Around this time of year it becomes very evident of how important food is in my life. It's during the holiday season that I have the most memorable moments in my life. And the one thing that brought my family together was food!
No matter what happens throughout the year, good events like weddings, births, and christenings or bad events like deaths, fights, and illness, we always can use the holiday dinner table to realize how blessed we really are.
Growing up my grandparents, Nanny & Granddaddy (my dad's parents), would host Thanksgiving dinner at their house. We would wake up early go over to their house and the smells would just blow you away. Literally...Nanny would be making chitterlings and those things smell like athlete's foot that's rolled around in poo all day. Well in a less descriptive way...they smell pretty bad! But besides that you would also smell the delicious baked goods that were now lining the table.
Nanny would sit on a high chair in the kitchen and make the most delicious lemon cake you have ever tasted. She made everything from scratch including the icing. This cake would be three-layers of pure lemon lusciousness. YYYYYUUUUUMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Granddaddy would make the most moist and light gingerbread. OOOOO-MMMMM-GGGGG. I DIE! This gingerbread would make a gingerbread man eat himself! That's how good it was.
And the desserts would just keep coming: apple pies, sweet potatoe pies, coconut cake, pound cake, german chocolate cake, etc. And the food was never ending: turkey, ham, corn, collard greens, dressing, cranberry sauce, macaroni & cheese and more!
While the food was being prepared we all would have had 15 arguments, including Nanny screaming at all of us for talking loud and running through the house. She felt like loud noises would make her cakes fall. I don't know if that's true but we didn't want to find out. My dad and aunt would start arguing about who was being more righteous. And who could talk the loudest. Me and my cousins would be waiting to cut the cakes and looking at the adults like they had lost their minds.
But when it was time to eat...everyone forgot the arguments of the day and knew that we were truly blessed to have each other. We could talk about how delicious the food was and how loud everyone was going to be snoring when they were finally finished eating.
The good thing about the food was that it made us forget our personal problems and our issues with each other and just celebrate good food and having family in our lives. No one can drive you crazy like the people you love. No one can make you more upset than the people who know every button to push because they are always there. No one will fight harder for you than your family. No one will drop everything for you like your family. Me and my family aren't perfect and that's what the rest of the year exposes but the holidays show us that we love each other no matter what and at that dinner table it is all laughs and smiles.
During this time of year, take a moment to forget the problems from the rest of the year and let food bring you and your family together. Everyone has to eat and if the food is good everyone forgets about the argument you had in June. Laugh about old times and smile about the memories being made presently.
I will be with my family on Thanksgiving. I hope you will be with yours. The people that have left us (my Nanny & Granddaddy, and Granny & Papa) will be missed but they will be smiling down on us from heaven because although we still argue throughout the year, we continue to have our holiday dinners and celebrate being a family.
Have a great Thanksgiving! And remember even though they are family they don't play with my food!
K
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Macaroni & Cheese
Easy macaroni & cheese recipe. It doesn't have to be complex with 10 different cheeses to be absolutely delicious! Enjoy!
Macaroni & Cheese
Serving 6 people
1 16oz. box of elbow macaroni noodles
2 cups of milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt & Pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heavily salt the water and add the elbow macaroni and cook about 8 minutes. Watch the pasta and check after 6 minutes. You don't want it to overcook. Once the pasta is cooked through, drain and set aside.
Butter a casserole dish, put a layer of macaroni on the bottom of the dish and then sprinkle a layer of cheese. Take one cup of milk and mix it with one lightly beaten egg. Pour the mixture over the first layer of macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then repeat the process. Add another layer of macaroni, then add the remainder of the cheese. Mix a cup of milk and the last egg and pour over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Now cut 2 tablespoons of butter into small squares and add to the very top of the casserole. Cover the macaroni and cheese with aluminum foil. Put in the oven for 40 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the foil and let the dish finish cooking.
Remove from the oven and let the dish cool for about 10 minutes and then serve.
