Author: Jill

Breakfast Enchiladas

Ok…admittedly, this recipe takes some time, but it is so worth it! The yummy, cheesy tortillas filled with delicious eggs and topped with a creamy sauce will make you forget all that! I promise. These enchiladas are great to make in advance and bake when you need them, so they are helpful if you are expecting weekend company. And I like it too as an option for the “not so crazy about meat” eaters, as well. This is a Southern Living recipe out of their Make Ahead Meals collector’s edition magazine.

2 T. unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
12 large eggs
1/2 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 T. water
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa verde (I just use regular salsa here)
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
10 oz. shredded colby jack cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
Cheese Sauce, recipe follows
Toppings: halved grape tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped avocado

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onions; sauté until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to bell pepper mixture, and cook, without stirring, until eggs begin to set on bottom, about 1 to 2 minutes. Draw a spatula across pan to form large curds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are thickened, about 6 to 7 minutes. (Do not overstir. Also, remove the eggs from the stovetop while they’re still wet; they’ll finish cooking in the oven.)

Spread 2 T. salsa in center of each tortilla. Spoon about 1/4 cup egg mixture over salsa; sprinkle with 2 T. cheese and 1/2 tsp. cilantro. Roll up, and place, seam side down, in lightly greased 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Add Cheese Sauce and remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until sauce is bubbly, 30 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.
Serves 6

To Make Ahead: Complete the recipe, but don’t bake it. Cover and chill the casserole. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.

CHEESE SAUCE

Melt 1/4 cup salted butter in heavy saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk in 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Increase heat to medium. Gradually whisk in 2 cups milk; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and whisk in 6 oz. shredded colby jack cheese ( 1 1/2 cups), 1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles, and 1/2 tsp. table salt. Use immediately.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

My cousin, Loraine, is a fantastic cook. At family gatherings, she is sure to bring an amazing dessert, and this is one of many of her delicious recipes! Thanks, sweet girl, for all of the good times and yummy memories!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups flaked, sweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened, condensed milk
7 oz. Hershey Bars
2 T. creamy peanut butter

Grease a 13 by 9 inch pan. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the coconut, Eagle Brand milk, and pecans. Spread over the crust and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let Cool. Melt together 7 oz. chocolate Hershey Bars with the 2 T. peanut butter. Frost the bars.
Makes 20

Note: My sister, Julie, made these one time while we where together for a weekend and out of necessity, she used 1 Hershey bar and 8 oz. semisweet Hershey chocolate chips in place of the 7 oz. Hershey Bars. They turned out great! And I like to add 1/2 tsp. vanilla to the coconut mixture when I’m feeling industrious. Enjoy!

Ritzy Chicken Casserole

A dear college friend of mine introduced me to this yummy casserole. She would whip this dish up in nothing flat and we would gobble it up, just as fast! This casserole can be dressed up or down so to speak. For really ritzy chicken, add the optional ingredients. For ritzy chicken, roll without the add-ins. But regardless which road you take on this one, you are going in the right direction! That’s the beauty of this simple chicken casserole, it can be suited to your family’s tastes and turns out delicious!

2 pkg. boneless chicken breasts (about 8), cooked and diced
3 tubes Ritz crackers, crushed
3 sticks margarine, melted
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper

Optional add-ins:
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix your margarine and crushed crackers together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, sour cream, soups, (this is where you toss in your add-ins as well, if using) and salt and pepper to taste.

Layer half of the buttered crumbs in your dish, pour chicken over it, then top evenly with remaining, cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Frito Pie

Garage sale time with my family was always a festive time in October. I couldn’t always count on making much money, but I knew I could count on my sister Julie’s Frito Pies! This recipe was a tradition that she always treated us with on that chilly fall day. This makes a nice big batch. Invite some friends over!

3 to 4 lbs. ground beef
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 (15-oz.) cans whole kernel corn
1 (26-oz.) can Ranch style beans
1 (18-oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 pkgs. dry ranch style dressing mix
3 pkgs. taco seasoning mix
Fritos
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Salsa

Julie also adds: guacamole,chopped ripe black olives,chopped onion, pretty green lettuce, and
shredded sweetened coconut

Brown ground beef and onion; drain. Add remaining ingredients, leaving all liquids in vegetables. Heat until warm and serve over Fritos with desired toppings.

Sunday Pot Roast

My mom always would prepare pot roast on Sunday, as it was, and hopefully still is, the tradition in many southern homes! This has to be my favorite meal. My daughter Fallon, has been asking for “pot roast beef” from the time she could talk. And I do believe this is her favorite meal as well. And did I mention my niece Jodi? She asks for this on her birthday. See where I’m going with this?

4 lb. chuck roast
Lawry’s Salt
kosher salt
pepper
2 cups water
3-5 potatoes, peeled
3 onions, peeled and quartered
5-6 carrots, peeled

Season the pot roast well with Lawry’s season salt, salt, and pepper. Place in a dutch oven sprayed with cooking spray. Add 2 cups water, surrounding your roast, and place your carrots, potatoes, and onions on top. Sprinkle vegetables with a little more salt and pepper. Place the lid on your dutch oven and roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 3-4 hours, depending on the size of your roast. After it is fork tender, it is done.

Remove the meat and vegetables from your dutch oven to a platter to make your gravy with the drippings left in the pan.

Add 2 to 3 heaping T. of flour, whisking well to remove lumps. Add salt and pepper and around 1 cup of milk (give or take some). This always varies for me, depending on how many drippings are in the pan and how much flour actually lands in there. So the milk can be eyeballed, so to speak. Too much milk and not enough flour will be too thin of gravy. Too much flour and not enough milk will be too thick. So go with your instincts! Stir and heat over medium until your gravy starts bubbling and is thickened. Serve alongside your meat and veggies.

