I developed a recipe that tastes like Cracker Barrel's Cornbread....

 ~Warning~ ***these cornbread muffins are Not figure-friendly by any means....maybe Cracker Barrel Restaurants' cornbread muffins are less fat than mine.  lol  
ps  These are great for a "treat" once in a while.


I love Cracker Barrel Restaurant and everything about the place.
I think that they make the best cornbread around.
So, I developed a recipe that comes mighty close to tasting just
like theirs.

Here is the recipe:

TAMAR'S ORIGINAL RECIPE: CRACKER BARREL CORNBREAD

1 C. White, plain cornmeal
1 C. yellow, plain cornmeal
1/2 C. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
Mix all. Then add:

1 egg
1 1/2 C. buttermilk
3 T. butter, melted
3 T. shortening
1/8 C. oil
Mix well.

Heat 1/8 C. oil in a black cast
iron skillet, til smokin' hot.
Pour mixture into hot oil .
Bake 400 degrees 25-30 minutes til
it cracks.
Enjoy !

I could never find a more delicious recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole than this one...

I love Traditions; well, some traditions. I love
baking and cooking and roasting all kinds of wonderful
foods for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter.

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful Holiday.
Don't get me wrong, we are always thankful,all day, each
and everyday for all that God does for us, but,there's
something so wonderful about knowing that people all
over this nation and even around the world, are giving
thanks and sharing a feast together with some of the ones
they love,even if it's not with their immediate family.
(I know that there are families that don't get along
with one another and some wouldn't get together at all
if it were not for this holiday (and two other wonderful
holidays),but,I'd like to think that some are taking
advantage of the opportunity to reconcile during this
holiday while they still can.)

One very special Thanksgiving. a friend from church
made this Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Praline
Topping and it was so delicious that I passed up all
the cakes and pies just to have a second serving of it.
As with every Thanksgiving, we ate til we were stuffed
and we thought about and prayed for all the starving
children in India and felt guilty for eating such a
marvelous and enormous amount of food, but everything
was so delicious, but, that dish deserved a standing
ovation.

It is a true Tradition in our home for Thanksgiving
and Christmas, and sometimes Easter. It's the cream cheese
that makes it different and makes it so fabulous.
I will share the recipe with you...

THE BEST SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE EVER


4 large fresh Sweet Potatoes,peeled and cubed
1/4 C. pure lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
water

Boil til tender. Drain.
Mash, using a mixer.

Add:
1 8-oz. bar cream cheese
2 C. sugar
1 bar real butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 eggs
pinch o'salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
5 oz. can Pet Evaporated milk

Mix all with and electric mixer. . Spread in a lightly buttered 13 x 9 Pyrex Baking Dish .

Topping:

1/2 C. flour
1 bar real butter
2 C. brown sugar '
2 C. pecans, finely chpd.

Mix all and sprinkle on top of the sweet potato mixture.

Bake 350 degrees for til set. approximately 30-45 mins.

I am sure that you will love this recipe.
Let me know what you think.
I pray that you and your family are blessed this Thanksgiving!

BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Best Blueberry Muffins
America's Test Kitchen is a cooking show on PBS television.
They test and perfect each and every recipe that they publish.
Just copy and paste this link and click the eggs and breakfast category on the left side of the screen.
http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/

MOM'S CAJUN CORN SOUP with BEEF

On cold Winter days, my Mom used to make this soup with fresh frozen
corn that she and Daddy and I had shucked, cleaned and cut off of the cob
during the Summer.
Mom always make 2 cuts(or passes)on the cob;kinda like you would for
creamed corn. It wasn't whole corn kernels.
Canned, store-bought corn would never do. This soup has a distinct flavor
from the fresh corn. I love this soup and I crave it. I like to douse my
bowl of soup with about 10-12 hard shakes of Louisiana Red Hot Sauce to
kick-it-up a few notches. I like to drink ice cold milk when I eat this
soup; it relieves my mouth from the burn of hot sauce.
Ha.
No kidding. I am so looking forward to Autumn.

Mom's Cajun Corn and Beef Soup

Look for meaty soup bones in the meat market. The are also referred to
as marrow bones. Also purchase a small beef roast or stew meat already
cut up.
Season well with Tony Chacherie's Creole Seasoning and garlic powder.
Boil in a large pot of water, about 1-1 1/2 gallons.
Dice 2 large onion and 1 large bellpepper and add to the pot.
Add salt,pepper and my favorite, Tony Chacherie's Creole Seasoning to
the water.
Turn the temp. down to about med.-low and let cook for about 30 minutes.
Peel and cut potatoes into 1" cubes and add to the pot along with peeled
and cut carrots into 1" pieces. I use about 6 or more large potatoes and
about 6-8 large carrots.

MY TIP...you can use small new-potatoes and just cut the
peelings off around the middle, leaving the peelings on at both ends.

Add 1 small can of tomato paste.
Stir well.
Let cook for about 20 minutes on Medium High.
Add the equivalent of about 1 regular ziploc bag of fresh cut corn;maybe
about 6 or more large ears of corn. The amount of corn you add is up to
you. It adds to the flavor of the soup.
When potatoes are tender,taste the soup and add more seasoning if needed.
I like to cut the meat into smaller pieces at this point.

