Last Sunday Dinner of August

Is it Sunday again already????  Man, times flies when you're having fun and you're busy.  Well, over at our house we pulled off another tasty Sunday dinner.  It was a small crew at the dining room table today, just Easton, Stephen and myself.  Sometimes it can be hard to be motivated to cook a grandiose meal when our numbers are small, but I remind myself that my youngest child deserves the same love and care that I put into our meals when our house was full of four children as it does now with just our wonderful caboose, Easton! So here we go.....I'm just sending out a disclaimer right now...I went to the grocery store last night and forgot my grocery list at home.  In the parking lot of Kroger I had to rack my brain and come up with another list, hopefully not forgetting anything needed for the meal.  And yes, of course I forgot one of the side dishes, the Cole slaw.  It really was needed to add some texture, color, and pizzazz to our plate.  So with that being said please look at the dinner plate with a mental note to add a lovely plop of Cole slaw to complete your meal.

Saucy Barbecued Chicken (See Recipe Below)

Zesty Baked Beans (See Recipe Below)

Cole Slaw

Chilled Grapes

Sweet Cornbread (See Recipe Below) 

Dessert: Luscious Lemon Crackle (See Recipe Below)

Can't you just see a tasty serving of cole slaw just sitting there waiting to be eaten?  I guess this just proves that I'm not perfect!  It was still a great dinner anyway.

Saucy Barbecued Chicken

This recipe is so old and has totally been made thousands of times by everyone in the family.  It's pretty much our go to recipe when we want a mouthwatering, juicy piece of chicken cooked on the grill.  It's seriously an old recipe because I remember getting it out of my mom's Betty Crocker cookbook that she got from her wedding when I was just learning to cook.  She's been married over 50 years so I guess we'll call this recipe is a timeless classic!

There's a plethora of ingredients that goes into this yummy sauce.

In a saucepan add:

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 TBSP paprika

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp onion powder

1 Cup ketchup

1/4 Cup butter

1/2 Cup hot water (I never use hot water, not sure what difference it makes)

1/3 Cup lemon juice

1 TBSP worstershire sauce

Stir over medium heat until bubbles.  When Stephen grills the chicken we cut the breasts into strips or filets.  When you have smaller pieces of chicken you get more flavor.  He places chicken in a bowl with some of the sauce so that it gets thoroughly covered.  Then places meat on grill until done.  Serve with more sauce on the side.

Zesty Baked Beans

These baked beans are a hit where ever they are served.  I give credit for this recipe to a good friend, Nanette Johnson who made these beans for a going away party for our family when we moved to Utah for six months.  I could not stop eating them and had to ask for the recipe....they are super easy to make and you can cook them in the oven or in the crock pot.  I did tweak the recipe a bit by adding less brown sugar.  I made these the night before, placed them in the refrigerator and cooked them an hour and a half before serving.

In bowl combine:

1 large can kidney beans or two 15 oz cans, drained  (I use light and dark red beans for added color)

1 can lima beans, drained

1  28 oz Bush Homestyle Baked Beans

Don't you just love the different colors?  Looks like a party waiting to happen!

For the sauce combine in a saucepan:

8 slices bacon, crumbled (I always add a little bit more!)
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 Cup brown sugar
2/3 Cup ketchup
4 tsp A-1

Cook sauce.  Simmer 15 minutes.

I just had to show this handy, dandy little measuring cup that I got on my New York trip last summer.  It measures teaspoons and tablespoons.  It's so cool to just measure 4 tsp in a little cup rather than measure 4 individual spoonfuls of whatever!  Or 3 tablespoons.  Great invention!

Add the sauce to the beans and mix well.  Place in oven uncovered at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Baked to perfection!

Sweet Cornbread

I've always been a sweet cornbread kind of person.  I love putting a pat of butter on my warm cornbread and then a drizzle of honey.  Ahhhh, perfection!  It took me years to find the perfectly sweet cake like cornbread recipe that reminded me of the cornbread that they used to serve at the Marie Calendar restaurants in Utah. This is it folks and it came from my daughter.  She got it from a youth leader at church who was helping the girls gather recipes to start their recipe collections.  A shout out and thanks to Laralee Angel.

In a bowl combine:

1 Cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 cube melted butter

Add:

2 cup Bisquick

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cornmeal

Pour batter into greased 9 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Let sit 5 minutes before cutting.  I have doubled this before for a crowd and baked it in a 13x9 and just cooked it a little bit longer.

