Hot Wing Macaroni and Cheese

I saw a similar dish at Publix for close to $6 for a tiny half pint container - pshaw! I thought to myself, " I can make this for about $6 for a full-size casserole pan"! And indeed I did!

Mr. Right declared that it is life-changing mac and cheese, and was quickly seconded by some of our sweet friends. My boss paid over $20 for a bowl of hot wing mac and cheese at a fancy-schmancy restaurant in Chicago (granted, it had truffle oil, but should mac & cheese really be that fancy? I think not.). Ok, so here's your new favorite recipe:

Hot Wing Mac & Cheese

1 large can white meat chicken, drained
1/2 cup EACH: Frank's hot sauce and ranch dressing
1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
2 c. Kraft shredded cheddar cheese with a Touch of Philadelphia
       (plus more for sprinkling on top, if desired)
8 oz. (1/2 a box) of macaroni noodles

First thing's first: preheat your oven to 350, and start boiling those noodles! While the noodles are heating up, mix the hot sauce and chicken in a small skillet over medium, breaking up chunks, until heated through. While your chicken/hot sauce are cooking, put the softened cream cheese and ranch dressing in a big bowl. When the chicken's ready, dump it in the cream cheese bowl, add the shredded cheddar cheese, and mix thoroughly to combine. Your noodles should be ready right about now (I cook mine 8 min. after it first begins to boil), so dump them in with the chicken/cheese mixture. Stir to combine the yummy goodness, then turn into a greased casserole pan (9 x 13 should do just fine) and bake for about 30 minutes. You may want to sprinkle some extra cheese on top to make it pretty, but that's up to you :-)

"The Jam" Lima Beans

1 pkg frozen baby lima beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 can chicken broth,
1 chicken broth can of water
1 heapin' spoonful bacon grease
salt/pepper to taste

Boil all together for 12-15 minutes until beans are soft. No kidding, these are just like Mammaw used to make!

Easiest Fudge in the History of EVER

2-Minute Chocolate Fudge

1 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 can Eagle brand milk

Microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 8x8 square pan, cool in the refrigerator to harden, then cut into pieces and enjoy! Makes 20 pieces

This is a great base recipe so feel free to add Heath bar chips, finely chopped candied cherries, chopped nuts or whatever else sounds good to you!

Peanut Butter Fudge

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

1 1/3 c. peanut butter

1 jar marshmallow creme

Mix sugar and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes (stirring down the sides), then combine with the peanut butter and marshmallow creme. Carefully turn into a greased 8x8 square pan, cool in refrigerator to harden, and cut into pieces. Makes 20 pieces.

Incredibly rich and luscious - this didn't last but for a few hours at my office!

Semi-Homemade Thin Mint Pie

One of my father in law's favorites! Tastes just like a thin mint, can be made ahead, and is perfect after a heavy holiday meal!

1 box jello no-bake oreo dessert

peppermint extract (about 1 tsp)

green food coloring

chocolate pie shell

crushed peppermint candies or oreo cookies(optional)

1. Open the box and throw out the packet of chocolate crumbs that you're supposed to make a crust with. Use a store-bought chocolate pie crust instead - it'll cut prettier!

2. Mix up the filling following the instructions on the box. Before you stir in the oreo pieces, add a good splash of peppermint extract (about 1 tsp or more) and 6 drops green food coloring. Stir in oreo pieces like it says to on the box.

3. Spoon filling into the chocolate pie shell and top with crushed peppermint candies or oreos, if desired, and refrigerate/freeze as directed.

* Remember to thaw a little before serving to make cutting easier!

Girlie Food

This weekend, my sweet friend Allegra came to stay with us while her boyfriend and TJ went dirt bike riding. Girlie weekend - woo hoo!

Anyway, here's what was on the menu - meals that were delicious and easy to prepare ahead of time. Try them the next time your friends come in town!

Cold Pea Salad

1 pkg. steam in bag peas, cooked and drained

3/4 c. light sour cream

1 T. dill

3 ribs celery, finely chopped

1/4 c. finely chopped onion or a couple dashes of onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together and refrigerate overnight for best flavor. Serve with chicken salad (below) on a lettuce leaf.

Chicken Salad

1 16 oz. pkg. canned white meat chicken, drained

1/4 c. sweet pickle relish

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1/4 c. chopped onion or dash of onion powder

1/2 c. mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

Mix and refrigerate overnight for best flavor. Be sure to use lots of pepper!