MY TIP...this soup gets better after it sits in the frige
overnight or in the freezer. I remove potatoes before freezing;they don't
freeze too well.
ENJOY!
Tamar   

ERIC'S chicken cream cheese hors d'oeuvres

My Neice's husband,whom I call my Nephew-in-law, created fabulous "hors d'oeuvres"
cooked on the grill,for us when we had dinner at their home. We ate so many that we were almost full before dinner was ready. Eric could win a contest with these little gems. I have not been able to forget about them since that day.

ERIC'S CHICKEN CREAM CHEESE hors d'oeuvres

lg. boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3 sections
cream cheese, cut into stips (1"x2"x1/4" thick)
pickled jalapeno peppers, cut into strips 1/3" wide
bacon stips, cut in half
toothpicks to secure the bacon

cut the chicken, season well.
cut the cream cheese into thin long stips
cut the jalapenos into stips
cut the bacon stips

place 1 cream cheese and one jalapeno stip on
each piece of chicken, them wrap the short strips
of bacon around each and secure with 2 toothpicks

Cook on the grill,turning to grill on all sides.

It is so fabulous. 

AUNT LOIS' AMAZING BREAD PUDDING with PECAN PRALINE SAUCE

I love my Aunt Lois'. I have been close to her since my birth. She is just
so sweet and loveable and so very hospitable. I try to visit her in South
Louisiana, every year when I make mu annual trip. You'd love her too, if you ever met her. She is an amaxing cook. Like my precious Mother who is now in Heaven,about whom this phrase was said,Aunt Lois,I believe,also,"Could take an Old Shoe and cook it and make it taste good and make a fabulous gravy with it.

Aunt Lois' is Famous for her bread pudding with pecan praline sauce on top.

AUNT LOIS uses hamburger buns because they give the bread pudding
so much flavor. She toasts them in the oven til golden brown.
This recipe is so amazing. I suggest making it for a church dinner
or for a group of friends, because it is hard to resist going back
for seconds when you make it, and it'd be better to have plenty
people to share it with.

AUNT LOIS' BREAD PUDDING

8 whole lg. hamburger buns, toasted until golden , then broken up
6 eggs
2 c sugar
1 lg. can evaporated milk (not condensed)
4 reg. milk
1 bar butter, melted
1 pint pears(fresh canned) with the juice (you can use canned figs,peaches or you can add raisins if you like.
(Aunt Lois' used just her canned pears.)
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Bake 350 or 375 Degrees 35-45 mins.


PRALINE ICING

1 lg. can evap. milk
1 c sugar
1 bar butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 c chpd. toasted pecans

Cook 15 mins til hard ball stage . Remove from heat and stir in toasted pecans .

MY TIP...if you heat the butter and add the sugar and heat it til it starts to dissolve, then, add the evap. milk and cook it til it start to thicken, about 15 minutes,until it reaches the Hard Ball stage...it will go alot faster than putting it all in at once and stirring for an hour.....because the sugar reaches
a high temperature sooner.

You add the pecans at this point.

Pour the thickened Praline Sauce over the Bread Pudding.

Serve warm.
O.M.G.
Please let me know what you think about this work of art.

Baking Christmas Cookies with friends is so much fun.

This is a Tradition that I love; baking Christmas Cookies and sharing them with others. My best friend, Tracy and I and our daughters, get together to bake Christmas
cookies and it is so much fun. We cut out sugar cookies and bake them and and decorate them. Then, we eat some. Tracy and I enjoy doing lots of things together;
like sewing,baking, canning,watching new and old ones,crafts, and so on and so forth.
I am so ready for Autumn and Winter. I am over this heat. I am praying for Cool weather. Can you tell?
My favorite cookies are Snowball Cookies (my Mom used to make them every Christmas since my birth;
she's in Heaven now, so I bake them in her honor and memory.),





and Chocolate Chunk Pecan cookies,












Oatmeal Raisin cookies, Butter cookies,and Sugar Cookies using Snowflake cookie cutters.



MOM'S SNOWBALL COOKIES
(also known as Russian Tea Cakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies)

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
additional powdered sugar

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until fully mixed. Add flour with salt to creamed mixture, blend throughly. Add nuts and mix well. Chill dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400F. Shape into 1-inch balls and bake 8-10 minutes. Do not brown. Cool, then roll in powdered sugar.

Do not over bake or they will be crumbly and break
when you try to remove them from the cookie sheet.

I hope you have fond memories of Traditions made
with your Mom and Dad .
Make some memories today with your family.









Children love Traditions, husbands do to .
It gives us something to look forward to and
something to reminisce about.
Do something "sweet" for them today.

Enjoy.
Please share your Traditions and fond Holiday
memories with me.

How about a slice of Hummingbird Cake and a cup of Coffee? and maybe a good movie like "Pride and Prejudice"?

Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting




It is one of my favorite cakes and it goes so well with coffee.  .

For the Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, well drained

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups chopped firm ripe banana

.

Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together into mixing bowl several times. Add eggs and salad oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple and 1 cup pecans. Stir in the bananas. Spoon the batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes,or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 pounds confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Combine cream cheese and butter; cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Frost the tops of all 3 layers, stack and then frost sides. Sprinkle top evenly with the 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans.

