Squash Croquettes

Note:  Getting my boys to eat squash is a challenge.  I love it and they do not.   However, this has been a recipe that they do not object to so much!  

Squash Croquettes

Ingredients
2 cups yellow squash, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
vegetable oil

Directions
In a large bowl, combine squash, onion, egg, salt and pepper. Mix well. Stir in flour. In a skillet, heat ½-inch oil over medium-high heat. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into oil. Cook about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown, turning once. Drain croquettes on paper towels.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Cakes

Note:  We are planning a very long overdue vacation.   We have been unable to take one for about three years due to my husband's job situation.   I am very excited about being able to have some time with my guys and see some friends along the way.  One of the places we are planning to go is hiking in Asheville.    There is a restaurant that my husband and I went several years ago that we loved, the Early Girl Eatery.    This is one of their recipes from their website.   So yummy! 

Sweet Potato Black Bean Cakes

INGREDIENTS
3 peeled and quartered sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons cumin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup green onion
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
2 dashes Tabasco
1 pinch cinnamon
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4-5 cups bread crumbs
4 cups black beans rinsed and well drained
1 cup cracked and beaten eggs

PREPARATION

Boil sweet potatoes until soft.
Drain and add spices.
Mash well.
Let cool.
Fold in remaining ingredients.
Deep fry or pan fry in 3 ounce cakes
If cake falls apart add more egg.

Make Ahead Green Bean Bundles

Note:   When Thanksgiving and Christmas day arrives, I don't want to be in the kitchen the entire morning.    I would rather be with my family.   I try to prep things ahead of time so that I can enjoy the day with my sweet boys.

Make Ahead Green Bean Bundles

Ingredients
fresh green beans
bacon

Directions
Boil green beans for 3 minutes; let cool. Use string to tie beans in serving-size bundles, place in a zipper bag and freeze. When ready to cook, remove string and wrap each bundle with a strip of bacon, securing with a toothpick. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until done.

Candida Friendly Baked Egg in a Tomato

Note:    I only wish that it weren't the end of summer.   Garden fresh tomatoes are almost gone which means my days of enjoying this are too!


Candida Friendly Baked Egg in a Tomato

Ingredients
1 tomato
2 eggs
white cheddar cheese, freshly shredded*
sea salt and pepper

Directions
Wash the tomato and slice in half.     Take a spoon and scoop out the seeds to form a bowl.    Sprinkle inside lightly with sea salt and pepper.    Sprinkle with light layer white cheddar cheese.    Break egg each into tomato halves.    Bake for about 10 minutes.    Take out and sprinkle with a little more cheese.   Bake for about 7 more minutes or until the eggs are set to your desired consistency.    Take out of the oven and let rest for two minutes before eating.

*A small amount of cheese is allowed on the Candida diet as long as it is melted.

Butternut Fries

Butternut Fries

Ingredients
2-lb. butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and peeled
2 t. olive oil
salt to taste
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. maple syrup

Directions

Cut squash halves to resemble French fries; slice about 1/2-inch wide and 3 inches long. Add oil to a large bowl; add squash, tossing to coat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray with non-stick vegetable spray. Arrange slices in a single layer on top. Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes, or until tender. Combine salt, cumin and chili powder; sprinkle desired amount over fries. Blend together sour cream and syrup as a dipping sauce. Serves 4.

Roasted Cauliflower

Note:   Seriously... you have to try it!!

Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients
3 T. olive oil
2 T. garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower, cut into flowerets
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese



Directions

Combine oil and garlic in a large plastic zipping bag. Add cauliflower; seal bag and shake to mix. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with cheese. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden. Serves 6.

Crockpot Broccoli Casserole

Note:    I love broccoli.    Raw, steamed or in a casserole.    However, my husband and oldest son will only eat it like this... covered and smothered.    ha!     I love that I can throw this in a crockpot before going to church!

Crockpot Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients
2 -10 ounce packages of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 -10.75 ounce can of cream of celery soup, condensed and undiluted
1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup onion, chopped very fine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp of butter

Directions

Combine the soup, worcestershire sauce, pepper and onion.   Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese and the broccoli.  Pour the mixture into a well greased 3 quart slow cooker. Top the mixture with the crushed crackers and dot with butter. Cover and cook on low for 2½ - 3 hours.    About 10 minutes before serving, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese evenly on top and place lid on top to melt the cheese.

TMTT: Grilled Potato Packet

Note:   Summer weather has hit Mississippi in full force.   It seriously feels like August instead of the beginning of June.    It is tough to heat up the kitchen cooking so we are trying to use our grill so we can leave all the heat outside!    

Grilled Potato Packet

Ingredients

5 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup chicken broth

Directions
Spread your potatoes on top of a very large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil.     Season with salt and pepper.   Top with onions.    Dot with pats of butter.      Combine the remaining ingredients (except broth) and spread on top.      Fold up aluminum foil and pour in broth.   Seal the foil well.    Grill with top down over medium heat for about 35-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  

Note:   Do not test by poking through foil or you will lose your steam!


I am so excited to be joining Tempt My Tummy Tuesday again this week.    I have missed my friends Lisa and Lana.    

TMTT: Porches' Lemonade Green Beans

Note:    In Wesson, Mississippi, sits a little restaurant called Porches who considers themselves southern hospitality from an era gone by.     They have signature dishes that people keep returning for over and over and lemonade green beans is one of them.      This is a wonderful make ahead dish for Sunday dinner!

Porches' Lemonade Green Beans

Ingredients
2 (16 oz) cans green beans
1/2 stick margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 oz lemonade concentrate
1 small onion, thinly sliced

Directions
Combine all the ingredients and add water to cover.   Bring to a boil and mix well.   Simmer on medium for 10 minutes.    Cool and refrigerate overnight.     Warm before serving.


