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Sunday, June 2, 2013

Pasta Pomodoro...pronto!

Summer and hot weather are almost here, and most of us are looking for delicious dishes that are quick and easy to prepare.  This is one of our favorites, it comes together quickly, and is really tasty.  We had it for dinner tonight.  It is a simple dish, and very easy to make.

Ingredients:
3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
8 basil leaves, chopped
28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp. sugar

 Instructions:
Heat oil in pan over medium low heat.  Add garlic, and saute until soft, be careful not to burn the garlic..this will make the dish bitter.  Add chopped basil and cook about one minute.  Add chopped tomatoes and salt, mix well, turn heat to medium and simmer for ten minutes. Serve over thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta.  Add a salad and crispy bread...mangia!

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Posted by Patsy at 7:31 PM 5 comments
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Thursday, April 4, 2013

Not My Grandmother's Collard Greens

My family loves collard greens, and so do I.  I have always cooked fresh bunch collards the old fashioned way, which can be a bit time consuming.  My hubby wanted them for dinner one night, and I was short on time, so I decided to saute bagged, pre-chopped greens in bacon grease.  Here are the simple directions.

Ingredients:
2# Bag Glory Chopped Collards
3 TBS. Bacon Grease
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 tsp. sugar
Vidalia onion,chopped
Pepper Sauce
Peeled and quartered turnips

Instructions:
Soak greens in 2 tsp. baking soda for about an hour.  Wash well, and remove large stems.  Melt bacon grease in large pan, then add greens and seasonings.  The sugar helps tone down the bitterness.  Cover, and simmer slowly for about 1 1/2 hours.  Keep an eye on the greens, and if the broth from the greens cooks away, add a little water.  We serve ours with fresh turnips cooked on top of greens, chopped onion, and pepper sauce...the real peppers distilled in vinegar.  Add turnips on top of greens during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

My husband loves greens cooked this way..I hope you will too.

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Posted by Patsy at 12:04 AM 5 comments
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Friday, March 15, 2013

Peyton's Easter Cake

Peyton is my 4 year-old great-grandson.  He is handsome, adorable, sweet, loving, funny, and very smart.  This is my totally unprejudiced great-grandmother's perspective and opinion. :) This little boy is a bright ray of sunshine in our lives, and his Boompa and Gram-Gram always look forward to visiting him in Arkansas, and his visits to our home in Texas.

 This week, we had an early Easter celebration with Peyton and the rest of the Arkansas family.  We made an Easter basket for him, and took along some Cascarones, which he thoroughly enjoyed! (Cascarones are a Mexican tradition for Easter as well as other holidays. A cascaron is an egg that is decorated much like an Easter egg and then filled with confetti. Cascarones are broken over the head for good luck.  They are used by many Texans on Holidays).  For dessert, I made this quick and easy Cream of Coconut Cake.  Here is a picture of Peyton's slice of cake.  He redesigned it, and even added some frosting to the chick's beak. I wanted to share this happy memory, and this easy, tasty cake with my blogging friends.  Happy Easter to all!

 Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix, prepared per package instructions.
(ingredients needed:egg, oil & water)
1 can Condensed milk1 can Cream of Coconut (I used Coco Lopez)
1 16 oz container Cool Whip, thawed
1 package frozen grated coconut, thawed

Instructions:
Prepare and bake white cake mix according to package directions for a 9x13 pan.
Remove cake from oven, and while still hot, poke holes all over the top of cake using the handle of a wooden spoon, or a large fork.
Mix condensed milk and Cream of Coconut well, and pour over warm cake. Coat top of cake evenly.  Be sure you coat the whole cake and spread it so it will soak in.

Let cake cool completely then frost with whipped topping, and, top with flaked coconut. Decorate as desired..as Peyton did.

Keep cake refrigerated.

 Notes: Be sure you use CONDENSED milk...not evaporated milk, and CREAM OF COCONUT, not coconut milk. Cream of Coconut is usually found in the section for alcoholic drink mixes..it does not contain alcohol, however.
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Posted by Patsy at 6:45 AM 5 comments
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Saturday, March 9, 2013

Emma Ruth's Family Recipes Restaurant



 My youngest son, David, had been asking me about family recipes for a few months.   He is the one who made the Red Beans and Rice in an earlier post.  There had been some casual talk about opening a restaurant, using family recipes to make from scratch dishes.  Everyone thought naming it for his, and wife Kim's grandmothers, the inspiration and origin of many of the recipes, was a good idea.  That, in a nutshell, mixed with his entrepreneurial spirit, is how Emma Ruth's Family Recipes restaurant was born. The doors opened at the end of February, and I am proud to report that the cooked from scratch, home cooking restaurant has been quite successful so far.  The food is very good.  If you are even in Bentonville Arkansas, stop in for a good meal, or just to say hey, y'all!

