Guacamole Anyone

When I was pregnant with Caston there was one food and one food alone that cured my carvings- Mexican!

I wanted it all....chips and dip, tacos, burritos, enchiladas....but mostly guacamole!

Guacamole is very simple to make too. We usually have avocados laying around the kitchen as well (did you know that avocados are very good for your health)! Doctors even believe that avocados are a cancer fighter....so eat up!

Here's my simple guacamole recipe that will suit your fancy!

Kick-Up Guacamole

3 medium avocados, very ripe

1 shallot, minced

1 small jalapeno chili, seeded and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup lime juice, fresh

1/2 tsp. lime zest

1 T. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

Place avocados and lime juice in bowl and mash with a fork, lightly. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve with chips!

(PHOTO: Caston turned 5 months recently...this was a couple days after his 5 month birthday!)

Honey Apple Salad

It's apple season in Missouri! Orchards all over are offering the freshest apples on the farm and at the farmers' market. Check out a local orchard in your area.

Here is a simple recipe for a Honey Apple Salad that is perfect alongside bbq! It's one of my mother's favorites and it brings lots of childhood memories back for me.

Honey Apple Salad
from my mother's kitchen
3 1/2 diced red apples
2 T. lemon juice
2 c. grapes
1 c. sliced celery, thin
1/2 c. chopped dates
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. honey
2 T. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add grapes, celery and dates.

In a small bowl combine mayo, honey, sour cream and salt, mix.

Pour over apple mixture and toss; stir in walnuts.

Super Bowl 7 Layer Dip

If you are still looking for a dish to take to that Super Bowl Party this weekend, look no farther. My friend Danielle passed along this easy little dip recipe to me this week. She’s making it for an upcoming party this weekend herself.

Thanks for sharing Danni!

Super Bowl 7 Layer Dip
Chopped tomatoes
Black olives
Shredded cheese
Shredded lettuce
Guacamole
Salsa
Tub of Sour cream
One package of taco seasoning mix
Refried beans

Spread refried beans on the bottom of your dish (9X13…glass or Tupperware). Then, mix the sour cream and taco seasoning mix.

**If you want your yard lines to be completely white, keep some plain sour cream for the end.
Spread taco mix/sour cream mixture on top of beans. Then add guacamole over top of that…spread entire dish.

End Zone 1: On one end add shredded cheese to the top. From the side of the dish to about an inch towards the middle.

End Zone 2: This side, pour/spread salsa and chopped tomatoes out about an inch.

Middle of Field: Put about a cup or less of plain sour cream or the taco mixture if you have some left into a Ziploc baggy…small one. Cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and squeeze it out for the yard marker lines. I would say about every ¼ or ½ of an inch.

Grass: Between each line spread shredded lettuce for the grass.

Outline of Field: Place black olives around the outside of your dish

Players: Add some black olives on one side and tomatoes facing them…in an offense and defense layout.

Serve with chips and enjoy!

Simple Grape Salad

When it comes to food- I want simplicity. Sometimes we get bogged down by fancy recipes with extravagant spices and ingredients, that we loose the true taste of the food.

That’s why I enjoy this recipe so much. It’s my mother’s recipe for a simple grape salad (that I served for Christmas dinner). The key to a this recipe is ensuring the grapes are ripe and tasty. Plus, I only use Missouri Northern Pecans because they are sweet and small (you can find them in most all grocery stores.)

Simple Grape Salad
By My Mother

2 ½ lbs. grapes
1 (8oz.) cream cheese, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans

Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in sour cream and add to grapes. Mix brown sugar and nuts together and sprinkle over grapes.

Corn Casserole in a Snap

I used to not be a fan of casseroles. Maybe because most of the casseroles I ate were tasteless, had too many canned soups in them or reminded me of something Rachel Ray would throw together. (If you like Ray’s cooking, sorry to offend, but I’m NOT a fan and never will be.)

Before Christmas, we had my folks up to the house. I cooked a beef roast and one side dish was a Corn Casserole. Now- let me set the picture for you. We (mom, dad, Charlie and I) were all sitting around the table just getting ready to dig in to the food when my dad says, “What’s that?” (Pointing at the Corn Casserole) I tell him what it is and he kinda shrugs up his face.

