Pistachio Cake

Here it is Sunday morning and I have designated Sunday blogs to In the Kitchen. 

Earlier in the week, my youngest daughter had come over to visit. She and my grandson visit quite a bit. During her visit, she asked me if I had any recipes of my mom’s. I replied, 'yes I do - I inherited her cookbooks and I even have recipes from your Great Granny, my mom's mother". As I was busy in the kitchen, I stopped to see her reaction when I told her I had the cookbooks. She was smiling. I asked her why she asked, and all I got was "I was just wondering". She went on to ask, 'did you have anything special or what was your favorite thing Gammy (as my kids called my mom) cooked? 

I had to ponder that question for a little bit as there were several things mom cooked that I enjoyed eating and that I miss today. There is nothing like mom's homecooked meals...

As I continued washing the dishes or whatever it was I was doing, I answered my daughter's question with mom's Sunday roasts or her fried chicken cooked in the cast iron skillet or better yet, the electric skillet. My daughter said, 'yes - I miss Gammy's roast too, but you make a delicious roast, too mom! 

This morning as I sat down to write this post, I pulled out mom's brittle Betty Crocker Cookbook. Both the front and back covers are off, and the pages are falling out of the book. Several years ago, I planned on making a Junk Journal out of it to preserve the memories. So far, that has not happened and all the pages, recipes, and notes from mom and granny are tucked away safely in an envelope on my shelf. 

Here is a photo of a few things’ mom had tucked away inside...

Mom enjoyed cooking when she could. Later in life, her health was such that it hurt her to stand for long periods in the kitchen. 

I have many fond memories of mom and dad making Christmas candy during the holidays. They would make all sorts of Fudge, Martha Washington's, Peanut Brittle, Divinity, a variety of cookies, and Haystacks. The Haystacks were my favorite candy with Divinity coming in as a close second. I cannot eat either one much these days as sweets and I do not see eye to eye very much. I am glad I did not take up baking as a hobby. That was never my forte' at all...

My daughter loves to bake. A few years ago, we bought her a KitchenAid Mixer with all the different attachments. I am sure one day in the future, she will inherit the Betty Crocker Cookbook as well as all the other ones I have too. I personally do not own a newer version of the Betty Crocker Cookbook. I have wanted to buy one, just never have gotten around to doing so. Maybe I will add one to my Christmas Wish List...

A memory I have of mom anytime she was in the kitchen cooking or baking; the telephone was tied to her ear (figure of speech) and a toothpick was in her mouth. The toothpick has been a long-standing funny within the family from my kids as they too, remember their gammy swishing the toothpick back and forth on multiple occasions. 

This photo is a great example of mom, the phone, and the toothpick! If you look closely, you can see the Betty Crocker Cookbook sitting up on the ledge between the kitchen and the living room. This was my childhood home in Amarillo, Texas out in Pleasant Valley. The electric skillet I mentioned is also sitting on the cabinet. Laughing out loud...

The recipe I would like to share with you today is one my mom made many times. Although I do not remember eating any of it, she made it regularly when there was a church function happening. Maybe you have baked this cake or even eaten a slice of one. What are your thoughts?  Do you like Pistachios? They are my son in law's favorite nut. Maybe I need to bake him one over the holidays. 

PISTACHIO CAKE

Cake Ingredients: 

White Cake Mix

3/4 c. oil

1 box of Pistachio Pudding mix (small)

1 c. 7-Up

1/2 c. chopped nuts (Pecans and/or Pistachios)

3 eggs

1/2 c. coconut

Mix all the ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. 

Icing:

2 envelopes of Dream Whip (do they even make that anymore?)

1 box Pistachio Pudding (small box)

1 1/2 c. milk

After the cake has come out of the oven, mix, and spread the icing on the cake. 

Sprinkle the top with 1/2 c. chopped pecans and 1/2 c. coconut

Now that I have typed this recipe up, it sounds delicious. I think I am going to add this to one of our holiday meals. Move over Pumpkin Pie, there is a new cake in town...

Slice yourself up a piece and enjoy it!

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In the Kitchen - Sausage Balls

Saturday, my husband, and I took an adventure in the car. We do this from time to time. We never know where we will end up and Saturday was no different. 

We ended up driving down south for a little bit, then we headed west. We saw many fun and unique things along the drive. I will write a separate post about the adventure later. 

Several years ago, we had heard about a restaurant called, LocoCoyote Grill, so we wanted to check it out. When we were being walked to our table, the hostess asked if we had been there before and we indicated we had not. She tells us, "make sure you try the Coyote Balls, they are yummy"! We asked what they were, and she described them for us. I will not divulge the recipe for them, but I'll show you pictures. 

