Heavenly Hash

If your extended family is anything like mine, when you have a family reunion there are always certain dishes you look forward to. In my husband's family, his mom's Sweet Potato Souffle is highly anticipated at every gathering. My mom's side of the family has several good cooks, with delicious "signature dishes". This dessert is one of those recipes. We traditionally refer to it as "Aunt Cindy's" but she is quick to point out that the recipe came from her mother-in-law, my Granny.

Heavenly Hash

Cake
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups chopped pecans
1 tablespoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups mini marshmallows

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar and eggs. Beat slightly. Add flour and pecans; mix well. Stir in vanilla. Spread mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows over the hot cake. Melt slightly in oven. Pour chocolate topping over cake. Let cool.

Chocolate Topping
1 box powdered sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a medium saucepan, combine butter and milk. Mix well and bring to a boil. Sift together cocoa and sugar. Stir into milk mixture. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.

Cookbooks!

I'm so excited that two local stores are carrying my cookbook now! I'm making deliveries to them this afternoon.

Jaemore Farms will have my book available at their new market in Commerce, and The Bookstand of Northeast Georgia also carries copies.

Chicken Fajita Burritos

For some reason, one thing I can always get my whole family to eat is Mexican food. As with most meals I cook, I try to hide as many veggies as possible in these burritos. Maybe you're blessed with a family that just loves their vegetables, but I'm not! If your family is like mine, then adjust the recipe by cooking the vegetables first, then giving them a whir in the blender. Cook the chicken in the skillet, then stir in the vegetable puree. Another way I bump up the nutrition level is by using thinly sliced cabbage instead of regular iceberg lettuce.

Chicken Fajita Burritos

1 pound ground chicken
1 cup diced peppers - mix of yellow, orange, red, green, whatever you have
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, diced
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup black beans
1 cup whole kernel corn
Flour tortillas


In a large skillet, saute the ground chicken, peppers, onions, garlic and jalapeño in the canola oil until the chicken is browned and the veggies are tender. Stir in the tomatoes, seasonings, beans and corn. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until heated through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with flour tortillas and your favorite garnishes - sour cream, shredded cheese, lettuce, cilantro, etc. 

Kickin' Creamed Corn

My favorite way to eat corn has to be fresh corn on the cob with butter, salt and pepper. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it! But I do like to change things up now and then, and Saturday night I decided to make a corn casserole for a party we were having. Last summer I tried one a friend had made and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd recreate it - adding my own twist, naturally. If I'm remembering correctly, hers called for a can of diced green chilies, which you could certainly use instead of the jalapeño if you don't want quite so much kick.


Kickin' Creamed Corn
3 cans whole kernel corn (you can use fresh-off-the-cob, frozen, whatever)
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions
1 jalapeño, finely diced
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cream cheese, cilantro, onions, jalapeño, salt and pepper. Stir in corn. Transfer to a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, until heated through.

Link Love

My latest batch of Strawberry Freezer Jam

As is typical at times, I haven't been developing many new recipes, just enjoying old favorites. Being 33 weeks pregnant, too, means that I've gone the easy route more often than not! The downside of being the kind of girl who likes to make things from scratch is that planning out menus for the week is more of a challenge when you have to accommodate the inability to "do" the way you're used to! I'm really hoping my nesting instinct kicks in soon - I have lots to do before baby #4 makes her debut!

Here is a rundown of some of the things I've made lately:

Strawberry Freezer Jam 

Creamy Spinach Soup 

Apple-Bacon Pork Tenderloin

Butternut Squash Rolls - Only I used mashed sweet potatoes instead of squash.

Jeni's Perfect Pie Crust

Cheddar Broccoli Salad

Chicken Pot Pie

Shepherd's Pie

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

*****

I know I've had lots of new followers through Facebook since my last post about my cookbook. For those of you who don't know, I published a cookbook that has some recipes from the blog, and many that are exclusive to the book. I also include a section on homemade household cleaners - I've used them for years and absolutely love them! If you're interested in purchasing one for yourself or as a gift, just click the "E-mail Me!" link at the top right of the page. Thanks!

Pomegranate-Strawberry Smoothie

I'm sharing someone else's recipe today ... my Oldest Girl's! She loves to experiment with smoothies for breakfast or snacks. She also has developed a real love for pomegranate. This is one of her favorite smoothie recipes:

Pomegranate-Strawberry Smoothie

2 containers (5.3 oz each) pomegranate Greek yogurt
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon honey
splash of milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serves one!

Sugar Scrub

Today's post is not a typical "recipe" in that it's food you prepare and eat ... but it does involve combining ingredients so I'm including it here. Several months ago I started researching ways to change up my beauty routine. I'm a low-maintenance kind of gal so my beauty routine consists of shampoo for my hair and soap for my face. A while back I started looking for cheaper and/or more natural alternatives to those basics. I started with shampoo. I have oily hair and after some research decided to try an often recommended method of using baking soda. Essentially you make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to your hair. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse thoroughly. You can follow up with a conditioner of slightly diluted apple cider vinegar. Let me just tell you ... I loved it! My scalp tingled when I washed my hair - it felt like a massage! My hair was soft, it felt natural and smooth and it styled really well. Unfortunately, I had to abandon my experiment when Handsome protested the fresh-out-of-the-shower vinegar smell. (You can't even smell it once your hair dries, but I tend to go to bed with wet hair, so ...)

Anyway, the main purpose of this post is to tell you about something I'm doing that has also worked fabulously and I've stuck with it. Like my hair, my skin is oily and after doing the research I decided to try a sugar scrub. I combine the ingredients right in the little jar I use to store it. Making a small batch is essential because you keep this in the warm, moist environment of your bathroom and that's a haven for bacteria!

Sugar Scrub

In a small jar, combine the following ingredients:

1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
Olive oil

The olive oil you add until you have a loose paste - I never measure it, just add a little at a time until it looks good. I wash with my soap then gently apply the sugar scrub.You only need a dime-sized amount for your face. Rinse with warm water, massaging the oil into your face and neck. I also use this anywhere I have dry skin, and I use it before shaving my legs. I love it!

For a coarser variation, which I don't recommend so much for the delicate skin on your face, you can use brown sugar and add in a dash of vanilla extract.