weekend cooking » I'd Rather Be At The Beach

Cookbook Review:
Fix It And Forget It Slow Cooker by Phyllis Good

Sep 212019

Fix-It And Forget-It Slow Cooker Champion Recipes: 450 of the Very Best! - By: Phyllis Good

Fix It And Forget It Slow Cooker by Phyllis Good

Format: Loose-leaf 3 Ring Binder | 604 pages
Publication date: 19 Apr 2016
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Imprint: GOOD BOOKS

450 of the best slow cooker recipes from the New York Times bestselling Fix-It and Forget-it series!

Here are the best-loved slow cooker recipes all in one place. These are the champs. These are the ones that surprise you—because you didn’t realize you were cooking when you made them. Because everyone at the table wants more! You can cook with these easy-to-follow, quick-to-prepare taste-stunners. If you already know you can cook, allow yourself to be surprised by the layers of flavors you can make in your slow cooker when you handle it well.

You can trust these recipes because they are:
Collected from some of America’s best home cooks
Tested in real-life settings
Carefully selected from thousands of recipes

Thoughts
As I’ve said many times on this blog, I LOVE my slow cooker. I thought it had bit the dust so my son bought me an Instant Pot which I love, but he also looked at my SC and it was a simple fix (yea!!!) so now I can use both of them.

When I saw this beautiful hardcover spiral bound cookbook I had to buy it.

This book is big and heavy and shiny and I love it! I’ve already marked a lot of recipes to try like

Herb Roasted Chicken

Bavarian Beef

There are photos throughout the book and most of the recipes have only a few ingredients and just a few steps.

I can’t wait to start cooking from this cookbook!

Weekend Cooking

Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Chicken

recipes, Slow Cooker, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Sep 142019

Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Chicken
Serves 6

1/2 cup Root Beer
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Prepared Yellow Mustard
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger
2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into 2 – 3 inch cubes

In a medium mixing bowl mix together all of the ingredients except for the chicken until well combined to create the sauce

Add the cut up chicken to a gallon zippered storage bag

Pour the sauce over the chicken in the storage bag and gently massage the chicken into the sauce & zip the bag closed

Allow the chicken to marinate overnight in the refrigerator

Pour the ingredients into a 6 – 7 quart slow cooker

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours

Serve on buns or rolls (gluten-free if you are on a GF diet) as sandwiches

You can click on the link to the recipe for how to freeze/cook this

Thoughts
This is so quick and easy to get ready for the fridge, and tastes really good. The only things I did different was that I used Costco Rotisserie Chicken Breast Meat instead of chicken breasts which made it much easier than cutting the chicken into cubes. I also used my 8 qt. slow cooker instead of a 6 – 7 qt.

I also didn’t serve on buns, I ate a scoop of it on a plate and ate it with a baked potato.

It was very good but since the flavor wasn’t quite as bold as I like, when I make it again I’ll double the sauce ingredients. The recipe says it makes 6 servings but for us it was a lot more than that. The two of us ate it twice and there was still enough for another two meals. The next time I’ll put half in a separate baggie and put it in the freezer to make later, and I plan on using the Slow Cooker program on my Instant Pot.

Weekend Cooking

Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Instant Pot Baby Lima Beans And Ham

Instant Pot, recipes, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Aug 312019

I found this recipe at The Blond Cook

So, I finally used my Instant Pot and I LOVE IT! So easy and quick. It only took 25 min. to cook once it came up to pressure.

1 pound dry baby lima beans
4 cups cubed, chopped or shredded fully cooked ham
1–1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
Optional: fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Rinse and sort beans in a colander, removing and discarding any debris

Place beans and remaining ingredients (except parsley) in the insert of your Instant Pot and stir well to combine

Place the lid on and lock, steam release knob should be set on “sealing”

Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 25 minutes

Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure

Carefully remove lid and stir

Remove and discard bay leaf.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Thoughts
I didn’t follow the instructions 100%. I used chicken bone broth instead of chicken broth and didn’t use the bay leave (I forgot about it even though I stopped at the store specifically to get some), and didn’t use the parsley.

I had baked a ham a few days before so I used the ham bone and cut up a bunch of ham to go in it.

The beans were SO GOOD! Next time I’ll double the recipe because we only got 3 big bowls from them and we like eating them more than one day.

It was easy to store the leftovers in the inner pot that comes with the IP, and I used an Instant Pot Silicone Lid. I love this lid, it’s thick and is a really tight fit.

I’ll definitely be making this recipe again!

Now I need to figure out what to make next!