Swiss and Onion Quiche

1 9" frozen pie crust

1 large onion, sliced and cooked in butter until sweet and golden

2 c. shredded swiss cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1 c. half and half cream

salt and pepper to taste (I just used pepper, as the cheese is rather salty on its own)

Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes, then lower heat to 325 and bake an additional 30-35 minutes. Test with a knife or toothpick for doneness.

Chicken Divan

1 pkg. fresh chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces

1 pkg. steam in bag broccoli florets

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 - 1 c. mayonnaise

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

pepper to taste

Boil chicken bites until cooked through. While chicken is boiling, cook the broccoli and form a broccoli layer in a 9 x 11 casserole pan. After chicken has cooked, drain it and distribute evenly over the broccoli. Mix the soup, mayo and cheese together in a bowl, season with pepper, and spoon evenly on top of the casserole. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until cooked through and bubbly around the edges. (I made mine the night before so all I had to do was put it in the oven.)

She'd brought 2 bottles of red wine and chocolate truffles, and m'dears, it was a FABULOUS weekend!

Deep South Scotch Eggs

Thanks so much for stopping by for Gollum's Foodie Friday!

I hope you'll come back and look forward to reading your recipes this week!

Some of you will remember that my parents took us to Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Hotel for Christmastime this year. While there, my husband, brother in law and I ventured over to Findley's Irish Pub - and TJ discovered Scotch eggs! The three of us were hungry for a late dinner and ordered "snicky snacks" from the menu: Matt got potato soup, TJ got a bucket of assorted "bangers" (sausages), and I ordered Scotch eggs. Mine was the best, HANDS DOWN, and after eating the one teensy-weensy little bit I shared with him, TJ couldn't keep away from my little fried treats!

I realize that none of that has anything to do with Foodie Friday's recipe, but I thought I'd give you some context. Please forgive me, I do have a tendency to "go on" sometimes!

At any rate, I saw that Rainey from The Project Table posted a recipe for Scotch eggs at last week's Foodie Friday and KNEW I had to try it. After reading through her excellent instructions, the eggs didn't look too hard to make so I thought I'd give it a go, adding a Southern twist. You see, TJ's cut his carb count to almost nil so the breadcrumbs on the outside of these little jewels would have to go - OR WOULD THEY!?

(oh no she didn't!)

(oh YES I DID!)

I substituted crushed "hot" pork cracklings for the breadcrumbs and they turned out wonderfully!

TJ was impressed, I was proud of myself, and even the Bodacious Bean ate a few bites. I made a sauce to go with them: 1.5 T. mayonnaise, 1T. lite sour cream, 1 tsp. yellow mustard (cause that's what we had!), 1 tsp. dried dill and 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper.

The fast version of Rainey's Recipe is below. Honestly though, click over to her blog and check it out for yourself. Her step-by-step pictures are so much easier to understand!

1. Boil 6 eggs until they are hard-cooked (about 8-10 min. after the water has come to a boil), and peel them. *Did you know that putting your eggs in when the water is still cold will prevent that unattractive green ring around the outside of the yolk? My husband didn't, and thought that was a neat trick!
2. Wrap each peeled hard-boiled egg with enough bulk pork sausage to completely cover it. I used a small palmful, and found that 1 lb. sausage will cover approximately 6 eggs.
3. Coat the sausage-covered eggs in crushed pork cracklings or breadcrumbs, and place on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake at 425 for 25 min. or until done. (Time will depend on how thick your sausage layer is) Voila!

Crazy Sherry's Mac and Cheese

Thanks for stopping by for Gollum's Foodie Friday! I'm honored that you clicked over, and hope you'll check out the rest of the blog for interesting family-friendly recipes we love! Some were successes, some are waiting to be improved upon, but I try to always leave my own personal story or comments so you have some context when reading through the recipes.

