Kentucky Pecan Pie

I have no clue why this pie has this name, but I've been baking it for close to 30years.. I'll be telling my age, almost, if I tell you as a teenager I won blue ribbons in our county fair for these pies. I make them this time of year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. One of my daughters asked me why I only made them around this time of year.. I said I wasn't sure, but I guess they are soo special I keep them for special occasions.

Kentucky Pecan Pie

1 cup White Corn Syrup
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed is best)
1/2 tsp Salt (slightly less if you are using salted butter)
1 tsp Vanilla (the good stuff if possible)
3 Whole Eggs, Slightly Beaten
1/3 Cup Melted Butter
1 heaping cup Pecan Pieces
handful Pecan Halves

COMBINE - Syrup, Sugar, Salt, Butter and Vanilla. Mix Well

ADD - Slightly Beaten Eggs. Mix Well

STIR IN - Pecan Pieces. Mix Well

Pour into 9 Inch Deep Dish unbaked Pie Shell

Place firm becan halves on to in a pattern

Bake at 350F for approx 45min (until firm but not too brown on the top)

Cool Well (Filling will firm up more as it cools)

Variations on that theme - .. Over the years I've done different things.. but only with the Pecans. Currently I've been chopping the pecan pieces a little more and just putting them into the pie shell and pouring the mixture over top of those and letting things settle as it will.

Usually I make a nice ring patter around the whole pie from outside in. I've made 4 in the last 2 days and only 1 had the full ring. The others I either just added more pieces onto the top, or made an outer ring with pieces in the middle.

Also. I usually make 2 pies at once. It's easier to use the whole 16oz countainer of Syrup than to store the other 8oz. Same goes for a 16 oz box of Brown Sugar. So for many years now I've never made just one pie at a time. You just have to be carefull, mix well and alternate between shells to that it's even in both. The baking time takes a little longer, but at 45 minutes I usually place a square piece of foil over top of the pie's so the pecans to burn.

One of my brothers added chocolate chips to his recipe mix and said it came out great, but I haven't tried that yet. It's already sweet and tasty enough.

Enjoy.

Red Lobster copycat Chedder Bay Biscuits - My Version

Really Really Great. We go to Red Lobster several times during our trips to NC and always leave with a big bag of these biscuits. I've found several recipes on the net and have come up with this one on my own.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Like Red Lobster's®Garlic and cheddar make a flavorful addition to basic drop biscuits.

Serves: 8 Prep. Time: 0:15min or less

2 cups Bisquick baking mix (or any other brand)
2/3 cup milk - low fat is what I use
1/2 cup shredded sharp chedder cheese (I used the Cabot white sharp)
1/4 cup butter OR margarine - melted
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
parsley flakes - optional

Combine Bisquick, milk, and cheddar and beat with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds.

Spoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake in 450 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes.

Combine butter and garlic powder and pour over hot biscuits; sprinkle with parsley.

I've learned that Red Lobster uses special backing mixes and other items which make there version taste so good.. but these are pretty darn close.

Smoked Fish

Ok.. now I didn't actually do this one. My brother in laws did this at a Pig Roast the family had last Sunday.

Here is the picture of the pig

Pig was started around 8am Sunday Morning.. no clue what they marinated this thing in.. but the outcome was good.

and here's the picture of the fish After the pig came off the spit, my brother in laws (who had cut this king fish into steaks) then wove this wore or string through the back bone pieces and hung this fish up to smoke.. I don't think they put any seasonings on it, just the smoke from the wood in the pit.

Turned out very good, but took a while to do. Can't even begin to tell you how to do this.

Good luck if you try it at home.

What a last 2 weeks

ok, so I haven't written in a while. Been Very busy with the St. Gabriel's School Fair.. and mostly dinner over the last 2 weeks has been Chefette (our version of fast food.. it's chicken mainly.. and better than KFC)

When I actually start cooking again, I'll add more things.. in the meantime, you can contact me via these posts and tell me what you would like me to add..

Garlic Parmesan Olives

The recipe below is a great Olive Recipe. I made this one day before a PTA Board Meeting and WOWOWOW'd those in attendence.. even the lady who owns a really great restaurant.. said she was going to make if for a dinner party a few weeks ago. Haven't asked the out come but I really like these.

also, I've tweak the recipe.. this is the original

Garlic Parmesan Olives
Submitted by: Jake Bryan - AllRecipes.com
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
Yields: 7 servings

"Marinated olives--with a decidedly Italian flavor--are chilled for one hour prior to serving."