Weekend Cooking

Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Weekend Cooking:
A New To Me Store Find – Sprouts

weekend cooking

Mar 022019

Last week my daughter, grandson, and granddaughter went to Indian Rocks Beach and then went shopping. One of the stores we went into was new to all of us. Sprouts Farmer Market. Sprouts is a specialty chain offering a range of natural & organic grocery items. My daughter Kilah and I really liked it and hope to go back.

They have a huge selection of nuts/seeds, flour/sugar/salt, beans & fruits/veggies. Also candies, coffee/tea, dairy, and even a butcher shop and more. You can buy the nuts, sugar, beans, coffee etc. in bulk. The store was very clean and well lit and the prices weren’t bad either.

Are there any Sprouts where you live?

Weekend Cooking

Weekend Cooking: A New To Me Pizza

weekend cooking

Jan 112019

For as long as I can remember my favorite food has been pizza. The last few years though, I’ve only liked it from Cici’s, which I love, and a few other restaurants.

The other day my son and I were at Publix and he was getting a frozen pizza. I’ve never really been a fan of frozen pizza, but I thought I’d check them out to see if I could find one that I thought I might like. I saw a brand I’d never seen before that had a few toppings I’ve never seen on a pizza. It was meatless and that’s what I was looking for so I bought one.

Guess what? I loved it! I even loved the crust which is unusual for me. It’s Organic Roasted Vegetable, with Spinach, Red & Yellow Peppers, Broccoli and Zucchini. It was so good that I ate half of it that night. The next night I heated the other half in my toaster oven and it was really crisp and still very good.

I’ve decided to keep one or two in my freezer for when I’m rushed or don’t feel like cooking. Right now in my freezer is the Organic, Tuscan Garden which has Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Red Onions. If you can find this brand, give it a try and let me know what you think.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Doritos Chicken Casserole

recipes, weekend cooking

Jul 072018

Sorry I don’t have a photo to share. I took one but it was too dark and it was late and we were starving so I didn’t take any more. You can click the link below to check out some great photos

Doritos Chicken Casserole

1 bag (10 oz) Doritos Cool Ranch flavored tortilla chips, coarsely crushed (about 6 cups)

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)

1 jar (15 oz) four cheese Alfredo pasta sauce

1 tablespoon Old El Paso original taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

Heat oven to 350°F
Spray 13×9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray
In large bowl, toss Doritos and melted butter until well coated
Sprinkle 4 cups of the Doritos evenly in bottom of casserole
Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese
In large bowl, stir pasta sauce and taco seasoning mix until well blended
Add chicken, tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the cheese; stir until well mixed
Spoon evenly over Doritos in baking dish.
Bake uncovered 30 minutes
Sprinkle with remaining Doritos and remaining 1 cup cheese
Bake about 5 minutes longer or until hot and cheese is melted

I used frozen pulled chicken and couldn’t find that brand of fire roasted tomatoes so I bought a different brand. Other than that I followed the recipe.

This was really quick and easy to make and we loved it! My son even got seconds, so that told me he really liked it. I’ll definitely make this again but I think I’ll make it with ground beef, more taco seasoning, and nacho cheese Doritos and see how we like it that way. Either way, I’m adding this recipe to my dinner rotation.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Easy Chicken & Yellow Rice

recipes, weekend cooking

Jun 232018

Easy Chicken & Yellow Rice
I found this at allrecipes

5 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (16 ounce) package yellow rice
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch poultry seasoning, or to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Bring water and chicken bouillon to a boil in a large skillet

Add chicken breasts and bell pepper; simmer over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes

Remove chicken and pour remaining broth into a 9×13-inch baking dish

Stir rice, plus the included seasoning packet, and olive oil into broth

Arrange chicken breast over rice and season with black pepper and poultry seasoning

Bake in the preheated oven until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 minutes

Fluff rice with a fork before serving

Thoughts
When my kids were growing up I made chicken & yellow rice all the time using leg quarters (I removed the skin, bones, and yuck before adding it to the yellow rice) and it tasted amazing. I stopped eating it when I started eating boneless skinless chicken breasts years ago. The other day out of the blue I got a craving for it so I decided to find a recipe for that used boneless skinless chicken breast and was quick and easy. I wasn’t sure how it would taste without the skin, bones & fat but thought I’d give it a try.

