Cornbread Tomatoes

Cornbread Tomatoes

I found several boxes of frozen veggies and 4 of my frozen mini-meatloaves during my tidying of the freezer. So, we're having the meatloaves with some butter beans, shoe peg corn and Cornbread Tomatoes for supper. This is the kind of food I love the most!
The Cornbread Tomatoes will be a hard sell for some of you, I know. It doesn't really sound or look good, but it really, really is!
This dish is difficult to describe. It’s hard to say whether it’s a salad, a relish, a side dish, or even a bread. I think it’s all of these rolled into one! 
I first ate a similar dish several years ago in the tea room of McCarty's Pottery in Merigold, MS. Larry had treated me to a trip to Mississippi's premiere pottery makers for my birthday. It's a good man who will drive a woman two hours to look at pottery! We ate lunch at the facility's restaurant, and I ordered this delicious tomato dish, aptly named Merigold Tomatoes! I loved it! When we got home, I quickly began to try to duplicate the dish!  I always think of that fun day when I make Cornbread Tomatoes. What sweet memories!

“Ponder well on this point:
the pleasant hours of our life are all connected
by a more or less tangible link,
with some memory of the table.”
~Charles Pierre Monselet (1825-1888)

Play around with these ingredients. If you like a lot of spice, use a second can of Rotel tomatoes in place of the stewed tomatoes. Don’t care for the heat from the Rotel tomatoes? Use 2 cans of stewed tomatoes and leave the Rotel tomatoes out.
 Making this dish is a great way to use leftover cornbread. It reminds me a bit of Cornbread Salad. On Favorite Recipes Friday, I will be sharing my favorite recipe for Cornbread Salad.

Cornbread Tomatoes

2 cups cornbread crumbs
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can stewed  tomatoes with onions, green peppers and celery
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 - 4 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill. Stir before serving.
Great with veggies!

Buttermilk-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

We have several things on tap for this week, so my meal planning is a bit sketchy.

Aunt Jean blessed us with a freshly baked turkey breast, so I'll be using part of it this week and freezing the rest for later. Also, I have been trying to clear out some things in the fridge and pantry. This week, I'm going to see what all I can make without buying very much at the grocery. We'll see...

We rarely cook whole chickens, as we all prefer breast meat. But, we had purchased a chicken, because we needed a wing for a science experiment. So, Larry rubbed the chicken, minus the wings, with olive oil, a bit of seasoned and kosher salts, and freshly ground pepper. He popped in on the grill, and it turned out very nicely. Moist and yummy!
For sides, I made green beans, Buttermilk-Garlic Bacon Mashed Potatoes, and some Bisquick muffins with a bit of cheese added to them. Good old comfort food!

Buttermilk -Garlic Bacon Mashed Potatoes

Buttermilk-Garlic Bacon Mashed Potatoes

You could also throw some cheese in these! You can peel the potatoes, if you prefer.
As a rule of thumb, root vegetables, like potatoes, should be covered in cold water and then brought to a boil. When cooking veggies that grow above ground, you generally get better results if you bring your water to a boil before adding the vegetables.

4 medium Russet potatoes, unpeeled and cubed
2  cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup or so buttermilk
4  slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, cooking until just tender - about 15 - 20 minutes. Drain potatoes well and return to the pan; set back on stove over low heat and allow moisture to evaporate. Add the butter and buttermilk and mash with a potato masher until desired texture is reached. Gently fold in the bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Rice-A-Roni and Green Bean Casserole

I made a  little deviation from my original meal plan. I have been wanting to make this for a couple of weeks.  When I ran across a package of cooked, chopped chicken in my freezer this morning, I decided we’d have it for supper tonight.

My friend, Donna, shared this recipe with me over the holidays. Her sister-in-law brought it to a family gathering, and Donna thought it was yummy! We do, too!

It’s simple and easy to make. Donna’s sister-in-law used it as a side dish. I added the chicken (a couple of cups) and made this into a one-dish meal for our supper. Either way, it’s great and makes a large dish! There's plenty for our supper tomorrow night, too!

I did use a tablespoon of olive oil in place of the butter called for on the Rice-A-Roni package.

Chicken Rice-A-Roni and Green Bean Casserole

While I cooked the Rice-a-Roni, I sautéed a couple of cups of fresh mushrooms along with a cup of chopped onion. My kids don’t like canned mushrooms, but love fresh. Go figure! Also, I spooned about half of the mixture into a separate dish for the kids before adding the green beans. Larry and I love green beans, but they don’t. So, this allowed us all to “have it our way!”

