}

{voila! a yummy caesar salad topped with homemade croutons. delicious!}

pillows of love.

i failed to mention that i made marshmallows last weekend in addition to candy corn.

homemade marshmallows are ridiculous.  ridiculously easy & ridiculously good.  you should try it.  i use alton brown's recipe.  it hasn't let me down yet...and i don't own a candy thermometer.

a friend of mine told me that {in the last picture} the marshmallows resemble an illicit substance.  if you ask me, homemade marshmallows are an illicit substance.  trust me...your sweet tooth with thank you.

feeling candy corny.

i made candy corn last weekend.

no lie!

it was a pain in the butt, but i don't think i'll ever buy commercially made candy corn again.  also, next time i'll be sure to have rubber gloves on hand for the kneading {because using a wooden spoon to mix food coloring into a sugary "dough" base was not. fun. at. all.}.

i used the recipe from nosh with me {i have a love affair with my kitchen aid mixer, too!} & you can find the recipe by clicking here. 

my candy corn did not turn out as beautiful as nosh with me's, but they were still yummy nonetheless!

chocolate + sheet cake = ♥

i'm hanging my head in shame because i've held out on y'all. i can't believe i'm just now sharing this with you.

sometime after thanksgiving, but before christmas i baked this little gem:

you know, ree drummond's the pioneer woman's chocolate cake. not just any cake, but the best chocolate sheet cake. ever.

sorry about my fancy, schmancy cookbook set up...this was before i gifted myself with a cookbook stand. but, a sugar pourer & a magnetic clip did the trick, right?

it was good...and easy to make. while i still prefer black magic cake as my 'go to' chocolate cake recipe {it's darker & more mysterious...it also has coffee in it}, i thoroughly enjoyed the pioneer woman's cake. it was moist. it was chocolate-y. it had nuts in the frosting for God's sake {although you could omit them if you didn't like nuts}!

you can find the recipe by clicking here.

i had all of the recipe ingredients in my fridge & pantry. i even made my own buttermilk so i wouldn't have to go to the grocery store & schelp out a few dollars for something that i would only use to bake one cake. pretty cool, huh?

i definitely recommend that you try this cake. if you're already a fan of the pioneer woman & her cooking {as i am!} then you won't be disappointed with this cake. promise.

forget gumdrops & sugarplums...

i've got cookies, cake balls & marshmallows!

i went on a little baking binge last weekend. it was nuts.

i baked a batch of coconut macaroons:

{the photo is crackberry-licious}

the macaroon recipe is courtesy of ina garten {you know, the barefoot contessa} from the food network & you can easily follow along to the recipe by clicking here. it is, by far, the easiest cookie {?} recipe ever...the hardest part is whipping the egg whites & even that's not too difficult! try them because if you cuckoo about coconut {like we are} then you'll love these!

i also made snowballs, er, mexican wedding cookies again. this time, i added an almond hershey's kiss to the center of each cookie for some added oomph. you can find the recipe for the mexican wedding cookies here.

and, i made chocolate chip cookies done the nestle toll house way. yes, i took the recipe straight from the back of the bag of chocolate chips. they were crispy & perfect. i omitted the nuts because i was out. i plan on making more tonight...this time adding pecans and using both semi-sweet & white chocolate chips. mmm! click here for the nestle toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe.

yeah, that first picture is sideways. just tilt your head to the right. i'm too lazy to edit the photo so you'll just have to make do with my crackberry pics.

okay, so onto the next portion of my baking binge...homemade marshmallows. i have been wanting to try making marshmallows for a while & i finally did last friday. they were so easy to make & they taste so. much. better. than the store-bought kind. trust me. we loved them so much i made a second batch last night. i have yet to attempt to flavor them {i'd like peppermint flavored marshmallows} but i will try that soon. promise.

i used alton brown's {♥ ♥ ♥} marshmallow recipe & you can get it by clicking here. like i said, it was super easy. i didn't use a candy thermometer {because something bad happened to it on thanksgiving...i mean, really, why are you going to use a candy thermometer to gauge the oil temperature in a turkey fryer. silly boys.}. i timed things by the recipe & it was perfect. some advice, though...don't smell the marshmallows while they are in the mixer 'fluffing.' it is stinky. like "i can't believe i'm actually going to eat that" stinky. once you add the vanilla and spread it in the pan, it will smell fine. trust. it's still...good eats.