I didn’t use bell pepper but other than that I followed the recipe. We both thought the chicken was too dry but the flavor was good & the yellow rice tasted really good. We had leftovers so the next night I shredded the chicken and put it and the rice in a saucepan. Then I brought a cup of water to boil and added 1/2 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules, stirred well and poured it in the saucepan with the chicken & rice and heated it. This time it was a big hit! So, the next time I make it I’ll use shredded chicken instead of breasts and make it on the stove.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Quick & Easy Mini Pizza

recipes, weekend cooking

Jun 162018

Pizza has always been my favorite food, for as far back as I can remember. Then about 2 years ago I started not liking the taste of the sauce and/or crust, depending on where the pizza was from. Now the only pizza I really like is CiCi’s which is 45 min. away.

The other day when I was at Publix I saw some Mama Mary’s Pizza crusts hanging on an end cap and decided to try them. There were 3 in each pack, 7″ original crusts. I didn’t see any thin crusts which is what I prefer but next time I’ll try to find them. I bought some Boar’s Head Turkey Pepperoni & Ragu Pizza Sauce to top it with. I had some Provolone cheese that I’d bought a few days before in the deli and decided to use it. I had planned on making it one night when my son Anthony wanted pizza, but last night I was on my own for supper so I decided to make one of them.

Brush with olive oil

Spread on pizza sauce

add pepperoni (I like a lot)

and cheese (don’t care if it’s not pretty)

Preheat oven to 450°

Turn oven down to 425°

Bake for 8-10 minutes on pizza pan or oven rack

I baked my pizza on the rack in a toaster oven for 8 min. So did I like it? That would be a big yes. The crust was crispy and golden brown just the way I like it. The sauce had a good flavor, not too spicy or acidic, and of course the provolone added a very nice taste and brought back good memories (I grew up in Ohio where they use Provolone on pizza). Next time I’ll try the thin crust though, less carbs 🙂

YUM!

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Jack’d Up Smoked Meatloaf

recipes, weekend cooking

Jun 092018

Jack’d Up Smoked Meatloaf @ Hey Grill Hey

Servings: 6 people

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 medium red onion grated
2 cloves garlic minced
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons Jack Daniels whiskey
1 Tablespooon homemade steak rub (recipe below) or favorite steak rub
1/4 cup milk
6 oz pepper jack cheese cut into strips

For the sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1 Tablespoon homemade steak rub (recipe below)
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

Homemade Steak Rub
2 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsbp crushed coriander seeds (not ground)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to combine
Press into steaks or use as desired
Store unused rub in an airtight container for several weeks

Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F for indirect smoking. This meatloaf is awesome with hickory or oak wood.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, red onion, garlic, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, Jack Daniels, and milk.

Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Don’t overwork the meat or your meatloaf will be tough and chewy, just gently mix.

Spread half of your meatloaf mixture on the bottom of a grill basket.

Layer on the pepper jack cheese, leaving about an inch of meatloaf on all sides.

Top with the remaining meatloaf mixture and press the edges together to seal completely. Any exposed holes and the cheese will leak out while cooking.

In a small bowl. combine the ingredients for the sauce and then pour over the top of the meatloaf, letting it run down the sides a little bit.

Place the meatloaf on the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 4 hours or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.

Let the meatloaf rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Thoughts
My son found this recipe and said he wanted to try it. I was skeptical because he does NOT like hamburgers or anything with cheese melted inside, or spicy food.

I didn’t follow the recipe 100%. I used less garlic and baked it (350° for an hour) instead of smoking it.

I couldn’t find ground corriander so I had to buy the seeds and crush them myself. And since I don’t drink I got the whiskey from my daughter & son in law who love JD.

The meatloaf turned out really good. I thought it was really spicy but my son loved it. He also didn’t mind the cheese melted inside, so it was a big hit. Since there are only two of us I think if I make it again I’ll half the recipe.

If you like meatloaf and wouldn’t mind it a bit spicy, you should try this.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Johnny Marzetti

recipes, weekend cooking

May 052018

When my kids were little I used to make Johnny Marzetti and they loved it. I haven’t made it in years . The other day my son Anthony said he’d like me to make it again, so I did. I used a different recipe, one that calls for baking it. My old recipe didn’t have you bake it.

Johnny Marzzetti
1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 tablespon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 lb. ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
2- 14 oz. cans tomato sauce
1- 14 oz. can dived tomatoes, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian herbs
Pinch of sugar
2 cups Cheddar cheese
2 cups Italian Blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350°
Bring a large pot of water to boil
Add maccaroni and boil for 7 min. or until almost al dente
Drain pasta and return to the pot, set aside
Heat olive oil in a large skittle over medium heat
Add the onion, bell pepper and saute until soft, about 5 min.
Add the meat and cook unil no longer pink
Drain off fat & season with spices
Simmer for five min., stirring occasionally
Pour the meat in with the noodles, mix well
Add 1 cup of each of the cheese & mix well
Pour mixture into a 13×9 in. casserole dish
Top with remaining cheese
Bake for 30 min. or until cheese is golden brown & melted

Adaptions:
Didn’t use the olive oil, green pepper, mushrooms.
Used ground chuck instead of ground beef
Used 1 can of tomato sauce
Used 1 can of diced & 1 can of stewed tomatoes-didn’t drain
Used 1/4 tsp. garlic poweder instead of 2 cloves

I didn’t follow the directions either. I browned the ground chuck with the onions, drained it and added the spices, then added it to the macaroni, added the cheeses, poured it into the dish and topped with remaining cheese.

