White Chocolate Cherry Chunkies

This recipe is a Paula Deen recipe that my mother-in-law makes occasionally. (that's where I stole it from!) We had these cookies last week at our Christmas Cookie exchange. They are super easy to make and DELICIOUS!

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHUNKIES

Here's what you'll need:

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP milk
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup candied cherries (like the ones you put in fruitcake)

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.

In another bowl, combine nuts (optional), cherries, and white chocolate chips. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 11-13 minutes.

ENJOY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

One of my FAVORITE "fall" desserts is Pumpkin Sheet Cake. Listen girls (I do not like pumpkin pie, or anything pumpkin) but THIS cake--oh mercy on my soul!! It's delicious!! I make this for church dinners or Thanksgiving; Christmas or any time in-between! It's great!





Cake:
1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Frosting: (I double this)
1 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
5 TBSP butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3-4 tsp milk (I use evaporated milk)

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar, and oil. Add eggs, mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture; beat until well blended. Pour into greased 15x10x1 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins or until done. For frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Add milk for desired consistency. Frost cake and garnish with nuts (if desired).

ENJOY!!!!!

~CB~

Hamburger Steaks!

We had hamburger steaks one night last week. I’ve never cooked these before, but they turned out rather well, if I say so myself!

I took ground chuck (because we all know that’s the only kind of ground hburg we should be eating!) and mixed in some Worcestershire sauce and some chopped onion. (yes, Annie, you could probably use onion powder if you don’t want to use onions). I added in some salt and pepper too.



Then, I loosely pattied out the burgers onto a piece of foil (hello: who likes cleanup?) and sliced more onions on top of the meat along with some sliced potatoes, adding a touch more salt and pepper.

I closed up the foil pouches, and then baked it for about an hour? Maybe 45 minutes?
Here’s how it looked when it was all nice and done!

It was a quick and easy dinner! I think next time though, I"ll add a few more spices!

~CB~

General Tso Chicken

I'm not one for box food. Really--I usually hate it. I didn't grow up on box food and I certainly try not to make it very often.

This though...gets "two thumbs up"!!


We got this at Sam's and it's GREAT! You should try it! I served ours with white rice and green beans.

~CB~

Chicken Quesadillas!

YUMMY!! My sister-in-law, Nichole, gave me this recipe at the beach!

Cook a whole chicken (or cut it up) in a crock-pot with water and taco seasoning packet (cook it all day). When it's done, pick the skin and bones off/out and put the chicken back in the crock-pot with the seasoned water.


Let it soak another 20 minutes or so....just to give it some more flavor!

Put the meat (which you've shredded by now) on a tortilla with some mexican blend cheese and use one of these bad boys (a quesadilla maker) and you've got a great, quick, semi-healthy supper!
No. This is not burnt. It's how they turn out. Trust me. I don't like burnt food.

Yes, it's a Gator plate...it was one of the boys......just gettin' ready for Saturday!! Go Gators!

I serve my quesadillas with refried beans and sour cream too! Don't forget chips and salsa!

~CB~

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

Thanks y'all for being so patient while I went on vacation and then caught my breath upon my return! Sorry it has taken me so long to post the recipe for Garlic Beef Enchiladas!

Some might know that my heritage is Spanish (Mexican), from my mother's side of the family. Now you know why I get so brown the second I get out in the sun and why all my aunts and uncles have dark skin and dark hair.

This is one of my mama's recipes....I'm sure she "stole" it from some unsuspecting soul years ago, but either way, it's DELICIOUS. I really like that you can make the two mixtures the night before and then pull it from the fridge, assemble the enchiladas, and bake it!

This is the finished product.....looks GOOD, huh? Our family favorite is to eat the enchiladas with Santitas brand tostito chips! They are the BEST chips ever!!! They beat Tostitos brand by a long shot! My suggestion is to make this your "own" recipe by not measuring the chili powder or cumin, etc.....note that cumin is strong, so you don't need a whole lot and once you buy the initial bottle of it, it will go a LONG way.......


Here's the recipe.....with pictures for each part!!

Meat Mixture:

1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. rubbed sage
1 can (14 1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes



Sauce Mixture:

4-6 garlic cloves (I use garlic powder)
1/3 cup margarine
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1-2 tbsp chili powder
1-2 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp salt



2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese (or whatever you desire, the Mexican blend is good too)
10 flour tortillas (7-inch)

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add flour and seasonings; mix well. Stir in tomatoes, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. (or if you're using garlic powder, just melt the butter and stir it in). Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until bubbly. Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings; heat through.