Here are the directions as Donna shared them with me! Thank you, Donna! You’re a sweetie!

Chicken Rice-A-Roni and Green Bean Casserole

The green bean casserole was a package of Rice-a-Roni prepared according to package directions.  You can use either Asian flavor or chicken flavor.  Then mix in a can of French-style green beans (or 2?), a small can of mushroom pieces and stems, some minced onion or onion powder, a can of cheddar cheese soup, a can of cream of chicken soup, and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 - 30 minutes.

I served this with my lower-fat version of Garlic and Cheddar Cheese Biscuits.

Barbecued Green Beans

These are a favorite of Dude and Larry's.  

This is one of those dishes that tastes much better than it looks!

 Barbecued Green Beans

Barbecued Green Beans

2 cans French-style green beans, drained
4 strips bacon, diced (This can be pre-cooked or raw.)
1/2 med. onion, diced
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Preheat over to 300 degrees.

Combine all ingredients. Place in sprayed casserole dish. Bake uncovered 1 -2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Or, if time is limited:

Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pineapple Casserole

I thought I'd give this low-fat recipe a try.  It's very similar to a Pineapple Casserole recipe Larry's mom gave me years ago - just lighter. It was quite tasty! Larry had seconds!  I will definitely make this again! I've also pasted my mother-in-law's recipe below! It is buttery and very delicious!

Baked Pineapple Squares

Baked Pineapple Squares 

I cut this recipe in half and baked it in an 8x8 pan.


2 (20 ounce) cans pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 cups sharp shredded cheddar (I used 2%.)
2 cups Ritz Cracker Crumbs (I used reduced fat.)
All natural vegetable spray (I used Parkay Spray.)

Spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with vegetable spray. Place drained pineapple in baking dish. Mix shredded cheese, flour and sugar together. Sprinkle over pineapple. Crush Ritz crackers. Put 2 cups in bowl and spray with vegetable spray, toss and spray until crackers are coated. Sprinkle over mixture.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake 30 minutes covered with aluminum foil. Remove foil and allow crackers to brown a bit. Cool a few minutes and cut into squares. This is also "spoonable!"
Number of Servings: 12

Here's a repost of the Pineapple Casserole:

This pineapple casserole recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law many years ago. 

I make it a lot during the holiday. It's great with ham!

Baked Pineapple Casserole

2 large cans pineapple chunks
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cylinder Ritz crackers
1 stick butter, melted

Pour pineapple chunks, drained, in a large buttered casserole dish. Mix flour and sugar, sprinkle over pineapple. Sprinkle cheese over this mixture and top with cracker crumbs. Drizzle melted butter over the cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Parmesan Potato Bake

Parmesan Potato Bake
(Watch the topping carefully. I let mine get just a bit too brown.)

Parmesan Potato Bake

8 cups of peeled, thinly sliced potatoes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten (I used 1/2 cup of Egg Beaters.)
1 cup of sour cream (I used light.)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 -2 tablespoons melted butter (I used fat-freeze squeeze butter.)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of dried bread crumbs tossed with a tablespoon of melted butter (I sprayed mine with fat-free butter spray.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Place potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and bring to a rapid boil. Turn off heat and place lid on pan. Allow potatoes to sit for 5 - 10 minutes.
In the meantime, mix together flour, eggs, sour cream, cheese, 1 tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper.
Drain potatoes. Return to pot. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and toss gently. Spoon potatoes into prepared baking dish. Cove with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle bread crumbs. Return to oven until bread crumbs are golden brown.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This is a great quick version of mac and cheese. M.C. and I aren't big on mac and cheese, but this was good! The guys both love mac and cheese, and they gave it two thumbs up! Thanks to Emily for this easy and tasty recipe!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Recipe from:
http://www.marvelousrecipes.net/2009/09/02/baked-macaroni-cheese/

If your family enjoys macaroni & cheese as much as mine does, this is the recipe for you! This is a Campbell’s recipe that I found in a magazine. It is easy and quick to make and is pure comfort food! ~ Emily

1 (10-3/4 oz) can Campbell’s Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
1/2 soup can milk
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1-1/2 cups corkscrew-shaped pasta (rotini) or medium shell-shaped pasta, cooked and drained
*1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons butter, melted

1. Stir the soup, milk, black pepper and pasta in a 1-quart baking dish.

2. Mix the bread crumbs with the butter in a small cup. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture.

3. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until hot. Garnish with fresh oregano. Makes: 4 servings.

