Corn Pudding

I learned of this recipe, when my daughter Ashley was telling me about a corn casserole that she had enjoyed at a church dinner she attended. She was able to get the recipe for me, from the women who made it. I made this for my family and everyone loved it. Children seem to look forward to seeing this on the table. There are many variations of this recipe. I like this one because, it requires only six ingredients, its simple and quick to make and I usually have the ingredients on hand, to make it. It is great served with soup or chili.

Corn pudding ingredients.

Corn Pudding

1 stick butter

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 (15.25 oz.) can whole kernel sweet corn

1 (14.75 oz.) can cream style sweet corn

1 ( 8.5oz ) corn muffin mix

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8-inch x 8-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray. Set aside. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt stick of butter.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sour cream, egg, whole kernel corn, undrained and cream style corn. Mix until well blended.

Add corn muffin mix.

Mix until blended.

Pour corn mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 1 hour or until set in the center.

I will add a picture of the baked corn pudding soon. I prepared this the same day I prepared the broccoli casserole and my camera batteries died before I could take a picture of the baked corn pudding. 

Awesome Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Awesome broccoli cheese casserole ingredients. My family really enjoys this casserole. I have request from my family members to prepare this every Thanksgiving. I  prepare it through out the year too. My daughter Andrea loves broccoli and cheese.

Awesome Broccoli Cheese Casserole

1 (10-.75) can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup mayonnaise

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup onion, chopped

3 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed (I used 2 (17 oz.) packages of  frozen baby broccoli florets)

8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I used a 12 oz. bag)

Salt and pepper, to taste (keep in mind when seasoning this dish, canned cream of mushroom soup already has plenty of salt in it)

Paprika, if desired (I don't use the paprika)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, add mayonnaise, beaten egg, onion, salt pepper.

  Mix until well blended.

In a large bowl add thawed broccoli. Break apart if needed.

Add soup mixture and shredded sharp cheaddar cheese.

Mix until well blended.

Place broccoli mixture in a lightly buttered 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees, for 1 hour. I will add a picture of the baked casserole soon. My batteries died in my camera and I was unable to get a picture after the casserole was baked.

* Recipe Source: Allrecipes *

Favorite Baked (Crockpot) Beans

I remember when I was younger, my mother gave my sisters and I her overstuffed recipe box and ask us to organize it for her. We would sit for hours rewriting her recipes. I enjoyed looking through them to see what interested me. That began my life long interest in recipes. I really like searching for recipes, especially those that come with a story, like where did the recipe come from and what makes it special?

I enjoy looking through magazines for recipes that I would like to try, cutting them out and gluing them into spiral notebooks or on index cards. This recipe is one of those I kept in one of my notebooks. I have been making it since my oldest daughter Alisha was about 5 years old. They are great for picnic, potlucks and barbecues. I like making mine in a crock pot. I believe the recipe came from a Southern Living magazine, but can not find the recipe on their web site to provide a link.

Favorite Baked Beans

2 slices bacon

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped (was 1/2 cup)

1 (16-oz.) can pork n' beans, undrained

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard 

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. 

Cut up onion and green pepper, I like to finely chop mine. I need a new camera and better lighting. The onions in this picture look yellow, but they where white sweet onions. The picture below shows the best color.

Using the same pan you used to fry your bacon in, add the onion and green pepper. 

Saute over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Drain and set aside.

Pour the undrained pork n' beans in your crockpot or baking dish. Making sure to remove any pork cubes

Add sauted onion and green pepper mixture, ketchup, brown sugar, Worchestershire sauce and prepared mustard. Mix gently until blended. I heat the beans in my crockpot, on low for about 3-4 hours. Or bake them in a baking dish at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. In the above photo I have used three can of pork n' beans and tripled all other ingredients

Again, not the best picture. My family really enjoys this baked bean recipe.

Valentines Day Cupcakes

Here are the cupcakes that my daughter Ashley made for us for Valentines Day. She has worked at a bakery and a cupcake shop. She enjoys making and decorating cakes and cupcakes. She used a cake mix and added a box of dry pudding mix to the cake batter. It makes the cupcakes moist and delicious!

She made a delicious almond butter cream to top them off with. Everyone loves it!

It is wonderful, give it a try and let me know what you think.

 Ashley's Almond Buttercream Frosting

1 cup Crisco                           

1/2 cup butter, room temperature                         

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon almond extract                          

1 teaspoon of milk at a time, until desired consistency is reached                           

pinch of salt                           

1 teaspoon meringue powder                            

2 (lb) bag confectioners' sugar                            

Gel food coloring , if desired                              

~ Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, in a large bowl blend together the Crisco and butter until well blended.

~ Add extracts and milk, as needed, mixing until well blended.

~ Add salt, meringue powder and confectioners sugar. Mix until well blended and smooth.