I am sure you will like this cake.
Plan a "ladies night" with your best friends and try this recipe.

FRAPPUCINO'S ARE REALLY EASY TO MAKE....

Have you ever had a "Frappuchino"? I love them. They are really expensive if you buy them at the coffee houses or fast food restaurants, but,you can make them so easily and at a fraction of the cost of what you'd pay for one at a specialty coffee shoppe.


FRAPPUCHINOS
Brew a pot of very strong,dark roast coffee,then
remove the filter holder to a bowl and pour brewed coffee back through the grinds once or twice more. Pour the extra strong coffee into a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator to chill.

1 cup Coffee Ice Cream or Chocolate Ice Cream
1 cup Strong Brewed Coffee, chilled
6 T. Chocolate Syrup
2 cups Crushed Ice
6 T. sugar
1 cup whole milk

Whipped Cream (heavy cream whipped with the mixer til thickened)for topping
Cinnamon to sprinkle on whipped cream
Chocolate syrup for drizzling

Crush ice in blender, add other ingredients and blend till smooth and creamy.
This makes approximately 38-40 oz. or (5) 8 oz. servings.
Pour into tall glasses and top with whipped cream, sprinkle with cinnamon and
finally, drizzle chocolate syrup on top or shave a little bit of chocolate on top.
It is out of this world.
Enjoy.

Recycle, Reuse, and Repurpose...

I am a recycler, although I don't bag up my recyclables.
I recycle gallon jugs that canola oil comes in and large
mayonnaise jars; I pour used oil in them. This saves my
pipes from getting clogged by grease.
I also save large juice bottles (gallon size) and fill
them with water to water my potted plants on the front porch.

I purchased some green onions at the store with fabulous roots on
them and just cut the ends off about 1/2 inch from the base
and planted them in a pot, watered them and by the next morning,
they had already grown.

When making my own laundry detergent,I found that I did not have
a funnel large enough for the task,so I recycled a milk jug. I
simply washed it out,cut off the bottom 1/4 of the jug below
the handle and I use the handle to hold the "funnel" in place
pouring the solution through it.

This past week, I recycled 2 white cotton sheets that I
purchased at a second-hand store for $1 each.

With the first one, I made a knee lenght white crisp
cotton night gown, and with the second sheet, which was
for a full size bed, I made a short white night gown with
eyelet lace trim on the top.
I made them without a pattern and without pinning anything.
I was amazed.

Yesterday,I made a pale pink tank top from a beautiful cotton sheet that I purchased at the Goodwill for $1.99. I didn't even have a pattern for this tank top either. I actually made 2 tank tops. So, it comes to $1 each and there is material left over.
Cotton is so comfy and breathable. The weather has been so hot lately and I have to
be cool and comfy in order to be able to go to sleep.

PS I purchased another blue and white tiny checked woven-cotton curtain and made 24 more dinner napkins; I also use these as dish towels. It got me to thinkin'...It'e be alot cheaper to buy a "woven-cotton curtain" or a tablecloth and make your own dishtowels, rather than to purchase some at the store already made.

I LOVE TO COLLECT SNOWMEN, SNOWFLAKES, AND S'MORES MUGS

This is my beautiful Snowman cookie jar that I bought at the Dollar General .

These are my favorite mugs.
I look for them at every Goodwill and 2nd hand store I go to. I bouught the 1st 2 in a package at WAlmart years ago for $10, then I found the next 2 at the Goodwill for $.99 each. While on vacation in N.C., I bought the next 2 for $.59 each , and finally, at the thrift store in Tuscaloosa, I bought the last two for $.39 each. They are all different. Some are standing on a milk chocolate base, some on dark chocolate, and some are drinking hot cocoa.

Do you have any ideas for meals....

that include protein and a complex carbohydrate and other vegetables?
Please share them with me.
I made a triple batch of a meal that I saw on the TV news at noon, called
"Hoppin' John", by Mr. Food . Some of you may not have heard of him. It was
when I lived in Florida.
The recipe is so simple and fast, but it tastes so good. It actually tastes
like it's a cajun dish.....
Below is a close-up view of a bowl of Hoppin' John....

HOPPIN' JOHN



it's also on the back of the can of Bush's Field Peas with Snaps
DO NOT drain the can of tomatoes and the can field peas

2/3-1 ground meat, seasoned, browned, drained
1 medium onion, minced, sauted with the ground meat
1 can of seasoned or mild stewed tomatoes (I like the hot one by Rotel)
1 can Bush's Field Peas wi/ Snaps( not the lil red ones; it's the
Pink-eyed Purple Hull Field Peas

Brown the beef and onion, add the others. Simmer for 20-30 minutes and you are
done. This dish is typically served over rice, but I have been eating it as a Soup
instead. It cuts back on the carbs.
PS This dish freezes very well.
I hope you like it as much as I do.

SOME PEOPLE CAN'T SEE THE POTENTIAL IN WHAT THEY THROW AWAY...

I found these rocking chairs on the curb, laying on their side,in
a very nice neighborhood.
I plan to paint them; one will be Robins' Egg Blue and the
other will be a Medium Yellow .
They are solid oak rocking chairs and are very sturdy.
I will takes pictures of the finished product and post it later.