I thought this was really really good, but my son said he liked my original recipe more. I plan on eating some more tonight and since there’s just me and my son I’ll be freezing the rest for later. Next time I make Johnny Marzetti I’ll cut the recipe in half.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Spending Time With My Daughter

weekend cooking

Feb 172018

Last Wednesday my daughter Kilah and I went shopping and out to eat. We had no particular restaurant in mind so when we saw one we’d never heard of before we decided to try it. Mesa21 is a Mexican restaurant and we both love Mexican food. Here are some photos of the restaurant and the food we ordered:

This was the appetizer

My Mesa 21 Salad

Kilah’s Tortilla Soup

I ordered a Chicken Tinga taco & a Barbacoa taco

Kilah ordered a Chicken Tinga taco & a Grilled Chicken taco

Both came with rice and beans
It was all really good and we plan on going back

A few hours later we were at Target and when I saw the soft pretzels I had to get one even though it had only been about 3 hours since we had eaten all that food. When I was in grade school I used to go most Saturdays to a mall with my two BFF’s and we’d get one of these every time. I still get one when I see them anywhere. I love them!

Adding this restaurant to my 2018 Bucket List

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Out To Eat & Game Time With Family

family, photos, weekend cooking

Jan 272018

Last weekend my sons Anthony & Jeremy, Jeremy’s wife Susie, and I went out to the Zephyrhills Brewing Company. They had a food truck from Loli’s Mexican Cravings restaurant. By the way, the building the brewing company is in used to be a bank.

There was a live (very loud) band and the room was packed so we sat in a room off the main bar. Much more quiet so we could talk.

Since I don’t drink alcohol, I ordered a non-alcoholic Spruce Beer from the bar, which tasted much better than I thought it would. From the food truck I ordered a Chicken Taco and a Chorizo Taco. Both were very good.

After we finished eating we sat for a while and talked, then went back to Jeremy & Susie’s house and played Monopoly Gamer. I was Donkey Kong.

I love spending time with my kids, and all four of us had a lot of fun!

My Chorizo Taco ~ Yummy!

I told you it used to be a bank

My boy babies, Jeremy on the left, Anthony on the right

I don’t know why I didn’t take more photos. Next time I’ll try to remember.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Cookbook Review:
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come And Get It by Ree Drummond

books read in 2018, cookbook, weekend cooking

Jan 062018

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come And Get It by Ree Drummond

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks; First Edition/First Printing edition (October 24, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 006222526X
ISBN-13: 978-0062225269

Crazy delicious recipes for a crazy busy life from the #1 New York Times bestselling author and Food Network star.

For home cooks, nothing beats spending a long, relaxing day preparing dinner for your family, savoring every flavorful step. But few of us really have the time to do that anymore, with school, sports, work, and appointments keeping us running and pulling us left and right. What busy home cooks REALLY need are FAST, EASY, and DOABLE solutions to solve the challenge of feeding their families quick, easy, wholesome food that tastes great day after day, week after week—without falling into a rut and relying on the same handful of meals.

Ree Drummond transforms taking it easy in the kitchen into an art, giving readers her very best make-it-happen strategies, pulled from her own non-stop life as a devoted wife, mother of four, food lover, and businesswoman. Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes for a Crazy Busy Life includes more than 125 of Ree’s best food solutions for making filling, nutritious meals with minimal fuss, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

With a mix of flavors and dishes that will please everyone, Ree makes it easy to whip up delicious, simple, down-home recipes that go from stove to table in no time!

THOUGHTS
I’m a big fan of Ree Drummond’s books and tv show. She’s a loving wife and mom, has some fantastic recipes, funny, and I love they clothes she wears! So when I saw this book was available at my library I put it on hold. Two days later I had it in my hands.