The Coyote Balls were amazing. They did have a bit to them though. The dipping sauce was also delicious, and it too had a kick! 

You can find Loco Coyote on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LocoCoyoteGrill

As I thought about my recipe today for In the Kitchen...the Coyote Balls reminded me of Sausage Balls. Here is the recipe for Sausage Balls. 

 

SAUSAGE BALLS

1 lb. hot or mild sausage

4 c. Bisquick

8 oz. shredded Cheddar Cheese

 

Mix sausage, cheese, and Bisquick until well blended. Shape into marble-size balls. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350*. 

These also freeze well if you want to make them up and save them for another day. 

Enjoy!

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In The Kitchen - Fool for Rhubarb Pie by Nana White

Many years ago, my mom told me that she liked Rhubarb Pie. I had no idea what she was talking about until I started researching what it was. I have never eaten Rhubarb Pie. 

CREDIT: Crisco

I began asking mom what it tasted like. She said, 'it is sometimes tart and sometimes tangy' and it is so good while her face lit up. I could see her mouth begin to drool as she described a Rhubarb Pie to me. She also said, 'they would eat the pie with homemade Vanilla Icecream' and that was a treat. 

I never did get mom a Rhubarb Pie and she never made one while I lived at home or even into my adult years. After researching the Rhubarb plant, I was not interested in trying this pie for myself. 

Rhubarb is a vegetable if you did not know that. But when it is cooked, one must add a great deal of sugar for it to get the sugary sweetness one is longing for in each bite of pie they enjoy. 

Rhubarb can be made into jam and served as an accompaniment to roasted meats. 

I asked mom if this plant could be eaten in its original form and she said, 'oh yes - grab a jar of sugar, remove the leaves and chomp down - really just putting the Rhubarb in the sugar and then sucking on the stalk". I asked her why she removed the leaves and she said, 'They can make you extremely sick'. When I researched this plant further, I did read that the small leaves are poisonous and must be removed before ingesting the Rhubarb. 

Did you know that Rhubarb stocks become very toxic and poisonous in late summer? They do. I found that to be quite interesting. It is best to harvest this plant in the Spring and early Summer. I have never even seen a Rhubarb plant - so I do not know what I would be looking for. Do you? Have you ever grown any? 

I do not know about you, but I am not really interested in trying Rhubarb Pie. It does not sound appealing to me at all, but my mom sure did enjoy the ones she ate. I wish now, I would have gotten her a piece of Rhubarb Pie when she lived with us. I would have loved to see her face while she was eating it. I can only imagine what it was like though, because as I am typing this post out - my mouth is watering just thinking about the tart and tangy taste. I guess I could compare this sensation to when I eat a lemon. 

When my husband got his Cookbook out for me a few months ago, I found a recipe that Nana White had shared for Rhubarb Pie.

FOOL FOR RHUBARB PIE

4 egg whites

1tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Vinegar

1 c. minus 1 T. sugar, sifted

8 oz. Rhubarb

1 T. butter

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. whipping cream

Heat oven to 225*. Grease or spray a 9-inch pie pan. Beat egg whites until foamy. Add vanilla, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon sugar; beat to blend. Continue to add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, continue beating until all sugar is added and stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue in the pan in a concave fashion, as if it were a pie shell. 

Bake 1 hour, then turn off the oven but leave the pie shell there until the oven is totally cool about 1 more hour. Chop rhubarb into small pieces. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add rhubarb and 1/2 cup sugar. 

Cook, stirring occasionally until rhubarb is tender and the mixture is falling apart. Crush some of the bigger pieces with a fork to make a smoother mixture. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator. 

When the meringue is completely cooled, beat the whipping cream until still. Fold in the rhubarb mixture. Use this to fill the meringue. 

***

Looking at this recipe, had I known this was in the cookbook my husband had - I might have tried to make my mom one of these Rhubarb Pies. I suppose now, this will be one of those would have, could have moments that will go down in history. 

Do you like Rhubarb Pie? Have you ever made one? Share your memories with me of eating Rhubarb Pie. 

Enjoy! 

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In The Kitchen With Grandma

A few years ago, my brother-in-law sent me a DVD with family photos of my husband's family. I took all of these photos and made a Scrapbook Album for my sister-in-law. She is my husband's sister.

As I looked through the photographs, I was amazed at the images before me. I knew these memories needed to be captured and saved for generations to come. I uploaded the ones we had identified and started asking questions on the ones my husband did not know.

There were pictures of his grandfather as a baby. Photographs of his Uncle on his tour in Vietnam. Also in the pile of pictures was his Grandmother with his mother when she was a baby and other family members with the memories they carried.

Among them was a photograph of his Grandmother in the kitchen cooking a meal. As I sat here over the weekend thinking about the next recipe I wanted to share on my blog, I remembered the photograph of his Grandmother. Her name was Rita.