remember, don't sniff while fluffing!

it's going to be hard, but it's best to let them sit overnight

hmm...somebody was up past his bedtime, but i suppose it was alright because it was a friday and momma was making homemade marshmallows. how could you pass up licking the mixer's whisk?

all you need to add is cocoa! be sure to use some restraint...it's way too easy to pop one {or five} of these bad boys into your mouth. i took a few of them & dipped them into melted chocolate almond bark & holiday colored nonpariels. delicious.

cake balls. oh, yes...cake balls. earlier this week i made two batches. i'll be making cake balls again today. i am a sucker. i know.

cake balls are super easy, but really time consuming {and, kind of frustrating sometimes}. for some really great cake ball & cake pop ideas, please visit bakerella. she's fabulous. also, my friend, lis, is just plain awesome at making these and she's got a great tutorial on her blog...here.

here is the rundown on making cake balls:

• bake boxed cake as directed. let cool.
• crumble cooled cake in a large bowl & add up to one jar of frosting.
• mix well until you get a 'doughy' consistency.
• form into balls & place on parchment or waxed paper lined cookie sheet.
• freeze cake balls for up to an hour.
• melt whichever candies you prefer {i prefer using almond bark} using whichever melting method you prefer {i use the double boiler method}.
• dip cake balls.
• decorate.
• gobble them up.

below are the cake balls i made for malia's third grade class holiday party:

we gave out ten teacher gifts this year & each teacher recieved an ornament, four cake balls & four marshmallows:

and this...this, my friends, is the platter of misfit cake balls. i had every intention of making santa hat cake balls like i saw on bakerella's site. yeah, that didn't turn out so well. i resorted to making balls...so. much. easier.


whatever holiday treats you make for santa, i hope you have fun in the kitchen! be sure to share the recipe, too...i'm always on the lookout for a yummy new treat to make!

happy holidays, y'all...and remember to brush & floss your teeth really good after eating all of these sweets!

chicken & dumplings...soup.

foreward:
as i opened up the cookbook to type out this recipe i came to the realization that this was a soup recipe. somehow, yesterday as i made this, i neglected to read the word 'soup.' if you ask me, it's more of a stoup {if you have ever watched rachael ray you know that a stoup is a stew/soup combo}. anyways, it's delicious and i want you to get out your crockpot and make this, please.

i'm really sorry about the sloppiness of this photo. i didn't think to take a picture until my SECOND helping. whoops.

chicken & dumpling soup
{from stephanie o'dea's book, "make it fast, cook it slow"}

ingredients:
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken - i used just over 2 lbs. of good sized chicken breasts cut into chunks
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped - i used 1 package of already sliced white button 'shrooms
16 oz. frozen veggies - i used a carrot, corn & green bean mix
2 (10.5 oz.) cans of cream-of-something soup - the actual recipe lists an alternative soup recipe if you're so inclined to make your own but i used two cans of cream of chicken & mushroom from that "mmm, mmm good!" brand.
1 (10 oz.) can refrigerated biscuits

method:
use a 4-quart slow cooker {mine is about 6-quarts and it worked just fine for this recipe}. put the chicken & the veggies into the bottom of the stoneware insert. add the cream-of soups. cover & cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

an hour before serving, shred the chicken with two large forks and drop in the biscuit dough. cover & cook on high for another hour. the dumplings are done when a knife is easily inserted and comes out clean. the dumplings will be spongy and will brown a bit on the sides & top. serve in bowls with a dumpling or two per person.

