Peach Delight

I got this recipe from my friend Jane and it's super gooooooood! I again used those fresh peaches from the farmers market! (note that I only made a half batch but this recipe makes a full 13x9)

2 cups flour
1 cup pecans
2 sticks butter, melted

Mix these three together and place in 13x9 pan.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

8 oz cream cheese
8 oz Cool Whip
2.5 cups powdered sugar

Mix and spread over first layer once it's cooled.

Add 4 cups fresh diced peaches

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 TB flour
4 TB peach jello

In saucepan combine ingredients and cook on medium heat until thick.  Remove from heat.  Once cooled pour over other ingredients and place in fridge to chill.

okra and tomatoes

I thought I would try this one since I had all that fresh okra from the farmers market! It was super delicious!

Ingredients
4 slices bacon, diced into small pieces
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chicken base (I didn't have this so just used a little chicken stock)

1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups fresh okra, cut into 1-inch pieces (may use frozen, if fresh not available)
Fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Cook bacon slightly. Saute onion and garlic with bacon until tender. Add tomatoes, chicken base, sugar and pepper. Stir well and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Meanwhile wash okra and remove fuzz if using fresh and cut into pieces. Add the okra and simmer until okra is done, about 20 more minutes (less if using frozen okra.)

Red Velvet Cupakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

this is MY FAVORITE cupcake...seriously divine!!!!!!!

for the cupcakes:

2.5 cups all purpose flour

1.5 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1.5 cups veg oil

1 cup buttermilk, room temp.

2 large eggs, room temp.

2 TB red food coloring

1 tsp disilled white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

For frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

2 sticks butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

chopped pecans for garnish

Preheat to 350. Line cupcake pans with cupcake papers. 

In med. bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.  In a lg bowl beat together the eggs, butter, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with hand mixer.  Add the dry ingred. to wet mixture slowly and mix until smooth. 

Pour into cupcake wrappers and bake for 20-22 minutes.  Cool.

For frosting:

beat cream cheese, buter, and vanilla together.  Add sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated.  Increase speed and beat until light and fluffy!

Tex-Mex Cheddar Mac

This one is super easy (like 20 minutes) and was really good.  Essie devoured it!

1 pkg Kraft Mac n Cheese (7 oz)
1 lb ground beef
1 cup salsa
1 cup cheddar cheese

Prepare Mac'n'Cheese according to directions.
Brown beef in skillet on medium heat until no longer pink.  Add salsa and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Add meat mixture to mac'n'cheese...stir to combine and top with cheese!

Beef and Cheddar Potpie

6 TB Butter
1 sm onion, chopped
1.5 pounds ground sirloin
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
salt & pepper
1.5 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c milk

Preheat to 375.
Spray 9x13 pan.
In lg pan, heat 2 TB butter over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook til tender but not brown.  Add beef and cook til no longer pink.  Add tomatoes and beef broth and season with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat and let simmer 20 minutes until most of liquid is gone.  Pour into prepared baking dish.

In lg bowl combine flour, baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.  Using your fingertips blend remaining 4 TB butter and cheese until mixute becomes crumbly.  Gather the dough and make a big ball and press or roll out to 1/2 inch thickness.  Using 3 inch cookie cutter (I used a glass) cut out biscuits.  Re-rolll scraps until all dough has been used up.  Layer biscuits on top of beef mixture and bake for 35 minutes til browned. 

Ropa Vieja Joses (Cuban Sloppy Joes) and Cheesy Squash Casserole

This ain't your typical cafeteria sloppy joe...oh no...these are so flavorful!!! Make sure to toast your bun though!!!
Cuban Sloppy Joes (Rachel Rae)
Ingredients
Mojo Sauce:
10 cloves garlic, cracked from skin
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin, eyeball it in your palm
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball the amount
1/4 cup water, eyeball it
The Joes:
2 pounds ground sirloin
1/4 cup green olives with pimiento, finely chopped (I didn't have any so I left this out)
1 tablespoon paprika, eyeball it in your palm
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco) eyeball it
1 cup tomato sauce
A palm full grill seasoning blend (recommended: McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
4 crusty rolls, split (if available to you, look for Cuban rolls or Portuguese rolls, they are slightly sweet, but good ole keisers work fine, too) 

Directions
Make the mojo sauce: put the garlic and onion in a food processor with cumin, lemon zest and juice. Turn processor on and stream in about 1 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and 1/4 cup of water. Turn off processor and reserve.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown. Add half of the mojo and crumble the meat as it cooks, about 3 minutes. Add olives and pimientos, paprika, Worcestershire, hot pepper sauce, tomato sauce and grill seasoning. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook over low heat 10 minutes.


Cheesy Squash Casserole (Paula Deen)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sleeve crackers, crushed medium to fine (recommended: Ritz)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the squash, onion, and butter until soft. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan, Cheddar, and sour cream. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Place in the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly

Ranch Chicken

This one I tried the other night and it was AMAZINGLY GOOD! Like really good.  It's a Pioneer Woman recipe so I'm just linking to her post about it!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/01/ranch-style-chicken/

Strawberry Slush Punch....

This is my absolute favorite punch...I serve it at all showers!

You need:

2 quarts water, divided

2 cups sugar

3 packages cherry koolade

16 oz frozen strawberries, thawed and pureed

3 banana, peeled and mashed

6 oz can frozen oj concentrate, thawed

6 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 liter ginger ale

In LARGE pot/dutch oven bring two cups water to boil and add sugar.  Stir to dissolve.  Remove from heat and add Kool-ade packets and stir.  Stir in remaining water, strawberries, bananas, and concentrates.  (I sometime have to blend it in the blender for get a good consistency).  Pour into gallon freezer bags and freeze.  Set out at least 3 hours to thaw...pour ginger ale on top.  Sooo goooood!

Summer Soup and fruit shortcake!

We made this tonight and it was really good ...you can pretty much make it out of all the veggies you have out in the garden!

You need:

2 TB Olive Oil

2 jalapenos seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced

3 ribs celery, diced

3 cloved garlic, minced
salt and pepper

1 (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 (16 oz) stewed tomatoes

1 can vegetable stock

3 TB fresh cilantro,chopped

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add 2 TB oil and all veggies....saute until veggies are tender (5-10 minutes).  Add crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, veggie stock, salt, pepper, and cilantro.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.

Serve with grilled cheese quesadillas and top with avocado smash!

Avocado Smash:

2 Avocados

2 TB chopped cilantro

3 scallions

1 lime, juiced
1 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

1 plum tomato chopped

Add first 5 ingredients and smash with potato smasher.  Add the tomatoes and salt/pepper to taste!

Fruit Shortcake:

fresh fruit (we used strawberries, blueberries and peaches)

1 package frozen pie crust

vanilla ice cream

cool whip

Bake the pie crust in the oven for about 10 minutes on aluminum pan....once cool break into pieces.

Put several pieces of pie crust in bowl and top with ice cream, fruit, and cool whip!

Banana Bread

1/2 c veggie oil

1 c sugar

3 very ripe bananas (mashed)

2 beaten eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat to 350.  Cream oil and sugar together.  Add in mashed bananas and mix well.  Add in remaining ingredients.  Pour into greased loaf pans (will make 2).  Bake 50 minutes!