Author: megsas87

Furthering my quest for great take-out recipes to make at home, I’ve fallen in love with this super easy and tasty beef and broccoli recipe! When ordering take-out in the past, I never really had much beef and broccoli because I always felt it was a bit bland but that is SO not the case here! With the ginger and red pepper flakes, there is some good flavor here! I originally found this recpie while stalking perusing The Pioneer Woman’s website where she made beef and snow-peas. I changed up a few ingredients and added a few ingredients and I think I have a winner!

Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients
3/4 – 1 lb flank steak, trimmed of fat and sliced very thin against the grain
3 crowns of fresh broccoli, cut into large bite-size pieces
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger (the kind in the tube is fine)
1 teaspoon of minced or grated fresh garlic (tube kind works well too)
5 whole scallions, cut Into half-inch pieces on the diagonal
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil + 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
Red Pepper Flakes to taste

Directions

Blueberry pie will forever make me think of my great grandma Carmen. She loved blueberries, and when they were in season in the summertime, she would always make a few pies and bring them over for Sunday dinners at our house. Being the most frugal woman I’ve ever known, she also would freeze her own fresh blueberries to save for the winter months when she wanted this fresh pie, as she would never pay the price for frozen fruit out of season. 🙂

The secret to her recipe for blueberry pie is the applesauce! She always thought the blueberries alone just made for a too thin consistency. You can’t taste the applesauce in this recipe but it just adds a little something to help hold the pie together a bit more. She was full of clever tricks like that.

Blueberry Pie

Ingredients

1 and 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
2 prepared pie crusts

Directions

Line a pie dish with one of the pie crusts.

In a bowl mix blueberries with sugar, applesauce, and lemon juice.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cornstarch, and salt.

Sprinkle dry mixture over blueberries and toss well to combine.

Pour blueberry mixture into pie shell and top with tabs of butter.

Lay the second pie crust over the blueberries and crimp edges together.

Make a few slits in the top of the pie and cover the crust with a pie shield or foil.

Bake the pie at 450 for 10 minutes then reduce to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Much Love,

M

I grew up eating meatloaf. But then again, who hasn’t? What I never really liked about traditional meatloaf was how long it took to cook and how only the top and ends got browned and crunchy with flavor. I also think that a slice of meatloaf is somewhat unappealing. Anyways, one night after getting home late from work, I decided to make two smaller meat loaves instead of the traditional single larger loaf and the cooking time decreased significantly. Well one night after getting home late from work again, I decided that if i put the meat in the muffin pan that surely it would cook even faster. EUREKA! I was right. What I also liked about baking the meatloaf this was is that it was perfectly portioned, each “muffin” had its own crunchy topping, and it looked cute! I’ve been making them this way ever since.

A few things to note about this recipe. I got this recipe from my momma. The only thing I do differently is use a different BBQ sauce from my mom and I’ll occasionally add diced green or red pepper. Oh, and the muffin baking method of course. So if you like this recipe, all the props go to her. 🙂

Mini Meatloaves

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, finely diced
breadcrumbs
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 ketchup
1/4 BBQ sauce
salt and pepper

Directions

In a bowl, combine ingredients and mix well until all meat is seasoned and with enough breadcrumbs to make it hold together.

Shape into balls and fill into greased muffin pan.

Brush each meat muffin with ketchup and BBQ sauce.

Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes, or until meat is cooked through.

Enjoy with Creamy Mashed Potatoes!

Much love,

M

Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes?! My mom started making a mashed potato casserole for Thanksgiving a number of years ago from a recipe she received from our Canadian family friends. Its absolutely delicious and made with butter, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, and all things good in this world. A few years ago I thought to myself, why couldn’t I take the same concept and apply it to your regular week-night mashed potatoes, so I did! I don’t really measure any of the ingredients but rather just spoon in a little sour cream and cream cheese to my (former) regular milk and butter mashed potatoes. I also sprinkle in a little garlic powder just for some extra kick as that is what the Thanksgiving potatoes recipe calls for.

If you wanted to cut calories you could use margarine, skim milk, fat free sour cream, and fat free cream cheese. The taste is pretty similar. And if you wanted to cut even more calicoes you can use half potatoes and half cauliflower even all cauliflower.

One other thing to note, I do prefer to keep the skins on my potatoes. One, because that’s where most of the minerals and nutrients are and two, because I like the texture. If you are keeping the skins on, just remember to thoroughly wash your potatoes and choose a variety with thin, delicate skin such as red or gold potatoes.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

~ 2 lbs red skin potatoes, washed and cubed
~ 1/2 cup of butter
~ 1/2 cup of cream cheese
~ 1/2 cup of sour cream
milk
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Directions

Boil potatoes until fork tender and drain.

Return potatoes to empty pot and allow to sit on warm but off burner to evaporate excess moisture.

Add in butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and enough milk to come together while mashing with hand masher or electric mixer.

