Judy's Red Velvet Cake

This Red Velvet has a cheesecake center!  
Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cocoa
3 tablespoons red food coloring
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. Mix cocoa and food coloring in a cup. Add to eggs and sugar. Add vanilla. Sift flour and salt. Add, alternating with buttermilk. Add soda and vinegar. Let foam and FOLD into mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Icing
1/2 cup butter, room temp
8-ounces cream cheese, softened
1 box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whip together until creamy. Spread on cake. Garnish with chopped pecans if desired.

Fried Chicken Club Sandwich

This is the perfect piece of fried chicken for a club sandwich. It's not to thick, but it stays so moist and tender! It is also good with rice and a good milk or sausage gravy... Oh why do I just say it?!? It's just plain GOOD!

4 chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Oil for frying


Cut chicken breasts in half and pound evenly with a meat mallet until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Make an egg wash by beating the eggs and buttermilk together in a shallow dish. Mix flour and spices in another shallow dish. Dip chicken breast pieces in egg wash then dredge in the flour mixture. For a thicker crust on the chicken, repeat that step again... egg then flour. In a heavy skillet, heat about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of oil to 365 degrees. (Or heat a deep fryer to 365 degrees) Place chicken in hot oil. (If the oil is not up to temp, the coating will not stick. Do not crowd the chicken in the pan or it will boil in the oil and not fry crispy.) Fry for about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown and no longer pink inside.

For the sandwich:

2 pieces of Texas Toast, or bun of your choice
2 pieces of cooked bacon
mayo
lettuce and tomato
fried chicken breast

Assemble the sandwich. Add any other toppings you like... like American cheese and Swiss cheese. Enjoy!

Vidalia Cornbread

Here's a twist on your usual cornbread. It's great with a big ole bowl of chili or chowder! Yum!!!

1/4 cup butter
1 large vidalia onion, chopped
1 (8 ounce) package Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Spray 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and saute the onion until tender, but not browned, for about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the muffin mix, egg, milk, sour cream, cheese, the salt, and dill weed. Stir to combine. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

These can also be made into muffins by simply spraying muffin tins with cooking spray and filling using an ice cream scoop. Bake time is 10 minutes using the muffin tins.

Meatloaf Recipe for 40 to 50 People!

I was inspired by a friend today. She was trying to do the math in taking a recipe for 6 and turning it into a recipe for 250! It's not as easy as you think. (6 tablespoons x 41.6666666) Not only do you have to do the math on the ingredients, you also have to have a bowl, pan or container large enough to mix the recipe. I decided to publish my recipe for a large meatloaf that feeds my Wednesday Night Supper group. Enjoy!

15 lbs. ground beef

15 eggs
9 cups bread crumbs*
1 2/3 cups ketchup
6 pkgs onion soup mix
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp steak sauce
2 to 3 cups warm water**
1 lb bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mix ingredients well. Divide meat mixture in half and place each half in a buffet pan. Pat out flat. Cover with bacon. Brush with tomato sauce if desired. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until meat is fully cooked.

*Bread Crumbs - I use the parmesan flavor.
**Water - I only use enough water to moisten the mixture to combine.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

1 large spaghetti squash

½ pound ground chuck
½ pound bulk sausage
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup diced Vidalia onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
½ cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush with butter. Place squash on a baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, cool, and shred pulp with a fork. Reserve the shells.

Brown meat in a skillet over medium high heat. Remove meat from the pan. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan and add tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Sauté for 10 or 15 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Add squash and meat and toss. Finally, add cheeses and spoon mixture into the squash shells. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

"Quantity Recipes"

While rummaging through my cookbooks that I inherited from Mama, I found a skinny little brittle one. "Our Favorite Recipes... Pinewood Methodist Church." Written on the first page was, "To Judy Elliott... From Aunt Ester, 1968" One of the last sections was 'quantity recipes. One is an actual recipe that doesn't give clear direction, but if you were cooking for a crowd on a regular basis, you'd probably know already. It also doesn't tell you exactly how many it feels, but it's a LOT! The other is more of a menu telling you what and how many to fix... Enjoy this little blast from the past.

"Some time before flirting became extinct, when letter writing was an art, stationary was engraved, and dinner was an event." Dash Goff, the writer.

Brunswick Stew

25 hens, cooked, boned and cut
5 lbs pork
6 gal peeled onions
8 gal cut corn
3 cups salt
1/2 cup black pepper
1/2 cup sugar, if desired
10 lbs boned beef, cut
21 gal peeled potatoes
12 gal peeled tomatoes
3 gal Lima beans
4 lbs butter
red pepped, to taste

Cook hens, beef, pork, potatoes and onions until the potatoes are cooked and free of lumps. Add other ingredients. Cook in big iron pot approximately 8 hours. Stir constantly.

Picnic Meal for 100 People

20 Chickens

2 Hams

9 doz deviled eggs

9 doz pimento cheese sandwiches

7 qts pickles

5 gal potato salad

20 pies

7 cakes

1 lb tea

2 lb coffee

Now that's a picnic! :-)

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Coca-Cola Cake

2 cups unsifted flour
2 cups sugar
2 sticks margarine
2 tbsp cocoa
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/2 buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Sift flour and sugar into a bowl. Heat margarine, cocoa and Coca-Cola to boiling; pour over flour and sugar mixture. Add next five ingredients, then marshmallows. (This makes a thin batter.) Bake in a sheet cake pan at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Pour icing over cake while hot.

Icing
1/2 cup margarine
2 tbsp cocoa
6 tbsp Coca-Cola
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Heat margarine, cocoa and Coca-Cola to boiling point. Pour over powdered sugar. Beat together , and add nuts and vanilla.

Sock It To Me Cake

Filling:
•2 tablespoons brown sugar
•2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•1 cup chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients and set aside.


Cake:
•1 package golden cake mix
•4 large eggs
•1 cup sour cream
•1/3 cup vegetable oil
•1/4 cup water
•1/4 cup sugar
•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, water, sugar and flour in a large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes with electric mixer. Pour 1/2 of batter into a greased 13 by 9-inch pan. Sprinkle streusel filling on top and swirl the filing. Spoon remaining batter evenly over filling. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes invert onto serving plate, cool completely.

Glaze:
•1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
•2 tablespoons milk
•2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine sugar, milk and lemon juice in bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups oil
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
5 tbsp hot water
2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups grated raw carrots
1 cup chopped black walnuts
4 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2-9 inch cake pans and dust with flour. Cream oil and sugar until well mixed. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Beat in hot water. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; beat into egg mixture. Stir grated carrots into batter; add walnuts. Beat eggs until soft peaks form and fold into batter. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans, and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 stick butter, softened
1 - 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Whip together until creamy. If you haven't worked with powdered sugar before, it acts as a liquid. The more you add, the creamier the icing becomes. Add the powdered sugar until you get it to the consistancy you want.

To assemble the cake: place one cake layer, top side down, onto your serving plate. Spread with about one third of the frosting. Gently place the other cake, top of cake facing down, onto the frosting, and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. If desired, press toasted and finely chopped nuts on the sides of the cake. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.

Bar-B-Qued Country Style Ribs

country-style boneless pork ribs
salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste

Sauce:
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp oil
1 cup ketsup
1/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Texas Pete hot sauce
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season ribs with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place ribs in a baking dish and cover. Bake ribs for 1 1/2 hours or until done. Saute onion and garlic in oil in a large pan. Drain any excess oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes.

Remove ribs from oven and drain the pan. Coat the ribs well with bar-b-que sauce and return to the oven for 30 minutes. Turn and baste after 15 minutes, making sure not to let the sauce burn.

Four Layer Chocolate Delight

I've made this a lot for church suppers. It is always a hit!

Layer 1:
3 cups Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter, melted

Layer 2:
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 sugar
4 T milk
4 cups cool whip

Layer 3:
6 cups chocolate pudding

Layer 4: (optional)
cool whip and sprinkle of cracker crumbs or nuts and chocolate chips

That is the recipe I have... no instructions. So, I'll add these instructions for the beginners that have never fixed a recipe like this.