*Adjustments I made to suit our tastes ~ Connie:

I used an 8 ounce bag of macaroni.
I stirred in a cup of 2% shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard.
I used fresh bread crumbs I made from the "heel pieces" of a loaf of bread.

Stuffed Eggs

Stuffed (or Deviled) eggs are a quintessential Southern treat! Do y'all remember me telling you the other day about everyone needing their own unique dish to carry to community suppers and to share with those in need of a meal. There is one exception I should have noted. Anyone can bring a plate of stuffed eggs. There are never enough of these little gems at any gathering. If you want to quickly endear yourself to your fellow church and community members, bring stuffed eggs!! On the other hand, nothing will draw the wrath of the social committee quicker than the taking of more than one stuffed egg when going through the buffet line! Every good momma below the Mason-Dixon drills this bit of Southern etiquette into her dear children, right along with the saying of Yes, Ma'me and Yes, Sir.

Stuffed eggs can be served as an appetizer, but we mostly serve them with the meal.

I am notorious for forgetting to serve the eggs! I will discover them in fridge while cleaning up after the meal. I literally usually make myself a note to get the eggs out of the fridge. I didn't make the note tonight, and the eggs were forgotten. About the time I discovered them still setting in the fridge, Logan came through and said, "Hey, why didn't we get stuffed eggs with supper?!" I told him I forgot, to eat one, and to not say anything else about it! ;) As he was munching down of one of them, he looked over at me and said, "I just love these things!" Most of us down here do!

Stuffed Eggs

Stuffed Eggs

6 eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (This is approximate - use more or less according to your taste.)
1 tablespoon pickle relish
Paprika for garnish

Place eggs in a pot; cover with water. Bring the water to a full boil; put lid on pot and turn burner off. Allow eggs to sit in hot water for about 15 minutes; remove from water and peel under cold, running water.
Cut eggs in half, lengthwise.
Remove the egg yolks and mash them with a fork in a small mixing bowl.
Mix in the mayonnaise and relish. Spoon mixture into the egg shells and sprinkle with paprika.

Easy Mexican Rice

This is really easy and light tasting. It went really well with the shrimp fajitas!

Easy Mexican Rice

Easy Mexican Rice

1 cup rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 tablespoons salsa
2 cups chicken broth or water
1 cup whole kernel frozen corn

Sauté rice in olive oil until lightly browned.
Add salsa, stirring to coat rice.
Cook until liquid from salsa has evaporated.
Add broth and corn; turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer about  20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Recipe and Review: Easy Corn-on-the-Cob with Herbed Butter

We all really like this corn. I cut way back on the amount of butter. Tonight I used a tablespoon on 6 small ears. It really was plenty. I did keep the garlic about the same, but used about half as much dried parsley as called for.

Easy Corn-on-the-cob with Herbed Butter

½ stick butter, softened
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
sea salt, to taste
4 -6 ears frozen corn-on-cob, prepared according to package directions

Combine butter and seasonings. Spoon into a small bowl or ramekin. Serve with cooked corn.

Chicken and Rice Cheese Bake

This was a new recipe I found at Mom's Plans last week. It's simple, but filling and tasty. I did end up adding an extra 1/2 cup water. I've made the adjustment below.
I had a two meetings this afternoon, so I kept supper extra simple, just the casserole and leftover Yummy Corn Muffins from lunch. Isn't it amazing how busy we all get this time of year?!

Many blessings and happy cookin' ~ Connie

Chicken and Rice Cheese Bake

I found this on Mom's Plans. I am looking forward to giving it a try!

1-10 oz. can condensed cheese soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cheddar cheese
3/4 cup white rice
1 head broccoli
4 boneless chicken breast halves cut into pieces (I will use some of my pre-cooked chicken in the freezer.)
1 cup cheddar cheese for topping

Wash and chop the broccoli into bite size piece. Blanch it in boiling water for 1-2 minutes and then drain and run under cold water.

Meanwhile, in a 2 quart baking dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray, stir together the first four ingredients with a whisk. Add in the blanched broccoli and chicken and stir gently to combine.

