Introducing...Texas Caviar

With Memorial Day fast approaching, I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite summer time recipes.  It's a Southern one... what did you expect?  Texas Caviar is the perfect addition to your backyard barbecue.  Plus it's super easy to make. 

This is straight from my mama's kitchen, Y'ALL!   

Photo: The Red Headed Hostess

So put on your big girl shoes, head over to your local grocery store, and let's all pretend we've been playing hostess for years.

Photo: Barbecue Addicts

Ingredients:

1 can of Black Beans

1 can of Purple Hull Peas or Black Eye Peas

1 can of Whole Kernel Corn

1 can of Shoe Peg or White Corn

1/2 Bell Pepper (chopped)

1/2 can of Diced Green Chilies

1/2 Tomato (diced)

Chopped Onion Chives

3/4 tsp of chopped Garlic

Zesty Italian Dressing 

Okay, gathering the ingredients was the "hard" part.  Push up your leaves, and let's get down to business.

Directions:

Rinse and drain all cans of beans, peas, and corn.  

Place in a bowl.  

Mix all remaining ingredients.  

Serve with tortillas, pitas, or as a side salad. 

(it's.that.easy)

Picture: Top Shelf

This recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser.  Trust me, your guest will be begging you for more.  You can always double the recipe for bigger parties.  I served this at Jason's birthday bash, and it was a huge success.  I promise, you are going to LOVE it and you'll even thank me later. Vegetarians will love you for it too!

For the Love of Crockpot

This weekend I whipped up a BIG batch of Lentil and Sausage Soup, a recipe I found on For the Love of Cooking.

I had to make some modifications seeing that I don't have the luxury of cooking in a dutch oven or the use of an immersion blender.  If you're anything like me, you're probably asking, "What the heck is an immersion blender!?"  Turns out it's used to puree food.  Well, we skipped that step too! Instead we cooked it.... slowww.

 

 

We used all the same ingredients from the original recipe., cooked it over night, and had a GREAT lunch waiting for us Sunday afternoon.  We even have plenty of leftovers for those nights we dread even looking at the stove

Speaking of LOVE...

I now have some sweet love birds on my kitchen chalkboard wall!  Perfect for Valentine's Day!!

My sweet husband drew these adorable birds...
After I pleaded, of course. 

Hey, it's no self portrait...

All Rights Reserved: Jason Espey

That's right, peeps!  My husband did that!  He actually has quiet a few more of his works in Studio Incamminati's Student Gallery.  Be sure to check them out here.  

Turkey N' Dressin!

Hey y'all!!  I'm bringing on the Southern Charm right now if you can't tell.  I've been hearing all kinds of remarks stating that so many people are just skipping right over Thanksgiving and jumping straight to Christmas without even blinking.  Well, (EhHmmm...Aunt Jan), this post is dedicated to you!!  

She's the talented one in the middle with the sideways frown on her face. 

In the South tradition is Turkey N' Dressin!!  No stuffing here.  We prefer to serve our stuffing alongside the bird not actually inside the bird.  Plus the bird wouldn't be able to handle it!  Dressing, as we like to call it, is enough to feed an entire family.  I'm talking about the whole shabang!  Cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, mother's ex-husband's boyfriends... all of em!  

I hope you enjoy this true Southern Thanksgiving recipe and the left-overs too!

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING

Yield
Makes 16 to 18 servings
Ingredients
1 cup butter or margarine, divided
3 cups white cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
7 large eggs, divided
3 cups buttermilk
3 cups soft breadcrumbs
2 medium onions, diced (2 cups)
1 large bunch celery, diced (3 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage*
6 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed chicken broth, undiluted
1 tablespoon pepper
Preparation
Place 1/2 cup butter in a 13- x 9-inch pan; heat in oven at 425° for 4 minutes.
Combine cornmeal and next 5 ingredients; whisk in 3 eggs and buttermilk.
Pour hot butter into batter, stirring until blended. Pour batter into pan.
Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
Crumble cornbread into a large bowl; stir in breadcrumbs, and set aside.
Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions and celery, and saute until tender. Stir in sage, and saute 1 more minute.
Stir vegetables, remaining 4 eggs, chicken broth, and pepper into cornbread mixture; pour evenly into 1 lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish and 1 lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
*1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage may be substituted for fresh sage.