When the weather is cool, Ashley and I like to sit on the porch in our rocking chairs and talk and just watch the cars go by.

I picked up an end table on the side of the road in the country.
It needed some small shanks for the screws to be able to catch onto .
I'll add pics later. 

I Love Marinated Steaks cooked on the grill...

Steaks are my all time, no.1 Favorite food .
I really enjoy a great tasting Ribeye Steak ,but my absolute favorite is Filet Mignon. I put the bacon strip on after I am finished marinating the steaks, before grilling them.

New York Strip Steaks are wonderful and flavorful, tho not quite as tender , in my opinion.But, I still love them.

Sirloin Steaks are tender and delicious also.

My Steak Marinade :
I poke holes in the steaks using a fork, then I season with
Tony Chacheries' seasoning
Granulated Garlic
Garlic Powder
Liquid Smoke (a few squirts)
Lower Sodium Soy Sauce (about 3 squirts per side on each of the steaks)
Worcestershire Sauce (about 2 squirts per side on each of the steaks)
Olive Oil (a good dousing on both sides of each steak)
***I got this marinade from my Sister and Borther-in-Law; they are the King
and Queen of Steak Grilling.***





TIPS: You can grill a couple of extra steaks to slice and make Fajitas with or place upon your salad .

Tuscaloosa's Thrift Store off of McFarland is Amazing....

and it benefits the local shelters. That makes it doubly wonderful.

We stopped in, to look for a toy to put in a baby turtles basin(later we will
get a small aquarium), so that this little turtle, which will be a year old on
October 15, can climb on to get out of the water. He is a red-eared slider . I had found him on the middle of the road in Ville Platte,La. and he still had his "egg-tooth" attached. This is used to crack open the shell so they can get out , and then it falls off.
This past June, I found a female red-eared slider near Ville Platte and we gave it to my daughters' best friend, who had asked us to look for one for her.
Anyway, I found two toys for the turtles; Noah's ark(s)....one for him (Jack Boudreaux) and one for the female (Juni)or Juniper.
Then, I just had to look around....I found a beautiful tea pot for $10,

and two really great laptop cases for 49 cents and one for $2.85.
Oh, and I found 2 "S'MORES Snowman Mugs" to add to my collection for 49 cents each.

I love thrift stores.
We will be stopping there to shop for bargains everytime we pass through on our way to La. and also at the "Old Timey General Store" in Mississippi that I had mentioned in an earlier blog. . I guarantee.

ORANGE ALMOND CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

                                                        
My dear Momma was a caterer. She and her best friend were fabulous cooks. They used to make Orange Almond Punch for celebrations such as Wedding Receptions, Graduation parties,Baby Showers, Retirement parties, etc. It was so delicious that I developed a cake to taste like it . I will share the recipes for both; the cake today and the punch another day.
                                     In Loving Memory of My Mom, Dorothy LeBleu Landreneau.... 
                        
                                                      ORANGE ALMOND CAKE 
1 box Betty Crocker "Butter Recipe Cake Mix,(dry mix)but follow these instructions:
add:
1 bar real butter,room tempurature
2 teaspoons Pure Almond Extract
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 Tablespoon orange zest, or more if desired
1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix(just dump-in the dry mix)
3 large eggs

Mix all, in the order given. Add eggs last and only beat on medium
speed, just until they are incorporated. Don't overbeat.
Bake in a greased and floured Bundt cake pan, approximately 38 mins.
on 350 degrees.
Let cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes,then,cover with a cake plate
and flip gently. Let cool completely.
Frost with cream cheese frosting. Recipe follows.
***I will share the recipe for the Orange Almond Punch later .
Enjoy.


CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1 bar real butter, room temperature
1 bar cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
Mix all and refrigerate til firm enough to frost with.

ORANGE ALMOND PUNCH

MOM’S ORANGE ALMOND PUNCH 
In Loving Memory of my Mom, Dorothy LeBleu Landreneau ,
               
 I promised this recipe and here it is.  
You will love this punch. I guarantee! 
 
recipe makes enough for 2 punch bowls

3 CUPS SUGAR
2 CUPS WATER
COOK UNTIL SUGAR DISSOLVES AND
THICKENS SLIGHTLY.

ADD :
2 REGULAR BOXES LEMON JELLO
STIR UNTIL MIXED WELL. LET COOL.

ADD :
(1)12 oz. CAN FROZEN ORANGE JUICE
CONCENTRATE
(1)12 oz. CAN FROZEN LEMONADE
CONCENTRATE
(1) LARGE 46oz. CAN PINEAPPLE JUICE
MIX WELL. CHILL OVERNIGHT.
ALSO CHILL :
(3)2-LITER BOTTLES OF GINGER ALE
PURE ALMOND EXTRACT

WHEN READY TO SERVE , MIX ½ THE MIXTURE
AND 1 ½ BOTTLES GINGER ALE AND 1 ½ -2
TABLESPOONS PURE ALMOND EXTRACT PER
PUNCH BOWL.

I like to freeze some extra pineapple juice
in 2 Bundt Cake Pans to use as ice rings for each bowlful of punch.
You can place pineapple rings, lemon slices or orange slices in the
pineapple juice after you position the bundt pan in the freezer.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.
It is so refreshing.
Tamar

NOT ALL GOODWILL STORES ARE ALIKE...