Cover with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes at 375 degrees until the rice is cooked through and casserole is bubbling. Remove foil, top with additional cheddar cheese. Return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

Very Easy Baked Beans

Very Easy Baked Beans

Very Easy Baked Beans

1 (28 ounce)can Bush's Country Style Baked Beans
1/4 - 1/3 cup of ketchup
2 slices pre-cooked bacon.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Open the beans and drain them in a colander. Add ketchup. Pour the beans into a small casserole dish. Top with bacon and bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, usually about 20 minutes.
While they're not as good a homemade baked beans, they're the best substitute I've found. These are the only baked beans M.C. likes!

Rotel Cheese Grits and Grits Cooking Tip

This version is a bit lighter than some. We really like it!!

To make it more decadent, just add more butter and more cheese!!

Ro*tel Cheese Grits

Ro*tel Cheese Grits

3 -4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 - 2 clove of garlic, minced, or a bit of jarred minced garlic
2 - 3 tablespoons butter
2 cups water
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick cooking grits
½ stick of butter, cut into pats (This is good, but optional.)
1 cup shredded 2% Velveeta
1 (10-ounce) can Ro*tel tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sauté onions in butter for about 3 minutes. Add garlic. Sauté a minute or two longer. Set aside.

Bring the water, milk and salt to a boil in saucepan. Slowly add the grits. Return to a boil; stir constantly for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low; cover. Cook for about 8 minutes stirring occasionally. When grits are thick and creamy, remove from heat and set aside.

Add butter, Velveeta and onion/garlic mixture to grits; stir until the cheese is melted. Add Ro*tel tomatoes, stirring to mix well. Pour the grits into a two-quart casserole that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika*. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until bubbly.

*For a heartier dish, sprinkle top with a cup or two of shredded cheddar cheese.


For a great brunch entree, add 1 pound of browned and drained pork sausage when you add the Ro*tel tomatoes. Proceed as directed.

Grits Cooking Tip:

To keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan, grits must be stirred occasionally while cooking. As anyone who has ever cooked grits can tell you, they are terrible to "spit" hot bubbles of grits onto your hands, body and stove top when you uncover them for stirring. The best way I have found to protect myself and my kitchen is to lift the lid open towards the back of the stove - and away from me - with my left hand. I put an oven mitt on my right hand and use a long wooden spoon to stir.

Here’s a photo to demonstrate:

Recipe: Susan's Corn and Saffron Rice Casserole

Susan brought this delicious side dish! It was yummy! She said it was easy to make, too!!

Susan's Corn and Saffron Rice Casserole

5 ounce package saffron yellow rice
2 cans Mexicorn, drained
1 can cream of Celery soup
cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook rice according to package directions. Then stir corn and soup with rice. Place in casserole dish. Sprinkle top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Baked Cheesy Fries

Baked Cheesy Fries

There was an eating function for the kids at church tonight, so it was just Larry and I for supper. I decided to make something quick, yummy and that I don’t make very often - Baked Cheesy Fries. We all loves these fries. They are similar to the ones you get at places like Outback.
I don't usually cook these as a meal. They make a great appetizer or side dish. Since I don't cook very often for just the two of us, it was kind of nice to just throw together a little something like this on the spur of the moment tonight.

I baked some part of a bag of oven crispy fries on my baking stone in a very hot oven until they were nice and brown and crunchy.
I removed them to an oven-safe stoneware platter and sprinkled them with cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese bacon bits and chopped red onions - green onions work well, too. I just had a red onion in the fridge that needed using.
I turned the broiler on and placed the platter in the oven long enough for the cheeses to melt.
I served these with ranch dressing.

Supper Review & Cabbage Casserole Recipe

Pork Tenderloin, Cabbage Casserole, Sliced Homegrown Tomatoes with Fresh Ground Salt and Pepper, and Biscuit

Aunt Jean was in the "baking mood" today and called to say she had baked us a pork tenderloin. I shifted gears with our supper plans and made a cabbage casserole that fellow foodie and registered dietitian, Holly F., had recently e-mailed me the recipe for. I sliced some of Judy's tomatoes and threw some frozen biscuits in to cook with the casserole. We all thought it was a great supper! M.C. doesn't eat cabbage, but the rest of us loved the cabbage casserole! It tasted a bit like egg rolls. Logan even put a dash of soy sauce on his!

Here's the recipe for the Cabbage Casserole! Thanks for sharing this, Holly!! It's really good!! I will definitely make it again!!

Cabbage Casserole

Cabbage Casserole

I had co-jack cheese on-hand, so I used it. I'm sure the pepper jack would give this a bit of a zip!