I asked my husband about her cooking and if there was a meal he could remember her cooking. He told me about something she cooked that had cow tongue and brains in it. He went on to say he was very young at that time. I do not think he liked it much because he made a funny face when he was telling me the story of the cow tongue and brains! 

He went on to say, "she cooked the best Chicken Pot Pie" and "Oyster Dressing". As he was telling me about these memories, his face lit up...you could sense he was enjoying the memories I brought forth in him by talking about the photograph.

Meet Rita, my husband's Grandmother. I did not have the opportunity of knowing her very long as she passed away shortly after we were married. Listening to my husband talk about her cooking, it sounds like she was an amazing cook.

OYSTER DRESSING RECIPE

8 cups plain bread cubes or 8 cups cornbread cubes

1  1/2 cup celery (chopped)

1 cup onion (chopped)

2 - 8 oz. cans of oysters, with liquid

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 cup evaporated milk

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Heat milk, butter, and oyster liquid in a small pan

2. Combine bread cubes, celery, onion, spices, and oysters

3. Add liquid and stir

4. Stuff poultry or place in a greased baking dish

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until poultry is done. 

Maybe the next time you make a nice meal, Oyster Dressing will be one of the dishes served. 

I think I am going to try this with a baked Chicken in the near future. (I have not ever had Oyster Dressing). 

Have you eaten Oyster Dressing before? 

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In The Kitchen with Chicken Tostados

Several years ago, my husband and I were visiting friends and they made Chicken Tostados for supper. They were amazing! 

Ever since we have this meal in our house at least once a month. It is so easy to make. Here is the recipe. 

CHICKEN TOSTADOS RECIPE

*3 -4 Chicken Breasts (boiled with spices. Cumin, Garlic, Onion, Chili Powder, Paprika, Salt and Pepper

1 Can Black Beans (drained)

1 Can Corn (drained)

Sour Cream

Queso Fresco Cheese

Flat Tortilla Shells (store-bought or make your own)

Cilantro

Avocados (Guacamole will work too)

Diced Tomatoes

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Boil your chicken with the spices until done. Drain and shred. Set aside. 

Put the Corn and Black Beans together in a pan and heat them up. 

Next, you will want to crumble up the Queso Fresco Cheese. 

Dice your Tomatoes. 

Take a flat tostada shell, evenly spread Sour Cream on it. Then place the Corn/Black Beans on top of the Sour Cream. 

Next, add your shredded chicken. Garnish with the Queso Fresco Cheese, Avocados (Guacamole), Diced Tomatoes, and Cilantro. 

Add your favorite Salsa and enjoy!!! 

*Rotisserie Chickens are great for this meal. Just debone the chicken and set it aside until you are ready to warm it up. 

*Red Pepper Flakes can also be added to the water when cooking your chicken. This is completely up to you and your taste buds. 

Other garnishes can also be used. A squeeze of lime, or a few sliced Jalapeno's. 

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Creamy Garlic Creole Shrimp and White Rice with Pesto

I have been on this kick the last few weeks wanting to try new recipes and concoctions for our meals. Tonight, was no different and I have Shrimp in mind...

When we bought groceries a few weeks back, we bought 2 lbs. of Shrimp and froze it. Earlier this week, I thought about how I wanted to cook it. In the past we have grilled it, lemon peppered it, steamed it, fried it and I wanted to do something different. 

I had been thinking back to many years ago about a meal some people in our church cooked after church one night when they had several of us over for food, fun, and games.  The dish consisted of Red, Yellow and Green Bell Peppers, Garlic Cloves, a sauce of some kind, White Rice and Shrimp. The Shrimp was placed in the sauce was spooned over the rice. It was delicious!!! Remembering this meal, I wanted to see if I could duplicate it tonight for supper. 

Earlier in the day, I had scoured the internet to see if I could find a recipe of some kind that was like that meal I shared with my friends. I found a Creamy Garlic Shrimp and White Rice recipe. It was similar to what I remembered, but not quite. It did not have any peppers, onions, or cheese in it. 

I moved away from the recipe and decided to wing it myself and create something that would be hearty, delicious, and filling. 

I started the White Rice about 45 minutes before I began cooking everything else. It was cooking in my Rice cooker.  While the rice was cooking, I began to cut up a Red and Yellow Bell Pepper. I placed the diced-up Peppers in the skillet with a tablespoon of sweet cream butter and a tablespoon of Olive Oil. To that, I added 6 cloves of Garlic. I pressed them in my Garlic Press from Pampered Chef. 

I chopped up a medium-sized onion and added it to the skillet along with the Peppers and Garlic. I had these on low heat until they began to sweat. Stirring it all from time to time. 

