Jalapeno Cornbread

I made this cornbread to take to our family New Year's gathering at my mothers.  It's really moist and of course has a kick to it!  My brother loved it and took home the leftovers.  Here is a recipe worth sharing!


21 oz. Cornbread Mix
1 Large Onion - chopped
2 cups Colby-Jack Cheese
2 Large eggs - beaten
2-1/2 cups whole milk or 2-1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons sugar
1 can Creamed Corn
6 oz. chopped jalapenos
9 x 13 pan

Mix all ingredients.  Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Tip:  I used buttermilk and I added just a few green chilies.

Super Sloppy Joes

This is a delicious recipe my brother, Steve, makes and it's a Sloppy Joe like no other!  I hope I can make this as delicious as he does!!

2 lbs. ground beef or chuck
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 celery ribs-chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 2/3 cups crushed canned tomatoes
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
1 Tablespoons A-1 Steak Sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Cook meat, onion, celery and green pepper until done.  Darin and add next nine ingredients.  Mix well.  Simmer for 34-40 minutes.

Serve on buns.  Makes 8-10 servings.

Southern Red Velvet Cake

I finally found it!!  .....okay, to be honest my sister-in-law, Kim, found it.  A Red Velvet Cake that isn't dry.  This one is the perfect cake with the perfect icing.  I had given up trying to bake a red velvet cake because I couldn't find a recipe that was really good.  Thank you for sharing, Kim!

Vegetable oil for the pans
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1- full 1 oz. bottle of red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Crushed pecans, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 x 1-1/2-inch) cake pans.

In large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.  In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans.  Place the pans in oven evenly spaced apart.  Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans.  One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up.  Let cool completely.

When frosting the cake, spread 1/4 to 1/2-inch of the frosting between layers.  Cover the entire cake with frosting.  Optional:  sprinkle with pecans.


Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 lb. cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated.  Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy.  Store in refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using.

Pecan Pie

This is my mother's delicious Pecan Pie recipe.  She always makes two when we visit so we have one for the road home!  This is a great recipe.

3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup white corn syrup (Karo)
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Pinch of salt
*Pillsbury Pie Crust (frozen, in red box)

* You could also use a 9-inch ready to bake pie shell, but this is a more flaky crust.  Just be sure to sprinkle both sides of the crust with flour before placing it in a 9-inch pie plate.

Combine first 7 ingredients; blend well and pour into pie shell.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour or until firm.

Tips:  You can decorate the top with pecan halves before baking.  For presentation, I like to serve with a dollop of Reddi-Whip and grated dark chocolate on top!

Bacon Cheese Roll-ups

Lindy brought these when we celebrated Mary Ann's 50th birthday!!  They didn't last long because they're so delicious!

6 slices bacon, crispy and crumbled
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheese
1-8 oz. carton sour cream (Lindy only uses 3/4 of a cup)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 teaspoon Ranch Dressing Mix, or to taste
1/4 cup dried diced onion flakes
7-8 flour tortillas (Lindy uses low carb.)

Mix all ingredients, spread thinly on tortillas and roll up.  Cut into rounds.  They are much easier to cut if you roll them up and let them sit in the fridge for a while before you cut them.

Mexican version:  Leave off the bacon and ranch dressing mix, instead add green chilies, sliced black olives and 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning.