German Potato Salad

• 6 slices of bacon
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 10 3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 T cider vinegar
• 1/2 t sugar
• pepper to taste
• 4 cups parboiled, cubed potatoes
• parsley

Brown bacon in skillet, and then crumble. Reserve 2T drippings. Saute onions in drippings. Blend together soup, water, vinegar, sugar, and pepper. Add bacon and onions. Mix well. Add potatoes and parsley. Mix well. Pour in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hrs. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

Garlic Chicken with White Wine Sauce

I fixed this last night after finding it on THIS site, and it is delicious!

You can peel the garlic if you want too, of course.

Ingredients:

• 1 4lb whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2-3 whole heads of garlic, cloves separated (40-ish cloves) but not peeled
• Olive oil
• 1 ¼ cup of dry white wine
• 3 large sprigs of fresh tarragon
• 3 large sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Lightly mash garlic cloves with the side of a heavy chef's knife, just enough to break the cloves. Leave the peel on.

2. Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat. Pat them dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in Dutch oven (or large thick-bottom pan with a tight-fitting cover) on medium high. Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Lay the chicken pieces in the hot oil, do not move until browned, then turn over to other side using tongs. Remove from pan when browned.

3. Add a little more olive oil to the pan if necessary. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the wine and the herbs. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Move the chicken pieces from top to bottom every 5 minutes for about 20 minutes. Chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 180°F for thighs, and 170°F for breasts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken pieces to a platter; spoon garlic sauce over the chicken.

Serves 4-6

Grits 'n' Greens Casserole

This is a recipe that we all enjoy - it's southern all around.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups cream
2. 8 cups chicken broth, divided
3. 2 cups grits - NOT instant or quick-cooking
4. 1 large bag frozen collards (we've used home-grown greens and it works great)
5. 2 sticks butter
6. 2 1/2 cups Parmesan
   
7. 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
8. 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

Directions:

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish

If you want to brown the casserole, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cream and 6 cups of the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in grits and cook over medium heat until the grits return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and stir frequently to keep it from burning, 25-30 minutes.

Add milk if needed to thicken to proper consistency (about like slightly runny oatmeal).

While grits are simmering, cook frozen collards with remaining 2 cups of chicken broth 'til tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well in colander, squeezing out remaining liquid.

Add butter, Parmesan and pepper to cooked grits, and stir 'til butter is melted. Stir in cooked greens and spoon into greased casserole dish. Top with additional Parmesan and bacon. Dish can be served at room temperature or heated in a 350 degree oven 'til browned on top.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Okay, now for the pancakes. :)

• 3 cups soft white wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and buttermilk and gently mix. Pour onto griddle or skillet. Let bake and then flip over.

We always double the recipe; a regular batch serves about 5 people. I like to make several bags of the dry ingredients and then store them in the freezer so that when we want pancakes all we have to do is add the eggs and buttermilk. If you don't have buttermilk, just mix equal amounts of milk and yogurt. We also like to add either chopped pecans or fresh blueberries for variation. (Is that better, Laura?) :D

Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Alright Laura, here are the cookies. :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups Soft White Wheat Flour
• 1 cup Oatmeal
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup milled flax seed (optional)
• 2 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix in the rest of the ingredients. Make into 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart. Bake at 350 for 10-12 min.

This recipe makes about 5 dozen, depending on the size you make the cookie. We like to freeze them so that they are ready whenever we need them. Also, I've found that sometimes they need more baking time than it says; but I tend to not do very well making the cookies 1" balls so that's probably why... :)

What to post...

Laura,
I need you to tell me what some of the recipes were that you wanted me to post. I have honestly forgotten. In the meantime I guess I'll try and think of something else to post...

(Chocolate) Pumpkin Muffins

• 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 3 cups sugar (I use 2 and they turn out just as good)
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp baking
  
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup oil (I use applesauce, works just as well, and it's healthier)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups mashed pumpkin (1 can pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 cups chocolate chips (optional)
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients. Beat eggs together with fork and mix wet ingredients together; add to dry mixture and mix well. Pour in greased muffins cup pans for approximately 20 minutes.

Note: these muffins are delicious, but they are much better when not refrigerated. Also, they're much better with chocolate chips in them, I think;)

Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting

Of course the best part of any carrot cake... :)

• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16 oz.) package of powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of chopped pecans
• 1 cup of flaked coconut

Combine butter and cream cheese; cream until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in pecans and coconut.

Yield: enough for one 3-layer cake [barely]

My changes to this recipe: I toasted the pecans in a little butter and sugar to sort of candy them before stirring them in. I also couldn't bring myself to put the coconut in. I think those are the only changes I made though.

Old-South Carrot Cake

This went over so well this past Lord's Day I thought I'd post it here for everybody! I'll post the frosting in a separate post again. ;)

• 2 cups of flour
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 cups of grated carrots

Combine dry ingredients; stir gently, and set aside. Combine eggs and oil, beating well. Fold in dry ingredients and carrots.

Spoon batter into 3 greased, floured, and papered 9-inch cake pans; bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until cake tests done. (Cake layers will be thin.) Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans and cool completely.

Yield: one 3-layer cake.

Creamy Brownie Frosting

Delicious frosting! I think (okay, so I know) I preferred it straight from the bowl though!!! :D Anyway, this recipe makes about 1 cup of frosting (that's not including all the stuff that you eat before you frost the brownies!).

• 3 tablespoons of butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa
• 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency.

This one's also from the Hershey's Best-Loved Recipes cookbook.

