Fresh figs with breakfast

We are getting the figs all dressed up for their date with the biscuit tomorrow but today we had some naked ones on a plate.

Figs are coming in

Figs fresh from our tree. These boys are looking for a hot date with a biscuit.
The fig tree this year has more figs than last year maybe it’s because we have had more rain but whatever the reason they will sure be welcomed when the weather is cold. We will be putting some up and looking for new recopies so if any one has a favorite please let me know.

Tomatoes Sweet Basil and Feta

Love the summer tomatoes I may have withdraws this winter. This is a simple dish of homegrown tomatoes a little olive oil and fresh sweet basil (this and rosemary seem the only herb we can grow) with feta cheese. Of course salt and pepper.

Brunch in the country

As stated before we have a brunch on weekends as I have more time and I like to sleep a little later on the weekends. After 4 days of 7:30 to 5:30 days, those few extra hours in the bed on Sat sure feel good. Of course, if the cat’s food bowl is empty they will worry you until you get up and feed them.
Here in the south, I grew up during the summer eating tomatoes any time and that meant at breakfast. I am so lucky we are able to get some good tomatoes from the farmers market but even better form the neighbors in the neighbor hood and not have to worry about the dreaded salmonella.
We have put up some asparagus and the way its going I may not have any left for the winter.
This is hash brown potatoes, fresh tomatoes, cheese grits with shrimp and scrambled eggs with asparagus, and shrimp. I really do not have this written down as I just winged it over the years.

East Indian-Style Spiced Beef With Rice

This is a terrible picture but boy was it good. We halved the recipe for just us. We did not have any cardamom and our little grocery did not have any so we will defiantly make this again after we can get to a larger grocery store to find some. We would like to thank Recipezaar again for another winner.


East Indian-Style Spiced Beef With Rice Recipe by Lisa1
1½ hours 30 min prep
SERVES 4
2 lbs beef stew meat
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, chopped
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick (apx 2-inch piece)
1 1/2 cups water, divided
6 tablespoons plain yogurt
hot cooked rice
chopped peanuts (optional)
Brown meat in oil in a large pot. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Cook onion and garlic in pot for about 4-5 minutes, stirring (don't let garlic burn).
Add all spices. Stir.
Stir in meat and 1/4 cup water.
Stir in 1 tablespoons yogurt until well combined. Continue adding yogurt 1 tablespoons at a time.
Stir in remaining 1-1/4 cup water.
Cover. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
Serve over hot, cooked rice.
Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.

Blueberry or Blackberry Cobbler

This was easy to do and the recipe came from of course the Pioneer Woman, we are working our way threw her recipes. I have to admit we like a juicier cobbler(it may be a sourthen thing)as we felt like we were eating a giant blueberry muffin. Nevertheless, we still ate every bit and it went great with ice cream.




Blueberry or Blackberry Cobbler

1-cup milk
1 stick butter
1 ¼-cup sugar
C cup self rising flour
2 cups blueberries or blackberries (can use fresh or frozen)
(We used fresh blueberries)

Melt butter combine one cup of sugar and flour in bowl whisk in the milk. Mix well. Add butter and blend well, pour into a buttered baking dish. Take (rinsed and dried) berries and arrange on top as even as you can. Sprinkle on top ¼ cup of sugar. Bake in pre heated oven at 350 for one hour or until golden brown.

Chicken Spaghetti by Pioneer Woman

Gotta Love the Pioneer Woman this was really good.


2 cups cooked chicken
2 cans cream of Mushroom soup
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (we used the 4 mexican cheese)
1/4 cup green pepper (we added more)
1/2 cup onion (we added more)
1 4 oz diced pimentoes drained
3 cups dry spaghetti broken intio two inch pieces
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper ( we think it can use more like some red pepper flakes which we will add next time to kick it up)
Salt and pepper to taste
we also added a can of drained mushrooms

Cook 1 cut up chicken (a little note a dish that uses a meat with bone in is tastier)
in water. (We did add a little seasoning to this)
take chicken off bone to make 2 cups if any left over set aside for another day and dish.
Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until aldente. Do not over cook.
When spaghetti is cooked combine with remaining ingredients except for one cup cheese. ( we found it easier to put all the ingredients in a sauce pan and warm it up enought to mix all the cheese and spices.) Then we add it to the spaghetti and place in a large casserole dish. Top with last cup of cheese we also used more.
Cook for 45 minutes at 350 until bubbly.

Ground Beef and Spinich Pasta Bake

Looking for dishes not using the oven much and came across this one.
We added a can of corn and a home grown tomato and more parmesan cheese.
We felt it was lacking and could have used something to kick it up a notch.