I sautéed all of this for about 20 minutes. Once this mixture felt softened just a bit, I added the raw shrimp and turned up the heat to medium. Once the shrimp started cooking, I began mixing it gently into the pepper, onion, and garlic mixture. I used 2 lbs. of tail off, peeled, deveined raw shrimp from Kroger. 

As the shrimp cooked through, I stirred the mixture gently every few minutes. This ensured the shrimps were cooked evenly throughout. During this time, I sprinkled 2 heaping splashes of Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning into the skillet and mixed it throughout the cooking ingredients. 

Turning the skillet down now, I let the shrimp and vegetables simmer for a few more minutes. (I was timing everything to be finished about the time the rice finished). The smell in the house is wonderful...garlic, bell peppers, onions, and Creole Seasoning. YUM...

While this simmered, I went outside and plucked a handful of fresh Basil out of my Herb planter. You guessed it! I am going to make fresh Pesto. (a handful of Basil, 1/4 cup of Pine Nuts, Olive Oil (it actually came from Italy - it was a gift from my youngest daughter from their 2019 trip), a little bit of salt, and shredded Parmesan Cheese. Mix this all together in a food processer. I use a mini food chopper for this as I am the only one who eats Pesto in my family). I will be putting this over 2 cups of spiral pasta. 

Back to my skillet now...oh it smells so good. I wish you could have smelled it cooking. Anyway, the next thing I did was added 2 cups of Heavy Cream and stirred it gently. Once this was mixed in good, I added 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and let it melt as I mixed it all together. I ended up adding a little bit more cream and parmesan cheese. (This will be completely up to you!). 

Doesn't this look yummy? 

You know what I did?  I added some of the Pesto I made into the skillet to give it a little bit Basil taste. (It tasted awesome!) 

While this was finishing up, I prepared a small salad to finish out the meal. For this, my husband stopped by the store after work and picked up a package of Dole Chopped Bacon Caesar salad. 

It is time to eat now...

This was delicious and I did not even use a recipe. I created it all in my head. I think next time though, I will make the sauce just a little bit thicker. 

Recipe: 

CREAMY GARLIC CREOLE SHRIMP, SERVED OVER WHITE RICE WITH PESTO

1 Red Bell Pepper - diced

1 Yellow Bell Pepper - diced

1 medium onion - chopped

*6 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped - or pressed)

1 Tbs. Sweet Cream Butter

1 Tbs. Olive Oil

2 lbs. raw, tail-off, peeled, deveined Shrimp

2 heaping splashes of Creole Seasoning

2 1/2 c. Heavy Cream

1 1/2 c. Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Sweat all the vegetables together in the butter and olive oil. Once they start to feel soft, add the shrimp. Let this cook for approximately 15 - 20 minutes on low to medium heat. 

Add cream and cheese, stir gently - mixing it in well. Turn heat down and let it simmer on low until the cheese melts. 

In the meantime, cook your rice. I used 2 cups of rice that was cooked in my rice cooker. You can use Minute Rice or Boil-A-Bag rice too. (Your preference)

*you could also leave the garlic cloves whole if you prefer. 

Once the rice has finished cooking, put some onto a plate or into a bowl, and spoon the Shrimp mixture with sauce over the top of the rice. 

Enjoy!!! 

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Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning

Our family enjoys cooking out year around. A few years back our son-in-law introduced us to Greek Seasoning. We have been using it ever since.

Usually, we will make our own seasonings by adding a pinch of this and little of that, but now that we keep Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning on hand at all times, we use it on chicken, steaks, pork chops, and veggies cooked on the grill, baked in the oven or even on the stovetop.

Product description

Size:3.25 Ounce (Pack of 1)

Cavender All Purpose Greek Seasoning 3.25 OZ. Cavender's seasoning is as distinctive in the foods of today as those prepared for the feasts of the ancient Greeks. This seasoning is excellent on steaks, chops, roasts, meatloaf, chicken, fish, turkey, hamburgers, seafood, and wild game. Use Cavender's in all cooked vegetables, gravies, soups, stews, casseroles, eggs, poultry dressing, and vegetable juices. (Note description is informational only. Please refer to ingredients on the actual product before use. Please consult with a health professional or the manufacturer on any questions prior to using this product.)

Now that gardens are beginning to produce their bounty, why not pick up a bottle of Cavender's today and try it on your garden-fresh vegetables? Those steamed veggies will taste even better than they already do with a sprinkle of this seasoning on them.

We always keep Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning on hand. It comes in several different sizes too. We give this seasoning a 5-star rating and a shoutout to our son-in-law for telling us about it!

You can find this Seasoning at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and many other grocery stores.

What are you waiting for, order your bottle today!

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