Best Brownies

We did this brownie recipe for the brownies we made while we worked at the Pickin' Parlor. They are really good! The frosting though! I'll post that recipe separately (more posts). ;)

• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/3 cup of cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease and 9x9 baking pan (obviously we usually double this recipe). Stir together butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Enjoy!

This recipe is from the Hershey's Best-Loved Recipes cookbook.

Vidalia Onion Chicken

• Chicken Breasts
• Olive Oil
• Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing
• Bread Crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour olive oil in bottom of 9x13 in. pan (or smaller, depending on number of chicken breasts). Place chicken in pan and spread dressing on top, covering well. Sprinkle bread crumbs to cover. Cook in oven 30min or until done and bread crumbs are slightly brown. Enjoy!


This is one of my favorite dinners! I can have it made in about thirty minutes; it's so easy and everybody loves it! Hope you enjoy it as well!

Fresh Cherry Cobbler

1/2 cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

2 cups pitted sour cherries

3/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, and place in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating. Remove as soon as butter has melted, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, and baking powder. Mix in the milk until well blended, then pour the batter into the pan over the butter. Do not stir.

In a bowl, toss cherries with the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour. Distribute the cherry mixture evenly over the batter. Do not stir.

Bake for 50 to 60 mintues, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the cobbler should come out clean.

" This is a delicious cherry cobbler made with fresh cherries instead of canned. It may take a little longer to make because you need to pit the cherries, but it is well worth it when you taste the finished product."

Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

Here is a recipe for some of my favorite brownies. They are relatively simple and taste delicious.
Brownies:

• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
• ½ cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ t. peppermint extract
• ½ cup flour
• pinch of salt

Beat sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl. Melt butter and chocolate and add. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake in a sprayed 8 inch pan at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Frosting:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 T. butter
• 1 T. milk
• ½ t. peppermint extract
• Drop of food coloring

Mix all ingredients with an electric mixer and chill. We normally use green food coloring because they are "mint" but any color works fine.

Let brownies cool and then frost. Cut into squares.

Cream Cheese

Alright y'all, now that it's been over a month... here's the recipe for my cream cheese. Sorry it's taken me so long! If your first batch doesn't turn out right, don't give up. I've had quite a few times when it didn't work right, but most of the time it works and tastes great.

• 4 cups raw milk
• 1 package mesophilic starter
• 1 drop of rennet
• 1/4 cup water

Combine the cream and milk and warm the mixture to 70 degrees.Add the starter and rennet. This should all be done pretty fast so that the milk doesn't cool off and you don't kill the starter. Mix thoroughly. Cover and allow to set at 72 degrees for 24 hours.
24 hours later~
Ladle the curds into a colander lined with butter muslin. Tie the corners of the muslin into a knot and hang the bag to drain for 3-5 hours, or until the curds stop dripping. Transfer the curds into a bowl and mix by hand to a paste-like consistency. Refrigerate until use.
Now for my notes:
- Don't forget to add the starter.
- Don't forget to dilute the rennet in water before adding it to the milk.
- Don't forget about the milk and let it get to 100 degrees.
Yes, I really have done all of these once or twice. :) If you let the milk get to 80 or so it is okay and will still work but you have to let it cool before adding the starter and rennet otherwise you will kill the starter.

Here is where we order our mesophilic: http://www.cheesemaking.com/ Just go to the sidebar and click on ingredients. Then click on "cheese cultures and mold powders." Scroll down until you find mesophilic starter (C1o1.) Also, if you need rennet you can find it the same way except for you click on "cheese rennets." We get the liquid animal rennet which is the first one on the list.

I hope I haven't thoroughly confused y'all and feel free to ask me any questions (just don't expect any professional answer.) Good luck!

Chocolate Trifle

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves 12

Ready in 8 hours, 55 minutes


1 package brownie mix

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

1/2 cup water

1 ( 14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 ( 8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 ( 12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 ( 15 ounce) bar chocolate for garnish


Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1-inch squares.

In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no streaks remain.

In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12-ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

This recipe is DELICIOUS and it's easy to make.

Chocolate Cobbler

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

2 1/2 cups hot water

In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and the 2TBS cocoa

Stir in milk and oil until smooth

Pour into a greased 8 inch square baking pan

Combine brown sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa

Sprinkle over batter

Pour hot water over the top ( Do not stir)

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.

( Whenever we make this recipe we double it and put it in a 9 by 13 pan.)

Enjoy!

~ Camille S

I haven't forgotten...

Just to let y'all know, I haven't forgotten about the cream cheese recipe.
We're finally back in our normal routine and so I ought to have some time soon. It was great to see all of y'all again!
~Camille

Caramels

These are so good! With these ingredients how could they not be?

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  

Grease a 12x15 inch pan.

In a medium-size pot, combine sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, evaporated milk, whipping cream, and butter. Monitor the heat of the mixture with a candy thermometer while stirring. When the thermometer reaches 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) remove the pot from the heat.

Stir in vanilla. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and let the mixture cool completely. When cooled cut the Carmel into small squares and wrap them in wax paper for storage [I didn't do this. It was late, and I was lazy :)].

Link

Green beans with Tomato vinaigrette

This is a great way to use green beans, especially ones fresh from the garden!

• 1 can diced tomatoes


• 2 shallots, chopped


• 2 small cloves garlic, minced


• ¾ cup olive oil


• 1-2 T. tarragon vinegar


• salt, to taste


• pepper, to taste


• fresh basil


• Steamed green beans

Directions: Mix all the ingredients except for the green beans into a saucepan and boil. Steam green beans and put in serving dish. Pour tomato vinaigrette over.
We use onions instead of shallots which tastes just fine.