Serves 4 with leftovers

Fresh Squash Soup

Fresh squash soup seems so healthy to me and with the addition of evaporated milk, it makes it creamy and comforting as well. This delicious soup is perfect for a light supper pared with your favorite sandwich. I’m thinking bacon and tomato for mine! This soup was inspired by The Peachtree Tearoom’s recipe. Located in Fredericksburg, Texas, it is a fabulous place to stop in for lunch should you ever be in that neck of the woods!

1/4 lb. bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 large zucchini, sliced
8 large yellow squash, sliced
5 tsp. cumin
1 1/4 tsp. Lawry’s salt free seasoning or oregano
2 (32 oz.) boxes of chicken broth
4 cups evaporated milk
2-3 low sodium chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
Garnishes: grated cheddar cheese and chopped green onions

In a large stockpot, brown the diced onion. Discard all but 2 T. of bacon grease. (Save the bacon bits to use as a garnish for the soup, if you like.) Add onion and sauté until transparent. Add garlic.

Add yellow squash, zucchini, chicken broth, bouillon cubes, cumin, and Lawry’s salt free seasoning. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Add evaporated milk and heat through. Season at first with 1 to 2 tsp. kosher salt. (It seems like a lot of salt, but this is a big batch of soup. Start with less and taste as you go, adding more to suit your personal taste.) Using a potato masher, coarsely mash squash. Taste again for salt and pepper. I like to use my immersion blender to puree half of the soup. Garnish as desired.

Brown Sugar Baked Oats

I’ve never really been much of a fan of cooking oats. All of that waiting for the milk to boil and hoping that it doesn’t scorch, just isn’t the first thing that I want to babysit after rolling out of bed. It gets in the way of my coffee drinking, you know? But this recipe changes it up for me. Just mix all the ingredients well in the baking dish and pop it in the oven. Yep, no babysitting here! One can continue drinking coffee, plus, no extra bowls get dirty. Gotta love that! And it’s delicious too! This recipe comes from my Gooseberry Patch Hometown Favorites cookbook.

1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
3 cups quick cooking oats, uncooked
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Mix all of the ingredients together in a greased 9 by 9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Cooking the books, y’all!

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

It’s Chicken Alfredo! What else can I say?……Maybe that it is addicting, amazingly delicious, best recipe ever, and NOT for the calorie counters! But totally worth it, I might add. Make it for date night or as a special birthday meal! Trisha Yearwood is responsible for this recipe and I found it on Food Network’s website. Now let’s get cooking!

1 lb. fettuccine
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
3 T. salted butter
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups grated Parmesan (I buy grated Parmigiano-Reggiano in the deli section of bigger grocery stores)
2 T. finely chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and some pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off the excess.

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Carefully place the dredged chicken into the pan. Add the grated garlic. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Pour the cream into the same pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the Parmesan. Add the pasta to the mixture and toss to combine. Add the cooked chicken and gently toss. Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

Aunt Mattie’s Chocolate Crinkles

My Aunt Mattie, is hands down, the best baker I know! She treats us to the most wonderful cookies and pies when our family is blessed enough to all be together. These cookies are great for any gathering. And should you make them and take them somewhere, you just might walk away with a “best baker award” yourself!

4 squares unsweetened chocolate or 12 T. cocoa
1/2 cup Wesson oil
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup powdered sugar

Melt oil and unsweetened chocolate, if using, in a saucepan. Pour over the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir together. (If using the cocoa, skip the saucepan step and just mix it with the oil and sugar in your bowl.)

Mix in the eggs and then the remaining ingredients. Chill dough overnight.

Scoop out by tablespoons and roll in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Careful not to over bake!

Makes 6 dozen

Turkey Cheeseburgers with Cranberry Creme Fraiche

Sounds Novemberish, doesn’t it? This is Rachael Ray’s November 2017 burger of the month from her magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray. The sauce is boss here! The chives with the creme fraiche and cranberries is so delicious. I love turkey burgers. I love Thanksgiving. I love Turkey burgers with Cranberry Creme Fraiche! This recipe only makes 3 burgers, so plan accordingly.

1/2 cup creme fraiche (see note)
1/2 cup whole-berry or homemade cranberry sauce
3 T. finely chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper
1 lb. ground turkey
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 T. olive or vegetable oil
6 slices deli cheddar cheese
3 split brioche rolls or regular hamburger buns
Burger toppings: sliced bread and butter pickles (Mt. Olive brand is my favorite.), green leaf lettuce, and thinly sliced red onion

In a medium bowl, mix the creme fraiche, cranberry sauce, and chives; season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Grab your grandmother’s cast iron skillet or griddle and heat over medium-high.

In another medium bowl, season the turkey with salt and pepper to your liking. Mix in the Worcestershire and poultry seasoning. Form 3 large patties. (Rach says thinner in the centers for even cooking). Add the oil, one turn of the pan, to the skillet and cook the patties, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with 2 slices of cheese. Tent the skillet loosely with foil to melt the cheese.

Build the burgers by layering the roll bottoms, pickles, lettuce, onion, cheeseburgers, sauce, and roll tops.

Note: Creme Fraiche can be made at home by combining 1 cup whipping cream and 2 T. buttermilk in a glass container. Cover and let stand at room temperature (about 70 degrees) from 8 to 24 hours, or until very thick. Stir well before covering and refrigerate up to 10 days.