Homemade Seasoning Salt

Makes 1/3 cup & will cost about 1/3 the price of a store bought version.

3 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of celery salt
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon of cayenne
1 teaspoon of onion powder
½ teaspoon of turmeric

Mix all of the ingredients together, and store in an airtight container.

 

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp sugar
1 envelope mint hot chocolate mix
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mint chocolate chips
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
4 cups ice
Whipped cream (optional garnish)

Preparation:
Add the sugar, hot chocolate mix, and butter to a double boiler. Stir to combine and then add the chocolate chips. When the chips are melted, stir in 9 ounces of the evaporated milk. Let the mixture cool.

Combine the cooled chocolate mixture, remaining evaporated milk, and ice in a blender. Blend, pour into glasses, and garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

 

Holiday Persimmon Cookies

1 c. persimmon pulp from VERY ripe persimmons
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp cloves (optional)
½ tsp. salt
½ c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped dates (optional)
1 c. raisins or dried cranberries
1 c. chopped nuts (optional, but if you use them, toast them first)

Mash persimmon pulp with baking soda. Set aside (mixture will appear curdled). Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Cream butter and sugar together; add egg and vanilla, then persimmon-baking soda mixture. Next, add all dry. Mix gently, just until combined (to avoid toughening). Finally, add in dates, raisins and nuts if using. Drop by spoonful’s (or use small cookie scoop) onto parchment-lined baking sheet; bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until slightly browned and puffy.

Christmas cookies and happy hearts, this is how the holiday starts. ~ me & somebody a very long time ago. LOL

 

My Mom’s Dressing Recipe

The Holiday’s are fast approaching.  I realize that it’s early, but I was going thru all of my Holiday planners, starting to book dates, trying to dot my i’s & cross my t’s. I was looking at some old recipes and realized that I had never put a recipe for my mom’s dressing on the family blog. I’ve never written it down before, so I quickly free-handed it from memory. Truth be known, I could make it in my sleep. I’ve made it every Holiday dinner that I’ve ever cooked a turkey. To be honest, some batches have failed when I used too much broth or allowed to much fat into it; it can fry. Not good. If you have any questions,  just comment below.

Tear 1 loaf of white bread into pieces, tossing them into a large bowl. Chop 1 med onion & dice 1 stalk of celery on top. Add 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, 2 tablespoons of ground sage, & some black pepper. Then dump enough broth off of the baking Turkey to moisten the dressing, folding as you go. Not too much. As soon as its holding together. Turn it out into a sprayed 9x13x2. Toss a few bread crumbs on top. Lightly sprinkle them with sage. Place into a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. You can garnish it with a few sage leaves, but it’s not necessary.

Good stuff! So easy! I only wish she was here to share it with us, but I’m thankful that she took the time to teach me to make it.

My most memorable meal is every Thanksgiving. I love the food: the turkey and dressing, glazed ham, the candied yams or sweet potato casserole – sometimes both, some mashed potatoes and gravy, a little Green-bean casserole, a spoonful of baked beans, a big bowl of Potato or Beef Barley Soup with some buttered pull apart bread, my corn casserole or Jiffy’s corn pudding, my mom’s rice pudding without raisins, jellied cranberry Sauce or cranberry relish, a few deviled eggs, a dinner roll, my Mom’s Ambrosia Fruit Salad that no one eats but me and of course, a big slice of pumpkin pie with a big dollop of whipped cream… Yum! ~ Sheila Jean Adkins Metcalf

 

 

Mother’s Day 2014

What are you doing today to prepare for a Mother’s Day gift or celebration?

My daughter Mandy wants to help me paint the bathroom at her Dad’s shop. An early Father’s Day gift is what I’m thinking. It seems that may be more for him than me. Although, at this point I could use some serious motivation in that department. So from where I’m sitting, its a two-fer. Bonus!

Brandy, asked what I wanted for Mother’s Day a while back, I told her what I always tell my children, “I don’t need anything. But, you can always check my Wish-List or Mother’s Day Boards on Pinterest.” And Mom’s I do think it’s nice to have these idea boards, so you don’t end up with another coffee mug or  macaroni necklace. Just sayin’! Are you making something today (or are your children making something)?

Are you planning a menu for Mom’s Day brunch?
If so, I suggest keeping it simple. Mom doesn’t want to spend her afternoon cleaning up the mess in the aftermath.

Here is a quick & easy sample menu:

MENU
Meatball & Provolone Sliders
Vegetable Tray
Cole Slaw
Cheese chunks w crackers
Chips & dip
Cashews
Coffee – Sweet Tea
Try to include a dip of her favorite ice cream. -(Mine’s Butter Pecan, but Mint Chip is nice too.)

or

Instead of the Meatballs, you could make my Big Sandwich. Its one my families favorites.
Move oven rack to the lowest rack position in your oven. Preheat oven Broiler to its Lowest setting. Cut the side a loaf of Italian or French bread the full length of the loaf without separating the two sides. Open the bread and lay flat on a large foil lined cookie sheet. Overlap slices of roast beef on both sides of the bread. Spoon on & spread Pizza Quick sauce or marinara. Lay slices of Provolone cheese on top. Place under broiler. Bake only until the cheese is brown & bubbly. Remove from the oven. Toss on shredded lettuce & sliced tomatoes. Quick & easy.

Tell us one thing you’re doing today to get ready for Mother’s Day!

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it. ~ Mark Twain

 

Cherry Dump Cake

I was asked today for my Dump Cake recipe. I’ve seen all kinds of variations, from blackberry to blueberry and even peach, I even have an old friend Maxine’s on the blog, only because she loves rhubarb. Me, I actually prefer the plain old cobbler that every woman from church makes. I’ve eaten it for as long as I can remember; it’s just to easy to make. So here it is, hope you all enjoy it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (20 ounces) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (21 ounces) can prepared more fruit cherry pie filling
1 (18.25 ounces) box yellow or white cake mix
2 sticks (1 cup or 16 Tablespoons) of butter or margarine, each cut into 12 slices
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans or walnuts, but you can use your favorite)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 for glass baking dish).
Dump undrained pineapple into a 9x13x2 baking dish and spread it out evenly.
Using a spoon, dump globs of cherry pie filling evenly on top of the pineapple.
Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the cherry and pineapple layers.
Cut butter into slices with a butter knife and place slices evenly over cake mix.
Sprinkle nuts on top if you’re using them.
Bake for one hour.
To serve, scoop cake out with a large spoon like a cobbler and add a  scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serve warm or cold.

Yield: about 10 to 12 servings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many people miss their share of happiness not because they never found it but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it.