Mexican Corn Dip

I haven't blogged in quite a while, what can I say? I've been too busy (or lazy) I guess but I did try a new recipe last week that begs to be shared. We had a little 'get together' with friends last week up at the lake and I brought this dip and it was a massive hit with the group. I take no credit for it, I just followed the directions and it turned out right. The credit should actually go to Trisha Yearwood for the recipe as I found it on her website (along with several others that I have yet to try, but plan on trying). Wow, was it good! The recipe states to serve with corn chips, so I bought Fritos. Next time, I will buy Frito 'Scoops' as this is a very substantial dip and needs more that just a regular Frito to do it justice. Maybe those Tostito Scoops would work too, but being a Fritophile, I will probably just stick with the Fritos.

Mexican Corn Dip

2 11-Ounce Cans Mexican Corn, Drained
2 4½-Ounce Cans Chopped Green Chiles, Drained
2 Cups Grated Monterey Jack Cheese (8 Ounces)
¾ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Mayonnaise (The Real Stuff - Not Light or Fat Free)
Corn Chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 13 × 2-inch casserole dish. In a medium bowl, mix the corn, chiles, cheeses, and mayonnaise until fully combined. Spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Serve the dip warm from the oven with corn chips.

Cajun Cornbread

Before I post my recipe, I want to share a funny little email that my sister Mona sent me today. I got such a kick out of reading it, I thought I would share it:

Random Thoughts for the Day:

Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

There is great need for a sarcasm font.

Was learning cursive really necessary?

Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5.... I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

Bad decisions make good stories.

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Coors Lites than K.

Okay, now that I have laughed over this again, I will share this recipe. The orginal version was called Creole Cornbread and came out of a Taste of Home Magazine. I jazzed it up a little and made it my own.

Cajun Cornbread

2 Cups Cooked Rice (White or Brown, I use White)
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal (Plain, Not Self-Rising Cormeal Mix)
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1/4 Cup Chopped Jalapeno Peppers
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
2 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil (or Bacon Drippings if Available)
1 Can (Approx. 15 Oz.) Cream Style Corn
2 Cups (8 Oz.) Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tsp. Red or Cayenne Pepper
2 Tbs. Pimento

Combine rice, cornmeal, onion, peppers, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, beat eggs, milk and oil (or drippings). Add corn, cayenne pepper, and pimento and mix well. Stir into rice mixture until blended. Fold in shredded cheese. Sprinkle a well greased 10 inch ovenproof skillet with an additional tablespoon of cornmeal. Pour batter into skillet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until bread tests done. Serve warm. About 12 servings. Yum!

Taco Soup

Today my good friend Linda Nelson reminded me of a wonderful soup recipe that our mutual friend Patti Gentry shared with us many years ago. She inspired me to make it tonight for supper and I decided to share the recipe as it is as good now as it was the first time I had it at Patti's house years ago.

Taco Soup

1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Large Onion, Chopped
1 Pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix
1 (16 Oz.) Can Stewed Tomatoes, Undrained
1 (16 Oz.) Can Yellow Hominy, Undrained
1 (16 Oz.) Can Ranch Style Beans, Undrained
1 (16 Oz.) Can Pinto Beans. Undrained
1 (16 Oz.) Can Whole Kernel Corn, Undrained
1 (8 Oz.) Can Tomato Sauce
1 Chopped Jalapeno Pepper

Brown meat and onions. Add everything else. Simmer for about 1 hour or longer. Water can be added if soup becomes too thick. Makes eight servings.

This is the recipe as it was given to me. I usually make it in the crockpot and let it cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Peanut Butter Krispie Candy

I was reminded today of another candy that I always make around the Holidays that also has Peanut Butter and Rice Krispies in it. I got this recipe from my daughter Elizabeth's mother-in-law Carol Massey. It is different and delicious.

Peanut Butter Krispie Candy

4 C. Rice Krispie Cereal
1 C. Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 C. Dry Roasted Salted Peanuts
1 C. Mini-Marshmallows (Packed)
9 Blocks of Almond Bark

Melt Almond Bark in Microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes or until melted. Stir. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Mix in remaining ingredients and place by spoonfuls onto wax paper that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Let harden about 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Yesterday when I was thinking of my mom's chicken and dumpling recipe and musing on her lack of interest in cooking (that is so foreign to me, I LOVE to cook), I realized that one of the things I made earlier this week was also a recipe I got from her. I don't know where she got it, but it is a tasty variation of the old stand-by recipe for Rice Krispie Treats. I have updated it to be able to do it in the microwave.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

