Some Southern Favorites

Growing up in the south, every day was filled with barefeet, sunshine, and family fun that usually had something to do with food. As far back as I can remember Sunday dinners were the relaxing ending to the previous week and the magical beginning to the week to come. My mom along with my Aunts in the kitchen cooking up all the family favorites. Fried chicken, biscuits, gravy so smooth you could see your reflection in it....and the desserts...don't even get me started on those. So in remembrance of my mom, and my wonderful sunny, barefooted, food filled days in the south...here are a few of my favorites...enjoy!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

1 (3 3/4lb.) cut up whole chicken
3 cups buttermilk
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
2 cups all purpose flour
Vegatable Oil (about 1/4 inch in your skillet)

 1. Combine chicken and buttermilk in a large non-metal bowl, cober and chill 8-12 hours. Drain chicken discarding the buttermilk.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine salt and pepper, sprinkle half of the salt mixture over chicken. Combine remaining remaining salt mixture and flour in a large zip-lock freezer bag. Place 2 pieces of chicken in bag, seal bag and shake to coat. Remove chicken. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.

3. Pour oil to depth of 1/4 inch in a skillet. Fry pieces in 2 batches in hot oil over medium-high heat 5-6 minutes on each side or until browned.

4.Place chicken on a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan. and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.

And look at the yummy results!!

Banana Bread Cobbler

1 cup self -rising flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

4 medium-size ripe bananas sliced

Streusel Topping (recipe at botom)

Vanilla ice cream or whipped topping for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour and next 2 ingredients just until blended, whisk in melted butter. Pour batter into a lightly greased 11x7 inch baking dish. Top with sliced bananas, and sprinkle with the Streusel Topping.

2. bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with vanilla icecream or whipped topping.

Streusel Topping

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup self- rising flour

1/2 cup butter softened

1 cup uncooked regular oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Stir togethere brown sugar, flour and butter until crumbly, using a fork. Stir in oats and pecans.

Cinnamon Chip Bunt Cake

If you want a yummy, light and different cake to serve this year on Easter, not that there is anythng wrong withh acrrott cake or a beautiful white cake covered in coconut (my personal favorite) but...if you want something a little lighter and just something out of the box for this particular holiday go to this blog  http://www.theidearoom.blogspot.com/  and try making her Cinnamon Chip Bunt Cake.....OMGosh it is so good!

Come back after you make it and let me know how you liked it...let her know too!

We Have A Winner!!

Okay we have TWO winners because I just couldn't decide...LOL...

Jill and Shandre you are both winners!! Your prize will arrive very soon!!

Thanks for sharing your recipes with all of us!

Orange-Choclate Dipped Macaroons

Orange-Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

1 (7 oz.) package flaked sweetened coconut

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extrat

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 tsp. vegetable shortening

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine coconut, sugar and flour in a large bowl. Stir in egg whites, almonds, orange zest

and both extracts until well blended. Drop dough by tablespponfuls onto baking sheet

1 inch apart, making a total of 20 cookies. Bake until lightly golden. About 25-30 minutes.

Slide parchment paper onto cooling rack and let cool until firm, about 20 minutes.

Peel macaroons off paper, transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely

3. Place chocolate and shortening in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on

medium just until melted, about 1-2 minutes. Stirring  every 30 seconds. Stir until

smooth, and then cool slightly.

4. Dip one half of each macaroon into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.

Place on wax paper. Let stand until chocolate sets. About 3 minutes.

If you are on Weight Watchers these cookies are 2 points each.

Spring Recipe Contest!!

With Spring just around the corner (we hope) I thought a Spring recipe contest might be fun.

There is one rule and one rule only....No Jell-O salad recipes!! If you know me at all you know I HATE

Jell-O.

So post your favorite Spring recipe...you know the one you and your family just can't wait for each year after the snow starts to melt and the flowers are starting to poke their heads out. The birds are singing and have not gotten to that annoying wake you up on Saturday morning stage yet...LOL.

Maybe it's a favorite Easter recipe or Sunday brunch. Just post it and I will pick the one that sounds the yummiest to me. So...you want to know what the prize is....I'm not going to tell you...post your recipes and you will see!!

Aloha Paradise Bars

Just found this recipe on the betty Crocker page...they look so yummy. What a great dessert for Easter!

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix


1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

2 cups white vanilla baking chips

1 cup coarsely chopped dried pineapple

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan.

2. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with baking chips, pineapple, coconut and nuts. Drizzle evenly with sweetened condensed milk.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool completely. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): In step 2, bake 20 minutes.