INGREDIENTS:
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff, not the green bottle shaky stuff) I used the bagged already shredded up cheese and then chopped it even more)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, combine olives, garlic, basil, and black pepper. Stir in the olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Stir well and chill, covered for at least one hour before serving.

I usually double or triple this recipe.. and I usually add less cheese and a little more basil and black peppter.. Do this several time and add or subtract the seasonings as needed..

Total wonderful.

White Bread Recipe

Ok.. My adoring fans want the recipe.. sorry for the delay..

White Bread
2 fl oz (65 ml) lukewarm water
1 tbsp active dried yeast
2 tbsp sugar
16 fl oz (450 ml) lukewarm milk
1 oz (30 g) butter or margarine, at room temp.(I used real butter from New Zealand)
1 lb 14oz - 2 lbs (850-900 g) strong flour (not sure what strong flour is, but I used regular all purpose flour - strong flour might be bread flour)

1. Combine the water, yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar in a measuring jug and let stand for 15 minutes until the mixture is frothy.

2. Pour the milk into a large bowl. Add the remaining sugar, the butter or margarine, and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture.

3. Stir in the flour, 5 oz (140 g) at a time, until a stiff dough is obtained. Alternatively, use a food processor.

4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. To knead, push the dough away from you with the palm of your hand, then fold it towards you, and push it away again. Repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic.

5. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with a plastic bag, and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 2-3 hours.

6. Grease 2 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 cm) tins.

7. Punch down the risen dough with your fist and divide in half. Form into a loaf shape and place in the tins, seam-side down. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in volumne, about 45 minutes.

8. Preheat a 375F /190C/gas 5 oven

9. Bake until firm and brown, 45-50 minutes. Turn out and tap the bottom of a loaf: if it sounds hollow the loaf is done. If necessary, return to the oven and bake a few minutes more. Let cool on a rack.

Recipe from Flipcook Baking - Carole Clements.

White Bread - Done

Well if I may say so myself.. it turned out pretty darn good. When I got home, Marva, my handy dandy trusty housekeeper, baby sitter, all around wonderful person had tasted an end to one of the loafs.. I had to call and see what she thought. "Real Good" she said "now just waiting to see how mine turn out". "What!!" I said.. " you wrote down the recipe". "Nope!. Got it all in my head".

This morning she told me she ended up with 3 loaves (not sure how she did that, unless it was 3 small loaf pans, and she was down to 1 loaf already. We had a good laugh and now we have to decide what we will be cooking this week.

I'll type out the recipe shortly..

White Bread

Well I was always told that white bread was bad for you.. put a little water on it and it made paste.. so can you imagine what it does in your stomach??

Anyway.. I'm experimeting.. (Like I have tons of time do to that). And Today I'm making a white bread loaf. (out of the same cookbook from which I got the French Bread recipe). I will check back in once it's done and let you know how it went. Right now I'm into 45min of it's raising.. with at least another hour and 15 to go (at least) sooo we shall see...

Annie Laurie's Cold Oven Pound Cake

Here is my mother's signature pound cake. All who knew and loved her can tell you that this was the ultimate in pound cake, and let me tell you, when you got one as a gift, you recieved the tops in gift giving.

My best memory of one of these cakes was when my 2 sisters and my best friend traveled to Maine (where I was living at the time) one early October, and carried a pound cake with them on the plane so that my twin sister and I could celebrate our birthday. As mom couldn't be there, she sent the next best thing. It, as always, was wonderful.

Enjoy

Annie Laurie's Cold Oven Pound Cake

3 sticks (1.5 cups) butter
3 cups sugar
6 eggs (Cold)
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup whole milk (VERY Cold)
1 teaspoon vanila extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

*eggs & milk should be cold right out of the refrigerator (not room temperature)

1. Prepare large tube pan by either spraying with bakers spray (and wiping gently with a paper towel to remove excess) or greasing with soft butter & dusting with flour. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar together.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Beat in flour, one cup at a time, alternating with milk.
5. Add vanilla extract and almond extract.
6. Beat on medium-high to high speed of hand mixer for two minutes, scrapping down sides of bowl.
7. Carefully pour batter evenly into tube pan – use all that is in the bowl (a rubber spatula will help).
8. Place on middle rack in COLD oven and bake at 275F. for 2 hours.
9. Check it towards the end in case your oven cooks fast or slow.
10. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cake rack on the counter for about four minutes.
11. Run a dinner knife around the middle and edges.
12. Turn cake out onto dinner plate and then upright onto a cake plate.
13. Let the cake cool before cutting – best to use a serrated knife, at least while cake is somewhat warm.

