It Really Happened, I Have Pictures -Corn Bundles!

Many of you asked for pictures...

This wasn't part of our Thanksgiving meal, but these puppies are so good, I made them for our Sunday dinner with a few tweaks of course!

First tweak, since it was only the four of us and I wasn't  preparing this for a crowd, the recipe has been cut in half.

1/2 medium onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 can whole kernel corn (15-1/4 ounce size)
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion tops
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
2  Four ounce cans of precooked cocktail shrimp (200-300 count size)
12 wonton wrappers

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and generously spray one muffin tin (12 well/cup size) with non-stick cooking spray.

Saute onion in canola oil and butter until softened over medium heat.  Remove the skillet from burner and allow to cool for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Then stir in the corn, green onions, mayonnaise, crumbled bacon, salt, cayenee and shrimp.

Gently fold in the shredded mozzerella.  It's very important  that the onions have cooled or they will melt the cheese and you will have a big corn ball on your hands.

It's not real pretty, but it smells REALLY good!

Gently place the wonton wrappers in the wells of the muffin pan.  I chose not to cut the tips this time.

Spoon about a tablespoon of the mixture into each wonton cup. At this point you can bush the cups with melted butter (optional).

Bake the wrappers uncovered in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the bundles become puffed and browned. Serve them immediately!

Asiago, Sausage & Apple Stuffing

Growing up in Southeast Louisiana, you either ate Oyster Dressing or Cornbread Dressing on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.  My Mom is a N'Awlins girl and loves her Oyster Dressing, but she loved my Dad more and accommodated his Southern Gentleman wishes of cornbread dressing.

As a kid, I didn't much care for my Mom's cornbread dressing.  I tolerated it because in those days it was politically correct to eat what was put in front of you and to obey your parents.  As an adult, I love, love, love Oyster Dressing.  (I can't believe I haven't posted my Oyster Dressing recipe yet!)  It's not easy to get reasonably priced, good, salty oysters in my neck of the woods.  I was definitely in panic mode last Wendnesday around noonish as I walked up and down the aisles of the grocery store picking up a few last minute items and trying to figure out what kind of dressing/stuffing to make.

I even picked up a box of stuffing mix...hey, don't judge...stuffing was going to be on the table one way or another.

Then, as I walked through the bakery section, I saw it!  A loaf of Asiago Cheese bread!  Seriously, Asiago cheese...does it get much better?  Oh yeah, oysters...but this was an incredible find and it was Game On!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.

Cut one loaf of Asiago cheese bread into generous cubes.  Place on a baking sheet and into a preheated 350 degree oven for 7 minutes.  Just enough to lightly toast the bread so it will absorb the liquid but no get too mushy later.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 5 slices of chopped smoky bacon and 1 pound of chopped smoked pork sausage.  Saute until crisp and brown, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon and sausage to a large bowl.  Remove all but one tablespoon of fat from the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter.

Add 1 large onion chopped, 2 celery stalked chopped, 1 Granny Smith apple cubed and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Gently fold in 1/4 cup of chopped parsely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the bacon and sasage back into the skillet along with 3/4stick of butter and 1/4 cup of chopped scallions.  Season with salt and pepper again.  Stir to thoroughly combine.

Place the bread into the glass baking dish and add the pork/seasoning mixture.  Gentley fold until completely combined.  Pour one cup of chicken brother over the top.  At this point you can cover and refrigerate overnight.  If you store this overnight, remove from the refrigerator the next day and let stand at room temperatire for one hour.  Toss again and add 1/2 to 1 more cup of chicken broth if necessary.

Add 3/4 cup of shredded Asiago cheese over the top of dish.  Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

Stuffing is a personal thing and personally, this is incredible!




P.S.  My neice sent this text to me and I would like you all to repeat this with me....