My Kitchen Goodies Wish List

Numero Uno

Spice Decanters: The great thing about these dandy containers is that they are magnetic.  4,785 different types of spices all in different packaging cluttering a nightstand, yes... a nightstand, in my tiny (even for an apartment) kitchen is really not doing it for me.  So yes, this is currently standing as number one most desired kitchen goody.  I'll take 30 of them please.  I think Bed, Bath, & Beyond might have these suckers.  Plus it's very likely that I could find a promo code and get a discount.  I thought the $10 deal (six in a package) on Amazon was pretty sweet at first, but when I was ready to check out they wanted to charge $7 for S&H.  I'll wait till shipping is free, thank you. 

Dos

Introducing the Le Creuset (specifically 5.5 Quart Round) Dutch Oven.  Can you believe it!?  I want a dutch oven!  Never in my life have I desired one of these heavy, and might I add expensive, enameled cast iron cookware.  Isn't it a beauty?   I guess I must be in the mood for soup... and expensive things, but that's not unusual.  These sell for about $235 on Amazon.   However, I was in Home Goods (I LOVE HG), and they had the same size for only $140.  So, what do I do?  Tell my upstairs neighbor of course.  He's an ex-chef, and is scouting out one.  I figure we can borrow his.  I don't have that kind of money for a pot!

Tres

Yes, it's a tea kettle.  Do I drink tea?  No, not really (only on occasion).  Jason does though.  I WANT this tea kettle.  Not one like this one, but this very one.  I don't want an ugly black plastic handle, or any other funky odd shape.  This one is absolutely perfect!  I'm waiting on the day it goes on sale at Amazon or magically appears in Home Goods.  Currently it is listed for 90 buckaroos on Amazon.  

Why do I want things I don't really use?  I don't know, maybe so I'll learn how to use them.  Those spice containers are a must have though!  I love anything that has to do with getting organized.  

Side note:
Tonight's dinner was Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash from www.eatingwell.com.  OMG!!  Let the picture speak for itself.  Everyone must try this!!

For more items on my wish list, visit my Amazon Wish List.  Feel free to buy me anything you would like.  ;)

PEACE!

Mmm... Mmmm... Leftovers!

There's nothing better than day old lasagna!  Sounds sketchy when said out-loud, but only few will deny that leftovers are none less than fab!  Plus who really likes to cook every night of the week anyway!?  That being said, I promised to share my new meal planning strategy (husband included).  I'm so happy to have a husband who is so helpful and is as easily excited as I am about tackling the age old question, "What's for dinner?"  Well, my friends, I have a solution, but it is a team effort.  Sorry single ladies.  Get a man!  Or better yet a nice friend who is up for the challenge.  The best part about this type of meal planning is that it encourages trying new recipes. Doesn't this look yummy?  Well, it was!  This was my first meal, Spinach, Sausage, Mushroom Lasagna, which I cooked on my first night, and we are having again tonight.  And there will still be leftovers!!  The rest is going in the freezer... it will serve as a good lunch some time in the near future.   

***Just a quick side note, I like to use www.eatingwell.com, which is where I found this dish.  However, I prefer extra tomatoes, and I thought it could have used a tad more salt.***

Ok, here is how my ingenious plan works.  Jason and I each have two nights out of the week in which we are responsible for assuring that dinner is on the table.  For instance, he may take Monday and Wednesday nights, and I may take Tuesday and Thursday nights.  Friday nights are pizza night, frozen dinner night, leftovers...quick meals!  You get the idea.  Another great thing about taking responsibility for two nights is that if you make enough food on say Monday night for two meals then there would be no need for you to cook on Wednesday.  It is intentional cooking/ planning.  Essentially you could only be making one meal a week!!  How awesome is that!?  And it really works too!  That is as long as you have a team.  I've only cooked once this week.  No joke.  Jason made a really great white bean soup... I forget the proper name, but it too was delish and reaped leftovers.  

This plan, although we are still in our first week, thus far has proved itself to be motivational requiring some effort of creativity, but well worth the effort.  Cooking two nights out of the week (if that) makes it that much more rewarding...plus we're eating more healthier than usual.  I hope you enjoy, and share with your friends.   I have planning to do.

What's for Dinner?

Meal Planning. This is my task, and so far this is what I've came up with...

* Smothered Pepperjack Chicken (Sounds like I'm off to a good start, but wait...)
* Spaghetti (boring)
* Poppy Seed Chicken
* Chicken Casserole
* Chili
* Tacos
* Seafood (fish, crabs, etc.)
* Pizza (for those nights that no one wants to cook)
* Vegetable Soup
* ....................And now I'm drawing a blank........

From the looks of it, Jason and I will be eating a lot of chicken and most likely will be morbidly obese by the end of the week. Maybe it would help if I threw in a salad. Meal planning "experts" say it's best to plan for at least two weeks. I'm still five meals shy! I need help people!