Peach Cobbler

I've been canning all weekend.  I have 1 quart + 19.5 pints of peach jam sitting on my counter.  Even after all of those jars of jam I still have 5 peaches in my fruit bowl.  To be frank, I'm tired of making jam so in order to use those last few peaches I decided to make a cobbler.  It's a classic dessert and easy to make.

There is something comforting about a cobbler.  It was my grandma's go to dessert when I was a kid and we always looked forward to it.

Peach Cobbler:
(basic cobbler recipe, measurements from Food Network- cause Grandma never measured anything)

Cobbler filling:

4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon flour

Cobbler crust:

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon brown sugar, for topping
   

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Generously butter a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Place the sliced peaches in the dish and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour. Mix gently and spread evenly again. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile combine all dry ingredients for cobbler crust in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers, to make the texture like coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk and stir to form a soft dough.

Remove fruit from oven and drop rounded spoonfuls of dough on top. Sprinkle with last tablespoon of brown sugar and return to oven. Bake about 20 minutes, until fruit is bubbly and crust topping is golden brown.

Coconut Macaroons

We have just finished up the spring holiday season.  Passover and Easter were the same weekend this year and everywhere I looked there were coconut desserts galore, especially coconut macaroons.  I decided that this, and the fact that I had every ingredient needed to make these little desserts in my panty, was a sign... so I whipped up a batch.

I looked at quite a few macaroon recipes and they were all pretty similar.  I decided on this version from Ina Garten because she used a can of sweetened condensed milk, which is awesome. I think I'm going to add these into my dessert rotation.  They were really easy to make and the ingredient list is small.

Note:  If you are looking to make these for Passover I can't attest to the Kosherness (is that a word?) of them.

 

Coconut Macaroons:
(Ina Garten)

Ingredients:
14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons.

 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Turkey Meatballs

I'm not Italian so it is not a requirement that I make amazing meatballs, however, these were pretty good. The taste was great and I love having another use for turkey in my recipe box.  I did have some trouble getting them to stay together but I think that has more to do with my lack of meatball skills and not the recipe.  If you make this let me know how yours turned out, I need pointers.

Turkey Meatballs:
(Food Network- Giada de Laurentiis) 

Ingredients:
1 small onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey meat
3 tablespoons olive oil
26 ounces marinara sauce

Directions:

Add the onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, parsley, Parmesan, Pecorino, salt and pepper to a large bowl and blend. Mix in the turkey. Shape the turkey mixture into 1 1/4-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a large plate or baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Pour off any excess oil. Add the marinara sauce, about 3 cups. Return all the meatballs to the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend, 15 to 20 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Red Velvet Cookies

Everyone loves Red Velvet cake (well, a lot of people do at least).  I found this recipe for gooey butter cookies through Food Network and Paula Deen.  Her original recipe uses a box of chocolate cake but since it's a box of cake I decided to go with red velvet.

Red Velvet Cookies:
(Paula Deen)

Ingredients:
8oz. (1 brick) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box red velvet cake mix
Powdered sugar to roll the cookies in.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Beat in egg, then the vanilla.  Beat in the cake mix.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up.  Roll batter into tablespoon-sized balls and then roll them in powdered sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey."

Roasted Broccoli

Mr. T and I both love broccoli.  It's a staple in our house and I'm always looking for new ways to prepare it. This is a basic preparation from Ina Garten but something amazing happens when it is roasted in the oven.

Roasted Broccoli:
(adapted from Ina Garten)

4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets off of the stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. (for the two of us I just cut up 1 head of broccoli and adjusted everything else to taste).

Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.  (I turned everything in the pan about half way through, but you probably don't have to)


Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Serve hot.

Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken fried steak is a staple in the south.  It can always be found on a buffet.  I love it, and while it's not something that should be eaten all the time, it is tasty and always makes me think of good times with friends and family.

Chicken Fried Steak:
(Alton Brown- Food Network)

Ingredients:
2-4 pieces of cubed steak
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 whole eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season each piece on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Place the eggs into a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the flour again. Repeat with all the pieces of meat. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch slope-sided skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.

















Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side.