The contents are:
It’s A Crazy Busy Life
My 20 Favorite Pantry Items
My 15 Favorite Freezer Staples
My 12 Favorite Fridge Staples
My 10 (Okay, 12) Favorite Cuts Of Beef

Then there is:
Breakfasts
Lunches On The GO
Apps and Snacks
Under 40
Under 20
Take Your Time
Sheet Pan Suppers
Meatless Marvels
Sensational Sides
Bread, Baby!
Sweets, Glorious Sweets

Plus:
Acknowledgements, Recipes For All Occasions,Universal Conversion Chart, & Index

There are photos and stories of her, her family & pets, and The Merc. The recipes have photos of each step which I really liked. I do wish the book included the nutritional info for each recipe though. Many of us are restricted on the amount of salt, calories, carbs etc. that we can have each day and that would make it easier to decide whether to try the recipe or not.

Speaking of recipes, a few I want to try are Overnight Muesli, Orang-Vanilla Monkey Bread, Tai Chicken Wraps, Pretzel Coated Fried Goat Cheese, Dinner Nachos. I also want to make many of the Take Your Time (slow cooker), Sheet Pan Suppers and Meatless Marvels recipes.

I love this book so much that I renewed the hold so I could keep it longer, and plan on buying a copy.

If you love Ree, recipes, or cookbooks, check this book out.

Counts toward the following challenge:

Foodies Read
Library Love

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Anastasia’s Best-Ever Baked Beans

recipes, weekend cooking

Dec 022017

Last weekend I needed to make some baked beans for a cookout and wanted to try a new recipe. I found this recipes for Anastasia’s Best-Ever Baked Beans, and thought it sounded good. My son who isn’t a big baked bean lover, loved them. He ate two helpings and then the next night ate the leftovers. I have to say I agree with him, they were really good.

Anastasia’s Best-Ever Baked Beans
5 cans of pork and beans (15 ounce cans)
2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped (yellow or sweet onion, not vidalia)
1 to 2 tablespoons butter (for sauteing onions)
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar (use less for less sweetness)
6 to 8 slices uncooked bacon, each cut in half or thirds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees f. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Saute onions over medium to medium-high heat in butter until onions are tender and translucent.

Mix beans, sauteed onions, ketchup, mustard, molasses and brown sugar until blended well. Pour in prepared baking dish. Top with uncooked bacon in single layer. Bake on middle rack of oven uncovered for 2-3 hours. Beans are ready when the top is dark and caramelized. Serve warm. Enjoy!

TIP
These can also be thrown together and cooked in the slow cooker set on low for 6 to 8 hours as well. It won’t get that nice caramelize top, but it will still be delicious if you’re in a pinch for time. Be sure to saute you onions!

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Book Review
The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty

recipes, weekend cooking

Nov 112017

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty

Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Amistad (August 1, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062379291
ISBN-13: 978-0062379290

A renowned culinary historian offers a fresh perspective on our most divisive cultural issue, race, in this illuminating memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture that traces his ancestry—both black and white—through food, from Africa to America and slavery to freedom.

Southern food is integral to the American culinary tradition, yet the question of who “owns” it is one of the most provocative touch points in our ongoing struggles over race. In this unique memoir, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty takes readers to the white-hot center of this fight, tracing the roots of his own family and the charged politics surrounding the origins of soul food, barbecue, and all Southern cuisine.

From the tobacco and rice farms of colonial times to plantation kitchens and backbreaking cotton fields, Twitty tells his family story through the foods that enabled his ancestors’ survival across three centuries. He sifts through stories, recipes, genetic tests, and historical documents, and travels from Civil War battlefields in Virginia to synagogues in Alabama to Black-owned organic farms in Georgia.

As he takes us through his ancestral culinary history, Twitty suggests that healing may come from embracing the discomfort of the Southern past. Along the way, he reveals a truth that is more than skin deep—the power that food has to bring the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders to the table, where they can discover the real America together.

Thoughts
This is not a true cookbook, it’s also a mix of historical non-fiction, the African Slave experience, how and what the slaves cooked and what they used to cook it. It’s about how the author became so obsessed with food and his need to to learn about his ancesters who were slaves.

The book is funny, sad, thought provoking and at times a tough read. I learned a lot from this book. But the library wanted it back sooner than I wanted to let it go, and so I rushed through it. Because of that I feel the need to re-read it, slowly next time. I want to take my time and enjoy it completely.

I love the photos that were in the book.

Here are the first two things I plan on making from the book:
Kitchen Pepper: Goes in everything in place of just pepper
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground ginger

Mix together and store in a cool place

Mr. Wesley Jones’s Barbecue Mop
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 large yellow or white onion, well chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 pod long red cayenne pepper or 1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp dried basil leaves or 1 tbsp minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp crushed coriander seed
1/4 cup dark brown sugar or 4 tbsp molasses (not blackstrap)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan
Add onion and garlic and saute on medium heat until translucent
Turn heat down slightly and add vinegar, water, and the salt and spices
Allow to cook gently for about thirty minutes to an hour
To be used as a light mop sauce or glaze during the last 15-30 minutes of barbecuing and as a dip for cooked meat.

