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Blog Prompt: Blog Prompt: January is National Soup Month. What is your favorite soup and why?

What a great prompt for today when its been in the 20’s all this week in Central Florida!! So cold and I so could use some really good soup. I have been racking my brain this week to find a great recipe for some good soup and thought I would share this really good chili recipe. I have made it many times and is the best chili recipe I have come across. It comes from the Neely’s in Memphis.

Pat’s Famous Beef and Pork Chili

Ingredients

* 6 slices of bacon, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 2 medium onions, finely chopped
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped
* 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
* 3 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder (I use regular chili powder)
* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
* 1 pound ground pork
* 1 cup beer (recommended: Budweiser)
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 (24-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 1 (24-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
* Lime wedges, for garnish
* Sour cream, for garnish
* Shredded Cheddar, for garnish
* Sliced scallions, for garnish

Directions

In large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until lightly crisp, stirring occasionally. Once the bacon is browned, add the garlic, onions, bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the vegetables are tender and seasonings are aromatic. Add the beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Once beef is broken up and beginning to brown, add the pork. Break up with wooden spoon like the beef, and brown, until no longer pink, roughly 4 minutes. Stir in the beer and beans. Toss together, then add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer the chili to serving bowls and garnish with lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheese, and sliced scallions.

I hope everyone shares a great soup recipe too.

Have a great day and stay warm,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
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Blog Prompt: National Brownie Day. What is your favorite brownie?

I haven’t met a brownie yet that I didn’t like!!

I mean, its chocolate and warm and better than any cake for sure.  What more could a woman ask for?  I make them all the time and my hips are proof of it.  My DH loves his brownies with pecans in them and I have to admit they are better with nuts.  I also love brownies with ice cream.

One of my favorite desserts is Hot Fudge Brownie Delight made by Dairy Queen and its easy to make for yourself.  I don’t even know if they make them anymore.

All you need are brownies, vanilla ice cream and hot fudge that comes in a jar.

Put a serving of brownie on the bottom, scope of ice cream and warm up the hot fudge to pour a bit on top.  Oh, and I guess you could add a cherry on top for presentation.  YUMMY!!  An easy dessert to whip up fast.

Everyone have a Brownie of a day,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
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Blog Prompt – Today is Homemade Bread Day. Do you have a great recipe for bread to share or do you prefer to buy it already made at the store?

I love homemade bread and my favorite is my mom’s Banana Nut Bread. The best time to eat it is right out of the oven with a little bit of butter on it. YUMMY!!

Banana Nut Bread

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soda
4 cups flour
6 large bananas, very ripe, mashed
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Preparation:
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift dry ingredients together; add to creamed mixture. Stir in bananas and chopped pecans.

Pour banana nut bread batter into 2 well-greased loaf pans; bake at 325° for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. This banana nut bread recipe makes 2 loaves.

This recipe makes 2 loaves and is great to keep one and pass another one on for a gift.  Great at Christmas time.

Enjoy some homemade bread today,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
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Blog Prompt – Today is the birthday of John Montague, the creator of the sandwich. Describe in great detail your favorite sandwich.

I love wraps of any kind.  Made with lean meat, lettuce, tomato and any other little crunchy veggie of some sort.  I also love wraps made with just crunchy veggies.

My favorite was at Wendy’s a few years back.   I loved the bread they used for the wrap, the sauce was perfect and there was plenty of crunchy veggies and loads of grilled chicken.   I almost cried when they stopped making that meal.  But, I did find a copy cat recipe that I have used since and is great.  I will pass it on.