Mix the ingredients for layer 1 and press into the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Mix the ingredients for layer 2. With a hand mixer, blend until smooth. Pour on top of the crust. Layer pudding next. Top with cool whip and sprinkle with toppings of your choice.

Mama's Short Biscuits



2 cups self-rising flour
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put 2 cups self-rising flour in a medium sized bowl. Take 2/3 cup vegetable shortening, and cut in with fingertips until dough looks like small peas.

Make a well in the center and add 2/3 cup milk slowly, mixing with floured fingertips until it gets sticky. Keeping hands floured, shape biscuits with hands and place them on an ungreased pan. Mama always placed the biscuit down and pressed three fingers into each one leaving ridges… Bake 10-12 minutes.

This is a very sticky dough. Don’t be tempted to keep adding flour. The more you mix, the tougher the biscuit. Just keep flouring your hands and it will coat the biscuit so that you can handle them.

Pie

Who doesn't love pie? Here are some pie recipes just in time for the holidays!

Pecan Pie

unbaked pie shell
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup white corn syrup
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 cups pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, add sugar, syrups, eggs and vanilla. Mix. Chop nuts and add to mixture. Pour into pie shell and bake for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 3/4 cups pumpkin
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup light cream

Mix in order and pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 and bake for about 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Southern Peanut Butter Pie

1 pie crust
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup salted peanuts

Chill the pie crust. Mix together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in peanuts. Pour into chilled pie shell and bake for 15 minutes at 400. Turn heat down to 350 and bake for 30 or 35 minutes. Let cool.


Old Fashioned Custard Pie

This is a wonderful basic custard recipe. You can add nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon or coconut. See how many flavors you can make!

Heat one quart sweet milk almost to a boil. Beat in 2 cups sugar, 8 eggs and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Bake 30-40 minutes in 300 degree oven.

Judy's Catfish Stew

This is typical Judy Bradham Elliott!!! LOL

I found this recipe in Mama’s handwriting on a piece of torn notebook paper (about 2 inches) grocery list on one side…no title, and directions on the back. Click on the pictures for a clearer view, if you'd like! :-)  This is the only catfish stew recipe she had…but it works. It is perfection!

This is the grocery list for a dinner party...

                                               Catsup......... Bread.......... Bacon
                                               Mustard....... Drinks......... Butter
                                               Onions......... Coffee......... Sweets
                                               Butts Meat... Sugar
                                               Rice............. Cream
                                               Salt.............. Milk
                                               Pepper......... Eggs

Cook Butts Meat until almost done. Add cut up onion. Cook. Drain off grease. Add fish. Add catsup to cover fish real good. Add 2 tablespoons mustard. Add salt and pepper and one cup water. Don't stir. Twist pot. Simmer until done.

and on the back... instructions for the catfish stew.



Seven-Up Cake

I've been thinking about cakes today. I went looking through some recipe boxes, (Mama's and mine) and started coming across all kinds of recipes. Of course, I got side tracked for a while... quite a while! But I wanted to share this one and let you see what the "well-used" recipe really looks like in this picture...

Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

1/2 cup Classic Caesar Dressing, divided

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 lb. uncooked, de-veined, peeled large shrimp

6 cups torn romaine lettuce

1 cup seasoned croutons

1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese


Preheat grill to medium heat. Mix 2 tbsp of the dressing, lemon juice and pepper in large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

Grill shrimp 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink. You can cook them in a sauté pan over medium heat, if you don’t have a grill.

Toss lettuce, croutons and remaining dressing in large serving bowl. Top with shrimp and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.


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Pan Fried Catfish with Creole Sauce served in a bed of Greens

This recipe has a lot of steps, but it is not as complicated as it sounds. Give it a try and I think that you'll find that it is well worth the time! Also, the sauce can be made the day before to save time.

For Creole Seafood Seasoning:
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and store in airtight container.

For Creole Sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 cups peeled, chopped ripe tomatoes
1 1/2 cups canned chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 small bay leaf
Dash Tabasco
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 3/4 cup diced onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, broth, paprika, bay leaf and Tabasco and bring to boil. Reduce heat. Stir in dissolved cornstarch and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in scallions. Remove bay leaf. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

For Greens:

3 ounces bacon, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
8 cups torn, trimmed collards

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered. Add chopped onion and cook until bacon and onion are brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add greens and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Reheat Creole Sauce over medium-low heat.