Many of the recipes for their dishes are on this blog.  I am proud of you, David and Kim!

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Chinese Spareribs

I made these Chinese Spareribs for a Sunday golf watching snack.  The photo didn't turn out too well, but the ribs did!  They were very tasty, and every single one of them was eaten... quickly!

Ingredients:
2 racks pork spareribs (about 4 lbs)
Marinade:
1 C. ketchup
1 TBS. brown sugar
1/3 C hoisin sauce
1/4 C lite soy sauce (I find regular too salty)
2 TBS dry sherry
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. 5 spice seasoning (optional)
1 Tsp. finely  grated ginger

If desired, have butcher cut rib slab in half, lengthwise.  I cook mine whole.  Trim ribs, and remove membrane from back of rack.  Make marinade by mixing all ingredients together.

Place ribs in baking dish, ( I line mine with aluminum foil for easier cleanup...trust me on this).  Pour marinade evenly over ribs to coat well.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  If possible, turn ribs at least once during this time.  When ready to cook, uncover baking dish and roast in 375* oven for about 11/2 hours.  Meat will separate from bone easily when done.  Remove to cutting board, and cut rack into individual ribs and serve.  Wrap any leftovers in foil, and reheat when needed.

These are easy to prepare, and are real man pleasers..ladies love them too!
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Posted by Patsy at 3:06 PM 8 comments
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Monday, January 28, 2013

David's New Orleans Red Beans and Rice



Another favorite from our years spent in New Orleans.  It has been a tradition there for many decades to serve this dish on Monday…wash day.  Housewives would put these on the stove in the morning, and let them simmer while they did the laundry…by hand.  At dinnertime, they had a delicious, low cost, and filling meal for the family.  My husband and sons always liked to see this dish on the table.

A while back, my youngest son called and asked for the recipe.  He cooked them, and shared the photo with me.  I have been away from my blog for a while, and I thought it would be fun to post David's dish.  We hope you like it.

Ingredients:
2# dried red beans, cleaned and soaked in water overnight.
2 C chopped onions
½ C chopped green bell pepper
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
Cayenne (to taste-don’t want these to be hot)
Red pepper flakes (to taste-don’t want these to be hot)
2 whole bay leaves
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. dried basil
2 ham hocks
1# salt pork, cut into large chunks
2 tsp. bacon grease
Smoked or Polish Sausage split and fried to serve with beans
Cooked white rice

Instructions:
Drain soaked beans and place them, along with all ingredients, (except sausage) in a large heavy pot.  Cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, and then lower to a simmer.  Cover and simmer on low for 2-3 hours.  During cooking, stir frequently and scrape down sides and bottom to prevent scorching.  Cook until beans are tender and creamy “gravy” forms.  If mixture gets too dry and thick, add water.  If too thin at end of cooking, remove lid and cook down a bit.  They should have thin, creamy “gravy”, not a watery “pot-likker” like beans are usually cooked.  Serve over white rice, with fried sausage, and some good baguettes and butter.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve Tabasco on the side.

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Posted by Patsy at 4:21 PM 20 comments
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Friday, August 17, 2012

West Nile Outbreak in Dallas





I'm sure most  you have heard of the West Nile epidemic in Texas, mostly in the DFW area.  300+ cases, 15 deaths so far. Dallas, and the suburbs south of us, have finally started aerial spraying. Our neighborhood is gated, so our HOA does it's own spraying. There are several lakes and creeks here, as well as a wetlands nature 
area. We try to eliminate standing water in our yards, and to balance what is good for the human residents, as well as the plentiful fauna in the area.  

 I must say, with all due modesty, that mosquitoes LOVE me!  I show up outside, and they all come running! This is my back-up protection..my screened porch!  A soul soothing place...and mosquito free.

 Hopefully, this epidemic will be resolved without further infections, or deaths.


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Posted by Patsy at 9:11 PM 10 comments
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