I pledge alligence to the Saints and to the great City of New Orleans and the the Super Bowl for which we will win.  One city, below sea level with Mardi Gras and alcohol for all!  WHO DAT! WE DAT!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a wonderful and joyous Thanksgiving.  Is everyone feeling human again and wearing elastic waited pants? Until Wednesday at about 2:00 PM, I freaking out because I didn't know what I wanted to make for sides for Thanskgiving. I had been paniking for days. The homegirlz picked out the menu.   I finally decided on the stuffing when I picked up a loaf of Asiago cheese bread at a bakery.  So here's 2 days worth of mess.

Here's what we made:

Herb Roasted Turkey

Rice and Turkey Gravy Spiked with Brandy

Asiago, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Green Bean Casserole

Baked M-N-Cheese

Pecan Pie

White Chocolate Creme Bruelee

Dateline 11/25/09 3:30 PM EST washing and drying the bird and making pecan pie.

Sauteing veggies for Asiago, sausage and apple stuffing.

Working on the stuffing.

11/26/09 Turkey Day, 9:20 AM. 

The rice is cooking.  How wanted mashed potatoes and gravy but these Louisiana people only believe in rice and gravy. 

The green been casserole and the mac-n-cheese are ready for the oven.

The dough for the rolls is rising and the turkey necks and giblets have been roasted for drippings for gravy.

The turkey is coming along.

the stuffing is ready for the oven, just wish that turkey would hurry up!

 

Gorgeous day!  Just wish Detroit was winning...

Teh dough has risen and I'm ready to start rolling.

The rolls are resting and we'll eat in about 45 minutes.

Gravy is ready!

Kaitlin is putting the finishing touches on the White chocolate Creme Brulee. 

The real deal - Pecan Pie!

Remember - all leftovers need to be eaten by Sunday night!

Corn Bundles

Sorry there are no pictures - YET!!!  Last Thanksgiving was the first Thanksgiving I had my blog and we celebrated in New Orleans.  This year we are unable to go because my husband has to work.  I found these in my tried and true file and haven't made them in ages, but they are perfect to Thanksgiving.  I will post pictures...this is just so worth posting even without the pictures!

This year the homegirlz will be happier than Pilgrims when they are tearing into their oven-crispy corn bundles. Easy to make and even easier to serve, this side dish will satisfy even the most finicky child at the table. In fact, you’ll probably have to make a second batch the day after Thanksgiving once they tell their friends just how good they really are.

2 cans whole kernel corn (15-1/4 ounce size)
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion tops
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup pre-cooked cocktail shrimp (200-300 count size)
24 wonton wrappers


First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and generously spray two large muffin tins with Pam.

Then in a medium mixing bowl stir together the corn, green onions, mayonnaise, crumbled bacon, salt, shredded mozzarella, and the tiny shrimp.

Using a pair of kitchen scissors and trim off individual corners of the wonton wrappers. When they’ve all been trimmed, push the wrappers down into the wells of the tins, thereby forming serving cups

Spoon about a tablespoon of the mixture into each wonton cup. Then fold over the edges of the wrappers and pinch them together, creating a loose bundle (or small sack).

Lightly brush the finished bundles with melted butter to achieve a golden brown and crunchy wrapper.

All that’s left is to bake the wrappers—uncovered—in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the bundles become puffed and browned. They are absolutely at their best when they’re served hot.

How Long Has It Been Since You Went Old School?

Thank all of you for you kind comments about the kitchen.  I will do my best to post pictures Thursday afternoon or Friday morning of the real stuff that happens in there.

Quite a few of you mentioned you would like to turn this into an event.  So....for anyone interested, post as many pictures as you like of your kitchen as you are preparing the feats of all feasts, feel free to include your dining area, your guests, the whole enchilada!

Post by Friday and let me know in the comment section if you would like to patrticipate so I can be sure to visit your blog.

How many of you have had a Carrot and Rasin Salad recently?  This is an old school salad that still rocks!  I was yenning for this big time last week.