This week, I'd like to share Crazy Sherry's Mac and Cheese. See, I have this friend (Sherry) who is a NUT! She is fun-loving, spontaneous, and wheels her SUV all over our fair city with all the verve and passion of a NASCAR driver. She has two kids, a fiery redheaded and a new little dude whose flowing curly hair is approaching Fabio proportions! Sherry is an avid consignment seller/shopper and always knows what's going on with upcoming sales, bargains, and childrens events. It's amazing that she even has time to cook, but graciously shared her mac and cheese recipe which, I have to admit, is outstanding. It's easy (yay!) and much creamier than my great-aunt's more "homestyle" traditional mac and cheese. I like to stir in a handful of frozen peas (for color) and usually don't add the cracker topping because I have a "thing" about toppings on mac and cheese. On occasion, I have contemplated adding a small pouch of tuna but am afraid I'll mess it up; and seriously, this stuff is so good you'll be afraid to mess around with it too! Now, without further adieu, here's Crazy Sherry's Mac and Cheese:

8 oz. macaroni noodles

1 c. mayonnaise (any kind)

3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 finely chopped onion (can sub. dried minced onion)

1 can cream of mushroom (we use cream of chicken) soup

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

1 T. melted butter

Boil noodles until almost al dente and drain. While noodles are going, lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray or grease with butter/margarine. Mix noodles, mayo, cheese, onion and soup and turn into the baking dish. Mix crushed crackers with butter and sprinkle evenly over noodles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Thanks Sherry!

Avocado Ranch

Thought I'd try my hand at replicating Chili's dipping sauce for southwest eggrolls, and ended up discovering a recipe that's much better!

1 Hass avocado, peeled and seeded

1/2 c. sour cream

2T. ranch salad dressing

1 T. lemon juice

Squish up the avocado with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

I served this over chicken quesadillas and will be serving it tonight with blackened tilapia. TJ loves this stuff!

Onion Gravy

Last night we had seasoned, pan fried cubed steaks that were braised in an onion gravy that was just too yummy not to share! It was one of those "let's see what's in the fridge" impromptu recipes that ended up turning out pretty well!

1 large onion, finely chopped (use a food processor if you can)

4 T. margarine

1 T. dried dill (to taste)

3 T. sour cream

1/3 c. red wine

1 T. sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Melt margarine in a skillet over medium, add onions, and cook until golden. Drain off some of the liquid rendered by the onions, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer. I put the cooked cubed steaks in with the gravy to coat them and allow the meat to absorb some of the flavors of the gravy, but it could just as easily be spooned over the top.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

This recipe is so quick and so good! TJ usually dislikes soup because it was all he could eat when he had his jaw wired shut for 6 months in high school (dang that mosh pit!) but last night he went back for seconds - unheard of! You can use cream of potato soup if you want, but I like the chunky texture of the real deal. It's very rich, so you'll need to go light on the side dishes. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days but I seriously doubt it will last that long!

1 medium onion, diced

2 T. butter or margarine

2 cans potato soup

2 cups milk

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1 T. sugar

1 c. frozen corn

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 c. shredded cheese

In the bottom of a Dutch oven, melt margarine and add onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion begins to turn golden. Add soup, milk, pepper, sugar and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add shrimp. Cook until shrimp are pink, stirring every so often to keep the bottom from sticking. Stir in cheese and cook until cheese is melted.

Great with a green salad, fruit, and crusty bread!

Hot N Nasty Night

So, tonight I made Hot-N-Nasties, a sandwich concoction born in Slidell during my pregnancy. For some reason, it just sounded SO GOOD for dinner tonight! (and NO I'm not pregnant) They are fantastic and simply must be served with crinkle cut fries and sweet tea (or a hurricane, depending on where you live!) So without further ado, here ya go - they're hot, they look nasty, but MAN they're good!

1 french baguette

1/2 lb. deli sliced roast beef

5 slices swiss cheese (we used Sargento)

1/2 cup cajun brown gravy (use Tony Cachere's brand and follow the directions)

mayonnaise

Preheat your oven to 400. Slice the baguette in half longways, and spread it open. Spread a substantial layer of mayonnaise on each side, top with roast beef, then cheese. Bake for 7 -9 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is crispy. Remove from oven and spread gravy down the middle and all over the sides so that it soaks into the bread as much as possible. Fold sandwich back together and cut into 4 servings.

Shrimp in Cream Sauce

1 pkg. frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined

a few tablespoons flour (self rising or all purpose, doesn't matter)

2 T. butter

1 T. oil

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. dry vermouth or zinfandel

salt and pepper

Melt butter and oil in a large skillet over medium. While butter is melting, shake shrimp in a freezer bag with the flour. Immediately place shrimp in a single layer in the melted butter (before flour becomes gummy). Cook for 2 minutes or until browned on one side, then flip and brown on the other side. Cook shrimp in 2 batches if necessary. Remove cooked shrimp to a shallow casserole dish, bowl, or whatever.

