Mudpies - A.K.A. No-Bake Cookies (Candy)

My Mom made these delicious chocolate and oatmeal, no-bake cookies every year for holidays.  Christmas.  Easter.  Thanksgiving. 4th of July...Family reunion - a true family staple.  As a child, these were my favorite.  I couldn't hardly wait and would often volunteer to "help" just so I could sneak an early bite (or two).  In Mom's cookbook, this recipe is labeled quite simply: No-Bake Cookies (Candy).  I have decided to start calling them Mudpies.  Yes, yes, I know this is quite a common recipe and many households have prepared and shared this recipe for generations.  My Mom would both appreciate and be amused by our name-calling of these yummy treats.  Knowing her grandsons got to enjoy these "Mudpies" would just be the icing on her cake.  Thank you for sharing with us Mom, we love and miss you!

Ingredients & Directions:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 stick margarine

Combine in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, mixing well.  Remove from heat.  Add to remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Mix well with chocolate sauce.  Drop by spoonful on to wax paper and allow to cool.  To store, wrap tightly and store in an air-tight container.

 



Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 large green tomatoes, sliced
• 2 eggs, beat with a fork
• 1/2-3/4 cup skim milk
• 3/4 cup AP flour*
• 3/4 cup AP flour PLUS 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Slice tomatoes in thick slices (about 1/2 inch thick).
3. In 3 separate, shallow containers set up dredging line.  1st shallow container:  3/4 cup AP flour (unseasoned) to coat sliced green tomatoes.  2nd container:  skim milk and egg mixture.  3rd container:  3/4 cup AP flour PLUS seasoned bread crumbs, garlic salt and black pepper.
4. Heat oil in frying pain over medium heat.
5. Dredge each side of each green tomato slice in order of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd containers.  Use tongs or forks...it will be messy.  (Messy is good!)
6. When oil is ready, carefully place battered tomato slice in hot oil and fry on both sides until golden brown.  (About 2 minutes per side.)
7. Remove fried green tomato slices from hot oil, and lay on a paper towel covered plate to cool and drain.
8. Be prepared to be swarmed by eager eaters - these don't last long!

Hints:  Ranch dressing for dipping or zatziki sauce (my preference) goes well with these yummy slices.  Instead of a traditional BLT, try substituting one of these slices for the red tomato slice in your sandwich.  When looking for green tomatoes, choose firm unbruised fruit.  I found our green tomatoes at the local Farmer's Market.  (Sadly my tomato plant is growing and growing but not producing fruit.)  Enjoy!!

Baked Hushpuppies (Repeat)

Ingredients:

1 jiffy corn muffin mix

1 egg

1/3 cup skim milk

1/2 white onion, chopped

bacon bits, for topping

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

- In a mixing bowl, combine corn muffin mix, egg, and skim milk

- All mixture to rest for 5 minutes

- Dice 1/2 medium-large white onion

- Add diced onion to muffin mix, mix well

- Spoon batter into baking cups, no more than 1/2 full

- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes, baked and mashed
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• bacon crumbles
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper as desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. In a mixing bowl combine: mashed potatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, onion, and skim milk.
4. Top with shredded cheese and bacon crumbles.
5. Cover dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Hint: Whenever we make boiled or mashed potatoes for a meal, I try to make extra so we will have leftovers. In the back of my mind I always plan on making potato pancakes with the leftovers...but I usually find another way to use them up before we ever get around to making the potato pancakes. This casserole is a great example! I used leftover boiled potatoes to make this dish for my husband and me for lunch. His favorite part? No potato skins :) Enjoy!!

Baked Hushpuppies (and Catfish)

Ingredients:

1 jiffy corn muffin mix

1 egg

1/3 cup skim milk

1/2 white onion, chopped

bacon bits, for topping

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

- In a mixing bowl, combine corn muffin mix, egg, and skim milk

- All mixture to rest for 5 minutes

- Dice 1/2 medium-large white onion

- Add diced onion to muffin mix, mix well

- Spoon batter into baking cups, no more than 1/2 full

- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 lbs catfish fillets, prepped to cook

1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning or seasoned salt

1/2 stick butter or margarine

Directions:

- Melt butter in baking dish, in preheated (400 degrees F) oven

- Combine Cajun seasoning and black pepper in a shallow plate or dish

- Dredge catfish fillets in seasoning, both sides

- Place seasoned fillets in melted butter, in baking dish in 400 degree F oven

- Bake fillets for 10-15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork

- Optional: Transfer baked fillets to a hot grill to brown prior to serving

Extra: Catfish is a favorite meal for my guys and making it in the oven at home allows us to save money and be as creative with our seasoning as we want to be. After the food was ready, the guys all reached for the loaf of sandwich bread in the kitchen. When I asked why, they explained they wanted to eat sandwiches. There are no leftovers tonight, but all tummies are full!

These recipes were shared over at Cups By Kim for the Sweet & Simple Sunday #5...just looking at those pictures is making me drool!!! Go be inspired by all the Sweet & Simple recipes!

Cheesy Mac-n-Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) deluxe mac-n-cheese (with cheese sauce packet_

1 (16 oz) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 cups cubed, cooked ham

1 cup water

2 1/2 cups skim milk

1-1 1/2 cups prepared Queso dip

* Prepare mac-n-cheese as directed.

* To the prepared mac-n-cheese, add thawed broccoli florets, diced onion, ham cubes, Queso dip, water and skim milk.

* Heat over medium heat stirring occasionally until heated completely, about 10-15 minutes.

Disclaimer: This recipe is for my baby. His favorite food is mac-n-cheese and he would eat it everyday if we let him. To encourage him to include green vegetables and other proteins, this quick and easy recipe allows him to enjoy mac-n-cheese while changing it up a little.

Chicken Rajas on Corn Cakes

Corn Cakes Ingredients:

1 corn muffin mix
1 TBS southwest seasoning
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 TBS melted butter

* Combine muffin mix, seasoning, milk, egg and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

* On a heated griddle, cook prepared batter like pancakes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter per cake on to griddle, turn when batter is set and begins to bubble without breaking. Cook cakes on both sides.

Rajas Ingredients:

1/2 rotisserie cooked chicken, shredded
1 med onion, sliced
2 poblano peppers, cleaned and sliced
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS southwest seasoning
1/2 cup BBQ sauce

* Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper slices and saute with southwest seasoning until vegetables are just tender. Add shredded chicken and BBQ sauce. Stir gently until thoroughly combined and heated thru.


Hints: Prep meat and vegetables first. Assemble all necessary tools and cook the corn cakes first. Keep warm in a tortilla warmer, or covered plastic container. Enjoy!

Trying New Smoothie Mixes today...

PSAT's this morning...starting the day with some strawberry banana smoothies to go with Levi's staple of oatmeal.

Using the coupons we found for Yoplait's frozen smoothie mixes, we paid $1 for 2 mix pouches...so $0.50 a piece and added skim milk. Excellent way to start the day!!