Riscky Business

Since I posted the recipe for smashed taters the other day, I figure now would be a good time to post the jazzed up version. Jeremy asks me to make these with dinner almost every night, and the recipe is barely a month old! LOL! I do have to warn you tho, if you aren't a big fan of cheese, you probably won't like these potatoes too much.

Not So Riscky Potatoes

The first time I ever visited Texas, Jeremy and I flew to Dallas/Fort Worth one weekend in August 2008 to see Cross Canadian Ragweed’s Red Dirt Roundup. While we were visiting the Fort Worth Stockyards, we ate dinner at Riscky’s Steakhouse. Jeremy absolutely loves their “twice baked potato”. To me it just tasted like mashed potatoes with a ton of cheese. So when I tried recreating Jeremy’s favorite potatoes, that’s exactly what I did… I jazzed up some mashed potatoes. =)

(about 3 cups) smashed taters

16 oz Velveeta (it’s about half of one of the big blocks)

½ cup shredded cheddar

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

Sprinkle cayenne

Salt & pepper

• Preheat the oven to 375°.

• Basically I just cut the velveeta into chunks into hot mashed potatoes and add onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and just a little sprinkle of cayenne and mash it all up until the velveeta is melted. Then I pour it into a casserole dish and spread the shredded cheddar on top and bake it till the cheese on top melts and starts to brown a little. 

Chickens and Blessings

Maw Maw is a wonderful cook. She has taught me many tips and tricks and has given me some of the absolute best recipes I have ever made. I am forever calling her for some kind of advice or recipe, and it always seems as though someone let her know I was going to call, as she can always answer any question I may have without skipping a beat.

We sometimes have this chicken salad at family get-togethers, and it seems to always be the first thing to go. =) {I know the ingredient list looks a little lengthy, but a lot of it is just me blabbering my 2 cents!}

Maw Maw’s Chicken Salad

I’m not sure that I can find the words to even begin to describe Maw Maw. She is nothing short of amazing. Her timeless wisdom, unchanging beauty, endless strength, immeasurable kindness, and unconditional love are just a few of the things that make Maw Maw so special. She is the one person in my life who has always been (and continues to be) constant. It doesn’t matter if things are going well or I have gotten into some kind of pickle (which I unintentionally do sometimes), I know I can pick up the phone, dial her number, and after the praise or lecture she will undoubtedly give, her advice will be the best that anyone could possibly offer.

1 whole chicken (you can buy one and cook it yourself, or you can buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. I usually go with the rotisserie, it’s less work and about the same price.)

¼ of a medium onion; finely diced (I’d say it’s about ¼ cup)

2 celery stalks; finely diced

½ cup chopped pecans (you can also use walnuts if you like)

1 cup red seedless grapes; halved (a little trick to half these a little quicker: take 2 lids from small containers that are {or are about} the same size and place some of the grapes in one side until it is full, then put the other lid on top, now run your knife in between the 2 tops. Pretty easy, huh?)

2 tablespoons sweet relish

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey mustard (if you don’t have honey mustard, you can use dijon, but don’t use regular yellow mustard. I made that mistake once… yuck.)

1 teaspoon grape jelly or jam. (if you don’t have it, leave it out. it’s not a big difference, it just compliments the grapes.

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon white pepper (black pepper is good too)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon paprika

{You can add other stuff to this. I like roasted red bell peppers in place of the paprika(but usually don’t have time to roast them and the ones in the jar are too mushy), and sometimes I add a little bit of green bell pepper as substitute for some of the onion. It’s really whatever my budget or schedule will allow.}

• If you didn’t buy a rotisserie chicken, either boil your chicken or roast it. When it cools, pull all of the meat from the bones.

• In a large bowl, add the chicken, onion, celery, pecans, grapes and relish.

• In a separate (smaller) bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, honey mustard, jelly/jam, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika. (The jelly/jam might be a little difficult. Sometimes, I start with that and try to get it kinda smooth before I add the other stuff.)

• Add the Mayo mixture to the chicken and stir it all together until everything is well coated. (Sometimes I have to add a little more mayo, but usually ½ cup gets it.)

{This is also good with fresh parsley if you have some.}

Let's Get Smashed

By now those of you reading have probably noticed that a lot of my recipes are very informal. There are a lot of side notes and personal opinions. I do this for a few reasons. To be quite honest, I personally hate the way normal cookbooks are set up. You get a list of ingredients and generally the instructions are extremely vague. If I didn't watch Food Network as much as I do, I would have no idea what a lot of things in those fancy shmancy cookbooks are. My guess is, most of you don't sit around watching food network all day, and have never been to cooking school, so I try to explain the instructions so that someone who has never made the dish or is just plain terrible with recipes (or cooking in general) can follow them easily and hopefully make it out of the kitchen undefeated. ;) Another reason I do this is for my children (and grandchildren if they get to read it). I want them to be able to make these recipes for their families, and while they are reading/making them, I want them to feel like I am in the kitchen with them.