Pour about 1 1/2 cups sauce into an ungreased 13x9 dish. Spread about 1/4 cup beef mixture (or eyeball it like I do) down the center of each tortilla; top with 1-2 tbsp. cheese. Roll up tightly, place seam side down over sauce. Continue until you use the tortillas, etc. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas.

COVER and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
ENJOY!


~CB~

Enchiladas coming soon!

A recipe for Garlic Beef Enchiladas is coming soon! (when I get home from the beach)...stay tuned!

Ribs, Mac N Cheese, and Peas

On Sunday evening, we went to Travis and Cori's house (our good friends) for some good ole' country cookin'! The guys grilled scrumptious ribs while us girls were in the kitchen whipping up some sinful side dishes.

Well. I'll rephrase. The guys were outside grilling the ribs and I cooked the peas inside while Cecil came in and did the homemade macaroni and cheese. Bless Cori's heart, she's as sweet as pecan pie, but she needs a little "help" in the kitchen. Fashion? Check. Cuteness? Check. Home decorator? Check. Cooking expertise? ummm....no. But we love her just the same!

For starters though, I made my "go to" appetizer. Cream cheese with chili and beans on top, then shredded cheddar cheese on top of that. Yum! Serve that with tortilla chips (Santitas brand are the BEST) and you've got an awesome, quick appetizer!



This, however......


turned into this!!!

I love a grilled rib!

And the fattening homemade macaroni and cheese was awesome!

Here's what the final plate looked like!!

Nothing like some good ole' country cooking on a Sunday evenin' with great friends! Thanks Travis and Cori!

~CB~

Corn on the Cob!

Saturday at the river, we had some good corn on the cob (nothin beats fresh corn on the cob!)
and a nice, fresh, crisp, salad---OH YEAH...we had STEAK too, but...in all my excitement over having beef, I forgot a picture of the steak, so enjoy the two pictures of the corn and salad....


Everyone out there know how to do corn on the cob? First, you have to shuck it, then put it in a pot of boiling water, with salt, then boil the corn for about 4 minutes give or take, then put it on your plate with lots of butter and more salt.....mmmmm...doesn't get any better than that!

I think later this week I'll upload a picture of a dessert....hmmm.....any recipes you'd like to have?
I know which recipe of Annie's I want!!

~CB~

Southern Suppertime and Welcome Y'all!

I was inspired early this week to begin a recipe blog. It's quite fitting since I love to cook and bake. Growing up, I never had to cook--my mama did all the cooking in the house. Sure, there were times I helped, but I'll confess, I had NO IDEA what I was doing if I was on my own.

I was sort of "thrown" into cooking actually............(if you read my other blog, Surrounded-By-Boys, you'll know I have all sorts of stories)....here's one now......

My mama passed away when I was 20. Yes, I still lived at home because I was in college at the time and actually enjoyed living at home. (also because even though I had a serious boyfriend, we were not engaged or married so home was my option)

Seriously. Where else could you eat for free, do laundry for free, and have no bills? HOME. Anyhow. My mama did ALL the cooking in our house. My daddy would do Sunday breakfast, but let's face it, mama did the meat and potatoes (and everything in between). She packed my lunch until the day I graduated high school. See what I mean by everything?

Anyhow--when she passed away (southerners hate the word died, it's too permanent, it's much easier to say "passed away" cause that only means they are waiting on the other side!), I was thrown into cooking. Mind you, I didn't cook every night nor did I cook on a regular basis, but I did cook.

To this day, I've never burnt anything (knock on wood). I'm not sayin' that I haven't cooked one or two things that look great in a picture and turn out disgusting, but that's just life, honey.
(hmmm...that might be another blog post) Sidetracked. Sorry.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful husband who is NOT picky at all and will at least try everything I make. Thankfully, (for his sake, not mine) he's only ever said that one thing was disgusting (and I thought so too, so that worked out just fine). He enjoys my cooking and many days, will join me in the kitchen (when it's not watermelon season, soybean season, peanut season, hunting season, football season, you get the picture season) and help. He's a great cook too!

So......all that to say, that this blog won't be updated every day (as if you thought it would?!? ha!) and it probably won't be a spectacular showing. BUT. It means a whole lot to me and I hope you'll join me at least weekly for Southern Suppertime. Welcome Y'all.