My dad is not a fan of casseroles either, as you can tell. But, I tell him to at least try it (just like he used to tell me when I was a kid and didn’t want to eat my Brussels sprouts or turnip greens), he might be impressed. (My father is VERY hard to impress, especially when it comes to cooking.) He took a bite and then another, tried the beef roast, the green beans, the taters…..then says, “Wow Lane you’ve learned cook!” Got to love dad’s, and one things for sure- I love my dad!

His favorite of the night was this casserole, which was on the Baldwin and McConnell Christmas dinner tables this holiday.

I make this a lot and it never gets old. Hope you enjoy it just as much!

Corn Casserole

by Lane
1 box of Jiffy Corn Bread
1 can cream corn
1 can corn
3 eggs, well beaten
Little over 1 cup of sour cream
1 tsp. dried parsley
½ tsp. seasoned salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a small square casserole dish. Mix all ingredients well and pour into the casserole dish. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. The middle will be just a little soft and the top will be golden brown.

Christmas Dinner Menu

Many folks stress about the holidays and for good reason. Our country is in economic distress, food prices are sky high and Christmas is just next week…which means all those presents, decorations, wrapping paper that you paid for by credit will be coming to haunt you in January!

I have to make frequent trips to the grocery store during the holidays because all of the baking I do. I was there this week and could not believe just the few items I had totaled $69.54 – and I only had two bags! WOW – I was speechless.

Of course, looking back on the receipt I ask myself – “Did I really need those Goat Cheese Stuffed Olives, or the extensive selection of Spanish cheeses. Or how about those oh so tasty, but so darn expensive gourmet potato chips.” I did however skimp on some things: sour cream, cream cheese and marshmallows. But, it just goes to say that sometimes we splurge a little too much, when we could be more thrifty.

Saying that though, there are just some things I will never cut corners on – and that’s my Christmas dinner!

We are hosting the McConnell family for the holidays next week and I’m so very excited! Last year I hosted Christmas for my family and it was so much fun and less stressful. You see we live 3 hours from both sides of our family and our families live about 2 ½ hours apart. So, this makes for very long holidays and gets very tiring going to and from. This year though will be a piece of cake since we only have to drive south for one Christmas.

I finally have the Christmas dinner menu planned out (and as you can tell – I’m not cutting any corners on this menu). In my opinion when it comes to food, especially Christmas dinner – you can only buy the best in ingredients for the ones you care the most about!

Merry Christmas from my kitchen to yours!

McConnell Christmas Dinner Menu
Appetizers
Olives (Black, Spanish and Stuffed with Goat Cheese)
Spanish Cheeses, Burgers Smokehouse Sausage (local Missouri company) and Crackers
Spudmaster Potato Chips and a Dip
Rosemary Pinwheels

Dinner
Three Meat Dish (Chicken, Ham and Beef Roast)
Holiday Sweet Potato Casserole
Country Green Beans
Pecan Grape Salad
Croissant Rolls
Corn Casserole

Desserts
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Texas Pecan Pie
Very Cherry Pie
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes
Smooth as Silk Chocolate Pie

Be looking for these recipes to come…

Skillet Cabbage Anyone

Ever tried skillet cabbage? Yeah me neither until a co-worker of mine suggested I try it. He had it at deer camp this year and swore I wouldn’t be disappointed.

I’m up to trying new things so I decided to give it a shot. It’s very different, but tasty! It reminds me of something my southern grandma would have made me, because let’s face it – this isn’t the healthiest side dish (the cabbage is cooked in bacon grease!) But if you like rich southern cuisine, you’re gonna be a fan!

Skillet Cabbage
4 C. Shredded Cabbage
1 Green Pepper, Shredded
2 C. Diced Celery
2 Large Red Onions, Sliced Thin
2 Tomatoes, Peeled and Cut Coarse
1/4 C. Bacon Drippings
2 T. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt
1/4 t. Pepper

Prepare vegetables and mix together lightly. Heat bacon grease in large skillet over medium heat. Add vegetables and sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper. Stir briefly to mix. Cover and cook exactly 5 minutes over medium heat.

