Mama's Hot Water Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain corn meal
• 1 Tablespoon of sugar
• 1 pint of boiling water
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Stir the corn meal and sugar together.
2. Add the boiling water and mix well.
3. Let the dough rest by chilling in the refrigerator for twenty minutes or longer.
4. Pat out a small patty made of a heaping tablespoon of dough.
5. Pour oil into a skillet until it is about a quarter-inch deep and heat.
6. Gently lay each patty into the hot oil and fry till a crust forms around the edge. Turn the patty over and continue frying until each patty is golden and crisp on the outside.
7. Lift patties out one at a time and drain on a paper towel.

This is delicious with beans, soup, chili, and more!

Deviled or Dressed Eggs

 

Ingredients:

• Eggs
• 3/4 cup of Miracle Whip
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Yellow Mustard
• 3 Tablespoons of Sweet Pickle Relish
• Paprika and/or chopped Parsley

Instructions:

• Boil the eggs. HERE is a great guide!
• After the eggs are cooled and peeled, slice into halves and dump out the yolk into a medium bowl.

• Break up the yolks with a fork.

• Add Miracle Whip, Mustard, and Relish to yolks and mix well. (Mixture should be sort of like a soft pudding texture.)

• Transfer yolk mixture to a piping tube. (I use my Pampered Chef Cookie Press.)
• Pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves.

• Chill till ready to serve.
• Sprinkle with Paprika and/or chopped Parsley to garnish and serve.

Ranch Pasta Salad

 

Ingredients:

• 16 ounce box of Rotini Pasta
• 15 ounces of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 14 ounce can of corn, drained
• 1 cup of diced tomatoes 
• 1 bunch of green onions, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 16 ounce container of sour cream
• 1 package of dry ranch dressing mix
• 2 Tablespoons of lime juice
• 1 cup crumbled corn tortilla chips or Doritos

Instructions:

• Cook Rotini to al dente and rinse with cold water.
• In a medium bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, dressing mix, and lime juice and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine Rotini, black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and cheese.
• Add dressing mixture to Rotini mixture and chill until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, top with chips.

Notes:

• For a taco flavor, add 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning.
• Can make a one-dish meal by adding cooked, shredded chicken or browned ground beef.

Happy Thanksgiving 2020!

 

Grilled Chicken

We love the flavor of chicken cooked on the grill.  My husband has a pellet grill and that gives this chicken a really moist and delicious flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup + 1 shot of Jack Daniels Whiskey
1/2 cup Kosher Salt
1 splash of orange juice or lemon juice
2 sprigs of Rosemary
1 cup of apple juice (I have substituted cranberry juice or water.)
1 large package of chicken thighs or breasts (We have used boneless, skinless as well as bone-in and skin-on.)
1/2 stick of melted butter
3-4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

• In a gallon zip bag or plastic container, mix together 1 cup of Whiskey, salt, juices, and Rosemary to make a brine
• Add chicken to brine and let sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature or as long as overnight in fridge
• Lift chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towel
• Optional: rub with any kind of spice rub you prefer
• Mix butter and Worcestershire together and paint about half onto chicken
• Place on grill, painted side toward the heat
• Paint remaining butter mix
• Close grill and drink the extra shot of whiskey
• Cook for 5-7 minutes
• Turn chicken pieces over and cook for 5-7 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees
• Remove from grill and let rest about 5 minutes if you can resist

Leftovers are great!  I often cut into bite-sized pieces and eat over a salad or add to rice or a tortilla with veggies for a wrap.

Shrimp Tacos

This is a recipe that I adapted after eating with my daughter-in-law, Jessica, and it is a family favorite!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp (I've used fresh or frozen)
3 Tablespoons taco seasoning
3-4 Tablespoons butter
4 cups bagged. shredded slaw mix
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2-4 Tablespoons mayo (depending on how sloppy you like your slaw)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tablespoons guacamole or sour cream
1/2 cup chopped, green onions
6 flour tortillas
Salsa

Instructions:

• Mix together slaw mix, sugar, 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning, mayo, and vinegar to make coleslaw and refrigerate till ready to serve
• Chop shrimp into bite-sized pieces
• Melt butter in a non-stick skillet
• Drop shrimp and green onions into melted butter and stir to coat the pieces
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning onto shrimp and stir to coat
• Cook shrimp just until the liquid is cooked away and a little color/crust is formed on places

To serve:

• Layer flour tortilla, slaw, shrimp and onions, cheese, salsa, and guacamole or sour cream
• Fold tortilla and eat like a traditional taco or add another layer and eat with a fork
• We've also been known to add other taco ingredients such as sliced, black olives and tomatoes and chopped peppers

Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 4 chicken breasts)
salt and pepper
1 cup of minute rice
1 package of onion soup mix
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups of water

Directions:

• Spray a two-quart casserole dish with vegetable spray and arrange chicken in it.
• Salt and pepper chicken.
• Pour uncooked rice over chicken.

• Sprinkle onion soup mix atop the chicken and rice.

• Mix mushroom soup with water.

• Pour soup/water mixture over chicken and rice.

• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for one hour and fifteen minutes or until rice is tender.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Calories: 470, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 148mg, Sodium: 791mg, Potassium: 978mg, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 54g, Vitamin A: 1.4%, Vitamin C: 3.3%, Calcium: 3%, Iron: 9.5%

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)