Serving Suggestions:
Annie Laurie’s Cold Oven Pound Cake is great just as it is or with chocolate ice cream on top or with strawberries & whipped cream or with fudge icing dripping down the sides… Try it with warm cooked apples, a bit of cinnamon & apple syrup. It can be frozen & thawed to serve later and is perfect to give as a gift for a job well done!

French Bread

I haven't made bread in many years. But I was flipping through this cookbook I have on Sunday evening and saw this really easy French Bread Recipe. So, in between doing dishes and cleaning the house on Monday, I decided to try it and see what happens..

Well I'm here to tell you.. very easy, tasted great. I hope I can reproduce the same results again in the near future..

Here is the Recipe.

Makes 2 loaves

1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast (I used 1 package)

16 fl oz lukewarm water

1 tbsp salt

1 lb 14oz - 2 lb 8oz plain flour

semolina (corn meal) or flour for sprinkling.

1. Combine the yeast and water, stir, and leave for 15minutes to dissolve. Stir in Salt

2. Add the flour, 5 oz at a time. Beat in with a wooden spoon, adding just enough flour to obtain a smooth dough. Alternateively, use an electric mixer with a dough hook. ( I started out beating it by hand, but ended up using my electric mixer, worked much better)

3. Tranfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

4. Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl and cover with a plastic bag. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volumn (2-4 hours). (well I had to go out and ended up leaving mine for about 5 hours in total time)

5. Transfer to a lighlty floured board and shape into 2 long loaves. Place on a baking sheet sprinkled with semolina or flour and let rise for 5 minutes.

6. Score the tops in several places with a very sharp knife. Brush with water and place in a cold oven. Set a pan of boailing water on the bottom of the oven and set the oven to 400F. Bake until crusty and golden, about 40min. Cool on a rack.

Those Zucchini Fritters

Well I tried the fritters at lunch today.. Too much Zucchini (but I was making it for more than 2 people) and I didn't do my measurements correctly. (which is a problem I have when cooking .. I don't always use the exact measurements, except in Baking).

They turned at good, but I think I used too much cheese, and made to many of them.. Also, didn't have Self Rising flour, so used the substitue version (added Baking powder and salt to regular flour).

The hubby and oldest daughter enjoyed them, as did I.. I'll try them again, but with a better what on my measurements.

LunchBox Recipes - HELP!!!

My big thing is that I have 3 children all who need lunchboxes for school. I need recipes for lunchboxes.. and the thing is, my children aren't big veggie eaters, or fruit eaters.. Ok an apple here and there, Broccoli done a certain way with dinner, no problem, but not in the lunch box.

So.. please send me info via the comments section to suggestion possible lunchbox recipes. I'll post them for the world to see (if you want me to).

Really looking forward to it. By the way.. We live on a hot island, many items not available (most, but not some), so be resonable when posting.

Thanks for the help

Courgette Fritters - BBCGoodFood.com

Saw this recipe in a friends Magazine and thought that it looked really good and really easy.. so I'll report back when I've made it to go with lunch tomorrow.



INGREDIENTS
2 medium courgettes, grated
2 tbsp self-raising flour
25g parmesan, finely grated
1 tbsp olive oil
170g tub roasted red pepper houmous, to serve



In a bowl, combine the grated courgette, flour and parmesan. Shape into walnut-size balls, then flatten.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Fry the fritters for 2-3 mins on each side until golden brown. Serve straight away with red pepper houmous.

It starts with just one post.

I'm sitting here this evening having seen a friends cooking magazine this morning and I decided I need a place, not just my computer, to put all those great recipes that I like into one place. My own little on the web cookbook. Well I'm not the first and I'm sure I'm not the last. I hope I don't get into trouble reposting some of this info, but I'm sure if I do, someone will let me know.

Feel free to chime in with other great recipes you would like me to add, or suggestions on how we can make this better.