After shrimp has cooked, deglaze the pan with the vermouth and cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 4 min. or until mixture has reduced by half. Pour warm cream sauce over cooked shrimp and serve with crusty bread for sopping up extra sauce.

*Cook's Note: I'd thought about adding about 1/2 T. flour to the cream sauce to thicken it up a little but haven't given it a try yet. You may want to test it out and see how it works - leave me a post if it turns out good!

Venison Chili

Well, the first recipe of venison chili has been made for 2009! TJ tasted it last night and almost ate the whole pot full by accident. Here's how I make mine - adjust seasonings etc. according to your taste.

2 lbs. deer burger

3 cans mexican chili beans

1 can dark red kidney beans, drained

1 can tomato sauce

1 can original Ro-tel

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. charbroil seasoning (optional)

Throw it all in a crock pot, cover and cook on low for at least 8 hrs. Make sure to stir every couple of hours or so, until the meat cooks, and break up any lumps. Ladle into big bowls, and top with sour cream and cheese if you've got 'em. Awesome dinner served alongside a roaring fire with crunchy corn pones and a salad.

Cheesy Taco Pinwheels

Sorry I don't have a picture to post with this one, but they were gone before I could take one! We had these at a gameday party some friends of ours threw and, may I just say, these are GREAT for watching the game - small enough you can eat it in one bite, and not too messy. Party on!

1 lb. ground beef, drained, seasoned with taco seasoning according to pkg. directions

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. Mexican blend cheese

1 small can diced black olives

1/3 c. diced onions or snipped green onion tops

1/2 c. sour cream

flour tortillas

Cool the ground beef, then mix with remaining ingredients except tortillas. Spread beef mixture evenly over tortillas, roll up, and wrap tightly with cling wrap. Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, cut into pinwheels and serve alongside sliced jalapenos and salsa. Olé!

Tabouli

 After meeting with TJ's dietician, we're going to have to change our eating habits a bit! One of my favorite summer salads is tabouli, which is an excellent light source of grain and vegetable. Try it - you'll like it!

1 pkg. couscous, cooked according to package directions

2 packages fresh mint, chopped

1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

drizzle or two of olive oil (to prevent sticky clumps)

lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together in a big bowl and refrigerate overnight. The lemon juice just MAKES this dish, and really highlights the flavors of the herbs so don't be afraid to be generous with the juice! This dish is really beautiful served in hollowed-out tomatoes or peppers and, as I said before, is a perfect summer dish - flavorful and light.

Homemade Granola

Found a cool homemade granola recipe online and thought I'd try my hand at it - it was super easy, but made more granola than we'll be able to eat in a month! I'm considering making a batch to give away as Christmas gifts, and must assure you that it's really, REALLY good (especially warm, right out of the oven!) Serve between layers of yogurt and fruit for a healthy way to start your day!

1 box uncooked oats

1 2 lb. box trail mix (I used cranberry, almond, sunflower seed)

1/2 c. honey

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. applesauce

2 T. canola oil

Preheat oven to 300. Mix all ingredients together and spread half on a rimmed cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 45 min., stirring every 10 min. When first batch is done, place in a gallon size zip bag and start cooking the 2nd batch. Make sure to vent the bag as the granola cools! 

Blackened Tilapia

Check out Gollum's blog for other Foodie Friday recipes!

Ok, so on to this week's recipe . . . Love, love this stuff - and SO easy and quick, and PERFECT for humid summer weather! I keep a bunch of fresh cilantro in a plastic cup of water in the fridge door for occasions such as this, and love whipping up a tasteful, healthy meal that's not too "heavy"! Serve alongside a tossed salad or right on top, skipping the salad dressing.

Serves 4
Start-to-finish: 15 minutes or less

Blackened Tilapia:
4 frozen tilapia fillets, thawed
1 T. blackened seasoning (our favorite is Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic)
1 T. olive oil or 1/4 stick butter

Homemade "Salsa":
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 to 1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (small handful)
1/2 a small onion, chopped
lemon juice

Heat oil or melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium until hot. After fish has thawed, sprinkle half the seasoning over the fillets and place, seasoning side down, in the skillet. Sprinkle the rest of the seasoning on the top. Cook on one side until a brown crust has formed, then flip and cook on the other side until it crusts over.

