I Just Can’t Live Without My Ratatouille Recipe
Forget about the fizz & try this delicious ratatouille recipe, because I just can’t live without it.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, quartered & thinly sliced
- 1 small eggplant, cubed
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 4 large tomatoes, chopped
- 4 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 2 tablespoons parsley
What’s Next:
In a large saucepan- heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic & onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened- about 5 minutes. Add eggplant; stir until coated with oil. Add peppers; stir to combine.
Cover saucepan & cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep vegetables from sticking. Add tomatoes, zucchini & herbs; mix well. Cover and cook over low heat about 15 minutes, or until eggplant is tender but not too soft.
Eat well & Laugh often!
Southern-Cornmeal Crusted Catfish With Crunchy Corn Relish
I was on Recipezaar last night trying to find a good catfish recipe & stumbled upon this goodie from the Catfish Institute. It was delicious. Give her a try tonight.
Ingredients for Crunchy Corn Relish:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob
- 1/4 cup minced red peppers
- 1/4 cup minced green onions
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half
- S & P, to taste
Ingredients for Southern Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish:
- 4 farm-raised catfish fillets
- 1/4 cup buttermilk or nonfat yogurt or plain nonfat yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- S & P, to taste
What’s Next for Crunchy Corn Relish:
In a large skillet- melt butter. Add water and corn; cover and simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in red pepper and cook for 1 additional minute. Add green onion, half-and-half, and salt and pepper to taste.
What’s Next for Southern Cornmeal Crusted Catfish:
Stir together buttermilk or yogurt and hot sauce; brush on catfish and allow to marinate for 10 minutes. Coat catfish lightly with cornmeal and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Melt butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When skillet is hot, sauté catfish about 3 minutes on each side, turning only once, until golden and crisp. Serve with relish.
You now have a true US southern states meal. Enjoy!
Nothing Says Springtime Like Fantastic Fried Green Tomatoes
I can picture it now. The spring bulbs have popped out their flowering heads, the grill is hot & ready for some bourbon salmon & the neighbors are jealous of the wondrous scents carrying themselves from our house to their inquisitive noses. Nothing says springtime like these fantastic fried green tomatoes. Enjoy this delightful recipe.
Ingredients:
- 4 large green tomatoes
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon basil
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Go ahead and slice your tomatoes to about 1/2 inches in thickness. Discard the ends.
In a medium bowl- whisk eggs and milk together.
Place flour onto a plate, set aside.
Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs & seasonings onto another plat, set aside.
Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumb mixture to completely coat.
In a large skillet- pour veggie oil, enough so that you cover about 1/2 inch of pan. Heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan. Be sure to not crowd the tomatoes, try not to have them touching.
When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Pat dry with paper towels.
Spring is in the Air: Fresh Strawberry Fruit Fluff Recipe
Spring is in the air and the pollen too if you ask my dear sniffly husband. Spring means fresh fruits and cool food. That’s why Fresh Strawberry Fruit Fluff is on the menu today. Treat yourself to this tasty treat and feel the warm breezes of summertime just around the corner. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 2, 11 oz cans mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 cup pineapple, chopped
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1 pound small-curd cottage cheese
- 2, 3 oz packages strawberry Jello mix
- 1, 16 oz package Cool Whip, thawed
What’s Next:
In a large bowl- combine the oranges, pineapple & strawberries in a large bowl and mix together with the cottage cheese.
Add the dry strawberry Jello mix and stir until well blended. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping and refrigerate for at least one hour.
And you have yourself one easy, delicious springtime treat!
A Tribute to Dolly Parton Recipes
Well let’s sit down to a meal Dolly Parton style. Go grab you favorite Parton album and come along for a true US southern meal.
Dolly Parton’s Cowboy Beans:
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 medium onions, chopped fine
- 1 small bell pepper, chopped fine
- 2 (16 ounce) cans pork and beans
- 2 cups catsup
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Go ahead and preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.
Brown ground beef, onions, and pepper in a 10-inch skillet. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into baking dish and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture is bubbly.
Dolly Parton’s Five Layer Dinner
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sliced potatoes
- 2 cups extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup onions, sliced
- 2 cups cooked tomatoes
- S & P, to taste
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
Go ahead and preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.
Layer potatoes, beef, onions and tomatoes in a 2-quart casserole. Season each layer with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sliced green peppers. Cover and bake for 2 hours and get ready for yummm.