Luscious Lemon Crackle

This lovely lemon dessert comes from my Mother's recipe box.  Anything lemon is always so refreshing with the tartness that gives it a little bite.  It is a surprisingly rich dessert so the servings need to be a little smaller.  Trust me!  

Filling:

In a saucepan cook:

2 eggs, beaten well

1 Cup sugar

1 Cup cold water

Add:

2 TBSP cornstarch, dissolved in a little bit of water

5-6 TBSP lemon juice (I use 6)

When sauce begins to thicken add:

1/4 Cup butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

Remove from heat.

Crust:  In a bowl mix:

1 Cup saltine cracker crumbs

1 Cup brown sugar

1/2 Cup butter, softened

Then add:

1 Cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Cup coconut

Place 3/4 of mixture in 13x9 and gently press it into pan.  Top with lemon filling and then top with remaining crumb mixture.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until slightly browned.

Thanks to my son, Easton who helped make this dessert.  He did awesome and I appreciate him!

We served our Luscious Lemon Crackle with raspberries and a dallop of cream.  I have also used strawberries.

Light Menu for a Hot Summer Sunday

It's been a super hot and humid week down here in the south!  Georgia has definitely been a muggy, hot mess!  With the summer heat, I always plan lighter dinners with meat from the  grill and fresh tasting sides.  We enjoyed this lighter August Sunday dinner menu that was grilled to perfection!  And I'm discovering that dinner served on my golden yellow plates doesn't look very appetizing!  Excuse the picture....I promise it was a delicious, perfect Sunday dinner creation that everyone loved.

I'm enjoying coming up with yummy Sunday dinner ideas but I am struggling with the recipes...a lot of the recipes that I create are just recipes that I have made up over the years, not recipes found in my recipe box.  While I am cooking dinner now I am having to write down the approximate measurements that I use in hopes of creating the perfect recipe.  If a recipe doesn't work for your tastes remember that you can always tweak it a bit.  Take out a little sugar, add a little more salt, or even omit an ingredient that sounds yucky to you.  Make those recipes your own!

Maple Glazed Salmon (Recipe below)

 with Homemade Tarter Sauce

Creamy Spinach Fettuccine (Recipe below)

Sauteed Zucchini and Squash (Recipe below)

Warm Crescents (Purchased at Kroger)

Watermelon

Dessert:  Strawberry Shortcake (Recipe below)

Maple Glazed Salmon

This is a basic recipe I learned how to make from my sister in law, Kristin quite a few years ago and then I tweaked it to make it my own.  

You will need:

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup (The real stuff, not that maple-flavored high fructose corn syrup)

1 TBSP lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and heat on medium heat.  Stir to prevent burning and to dissolve sugar.  Bring to slow boil.  Stir and cook for about 2 more minutes until glaze thickens slightly.  Do not overcook or it will turn into candy!  Remove from heat.

Create a double layer foil rectangle for the salmon with the sides folded up.

Place foil on preheated grill.  Place the salmon slab skin-side down on foil and then drizzle the maple glaze over the top.  Spread evenly over fish, reserving a small amount of glaze to baste with half way through cooking.  Cover grill.  Cook on low until salmon flakes when pulled with a fork, about 20-25 minutes depending on thickness.  You can add more glaze to the salmon about ten minutes into the grilling.

When salmon is grilled to perfection use a large spatula to remove from the foil.  The skin will remain stuck to the foil and the salmon will pull away from the skin perfectly.

Homemade Tarter Sauce

As a child, it was always my job to create the tarter sauce for our fish stick dinners.  I would just kind of create a conglomeration of spices, herbs, and Miracle Whip, tasting as I created until I thought it was perfect.   Even to this day, I kind of go through the same process each time I make tarter sauce.  So here is the basic recipe that I wrote down today while making it.  It'll probably be different the next time I make it....but it's always good.

You will need:

1/2 Cup Miracle Whip

1/4 Cup sour cream

Not quite a 1/4 Cup chopped dill pickles (There's probably a measurement for that in TBSP but you get the idea!)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dill weed (I used fresh)

dash of pepper

Combine and chill until ready to serve.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Creamy Spinach Fettuccine

This is just kind of a throw together recipe based on how much you need.  Cook spinach egg noodles (or plain egg noodles) according to package directions.  Drain.  

In the hot pan melt a half a stick of butter.  