With all of that being said, here is another one of those informal (and super yummy) recipes!

Smashed Taters

Everybody likes mashed potatoes, right? It seems like we all make them a little different, and I am no exception. I have gotten several compliments on these “smashed taters”, so I guess I need to share my secret. =)

5 or 6 medium potatoes

4 tablespoons (or 4 cubes) of chicken bullion. (or you can use chicken broth instead of water.)

½ stick of butter

Heavy cream or milk

• Cut the potatoes into cubes, (I usually make them about ½ inch or so) and place them in a large pot.

• Fill the pot with cold water until it just covers the potatoes.

• Add the bullion to the water and boil the potatoes on medium heat until they are tender. (I don’t really know how long this takes, because I am usually busy cooking whatever it is I am having with them. LOL. But if I had to guess, I’d say about 20 min or so… maybe 30, who knows.)

• Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pot.

• With your potato smasher or hand mixer, (or whatever it is you use to smash your taters) mash in the butter.

• I didn’t put a measurement for the cream/milk because it always takes a different amount. If you aren’t an experienced mashed potato maker, and you can’t just guesstamate how much cream/milk to use, I would put in ¼ cup at a time. That way you can add a little and smash, add a little and smash, until you get the consistency you like.

Ham it up!

Creating this cookbook has been (and continues to be) so much fun! I got my first mail package yesterday. My aunt had photocopied the recipe book that my Mama Betty had given her and sent it too me. The best part is... it was all hand written! I couldn't stop smiling as I read over each holiday menu she had written and the recipes that followed, remembering how close our family had once been. I remember my grandmother would be in the kitchen for two days preparing food for our big 'ol family each and every holiday. It's been eleven and a half years since Mama Betty passed, and there is not a day that goes by I don't miss her. I'm sure we all do.

I think it's things like this that make writing this cookbook so special to me. My children didn't get to meet Mama Betty, but through the recipes and stories and pictures in this cookbook they will be able to know her as well as other family members and friends that they may not remember when they get older or may not ever get to meet. A little piece of each person will live on.

I made this ham yesterday morning, then I received this package yesterday afternoon, and when i saw this recipe in her book, i knew it absolutely had to go in mine. =)

Baked Ham

Mama Betty made this ham every Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. She loved having all of her family together each and every holiday and no matter what differences or arguments you might have, you left them at the door. If you didn’t, she was likely to come after you with a wicker basket! LOL! Mama Betty wouldn’t have any fighting or arguing at her family get togethers, and everyone respected that.

A fairly large ham

1 can of coca-cola

• Preheat oven to 325°.

• Take the ham out of it’s packaging and place it in a large (I use a 2” deep) pan.

• Cover the ham with the coca-cola then cover it tightly with aluminum foil.

• Bake it for 25 min per pound.

Easy as Pie

I had completely forgotten about this dish until the other night. I was trying to find something to make for dinner that was quick, easy, and inexpensive. Dinner doesn't always have to be a huge production. ;)

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

This is a recipe I got from Elaine (Grandma Anglin) right after Tyler was born. I was probably the worst cook ever back then. LOL! There’s really no way to mess this one up, unless you just plain burn it. You can even play around with the ingredients. =)

2 pie shells (I usually get the frozen ones and just let them thaw, but the refrigerated ones work well too.)

1 whole chicken (I go with the rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. They are about the same price as a raw chicken and the work is already done for you. If you want only breast meat, I would get 2 chickens. You can also use the canned breast.)

1 large can of mixed vegetables, drained (You can also use the frozen veggies, it just takes longer to cook. In my opinion, the frozen veggies make the pie soggy.)

2 small cans cream of chicken soup

¼ cup water

• Preheat oven to 375°.

• Pull the meat from your cooked chicken.

• Heat the cream of chicken soup with the water. (you don’t have to boil it, or even get it all the way hot, just heat it enough to mix with the water. I usually just pop it in the microwave for a minute.)

• In one of the pie shells layer the chicken, veggies, and soup. (I usually do this twice. Chicken, veggies, soup, chicken, veggies, soup. I think it turns out a little more even.)

• Place the other pie shell on top, then pinch the sides all the way around to seal it up. (My pies always end up super thick, so this is the hardest part for me. I almost always rip the dough. One of the tricks I have learned to help keep it together is keeping the dough cold. I just leave it in the fridge while I am making the pie and then I sit the bottom of the pie pan in warm water to loosen the dough from the pan.)

• Cut a few slits in the top and bake it for about an hour (or until it is warmed through and the shell is golden).

Fancy Cheese and Clam Juice

I don't really watch too much TV. When I do, it's usually Food Network. That's where a lot of my recipes come from. I like to see if I can take the things they make and turn them into something I can actually make (and Jeremy will eat). Most of the time I end up with garbage, but sometimes I come up with a recipe that we actually enjoy.

The next recipe I am adding to the cookbook is one of our favorites. I was very intimidated when I watched Giada De Laurentiis make this, but it looked so good I just had to try it. It probably took me an hour to find clam juice at the grocery store, and fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano can be a little pricey but it makes a big difference in the taste of the sauce. The dish is actually really simple to make and so delicious! Hope you enjoy!

Shrimp Pasta

Another product of me watching Food Network and trying out the recipes I see. This recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, and she calls it “Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce”. That name is just entirely too fancy for me, and since I don’t make a whole lot of pasta dishes, I just call it Shrimp Pasta. Looking at the ingredients, it looks a little intimidating to make (I mean, really, who cooks with clam juice?), but the ingredients are available at most grocery stores and the dish is so simple to make. Trust me, the hunt for clam juice and fancy cheese is so worth it!

1 pound penne pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine (or chicken or shrimp broth)

1/3 cup clam juice

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (if you get the fancy cheese in the deli department, it tastes a lot better. If you just get Kraft Parmesan make sure you get the grated kind, not the stuff you put on your pizza.)

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

• Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. (about 8 minutes.) Drain the pasta and set aside. (I usually start the pasta then start my sauce, that way they get done about the same time and you aren’t adding cold pasta to the sauce.)

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

• Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. (if you are using the dried basil and parsley, you want to add it now too.)

• Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. (you absolutely DO NOT want to overcook the shrimp. When the just start to turn pink is when you should take it out. It will cook more when you put them back in the sauce.)

• Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

• Add the tomatoes, ¼ cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (I usually add a little flour to the remaining oil before I add these ingredients and make a bit of a roux. The sauce is a bit runny without it.)

• Add the wine (or broth), clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil.

• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes until the sauce thickens.

• Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. (another neat little trick is grating the parmesan directly onto the pasta before adding the sauce. this way the cheese sticks to the pasta and the sauce sticks to the cheese.)

• Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

• Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

There's nothing like family & friends!

I am so delighted that so many of my family and friends are getting involved with this project! The recipes, stories, and pictures are starting to come in now, and I am super excited to start putting it all together and telling our story. It is so cool to think that this cookbook could be passed down for generations!

( This picture is my Mom with all of her grandchildren, Christmas 2009. )

Pumpkin Pie

Who doesn't love pumpkin pie during the Holidays?!? I found this recipe from Paula Deen on FoodNetwork.com. It’s not your traditional pumpkin pie, but once you taste this yummy deliciosness, you will surely throw out your old recipe. Jeremy LOVES when I make this pie and even though it makes 2 pies, there are never any leftovers. =)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 pre-made pie dough (I use frozen, it usually comes in packages of 2)

Whipped cream, for topping (recipe follows)

• Preheat the oven to 350°.

• (I usually pop the frozen pie crusts in the oven for a few min to warm up.)

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a mixer.

• Add the pumpkin and beat it till it’s combined.

• Add the sugar and salt, and beat that in too.

• Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat.

• Finally, add the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and beat it one last time.

• Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for about an hour (you want the center to be a little jiggly, but not runny.)

• Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Whipped Topping

• Freeze mixing bowl and whisk (or whisk attachment) for about 15 min or so. (you need it to be pretty cold.

• Add 3 tablespoons of sugar to 1 cup of Heavy whipping cream.

• Beat until stiff peaks form.

It's Not Always Complicated

The relationship between Jeremy and his Granny is one that I would never be able to portray on paper. The mutual feelings of love and respect between the two are far greater than I could ever describe.

I adore absolutely adore Granny! She has made me feel like I have been a part of her family since the very first time I stepped through her front door.

This recipe for brown rice is super simple, and Jeremy LOVES it.

Granny’s Brown Rice

Jeremy used to look forward to this dish every holiday. “We had it every Christmas and Thanksgiving and we always looked forward to it.”

Granny showed me how to make it the first time I ever met her, Christmas 2007. I was scared to death because it was my first time ever meeting Jeremy’s family. Granny welcomed me in with open arms and made me feel at home from the moment I walked through the door.

1 cup regular uncooked long grain rice

1 tablespoon butter

1 can beef consommé

1 can beef broth

A couple of slices of onion

• Preheat oven to 375°.

• Put the uncooked rice in a casserole dish with the butter and microwave it for about 20-30 seconds. (just to melt the butter) Then mix the butter in, coating the rice so it doesn’t stick.