I recently went on vacation at Carolina Beach, N.C. and had a blast. During the middle of the week, it stormed, so we went to Wilmington which was only 10 miles away,to the 2nd Hand Stores and Goodwill Stores. We were so amazed at how nice and big the Goodwill building was and how extremely clean and unbelievably organized everything was. The prices were so fabulous and so was the merchandise.

I purchased an old trunk for $5.
We use it as a coffee table. The cats love to lay down on it.


Baby clothes was $.59 per outfit. I bought some "S'mores Mugs"(which I collect)for
$.99 each, and a cute tin snowman for $.99.

At the store,"Vintage Values", I bought a "Baby George Foreman Rotisserie" for only $7.00. (It works well.) Totally amazing!

I also bought several spoons and forks that are very similar to my set and each piece only cost $.10. It helps to have extras.
I purchased a beautiful green and white plate for $.99 to hang on my plate rack.
The picture on the plate is a scene in England, with 2 ol' gent's walking thru town together.

I bought a "sea Turtle mood ring" for $3.00 and a very pretty necklace for Ashley for only $5.00, and two pairs of really nice flip flops for only $1.00 per pair. I also got Ashley a really cute beach cover-up for $7.00.

I brought ribeyes to marinate and grill on our vacation,so,one week before leaving for Vacation, I went to the 2nd hand store and purchased 12 nice steak knives for $.25 each and was well pleased because they didn't have any good steak knives in the condo. I gave all the steak knives to my friend because we grill steaks at their home and they don't have enough for all of us(anywhere from 12-16 in all).

ps I brought my homemade dinner napkins and it was a big hit....we saved a good bit on paper towels .
example:

FOND MEMORIES AT THE CAMP....

My sister Jan, and my brother-n-law Tom, have a Camp on a lake . We spent the weekend there and my sis made a pot of "Taco Soup" during one of our annual trips to visit family,relatives and old friends.

The fireplace had a roaring fire going while we wathced tv together,then played a couple of rounds of "Hand and Foot" (a card game).
The Soup was delicious and even my picky-eater, Ashley said that she loved it.
Here is the recipe for that soup.
I hope you and your family enjoy it.

TACO SOUP

1 can corn, undrained
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 pkg HVR salad dressing mix
1 can Rotel tomatoes 1 ½ lbs ground beef
2 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, undrained
3 cans water

Saute ground beef; drain off fat.
Add rest of ingredients, and simmer at least 1 hour.
Adjust seasonings, adding a little cumin and/or chili powder to taste, if desired.

**Can add chipotle pepper and little adobo sauce or a roasted poblano pepper to taste
Serve with tortilla strips or corn chips,sour cream,cheese and yellow or green onion.

Tamar

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A BOWL OF HEARTY BEEF STEW!

I used to cook lunch for our small church school and I developed this recipe for Beef Stew which everyone loved. I serve it over rice with hot, buttered cornbread . 


BEEF STEW
1 3-5 lb. beef Shoulder Roast, seasoned
TONY CHACHERIE'S CREOLE SEASONING
GARLIC POWDER
OIL for searing the roast
Season Roast and brown on all sides over high heat in a heavy Magnalite Pot,
then, reduce heat to low and pour 1-2 cups water around the roast.
Add:
2 envelopes of LIPTON BEEFY ONION dry soup mix
Sprinkle over the roast.
1 very large Onion, chopped fine
Spread chopped onion over the roast
Let simmer for 2-3 hours on low.
Remove roast to a platter, trim any fat and cut meat into large chunks and refrigerate overnite.
Remove fat from pot after chilling overnight and discard.
Cut meat into bite size pieces and add 2 more cups of water and cook on Med. High.
Add:
2-3 envelopes of Brown Gravy Mix and
1 cup cold water
Stir until dissolved.
Add to the pot and stir while adding.
Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes and carrots, as many as desired,and boil until almost tender.
***Parboiling the potatoes and carrots in another pot cuts down on the gassiness
of the potatoes.***
Drain vegetables after parboi;ing and add to the pot of beef.
Boil the stew on high, stirring constantly,until thickened.
Serve over rice.
Serve with cornbread.
***The Beef Stew will taste even better after refrigerating it for one or two days before serving it.***
Enjoy!
Tamar

THE MOST DELICIOUS CHICKEN SOUP I HAVE EVER HAD!

I first tasted this wonderful chicken noodle soup at a Soup and Chili luncheon at our church last year. It was so delicious that I chose to skip dessert to have 2nds, after I made sure that everyone had eaten all they wanted.
It is called Mama Mandolas' Chicken Soup.

MAMA MANDOLAS' CHICKEN SOUP (like Carabas' Restaurant)
Ingredients:
5 celery ribs
4 medium carrots, peeled
1 large yellow onion
2 medium potatoes, peeled
1 large green bell pepper
1 can (14-ounce size) imported Italian plum tomatoes
1 (5-pound size) hen, washed and cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 quarts water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
(the soup I tasted had several shakes of Louisiana Red Hot Sauce in it,but,it wasn't enough to make the soup "hot".)

