Crunchy Carrot Salad with Golden Raisins and Walnuts

If you're looking for a super-easy salad as a side or take-along dish, look no further!  Carrot salad seems to be a Southern staple, and I know you'll enjoy my crunchy version with a unique twist of sweet, golden raisins and walnuts.  As an extra bonus, this delicious salad is loaded with healthy nutrients!

                          As Bugs Bunny Would Say..."Carrots Are Divine!"         

            And They Are, Especially With Golden Raisins And Walnuts!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 3 c. coarsely shredded carrots (about 6/ea. whole carrots)*
• 1 TB sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1/ea.  8 1/4 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained (about 3/4 c. after drained)
• 1/2 c. golden raisins
• 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/4 c. mayonnaise*

*Tips:  Use prepackaged grated carrots to make it even easier, and I prefer Hellmann's light mayonnaise.

Directions

Toss all ingredients gently, but thoroughly.  You'll enjoy watching your fans multiply (like rabbits) after they munch on this delicious salad!

Printable Recipe

What's That Got to do with This?

My daughter recently taught my 2 1/2 year-old grandson to make cookies for the first time.  Snickerdoodles were the cookie of choice that day...sorry, they disappeared before I got a photo of the gorgeous delectables!

                                          Cooking Is In Our Blood...

 

                                  And We Start Early Around Here!

Southern Grits, Pencils and Red Eye Gravy

A friend recently passed this funny article with recipe on to me about how to properly cook and eat grits.  If the original author recognizes this, please step forward so I can give appropriate credit (I couldn't find you)!

I, with great hesitation, confess I do not remember the last time I cooked grits that were not instant.  I tested the recipe in the article and found them to be really yummy.  I can't wait to try the fried leftover grits!

I did make a couple of changes (in quotes) of the article for my blog post. When you read this, I hope you get as big a belly laugh as I did!

                   Yep, They Pass The Test!     

What Are Grits?

(Author Unknown)


Some folks believe Grits are grown on bushes and are harvested by midgets by shaking the bushes after spreading sheets around them. Many people think Grits are made from ground up bits of white corn. These are lies spread by Communists and terrorists.  Nothing as good as a Grits can be made from corn.  

Research suggests that the mysterious Manna that "was" rained down upon the Israelites during their time in the Sinai Desert was most likely Grits.  Critics disagree, stating that there is no record of biscuits, butter, salt and red eye gravy raining down from the sky and that "people would not be punished" by forcing them to eat Grits without these key ingredients.

How Grits are Formed: 
Grits are formed deep underground under intense heat and pressure. It takes over 1,000 years to form a single Grit. Most of the world's Grit mines are in Georgia, and are guarded day and night by armed guards and attack dogs.  Harvesting Grits is a dangerous occupation, and many Grit miners lose their lives each year so that Grits can continue to be served morning after morning for breakfast--not that having Grits for lunch and dinner is out of the question.

Yankees have attempted to create synthetic Grits. They call them Cream of Wheat. As far as we can tell, the key ingredients of Cream of Wheat are Elmer's Glue and shredded Styrofoam. These synthetic Grits have also been shown to cause nausea, and can leave you unable to have children.

Historical Grits:
As said earlier, the first known mention of Grits was by the Ancient Israelites in the Sinai Desert.  After that, Grits were not heard from for another 1,000 years. Grits were used during this time only during secret religious ceremonies and were kept from the public. The next mention of Grits was found amidst the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii in a woman's personal diary discovered in the seat of an old sedan. The woman's name was Herculania Jemimana, who was known as Aunt Jemima to her friends.

The Ten Commandments of Grits:
I.    Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
II.   Thou shalt not eat thy Grits with a spoon or knife.
III.  Thou shalt not eat Cream of Wheat and call it Grits, for this is blasphemy.
IV.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's Grits.
V.   Thou shalt use only salt, butter and red eye gravy as toppings for thy Grits.
VI.  Thou shalt not eat instant Grits.
VII. Thou shalt not put ketchup on thy Grits.
VIII.Thou shalt not put margarine on thy Grits.
IX.  Thou shalt not eat toast with thy Grits, only biscuits made from scratch.
X.   Thou shalt eat grits on the Sabbath for this is Manna from heaven.