• Add the consommé and broth, and give it a little stir.

• Break up the slices of onion, and just lay them on top over the rice.

• Cover the dish and bake for about 40-45 min. (The length of time it takes to cook is always different for me. I usually just keep checking it after about 30 min, when the rice has absorbed all of the broth, it’s done.)

Good Friends, True Love, and Great Bread

When Jeremy first told me that he had found us a place to rent on a ranch south of Houston, my immediate thought was, "Please, God, let him be kidding!". Much to my surprise, he wasn't. He was serious, and he was excited, and he even had pictures! So, with an open mind, I agreed, and Jeremy's wishes soon became our reality.

Adjusting to life in the country hasn't been too terribly tough for me. It's actually been somewhat of an adventure! Between what my Mama Betty had taught me when I was young, the things I have learned on my own, and the advice that Maw Maw and Jeremy's Granny have to offer, I am pretty confident that not only will i be able to survive in Rural America, I will continue to love, respect, and appreciate it.

I have also come to love, respect, appreciate, and admire Ms. Cathy. For the past month, I have had the privilege of spending time with her and her family and getting to know all of them. I look forward to every minute I get to spend with Ms. Cathy, as she has taught me so many wonderful things about life, people, the land, and myself.

The idea for the family cookbook is not my own. Ms. Cathy has created one for her family, and I thought is was the coolest thing, so I have decided to create one of my own to share with my friends and family. I chose to start with the bread recipe because it has been the one thing I have successfully made with my brand new Kitchen Aid stand mixer.

Jeremy and I have looked at the stand mixers before, but they are just so expensive, so I never dreamed I would own one. Jeremy, however, knew I would have one! He and his friends found a way to surprise me for Christmas. I can't even begin to describe how excited I was ripping off the wrapping paper. I wanted to make something!!! LOL!

I started with banana nut bread and pumpkin pie, both turned out just "okay", so I decided to try my hand at white bread. The recipe was in the instruction manual for the mixer, and i followed it exactly. It was an absolute disaster!! No, really... it was horrible! The outside was so hard that I probably could have broken the window had I thrown it, and the middle was so tough it was like chewing a piece of jerky. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating just a bit, but you get the idea, right?

After a few more failed attempts, and some pretty major changes to this recipe, I was finally able to make a decent loaf of bread. *happy dance in the kitchen*

Basic White Bread

I got this recipe originally from the instruction booklet for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer that Jeremy bought me for Christmas in 2009. When I followed the recipe exactly, the bread turned out TERRIBLE! A few changes (and a few bad loaves) later, I managed to turn the disaster into a delicious loaf of bread.

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

1 ½ tablespoons butter

1 package active dry yeast

¾ cup warm water (105° to 115°)

About 2 ½ - 3 cups all-purpose flour

(you will need a candy thermometer)

• In a small pan, heat the milk, butter, salt, and sugar just until the butter melts and the sugar and salt dissolve. Cool it till it’s about 110° or so.

• Warm your mixer bowl (either by running hot water over it, or placing it in the oven for a min).

• Put the water in your mixer bowl and make sure (with a candy thermometer) that the water is no warmer than 115° and no cooler than 105°. (if the water is too warm, you will kill the yeast… if it isn’t warm enough, the yeast will not activate.)

• Once your water is the right temperature, add the yeast.

• Mix in the milk mixture.

• Add 2 cups of flour and mix well with the dough kneading attachment.

• Add ½ cup more of flour ¼ cup at a time. (the dough is going to be very sticky)

• Grease, spray, oil, or butter a pretty big bowl (I usually use the spray because it is easier) and place the dough in the bowl. Then oil the top of the dough and cover the bowl with cling wrap. Wrap the bowl with a towel and place it in a pretty warm dark spot. (you wanna try to keep it about 80° or 85°. I keep it in the oven.)

• Let the dough rise for a few hours (I’d say about 2-3 depending on what kind of time frame you are on. But it needs to be more than an hour), then punch the dough down.

• Cover it back up and let it rise a couple more hours.

• When the dough has doubled in size again, punch it down and put it on a very lightly floured surface.

• Roll out the dough into a 9 x 14 rectangle. (it doesn’t have to be perfect, and you want to try to avoid handling the dough too much, so just try to get it close)

• Starting with one of the short sides, roll the dough into a cylinder shape.

• Place the dough in a well greased bread pan seam side down.

• Spray the top, cover with cling wrap and towel, place back in warm spot, and let it rise for another couple of hours. (until you get a sort of muffin top)

• In the last half hour or so of letting the dough rise, preheat the oven to 400°. (if you have your dough in the oven, don't forget to take it out... I've totally done this... LOL!)

• Once the dough has risen, bake it in the oven about 20 min. (or until it’s a light golden brown)