I highly recommended this book, and I also recommend his blog, Afroculinaria

Weekend Cooking

Cookbook Review:
Eat Like A Gilmore:The Unofficial Cookbook For Fans Of Gilmore Girls by Kristi Carlson

cookbook, weekend cooking

Nov 042017

Eat Like a Gilmore: The Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of Gilmore Girls

Eat Like A Gilmore: The Unofficial Cookbook For Fans Of Gilmore Girls
by Kristi Carlson

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (October 25, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 151071734X
ISBN-13: 978-1510717343

The infamous appetites of the Gilmore Girls are given their due in this fun, unofficial cookbook inspired by the show. Fans will eat up the delicious recipes honoring the chefs who fuel the science-defying metabolisms of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to the scene, author Kristi Carlson invites you to pull up a chair and dig in. Luke’s diner menu, Sookie’s eclectic inn fare, Emily’s fancy Friday Night Dinners, and town favorites are the key influences behind these tempting dishes. One hundred recipes, covering all the bases from appetizers and cocktails to entrées and desserts, invoke key episodes and daily scenes in the Gilmores’ lives.

Prepare yourself for:
Salmon Puffs
Risotto
Pumpkin Pancakes
Rocky Road Cookies
The Birthday Girl Cocktail
And many more!

With beautiful photos, helpful kitchen tips, and fun tidbits about the show, this cookbook is a must-have for any Gilmore Girls fan. Easy-to-follow recipes make it possible to cook and eat your way through Stars Hollow. So don your apron, preheat the oven, and put on your favorite episode. It’s time to eat like a Gilmore!

Thoughts
So many people I know watched and loved Gilmore Girls. I didn’t. Even after all the years since the series ended in 2007, they still gush about it. I kept thinking I’d watch and see what all the hoopla was about and finally decided it was time. So after waiting and waiting for all my shows to come back on, I started GG right before they started. Yea, I know. Anyway…

OH MAH GERSH!

From the first episode, I was hooked! So much so that I didn’t watch anything else until I had watched all 7 seasons, and then I watched the “Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life” and I’m hoping there’s a season two. This series is in my top 3 favorite series ever!

I loved everything about this show. Lorelai , Rory, Luke, Sookie, I loved them all. Well, Jess was iffy but by GG: AYITL I was a fan of him too. I love all the other characters (and boy were some of them characters), the town, and the small town feel.

Anyway, last week I was looking online for Gilmore Girl books and I ran across this cookbook on Amazon. I immediately ordered it.

I love this book. Lorelai and Rory didn’t cook much and so their main meals were from Luke’s Diner, Sookie, or from the Friday night dinners at Lorelai’s parents house.

I love that the recipes have a little background story from the show. There are so many recipes I want to try (I just got the book a few days ago so I haven’t tried any yet) like Banana Fosters French Toast, Roasted Duck In A Chocolate Orange Sauce, Zucchini Soup, Double Chocolate Chip Muffins. Everything sounds good.

I love everything about this book. I recommend it to fans of Gilmore Girls or to anyone who likes to cook, or just likes to collect cookbooks.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Quick & Easy Brunswick Stew

recipes, weekend cooking

Oct 212017

Brunswick Stew from The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking

My husband loved Sonny’s and really loved their Brunswick Stew (not all Sonny’s have it). I never made it at home, but when I saw this quick and easy recipe I decided to make it. I can’t imagine any restaurant making it with just canned ingredients, but I like quick and easy.

Brunswick Stew
2 (15-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans creamed corn
2 (13-ounce) cans chicken
2 (10-ounce) cans BBQ pork
1 (14-ounce) bottle ketchup
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for two to three hour

Serve with Jiffy cornbread or Ritz crackers

Thoughts
Since this was made with canned ingredients my expectations weren’t that high. Plus, it uses a 14 oz. bottle of ketchup. I like ketchup, but…

I was really surprised at how good it was. Even my son Anthony said it was pretty good, and he’s never been a fan of any kind of stew.

It couldn’t have been any easier. Open some cans and measure in some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar. Heat. Voila.

I was going to use my slow cooker but decided at the last minute to make it and it would have taken too long, so I just did it on the stove, and we loved how it turned out. I also used saltine crackers because that’s what I had on hand.

I plan on making this again. Quick, easy, and yummy!