Remove the steaks to a wire rack set in a half sheet pan and place into the oven. Repeat until all of the meat is browned.

Buttermilk Chicken Breast

In my quest to branch out and try new things (and use up the buttermilk in the refrigerator) I got inspired by this recipe. I made some changes based on what we had in the house.  We eat a lot of chicken but I have never made it this way.  It was easy to do and I was able to start on it the night before, which is always helpful during the week.

The chicken stayed pretty moist and the buttermilk gave it a nice tang.  Easy, tasty, and a good way to use up buttermilk.  I'm going to call it a win.

Buttermilk Chicken Breast:
(inspired by Guy Fieri- Food Network)

Ingredients:
3 boneless chicken breasts
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup hot sauce, I used Franks
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together in a large resealable plastic bag. Place in a bowl, to catch any leaks, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the chicken breast from the brine, drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the chicken breast, on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees F and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the chicken is nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.


Slice and serve with 

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Since it's Friday and we've all made it to today I thought it would be nice to have a treat for the weekend.

This is something that I made for my Grandma's birthday.   She always loved blueberries.

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake:
(Adapted from my mom and Food Network)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus 1/3 cup
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup lemon juice, plus 1/3 cup
Zest of one lemon
2 pints of blueberries
 
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a loaf pan or bundt pan. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.


In a mixer (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter. Add 1 cup of the sugar.  With the mixer running at low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.

Working in alternating batches, and mixing after each addition, add the dry ingredients and 1/3 cup of the lemon juice and the zest to the butter mixture. Mix until just smooth.
Fold one pint of blueberries into the mix.

Pour into the prepared pan and add second pint of blueberries to the top of the batter.  Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out dry and almost clean about 65 to 75 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice, and more zest until the sugar is dissolved.

When the cake is done, let cool in the pan 15 minutes (it will still be warm). Run a knife around the sides of the pan. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack.

After the cake is cooled put on a platter and spread the glaze all over the top and sides of the cake and let soak in. Repeat until the entire glaze is used up.

It goes great with vanilla bean ice cream.  I do however think it needs more lemon flavor.  Next time I make it i'm going to add more lemon and zest. 

Watermelon Granita

It's officially summertime! Mr. T and I have been snacking on a watermelon for a couple of days.  I love it.  With it being summer in the south we are seeing temperatures that are pushing 100* on a regular basis.  It's the perfect excuse to eat something cold.

I like granitas.  They are easy to make and don't require an ice cream maker.  This one can even be made with a sugar substitute for those watching their sugar intake.

Watermelon Granita:

(Food Network)

Ingredients:

4 cups seedless watermelon chunks

1/2 cup sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Pour into a shallow, wide pan and freeze for 1 hour. Rake mixture with fork and freeze for another hour.

Rake and freeze for one more hour. Rake and serve in cups.

Sausage Balls

I love sausage balls.  They're really popular in the South, more so in Alabama than in my area of Florida.  Every family tweaks this recipe a little bit (I added some Old Bay) so feel free to experiment.  I have a friend that uses venison sausage instead of the pork.

Sausage Balls:
(Old Southern Recipe, but checked measurements from Paula Deen)

1 (1-pound) package ground sausage
3 cups baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)
4 cups grated sharp Cheddar
1/8 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon Old Bay

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Mix well with your fingers. The mixture will be very crumbly.

Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.

Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Print Me Out

Derby Pie

This is another family favorite.  I think my sister's boyfriend would go on strike if I didn't make this every year.  My grandmother always told me that when you make a pecan (pe-CAN) pie the nuts should make up the majority of the pie, not goo.  I think she's right.

Tony’s Chocolate Pecan Pie (AKA- Derby Pie):

The Neelys- Food Network

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons bourbon liquor
2 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup mini milk chocolate morsels
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in a small saucepan. While butter is melting, add beaten eggs to a medium sized bowl. Stir in brown sugar, flour, vanilla extract, corn syrup and bourbon until combined. Add butter when just melted.

Mix in the pecans and chocolate morsels. Mix all together. Pour mixture into pie shell.  Take some of the better looking pecans and make a nice design on top.

Place on a sheet tray and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.