Dolly Parton’s Peanut Butter Pie:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 2 graham cracker crusts
- 1 large container Cool Whip
- 8 ounces cream cheese
I left the best for last. Beat sugar, peanut butter and cream cheese in medium bowl. Stir in Cool Whip. Pour into crusts & you’re ready to serve. These pies can be frozen.
I hope you enjoyed our little Dolly Parton recipe tribute. Ya’ll come back now.
Cozy Comfort Chicken Shiitake Rice Casserole Recipe
We know all about shiitakes, so let’s add them to a chicken & rice casserole and taste a slice of divine. Enjoy this terrific recipe, sure to please any crowd. For the picky eaters, just tell them that the shiitakes are browned potatoes and the spinach is green apple candy!
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 pd shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded & caps sliced
- 2 bunches fresh spinach, washed, stems removed & chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 8 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups white rice, cooked & hot
- 3 cups chicken breast, cooked & shredded
What’s Next:
Go ahead and preheat your oven to 375 F, or 190 C.
In a large skillet- heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Stir in garlic & shallots, cook for 2 minutes. Add shiitakes and cook about 8 minutes, or until softened.
Add 1 bunch spinach to the skillet, stirring constantly until spinach begins to wilt. Add remaining spinach and cook for a couple more minutes, or until all spinach has taken on a wilting look.
In another large skillet- melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking throughout. Slowly whisk in milk and cook for 5 minutes, or until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
Remove skillet from heat & whisk in Gruyere until smooth. Now whisk in the salt & pepper. Add spinach mix, rice & chicken. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9 casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes covered with aluminum foil.
Enjoy this quite frankly, delicious dish and let it help you get through the rest of the week in tasty comfort.
Sweet Southern Potato Casserole Recipe
I thought we’d delve into the world of casseroles this Wednesday. I’m ready for some comfort food to get me through the rest of the week, what about you? Try on this southern favorite sweet potato casserole recipe and you’ll be relaxing in sweet comfort by the end of the day. Enjoy and make sure to check out the history & facts of this delicious veggie.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups sweet potatoes, boiled & mashed
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
What’s Next:
Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 F, or 175 C.
In a large bowl- mix together the sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, white sugar, vanilla extract & butter. Scoop into your favorite baking dish. Set aside.
In a medium bowl- mix together brown sugar, flour & chopped pecans. Spread on top of sweet potato mash.
Drizzle butter over topping spread and you’re ready to bake your casserole for 30 minutes. The heavenly scent of a sweet potato casserole cooking in an oven will make all your family come out of their crevices and wonder what’s for dinner.
Emogene Knows Best Fried Okra Recipe
Now that we have okra on the brain, get out those iron skillets if you have them. It’s time for comfort, it’s time for soul- it’s time for comfort soul fried food. Try on my grandmother’s never-fail fried okra recipe- you may wish you hadn’t, it’s that good!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups fresh okra, cut into dime-size pieces (never let me catch you using that frozen kind)
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup cooking oil, it’s not healthy in the least bit, but bacon grease is perfect for the occasion if you’ve got it
What’s Next:
In your large skillet, preferably iron skillet- heat oil (or grease) on medium-high.
In a medium bowl- toss together okra, cornmeal, salt & pepper. You want each piece of okra to have a nice, thin covering of cornmeal.
Place okra in hot oil. Cook until well-browned, stir frequently.
Enjoy this wonderful family recipe & eat some for me!
My Favorite Cajun Chicken & Savory Sausage Gumbo
Get those blues going and your feet tapping, it’s gumbo time!
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup flour
- 3 onions, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 10 oz frozen chopped okra & thawed
- 10 cups water
- 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
- 3 pounds chicken breasts, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
- 1 pound sage sausage
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- Rice
What’s Next:
Preheat oven to 400. It’s going to feel a little odd, but place flour on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring ever 5 minutes. Don’t worry, the flour should be very brown, this is your roux. Set aside.
Coat a large pot with olive oil. Saute onions, garlic, peppers, celery & okra until tender. Add the flour, stir constantly. Gradually add water, tomatoes & chicken. Add thyme & red pepper. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 1 hour, uncovered. While you’ve got that gumbo going, boil the sage sausage in a saucepan until done. Slice into 1-inch pieces and add to gumbo. Cook an additional 30 minutes. Add green onions and cook for 15 minutes. Get your rice ready while you wait. Still listening to those blues? You are now ready to serve your handcrafted gumbo over rice to the awaiting crowd, enjoy! Eat well & Laugh often.
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
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