Dice celery, carrots, onion, potatoes and bell pepper into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop tomatoes; reserve all juice. Place vegetables, tomatoes with their juice, chicken pieces, parsley and garlic in a 10-quart stockpot. Add water. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly bring soup to a boil over low heat. Skim off foam that rises to the surface; may have to skim 2 or 3 times. Partially cover pot and simmer 2 hours. When soup is finished, remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon. Let cool.

Meanwhile, mash a little bit of the vegetables**(if you desire the soup to be a little bit thicker) in the bottom of the pot with the back side of a large cooking spoon or a potato masher. When chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove skin and bones and chop into bite-size pieces, then return meat to soup.
Enjoy!


Notes: Soup is best served the day after it is made. Refrigerate and remove fat that solidifies on the surface of the soup. Serve soup with rice or small, stubby pasta such as Farfale(mini bowties),pastina or tubetti. For better flavor,pratially cook the rice or pasta,drain well,then finish cooking the rice or pasta in the soup when reheating. You may need to add a little bit of chicken broth or chicken bouillion cubes to sustain the flavor of the soup. Add freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, if desired.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Carrabba's "Mama Mandola's Chicken Soup" serves/makes 1 .5 gallons

********You can add corn and sweet peas,and maybe even short-cut green beans,and small white navy beans just to increase the volume.********
You will enjoy this soup.
Tamar   

MOM'S CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Every Christmas,my family got so excited when Mom would make her fabulous Mahogany Cake. It tastes great on the 1st day, but,as it sits, it gets more and more delicious.

It is not overly sweet,not overly chocolately, but it is so delicious. It does not need Icing. It has cherries and cherry juice in it. I love any dessert that has cherries and cherry juice in it.

We ate the cake "A'la mode"; with a scoop of Vanilla or French Vanilla Ice Cream.

I have never met anyone who had ever heard of Mahogany Cake. My Sweet Momma is in Heaven now and I want to pass on her legacy to my Daughter and I pray that she will pass it on to her children and to her childrens' children.

MAHOGANY CHOCOLATE CAKE
4 CUPS OF SUGAR
4 CUP FLOUR
1 CUP COCOA
1 CUP BUTTERMILK
4 EGGS
2 TSP. VANILLA
1 CUP OIL
1 CUP OF BOILING WATER
2 TSP. BAKING SODA
1 TSP. SALT
2 JARS OF CHERRIES AND JUICE
1 TSP. OF CINNAMON
Mix all ingredients in a "Magnalite pot" and bake at 300* until a wooden
skewer inserted in the center, comes out clean.
Let cool in the pot and serve it from the pot.
I know you will enjoy this cake.
Tamar

ORANGE ALMOND CAKE with CREAM CHEESE ICING

My dear Momma was a caterer. She and her best friend were fabulous cooks.  They used to make Orange Almond Punch for celebrations such as Wedding Receptions, Graduation parties,Baby Showers, Retirement parties, etc. It was so delicious that I developed a cake to taste like it . I will share the recipes for both; the cake today and the punch another day....
                                In Loving Memory of My Mom, Dorothy LeBleu Landreneau....                           
                                          
                                                                

                                                   Sorry, I only have a picture of a layer cake.

Tamar's  ORIGINAL RECIPE:  ORANGE ALMOND CAKE
1 box Betty Crocker "Butter Recipe Cake Mix,(dry mix)but follow these instructions:
add:
1 bar real butter,room temperature
2 teaspoons Pure Almond Extract
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 Tablespoon orange zest, or more if desired
1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix(just dump-in the dry mix)
3 large eggs

Mix all, in the order given. Add eggs last and only beat on medium
speed, just until they are incorporated. Don't over beat.
Bake in a greased and floured Bundt cake pan, approximately 38 mins.
on 350 degrees.
Let cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes,then,cover with a cake plate
and flip gently. Let cool completely.
Frost with cream cheese frosting. Recipe follows.

***I will share the recipe for the Orange Almond Punch later .
~Enjoy~  Check my blog for the Orange Almond Punch recipe....


CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1 bar real butter, room temperature
1 bar cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
**orange zest is optional in the frosting.
I added 1 Tablespoon of it to the frosting.
Mix all and refrigerate til firm enough to frost with.

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SAVE $ ON PAPER TOWELS

Are you hungry? I cooked some fried chicken and curly fries in my deep fryer and we have some sweet tea....

I am always trying to find more ways to stretch my dollars and to save money. Here is
one way that I save from using paper towels .... I use brown paper bags from the market, to drain anything that I fry :
FRIED CHICKEN
FRENCH FRIES
ONION RINGS
BATTERED VEGETABLES such as: FRIED MUSHROOMS,ZUCCHINI,GREEN TOMATOES,YELLOW SQUASH
BACON

SAUSAGE
When I'm done, I just fold it up in half, then again and it holds all the crumbs and I put it into the garbage bag and am free of any greasy mess.
TAMAR

MY VERY OWN APPLE CINNAMON PECAN CAKE RECIPE

I adore Autumn and the colors of the trees here in East Tenn.and I love apples (which are an Autumn fruit). I live the whole year waiting for the 1st sign of Autumn. I love all the spectacular colors of the leaves and the cool crisp feeling in the air that is so invigorating. It is so beautiful here. It puts me in the mood to bake pies and cakes and to cook great big pots of beef stew and cornbread. I developed a recipe for cornbread that tastes almost identical to "Cracker Barrel's" cornbread. I'll share it on another day. I have made a list of my Favorite Recipes that I intend to share on this blog. I have 19 or 20 ; the Best of the Absolute Best of my collection; my most Praised and most Requested recipes.