---

this was a HIT! this couldn't have been any easier to prep. the house smelled yummy while it cooked. and, the end result was - by far - the best slow cooker chicken & dumplings recipe i've ever tried. mine did not have a soupy consistency, but it was still delicious nonetheless. i do recommend seasoning before serving as it did have a bland taste, but it was nothing a little salt & white pepper couldn't fix. like i said earlier, i had TWO servings. aidan did, too. we're a family of four and we got six servings for dinner and one very generous serving for lunch out of the whole dish.

crock pot goodness.

i've owned a crock pot for as long as i can remember {i even scored a new 4 qt. crock pot for $3 at target's black friday sale!} and we l♥ve to cook with it. we will get out the crock pot a few times during the spring or summer, but we really try to use it as much as we can during the cooler fall & winter months. and, when i was working, the crock pot was a lifesaver because it's always nice to come home & have dinner warm and waiting for you.

anyways...

if you have a crockpot, please get it out and use it. there's a lot you can do with it. seriously. a lot.

a while back, i happened upon a blog called 'a year of slow cooking.' perhaps you've seen it? if you haven't, please check it out. or, perhaps you've heard of the fabulous woman behind the blog, stephanie o'dea. or, maybe you've heard of her book - yes, book:

{source}

i own this cookbook {and, maybe, just maybe there will be a giveaway for a copy in the near future...}. i love this cookbook. i adore this cookbook. it's not your conventional cookbook because there are no pictures, but everything in this cookbook is made in a crockpot {2 qt., 4 qt. or 6qt.}. and, we're not talking just stews & roasts...

we've made a couple recipes {including super easy dulce de leche that our kids like to dip apples in}, but last night i made the pineapple pork tenderloin.

{sorry for the crackberry pic quality!}

The recipe is as follows:

3 pound pork tenderloin - the tenderloin i used was just under 3 lbs.
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning - i used an asian seasoning blend instead
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, chopped - i used the 'already minced in a jar' stuff
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced - i cut my peppers into a large dice rather than slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce - we have gallons of kikkoman in this half-chinese household!
1/2 cup apple juice
16 ounces frozen pineapple - i used canned pineapple

Combine meat, sugar, spices, and cornstarch in a plastic zipper bag. Seal and shake well to coat. Pour contents of bag into crockpot. Add garlic and peppers. Pour in soy sauce, apple juice, and an entire bag of frozen pineapple. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6.

{recipe adapted from 'make it fast, cook it slow'}

i sort of strayed from the recipe's directions. i added all of the ingredients - except for the peppers & pineapple - to the large plastic zipper bag. after all of the wet & dry ingredients were combined, i dumped everything into my crockpot - i used our 6 qt. i added the peppers & pineapple on top and i also added one chopped onion. halfway through cooking, the hubs added just a touch of chicken stock. we cooked everything on low for about 7 hours. the peppers & onions broke down, but the pineapple was still whole. we served our pork over steamed rice and, as you can tell from my picture, we shredded the pork.

the hubs is enjoying some of the leftovers as a sandwich today. i will be heating up a bowl momentarily.

we really enjoyed this recipe & i cannot wait to try more of stephanie's crockpot recipes.

enjoy!

p.s. sorry for the wonky font...i'm tired of fighting with blogger. grrr....

huevos rancheros.

we love mexican food.

we love visiting mexico.

we didn't get to spend any time in playa del carmen this year, but thank goodness my husband - who speaks pretty good spanish & also loves to cook - created this plateful of yumminess for us to indulge in on saturday morning.

i bring you mi familia's version of huevos rancheros:

{sorry for the pic quality...i blame it on the crackberry.}

adam didn't follow a recipe...the only inspiration for HIS recipe was visions of the huevos rancheros we ate at las cazuelas in playa del carmen back in 2008:

{shameless plug...las cazuelas is located right across the street for our favorite hotel in pdc, the luna blue. in fact, the review for las cazuelas linked above was written by the luna blue's hotel owners, tony & cheri. check out their blog. hell, get to playa del carmen and check out their hotel!}

the kids opted for caramel rolls, but i have already asked adam to make huevos rancheros again this weekend.

if we can't make it to mexico, the least we can do is enjoy a little bit of mexico in our home.

What do you call a fish with two knees?

A tu-knee fish!

Get it...a tu-knee, er, tuna, fish.

Har har har! My kids told me that joke.