Time Goes On

It always amazes me how fast time flies by the older I become. It’s almost as if one week disappears and before I know it it’s the end of the month.

This weekend my husband and I were fishing on Lake Ozark. It’s times with my husband like this that I can truly let my mind be free and put behind me the work that’s piling up on my desk or what things need to be done around the house or what friends or family members I need to call to just say hi. And- I cherish these time with my husband to relax, enjoy the lake and take in the sun!

My family continues to grow…the Baldwin family now has 5 grandkids (Sydnee, Hunter, Luke, Logan and little Landon – who recently celebrated his 1st birthday!) I wish everyday that I was closer to all of them to spend more time with them.

(PHOTO: Sydnee and Lane, June 2008)

My little niece Sydnee is growing up fast and becoming quite the little beauty! Sydnee loves to cook and enjoys watching the Food Network. Hunter likes to help Aunt Lane in the kitchen and terrorize his big sister and well Luke (he is still pretty little) just wants to be part of the cooking fun! I was recently at my brother David’s home and had the opportunity to cook dinner with the family, which is always a treat!

Yes, it’s always a family affair in the kitchen when I visit my brother’s house and I love that the whole family cooks together. My brothers and I grew up the same way in my mother’s kitchen and I hope that someday when I am fortunate enough to have children of my own that I will be able to cherish memories in the kitchen cooking cherished family recipes as well.

Something special from my own kitchen: Fried Potatoes (a true country girl’s favorite)

Mom’s Fried Potatoes
6-8 new potatoes, halved and sliced thin, skin on
Vegetable oil
1 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ of a red onion, diced
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. dried basil

Fill a large skillet with about ½ inch of oil. Heat oil. Drop in onions and sauté for 1 minute. Add potatoes and seasonings.

Cook potatoes until a light golden brown. Drain potatoes on paper towel to remove excess oil.

Serve with hamburger or bbq anything!

Squashing Around

This year has been a tough one for many farmers’ across Missouri. Floods, heavy rain, damaging winds and then more flooding has caused many farmers’ to loose their vegetable crops, meaning their farmers’ market business well also suffer this season.

But there are many folks that have salvaged their gardens or vegetable operations. I attended the recent Fahrmeier Field Day Monday for work and received a bountiful basket of fresh produce from the Fahrmeier family that included, tomatoes, squash, zucchini and raspberries.

My garden is almost ready to provide me with some wonderful squash, but I’ll still have to wait about another two weeks for tomatoes.

Reminder: Get out to your local Missouri Farmers' Market this season and enjoy the wide variety of produce and talking with the producers.

Here’s a new recipe for squash that I know you will all enjoy!

Italian Summer Squash

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons olive oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2-1/2 tablespoons chopped dill (use the feathery portions only)

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 pattypan squash - trimmed and cut into

1/2 inch thick slices

3 zucchini, trimmed and cut into 3/4" thick slices

3 yellow (crookneck) squash, trimmed and cut into 3/4" thick slices

Combine lemon juice, oregano and garlic in a non-reactive bowl. Whisk in mustard and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the dill and feta cheese; set aside. Cook squash until tender, but not mushy. Carefully transfer squash to a serving plate. Stir dill and feta dressing to recombine, spoon over squash.

Local Missouri Beer Bread

The weather in Missouri is crazy once again. Snow in the northern part, 2 inches of sleet, plus snow to come tonight for us in Central Missouri and lots of ice for those Missourians in the southern region of Missouri.

I’m just praying for April to come soon enough so I can spend some time outside in the dirt. I’ve been busy picking out my garden seed from Baker Creek Seeds and traveling all over Missouri for workshops, conferences and presentations for my work with the Dept of Ag. I’m ready for some relaxation, sunshine and warmer weather.

Here’s a quick and easy beer bread recipe to serve alongside some chili or soup on these cold winter nights. I like to add some herbs in the bread mixture…rosemary and thyme work very well.