Are you like me and planning for your Easter dinner?   Join me over at Tempt My Tummy Tuesday for more recipe ideas!

Jiffy Corn

Note:   I tried to tell you my boys love corn.    *giggle*    They really do.   But seriously, how much corn on the cob can you eat?    They can eat a ton of it, but I have to have some variety!   

Jiffy Corn

Ingredients

2 15 oz. cans corn, drained
1 15 oz. can creamed corn
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
salt and pepper, to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together. Pour into an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.     Make sure the middle has set before removing from the oven.   Just poke a knife in the center and if it comes out clean or almost clean you are good to go! 

Perfect Corn (In The Boy's Opinion)

Note:    Have I ever mentioned just how much my boys love corn?     They could literally eat it every night.    But this recipe.... they consider it perfect corn.      Of course, if you add bacon to something


Perfect Corn

Ingredients


6 slices bacon, fried crispy and chopped bite size
1 bag frozen corn
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup half and half
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
After you fry your bacon, use the same pan and add the corn and cheddar cheese.     Cook for about 5 minutes, but stir frequently.      Add bacon and half and half.       Stir and cook for about 5 more minutes until very bubbly. 

Quick & Easy Hopping John

Note: This is a traditional Southern recipe for New Year's Day, but it is so good that I can eat it any time of the year!

Quick & Easy Hopping John

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup green onion, chopped fine
* 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
* 2 cans (about 16 ounces each) black-eyed peas, slightly drained, or about 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
* 1 cup chopped cooked ham
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper OR Louisiana Hot Sauce
* 3 cups hot cooked rice (I like to cook my rice in chicken broth to give it extra flavor.)
* 1 tomato chopped fine (optional)
* salt to taste

Preparation:
In a large saucepan sauté chopped onion in bacon drippings until tender. Stir in black-eyed peas, ham, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes; stir in hot cooked rice, tomato and salt.

Variations: Lots of people love to eat Hopping John with fresh slices of red onion. Definitely serve this with cornbread!

Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans

Note: This goes great with Spicy Chicken which will be my next recipe post!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Directions
In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, lime peel, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice.

Black Beans

Ingredients
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Directions
In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Grilled Potato Pouches

Note: We are using our grill a LOT these days. These potato pouches have become a favorite!


Grilled Potato Pouches

Ingredients

5 potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 onion, thinly sliced 6 T. butter 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese 2 T. dried parsley	2 T. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper 1/3 c. chicken broth
Directions Place potatoes and onion on a 22-inch by 18-inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with cheese, parsley, sauce, salt and pepper. Fold up around potatoes; drizzle with broth. Seal well. Place on a hot grill for 35 minutes.

Fried Potatoes

Note: One night it was late and the boys were really hungry after we had gone swimming. I offered to make them grilled sandwiches and hubs said, "What would it take to convince you to make some of good fried potatoes?" Not much with that great smile, hubs. Not much at all!


Fried Potatoes

Ingredients

White potatoes
1 cup milk
1 egg
Self-rising flour
Salt and pepper

Directions

Wash and slice potatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Pour milk and egg over potato slices, and coat well. Remove potatoes and roll in flour. Season with salt and pepper. Deep fry or brown both sides in skillet.

Squash and Rice Casserole

Note: I found this casserole recipe while browsing through some old cookbooks. I love squash and I am really hoping that my boys won't mind it so much when it is mixed with rice. I don't often post recipes without trying them first, but this one looks so good how could it be bad!

Squash and Rice Casserole

Ingredients
1 stick butter or margarine
2 cups minute rice
2 cups chopped squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup, mixed with milk to make 2 cups
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Melt butter in casserole dish. Add rice. Layer squash. Sprinkle with onions and bell pepper. Pour soup mixture on top. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Summer Squash Casserole

Note: I have been eating this squash casserole since I was a little girl. Something about the yellow squash just screams summer!

Summer Squash Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound fresh yellow squash, sliced
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup shredded cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

Directions

Cook squash until tender; drain and mash. Combine squash, sugar, mayonnaise, onion, green pepper and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Top with cracker crumbs and the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Spinach Casserole

Note:     Little Guy and I LOVE spinach.    Hubs and Big Guy?   Not so much.    Oh, well, more for us!


Spinach Casserole

Ingredients
2 boxes frozen spinach, drained and thawed
1 pint creamed cottage cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup American cheese, shredded
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (103/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
11/2 cups croutons
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Toss croutons in melted butter. Mix all ingredients, except 1/2 cup croutons, in a large bowl.  Pour into a greased casserole dish; sprinkle with remaining croutons.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Yummy Carrots

Note: I love carrots... especially sweet carrots cooked like this. When I am cooking these I stop cooking when they are just tender crisp. Nothing worse than biting into mushy carrots!

Yummy Carrots

Ingredients:
5 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:
Boil carrots until tender crisp. (About 10 minutes or a little less.) Drain.

While carrots are cooking, mix remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat stirring constantly until well blended. Do not boil.

Pour over drained carrots. Serve.

Potato Skins

Note: Potato skins are wonderful. Especially when they are homemade. I love these because they are crunchy, salty and delicious!

Potato Skins Recipe

Ingredients
6 small to medium sized russet baking potatoes
Olive oil
Canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 strips of bacon
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions

Directions

Scrub the potatoes clean and then bake the potatoes in a 400°F oven for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed. While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin. Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F. Brush canola oil all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking rack in a roasting pan (don't use a cookie sheet, it will warp, use a roasting pan or broiler pan that can take the heat). Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Arrange the potato skins skin-side down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with freshly ground black pepper, cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven. Use tongs to place skins on a serving plate. Add a dollop of sour cream to each skin, sprinkle with green onions.

Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6. YUM!