For Fish:
2 pounds catfish fillets
Creole or Dijon mustard

Creole Seafood Seasoning

1 cup flour

1/2 cup corn meal

1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seafood Seasoning
1/4 cup butter

Rub fish with mustard and seasoning. Put on a plate. Chill 1 hour.

Combine flour, corn meal and 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seafood Seasoning
on plate. Dredge fish in mixture, shaking off excess. Melt butter in heavy
large skillet over medium heat. Add fish and cook until golden brown and
cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Spread greens on plates. Top with fish. Spoon sauce over. Serve immediately with hot Hush Puppies.

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

4 slices bacon
1 vidalia onion, chopped
3 cups sliced okra
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
Salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste

In a heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the bacon. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and set to the side. Add the onion to the bacon drippings and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the okra, tomato sauce and tomatoes, making sure to add juice from the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. If the pan gets dry, add chicken stock.

 
A lot of people serve okra and tomatoes over rice, as I have pictured above. I prefer to crumble a piece of cornbread in my bowl and spoon lots of okra and tomatoes on top! Talk about comfort food!!!

Tri-Color Salad with a twist of course!

You can serve this as a side salad, but I could make a meal of it. Just cut a handful of fried, breaded chicken tenders into big chunks and throw them on top, and I'm happy!


1 head endive
1 small head radicchio
1 small head Bibb lettuce
2 cups loosely packed arugula

Dressing:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper*

Whisk together vinegar, lemon. Slowly whisk in olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
Place endive, radicchio and lettuce in serving bowl. Add dressing and toss together.

*Taste the arugula for its spiciness. You may want to omit the pepper or adjust it for your taste.

Now just chop these bad boys up and throw them on my salad!

Mama's Slaw

OK, this is as close as I can get to a recipe for Mama’s Slaw. I started watching Mama make this slaw when I was little and graduated to helping. She never measured. It was always a splash of this or a sprinkle of that. So, I hope this describes enough for you to follow. It just takes practice to get the taste right… 

Mama's Slaw

1 Head Cabbage, grated
2 Carrots, grated
Mayonnaise, 1/2 cup or more to bind
Lemon Juice, 1 teaspoon or so
Sugar, 1 teaspoon or so
Salt & Pepper to taste

Grate the cabbage, then grate the carrots. I usually look at the color to know how many carrots to use. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. (Probably about a teaspoon or so) Sprinkle with lemon juice. I usually put two fingers over the mouth of the bottle and sprinkle about three or four shakes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add enough mayo to bind it together. It will get soupier as it sits. Taste and adjust your seasonings.

Sauerkraut Inspired Recipes

Sauerkraut Balls

1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled, diced and cooked until tender
2 cups sauerkraut
1 cup small diced Bavarian ham
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
3 cups fine dried bread crumbs
Oil, for frying
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Using a food ricer, rice the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add the sauerkraut, ham, egg yolks, 1/4 cup of mustard and chopped green onions. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into small balls, about a tablespoon each. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat the fryer. Season the flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs, with salt and pepper. Roll each sauerkraut ball in the flour, coating completely. Dip each in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Finally roll each in the bread crumbs. Fry the sauerkraut balls in batches until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the fryer and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

In small mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of the mustard and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Serve the sauerkraut balls on a large platter with the mustard dipping sauce. Garnish with parsley.