NOTE: This part takes patience! I have to *make* myself leave them alone and not check for crust for at least 4-5 minutes. If you turn them too soon or check too often, the fillets will break into pieces or the beginnings of the crust will be disturbed and fall off - not good!

While the fish is cooking, mix the tomatoes, cilantro, onion and a squeeze or two of lemon juice in a bowl to make the salsa.

After fish has cooked, serve with the salsa spooned over the top. It's amazing how the fresh cilantro and lemon cut through the rich, smoky flavor of the blackened fish - truly a delight!

* If you're feeling adventurous, make a fruit salsa of tomato, mango, pineapple, and cilantro with just a *tad* of onion; or if you're really in a hurry, a "tropical" fruit cup, drained, with or without fresh herbs stirred in.

Hot Wing Dip

After discovering a version of this recipe in the Moms League of Birmingham cookbook, I altered it to suit our family's tastes. It's become one of my most-requested recipes, even from one friend who works in the hotel and restaurant industry! If you're as big a fan of hot wings as we are, this dip is sure to quickly become one of your favorites.

1 12.5 oz. can chicken in water, drained
1/2 cup hot sauce (We use Frank's or Crystal)
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a small skillet, combine the drained chicken and hot sauce and heat over medium. Break the chicken up with a fork, and cook until thoroughly combined and heated through. Meanwhile, soften cream cheese in the microwave. When chicken/hot sauce is hot and bubbly, pour it over the cream cheese and stir in ranch dressing and shredded cheddar. Mix to combine, and turn into a small crock pot (dip size). Serve with celery sticks or assorted crackers.

Truck Stop Breakfast Bowl

One of TJ's favorite weekend rituals is when I wake up and make truck stop breakfast bowls. I don't know why it's such a big deal - they're one of those things that you just put together on a whim, but I guess it's become a weekend "thing" now that I just can't stop! Since TJ can't eat the original truck stop breakfast because of his sharp limitations on carbs, this tides him over until the day when he can have biscuits again. (By the way, I don't eat this - too much fat and grease for me, but TJ LOVES it!)

6 slices (1/2 lb.). thick-cut bacon, fried and drained
2 eggs
3 slices cheese

Fry the bacon, then remove to a paper plate to drain. With drippings still hot, crack two eggs in the pan and fry in the bacon grease, then remove and drain. In a bowl, lay down one fried egg, top with 1 slice of cheese, then 3 slices bacon. Make another layer of egg, 1 slice of cheese, then bacon. Finally, top with cheese and microwave about 30 sec. on HI to melt the cheese on top.

I rocked the "original" truck stop breakfast during my pregnancy, when insomnia had me up at 3 am making biscuits from scratch. Since TJ had to get up at 4:30 or so, I usually had him a hot breakfast sandwich to take with him, consisting of a fried egg and a piece of cheddar between two slices of fried bologna sandwiched within the aforementioned biscuit. One time I got fancy and put grapes on the side - he wanted to know why I tried to mess up his breakfast with something healthy! :-)

Kahlua Cake

I first experienced this wonderful cake while staying with my host family at Alabama's Junior Miss state finals in Montgomery in 1997. Diane Brown, consummate hostess and Mom #2, had whipped up this delight and invited another host family over for dessert and coffee. It looked so pretty on the plate, I just knew it'd taken her hours to make - wrong!

Sadly, Diane passed away this year, but I will always think of her when making Kahlua cake - the twinkle in her eye like she was always "up to something", her loving spirit of generosity and kindness, and the pleasure she took from giving joy to others. I know she's up there in heaven laughing WITH me, AT me, and FOR me!

2 boxes ice cream sandwiches
2 tubs Cool Whip
1/2 cup Kahlua
chopped Heath Bars
Hershey's syrup and/or cocoa powderfor garnish

Fold together Cool Whip and Kahlua, set aside. Create a layer of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a baking dish, add a layer of the Cool Whip mixture, then repeat with another layer of sandwiches and more Cool Whip "fluff". Top with a sprinkling of chopped Heath bars and freeze overnight. To serve, cut into squares and drizzle a zigzag pattern with the Hershey's syrup and/or add a light dusting of cocoa powder. If you've got one on hand, a little mint sprig is pretty too.