Today, I am sharing my :

APPLE CINNAMON PECAN CAKE

1 Betty Crocker butter recipe yellow cake mix,
Mix according to pkg. directions,
FOLD IN:
1 large red delicious apple, chopped
2 Tablespoons cinnamon(yes, I put 2 Tablespoons of cinn., NOT teaspoons):
***nobody has ever complained that it was too delicious***
1 box of vanilla instant pudding (dry)
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup chpd. Pecans

Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan.
Bake as directied on the pkg. .
***I bake it for 38 minutes on 350 degrees and check it
with a toothpick.

I like to frost this cake with the Traditional Cream Cheese Icing
or a Praline (prah-leen) Icing. I will share the recipe for the Praline Icing
in another blog.
A pic with the Cream Cheese Icing:


I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Tamar 

LIFE IS JUST SO BUSY...

Life seems to be getting busier and busier as time goes on. So much to take care of, to do, so much to remember, not to mention trying to keep up with appointments and meetings and grocery shopping, and cleaning and cooking and, well, that's more than enough.

I started writing myself notes a long time ago, to help me kind of keep it all straight. I purchased a hard cover notebook with an elastic strap attached, at the Dollar Tree. I just love the Dollar Tree. I write grocery lists in my note pad that I take with me everywhere,I even categorize my lists according Which store has what I need on sale and the sale price;
I.E. : Food City, IGA, Ingles, Dollar General,Walmart

I also list any appointments coming up, such as Doctors appointments., dental appointments and any meetings I have to remember.

Another way that I keep up with things is that I keep a "stash" of items we use regularly, that you can't afford to run out of such as :
toilet paper,toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo,feminine products and soap, etc.

I put away 1 roll of toilet paper so that when we get to what we think is the last roll, that is my cue to go to the store,but, I have one roll hidden in the cabinet.
When the toothpaste tube is about 3/4 of the way gone, I put it in the cabinet and take out a new one. I do the same with feminine products, shampoo and conditioner and deodorant and soap. When possible, I buy in bulk when the items are on sale.

It may sound strange, but then, I have always been a strange kind of person and this works great for me. Try it.
Tamar

A DOLLAR SAVED IS A DOLLAR EARNED

It used to be a penny, but, it's up to a dollar now.
My dear, sweet friend Tracy told me that she makes her own laundry detergent and gave me the Recipe. Before I could get the 3 items needed to make it, my dear, sweet friend Kimberlynn told me that she makes her own laundry detergent too and the method she found on the blogs adds water and makes it into a Gel.
Kim said that she has been making her own detergent for over a year and she prefers the Gel to the powder. She said that the gel dissolves better whenever she had to use cold water to wash some of her laundry.
It resembles lemon curd dessert. Just stir it up with the 1/2 cup laundry scoop every time you use it.



I made some and was quite pleased as soon as I poured the mixture into the detergent bucket I had saved. It had already begun to gel. One batch filled the 32lb. bucket 1/2 way, so I hurried and made another batch and stirred it all together. I washed a load with 1/2 cup of detergent and it did great.

Altogether, I think it cost me $7.oo for the supplies, however, I only used a very small portion of the Box of Borax and a small portion of the box of Washing Soda.
So,I think I do believe what they say that, it costs about 1 cent per load to do laundry when you make your own detergent.

Recipe For Laundry Detergent

large pot for heating water
2/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated
6 cups water
then,
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda, not baking soda.
then,
4 more cups hot water
stir.
then,
1 gallon plus 4 cups of Cold water
stir.


You combine the grated soap with 6 cups of water and heat on Med. til grated soap melts.
Add Washing Soda and Borax and stir til dissolved.

Meanwhile, heat 4 cups water in the microwave.

Pour the 6 cups hot water/soap mixture into the bucket along with the 4 cups from the microwave, into the bucket and stir.

Now add 1 gallon of cold water plus 6 cups cold water into the bucket and stir.
****you can add 1 oz. of scented essential oil fragrant to the mixture at this point, if desired.

Let soap sit for 24 hours, with lid snapped-on tightly on bucket to gel.
ps I marked the date on the bucket to see how long this gel will last. It is a whole lot cheaper than the bucket of detergent that I bought at Sams' Club.

****You can substiture Ivory Soap or Castile Soap for the Fels Naptha Soap.
All three of the items mentioned can be found at your local grocery store, on the detergent and soap aisles.

UPDATE: I have been using this homemade laundry soap for almost 3 months and I am very well pleased with it. MAY 5-JULY 23.
Tamar

The Most Delicious Chocolate Cake from a mix

Chocolate is my friend. It just takes you away to a magical land of happiness.
Ha! Just kidding. I'm usually happy without the aid of chocolate, but, it doesn't hurt.

God dreamed up chocolate for us women. We need it when those crazy cravings rear their ugly heads and nothing else will do. I have tried other candies and it is a useless waste of my money, my time, my energy, my gasoline, not to mention all those empty calories. Dark chocolate has antioxidants that fight cancer. How great is that?