Ground Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake
by Sackville
25 min 10 min prep
SERVES 4
2 teaspoons oil
1 onion, chopped
250 g ground beef or
ground pork
2 (400 g) cans chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
10 ounces frozen spinach
200 g tagliatelle pasta noodles (or other pasta)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Sauté the onion in a deep frying pan for 1-2 minutes, then add the ground beef.
Cook until beef is browned, then add the tomatoes, spices, salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer for 3-4 minutes, then add the spinach and simmer 3-4 minutes more.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Meanwhile, boil and drain the pasta according to directions on the package.
Combine the two and place in a baking tray.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake in a hot oven until melted and the dish is pipping hot, about 5 minutes.
Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

New Twist on Carrots and Potatoes

Every one cooks a hamburger steak with mushrooms and onions so I will not give out that recipe here unless one wants to know how I do mine. (It appears we may be eating a lot more hamburger if the food prices keep going up. Steak is already almost a memory and this paycheck we are getting the roast out of layaway. LOL. Nevertheless, I ramble) the star of this dinner is the two sides. Pioneer woman if only you did not live so far away, I think we could cook up some good times together. We used Pioneer Woman’s Crash potatoes, which she got, from another site. They were very easy to do and we are making them again soon, so soon that I just brought home another bag of potatoes in anticipation. I do need a potato masher mine seems to have got lost when we moved so I used a fork.
The other real surprise was the carrots glazed with Balsamic Vinegar. Now I did not grow up eating carrots as a side dish more in a salad, soup or stew never just on their own. However, these were great. Thanks recipezarr.

Carrots Glazed with Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 4

3 -4 tablespoons butter
½ bag or cup peeled baby carrots or
regular carrots, peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces, halved lengthwise
2-2 1/2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
2 1/4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or
cilantro (We used cilantro and it was great.)
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat.
Add carrots and sauté 5 minutes.
Cover and cook until carrots are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
Stir in sugar and vinegar.
Cook uncovered until carrots are tender and glazed, stirring frequently, about 12 minutes longer. (We had to cook a little longer or we needed to have cut the carrots smaller)
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add parsley or cilantro and toss to blend.
Transfer to bowl and serve.

Crash Potatoes
Serves 4

16 small red potatoes or 8 med.
Salt
T Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1-teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1-Tablespoon fennel or caraway seeds (we used caraway)
1-Tablespoon thyme or rosemary sprigs. (We used rosemary.)
Heat oven to 450
Do not peal potatoes bring too boil in salted water. Cook until a fort goes in easy about 15-18 min. depends on size. Do not want them soft.
Drain and place on oiled baking tray (we use a shot of Pam)
Use a potato masher to squash each potato flat. (Lost ours so use a fork or glass bottom)
Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice
Bake on top shelf in oven for 20 or 25 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Pork Chop Supper in a Skillet

We are trying to cook things that we do not use the oven because it is so hot. Unfortunately, most of the ones we want to try are oven dishes.
This was good it reminded us of a crock-pot dinner. We fixed a pear salad to go with it along with fresh tomatoes.



Pork Chop Supper in a Skillet

1 -2 1/2 Tablespoon of butter depending on size of chops
4 pork chops (we use ones with the bone in)
3- 4 medium red potatoes cut in small cubes
2 cups baby carrots cut in small bite size (this cuts down cooking time if vegetables are small and bite size)
1 small to medium onion in thin slices
1 small can mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
I clove garlic
Can add a little celery or celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon pepper to season chops.
½-cup water

Sprinkle lemon pepper on both sides of chops
Take1 ½ Tablespoon of butter and brown chops in large skillet (about 3-4 min on each side)
Pour in ½ cup of water cover and simmer about 15 minutes with cover on. Then turn and check water and add any if needed.
Cook this way for 45 min until chops are staring to get tender.
Meanwhile cut up vegetables
In separate skillet or saucepan, cook onion in 1Tablespoon of butter until clear
Add carrots and potatoes cream of mushroom soup garlic mushrooms celery salt and salt and pepper.
Heat until everything is mixed well (may need to add a ¼ cup of water) pour over pork chops.
(I find this does mess up an extra pot but everything gets mixed up good, You can just add everything to skillet with chops and save this step if you want)
Cover and simmer for 15 to 25 min or until vegetables are tender.

