Pizza Tarts

Most kids like pizza, but my son likes anything that resembles the flavor of pizza. I made a pizza dip last night and had plenty of stuff left over. He requested that I make these tarts!

1 can refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
Spaghetti Sauce
Cheese, (I used Colby/Jack)
Pepperoni
Basil
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Flatten out each biscuit and put them into a muffin tin. Top with a teaspoon of sauce, cheese, the seasonings and finally 1 or 2 slices of pepperoni. I added a tiny bit more cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Remove from the oven and use the tip of a knife to transfer the biscuits to paper towels to absorb any grease from the pepperoni.

Seasoned Potato Wedges

My family loves potatoes. The hubby is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I love to bake and fry potatoes. We actually had potato wedges for lunch today... the hubby is home with a backache. This was the perfect treat for him. I like to try and get more flavor when frying, so I made up this simple coating. It turned out awesome!

4 potatoes, (I used Yukon Gold) cut into wedges
1 cup flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Oil for frying

Heat oil to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour and seasonings. 

Add potato wedges and toss.

Remove from flour and gently place in hot oil. The oil must be up to temp or the coating will boil away.

Cook until golden brown and floating on the surface of the oil.

Yummy!

Cheesesteak ~ Style Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground chuck
1 onion, sliced
1 Tsp Worchestershire Sauce
1 c. beef stock
1 pkg. sliced mushrooms
Provolone cheese, slices

2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste
Buns/Rolls

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In large pan brown the hamburger, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until they start to get tender.

Stir in the Worchestershire sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has cooked down. If sauce is too thin, make a slurry with about an ounce of water and 1/2 teaspoon of corn starch. Bring to a boil for desired consistency.

Split open rolls, place a scoopful of the meat on the bottom half and add place one slice of cheese on top.  Toast in the oven until the cheese is melted and the bun starts to take on color.

Old Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

Every time I bake, my kitchen dies a little. It usually turns out alright. It's never a pretty site! These cakes fell, but my hubby says that it only makes room for frosting! :-)

1 pound Flour* = 4 cups
1 pound Sugar = 2 cups
1 pound Butter = 4 sticks
9 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar to the texture of whipped cream. Add one egg at a time until 5 have been added, beating each egg 2 1/2 minutes. Add the others 2 at a time, beating 2 1/2 minutes. Add lemon extract. Fold in flour, a cup at a time. Grease and flour cake, bundt or loaf pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. 

* Use self-rising flour

This recipe made 2 loaf pans and a 5-inch cake pan full!

Lemon Glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, finely zested

In a small bowl mix the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and zest together until well blended. Use a toothpick or skewer, poke holes in the cake for the glaze to soak into.
Using a large spoon, spoon the glaze onto the cake and spread it around using the back of the spoon.

Corn Chowder

I received a request for my corn chowder recipe after I posted a lot of pictures and videos of our trip to Old McCaskill's Farm. We joined in the fun at the Grits Mill, shelling/shucking corn. The kids had a blast! So, as requested... here's my recipe.

Corn Chowder

1/2 cup diced bacon

1 cup diced sweet onion

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1 tablespoon flour

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups corn

1 1/2 cups half-and-half, or heavy cream... your choice

1/4 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon fine kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon in a large pot until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add onion, carrots and celery to bacon fat and cook, stirring, until onion is softened. Stir in flour until well incorporated. Pour in the broth a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Add potatoes and corn. Simmer, covered, until potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes. Add cream and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Return bacon to the pot and stir. Season with basil, salt and pepper.

Old McCaskill's Farm ~ Spring Farm Day

Yesterday, some of my family and I went out to the 2013 Spring Farm Day. What a wonderful day it was! The sun was shining, and the weather was warm and breezy. The sites, the sounds, the smells... yes, a farm definitely has smells, but this was the smell of food. Awesome food! As we walked along the tents, I got a whiff of spices that were very familiar... Greek Seasoning! We tasted some local lamb seasoned with Cavender's Greek Seasoning... the lady laughed when I did my happy dance!

Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!

As we walked along the tents, we talked to the ladies about their tatting. For you folks who aren't familiar... that's not tattoo-ing. Tatting is a technique for handcrafting a particularly durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops. To me, it looks like crocheting with thread.

Another tent contained a live bee hive, and yes the store sells the honey from Bell Honey in Rembert! :-)

It was very interesting to watch the bees in the hive. My daughter-in-law's main question was, "Is the queen in there?" Not sure if the queen was entertaining guests yesterday. :-) As we walked along, we came upon a big barrel or tub half full of corn for the kids to play in.

Of course, Miss Kendal had to have a turn!

Her Granddaddy and Uncle JR buried her up to her tummy in corn!

We took a break to grab some good food. They had BBQ sandwiches, Ribs, Hot Dogs, Sausage Dogs, and brick oven Pizza. My son had the pizza and said it was good. For a teenager, that's a very good review! 

 Brick Oven for pizzas

Yummy Pizzas!