My favorite and most loved by everyone, and most homemade tasting cake from a mix,  is Hersheys',Betty Crocker  "Butter Recipe Chocolate " cake mix; with pudding .
 I make the Hersheys' (magnificent) chocolate frosting from the back of the can.*** See the recipe at the end of this entry....( contact Betty and tell her to bring back that flavor cake mix .http://customerservicenumbers.com/listing.aspx?id=general-mills  and copy and paste the title of the cake mix  listed above when you click on the above mentioned link, leave a comment.

~Side note~
My favorite cake pan is the bundt, but, I also make the 9" round sometimes, too.
***

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Special note~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 This is my baby.  I love her so much.  This is my Gift from God.  I had burned up e hand mixers and 1 stand mixer, because I bake for people alot.  I prayed for 6 or more months, that God would bless someone so much that they could buy me this one.....My Sister, Jan, had no idea that I even needed a newer mixer, but, she called me and said that God told her to bless me with this for Christmas, 3 years ago...She told me to go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond....and that they were expecting me.  A nice lady gave me a coupon , and Kitchen Aid had it on sale, with a rebate....OMG. I got my socks blessed off .  I love my red mixer. She is so strong and good.  I love the free attachments I was able to get with the rebates.  I can slice potatoes thinly for potato chips, grate cheese in a flash....knead bread dough, gently mix up biscuit dough...and I now have a meat grinder and sausage stuffer......I plan to make some homemade "Boudin" ; it's a French type of sausage stuffed with ground pork, cooked rice, chpd. yellow onions, cut green onions and lots of tasty seasonings. 

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Insider tip~
You know how the cakes on the commercials always are taller than in real life, after using the mix....and forget using a tub of their icing to frost a 2 layer cake. It'd have to be a very small cake, to be able to cove it and have had an adequate amount of frosting to use between the layers. On the commercials, they use more than one box of cake mix and they make the layers thicker plus, they slather on the icing and you know that, from looking at the circumference of their cake, 1 tub of frosting would only cover one layer of their cake.

I once watched a documentary on "How" they fool the eye ( they, meaning the ad. agencies that create the  illusions ) when making commercials and they do things to make you feel like you have to have a piece of cake or a bowl of cereal, or some fruit or vegetables.....or a burger.....you get the idea.
It's called lust.

They increase the height and portion of the slice of cake, they spray oil, not water, on the veggies, they wax and polish the fruit, they use good old Elmers'  glue instead of milk, when shooting a scene or picture  of cereal and milk..."That way", they said, "the cereal doesn't get soggy and sink and the "milk" looks so rich and so white. For burger commercials, and steakhouse commercials, they use larger portions of meat than what you would actually get and they spray oil on it just before they shoot the commercial or picture. They said that " it is meant to make your mouth water"  and it does make it water.
 ***

~ My Secret ~
To the Betty Crocker  Hershey's "Butter Recipe Chocolate " cake mix, I always add 2 teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract and 1 regular size box of chocolate pudding, without increasing any  of the other ingredients listed and my cakes rise tall and bake up super moist and delicious. I adore my chocolate cake, but, I can only eat 1 or 2 pieces in a week, so I always send someone home with the remainder of the cake if there is any cake left. They are always happy and I am too because I don't have to waste a divine chocolate cake.
 I could freeze individual slices but, that would be too tempting, just knowing that it is as close as my freezer and as easy to thaw as just taking it out of my freezer.  

***

                                           .

~TIP~
***Tap the cake pan on the counter to release any air bubbles.

~TIP~
***I let my cake "rest" in the bundt pan for 10-20 minutes, then, I place a cake plate over it
      and flip it......Then, let it cool completely.   The hot cake has too much steam that needs to be released
      or the cake will be too heavy and collapse because of it.      If you don't let it cool completely, you will           experience one or both of these problems:  the cake will break and collapse and the frosting will melt  if        it  is  the least bit warm.  Trust me on this one.... I speak from experience .

   Here is the Hersheys' Fudge Icing   recipe:

                                                     1 bar butter, melted, but, not hot!
                                                     2/3 cup of cocoa
                                                     Mix well, til smooth and creamy.
                                                     Measure:
                                                     3 cups powdered sugar
                                                     1/3 cup Pet Evaporated Milk

                                                     Gradually add sugar and milk in 3rds,
                                                      alternating each of them.
                                                      Beat til smooth.
                                                      Add 1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract**
                                                      Beat to incorporate.
~SECRET~
***I always use 2 teaspoons***
I love Vanilla.
After the cake has cooled, frost it

~TIP~
***If you get the butter too hot and add the cocoa
too soon, it will seize up on you and become
clumpy. You can salvage it by adding all of your
milk and beating it a long time to make it creamy.

PS If this happens, you can just make it into
a "fudge" icing and "pour" it over your cake.
I have done this once or twice and it was
beautiful and tasted great. It just was not
a spreadable icing. ha!

~THOUGHT~
***Make a Chocolate Fudge Cake wi/Homemade Fudge
Icing Today for someone you Love. It will
make them feel special.

ps   I'm sorry that I don't have a pic of the frosted cake , maybe
next time I bake one.  
Tamar