How to Cook Grits:
For one serving of Grits:  Boil 1.5 cups of water with salt and a little butter. Add 5 Tbsp. of Grits.  Reduce to a simmer and allow the Grits to soak up all the water.  When a pencil stuck into the Grits stands alone, they are done. That's all there is to cooking Grits. (When I used this recipe, I used 1/8 tsp. salt, 1 TB butter and I did not cover the grits (since no mention was made of a lid); and the grits took about 15 minutes to soak up the water using direct, low heat. Also, I found it should be stirred occasionally, and I feel this recipe is enough for one to two servings.)

How to make red eye gravy:  Fry salt-cured country ham in cast-iron pan.  Remove the ham when done and add coffee to the gravy and simmer for several minutes. Great on Grits and biscuits.

How to Eat Grits:
Immediately after removing your Grits from the stove top, add a generous portion of butter or red eye gravy. Do NOT use low-fat butter.
The butter should cause the Grits to turn a wondrous shade of yellow. Hold a banana or a yellow rain slicker next to your Grits.  If the colors match, you have the correct amount of butter. In lieu of butter, pour a generous helping of red eye gravy on your Grits.  Be sure to pour enough to have some left for sopping up with your biscuits.  Use biscuits made from scratch.  Never, ever substitute canned or store-bought biscuits for the real thing because they can cause cancer, tooth decay and impotence. Next, add salt.  The correct ratio of Grit to Salt is 10:1.  Therefore for every 10 Grits, you should have 1 grain of salt.  Now begin eating your Grits.  Always use a fork, never a spoon to eat Grits.  Your Grits should be thick enough so they do not run through the tines of the fork.

The correct beverage to serve with Grits is black coffee. DO NOT use cream or, heaven forbid, skim milk.  Your Grits should rarely be eaten in a bowl because Yankees will think it's Cream of Wheat.

Ways to Eat Leftover Grits:
Leftover Grits are extremely rare and may only be a rumor. Spread them in the bottom of a casserole dish; cover and place them in the refrigerator overnight. The Grits will congeal into a gelatinous mass. The next morning, slice the Grits into squares and fry them in 1/2" of cooking oil and butter until they turn a golden brown. Many people are tempted to pour syrup onto Grits served this way.  This is, of course, unacceptable but delicious.

BLESSING BEFORE EATING GRITS 
"Bless" these Grits.
May Yankees never get the recipe.
May I eat Grits each day while living.
And may I die while eating grits.

AMEN

So, there you have it...how to properly cook and eat grits!  Try them...just be prepared to speak with a Southern drawl after you finish!  Enjoy! 


Printable Recipe

Simply Nuts for Roasted Corn Salad

I decided I'd like to try to emulate this crunchy and nutty roasted corn salad when I fell in love with it at Fresh To Order Restaurant.  When I made it the first time, I tried to keep it extra simple by using canned corn kernels...wasn't quite what I wanted.  So, I roasted some corn on the cob in the oven (see my super-easy recipe below) and was much happier with the results!  In addition, I decided the taste and color were better preserved by not tossing the salad with dressing or oil. (The little bit of oil applied to the corn before roasting is just enough oil for the salad.)  Also, keeping the onions and seasonings to a minimum emphasized the flavor of the roasted corn.

I know you'll find this salad absolutely delicious as I did!  Because it's so filling, you really don't need very much as a side dish.  The generous serving of nuts makes it wonderful and unusual (you could omit them if necessary).
 
                                          So Crunchy and Satisfying...