Gluten Free Beer Bread
Combine in a large bowl:
3 cups gluten free flour*
3 tablespoons sugar
3½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt

Add to large bowl and stir well:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 gluten free beer (12 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour batter into a greased or parchment lined loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes.
Yield: one loaf

*A combination of gluten free flours usually gives the best result. Pick up a ready to use flour blend like Bob's Red Mill or use your favorite all-purpose mix. Keep it basic with a rice flour blend (2 cups brown rice flour, 3/4 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup tapioca starch) or spice it up with some mesquite meal. Great with gluten free oat flour, too.

Super Bowl Dip

Looking for a recipe for Sunday's Super Bowl....this is one that will leave them begging for more.

Shrimp and Crab Dip
by Lane

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large chopped red bell pepper
1 8oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled coarsely chopped
3 small cans of crab meat
1/3 cup sliced green onion or 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 T. lemon juice
¼ tsp. red pepper
½ tsp. basil
1 T. parsley
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Assorted Crackers or bread for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F.In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add red bell pepper, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp, salt, parsley and green onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are firm and barley pink. In a large bowl mix cream cheese well add the sour cream, cheeses, seasonings, and mayonnaise and mix well. Add crab meat and mix in. Add shrimp, red bell pepper, and onion mixture to bowl. Spoon mixture into a large baking dish. Bake 50 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve with assorted crackers or bread.

Cheesy Broccoli Bake

Here is something to warm up your belly on these cold nights...

Cheesy Broccoli Bake
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

2 pounds fresh broccoli, trimmed and cut up
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the casserole
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pound cheese product, softened
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch casserole.

Steam the broccoli until tender, about 10 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and saute the celery, mushrooms, and onion until softened, about 10 minutes; drain. Combine the broccoli and the cooked vegetables in a bowl.
Heat the soup and softened cheese product in a saucepan over low heat until the cheese melts.

Pour it over the broccoli mixture. Add the garlic salt and pepper and combine.
Put it into the buttered casserole dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the grated Cheddar the last 5 minutes of baking.

Your First Thanksgiving Dinner

When you think of Thanksgiving there is one main food dish you start imagining….the perfect golden roasted turkey. What would Thanksgiving be without the turkey?

I’ve found a very easy roasted turkey recipe that is simple enough for the amateur cooks and tasty enough to impress your guest at your Thanksgiving dinner this season.

Cooking doesn’t have to be hard, it should be fun and enjoyable, but many of my own friends think they don’t have it in them to cook an impressive Thanksgiving dinner. But they do.

If this is your first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner for your loved ones try this recipe from Food Network.

Roasted Turkey
1 (8 to 10 pound) turkey

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, quartered

1 head garlic, halved

Several sprigs fresh herbs, such as; thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage

2 bay leaves

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

Adjust a rack to lowest position and remove other racks. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove turkey parts from neck and breast cavities and reserve for other uses, if desired. Dry bird well with paper towels, inside and out. Salt and pepper inside the breast cavity and stuff the onion, garlic, herbs, and bay leaves inside. Set the bird on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; breast side up and brush generously with half the butter and season with salt and pepper. Tent the bird with foil.

Roast the turkey for 2 hours. Remove the foil and baste with the remaining butter. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F and continue to roast until an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees F in the thigh of the bird, about 45 minutes more.

Remove turkey form the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Carve and serve with dressing.

Serve this Roasted Turkey with a Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing:

16-ounce bag stuffing cubes

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping

1 pound fresh sage sausage, casing removed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cooking apples, such as Gravenstein, Rome, or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 to 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted (See Note)

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink color, but not so much that it's dry, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the walnuts and eggs. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Set immediately or warm.

Note: To toast nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree F oven until golden, about 7 minutes

Up for Pasta Tonight

Pasta. Pasta. Pasta.

It's quick and easy to cook. It comes in of so many shapes. It can be a main dish or even a side dish. You can serve it hot or cold. Baked or a salad.

That's why I love pasta...it's so versatile.

This is a quick meal I serve at my house of the weekdays that takes no time preparing, so it gives me more time to enjoy my family.

Tomato and Olive Penne

by Martha Stewart

Salt and pepper

1 pound penne or other short pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2/3 pound cherry tomatoes (2 cups), halved or quartered

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until tomato juices run, about 3 minutes.Add penne, olives, parsley, and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with more cheese if desired.