Add:

 1/2 cup of sour cream

 a couple dashes of garlic powder

 two dashes of nutmeg

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

After sauce is blended gently add approximately 1/3 cup cream.  Add cooked noodles to sauce and serve immediately.

Sauteed Zucchini and Squash

My children love this medley of vegetables from the garden!  My son told me to make a lot today because he was going to eat half of it.

Saute in a heavy dose of butter sliced zucchini and squash til tender crisp.  Sprinkle with lemon pepper and some celery salt.  Add a large mound of grated carrots.  Lower heat and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on vegetables.  Put lid on.  When cheese is nicely melted serve.

Strawberry Shortcake

This classic dessert is a family favorite.  Who can resist juicy strawberries smothered in cream atop a smooth, velvety cake?  This Bisquick cake recipe always makes me think of my brother, Craig when I make it.  Growing up he was the one in charge of making this cake for our Sunday dinner desserts.  He had mastered the fine art of making it so that it always turned out perfect!  This cake can be used for Strawberry shortcake like we did today or you can alter it a bit and use it for a Peach Shortcake!  In the winter I will top it with a warm, homemade lemon sauce....but you'll have to wait until it gets a little cooler for that recipe!

Velvet Crumb Cake

1 1/2 Cup Bisquick

1/2 Cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 Cup milk

2 TBSP butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

Combine ingredients in mixing bowl.  Beat on low speed until mixed, then on medium speed for 4 minutes.  Pour into 8x8 greased and floured square pan.  Bake 350 for 30-35 until toothpick comes out clean.

 While cake is cooling wash, remove stems and slice a container strawberries.  Place in container with a lid and add 1/3 Cup powdered sugar.  Place in refrigerator to chill until ready to use.  The sugar that you added will turn into a nice glaze.

 When cake is cooled cut in square slices and place on dessert plate.  Top with sliced strawberries and sweetened whipped cream.  I add a dash of vanilla to my whipping cream as well.  Serve.

Grilling It Up

Now that I'm doing the Sunday Dinner Diva Blog I find myself thinking about food....A LOT!  As a matter of fact, I am already thinking about what we are going to have for Sunday dinner next week.  But I guess I will post our Sunday dinner menu from today because it was a good one!  And I even got an unsolicited 10 rating on my dessert from my husband and "a make this again" comment...I know that means it was really good!  I was pleased with the menu and how it all came together.  The textures and variety of food were perfect except for the mandarin oranges and sweet potatoes...too much orange.  I had actually planned on using strawberries in the salad but they didn't have any at the store so I had to change the menu a tad at the last minute.  Can't you just imagine a splash of red in that salad?

Grilled London Broil (Recipe below)

Strawberry Spinach Salad (Recipe below)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecans

(Recipe Below)

Fruit and Nut Bread (Purchased at Kroger in the bakery bread section)

Dessert: Raspberry Ribbon Pie (Recipe below)

Grilled London Broil

OK folks, this is seriously the easiest recipe for an awesome juicy tasting London Broil.  I got this recipe many years ago from my amazing sister-in-law, Gretchen and it's been used by everyone in the family.  Of course I tweaked it a tad to give the meat a little more flavor.  (Not that the old way isn't good Gretchen!)

1 Cup Italian dressing
1 Cup soy sauce
1 Cup coke

Combine ingredients and place in zip lock bag or large Tupperware container. Add a lovely slab of London broil. Let meat marinate over night in the refrigerator.  If I have time I'll flip it over in the morning.

  Cook meat on grill on low heat for ten minutes on one side, then turn over and cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal and putting on a platter to serve.  London broil should be pink when done, I like mine really pink!  Sometimes I boil the marinade and drizzle some on the meat for a little flavor and to keep it juicy.

Grilling tends to be a "man" thing.  I love it when my man will help with the grilling because then I am free to focus on getting the side dishes ready without worrying about forgetting to flip the meat over on the grill and charring it.

Raspberry Ribbon Pie

Summer is the time for cold desserts that reap the benefits of the abundance of fresh fruit.  This pie recipe comes from my Aunt Marilee....she probably doesn't even remember it since it's been a while.  It has been in my recipe box for years and I don't even think I have ever made it for my family.  In my teenage years it was one of my favorites.  The combination of raspberry and cream layers make it a mouth watering treat.

I love finding recipes that are written in my Mother's handwriting.  I guess that means I stole this one out of her box...she's probably been looking for this for years!  Sorry!

You will need 1 baked 9 inch pie shell. I like to make the homemade variety, using the basic recipe on the Crisco shortening package.

