KAY LIME PIE

When I was 19, I created a refrigerator lime pie with a crust made with Golden Graham cereal. My brother was my taste-tester, and when I got the recipe just right, he ate the entire pie. My mom encouraged me to enter it in a Betty Crocker contest, so I did and I won! In 1978, a prize of $500 was major to a college girl, but nothing was better than the pride of my mother. She told everyone and bought 20 copies of the cookbook it was published in. This recipe was published in the 2nd Annual Military Wives Cookbook under the name Quick and Easy Lime Cooler.

Crust: 
5 cups of Golden Grahams Cereal, finely crushed
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and press into a pie plate. Make sure to bring crust up to the top edge of pie plate. 

Filling:
1  (8 ounce) container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
1  (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons grated fresh lime peel (Don't leave this out!)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (usually the juice of two medium limes)
3 drops of green food coloring

In a large bowl, blend by hand the whipped topping and condensed milk until smooth and thin.  Add lime peel and food coloring and stir well.  Then pour in lime juice.  Mixture will thicken as the juice is added.  

Place filling in crust and covered.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours.  Garnish with more whipped topping and lime slices.


You can also make this as a lemon pie just substituting lemons and yellow food coloring for the limes and green food coloring..  
I have also made the lemon version and folded in strawberries prior to adding the lemon juice for a great strawberry lemon pie.  

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Onions

This is not my original recipe, but one I adapted from a couple found online.  It is great side dish with grilled meats.  My family really enjoys it.

1 pound of Brussels sprouts, washed and allowed to dry on paper towel

6 Tablespoons olive oil

5-6 cloves/buds of garlic, peeled

1 medium onion, diced

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim bottom of Brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add Brussels sprouts and cook about 3 minutes and stir. Add in garlic and onions, and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Then place in oven, and roast, shaking pan every 5 minutes, until sprouts are quite brown and tender, about 10 to 20 minutes. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Serve hot or warm.

Big Momma's Easy Jamaican Banana Fritters

Most people love bananas.  My mother often made us fritters (fried breads) with added vegetables or fruit. She was an amazing cook.  I know she would enjoy these with hot cup of coffee.  They are great
for breakfast or as a dessert.


2 very ripe bananas
1 1/2  cups pancake mix (Bisquick)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2-3/4 cup milk
Oil for frying
Confectioner's sugar to dust cook fritters
In a mixing bowl, mash peeled bananas until almost smooth (keep a few bits of banana).  Add pancake mix, cinnamon, and vanilla.  With a whisk, slowly add milk 1/4 cup at a time until you get a smooth batter a little thicker than a cake mix.  Depending on the size of the bananas, you may need more or less milk to reach the right consistency.
Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan until it reaches 360 degrees. 
Carefully drop batter by tablespoons into hot grease.  You can use a small ice cream scoop to get a more controlled sizing.  Cook about 4 minutes and then turn over for another 3-4 minutes or until fritters are golden brown.  Remove from oil and drain on plate lined with paper towels.  Remove from paper towels and dust with confectioner's sugar. 


NOTE:  You can serve these with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, caramel dipping sauce, or Nutella that has been slightly heated in the microwave to thin a bit. 

Cheesy Chicken Ranch Casserole (Crack Chicken Casserole)

The internet has several versions of a "crack" chicken casserole.  Don't want to get on my soapbox,
but I don't like the use of term "crack"--it gives a "cuteness" to a serious problem in our world.  But,  no matter what you call it, this is a delicious dish and it is perfect for a covered dishes gathering.  Most of the recipes call for Velveeta cheese, which we don't like.  I used shredded cheddar, but I have listed the Velveeta as well.  Enjoy!

1 pound of bacon
1 (16 ounce) package of thin spaghetti
2 cups Velveeta cubes or 2 cups of finely shredded cheddar cheese (Triple cheddar is awesome)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 package dry Ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cup additional shredded cheddar cheese

Cut bacon into 1-inch piece and fry.  Drain on paper towels.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a large casserole dish (9x 13 or larger).  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti and cook 10 minutes.  While spaghetti is cooking, in a large skillet, add the 2 cans of soup (undiluted) and the chicken broth.  Whisk until smooth over a medium-low temperature.  Add Velveeta or shredded cheese, whisking consistently until melted and smooth.  Add pepper and dry dressing mix.  Drain spaghetti.  Place spaghetti in casserole dish.  Top with shredded chicken and half of the bacon pieces.  Pour cheese mixture on top, making sure that it fully covers and blends in with chicken and pasta.  Sprinkle on additional cheese to cover the top and then the rest of the bacon.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and fully heated through.

Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburger Bread

There are many recipes online that call something very similar to this “Garbage Bread.”  I don’t know  The recipes I found use Velveeta, which is not a favorite of mine, but feel free to use it, it you like it.

why people would want to eat something called “garbage,” but the concept of this stuffed roll in very good.

 1 pound of bacon, cut into small pieces

1 pound of ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon pepper

1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded or small cubes

1 ½ cup of Colby Jack cheese, shredded

1 can of ready-made pizza crust (13.6 ounce)

Dipping Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup ketchup

3 Tablespoon pickle relish

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, fry bacon until done, remove from grease and drain on paper towel.  Drain most of bacon grease from skillet, add onions and ground beef.  Cook until ground beef is no longer pink.  Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and pepper.  Cook 3-5 minutes.  Remove from burner and 1 cup of cheddar cheese, stir until cheese is melted.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place pizza crust on top.  Spread meat mixture on top of dough.  Top with bacon and Colby Jack cheese.  Roll pizza dough and filling the long way like a cinnamon roll and tuck the end under.  You want the seam to be down on the sheet.  Bake for 20-23 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes and then slice. 

