Holiday Sweet Potatoes

It is that time of year so I thought I would post this yummy recipe. It is great for Thanksgiving and I serve it as a main dish. It is good and sweet enough to be a dessert! We just had it tonight for dinner. I joked that it was a trial run for Thanksgiving. We had everything but the dressing and cranberries!

Quick And Easy Chocolate Ice Cream Syrup

There have been many times when I have whipped up a batch of this chocolate syrup. Nick, my son-in-law has become a big fan of my ice cream sundaes. When I cannot think of anything quick and chocolate that I want for dessert, I turn to this for fast satisfying results.   I'll give a shout... "Who wants an ice cream sundae?" And usually everyone replys, "ME"! All you need is the vanilla ice cream and some bananas!






Southern Pecan Pie

This is my favorite pecan pie recipe. It is extremely easy to whip up! I truly have a terrible time walking past it if I bake one. I end up being the one to consume most of the pie! It is an excellent choice for the Fall or anytime that you can find good fresh pecans! If you find that your oven is browning the pie more than you like, rotate it half way through the baking time and cover with aluminum foil (make sure you tent the foil so that it is lifted away from the pie filling). You might even try the release (non-stick foil to avoid the filling rising and sticking to your foil tent )

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*Click on the recipe  to view in a larger format and you may print these recipes for your uses.


Strawberry Pie

This is a great summer pie to make when strawberries are fresh and tasty. I always have lots of questions on how to make it when I take it to a cookout with friends and it is the easiest thing to make. My mother came up with the filling recipe instead of the store bought filling and somewhere along the way we decided that it would be good to add cream cheese in the bottom of the pie crust. We all agreed that the cream cheese makes the pie extra yummy!

 *Click your mouse on the recipe to open the larger image for viewing or printing.

Angel Kissed Apple Pecan Cake

In 2005 I came up with this recipe while making cakes to give away as a thank you or gift. Then the next thing I knew I had people asking me to bake fairly often. I don't have a commercial kitchen so I only do that sort of thing as a favor.

Our Family's Seafood Gumbo Recipe

I was born in Mississippi and grew up playing along the bayou. As young children my cousins, siblings and I learned to spear fish, flounder, crab and fish with a pole too. At night we would get our gas lamps ready and head for the beach or the bayou front at low tide and wade through the water to spear a catch. We always kept crab traps out for routine checking during the day from the dock. And when we caught these bayou treasures it meant cleaning and storage or cooking. I think I have known how to clean and prepare a crab since I was about 5 years old. I never enjoyed the fish cleaning process! And I have beheaded thousands of shrimp for cooking or freezing for later use. A nasty job indeed!
We also had several ponds on our family's property, one was our swimming hole and an interesting spot to fish. The water was brackish due to its close proximity to the bayou and a culvert that ran under the road, which allowed the exchange and mixture of waters. We had an interesting mix of both saltwater and fresh water fish. And we were only minutes from the local dock where fresh shrimp and other seafood were sold, not quite a market…but fresh off the boats!
For almost every special occasion year around, we had gumbo at family gatherings. I have fond memories of family gatherings that usually added up to twenty five or more of us in the large dining room that faced the bayou. And all of our meals ended up with someone playing the grand piano. Unfortunately the old family home place was lost in Katrina. But those memories are always as sweet as ever when I begin a big pot of gumbo! I hope that you will enjoy the recipe. LEFT CLICK YOUR MOUSE OVER THE RECIPES AND IT SHOULD ENLARGE FOR PRINTING AND READING PURPOSE.

 

Corn Casserole

This is a newer recipe for our family. Our daughter-in-law Christina started making this in 2006. It has become one of our family's favorites. It is easy to make ahead and great for a large group. You can simply double the ingredients and feed 12 or more. You will need to allow for a little longer cooking time. Sometimes if the sides are browning fast I stir the mixture and smooth it back out in order for the center to cook faster. Left click recipe to view:

Chicken Spaghetti

This is one our family's all time favorite meals. It takes some time to cook down but it is well worth the wait. I also find that using a mini chopper/food processor speeds up the preparation time!

Banana Nut Bread

This is Laura's (our daughter) favorite muffin. When she was pregnant she craved them often!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been baking these cookies for years. My family and friends seem to enjoy them. I started using the parchment paper on my baking sheet for optimal results.  I hope that you will enjoy this recipe too.

Homemade Balsamic Dressing (as good as O'Charley's)

 This was so easy. I enjoy the salad at O'Charley's that has the baby mixed greens,Mandarin oranges, pecans,goat cheese and Craisins in it. You can top it with Chicken and it is a complete meal. I made up my own recipe and I think it is pretty darn close! Now, I can make it at home since we live about 30 miles from an O'Charley's....