Fried Okra

Mu husband LOVES fried okra so I have been trying to find a good recipe for it! I came across this one on Paula Deen's website & made it this weekend! It turned out pretty darn good & will definitely be making it again!

Fried Okra

Ingredients:
6 cups oil, for frying

1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons House Seasoning, (recipe below) 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh okra, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:
Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. (You may not need to use this much oil; do not fill the pan more than halfway up the sides with oil.)

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, House Seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Dip okra in buttermilk and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well. Carefully add okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. (It may be necessary to fry the okra in batches.) Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Chicken Tortilla Crockpot Soup

A good soup recipe for the upcoming fall & winter months!

Chicken Tortilla Crock-pot Soup
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Directions:

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Serve with tortilla chips - enjoy!

Grilled Cabbage

My husband loves cabbage - me not so much - so I am always looking for new recipes so I can cook it for him & for me to be able to tolerate eating it. This is a great tasting recipe that I found which includes butter & bacon - what's not to like about that??

GRILLED CABBAGE
1 head cabbage
4 teaspoons butter
4 slices bacon

Spice mix:
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cut cabbage into four wedges.
Place each wedge on a piece of doubled heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Spread cut sides with butter.
Mix spices together in a small container & sprinkle all of the mixture equally over each wedge.
Wrap bacon around each wedge.
Fold foil around cabbage, sealing each wedge tightly.
Grill cabbage, covered, over medium heat for 40 minutes or until the cabbage is tender, turning twice.

Tuna Pasta Salad

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie that I remember my mom making when I was a little girl! It is a great cold pasta salad during the summer months! I make it quite often & take it for lunch throughout the week!

Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
3 cups pasta, cooked, drained and cooled (macaroni, penne, shell, etc.)
1 12 oz. can of albacore tuna, drained
½ cup frozen peas, cooked, drained & cooled
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
2 green onions, finely chopped (or 1 T dried)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (or celery salt to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper.
Add tuna, peas, onions and celery

Refrigerate 1.5-2 hours before serving. Can also be made the day before!

Grape Salad

I had this interesting salad at a get-together last week & it was SO yummy! It is perfect to take to a pot-luck or neighborhood get-together! I will definitely be making it quite often this summer!!

(photo credit)

Grape Salad

1 ½ lbs green seedless grapes

1 ½ lbs red seedless grapes

8 oz sour cream

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Topping

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

Remove stems from grapes and rinse. In a medium bowl, beat sour cream, cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla with mixer until smooth. Stir grapes into the cream cheese mixture and place in a serving dish.

Combine brown sugar & pecans and sprinkle over top of grapes (you may also place on the side if you desire).

(To make a more "lighter" version you can substitute lite sour cream & low-fat cream cheese!)

Oreo Dessert

(photo credit)

My Aunt brought this yummy dish to a family gathering last summer & it was oh so heavenly! Definitely a great dessert to bring to a potluck or just enjoy for yourself!

Heavenly Oreo Dessert

1 (15.35 ounce) package Double-Stuffed Oreo cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 packages (3.9 ounce, each) Instant Chocolate pudding mix
3 1/4 cups cold milk
2 (8 ounce) containers Cool Whip
1 (8 ounce) block Cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions: Take a large zip-lock bag & place all the Oreo cookies inside. Seal bag shut & place on counter. Using a rolling pin, crush the cookies until they are small chunks/crumbs. You want them to still be chunky & small, but not fine crumbs.

Set aside half of the cookie crumbs for the topping. Pour the other half of cookie crumbs into a 9x13 baking pan. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs & mix well to combine. Once combined, press into the pan to form a crust.

In a bowl, whisk together the 2 pudding mixes & milk. Cover & place in fridge to set.

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Fold in one container of Cool Whip. Spread mixture over the cookie crust. Next, take chocolate pudding & spread over the cream cheese mixture. Spread the other container of Cool Whip over the chocolate pudding layer. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cookie crumbs. Cover & chill in fridge at least 2 hours before serving.
 

Enjoy ♥

School Lunch PB Bars

Does anybody remember eating peanut butter bars in grade school? I totally do. They served them as dessert with school lunches & I always remember thinking that one bar was just not enough!

This recipe is pretty darn close to what we experienced in grade school & it makes an entire cookie sheet full. I can only make them if I have a place to take them & share otherwise me & my husband would be forced to eat the entire pan. I must warn you though, they are kinda dangerous...at least in my chocolate/peanut butter loving world :)

School Lunch PB Bars

1 1/2 C Flour

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ C Butter

¾ C Sugar

¾ C Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter (divided)

2 Eggs

1 ½ C Quick Oats

Frosting:

½ C Butter (1 stick)

3 ½ C Powdered Sugar

2 T Cocoa

¼ C Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, 3/4 C peanut butter, eggs & vanilla until light & fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Then, stir in the oats. Spread onto a greased 11 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan (cookie sheet). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The frosting is a two step process. First, whip the remaining ¾ C Creamy Peanut Butter until it becomes lighter colored & fluffy. Carefully spread the whipped peanut butter over the pan cookie.

Then, add butter to a small sauce pan & melt the butter. Add the milk & cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat just until boiling. Remove from heat & add vanilla. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar. Stir until thickened. Pour over the peanut butter & gently spread over the cookie. Cool completely, & slice into bar cookies.

Enjoy :)

Baked Potato Slices

So simple - I can't believe I didn't think of how to make these sooner?!

Ingredients:
Russet potatoes
butter
bacon crumbles
shredded cheddar cheese
green onion    

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
 
Cut potato into 1/4" slices. Brush both sides of potato slices with butter; place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides, turning once.
 
When potatoes are ready, top with bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar cheese, & green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted! Can add a dollop of sour cream also - YUM!

Mini Corn Dog Bites

MINI CORN DOG BITES
 
How fun to make this with your kids or to just bring out the kid in you!!

Mix up an 8.5oz box of corn muffin mix, divide batter into the Mini-Muffin Pan and add hot dog slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°. 

Enjoy this fun way to serve corn dogs with "flair!"

Banana Bread Brownies

Banana Bread Brownies
 
Ingredients:
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. milk

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375F. Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute. Stir in walnuts.

2. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting). Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm).

Yield: 2 dozen large bars

PB Cookie Dough Dip

A decadent dip filled with chocolate chips and Reese's PB cups - YUM!!

 

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip
Yield: serves 10-12

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
8oz pkg Reese's peanut butter cup Minis (or about 1 1/2 cup chopped Reeses cups)
 
Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar and butter. Whisk until completely combined and butter is melted. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
 
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar until creamy (about 3-4 minutes. On low, add in brown sugar mixture (that has cooled to near room temp). Mix until combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips and mini Reese's cups. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy with pretzels, animal cracker and graham sticks.