 

              

                              You'll Go Nuts for This Roasted Corn Salad!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 c. kernels from roasted corn on the cob (about 3 ea. fresh corn cobs)*
• 3/4 c. long strips of coarsely grated carrot (I used prepackaged)
• 1/4 c. chopped sweet red bell pepper
• 1/2 TB chopped red onion
• 1 TB (tops only!) chopped green onion
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. canned, salted mixed nuts (reserve and add right before serving)

*The Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob

Preheat oven to 375º.  Shuck and clean the corn on the cob (three each for this recipe). Apply a little olive oil to a paper towel and rub on each corn cob (I got this idea from my son-in-law!).  Place the corn cobs on a foil-lined baking pan with shallow sides.  Roast the corn on the middle rack in the oven about 35 minutes or until the corn is a light-golden brown.  (Flip the corn over halfway through roasting time to assure browning on both sides.)

Directions

Cut the corn from the cobs and mix with all the other ingredients, except the nuts.  (You can refrigerate this salad about a day ahead without the nuts.) Toss the nuts into the salad right before serving.  Enjoy every crunchy bite!

Printable Recipe

What's That Got to do with This?

Well, this sweet girl (and her brother) have been keeping me busy lately...not as busy as her parents, of course!  This photo was taken at two weeks.  My precious granddaughter is now almost seven weeks old. As you can see, she's very prissy.  She was 5 lbs., 13 oz. at birth; and now at almost seven weeks old, she weighs about 10 lbs!  This girl didn't waste any time putting on the weight!

                              She may be a redhead like...guess who?

 I know you love to eat darling, but you may have to wait a while for that corn salad!

Very Berry Butter

Thought I'd give you a laid-back recipe for Labor Day weekend!

This is the butter I suggested you might want to try with my Morning Muffins with Bran and Raspberries which I recently posted. It is incredibly easy, yet adds just the right touch to your muffins, pancakes, waffles and toast; especially if you'd like to make weekend guests feel a little extra special. Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or blueberries should all work well in this recipe.  Shown in the photo is raspberry butter on an English muffin.

                                                An Easy Way...
 

                             
                                          To Brighten Their Day!
 

As adapted from foodista.com

Ingredients

• 1 c. softened butter
• 1 TB sugar
• 1 c. cleaned and crushed berries (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or blueberries)*

Directions

Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the berries and beat just until well blended.  Serve at room temperature and store in the refrigerator.  (May be frozen for about one month: when ready to use, thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.)

*Tip:  Fresh or frozen berries are fine (except frozen blueberries).  If you use frozen berries, let them come to room temperature before adding to the recipe to avoid clumping.  I don't use frozen blueberries in most recipes because I feel they lose their flavor when frozen.

Spread a little extra love with this very berry butter and enjoy!


Printable Recipe

Reese's Puffs~Rice Krispies Squares with Peanut~Butter~Chocolate Drizzle

I very rarely eat really sweet cereals, but when I spotted the Reese's Puffs on sale, I thought they would make a great low-calorie, crunchy snack.  Then after a couple of weeks, it occurred to me they would make the traditional Rice Krispies Treats Recipe much more interesting and a whole lot better!  When I was ready to do my twist on the traditional recipe, I was feeling particularly lazy.  I wanted a really quick and easy topping for my squares and found myself in the ice-cream topping area of the grocery store!
                        
                           Even Better Than Rice Krispies Treats...

                    
                                 At Least That's What My Kids Said!


Approx. 24 ea. 2" squares

Ingredients

• 3 TB butter
• one 10 oz. pkg. regular (about 40 ea.) or 4 c. miniature marshmallows
• 3 c. Reese's Puffs cereal (chocolate and peanut-butter-flavored corn puffs)
• 3 c. Rice Krispies cereal
• 7 oz. bottle Reese's Peanut-Butter Topping*
• 7.25 oz. bottle Hershey's (Chocolate-Flavored) Shell Topping*

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a deep sauce pot over low heat.  Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until completely melted.  Remove from the heat.
2. Working quickly, with a large plastic spoon, mix in both of the cereals.  Finish mixing well by kneading with your hands which you have sprayed with a butter-flavored cooking spray.  Still using your hands, spread the mixture as evenly as possible into a 13x9x2 inch pan (I prefer glass for this recipe).
3. Let cool and set up for about 1/2 hour.
4. Cut the set mixture into 2" squares and place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
5. Drizzle the peanut-butter topping over the squares.  Freeze for about five minutes or until set.  Then drizzle the chocolate-flavored topping over the peanut-butter topping.  Freeze the squares again for another approximate five minutes.  Alternate cookie sheets in the freezer between drizzling the squares.  (The peanut-butter topping requires a good squeeze, whereas the chocolate-flavored topping flows easily without hardly squeezing...shake both toppings well before using.) 
6. For presentation, serve the squares in paper cups.