Lane’s Roasted Pork Loin with Asparagus in a Vinaigrette Sauce

I like to experiment in my kitchen and last week was an experiment.

I wanted to make a nice dinner…I had cut out a recipe for a pork loin and asparagus with a vinaigrette and had all the ingredients ready, but then I started looking at the recipe and it just didn’t sound like a winner to me. So, I decided to do an experiment.

I know how to make a vinaigrette, therefore I just made my own little recipe. I also seasoned the pork loin the way I like too and I came up with this recipe.

Lane’s Roasted Pork Loin with Asparagus in a Vinaigrette Sauce

3-4 lb. pork loin
Kosher salt
Pepper
Italian seasonings
Garlic powder
1 lb. asparagus

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and pat dry the pork loin. Lay on plate and generously sprinkle seasonings over one side of meat and rub into the loin well. Turn loin over and sprinkle other side with seasonings and rub the seasonings into the loin. (Be sure not to be bashful with covering the loin in garlic powder and Italian seasonings)

Place loin on a roasting rack and place in over. Cook for 30 minutes per pound. The loin will be done when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Be sure to let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing so the juices can redistribute throughout.

While the meat is resting preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim asparagus and place in shallow bowl. Place ¼ cup olive oil, sprinkle some kosher salt and crushed black pepper in bowl and toss.

Place asparagus on baking sheet that has been covered in alumni foil. Roast asparagus for about 8 minutes.

Drizzle sliced pork and asparagus with a Dijon Vinaigrette Sauce.

Dijon Vinaigrette Sauce
1/3 c red wine vinegar
2/3 c olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 T. minced parsley
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Feta-Stuffed Zucchini

Have you visited your local farmers' market yet this season? If not you are missing out on some of the best local produce in your area.

I've changed career paths this past month and moved into a new position with the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture as an Ag Promotions Specialist. I now handled statewide promotions and marketing for the more than 115 farmers’ markets across Missouri, as well as Organics and Agri-tourism.

If you want more information about markets in your area please visit A Look at Missouri Farmers’ Markets, a new blog that I’m working on with my new position.

Speaking of the markets…this is one of my favorite recipes to make in the summer. Feta-Stuffed Zucchini goes perfect with anything you bbg outside and most all of the ingredients you can get from your local farmers’ market.

Feta - Stuffed Zucchini
5 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Italian bread crumbs
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh or dried basil
½ tsp. fresh or dried thyme
7 1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 475°.
Scoop out zucchini centers to form canoes, leaving a 1/4-inch border, set aside.

Arrange zucchini, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, salt and basil and thyme; cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped zucchini and garlic, and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.

Fold in feta and tomatoes and fill zucchini with mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

My Favorite Summer Dessert

In the summer I love to grill up fruit for dessert when we have friends over for a bbq on the back patio. It’s a quick and easy way to present a dessert that is both tasty and satisfying.

Try grilling up some fruit at your next bbq. Serve the grilled fruit with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for some whipped cream.

Summertime Grilled Fruit
3 firm but ripe nectarines, halved, pitted
3 firm but ripe purple/black plums, halved, pitted
3 firm but ripe red plums, halved, pitted
3 peaches, halved
6 metal skewers or thick wooden skewers soaked in water 30 minutes
3-4 tablespoons sugar
3 T. melted butter

Prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread 1 piece of each fruit on each of 6 skewers so that the cut sides line up and lay flat. Sprinkle the butter and sugar over the cut sides of the fruit. Let stand until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes. Place the fruit skewers on the grill cut side down. Grill the fruit until it is heated through and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Transfer 1 fruit skewer to each plate and serve.

PAULA DEEN ANNOUNCES PAULA DEEN LIVE 2007

Paula Deen News...

Birmingham, AL (April 27, 2007)--Paula Deen, whose southern charm is as irresistible as her fried chicken, is cooking up something new for her fans to crave. Teaming up with Hoffman Media, the publisher of her magazine, Paula is kicking off a national tour this summer. Paula Deen Live, which will begin in early June and go through September, will be visiting Shreveport, Charlotte, Nashville, Dallas, and Atlanta.

