Pumpkin Cheesecake Tartlets

I made these yummy tartlets to take to the Carolina football game last weekend. I even passed some out to the tailgaters next to us. I actually had them come over and ask for the recipe. It's so easy. You can use this recipe and make a full sized pie, but this was perfect for tailgating... one or two bite size.

1- 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice

Refrigerated Pie Crust (not frozen ones in the pan)
1 box contains 2 roll-out pie crusts


Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Mix until smooth with an electric mixer. Add pumpkin and spices, beat till smooth and creamy.

Unroll pie crusts and cut with a round cookie cutter. Gather scraps and roll into a ball. Roll out with a rolling pin and continue to cut. Yields 42 mini tart shells. Tuck dough into mini tart pans and bake at 425 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cool and pour filling into shells. Refrigerate until set.

You can bake these like in the picture, by adding an egg to the filling mixture. Bake in uncooked shells at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Pork Moscato

Yesterday, I set out to make several special dishes and a few new dishes to try out before company arrives for the holidays. I made my list for the hubby to pick up while he was out. He planned to do the manly thing a make a run to Lowes, so I tacked on a trip to The Pig (Piggly Wiggly grocery store). It was rainy and cold so he tells me late in the afternoon that he has talked himself out of going because its cold and raining. I'm left in mid-cook mode with unfinished dishes. Time to switch gears and go into improvise and save mode... after ditching the kill hubby mode! Sooooo... I came up with the Pork Moscato and made a simple dressing and gravy. Oh my goodness, after tasting the pork, the hubby says that I should thank him for making me do the pork this way! Yeah! That's gonna happen!!!

4 lbs Pork Roast

1 cup Moscato Wine

Carrots, cut into sticks

Onions, quartered

Cherry Tomatoes

Banana Pepper Rings

4 cloves garlic

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mince garlic and combine with salt and pepper to make a paste. Rub on the fat side of the pork. Pour wine into the roasting pan. Place pork, skin side up in the wine. (so the garlic rub doesn't wash off) Place the rest of the ingredients in the pan and cover. Cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Uncover and either broil or cook until the fat is browned and a crust forms. 

 Ready for the oven!

After 1 1/2 hours in the oven and browning time for the crust... 

Prettiest view :-) 

Remove the pork and slice. Spoon the juices over the meat.

Add the veggies to the plate and serve!

My plate with a side of dressing and gravy! It was yummy!

Southern Fried Chicken Tenders

To me, "fried chicken" is a very Southern thing! I can remember watching my Grandmama Bradham go in to the yard and catching a chicken for Sunday Dinner. She would grab the chicken without even looking at it, and with a simple flick of the wrist, it was done. Now, before I receive hate mail, my Grandparents were simple country folk. They raised chickens for food and eggs. We had goose, goat, chicken, pig, squirrel, doves, fish, frog legs and probably a turtle or two. If you can catch it, hunt it, shoot it or gig it, Mama and Grandmama could cook it... and make it delicious!!! I can remember my Granddaddy BBQ-ing a goat and telling me how to clean and skin them before cooking. He said, "You know how an old billy-goat smells? Well, if you let the hair of that goat touch the meat, that's how it will taste!" I think I was about 5 years old at the time. In their house, nothing was wasted. You fried chicken necks and backs with the rest of the bird. That's why, when I buy a chicken cut up, I get the country-style cut so I get the whole bird! No waste...

6-8 chicken Tenders 
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
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

Make an egg wash by beating the eggs, buttermilk and hot sauce 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.

Eggs Benedict Pizza

with Prosciutto, Eggs and a side of Hollandaise Sauce for dipping...

Thin Pizza Crust Recipe

.25 oz. pkt. active dry yeast

1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
3/4 cup 110 degree water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water; allow to rest for 8 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt.

Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix well with a heavy spoon.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.

Place dough on a lightly greased pizza pan and stretch dough to edges.

For the Hollandaise Sauce:

1 cup butter

3 egg yolks 

1 tablespoon heavy cream 

1 dash ground cayenne pepper 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Melt the butter until bubbly in a small pan. Remove from heat before butter browns.

In a blender or large food processor, blend the egg yolks, heavy cream, cayenne pepper, and salt until smooth. Add half of the hot butter in a thin steady stream, slow enough so that it blends in at least as fast as you are pouring it in. Blend in the lemon juice using the same method, then the remaining butter.