Tips*:

The toppings can be located in the ice-cream topping area of a grocery store.  You will have some topping left over (enjoy it on your ice cream!).  With these toppings, the squares have to be refrigerated.  If you want to transport the squares or ship them in a college-care or similar package, melt some chocolate-flavored-candy coating and peanut-butter-flavored candy coating and drizzle over the squares in lieu of the ice-cream toppings. The candy coatings (found at craft stores or online) will set and hold up better at room temperature than the ice-cream toppings.

If you use the ice-cream toppings, keep the squares in the refrigerator (until ready to serve) in a covered plastic container with sheets of wax paper between layers.  You can freeze the squares if you need to store for more than a week and thaw them a little before serving (again, keep extra ones in the refrigerator).

Spray all working utensils with a butter-flavored cooking spray before using.

To clean your pot easily: add a little dish detergent, fill with warm water and let soak a while.

                                                So Addictive...

                                 
                                         You Can't Eat Just One!

Make them for an after-school snack or with the kids for fun (or just make them because you're craving them)!  Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

So Simple, So Perfect, Crispy Roast Chicken

 (I've had this sitting in draft for a few days.  However, I had a slight interruption...my precious, new baby granddaughter was welcomed into the world on August 2nd!)

Craving some protein?  Make it on Sunday and have it for leftovers during the week...a salad, a sandwich or just more delicious roast chicken.  That wing or leg will haunt you for a late night snack!

Roast chicken just doesn't get any better or any easier than this!  After much experimenting over the years, I came to this simple method for a classic and delicious roast chicken.  No need to stuff or truss!  Roasters are not as dry as baking chickens; all they need is a little seasoning...not even any butter or oil!  Follow this recipe and I guarantee you a succulent roast chicken with a crispy exterior!
                               

The aroma of a chicken roasting in the oven just seems to say:

                              

                                              "Welcome Home!"

                                    Salivating?  Let's Cut Into It...

Serves 4 or more

Ingredients

• 1 plump roasting chicken (about 4 to 5 lbs.)
• garlic powder
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• dried thyme leaves
• dried rosemary leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Place a rack in a shallow roasting (or baking) pan which you've lined w/foil.*
3. Wash the chicken and remove any fat,* neck or giblets from the inside.
4. Pat the chicken dry and place it breast up on the rack in the pan.
5. Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle all the seasonings on the top of the chicken.
7. Place in the oven and roast uncovered about 30 minutes per lb. or until a drumstick moves easily at the joint and the juices run clear, or the chicken registers at least 180º when a thermometer is inserted.  (Check after about 1 to 1 1/2 hours and if already golden brown, loosely cover with a tent of foil to keep from over browning.)

*Tips 

• You can save any fat for schmaltz, see:  "The Schmaltz" under "Bon Bon's Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls".  
• Over the years, I've used so many different configurations of a roasting pan for this chicken.  Generally I use whatever is handy.  I've even used a toaster-oven rack in a baking pan.  You really don't need anything fancy...just a rack and a pan! (This note is especially for those who don't own a lot of equipment or are just starting out in the kitchen).  However, if you happen to have an impressive roasting pan and rack, enjoy it!
• My Not Just White Chicken Chili would be great for using leftover chicken breast from this roast!

Let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing. (I prefer an electric knife to achieve attractive slices.) You'll feel like Mama just wrapped her arms around you while you enjoy this with your favorite sides!*

*Suggested Sides:

My Simple Side Salad with Avocado and Satisfying Spatzle Casserole with Swiss Cheese; Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Nut Topping or Yellow Summer Squash Casserole.

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