Add seasonings to taste and more butter/milk if needed to achieve desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Much Love,

M

Being from the south and living along the Atlantic coast, I have had the privilege of eating lots of shrimp and grits! But unfortunately, most times I’ve had shrimp and grits in various restaurants, I’ll either love the grits or love the shrimp and all the extra goodies but hardly ever both. The solution to this first world problem? Find the best grits recipe and the best Cajun shrimp recipe and combine them!

I also make my shrimp and grits a little different than most. Usually you will find andouille sausage, peppers, onions, tomato, bacon, etc. in the shrimp and grits. Don’t get me wrong, I love all that, but one trip to Amos Mosquitoes (a restaurant in Atlantic Beach) changed all that. Served alongside my grits was this spicy Cajun succotash and I fell in love! I also really like the idea of serving a little more veggies with my shrimp and grits and limiting the protein to just the shrimp – it allows them to shine!

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

fresh shrimp, peeled and devained

butter

Cajun seasoning, Gullah Luv preferred

White Cheddar Cheese Grits

Spicy Succotash

Directions

After you’ve made your succotash and it is simmering on low to stay warm and you’ve added the tabs of butter and are allowing your grits to cool a bit, heat a cast iron (or non-stick skillet) to medium-high heat.

Prepare your shrimp by patting them dry with paper towel and sprinkling them generously with Cajun seasoning on both sides.

Add in a few tabs of butter to the hot skillet. One by one add in your shrimp in a single layer, careful not to overcrowd the pan. As the sides of the shrimp start to turn pink, flip each shrimp over and allow to finish cooking (just a minute or two). As soon as the shrimp are pink (no longer translucent) remove the skillet from the heat.

Serve over grits and succotash and top with Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon if desired.

Enjoy!

Much Love,

M

Good grief, where to start! Grits are just amazing!! To us southerners, grits aren’t just for breakfast, they are a staple!! And just like biscuits, everyone has their own recipe. Some people like a drier, stiffer consistency and some people prefer a plainer tasting grit recipe, but myself, I prefer these savory, fluffy, and creamy grits!

This is the recipe I started using when I made Shrimp and Grits but it would also be good for breakfast. But be warned, these grits are made with cream, butter and cheese. If you want to make them a bit healthier you can substitute skim milk for the regular milk and cream /half-and-half, use margarine instead of butter, and swap the cheese for a reduced fat version or omit it entirely but they just don’t taste the same. The best thing to do with these grits is make them according to the recipe below and practice moderation or spend some extra time in the gym. 🙂

Glorious White Cheddar Cheese Grits

Ingredients

6 cups of water

2 cups of half-and-half

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

2 cups of good quality grits (do not use instant)

2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Directions

Mix the water and cream with seasonings and bring to a boil. Thoroughly whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook according to grits packaging until thick and no longer crunchy, stirring constantly! Whisk in cheese and remove from heat. Stir in cubes of butter and let sit for 2-3 minutes. If you want a thinner consistency, just stir in more butter and/or warm milk.

These are best served with breakfast or with Shrimp and Grits

Much Love,
M

I had always thought of succotash as a mix of corn and lima (or butter) beans and have made it a ton of times without ever thinking of mixing it up. That was until I had a very different version while out to dinner on a vacation to Atlantic Beach, NC. We went to dinner at Amos Mosquitos (one of my favorite restaurants there) and that night they had a special – blackened scallops served with grits and spicy succotash. In with the corn and lima beans there were black-eyed peas, tomatoes, onions, peppers, okra and who knows what else. I decided I had to figure out how to make it at home!

Usually I serve this when I am making Shrimp and Grits but it is also good by itself. I have omitted the okra from the restaurant version as it can get a little slimmy and take a bit of a short cut with canned tomatoes with chilies. You could even take it a step further and use frozen corn and beans but I really only make this in the summer and with such great access to fresh produce, its silly not to use it!

Spicy Succotash

Ingredients

1 bag of frozen lima (butter) beans, cooked and drained (2 cups fresh if available)

1 can of black-eyed peas, drained

1 bag of frozen corn, cooked and drain (2 cups fresh if available)

1 can of tomatoes with chilies, untrained

1/2 cup of tomato or vegetable juice

cajun seasoning (Gullah Luv preferred)

salt and pepper

Directions

In a pot, combine all ingredients and cook until warmed through!

Serve with shrimp and grits and enjoy!

Much Love,
M

I originally saw this pie recipe from one of the Pillsbury bake-off contests and have made it several times. What first appealed to me with this recipe was that it had chocolate in it but it wasn’t a chocolate pie. I am generally not a big chocolate person – SHOCKER! But every now and then I crave just a little bit. That is why this pie is amazing! In addition to being a little chocolatey, its the of sweet and salty, its crunch and chewy, chocolaty but not too much.

I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe – eliminated the oats and added more granola, increased the chocolate and nuts, and added flaked coconut!

If you make this pie, you HAVE to serve it warm with ice cream! It really is the best!

Oats & Honey Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

Place piecrust in pie pan.