I just wish my husband was still here so he could try it 🙁

Weekend Cooking

Souper Sundays

Weekend Cooking & Saturday Snapshot: Ford’s Garage

family, photos, saturday snapshot, weekend cooking

Sep 022017

The other day my son and I took the day off work because we had business to take care of. Our appointment was in the morning so we decided to do something instead of going straight home. We were trying to decide where to go eat lunch and since we had never been to Ford’s Garage we decided to go there.

I love different, and this restaurant was definitely different. I absolutely loved it!

We both decided to get a burger and since you can choose which patty you want, we both ordered the Kobe beef. We’d never had a Kobe burger and it was the best burger either one of us had ever had, anywhere. You can click on the link above and then click “Food Menu” to see the other burger options.

I couldn’t stop taking photos! It is the most unique restaurants I’ve ever been to. Check it out!

The front door with gas nozzles for handles

Old Timey Gas Pumps, the front outside wall are glass garage doors

There are 3 or 4 old vehicles outside

There are even some inside the restaurant, hanging from the ceiling

The menu is leather

The napkins are grease rags secured by metal clamps

My burger with fries

Anthony’s burger with mac & cheese, served in a mini cast iron skillet

The bathroom door handle was also a gas pump nozzle

The sink was a tire, the faucet a gas pump nozzle

Photo of the water running

Urinals were beer kegs (son took this photo of course)

Don’t you think this is a neat restaurant? We both loved it and we’ll definitely be going back!

Weekend Cooking

Saturday Snapshot

Book Review:
Healthy Five Ingredient Recipes by Hannie P. Scott

weekend cooking

Aug 052017

Healthy Five Ingredient Recipes: Delicious Recipes in 5 Ingredients or Less

Healthy Five Ingredient Recipes by Hannie P. Scott

File Size: 2949 KB
Print Length: 68 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1546720464
Publisher: Hannie P. Publishing (May 15, 2017)
Publication Date: May 15, 2017

Healthy Recipes in 5 Ingredients or Less!
Are you tired of complicated recipes with hard-to-find ingredients? Are you looking for delicious and easy recipes with only a few simple ingredients? Now you and your family can eat healthy meals with simple and delicious five ingredient recipes.

Healthy and wholesome ingredients Easy to understand, step-by-step directions 50 healthy recipes in 5 ingredients or less
Less is more because you will be spending less time shopping and cooking, and more time eating healthy foods with your family!

This cookbook was created out of necessity. I was tired of searching far and wide for ingredients that I would only use once every six months. Who wants to spend all that time and money on complex recipes you will never even cook? That’s what led me to create this cookbook full of step-by-step recipes that are easy to follow and simply prepared. Most importantly, they are healthy and your family will love them. All of the recipes only require 5 ingredients or less!

Check out some of mouth-watering recipes:
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Buffalo Chicken Pieces
Grilled Orange Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Zucchini Fritters
Peanut Butter Energy Bites
White Chicken Chili
Low Carb Broccoli Cheese Soup

Full-Time Mom, Best-Selling Author, and Lover of Food, Hannie P. Scott is a best-selling author that knows a thing or two about cooking! Cooking and experimenting with foods is her life passion. Driven by her desire for cooking for others (and herself), Hannie spends a lot of time in the kitchen. She enjoys sharing her love of food with the world by creating “no-nonsense” recipe books that anyone can use. You can find cooking tips, advice, and recipes on her blog.

FYI: The book is now on sale at Amazon for .99¢

Thoughts
This is one of the best cookbooks I’ve seen in a while. I love that there are only 5 ingredients or less and just a few simple steps.

At the beginning of the book there is a list of abbreviations, conversions, and an introduction.

Then this quote which I love:
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever we are doing and devote our attention to eating”
Lucino Pavorotti

All the recipes sound good, but here are two that I want to start with:

Pineapple Salsa Chicken
Servings: 6

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 16oz. jar of tomato salsa
1 20oz. can of pineapple chunks in 100% juice, juice reserved
3 medium zucchinis, diced

Place chicken in your slow cooker and pour the salsa over them

Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours

Shred the chicken

Add in the pineapple with 3/4 cup of the canned juice and the zucchini

Cook for another 30 minutes

White Chicken Chili
Servings: 4-6

6 cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
2 15oz cans of great northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups salsa verde
1 tbsp ground cumin

Place all of the ingredients in a medium sausepan over medium high heat

Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce heat and simmer for 20 min.