I bought some pie weights at the Culinary Institute of America when I was there with my sister-in-law, Gretchen and this is the first time I have been able to use them.  You put them on top of your pie crust before cooking to keep the crust from bubbling up and becoming uneven.  It worked fabulously and I wish I had them years ago!  What a cool invention.  I used to use a pile of dried lima beans but they didn't work as well.

And don't forget to turn those pieces of dough that you cut off the sides of your pie into little cinnamon tarts.  My mother always let us put them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on them.  These tarts, as we called them were such a flaky, tasty treat and so fun for us little children to do a little baking!

For the pie filling combine in a saucepan and heat until dissolved:

1 3oz pkg. raspberry jello

1/2 sugar

1 1/4 Cup boiling water

Add:

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 (10 ounce) package frozen or 2 Cups crushed fresh raspberries.  Chill until partially set.

In a separate bowl blend beat until fluffy:

1/3 Cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

dash salt

3 oz package softened cream cheese

Fold in:

1 Cup whipped cream

Spread 1/2 cream cheese mixture in pie shell, then half of raspberry mixture.  Repeat, forming 4 layers, ending with red on the top.  Chill until firm.  

Note:  I had a little trouble adding the second cream layer.  I would recommend chilling the first two layers so it firms up a little before adding the second two layers.  Serve with a dollop of whipping cream. 

 Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is a recipe that has evolved from many recipes over the years.  It's a family favorite in our house and it's a good, basic spinach salad recipe that can be altered based on what you have in the pantry!  You'll notice in my pictures that there are no strawberries in my salad.....bummer.  There were no strawberries in the grocery store for some reason so I had to use mandarin oranges as the fruit.  The strawberries would have looked better with the combination of sweet potatoes on our dinner plate, but it can't always be perfect, right?  I always try to consider the combination of foods on our plate and the colors and textures as well when I am planning a menu.  Remember, presentation is everything!

I start with a combination of fresh spinach and romaine lettuce.  I like to mix them because I think spinach alone can feel a little heavy and bland.

To the spinach/lettuce base I then add:

sliced strawberries (or mandarin oranges,  or sliced grapes)

feta cheese (shredded Swiss cheese works also)

sliced almonds 

crumbled bacon bits

Won ton Strips by Fresh Gourmet (I discovered these a while back and they really add a nice crunch)

In the picture you will notice snow peas....I did add those. I loved them, husband didn't like them.

I dress the salad with a yummy mixture of Brianna's Poppy Seed dressing and Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette.  I do about a 1/3 Blush Wine dressing to 2/3 poppy seed dressing.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecans

My kids love these mashed sweet potatoes.  They're almost like having dessert for dinner!  They're super easy to make and you can easily adjust the ingredients based on the number of servings you need.  You will need:

3 large sweet potatoes

1 can evaporated milk

2/3 stick of butter ( or more if you love butter)
1/3 cup brown sugar

cinnamon

nutmeg

Candied Pecans (recipe below)

I prick the sweet potatoes and cook in microwave depending on the size of the potatoes.  I think I cooked 3 large for approximately 20 minutes.  When done, peel off skins (Be careful because they will be super hot!) and place in large pot. Mash the potatoes until there are no lumps.  Heat the milk and butter in microwave until butter is melted and milk is very hot.  Using an electric blender gradually add the heated milk mixture to the sweet potatoes, making sure to blend the milk in thoroughly with each addition.  Depending on the size of your potatoes you may or may not need all of the milk mixture.  Add enough until you reach the desired creamy consistency then add the brown sugar, two sprinkles of cinnamon and two dashes of nutmeg.  When finished place in serving dish and top with sugared pecans. (Recipe below)

Sugared Pecans

These pecans can be used as a topping for sweet mashed potatoes or as a sweet, crunchy topping for a salad.  These would actually be great for the spinach salad we had today but I didn't want to use the same nut in the potatoes and the salad.  

You will need:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup pecan halves, broken in smaller pieces

Pour sugar in flat pan and gradually warm on stove.  Keep an eye on it.  Sugar will start to melt along the edges.  Stir it.  Continue cooking and watching carefully as the sugar begins to brown and bubble. The process of browning the sugar will happen very quickly at this point.

When sugar is dissolved and turns a lovely golden, caramel color quickly stir in nuts until coated.

Immediately place on greased cookie sheet or waxed paper.  Let cool then break into small pieces.