4 Tbs. Butter
60 Large Marshmallows (16 oz. Bag)
1/2 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
6-1/2 Cups Rice Krispie Cereal

Spray with non-stick spray, or coat with butter, a 9" by 13" baking dish. Place the 4 Tbs. butter in a very large microwave safe bowl and melt completely, about 1 minute. Swirl butter to coat all sides of the bowl. Place the marshmallows in the bowl with the butter and stir to coat all the marshmallows well with the melted butter. Return to microwave and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring down about every 30 seconds. When the marshmallows are creamy and melted down (but don't cook until they look like syrup, that is too long) stir in the peanut butter. Stir until peanut butter is completely mixed in. Pour in the rice krispies and stir until completely coated with the marshmallow mixture. Turn out into the buttered pan and press down to smooth out the top. (I butter my hands before doing this so the mixture doesn't stick to me.) Let cool then cut into squares. Yum!

Mama's Chicken and Dumplings

As I have said in the past, my mother did not like to cook. For most of my growing up years, my grandmother lived with us and did the cooking. My mom was very 'right-brained' and did not like the mundane. If she cooked, it was going to be something special, not the day to day ordinary things (my daughter Sara is exactly like her.) Mama did have several dishes that were outstanding and this is one of them.

Mama's Chicken and Dumplings

1 Large Hen (at least 5 lbs.)
3 Ribs of Celery
3 Large Carrots
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tsp. Whole Black Peppercorns
1 Tbs. Salt
2 Bay Leaves
Water
1 12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

Wash chicken well and remove the Parson's Nose (tail). Place in a large (at least 12 qt.) stockpot and sprinkle with the salt. Cut the celery and carrots into about 3 inch lengths and place in pot with chicken along with bay leaves. Peel and cut each clove of garlic in half and place in pot. Sprinkle in black peppercorns. Cover the chicken with cool water and place on heat. Simmer gently for several hours or until chicken is completely tender and falling from bone. Remove chicken carefully from stock and let cool. Strain stock, discarding vegetables, bay leaves and peppercorns. Chill stock thoroughly until fat has hardened at the top. Remove fat from stock (do not discard fat) and return stock to a low simmer on heat. If there is less than 3 quarts of stock left due to evaporation, add water to bring stock level up to about 3 quarts. If more than 3 quarts, boil quickly to reduce volume. Make dumplings.

Dumplings

1-1/2 C. All Purpose Flour (Do Not Use Self-Rising Flour)
1/3 C. Reserved Cold Chicken Fat (see note below)
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup Cold Milk
1 Egg, Thoroughly Beaten

Mix flour, fat and salt well. Add milk and egg. Mix well. Add additional flour if needed to keep dough from being too sticky. Roll on heavily floured cutting board. Cut into squares. Drop dumplings into reserved chicken broth which is simmering. Simmer about 15 minutes, stirring gently once or twice. Dumplings will rise to the top of the broth when done.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from bone and cut or tear into bite size pieces. After dumplings are done, stir in chicken meat. Whisk together the evaporated milk and the 1/2 cup flour until smooth. Pour into chicken and dumplings. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If too thick, add additional milk. If too thin, stir in additional flour mixed with water or milk.

Note: If you don't want to go to the trouble of chilling and using the chicken fat, shortening may be substituted, but this will not be the 'real deal'. Shortening wasn't invented until about mid-century (give or take a decade) 1900's. Before that, it was chicken fat, lard or butter. So, use hydrogenated fat (shortening) if you must, but the taste won't be the same.

Thoughts about Daddy

I have been thinking about my father all week. He would have turned eighty-seven this week had he still been living. A good friend lost her father this week and all those old feelings of loss resurfaced even though it has been sixteen years since I lost him. I loved my mother, but I never connected with her like I did my dad. He instilled in me from an early age a powerful sense of right and wrong. He taught me to believe in myself. He told me I could do anything I set my mind to do (and for a long time I really believed that.) I inherited his love of books and acquistion of knowledge, just for the sake of learning. He never sat down without picking up something to read. I was lucky to grow up in a house filled with good books and an example of someone who loved to read them. He was hard-headed (stubborn) and always right (unfortunately I acquired those traits also - just ask my family), but honest and trustworthy to a fault. I remember running into a fellow several years ago that had worked with Daddy and he told me that he was also in some sort of organization with him and every year Daddy was always elected treasurer, always. He said "Your dad had more integrity than any man I have ever met." Wow, will someone ever say anything like that about me? Probably not. I can still remember Daddy telling me: "Billie Jean, don't ever tell someone you will do something if you don't fully intend on doing it. Your word is the most important thing you have." He lived by those words. Happy Birthday Daddy.