You should remember that this dish is very flexible when it comes to the cheese. If you want more cheese then add more cheese. If you don't want as much cheese then remove the cheese. Use your best judgment.
This is generally a family favorite during the holidays so that is even more reason to tell others....
Don't play with my food!
K
Macaroni & Cheese
Serving 6 people
1 16oz. box of elbow macaroni noodles
2 cups of milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt & Pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heavily salt the water and add the elbow macaroni and cook about 8 minutes. Watch the pasta and check after 6 minutes. You don't want it to overcook. Once the pasta is cooked through, drain and set aside.
Butter a casserole dish, put a layer of macaroni on the bottom of the dish and then sprinkle a layer of cheese. Take one cup of milk and mix it with one lightly beaten egg. Pour the mixture over the first layer of macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then repeat the process. Add another layer of macaroni, then add the remainder of the cheese. Mix a cup of milk and the last egg and pour over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Now cut 2 tablespoons of butter into small squares and add to the very top of the casserole. Cover the macaroni and cheese with aluminum foil. Put in the oven for 40 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the foil and let the dish finish cooking.
Remove from the oven and let the dish cool for about 10 minutes and then serve.
You should remember that this dish is very flexible when it comes to the cheese. If you want more cheese then add more cheese. If you don't want as much cheese then remove the cheese. Use your best judgment.
This is generally a family favorite during the holidays so that is even more reason to tell others....
Don't play with my food!
K
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Chicken Palliards with Pan Sauce
This is a recipe I created myself. It's delicious!
Serving 4 people
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups All Purpose Flour; set aside 2 Teaspoons for the sauce
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
2 cups of chicken broth
Directions:
Take the chicken breasts and place them on the cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or a heavy skillet and take out your aggression on the chicken! Just kidding! Beat the chicken until it is about a 1/2 inch thick. This will take a couple of good whacks. Once the chicken is the right size season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Pour the oil into a nonstick or a cast iron skillet. Heat the oil over med-high heat. While the oil is heating up. Put the flour into a dish and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix everything together.
Roll the chicken into the flour and place into the hot oil. You want the chicken to cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side. The chicken should brown on the outside on both sides. Once the chicken has cooked for a total of 6-8 minutes and browned on both sides, remove it from the pan.
Turn the pan down to low heat. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of flour into the hot pan. While whisking pour two cups of chicken broth into the hot pan. This will loosen up all the flavorful bits left by the chicken and it will dissolve the flour. Whisk quickly so that flour doesn't lump up. You want to break up any lumps. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then return the sauce to low. Once the sauce has simmered for about 2 minutes add the chicken back to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
(If you feel like you don't have enough sauce add more chicken broth. If you feel like the sauce isn't thick enough add a little cornstarch. Mix a spoonful of cornstarch with some water and add to the sauce)
Sprinkle the parsley over the chicken with the sauce and serve.
Side item suggestions:
Green Beans
Chicken flavored Rice
Serving 4 people
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups All Purpose Flour; set aside 2 Teaspoons for the sauce
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
2 cups of chicken broth
3 Tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder
Directions:
Take the chicken breasts and place them on the cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or a heavy skillet and take out your aggression on the chicken! Just kidding! Beat the chicken until it is about a 1/2 inch thick. This will take a couple of good whacks. Once the chicken is the right size season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Pour the oil into a nonstick or a cast iron skillet. Heat the oil over med-high heat. While the oil is heating up. Put the flour into a dish and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix everything together.
Roll the chicken into the flour and place into the hot oil. You want the chicken to cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side. The chicken should brown on the outside on both sides. Once the chicken has cooked for a total of 6-8 minutes and browned on both sides, remove it from the pan.