In large microwavable bowl, microwave butter on high 50 to 60 seconds or until melted.

Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup until blended. Beat in salt, vanilla and eggs.

Stir crushed granola bars, walnuts, coconut, and chocolate chips into brown sugar mixture. Pour into crust-lined pan.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes at 350° or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. During last half of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil or pie shield to prevent excessive browning.

Cool at least 30 minutes before serving

Enjoy warm with ice cream!

Much Love,

M

The name sounds fancy but these couldn’t be easier to make! I used to have chicken cordon bleu in the form of the frozen entree that you buy at the grocery store. Then one day after reading all the ingredients preservatives and additives, I decided to make them at home as they seemed simple enough – just chicken, ham, and cheese, rolled in some breadcrumbs and baked.  I made them this way several times after that except on the day that I ran out of bread crumbs. 😦 Alas, necessity is the mother of invention! So enter recipe #2, Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu (aka the UN-breaded kind). HA! This version is great by itself or on a sandwich.

If I had to choose, I prefer the breaded kind, mostly because of the texture – crunchy on the outside and oozy cheese on the inside. But nothing beats how fast the skillet version comes together. HELLO 15 minute dinner!

So here are the two recipes! You decide what’s best!

Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

Chicken breast fillets

sliced ham

Swiss cheese (or provolone, fontina, Gouda, etc.)

seasoned breadcrumbs

egg, beaten

Directions

Lay the chicken fillets flat and cover with ham and cheese.

Roll up fillet starting with the narrow end and secure with toothpicks.

Dip in egg then toss in breadcrumbs.

Place on foil-lined and greased baking sheet and spray the tops with cooking spray.

Bake at 450° for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted.

Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

Chicken breast fillets

sliced ham

Swiss cheese (or provolone, fontina, Gouda, etc.)

butter

Directions

In a cast iron skillet heated to medium-high, melt a few tabs of butter.

Once bubbly, add in chicken breast filets and cook on each side until browned.

Top each breast with sliced ham and cheese.

Place in a 350° oven and bake until chicken is cooked through and cheese is bubbly.

Serve either one with wild rice and steamed veggies!

Enjoy!

Much love,

M

Despite growing up in the south, biscuits were not something we ever really had at home. My mom is from up north so baking biscuits from scratch wasn’t part of her kitchen repertoire and therefore not part of mine. Instead, I grew up with biscuits being a special treat enjoyed at church potluck lunches, dinners and family friends houses, or down-home country cooking places. I always had it in my head that biscuits were a lot of work or difficult to make. So one day I decided that if I was going to consider myself a true southern cook, I needed to master the biscuit. So, off I went researching and testing various recipes because if I was going to bake biscuits from scratch, I was going to make sure they were some damn good biscuits.  Let me tell you, just like pimento cheese, people really have strong feelings about how to make the best biscuit – brands of flour they are loyal to, shortening vs. butter, rolling instead of layering the dough, etc. Somewhere along the way of recipe testing and combining different versions, I formed my own opinions and my own recipe. I’m not going to claim these are the best biscuits out there (because I’ve had some biscuits that were a religious experience) but these are buttery, have a good balance of fluff, chew, and crunch, and recipe is pretty fool-proof.

The keys to this recipe are using super fine flour, good quality buttermilk and butter, keeping your ingredients COLD, using the food processor to avoiding warming up the cold ingredients, and folding the dough instead of rolling it out. If you really want to get anal about it, chill your mixing bowl and food processor bowl and blade. I personally don’t want to spend the time waiting around when I could be eating biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups of super fine all-purpose flour (White Lily preferred), plus more for dusting
1 stick of good quality, unsalted butter, chilled and cubed, with 1 tablespoon reserved
2 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of cold buttermilk

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, powder, soda, salt, and cold butter cubes and pulse just until fine crumbs form. Do not pulse too much as the butter will warm up.

In a large mixing bowl, dump out the buttery flour crumbs and slowly pour in the buttermilk. Lightly with your fingers, mix just until dough comes together. The dough should be fairly wet and sticky but not too loose. If it appears too dry, add a splash or two of buttermilk. Likewise, if it is too wet, add a light sprinkle of two of flour but keep in mind you will be adding more flour as you form your biscuits.

Remove wet dough from the food processor and turn out onto a well floured surface.

Gently pat (do not roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it’s about 1/2″ thick. Fold the dough on itself several times, then gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick. Use a round biscuit cutter to cut into rounds. You can gently combine the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as light and fluffy as the first ones. There should be about 8-10 biscuits depending on the size of the cutter you use. Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined cookie sheet so that they are close but not touching each other in order for them to rise.

Brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with the 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle with a little bit of additional salt and sugar if desired.

Bake for 10 minutes in a 425 degree oven then remove them from the oven and separate the biscuits even further and put them back in the oven for an additional 2-5 minutes so that the sides have a chance to brown.

Serve hot with your favorite jam or spread or just eat them by themselves! They are that good!