Cocktail Reubens

36 slices party rye bread (1 mini loaf)
Thousand Island salad dressing
2 pkgs (4oz each) cooked, sliced corn beef
German spicy mustard
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
6 slices of swiss cheese

Spread each slice of bread with salad dressing. Top with 2 slices of corn beef. Add mustard, and then 1 teaspoon of sauerkraut. Cut each cheese slice into 6 pieces; place 1 piece on each appetizer. Broil at 425 degrees 4 to 5 inches from heat, for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Spareribs and Sauerkraut

2 sides spareribs
salt and pepper
2 stalks celery
1 medium onion
1 can sauerkraut
1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Cut spareribs into serving pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place into a deep pan or dutch oven. Add 2 cups hot water, sliced celery and onions. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hrs. (Ribs may be browned before cooking in water, if desired.) Lift out spareribs, place sauerkraut in bottom of pan. Mix in caraway seeds and a little sugar. Place ribs over sauerkraut. Cover pan and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

Old Fashioned Apple Butter

4 lbs of good cooking apples (we use Granny Smith)

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups water

Sugar (about 4 cups, see cooking instructions)

Salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Equipment Needed:
1 wide 8-quart pan (Stainless steel or copper with stainless steel lining)
A food mill or a chinois sieve
A large (8 cup) measuring cup pourer
6-8 8-ounce canning jars

Preparing the Fruit

1 Cut the apples into quarters, without peeling or coring them (much of the pectin is in the cores and flavor in the peels), cut out damaged parts.

First Stage of Cooking

2 Put them into large pot, add the vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cook until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Measuring out the purée and adding the sugar and spices

3 Ladle apple mixture into a chinois sieve (or foodmill) and using a pestle force pulp from the chinois into a large bowl below. Measure resulting puree. Add 1/2 cup of sugar for each cup of apple pulp. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add a dash of salt, and the cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, lemon rind and juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Second Stage of Cooking

4 Cook uncovered in a large, wide, thick-bottomed pot on medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust is not forming at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth (about 1 to 2 hours). A small bit spooned onto a chilled (in the freezer) plate will be thick, not runny. You can also cook the purée on low heat, stirring only occasionally, but this will take much longer as stirring encourages evaporation. (Note the wider the pan the better, as there is more surface for evaporation.)

Canning

5 There are several ways to sterilize your jars for canning. You can run them through a short cycle on your dishwasher. You can place them in a large pot (12 quart) of water on top of a steaming rack (so they don't touch the bottom of the pan), and bring the water to a boil for 10 minutes. Or you can rinse out the jars, dry them, and place them, without lids, in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes.

6 Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal. If you plan to store the apple butter un-refrigerated, make sure to follow proper canning procedures. Before applying the lids, sterilize the lids by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Wipe the rims of the jars clean before applying the lids. I use a hot water bath for 10 minutes to ensure a good seal.

Makes a little more than 3 pint jars.

Cornbread Recipes

Oddly enough my son, Elliott asked me to make him some cornbread. He is home sick. It must be a side effect because he never wants to eat cornbread! So I thought I'd share some cornbread recipes.

Deluxe Cornbread

1 cup cornbread mix
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cream style corn
1 cup sour cream

Mix all ingredients until moist. Pour into a greased 9" square pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.


Old Fashioned Southern Egg Bread

2 cups water-ground corn meal
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted shortening
1 level teaspoon salt
3 level tablespoons sugar
3 level teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sweet milk

Sift corn meal, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Melt shortening in the pan you are going to bake the bread in. Add this slowly to dry mixture, alternating with the milk. Beat hard for a moment, then add beaten eggs and baking powder last. Fold this and pour in greased pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Corn Sticks

2 cups corn meal
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons fat
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix dry ingredients, add beaten eggs. Slowly add milk, beating thoroughly. Add melted fat last. Grease heated stick mold and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.


Crackling Cornbread

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard, or oil
2 eggs
1 cup milk or buttermilk
1 cup cracklings
reserved bacon grease


Using a large iron skillet, heat reserved bacon grease on low until melted. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter, lard, or oil, eggs, and milk or buttermilk. Stir to combine. Don’t overstir. Add the cracklins and mix through. (I didn’t crumble my cracklins up small, just used them as they came. You can crush them if you want.)

Pour cornbread mixture into the iron skillet seasoned with bacon drippings. (First tip the pan all the way around, spreading the bacon drippings to grease the sides of the skillet.) Bake in a 425-oven for 20-25 minutes.

Enchiladas for Elliott

I guess the name 'enchilada' in this recipe is misleading because I use flour tortillas not corn. We don't like the texture of the corn tortillas. So, technically, this is beef burritos in enchilada sauce... Either way, it's Elliott's favorite!