Turn the pan down to low heat. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of flour into the hot pan. While whisking pour two cups of chicken broth into the hot pan. This will loosen up all the flavorful bits left by the chicken and it will dissolve the flour. Whisk quickly so that flour doesn't lump up. You want to break up any lumps. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then return the sauce to low. Once the sauce has simmered for about 2 minutes add the chicken back to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
(If you feel like you don't have enough sauce add more chicken broth. If you feel like the sauce isn't thick enough add a little cornstarch. Mix a spoonful of cornstarch with some water and add to the sauce)
Sprinkle the parsley over the chicken with the sauce and serve.
Side item suggestions:
Green Beans
Chicken flavored Rice
Falling In Love All Over Again
I haven't written a blog in months. Mostly because I haven't been inspired to write. I started this blog to write about my passion for food. Well along the way I found a new love. I found something that makes my heart happier than food. He's beautiful inside and out and he has inspired me to write again. So here it goes...
Today I went to visit Columbia, SC to meet my special someone's parental units. On the way down, I asked my special someone what is Columbia known for and we both agreed not much of anything. LOL! I was already nervous about my visit and now I couldn't even have a topic of food to talk about with my special someone's parental units because Columbia is known for nothing.
When we arrived at his parents' house they were preparing a wonderful meal for us. The menu was steak, chicken, yellow rice, salad, and bread. YUMMM!!!! His mom was in the kitchen preparing the side dishes and his dad was going to put the steaks on the grill. Well before his dad would put the steaks on the grill, he informed my sweetie that he would be cooking them. I had never seen him cook before. I didn't know what to expect.
About 20 minutes later, the food was ready to eat. I ventured into the kitchen and fixed my plate. I got a little bit of everything (minus the chicken)...IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! I was so happy. All I could do was smile. Besides the fact that I was hungry, I got to enjoy a great steak dinner.
The steak was perfectly seasoned and was tender too. The yellow rice was full of flavor. I even enjoyed the salad with ranch dressing (and I don't normally eat ranch dressing)!
While we ate this wonderful steak dinner, we watched a hilarious movie together. Afterward dinner we left Columbia. I thought about what I had asked on the way down. About what Columbia was known for. Well now I definitely have an answer. Columbia will always be the place my sweetie fixed a great steak dinner with his parents and I fell more in love with him but I fell back in love with food.
I know this post wasn't really about food but just know that: I'M BAAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!! I will be posting more posts including recipes for the cold weather and the holiday season.
Until next time remember....don't play with my food!
K
Today I went to visit Columbia, SC to meet my special someone's parental units. On the way down, I asked my special someone what is Columbia known for and we both agreed not much of anything. LOL! I was already nervous about my visit and now I couldn't even have a topic of food to talk about with my special someone's parental units because Columbia is known for nothing.
When we arrived at his parents' house they were preparing a wonderful meal for us. The menu was steak, chicken, yellow rice, salad, and bread. YUMMM!!!! His mom was in the kitchen preparing the side dishes and his dad was going to put the steaks on the grill. Well before his dad would put the steaks on the grill, he informed my sweetie that he would be cooking them. I had never seen him cook before. I didn't know what to expect.
About 20 minutes later, the food was ready to eat. I ventured into the kitchen and fixed my plate. I got a little bit of everything (minus the chicken)...IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! I was so happy. All I could do was smile. Besides the fact that I was hungry, I got to enjoy a great steak dinner.
The steak was perfectly seasoned and was tender too. The yellow rice was full of flavor. I even enjoyed the salad with ranch dressing (and I don't normally eat ranch dressing)!
While we ate this wonderful steak dinner, we watched a hilarious movie together. Afterward dinner we left Columbia. I thought about what I had asked on the way down. About what Columbia was known for. Well now I definitely have an answer. Columbia will always be the place my sweetie fixed a great steak dinner with his parents and I fell more in love with him but I fell back in love with food.
I know this post wasn't really about food but just know that: I'M BAAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!! I will be posting more posts including recipes for the cold weather and the holiday season.
Until next time remember....don't play with my food!
K
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