The concept for the tour stemmed from Paula Deen’s hugely successful Cooking Schools, which she began in 2004. When tickets went on sale for all 52 classes in 2006, they sold out in less than two weeks. “That’s why we partnered with Hoffman Media to offer Paula Deen Live,” said Theresa Luckey, Paula’s executive assistant. “We are able to offer larger venues with better price points so that anyone who is a fan of Paula’s can come and see her.”

Each two hour show will feature Paula cooking up some of her down-home favorites, sharing tips, and answering fans’ questions. Paula hopes the tour will encourage families to get back in to the kitchen and around the table, where she says her family shared some of their favorite memories.

“People need to get on back to the kitchen,” said Paula. “I’m gonna show you how we do it at my house. I’ll tell you what I cook and share the secrets to making it good. But the most important thing I want folks to realize is that the memories are what matter. Families get to know each other through cooking a meal together, and then sitting down and lickin’ their plates clean. Now that’s comfort food.”

Paula’s magazine, cookbooks, and specialty products will be on sale at the event, along with an assortment of tour branded items. Tickets for the show range from $45 to $65 and can be purchased by calling your local Ticketmaster office or logging on to www.ticketmaster.com. For dates and more information about the tour, log on to www.cookingwithpauladeen.com. Tickets on sale now.

Now, for one of my favorite Paula recipes....her fried chicken. I'm pulling this from my old recipe archives. If you haven't tried this recipe before, you are missing out! Perfect meal for a summer picnic.

Southern Fried Chicken
by Paula Deen

3 eggs
1/3 cup water
About 1 cup hot red pepper sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon pepper
House seasoning, recipe follows
1 (1 to 2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into pieces
Oil, for frying, preferably peanut oil

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add enough hot sauce so the egg mixture is bright orange. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with the house seasoning. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp. Dark meat takes longer then white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, white meat around 8 to 10 minutes.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Stuffed Taters

I think everyone has their own version of stuffed potatoes, but here is my own take on this classic recipe.

I also like to sometimes add chopped up cooked shrimp in my stuffed potatoes, but you can add whatever mixture you want to the potato mixture. These also make great appetizers...just cut potatoes in half and serve smaller portions.

My Stuffed Potatoes
4 large baking potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion, with tops
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon or ham
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400°.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Wash potatoes and dry well. Place potatoes on prepared baking sheet, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat, add green onion and bell pepper and cook until tender.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potato and place potato into a medium bowl. In bowl add cooked vegetables, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, ham, 3/4 cup cheese and seasonings and mix well.

Spoon mixture evenly into reserved potato shells. Place on baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and sprinkle tops with paprika lightly. Bake for another 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cooking Up Okra

If there is one thing a southern girl knows it’s good fried okra.

As a kid my brothers and I could be found most summers in my parent’s huge garden picking produce, mulching and helping gather peas, okra, corn and whatever else my parents needed help with.

I laugh when I look back of photos my mother shot of me in the garden. Usually I could be found barefoot, wearing this little blue summer dress my Grandmother Baldwin had given me and my mother’s straw gardening hat. I loved feeling the dirt between my toes and running through the sprinklers that were set up all throughout the garden.

I was reminder of these wonderful garden memories the other day when I was watching an episode of Paula’s Home Cooking where Paula was frying up a batch of Cajun fried okra (one of my favorite comfort foods).

Her recipe reminder me of when I was a little girl helping my mother fry up a batch of freshly picked okra for the boys in our family. My mother always used buttermilk and Cajun seasonings for her own fried okra and it was delicious every time. But, she always served fried okra with a homemade ranch dipping sauce. Paula, however, serves her okra with a Creamy Chili Sauce.

Thanks Paula for another wonderful southern fried recipe.

(Photo from Food Network)

Cajun Fried Okra
By Paula Deen

6 cups oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons House Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Cajun spice
2 pounds fresh okra, sliced, 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup buttermilk Creamy Chili Sauce, recipe follows

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. (You may not need to use this much oil; do not fill the pan more than halfway up the sides with oil.)

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, House Seasoning, and Cajun spice. Dip okra in buttermilk and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well. Carefully add okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. (It may be necessary to fry the okra in batches.) Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately.

Creamy Chili Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon garlic chili pepper sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring well. Cover and chill.