~ Use to frost cake or cupcakes

 * Recipe Source: My Daughter Ashley *

 

Chicken Cheese Ball

   

Chicken Cheese Ball

2 - (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened (I used Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese)

1 - 1-oz.) package ranch dressing mix (I used Hidden Valley ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix)

1 - (10-oz. or 12.5-oz) can chicken breast (I used Swanson white premium chunk chicken breast)

2 - (1-oz.) package pecan chips ( I used Fisher pecan chips)

Crackers of your choice

~ In a medium bowl , combine cream cheese and ranch dressing mix. Mix very well to evenly distribute ranch dressing mix throughout the cream cheese.
~ Add chicken, mix thoroughly.
~ Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight, this makes rolling the cheese ball a easier.
~ If desired, use half of the cream cheese-chicken mixture and roll into 2 small cheese balls or use entire amount to make 1 large cheese ball.
~ Sprinkle pecan chips on a plate.
~ Roll cheese ball(s) in pecan chips until completely coated.
~ Use remaining pecans to sprinkle around base of the cheese ball(s).
~ Serve with your favorite crackers.

 In a medium bowl , combine cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.

Mix very well to evenly distribute ranch dressing mix throughout the cream cheese.

Add chicken, mix thoroughly.

Chicken mixed well with the cream cheese and ready to chill.

Chill for at least one hour or overnight. This makes rolling the cheese mixture into a ball much easier. You can use half of the mixture and make two small cheese balls or use entire mixture for one large cheese ball. I chose to make one large cheese ball. Roll chilled mixture into a large cheese ball.

  

Sprinkle pecan chips on a plate and roll chilled chicken cheese ball in pecan chips until completly covered. Sprinkle remaining pecans around base of the cheese ball, if desired. You can also roll this cheese ball in finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese or crushed cracker crumbs, such as wheat thins finely crushed.

You can also place your favorite crackers around the base of the chicken cheese ball for a nice presentation.

This is a delicious cheese ball. Great served any time you need an appetizer. 

* Recipe Source: Recipe Adapted From Allrecipes.com *

Alisha And Her Family

This is my other beautiful, first born daughter, Alisha with her daughter Savannah on a trip to... you guessed it, Tennessee. They were there to see the Ripley's Aquarium. We have made the trip there ourselves. It is a wonderful place to take your family.

This is her husband, my son-in-law, Jason. Savannah, where are your sunglasses honey!

Savannah is a beautiful young lady with lots of energy. Her Ganpa and GanGan love her very much!

We are very proud of her. Our children and grandchildren truly do grow up so (too) fast. They are truly blessings in our lives.

My Daughter Andrea

Until I learn more about blogging and get my blog in better shape, I will be adding post in no particular order just to add some interest. I have so much to learn. For all you experienced bloggers out there, with wonderful blogs. Feel free to leave a comment on any ideas you have that would help to make my blog better. I enjoy finding ways to make my blog a interesting and pleasant place to visit. This is my youngest daughter, Andrea with her face painted for Halloween several years ago. She is growing up faster than I want her to.  

She really enjoys Halloween!

She loves posing for the camera also.

Sausage Puffs

 A local restaurant serves what they call, "Sausage Poofs" They are very popular with their customers, including me. They have been ask for the recipe countless times but will not share it. I have tried to recreate the recipe and although is doesn't taste exactly like there's, it is close.

Sausage Puffs

1-(16-oz.) roll mild sausage 

2 tablespoon butter

1-(8-oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 (7.5 oz.) cans buttermilk biscuits

~Preheat oven to 450 degrees (425 degrees if you are baking on dark non-stick baking sheets). 

~In a medium skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, finely breaking up sausage as it cooks.

~Drain off any grease. Add butter and mix well. Set aside.

~In a medium bowl, combine warm sausage and cream cheese, mix well.

                                                         

Open can of biscuits and working with one biscuit at a time, flatting biscuit on a clean surface, such as a plate, until about 3-1/2 to 4 inches in diameter. 

                Place a tablespoonful of the sausage filling, in the center of the each flattened biscuit. 

Take right side and left side of flattened biscuit, pinch together in the center, then repeat with the top and bottom of the biscuit and the areas in between until filling is well sealed inside the biscuit. Place filled biscuits pinched side down on lightly greased baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart.

Bake at 450 degrees(425 degrees if you are baking on dark non-stick baking sheets) for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. These are best served warm. A great on-the-go breakfast. 

Yield: 40 Sausage Puffs.

* Recipe Source: Dana's Recipe *

Fruit Trays With Fruit Dip

Fruit trays with fruit dip I prepared for 4th of July. My twin sister shared this dip recipe with me, she calls it fruit fluff. This recipe makes a lot. My family loves it!

This fruit fluff taste great with blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapes, strawberries and watermelon.

Fruit Fluff 

1-(8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed

~In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar, mix well.

~Fold in the whipped topping, mixing well.

~Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

~Stir well before serving.

~Taste great with blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapes, strawberries and watermelon.

 * Recipe Source: My Twin Sister, Denise *