And then we were off to see the animals! We watched the Boarder Collies show off there herding skills with sheep and with ducks! Kendal got to pet the baby chicks. We watched the sheep being sheered, and we saw many other farm animals as well as a new baby goat!

Kendal's Mom holds up a baby chick for her to pet!

Some before sheering and some after...

My little calf buddy from the last visit! 

 Goats! :-)

 The little pigs were cold in the wind...

Protective Mommy!

and the Baby Goat!

There was so much to see and do! There was the Blacksmith Shop, the Grits Mill, the Root Cellar, the Store and so much more.

 After roaming around we came back around and the ice cream that was churning was done... and Kendal and her Granddaddy shared a Chocolate Frozen Banana!

Ice Cream

Kendal with Granddaddy... eating a chocolate frozen banana

and drinking Coca Cola!

If you know of a farm, a working farm, in your area, check them out and more importantly... support them! The quality of their products is unequaled by mass produced products! The lamb I mentioned earlier was totally amazing! If you know me, you know I love Greek food and the Greek seasoning that they used on the lamb. Here's a recipe for Greek Potatoes that would be awesome along with the lamb!!!

Greek Potatoes

This recipe is so delicious!
The lemon, spices and herbs make my house smell so good!
• 1/4 cup oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Cavender's Greek Seasoning
• 2 lemons, juiced or 1/4 cup juice
• 4 or 5 baking potatoes, cubed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a plastic bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, 1 tbsp Cavender's (I use more like 2 T, but we like more spice.) and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes. Bake uncovered for 45 min to an hour or until potatoes are golden brown and tender.

Stuffed Biscuits

Yesterday, I found a 4 pack of canned biscuits that I had bought for the party the other week and never got around to 'whatever' I planned to make out of them. I can't even remember anymore! Maybe Monkey Bread... Hmmmm! Never mind! I made these last night instead...

I did two versions... Chicken Bacon Ranch and Greek Feta and Black Olive

Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Biscuits

Canned Refrigerated biscuits, 10 per package
1/2 cup diced, cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
1/4 cup crumbled bacon, or more to taste :-)
1/4 cup ranch dressing, or enough to bind the mixture
a sprinkle of basil
Kosher salt & pepper

Greek Feta and Black Olive Stuffed Biscuits

Canned Refrigerated biscuits, 10 per package
1/4 cup diced, cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup Feta crumbles
1/4 cup black olives, diced
1/4 cup Greek Dressing... I suggest The Black Peppercorn's Greek Salad Dressing. It's the best I've found so far! Awesome!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In two separate small bowls, mix the fillings and set aside.

Working one batch (flavor) at a time, open a can of biscuits, working one at a time. With your fingers, flatten the biscuit to about 3 or 4 inches across. Put about a teaspoon of filling in the center. I closed them two different ways.

For the Greek Biscuits, I folded them in half and closed them with the tines of a fork.

For the chicken bacon ranch, I flattened them and brought all the edges together over the filling making a ball. I prefer this method and will make them all like this next time! Bake them for about 10 minutes, take them out and brush them with some melted butter with minced garlic in it and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Pop them back in the oven for a minute or two.
 

Greek Stuffed Biscuits 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Biscuits 

 Inside the Chicken Bacon Ranch

Inside the Greek Feta... YUM!

Garlic Brats... Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches Kicked Up... Off The Chart

Last weekend I had a party for 30+ people. I made my families famous BBQ and my Daddy's BBQ Sauce. Everyone was excited about that rare treat, but they left talking about my new favorite sandwich...

Recently, I had the good fortune to visit Sunny Cedars Farm and pick up several different pork products. The sandwiches that I made for the party were made with kielbasa and pork sausage. This time I used the Garlic Brats that Russell of Sunny Cedars (Facebook) suggested I try when I was shopping around his display case. Oh man, were they awesome!!! Don't be shy! Hit those links up there and see how to get some of Russell's pork products!!!

Garlic Bratwurst

Onion, sliced

Bell Pepper, sliced

Mushrooms, sliced

Soy Sauce

Butter

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic powder

Basil

Salt and Pepper

Squeeze the brats out of their casings and brown.

Remove sausage. Leaving the drippin's.

 Melt about a tablespoon or two of butter.
Add a few shakes of soy sauce, about a tablespoon.
Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms.

Cook until a little color appears and the vegetables have softened.

Return the sausage to the pan.

Mix about a 1/2 cup of softened butter with

1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese. Add seasonings to taste...

I scoop the inside of the bread out to give the filling a place to sit.
(Makes them easier to eat, also... and I'm all for that!)

Spread some of the butter mixture on the top and bottom pieces.

Load it up!

Oooops! I almost forgot the cheese... Monterey Jack Cheese!

Wrap them up and stick them in a 350 degree oven for about

10 or 15 minutes, until warmed through and the cheese is melted!

In the meantime, fry up some zesty seasoned fries!

Hot and fresh out of the oven!

It's ready for it's close-up! OooooLaaaaLaaaa!!!

MINE!!! 

 OMGoodness!
The hubby says, "Naaa! It's not any good! Go away! Nothin' to see... ummm eat here!"