While cheeseburger bread is cooling, in a small bowl, mix mayo and ketchup until smooth.  Add all other ingredients and mix well.  Dip cheeseburger bread in sauce. Enjoy.

 

Super Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have never been a serious cookie baker and have always stayed away from cookie recipes the require mixers, separated and beaten eggs, or chilled or rolled dough.  I have always lived a busy live, so when I found this simple but tasty cookie recipe on the blog I HEART EATING, I knew it was worth a try.  Once we tried it, we knew it was a keeper!  I hope you will as well. 

½ cup butter (don’t use margarine)

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, leveled serving—be precise on this measurement

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon  salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds. Butter should be completely melted but shouldn't be hot.

3. In a large bowl, mix butter with the sugars until well-combined.

4. Stir in vanilla and egg until incorporated.

5. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt.

6. Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.

7. Stir in chocolate chips.

8. Scoop out 1.5 tablespoons of dough (medium cookie scoop) and place on baking sheet. I like to line my baking sheet with parchment paper to make it easier to clean.

9. Bake for 7-10 minutes. They will be puffy and still look a little underbaked in the

middle.

Simple Buttermilk Biscuits

I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law Sue Lovelace.  She could make some of the best biscuits in the world, and this recipe she called--SIMPLE.  Yes, they are simple, but they are delicious.


1/2 cup COLD butter, cut into thin pieces
2 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
a little melted butter for brushing on tops

Preheat over to 425 degrees.  Lightly greased baking pan with butter or use a sheet of parchment paper lightly greased.  Use butter to grease no cooking spray.  
In a large mixing bowl sift flour and then using your hands cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3-4 times. Pat or lightly roll to 3/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter.
Place biscuits on pan and bake 11-14 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter.  Enjoy!

Kay's Zesty Croutons

Although it doesn't happen often here, if you have a leftover loaf of French bread or other thick bread you can make some delicious homemade croutons.  You can store in zip-top bags or in airtight food storage containers at room temperature for up to three days or in the freezer for several weeks. They also keep in the fridge for several days with only a small loss of crunchiness.

1 loaf French bread (a few days old)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ -2 teaspoons kosher salt (we don’t use a lot of salt so I only used ½ teaspoon on ours, but I think most people would want more salt.)

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

 

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a cooking sheet/baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the bread into small cubes and place in a large bowl.

In a small skillet, melt butter and gently saute garlic for 2-3 minutes. Remove skillet from burner and let cool about 5 minutes.  Add all other ingredients and stir well

Pour mixture over bread cubes and using your hands, gently toss the croutons and make sure they are coated with all the oils, butters and seasonings. Pour onto baking sheet and a single layer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown. Check often so they don’t burn or get overly toasted. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

Blonde Brownies

Sometimes Blonde Brownies are called Butterscotch Brownies because of their rich brown sugar and butter flavor.  Call them what you want, they are delicious! Many, many years ago, I dated a guy whose loved blonde brownies, and this recipe was told to me by his grandmother.

1 ½ sticks of butter (12 Tablespoons), melted  USE BUTTER NOT MARGARINE.

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ Tablespoons vanilla

1 ½ cups self-rising flour

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Line a 9 x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving extras for overhang, and lightly butter the top and sides of the parchment paper.  

In a mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar.  Stir in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour.  Mixture will be thick.  Try not to overmix.  Fold in nuts.  Spread batter in baking pan. 

Bake for 23-25 minutes.  Insert toothpick in center to check for doneness.  Toothpick will come out clean when done. 

Cool for 15-20 minutes. Remove brownies from pan.  Place on cutting board, and cut into rectangles.  Enjoy  

Spanish Rice and Eggs Skillet Dinner

This recipe was inspired by one at

https://www.incredibleegg.org/recipe/one-skillet-mexican-rice-bean-baked-eggs/, which is awesome, but since I had leftover cooked Spanish Rice, in the fridge, I did this

2 cups cooked Spanish Rice

1 can black or red beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup corn kernels

½ stick butter

4 eggs

¼ cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix cooked rice, beans, and corn in a bowl.  In oven safe skillet, melt butter.  Pour most of melted butter in the rice mixtures and blend.  Press rice mixture in skillet.  Make four divots in rice mixture.  In a small bowl, crack one egg at a time and pour into one of the divots.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until eggs whites are firm/set and yolks are at your desired doneness.  Remove from oven and sprinkle tops of eggs with salt and pepper.    Remove servings of rice and egg to plates.  Mix sour cream and lime juice.  Drizzle on top of eggs. 

(Picture from site listed above)

Crock Pot Spicy Pineapple Orange BBQ Chicken

I found two recipes online that were somewhat like this.  I made a few adjustments and I must tell you that this is so amazing that your family will ask for it often. It is a great way to cook skinless drumsticks and wings!  I like to serve it with potato salad or pasta salad.  So good!

4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed

For the Pineapple Orange Barbecue Sauce:

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 large cloves/buds/toes garlic, minced

½ cup ketchup

½ cup spicy chili sauce (in jar)

½ cup orange marmalade

½ cup crushed pineapple

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ Tablespoons brown mustard

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To Thicken the Sauce:

1/3 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/3 cup water

Sprinkle with chopped green onions prior to serving.

Place the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.

When chicken is done, but not falling off bones, remove from crockpot and pour sauce up into a saucepan.  Place chicken in a covered pan to stay warm while you thicken the sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat on stove top. Whisk together in a large measuring cup the 1/3 cup cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make a slurry. Pour in the cornstarch slurry into simmering sauce, whisking continually until the sauce is thickened. Pour the sauce back over the chicken.