Peel 4 carrots and slice in the food processor or grater.  Add in 1/2 cup of raisins.  Stir in 1-1/2 tablespoons of mayonnaise.  That's all there is to it!  This keeps in the fridge for about 2 days.  Yes, you can keep coming back for more!

Some recipes call for lemon juice.  I don't normally add lemon juice but I did this time and won't ever do it again.  It made the salad too tart and it didn't have that nutty, comforting feeling that I was anticipating.

Other tweaks you can add are chopped pecans or chunks of pineapple.

This is a Fall salad that I truly enjoy...hope you try it soon!

C'mon in and Visit the Cafe'!

Welcome to the Cafe'!  C'mon on in and visit. 

My blogging friend Penny from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen, invited her blogging friends to show where the magic happens or as some may feel, heartbeat of the home.

This is where I play, work, ok it's Command Central.  It's small, but very cozy and I really like the way it is set up.  There is ample counter space and everything is nearby, even for my short arms.

C'mon, I'll show you.

This is what you see when you come in through the back door.  The turkey plate was my grandmother's.  As fragile as it is, I am still amazed it it survived how many times it was moved (4 times)  from when our homes was destroyed by Katrina until we arrived in Tennessee to our new home.

 

Walking around the bar and entering la cucina, you can see the dining room or as we call it in Tennessee, the Fancy Eatin' Room.

I really like the placement of the sink.  I can watch TV, I can holler for people in the Family Room and to the left is the sorority wing of the house.  The girls have to pass by to get anywhere else in the house; good way to keep track of them.

 

To the right of the sink is the beverage station and my tunes.  Coffee pot, wine and soft drinks.  What would you like to drink?

Moving to the right, this where most of the pictures are taken and where I chop and drop.

I'm still campaigning for a gas stove.  If you're having a stove giveaway, please drop me a line!  The house came with this stove...don't buy a glass top on purpose.  When you stir, the pots slide all over the place.  You spend way too much time making sure your pots and pans are sitting properly on the burner.

This looks into the eating area and the back door.  The bay window is one of my favorite features because we get so much light.  This window faces Northwest.  Between the light from these windows and the light from the dining room window, you don't need to turn on lights during the day.  I also like the downlights near the windows, can you see them?  They are on a dimmer.  I don't like bright lights at dinner, dimmer lights make it more relaxing.

Maybe I'll take some pictures next Thrusday when all hell is breaking loose in here and I'm up to my elbows in giblets!

Panko Chicken Tenders

Hands down, anytime the homegirlz are asked what they want for supper, the answer is going to be, "Can't we have chicken bites or some kind of chicken nugget?  You NEVER fix that anymore!".  Or if they are eating out, they order chicken strips or nuggets.  I always thought my children would mature and acquire a more sophisticated pallette.  A girl can dream can't she?

The surprising thing about this crispy, crunchy chicken dish is - I was craving chicken nuggets.  Snicker all you want, but damn, these were good!

2 packs of chicken strips were used.  The strips were cut into "nugget" size pieces - just a little bit bigger than bite size.  In a large bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs and 1 cup of buttermilk.  Season with salt and cayenne to taste.  Add the chicken nuggets to the buttermilk mixture and let them hang out while you're getting everything else ready.

In another bowl, add two cups of Panko Crumbs.  Season generously with season salt and paprika.  Season with about 1 teaspoon of cayenne.

Heat Canola or vegetable oil to 375 degrees.  Shake off as much excess milk/egg mixture as you can and dredge the nuggets through the Panko crumbs.  Carefully the nuggets into the heated oil and fry until golden brown.  They will fry up pretty quick!

You have to have a dipping sauce!  I made homemade Ranch Dressing and then tweaked it a bit by adding about 1 teaspoon of chopped capers (The spoon?  It's a baby feeding spoon from days gone by.  It was the smallest one I could find to fit inside the caper jar instead of dummping them out and them trying to get them back in.),

cayenne and a little hotsauce!

Of course I served a salad with this and some steamed veggies and then got busy on the Wii Fit ;-)