Beef Enchiladas

1 pkg. 6-inch flour tortillas (12)
1 1/2 lb. hamburger
1 med. onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 (4 oz.) can chopped mild green chilies
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 c. milk
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 (10 oz.) can mild enchilada sauce

Wrap tortillas in damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Cook ground beef and onion, then drain. Add refried beans, green chilies with liquid, and 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Heat until blended, and then remove from heat. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the meat mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up egg roll fashion and place seam side down in large baking pan. Stir milk and cornstarch until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Reduce heat and add enchilada sauce and remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese and cook until smooth. Pour over tortillas, sprinkle cheddar cheese over top and bake at 350 degrees approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Serve as is or can be garnished with tomato slices, shredded lettuce, olives, sour cream and guacamole.

Guacamole Recipe:

3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup diced onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.



Shared on Meal Plan Monday 

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Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. sugar

Filling:
3- 8oz.pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
Whipped Cream


Mix crust ingredients together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8" spring form pan. Bake for 5 min. at 350. Set aside.


Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, mix until smooth with an electric mixer. add pumpkin eggs, and spices, beat till smooth and creamy. Pour into the crust. Bake for 60-70 min. or till the top turns a bit darker. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate. After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

Baked Potato Soup

The fall weather has many people turning to their heartier winter recipes. This soup is real comfort food any time of year!

3 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Minced fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream, sour cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

BBQ Beef Brisket

I had a request for a Beef Brisket recipe. Only problem is which one? There are dozens and dozens of ways to cook a beef brisket. Well, here goes! Try this recipe and I'll come up with more and we'll see which one is the favorite!

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon seasoned salt

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 (5 pound) beef brisket
1/2 cups beef broth

3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
seasoned salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, sugar, and seasoning salt in a medium bowl, and blend thoroughly. Apply rub to surface of brisket.

Cook brisket, uncovered, in preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and add beef broth to roasting pan. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees F, cover roasting pan tightly with foil, and cook 3 more hours. Let brisket rest before slicing.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, make a bar-b-que sauce by combining the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Cook and stir over low heat for 15 minutes without allowing the sauce to boil. If you boil the sauce, it becomes very vinegary. Let the brisket rest for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve with the bar-b-que sauce.

Pound Cakes!!!

My oldest brother, Lee used to torment my Mama when she had pound cakes in the oven. She would yell at him not to run in the kitchen when she was baking or the cakes would fall. But he knew that there is nothing more moist than a pound cake that fell! If he could get to it, he'd even slam the oven door! LOL

Chocolate Pound Cake


3 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup cocoa

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

Glaze:
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 10 in tube pan. In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, shortening and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to sugar mixture. Pour batter into greased and floured pan.

Bake at 350 for 60 to 80 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 25 minutes; invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

For glaze: In a small saucepan, combine cocoa, water, corn syrup and butter. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove for heat. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Spread glaze over cake, allowing some to run down the sides.


Butter Pecan Pound Cake

2 T ground pecans

1 ½ cups butter

1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

2 cups brown sugar, firm packed

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon maple extract
¾ cup milk
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar, firm packed
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 10 in tube pan. Sprinkle with ground pecans, coating the bottom and sides. In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs on at a time. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. Add vanilla and maple extract to milk. Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to sugar mixture. Fold in pecans. Pour batter into greased and coated pan.

Bake at 350 for 65 to 80 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not open oven door during first hour of cooking. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

For glaze: In a small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil; boil until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients, adding enough water for desired glaze consistency. Spoon over cake.


Pumpkin Pound Cake with Walnut Glaze

2 ¾ cups sugar

1 ½ cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin

Sauce:
1cup brown sugar, firm packed
¼ cup dark corn syrup
½ cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; add eggs one at a time. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves; mix well. Alternately add flour mixture and pumpkin to butter mixture. Pour batter into greased and floured pan.

Bake at 350 for 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes; invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

For glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, whipping cream, butter and dash of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and walnuts. Serve warm sauce over cake slice. Refrigerate any remaining sauce.