Anyways, that's what the hubs is grilling right now. Yes, at nearly 9:30pm. We've still got a ridiculous amount of yellowfin tuna vacuum sealed in the deep freezer and he decided that we will have tuna fish salad for lunch tomorrow.

The celery, onion and other deliciousness is already prepped & waiting on the kitchen counter.

I just hope I give myself enough time in the morning to actually make myself a sammich.

Chicken of the Sea

When the hubs goes fishing we eat like kings!

(gosh, that sounds awful...like I'm starving my kids we don't have any food in the house or something)

A few weeks ago he went fishing with some friends and we reaped in the bounty that was their day because, out of the three guys, only the hubs (and *ahem* his family) eats fish!

The Gorton's fisherman's got nothing on this feast...behold:

Fresh flounder - right from the Chesapeake Bay - fried (yes, fried) to perfection and served with home-made tartar sauce, leftover (I'm not ashamed) pasta salad and hush puppies.

God bless House-Autry for their Seafood Breader and their Hush Puppy Mix {with onions}...my pantry would be incomplete without either item.

BRACE FACE - The cookbook winner is...

KAYLA!

Congratulations, Kayla! I hope you enjoy both of these cookbooks!

Please email to me your mailing address at shell {at} stutteringshell {dot} com and I'll have the books sent to you right away!

Give Peas a Chance!

We had a cookout last Friday night and a friend of ours brought over a dish of pea salad. Seeing as how I consider myself a southern gal, you know that I will not turn my nose to anything of the pickled variety. This recipe VERY MUCH reminded me of my Mamaw's Three Bean Salad and, who knows, maybe your Granny, Nanny, Memaw, Mamaw or Nana has a recipe like this of her own.

Enjoy!

Pea Salad from Laura's Kitchen (I have no idea who Laura is, but, Laura, I thank you!)

1 can Le Sueur peas, drained

1 can shoepeg corn, drained

1 2oz. jar of pimentos, drained

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup finely chopped onion

Combine in a bowl and set aside.

3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. water

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Bring to a boil & cook for one minute. Cool and pour over pea salad mixture.

Chill and enjoy.


I would say that it makes about 8 good servings...there is actually still some leftover in the fridge. And, I don't see why you couldn't make this with fresh peas and/or fresh corn.

BRACE FACE - Let's Get Cookin'!

Where were these cookbooks when I had braces? (Remember, you can WIN these cookbooks by participating in the "Brace Face" discussion series...all comments will be entered to win...so comment, comment, comment!)

I'm sure there was some sort of brace-friendly menu plan out there, but (of course) I had braces in the late 1980s - early 1990s so my fate succumbed to chicken noodle soup (a la Campbell's, no doubt) and any other mushy substance I could sink my sore jaws into on the days that my wires/bands were tightened. I get lockjaw just reminiscing about it all.

Anyways, wearing braces isn't so nerdy anymore and neither is the cuisine when it comes to wearing braces thanks to Pamela Waterman and Chef Amee Hoge. The pair teamed up to put together not just one, but TWO, cookbooks showcasing different (dare I say, gourmet?) recipes that can be fixed easily and LOVED by those in braces and even those who are not in braces. Ms. Waterman was not only inspired by her own daughter who was in braces, but she spent some time as an adult in braces, too.

I don't know about you, but I am a cookbook junkie so these two books are on my "wanted" list - all of the recipes look so yummy & tasty! And, as a parent who will quite possibly have two children in braces one day in the near future, I think that having these two resources on my kitchen bookshelf will be a lifesaver!

Here are some tidbits recipes from the books:

CORNBREAD PIZZA (from the Braces Cookbook 2)

This braces-friendly pizza is delicious, distinctive and oh-so satisfying. Try it tonight! Made with cornbread mix and a dash of Parmesan, it’s just the thing when you’re craving something different. You can even get your kids in on the fun by asking them to help with the toppings.

Ingredients:
2 (8½-ounce) boxes dry cornbread mix
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 jar or can (about 26 ounces) spaghetti sauce, any flavor
1 tablespoon oregano
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Toppings of your choice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 30-to-35 minutes total.

