A New Take on an Old Favorite ~ Pimento Cheese

Inspired by my latest Southern Living magazine, I started experimenting in the kitchen (one of my FAVORITE things to do) over the weekend. Here is the recipe that I came up with for one of our families Southern favorites . . . Pimento Cheese!

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz sharp cheddar cheese grated
4 oz cream cheese
1 - 4 oz jar diced pimentos
1/3 cup chopped olives with pimentos
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
dash of red pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Allow grated cheese and cream cheese to reach room temperature. Once softened, mix cheddar and cream cheese together thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Store in frig in an airtight container.

Recently I posted a recipe for Irish Soda Bread. This morning I made it a little different and it made the BEST Pimento Cheese sandwich for my lunch today . . . yummy!

Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups plain white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead well. Place dough into a buttered casserole dish and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and turn out on wire rack to cool.

*I decided that I really like the taste the whole wheat flour gives to the bread and I will make it this way from now on.

Look for my next post on the other treat I made with the Pimento Cheese ~ happy cooking!

More Cold Weather Soup

I cannot remember a winter as wet and rainy as this one has been. Don't get me wrong, I am always thankful for rain, but the combination of wet weather and cooler temps leaves me chilled to the bone. I have been eating LOTS of soup! This week I tried something a little different. I call it Chicken and Rice with a Punch ~ it is great with cornbread or Irish Soda Bread (see last week's post). Enjoy and stay warm! 

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked Brown Rice
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Large chicken breast (about 3/4 to 1 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can sliced carrots (drained)
1 can green beans (drained)
1 can sliced mushrooms (drained)
1 can diced tomatoes and jalapeno peppers (drained)
1/2 sweet yellow onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 32 oz container of chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Place water, salt and rice in large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 50 minutes or until water is absorbed.
• Cut chicken breast into bite size pieces
• Place olive oil in skillet over low-medium heat. Add chicken to skillet and sautee until cooked thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large soup pan, melt butter over low-medium heat. Add onion and cook until transparent.
• Stir in flour.
• Slowly add chicken broth and stir constantly until liquid begins to thicken.
• Add chicken, carrots, green beans, mushrooms and tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let simmer on low.
• Add fully cooked rice to the soup mixture.
• Simmer for about 30 minutes.

**For less spicy soup omit the tomatoes and peppers.

Warm Food for a Cold & Rainy Day

These January days have been cold and damp ~ the kind of cold that eats right into my bones. I know all you Northern folk think this Southern gal hasn't a clue as to what she is talking about, but I guess it is all in your perspective and for this Southern chic, forty degrees and raining is darn cold to me! In my effort to stay warm, I found a couple of recipes that make a great combination for lunch or supper. They can be made ahead and reheated as needed.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 cups peeled and diced yukon gold potatoes
3 cups (approximately) broccoli chopped
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
8 oz sharp cheddar (grated)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low-medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender. Stir in flour and whisk together. Gradually whisk in 1 can of chicken broth and stir until simmering and thickened.

Add remaining can of chicken broth and stir well. Add chopped potatoes. Cover and cook for about 1 hour until potatoes are tender. Check frequently and stir.

Stir in broccoli and can of evaporated milk. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Add grated cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Irish Soda Bread

I saw this demonstrated on PBS by a guest on the Julia Child show. It is super simple and a great bread for soups ~ also makes good sandwich bread!

4 cups plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients and add buttermilk and stir well. Dough should be sticky. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead well. Mound dough into a buttered casserole dish and bake for 50 minutes.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have . . . stay warm!

Red Velvet Cake with Cheesecake Filling

Each December my son-in-law celebrates his birthday and each December I make him his favorite White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. About a week before his birthday, he called me requesting something different. His favorite cake is Red Velvet and he wanted me to combine Red Velvet cake and cheesecake. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to accomplish his request, but I started by researching the net to see what I could find. I typed red velvet cheesecake into the search engine and found an assortment of cheesecakes with red food coloring. I didn't even look at the recipes because I couldn't get past the color ~ something about it just wasn't appealing to me. Eventually I ran across some ideas that I liked and put my own spin on it. The result was a Red Velvet cake with Cheesecake filling and of course a thick layer of cream cheese icing. The cake was moist and rich (to say the least). I think I fell into a sugar coma after only a small piece, but my son-in-law was happy and that was the point. It is always good to keep the in-laws happy!

Merry, Merry Christmas to everyone

and

May God bless you with His peace, His joy and His love today and in the coming year!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I made this coffee cake last night for my women's group and I was quite pleased with the results. The cake is moist, not too sweet and filled with nutritious ingredients. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Topping
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold butter
2/3 cup old fashioned oats

Cake
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 can pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

• In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.Stir in oats and set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
• Add yogurt, pumpkin and vanilla and mix well.
• Conbine dry ingredients and stir into wet mixture.
• Place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish
• Sprinkle with topping
• Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean

Holiday Treats

Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is just around the corner! So now is a great time to start planning for parties, special dinners, drop-ins, and gift giving! I have put together some of my most popular treats for this season and each one is packaged for gift giving. Or better yet, if you just want to take it home and indulge yourself, I say go ahead, you deserve it! All cookies and treats are made-to-order using only the freshest ingredients. Choose a full size order or pair a cookie bag with one of the hot drink mixes for a unique gift . . . think teacher, special neighbor, co-worker, oh you get the idea. Check out the selections and prices below, and remember, orders need to be placed at least 3 days in advance of expected pick-up date.

Cookies

Large Cookie Tubs $18 (2 dozen cookies) or Cookie Bags $5 (1/2 dozen)
~White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies (filled with white chocolate morsels, cranberries & oatmeal)
~Butter Cookies with Icy Blue Buttercream Frosting (melt in your mouth elegance)
Sweet Treats
~Cookie Dough Truffles $4 (1 dozen) chocolate chip cookie dough covered in chocolate (no eggs)
~Meringue Mints $12 (4 dozen) meringue cookies with Andes Mint pieces
~Cinnamon Glazed Pecans $12 (12 oz. tub) cinnamon spiced pecan halves
Decadent Cheesecakes
$30 (serves 12-16)
~Chocolate Chip Cappuccino (coffee flavored cheesecake with chocolate morsels)
~White Chocolate Raspberry (white chocolate cheesecake marbled with raspberry filling)
Cakes
$25 (serves 12-15)
~Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
~Coconut Cake
Hot Drink Mixes
$4 each (approximately 16 servings)
~French Vanilla Coffee
~Mocha Espresso Coffee
~Hot Chocolate

Email me with questions or to place an order at raredding@hotmail.com
Blessings and Happy Holidays to All!

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

There is a hint of fall in the air and that has me super excited for cooler weather, warmer clothes and PUMPKIN! So last evening, I went into the kitchen to see what I could come up with and these muffins were the result of my experiment. I was quite pleased with the results, but try them yourself and see what you think . . .

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ~ 6 oz. container of plain Greek yogurt
1 ~ 15 oz can pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk

DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup plain white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger

FILLING:
1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients together and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add Greek yogurt and pumpkin and stir well.

In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together. Add vanilla and stir well.

Add half of the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and STIR well (do not use beaters). Stir in buttermilk. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups, either lined with paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Using a small spoon, make a well in the batter of each muffin. Spoon cream cheese mixture into center of each muffin. I used an ice teaspoon and had a little of the cream cheese mixture left over. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and place muffins in center of oven for 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.