Two Salsa's

We love Salsa and have been looking for one and trying different recipes. This is one where we used two recipes and we think it works. If you try, it let us know. We like spicy so if you do not cut back on the jalapenos

1 (14 ½ ounce) can tomatoes and green chilies drained, reserve juice.
1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes drained, reserve juice.
1 to 2 jalapenos chopped, to taste.
½-cup yellow onions diced.
2 garlic cloves minced.
½-teaspoon cumin.
¼-teaspoon sugar.
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped, to taste.
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, to taste.
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, to taste.
Salt and Pepper to taste.


Place both cans of tomatoes in collinear and reserve juice in bowl.
In food processor or blender place jalapenos, onions and garlic, chop for 2 to 5 seconds.
Add the remaining ingredients and process until you have the consistency you like.
Use the reserved tomatoes juice to add liquid if you need it.
Place in glass bowl, cover and refrigerate over night.

Shrimp or Chicken Okra Gumbo

Hello, this is the other half of Will's Kitchen and I cook when he lets me in the kitchen. In fact, we both enjoy cooking together now that we have a large enough kitchen for us both to be in there. This is one of my family recipes I am attempting to create. Of course it will never taste as good as Maw Maw’s or my mothers but I have to keep the tradition alive as long as I can. Since we have, no children to pass this on to I hope some one out there in the Internet world will find this and enjoy it and maybe add it to their family favorites on Sunday.
Potato salad and fresh farmers market tomatoes go great with this.
E


Chicken or Shrimp Okra Gumbo

Cook chicken in skillet until it changes from raw
(Now my mom left out that she uses a whole chicken cut up and one with the bones does add a little more flavor than one with out bones. I tried it both ways and like the chicken cut up with the bones. For just me and my hubby we only used ½ of the chicken use the whole if feeding 4 or more)

Brown 1 large onion chopped (I use the oil I browned chicken in.)
Add ¾ cup celery (also add the tops or leaves)
¼ to ½ bell pepper
3 garlic cloves
then add 1/8 to ¼ cup of water
1 Tablespoon of vinegar ( I think this is the secret ingredient they used. In fact it is to keep the okra from becoming slimy.)
Now add about 1 to 1 ½ cup cut okra.
Let cook on low fire uncovered until okra stars to break up some.
Add a peeled chopped red or green tomatoes or a can of chopped tomatoes. ( I have used both can and a green one and prefer a green one if you can find it)
Add 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon basil
2 cups water
1 can chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Chicken (If using shrimp add last 10 min to gumbo)
Hot sauce to taste or Zatarans. (I used hot sauce my Maw Maw did not have Zatarans when she made it.)
Let simmer with lid on about 1 to 1 1/2 hour or till chicken is cooked. Serve over rice. (Should be served like a soup lots of juice)
Even better the next day.
Featured at Deep South

Bacon and Rotel Quiche

This turned out real good.. We had some bacon in the freezer we need to use up so this fit the bill. Even though we used a deep dish there was still a little spillage.


by ~Nimz~ 1¼ hours 15 min prep 1 pie
1 prepared 9 inch pie shell deep dish
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel, drained)
1-2 green onion, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, graded (I used 4 Cheese Mexican blend)
1 cup milk or half-and-half
6 eggs
kosher salt
white pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bake pie crust for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle crumbled bacon, onions, Rotel and cheese over crust.
Whisk together the eggs and milk in a separate bowl.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour egg mixture into crust.
Bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Seafood, Fried Green Tomatoes with Remoulade Sauce

Seafood feast
We ate at a restaurant in Vicksburg that is known for their fried green tomatoes with a crab remoulade sauce. We thought they were good but of course, we thought we could do better. We like ours food a little more spicy than some so we did add a little more red pepper. In fact, we could have used more. We found another recipe that we may try later. But for now, this was very good. We used more corn meal with our tomatoes than the restaurant because that is the way we like it. We had a few spicy steamed shrimp and crawfish with corn and new potatoes.

Remoulade sauce
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chili sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1-teaspoon spicy brown or Creole mustard
2 green onions
1/8 ground red pepper.
Mix altogether cover and refrigerate.

Steaks in Mushroom-Brandy Cream Sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 1 inch thick beef tenderloin
Salt and pepper
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 green onions cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup brndy
1 cup whipping cream

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat
Sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt and pepper and athen add to hot skillet.
Cook for 2 min. on each side or till brown.
Place in baking dish. Bake uncovered in 400 degree oven for 10 to 13 minutes for medium rare.
For sauce cook mushrooms and green onions in same skillet over medium heat till just tender.
Remove from heat: add brandy. Return to heat simmer uncovered for 4 minutes or till most of the liquid is evaporated. Add whipping cream: bring to just boiling. Boil gently 8 minutes or till reduced to one cup; stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Place steaks on warm plate and add sauce over meat.

This was very good with a baked potatoe and salad we did half the recipe.