Simple Pleasures...

Happy 4th Everyone!

I grilled this year as I have every year since Ive been on my own and my menu went a lil' sumthin like this...

Brightleaf Hot Dogs & Red Hots (yum-o, my fav hotdog in the whole wide world!!!)
Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings (my babe's specialty..)
Hamburgers
Grilled Turkey Legs (xtra yum-o)

Butter Beans w/ smoked turkey
Mac & Cheese

Sounds Yummy huh? Wish I had smell-o/taste-o vision so you all could experience the yumminess!!!!

But for now what you've all been waiting for...

Grilled Turkey Legs

Take the raw turkey legs and place em over a charcoal grill.
Turn while cooking to insure they brown on all sides.
Cook until done (varies depending on size)
Remove & Enjoy...

*Speckled Butter Beans w/ Smoked Turkey

Smoked Turkey Wing boiled until tender and water looks cloudy (its seasoned) add 1 bag frozen *speckled butter beans add salt & pepper to taste.  Cook until done. (about an hour or so)

Really easy huh? It is and it's really healthy!  

*I like the speckled butter beans because it makes the "gravy" dark and they have a better flavor than the reg green ones to me but you can cook either one this way.

Ciao, Infinity



images from: http://whatdidyoueat.typepad.com & http://mangoandlime.net

Jerk Tilapia & Red Beans and Rice

Hello lovelies! Here is a wonderful dish I've made a few times and it seems that it's a hit...So give it a go and I can assure you there will not be any left overs!

Enjoy!

Jerk Tilapia

Tilapia Fillets
Walkerswood Jerk Paste
Jerk Seasoning (powder)
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder

Rub Tilapia Fillets in the above seasonings. Go light on the Walkerswood paste as it is ground peppers and the more you add the spicier it will be.  Once you have allowed this to marinate in the fridge for about 2-3 hours wrap each fillet in an aluminum foil pouch and bake on 350 until done. (about 30-45 min)

For the Red Beans and Rice I use the Goya brand it seems to be the best that you can buy without making it from scratch.

Graduation!

Almost forgot to share the news with everyone I graduated on Friday!!!! I am now a certified K-6 teacher!!!!
I would like to thank EoP for always supporting me, Acosta for being there when I needed a pep talk, my Mom for her prayers & last but def not least GOD because without him I would not have been able to make it!

See pics below..

Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Glaze

Hello all,

So I was really in the baking mood today and I tried my hand at lemon cookies (my first attempt @ using cookie cutters...) Well it didn't go so well.  The cookies were delish but the cutting part was a thumbs down. I purchased the book Cookie Craft and believe me it is a wonderful book and you will get inspired.  I think I need a bigger rolling pin and some parchment paper...(any donations :o) just kidding! )  So I didn't let this get me down and I searched the web for fresh strawberry cakes.  Unfortunately I didn't like any of them so I had an epiphany (yep just like Chrisette)  I had originally planned on making a batch of  lemon blossoms but I think I've had my share of lemon deserts today. (besides eyes doesn't really care for lemon) Then it hit me I had some very ripe strawberries that I had been munching on all day and I realized what I needed to do. See the recipe below!

Enjoy...

Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Glaze

1 box Butter Flavor Cake Mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist)
     *follow directions on the box
1/2-3/4 cup of crushed fresh strawberries

Follow all directions for the cake mix and add the crushed strawberries to the batter.
Bake in a tube pan as directed.

For the Glaze

1 stick of butter melted
3 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup crushed fresh strawberries
1 tsp vanilla

mix and add milk until thin enough to pour like a glaze


When cake is done remove it from pan and turn on to a plate.  While hot spoon glaze over strawberries should lie around the top.  Glaze will seem sort of white but the heat from the cake will make it turn clear.

Serve warm: Enjoy!

Lemon Blossoms

This recipe is a no fail! I've made it a few times and I swear there are NEVER any left overs!

Enjoy!

Lemon Blossoms     
*courtesy of Paula Deen


Ingredients

• 18 1/2-ounce package yellow cake mix
• 3 1/2-ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:

• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel

To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil, and 3 tablespoons water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.

With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes, turning them to completely coat. Place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in containers with tight-fitting lids.

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Hello everyone! So I stumbled upon a recipe last weekend and I wanted to try it but the amount of ingredients it called for was outrageous.  I live on a budget and I always try to think of ways to cook for less.  So I hit the fridge and the cabinets and I was able to tweak the recipe and it was a SUCCESS!!!

Some of you have heard about the recipe already so here it goes...

BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE

2-3 Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 tbsp Curry Powder
2 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Salt
flour
cooking oil
frying pan

1/2 box of spiral noodles (rotini)
1/2 block of Velveeta Cheese (large block)
1/4 cup of milk
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup Texas Pete hot sauce

Season chicken breasts with above seasonings. Coat them with flour and fry whole in frying pan with cooking oil (about 1 inch deep).  While chicken is cooking boil noodles in salted water.  When chicken is done allow to cool to retain juices.  Once chicken is cool cut in small pieces set aside.  Remove noodles from water and drain.  Place butter in pot that noodles were cooking in.  Cut cheese in blocks and add to pot with butter.  On low heat add milk and keep stirring unitl cheese has melted into a sauce.  Add hot sauce.