To assemble the pizza:

Spread a little of the Hollandaise sauce over crust and top with bacon*, eggs, salt and pepper. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or until edges are golden and the eggs or done to your liking.

*Pan fry the bacon until done but limp... this way your pizza is not swimming in grease and the bacon takes on a little crunch!

Eggs Benedict Pizza (more instructional recipe if you need it)

4-6 slices Prosciutto or bacon

4 eggs 

1 cup butter 

3 egg yolks 

1 tablespoon heavy cream 

1 dash ground cayenne pepper 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 pizza dough

In a skillet over medium-high heat, fry the Prosciutto or bacon on each side until done but not completely browned. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter until bubbly in a small pan. Remove from heat before butter browns. In a blender or large food processor, blend the egg yolks, heavy cream, cayenne pepper, and salt until smooth. Add half of the hot butter in a thin steady stream, slow enough so that it blends in at least as fast as you are pouring it in. Blend in the lemon juice using the same method, then the remaining butter.

Place pizza dough on a pizza pan. Cook for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven and drizzle with a little of the cream sauce. Top with prosciutto and carefully break eggs on top. Bake for another 6 minutes or until eggs reach desired doneness.

Not as runny as I like... but good!

Simple Breakfast Food

Yesterday, I posted a picture of an egg and a piece of toast on my Facebook page, and I received 88 comments so far. For the most part, the comments were nice and positive, but some were rude and negative. I received 384 'like's and 30 people shared this simple picture of a soft fried egg and a piece of pan fried toast.

I was told that this is toad in a hole, eggs in a nest, poached egg on toast and one eyed jacks. Actually, I made French Toast for my son and had a tiny bit of egg mixture left in the bowl. It only partially covered one side, so it's basically pan fried toast. I fried the egg because I don't care for syrup with French Toast. The picture above is of what I called:

 "A farm egg and buttered white bread toast... salt and pepper.It doesn't get any fresher, simpler or better... and I love runny eggs :-)"

I received several comments of 'yuck', 'ewwww' and one 'gross'. I had to laugh. I know that the runny or 'dippy' eggs are going to cause a knee jerk response, add some people even commented on a gag reflex problem. Again, I had to laugh, until a guy questioned the southern-ness of my dish. He labeled himself 'my Yankee self' and said... 

"Not particularly southern though. My Yankee self ate this long before moving here."

What did I say about the knee jerk reactions of earlier comments? LOL If you know me... I like to laugh! I like to be funny! But, I am a Southern Belle and us Southern Belles are a loyal and passionate lot. However, I'm not about to get into a debate on who invented the egg! I simply posted this picture with this heading:

"Someone said something earlier about me and my food not being "Southern". This is my daughter-in-law, and she didn't like that!!!"

Hee Hee Hee!!!

Here's a picture for the guy that told me that I forgot the bacon. I was out of bacon, but here's some bacon and some sausage too!

I never thought a picture of a simple fried egg and a piece of toast would cause such controversy! LOL 

If you'd like to check out more breakfast recipes here at Southern With A Twist, you can use the search at the upper right of this page or check out the links attached to these pictures...

Breakfast Pie

French Toast Casserole

Easy Peasy Cinnamon Rolls

Enjoy and have a great morning!

Lynn

Spicy Cheese Dip

I decided to make Mitchell's favorite dip today. Mitchell is my 22 year old step-son who still responds, "Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! I could eat that whole pot by myself!", every time I make this. It is so easy and you can make it as spicy as you like. This is a medium grade heat for this dip. Rotel makes a mild and hot also. You can add your own peppers or hot sauce, if you like.

Start with one 10 ounce can of Rotel with it's juice

and 16 ounces of Velveeta Cheese.

This all you need for the meatless dip.

The hamburger I used was still frozen. So I put it in this dish

and put it in the oven at 350 degrees. (Or use sausage)

When the juices started to run out,

I removed it from the oven and 

broke it apart with a wooden spoon.

I put it back in the oven until all the meat was browned.

I cubed the cheese and added it to the meat.

Add the Rotel and place the dish back in the oven

until the dip is melted.

Serve with your favorite chips!