1-2 bags of shredded cabbage with carrots
½ cup copped onion
3 tablespoon margarine (divided)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded
1 sleeve saltine crackers

In a 13x9 casserole dish spread cabbage and carrot mixture (needs to fill most of dish)
Cook onion in 1 tablespoon of margarine and add can of soup, spread over cabbage.
Add layer of cheese. Melt margarine and mix with crushed crackers. Spread over top. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.

Ultimate Pork Tenderloin, Oh So Good Baked Potato Casserole and Easy Cheesy Garlic Rolls

Ultimate Pork Tenderloin, Oh So Good Baked Potato Casserole
and Easy Cheesy Garlic Rolls

Ultimate Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Pork Tenderloin is a great meat choice. It’s low in fat and very easy to grill. You just have to be careful not to dry it out. One way to avoid this is by using a brine. This is completely optional, but is well worth the time and effort. This is where meal planning really pays off! If you don’t have time to use the brine, just skip it.

Begin by trimming all the “silver” skin from the meat’s surface.

Make your brine by add 2 -3 tablespoons of salt to about a quart of water. Place the tenderloin in the brine and refrigerate for about 12 hours.

Removed the tenderloin from the brine, dry it off and coat with the following rub. A rub adds flavor and forms a nice crust on the meat’s surface.

Use a commercial pork rub or try this one:

Pork Rub

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl:

3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Once pork is evenly coated with the rub, you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours, for extra flavor.

Grill tenderloin over medium heat. View the meat as having four sides, cooking meat for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the tenderloin from the grill when its internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. It won’t be completely done at this point, though. Keeping the tenderloin in a warm place, wrap it with foil, and let it stand for about 5 more minutes to finish cooking. Let the tenderloin reach around 150 degrees before you serve it.

Once it’s done, slice the meat into about 1/2 inch thick slices and serve.


Oh So Good Baked Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

6-8 medium baking potatoes
1- 8ounce package cream cheese, at room temp.
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 pint sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions, for garnish
bacon bits or 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp,
drained and crumbled for garnish

Directions:

1. Peel and dice the potatoes. Boil until soft.

2. Mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, butter, 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese and the sour cream. Stir well. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and stir.

3. Spray a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with vegetable oil. Place the potatoes in the dish. You can cover it with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.

4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, until hot. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole and return it to the oven for about 5 minutes, until cheese melts. Garnish with chopped onions and crumbled bacon or bacon bits before serving.

Easy Cheesy Garlic Rolls

1 can refrigerated pizza dough
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3 - 4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup or so, shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat cups of muffin tin with cooking spray.

Mix softened butter, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

Roll dough into a rectangle.
Spread garlic-butter mixture evenly over dough. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Roll up jellyroll-style.

Slice in 1½-inch slices.

Place each slice into a sprayed muffin cup.

Spoon melted butter over rolls.

Bake until golden brown, probably about 10 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken, Twice Baked Potatoes and E-Z Salad

Cheesy Chicken, Twice Bake Potatoes and E-Z Salad

We had the Cheesy Chicken from this week's meal plan last night. We all enjoyed it. This was the first time I had cooked this dish. Aunt Jean has made it for us several times and gave me the recipe. I cut the butter back to 1/2 a stick.

While we were in Destin, we ate at Pompano Joe's. It has an absolutely beautiful view of the Gulf. This restaurant draws a big crowd, and apparently, there is pretty much always a wait. Our food was good. To borrow a thought from Rick Bragg, a favorite Southern author and Pulitzer Prize winner, Pompano Joe's is good seafood along the same line of Cracker Barrel being good Southern cooking. Both are pretty good, when you haven't had the "real thing" in a while.

One of the favorite things on my plate was the twice baked potato. Here's a recipe I used for Twice Baked Potatoes last night. Baked potatoes, or twice baked potatoes, are a good choice with this chicken dish, as it has to cook for over an hour. Just slide the potatoes in alongside the casserole dish of chicken. You can delete almost any of the ingredients to suit your taste. I didn't add the bacon or onions last night, since both were in the salad. I sprinkled ours with paprika instead of the suggested toppings, as this meal was already heavy with cheese. I usually only cook two potatoes and serve each person one of the stuffed halves. A whole twice-baked potato and a salad makes a really good meal.

Oh, an ice creme scoop makes quick work of removing the potato flesh from the skin.