Place noodles in 8x8 baking pan add chicken.  Once well mixed pour cheese mix over and bake for 30 min.

Enjoy!

Fried Chicken- Rachael Ray Mag

Everyone that knows me knows that I adore Rachael Ray! So in the latest issue (May 2010) there is an article about Southern Fried Chicken.  Now the article isn't massive so it doesn't have a full page spread but it stuck out like a sore thumb to me.  I went to the website to see this recipe because it only had a web address in the mag and here it is! The pic looks so "delish" (per Rach) So I thought I'd share with you guys!


I haven't tried it yet but it's def on the agenda...If you try it first PLEASE let me know!


Smooches, Infinity


Southern Fried Chicken by Gerry Mims courtesy of Rachael Ray Mag


Lifelong Mississippian Gerry Mims and his family have eaten a lot of fried chicken. But surprisingly, he didn’t have a recipe his family could call its own. At least until recently, when his son Ben created this Worcestershire-spiked version that has a great kick to it. Rach's take? "Chicken cutlets were a staple of my young life, but I don’t think I made a deep-fried chicken until this past year, when I wrote a spicy curry fried chicken recipe. My husband has since become such a huge fan that I have written six different fried chicken recipes in the last six months, including my latest: fried chicken sliders."

4 Servings Prep 15 min plus Marinating  Cook 35 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
• One 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s
• 1 tablespoon pepper
                                                       
• 3 cups vegetable shortening

DIRECTIONS:

1. 
   
   
   In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Add the chicken and turn to coat; cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
2. 
   
   
   Bring the marinated chicken to room temperature. In a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag or large paper bag, combine the flour, seasoned salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Working in 2 batches, place in the seasoned flour; shake until well coated. Place on a baking sheet and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. 
   
   
   Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, heat the vegetable shortening over medium-high heat until it registers 315° on a deep-fry thermometer. Add the chicken thighs and legs and cook, turning once, until golden and the internal temperature registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes; transfer to a rack to drain. Repeat with the breasts and wings.

Salmon Croquettes

Happy Saturday Lovelies,

I thought this post would be something simple and inexpensive.  I grew up eating this as a child and back then I would only eat it with ketchup and pork n beans now Ive grown to appreciate what I thought was poor people's food.  These salmon croquettes or salmon patties as friends call them are wonderful and they are very quick to prepare!

I hope you all enjoy them!

Infinity

Ingredients

1 can of Pink Salmon (very inexpensive like 1.49/can)
1 small onion diced (add as much as you like)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon of flour (for binding)
Cooking Oil (I prefer Canola)

Directions

When you open the Pink Salmon there is a bone in it so its best to pour it in a bowl and remove the bones gently because they are softened so you actually don't have to remove them.  ( I remove them because I despise the texture) Once removed crumble salmon with hands and add diced onion, egg, and flour.(you also may want to add some salt & pepper here) Egg is going to make salmon mixture wet but flour is added to bind together so it isn't too wet.  It should be good enough to make a "pattie" about the size of a hamburger or smaller.
Heat oil in a shallow frying pan about 1/2 inch or less of oil in the pan. (not too much because you are pan frying them not deep frying) Oil should be relatively hot but not too hot when frying because you don't want them to burn.  Cook until brown and then flip. (about 2-3 min)

Serve Hot or Room Temp with White/Yellow rice and Baked Beans.

*for Supa & Angie with luv....

Lost Time

So yeah I'm making up for lost time...

School is almost over and graduation is slowly approaching...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited about graduation because I am.

As this time approaches I will be with my family so I wanted to give you guys something that I grew up eating and that I still love to this very day: Garlic Rice.

My Granny made it for me and I do not know where she got the recipe from b/c she's the only one who makes it in the family (besides me of course)

I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do...

Bon Apetite'

Garlic Rice

2 cups Uncle Ben's Rice
1-2 cans of Campbell's Consomme Beef
4 garlic cloves sliced
a few pats of butter

*Pour the rice in the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish.
*Add the sliced garlic cloves
*Pour in 1 can of Campbell's add a second if it barely covers
*Put in butter last
*Cover and bake @ 350 for about 30-45 min (or until done)

This rice can be served with chicken or pork.

Caramel Cake

So a few weeks ago I got a hankering for something different...I wanted something sweet but didn't know where to begin.  So I visited trusty ol' food network and I holla'd @ my girl Paula Deen! (I just lover her!!!!) So I made Bobby's Caramel Cake.

This cake was very good and the flavor was phenomenal! The down side is it is extremely rich and I'm not very big on sweets after about a day or so, so ultimately it got thrown out. (wish you guys were here to indulge)

So here it is, if you try it be warned the icing is hella heavy!

Bobby's Caramel Cake

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007

Prep Time:

25 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

35 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

16 to 20 servings

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, or more if needed
• 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add granulated sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

For the filling:

While cake is baking, in a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Remove cake layers from oven and allow cake to remain in pans as you prepare to stack and fill. Remove first layer and invert onto cake plate. Pierce cake layer with a toothpick over entire surface. Spread 1/3 of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.

*Cook's Note: As I stack layers together, I stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.

For the frosting:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add a tablespoon of heavy cream, or more, if frosting gets too thick. Just be sure to add cream is small amounts because you can always "add to", but you can't take away. Frost cake and sprinkle top with chopped nuts, if desired.