Wendy’s Classic Greek Fresh Stuffed Pita

Dressing

* 1/2 cup water
* 1/8 teaspoon dry unflavored gelatin
* 1/3 cup white vinegar
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon finely minced red bell pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1/8 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
* 1 dash parsley
* 1 dash oregano
* 1 dash thyme
* 1 dash basil
* 1 tablespoon grated romano cheese
* 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
* 2 tablespoons egg substitute
* 1 (4 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
* 1/2 cup tomato, seeded and diced
* 1/4 cup cucumber, thinly sliced and chopped
* 1/4 cup red onion, diced
* 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
* 1/4 cup red cabbage, shredded
* 1/4 cup carrot, shredded
* 4 pita breads

1. Make the dressing by first dissolving the gelatin in the water.
2. Heat the mixture in the microwave on high for two minutes or until it begins to boil rapidly.
3. Add the vinegar, then whisk while adding the oil.
4. Add bell pepper, salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire, black pepper, parsley, oregano, thyme and basil.
5. Let dressing cool for about 15 minutes before adding cheeses and egg substitute.
6. Whisk until slightly thicker, then chill.
7. Overnight refrigeration makes the dressing thicker.
8. Make the Greek topping for the sandwiches by combining the crumbled feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, and red onion in a small bowl.
9. Prepare the salad by combining the romaine lettuce, red cabbage and shredded carrot in a large bowl and toss.
10. Prepare the sandwiches by first microwaving each pita for 20 seconds.
11. Fold each pita in half like a taco, then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the romaine salad into the bread.
12. Add 1/2 to 1/3 cup of the Greek topping to each sandwich.
13. Pour about a tablespoon of dressing over each sandwich and serve.

I hope you enjoy,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
3 Comments »

Blog Prompt – Today is National Peach Pie Day. What is your favorite pie?

Wow, I have to pick??? I will list my fav pies, because I can’t choose.

1. Key Lime Pie
2. Jefferson Davis Pie
3. Apple Pie
4. Pecan Pie
5. Silk Pie

I thought I would give you all my recipe for French Silk Pie.  Now don’t scrimp on the ingredients in this pie.   This is great for summer time, since its chilled.

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
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Blog Prompt – Today is National Potato Day. How do you like your potatoes?

I love potatoes in any fashion. Fried, baked or right out of the bag. Who doesn’t!! I love sweet potatoes the same way.

Nothin better than a good cheeseburger and fries, sandwich and chips, fried fish, fries and hush puppies and of course, steak and baked potato. aaaaaahhhhhh

But of course, since I am in the 50+ category, I can only indulge sparingly with these. Dangit. Why does all the good tastin stuff be so bad for ya?

Here is my favorite Mashed Potato recipe and is great when the family comes over for dinner.

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

5 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (about 4 pounds uncooked)
1/2 cup milk
1 package (8 ounces) regular or low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup regular or low-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
12 slices bacon, crispy cooked and crumbled (about 1/2 cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place all ingredients, except cheese and bacon, in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium-high speed until potatoes are smooth and creamy.
2. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon. If you prefer extra crispy bacon, reserve bacon and sprinkle at the end of cooking. Cover.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

MY VERSION: I found it is much better to add the bacon after baking. The bacon becomes soggy if baked with the casserole.

Have a great day today with your favorite potato recipe,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
1 Comment »

Blog Prompt – Today is National Waffle Day. Tell me what you love to have for breakfast.

Actually, I love breakfast any time of the day and I love going to The Cracker Barrel.  Breakfast is my husbands favorite meal of the day.

I love their Egg in a Basket meal.  I always order this and when ever we go their to eat, we don’t even need to look at the menu.  They have great coffee too, but oh my goodness.  I think they pour extra caffeine each cup!  I’m so use to half/half coffee.

I found a recipe for this great meal and thought I would pass it along.

Cracker Barrel Eggs In The Basket Recipe

Use thick slices of sourdough bread. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Spread butter evenly over one face of each slice of bread. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out a circle. Grill bread (and the “hole” you removed) butter side down till it just starts to turn

brown. Drop a little butter in the hole of each slice of bread, then carefully crack an egg into each hole (without breaking yolks). Salt slightly. When eggs have cooked for 1 to 2 minutes, carefully flip each one over without breaking the yolks or flinging raw egg goo all over the stovetop (yes, it says that!). Also, flip the cut-out “holes”. Cook for another minute or so till the eggs are cooked the way you like them. Serve with hash browns or Hash Brown Casserole, and bacon or sausage.