In a large bowl, stir together the 2 boxes of dry cornbread mix, 2 eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese. Grease a 9” x 13” pan, and also grease 6 muffin-pan cups (or line them with cupcake papers). Spoon batter into the 6 muffin cups, about halfway, as this is extra batter. (You’ll have muffins for another meal – they’re great with chili.) Then spread the remaining batter into the 9” x 13” pan and spread the spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle with oregano.

Bake the pizza and the muffins at 375 degrees for 15 minutes and remove both from oven. Sprinkle the pizza with the mozzarella cheese and any other toppings, then bake it at an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into squares.

Chef Amee’s Gourmet Touch:
To make two specialty “soft” pizzas, bake them in two round cake pans and top with your favorite toppings. Add 1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs to the pizza crust along with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for added flavor.

CHERRY-CHICKEN SALAD BITES (from the Braces Cookbook 2)

Ingredients:
1 (12.5-ounce) can (or 1¼ cups) cooked chicken
½ cup (about 3 ounces) dried cherries, presoaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained
½ cup (4 ounces) black-cherry yogurt
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise

Directions:
Drain the chicken and break it up into a medium-sized bowl. Add cherries, yogurt and mayonnaise. Stir together well. If you have time, let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for an hour to absorb the moisture and flavors.
This serves up nicely in tiny scoopfuls on ruffled red-leaf lettuce and is also excellent as a filling inside sliced miniature croissant rolls.

What’s so cool about this dish? Dried cherries are now as easy to find in the grocery store as raisins, a trend that makes this variation on the regular chicken salad a simple yet delicious change of pace. Plus, when it’s time for those braces to come off, you can add ¼ cup of slivered almonds to give the dish some extra pizazz. Need a gourmet touch? Chef Amee likes to add ¼ cup ground almonds and 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried mint leaves to add more color and texture to this scrumptious meal.


MOROCCAN SWEET-PEPPER CHICKEN (from the Braces Cookbook)
Ingredients:
3 boneless chicken breast halves, boiled
3 cups (fresh or frozen, unthawed) sweet peppers, diced (any color)

For the sauce:
1/3 cup orange juice
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ teaspoon ginger
1 Tablespoon sherry
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
(Optional: ¼ cup sliced almonds)

In a large pot, boil the chicken breasts until very tender, about 1 hour. (This is a great task to do ahead of time while getting other things done in your life.) Shred the chicken on a cutting board and set aside.

In a Dutch oven or large covered frying pan, simmer the peppers in ½ cup water for 15 minutes. Add shredded chicken and keep on low heat.In a small bowl, use a whisk to stir together all the sauce ingredients except the almonds. Pour the sauce over the chicken and pepper mixture and simmer the combination, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve over rice and, if desired, add the almonds on top for non-braces eaters. This recipe makes 6 to 8 servings.

FABULOUS FRUIT SMOOTHIES
For a quick, soothing breakfast or afternoon snack, put together the ingredients ahead of time. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator ready to whip together in a blender.

Ingredients:
2 bananas1 cup of milk1 cup of other fruit (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, mandarin oranges – fresh or thawed from frozen)2 tablespoons of protein powder (optional)

Directions:
Cut bananas into 1-inch slices. Add all ingredients to a blender, and mix for 10 seconds on a low setting. Makes two servings.

TWISTY SOFT PRETZELS
These twisty soft pretzels are tasty with a dash of salt – or sweet with a shake of sugar and cinnamon. Plus, they’re easy to make. Pop a batch in the oven today!

Ingredients:
¾ cup warm water
½ envelope yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
Pinches of salt or cinnamon-sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°. In a small bowl, stir together warm water, yeast and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, mix salt and flour with a large spoon. After 5 minutes, stir yeast mix into flour mix.

With well-floured hands, shape dough into 6-inch rods, initials, animals or traditional twisted pretzel shapes. Brush with the beaten egg and place on a greased cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle with extra salt or cinnamon-sugar.

Bake for 12 minutes at 425°.

Now you tell me...do you really need braces to enjoy these recipes? NO! But, if you ARE in braces, I bet these recipes (as well as the many others featured in the cookbooks) are a welcome change to what you thought you were limited to, right?