Note: You could also do this in the slow cooker using raw chicken.
Cook for 4-6 hours on low and shred chicken before serving

Thanks to the author for the review copy

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Cookbook Review:
Goldy’s Kitchen Cookbook by Diane Mott Davidson

cookbook, weekend cooking

Jul 082017

Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook: Cooking, Writing, Family, Life

Goldy’s Kitchen Cookbook: Cooking, Writing, Family, Life
by Diane Mott Davidson

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Cookbook (September 22, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062194046
ISBN-13: 978-0062194046

The beloved New York Times bestselling culinary mystery writer delivers a cookbook packed with more than 160 mouthwatering recipes and charming anecdotes about her writing and cooking life.

Diane Mott Davidson is the author of seventeen bestselling mysteries featuring caterer/sleuth Goldy Schulz, a woman who “took the lemon that life had given her and made not just lemonade but Lemon Chicken, Lemon Bars, Lemon Cookies and Lemon Meringue Pie.” Each Goldy novel includes recipes for scrumptious dishes from the adored character’s kitchen. Now, Davidson has collected these treasured recipes and some brand-new dishes in one volume for the first time.

Here are recipes for Appetizers and Soups, Eggs and Cheese, Salads and Starches, Meat, Poultry, and Fish, Breads, Desserts, and finally Low-Carb Recipes (how Davidson lost thirty pounds and kept them off). Most of the dishes came from “playing around with dishes tasted in restaurants.” Others are family favorites, some came from friends, and a few are “happy accidents.” At last, fans can enjoy delicious fare such as Bacon-Wrapped Artichokes with Dijon Cream Sauce, Diamond Lovers’ Hot Crab Dip, Sweethearts’ Swedish Meatballs in Burgundy Sauce, André’s Coq au Vin, Ice-Capped Gingersnaps, Damson-in-Distress Plum Tart, and Dad’s Bread.

Part memoir, part writing manual, part cookbook, Goldy’s Kitchen Cookbook combines the author’s gift for storytelling with her skills in the kitchen. She introduces the recipes with stories about how she came to create them, anecdotes from her experiences as a writer and home cook, and includes her joy at receiving a fan letter from the legendary French Chef herself, Julia Child.

Full of irresistible food, Goldy’s Kitchen Cookbook is a must-have book for Davidson fans, food lovers, and cooks everywhere.

Thoughts
I saw this book posted on someone’s blog, sorry but I can’t remember who it was, and decided to read it. I haven’t read the Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery Series (17 books), but I have a few hardcover copies of some of them and may read them in the future.

The book is full of great sounding recipes, and stories about her life. I enjoyed reading about her life, her books, and learning how she came up with these recipes.

The Contents are:
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Appetizers & Soup or How Do I Look? (And other stories About Food and Appearance)
Eggs and Cheese or My Agent Is Still A Vegetarian
Spuds, Salads, Etc. or My Editor Is Also A Vegtarian
Meat, Poultry, And Fish or The Heart Of The Matter
Breads or This Is Not Your Low-Carb Chapter
Desserts or This Is Not Your Low-Carb Chapter, Either
Enfin! Low-Carb Recipes or How I Lost Tiirty Pounds And Kept It Off
Epilogue
Index

My favorite stories were that her dad eased his stress by baking bread, and about a blizzard her family went through in 2003 where they lost electricity for a week. I could related to that. Although I don’t ever remember losing electricity from a blizzard when I lived in Ohio, we have lost electricity many many times since I’ve moved to Florida. Sometimes from lightening, sometimes from a hurricane. A few times we were without power for a few weeks. It’s not fun!

I’m a steak lover, and it just so happened that the recipe that went along with the blizzard story is Love Me Tender Grilled Steaks from The Whole Enchilade, book 17 in the series. I haven’t made the steaks yet, but I will as soon as I get to town and buy the steaks.

Love Me Tender Grilled Steaks
4 filet mignon steaks (6oz. each,1 1/2 – 2 inches thick & prime grade if possible)
1/4 cup garlic oil
Kosher salt and freshly grownd black pepper

Allow the beef to come to room temperature
Preheat oven to 350° and have meat thermometer ready
Pat steaks on both sides with paper towels until they are thoroughly dry
Heat an ovenproof grill panon the stovetop over high heat
Lay the steaks in the pan and reduce the heat to medium-high
Sprinkle the steaks lightly with salt and pepper
Cook for one minute and turn off heat
Using tongs, flip the steaks and remove the pan from the heat
Insert a meat thermometer into one steak, place the grill pan in the oven
Cook until the thermometer reads 125° (for medium rare)
Remove the pan from the oven & loosely cover the steaks with foil
Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to everyone whether you read her Goldy series or not. There are some very interesting stories and the recipes sound good with not too many ingredients, or time to make them.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

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