Everyone enjoy their day,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
2 Comments »

Blog Prompt – Today is Watermelon Day. Do you have a favorite fruit you enjoy to eat?

There isn’t much fruit I don’t care for.  Except, cantaloupe!!  The smell of that melon just makes me ill.  I don’t know what it is about it, but I can’t stand to be around it and here in Florida, they are every where in the stores and at the market.  I just have to cover my nose and walk by very quickly.

I love fruit smoothies too.  So nice on a warm summer day and I guess Blueberries would be my favorite fruit.  I love those on my cereal and they are so good for you.  Especially for us older gals.

Blueberries are rich in Vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene as well as rich in the minerals potassium, manganese, magnesium. They are very high in fiber and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. But this is just the tip of the nutritional iceberg, for recent studies tell us that of all fresh fruits and vegetables, blueberries provide the most health-protecting antioxidants, those valuable elements which prevent cancer-causing cell damage and may limit the changes wrought by age related diseases.

I missed the season this year to go and pick my own because of all the rains we received and the crop was ruined in the area. I hope next year I can get some in my freezer.

I thought I would share a quick little dessert made with blueberries.

Blueberry Crisp

6 cups fresh blueberries, washed
1/4 cup instant tapioca
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the blueberries, tapioca and lemon juice in a large casserole dish. Mix well and lte stand for at least 15 minutes. In a separate bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Smooth the mixture over top of the berries, covering completely. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Everyone enjoy your fruits today,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
2 Comments »

Blog Prompt – It’s International Pickle Week and I would love to hear about the pickles you love best.

There aren’t too many pickles I won’t eat.  I love dill, sweet, bread and butter pickles.  It really depends on what I am eating to what pickle I will choose.

I love dills on my hamburgers, bread and butter pickles on different kinds of sandwiches.  My mother makes a great bread and butter pickle and here is a great recipe for them.  She also use to make a lot of dill pickles too. Those would surely make you pucker.

Really easy recipe for all those cucumbers you have from your garden.

Bread and Butter Pickles

6 large cucumbers, sliced
4 onions, sliced
1/4 cup salt
1 pint white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed

Use fresh cucumbers; wash and slice. Slice onions. Mix vegetables with salt and let stand 1 hour.

Drain and rinse with 2 cups cold water. Combine vinegar, sugar, celery and mustard seeds and heat to boiling. Cook 3 minutes.

Pack vegetables into jars, add hot vinegar mixture, leaving 1/4″ head space. Seal at once and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Cool and store.

Have a wonderful pickle day,

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
2 Comments »

Blog prompt: Today is National Pecan Day. Do you like pecans? Why or why not? If you do, do you eat it in a pie or do you eat it plain?

And you are asking a Southern girl if she likes pecan ???  *LOL*

I have a bag of unshelled pecans in my garage right now still waiting on my husband to crack.  I really don’t like that job at all.  It hurts my delicate fingers too much.  I do love it around fall time when we can pick up pecans off the ground.

I like pecan pie, but I don’t love it.   But I always have to take a bite or two at Thanksgiving, just because. I do  love eating pecans and baking with them all the time.   I love them in brownies and my favorite Oatmeal Cookies.

This is the best oatmeal cookie recipe I have ever made. Not to chewy and not too crispy. You gotta try these.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup raisins

Preheat ove at 375 degrees. Lightly grease some baking sheets. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. In another bow, mix the flouer, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in oats, nuts and raisins. Drobe the dough in heaping tablespoons 2 inches apart and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

MY TIP: I use a melon scooper to scoop the mixture onto the cookie sheet. This makes all the cookies the same size.

Tags: Recipes by Tammy
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