Twice-baked Potatoes

1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon, (for ease and speed, use pre-cooked)
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl combine oil, salt and pepper. Prick each potato about four times with a fork.
Rub potato skins with oil mixture.

Bake potatoes (do not wrap in foil) in preheated oven for 50 to 60, or until soft.

Meanwhile, if not using pre-cooked bacon, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook
over medium high heat until crispy. Drain, crumble and set aside. If using pre-cooked
bacon, follow directions on package for cooking crispy bacon; crumble bacon after
microwaving.

When potatoes are done, allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in
half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins.

To the potato flesh add sour cream, egg (is using) milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup
cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Combine all ingredients well. Use a mixer, if you
like.

Spoon the mixture into the potato skins, and top each with remaining cheese, green
onions and bacon.

Bake for another 15 minutes.

This salad is another recipe of my friend, Julie R. I have made it many times over the years! Julie is a great cook! When she shares a recipe, you know it's going to be delicious!!

E-Z Salad

About ½ head lettuce
1 medium chopped tomato
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ to ¾ cup of mayonnaise (To save calories, I use about 2 T. "real" mayo, plus 2 T. light mayo)
½ cup cooked English peas (optional)
½ cup chopped red onions (I added this. It’s optional.)
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I use 8 slices pre-cooked.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Don’t mix together until you are ready to eat, or it will be soggy.

Country Fried Potatoes

My favorite "Pass Around" at Lambert's is the Country Fried Potatoes. These are a delicacy I remember from childhood. My mom’s were great. So were my grandmother’s. A visit to Mammaw's house always included a big pan of her fried potatoes.
My mother sliced hers, and my grandmother cubed hers. Each were a bit different from the other, but both were delicious!
Every time I cook these, there are complaints from the kids.
I never seem to cook enough!!

Country Fried Potatoes

Country Fried Potatoes

Enough potatoes to feed your family (I cook 6 medium-sized potatoes for the four of us. We'd eat more!)

onion, to taste (I usually use half an onion or so)

Oil for frying (I use a very light olive oil)

Slice potatoes and onion very thinly. Toss together.
Pour about a half a cup of oil into your skillet - more or less depending on the amount of potatoes you are cooking. Use a cast iron skillet, if you have one. If not, any non-stick frying pan will work. Heat oil over high heat just until it starts to pop. Gently add sliced potatoes and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir potatoes and onions to coat well with oil. Keep heat on high a few minutes. Resist the urge to stir. Gently check a potato or two to see if they are starting to brown. Once they start to brown, stir and lower heat to medium to medium-low. Allow the potatoes to brown on the bottom again before stirring. Keep browning and stirring until potatoes are just tender. Turn heat up to high. Watch closely, but allow a crusty bottom to form. Scrape this off the bottom of the pan with a spatula and stir potatoes. Repeat this a few times, until you potatoes start to fall apart. Remove potatoes from skillet to a plate lined with paper towels. Great with ketchup! The kids like them with a bit of ranch dressing.

Cheesy Creamy Chicken Breasts, wild rice, Creamed Pea Casserole & “Biscuit” Rolls

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Breast, wild rice, Creamed Pea Casserole and"Biscuit" Rolls

Cheesy Creamy Chicken Breasts

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 c seasoned bread crumbs
½ c Parmesan cheese
1/4 c butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Set aside.
Rinse chicken breasts, and pat dry.
Place flour, salt and pepper in a large plastic zippered bag. Place breasts in bag one at a time, and shake to coat well. Brown chicken breasts in a bit of oil in a large skillet.
Place browned chicken breasts in a sprayed 9x9 baking pan. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on top of each breast. Mix broth and chicken soup, and pour over the chicken and cheese.
Place aluminum foil over pan, sealing tightly. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle bread crumb mixture. Return to oven long enough to brown bread crumbs.

Creamed Pea Casserole

2 cans English peas, drained
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
¼ cup chopped, white onion (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Add chopped onions. Whisk constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in Parmesan cheese and dash of salt. Pour sauce over peas, stirring gently until peas are evenly coated. Pour peas into a small sprayed casserole dish. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

"Biscuit" Rolls

I buy the cheap, store-brand butter flavored canned biscuits. Depending on the size of your family, you can use the 5-count or 10-count rolls of biscuits.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter.
Spray muffin tin.
Open and place a refrigerated biscuit into each muffin cup.
Spoon melted butter over each biscuit.
Bake for about 10 minutes.