Navy Beans with Ham Hocks

It's been AGES since I've made navy beans with ham hocks. So when this week's weather turned rather wintry, I decided it was time to make some.  The recipe I used is adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Ham Hocks with Navy Beans. It turned out better than I imagined.  I served it with cornbread muffins.

Navy Beans with Ham Hocks

(recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse)

1 ham hock, scored

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup minced yellow onions

1/4 cup minced celery

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound navy beans, rinsed, picked over, soaked overnight and drained

8 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large, heavy stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ham hock, onions, celery, bell pepper, red pepper flakes, and thyme, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the navy beans and stir. Continue simmering over medium-low heat for 45 minutes to one hour, or until the beans are almost cooked and ham hock is very tender. Season with salt and continue cooking 15 to 30 minutes, until beans are done and ham hocks are beginning to fall apart.

Remove from the heat and serve.  You can leave the ham hock whole or remove the meat from the bone and stir into beans.  Serve with cornbread.

Enjoy!!!

Mom's Pumpkin Pie

This recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember.  My grandmother always made the pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas and then one year, my Mom decided that she'd take over making pies.  While I lived with my grandparents and until Richard and I moved to North Alabama, I made the pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I hope that one day my kids will carry on this tradition.

Mom's Pumpkin Pie

(makes two pies)

1 can (29-oz.) Libby’s Solid Pack Pumpkin

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon allspice

2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk (I use Carnation brand)

2 9” unbaked piecrusts (I make mine from scratch using the Better Homes & Gardens recipe in the red & white cookbook.)

Heat pumpkin thoroughly in large saucepan (do not boil).  Remove from heat and add next 8 ingredients, mix thoroughly.  Pour into pie crusts. Cover pie crust edges with foil or pie crust ring to prevent burning.

Bake 15 minutes at 450*.  Reduce temperature to 350* and bake an additional 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Makes two 9” pies

Hershey's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

This has to be my family's FAVORITE chocolate dessert.  It's wonderfully moist without being heavy.  I bake it in a bundt pan, however, you could bake it in cake pans and ice it.  Though, we think the cake is perfect without the icing.  Hope that you enjoy!

2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water
One Bowl Chocolate Frosting (Below & optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour one bundt pan, two 9-inch cake rounds or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the first six ingredients (sugar through salt); add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin); pour into prepared pan(s) and bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes our clean.

If baking cake rounds, allow rounds to cool slightly before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. If using rectangular baking pan, allow cake to cool completely before icing.


ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE FROSTING

6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
2 2/3 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar
1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium-sized bowl, mix and beat all ingredients using an electric mixer. If icing seems too thick, add a touch more heavy cream until desired consistency is reached, taking care not to over-thin the icing. I have found these amounts enough to frost the top and center layer of two, stacked, 9-inch cake rounds (but not the sides) or the top of a 13x9x2-inch rectangular cake. If you are looking to frost the sides of the stacked cake rounds as well, consider doubling these amounts.

Mexican Meat Mix (aka Green Chili Burro filling)

I love this recipe!  My mom has been making MMM for as long as I can remember. We use it to make green chili burros and chimichangas.  YUM!!!  Hope that you enjoy!

Mexican Meat Mix

2-3 pound Chuck Roast, no bone

3 tablespoons Crisco

1 onion, peeled and diced

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies

1 (14 oz) jar of green chili salsa (aka salsa verde)

¼ tsp. garlic powder

4 tsp. flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

Juice from Roast

Cook roast in crockpot on low for 6 hours…do not season roast. Drain meat, save juices, cool meat, shred and set aside.  Melt shortening in large skillet.  Add onions and green chilies; sauté 1 minute.  Add salsa, garlic flour, salt and cumin.  Cook 1 minute over med-low heat.  Stir in meat juices & meat.  Can add packaged (Swanson) beef stock, if more liquid is needed. Cook 5 minutes until thick.

Use filling in tortillas to make green chili burros or chimichangas (fried green chili burros).

*Can be frozen – use within 6 months.

Teriyaki Chicken...Crockpot Style

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice, unsweetened
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in your crockpot. Add chicken, stir to combine and cover. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with rice and a green vegetable (we usually have broccoli).

Enjoy!

General Tso's Chicken...Crockpot style

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
4 tsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like hot)
1 16-oz package stir fry veggies

FREEZER MEAL DIRECTIONS: Place chicken in resealable bag. Combine remaining ingredients (except veggies), mix well and pour over chicken. Freeze. I put quart bag of chicken, with the bag of veggies, into a gallon ziploc so they were both together and handy.

DIRECTIONS FOR BAG: Thaw. Place in crock pot. Cook on low 5-6 hrs. Then add frozen veggies. Recover and cook on high for 1 hr or until veggies are hot and chicken has reached desired tenderness. Serve over rice.

TO PREPARE WITHOUT FREEZING: Place chicken in crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients (except veggies), mix well and pour over chicken. Cook on low 5-6 hrs. Then add frozen veggies. Recover and cook on high for 1 hr or until veggies are hot and chicken has reached desired tenderness. Serve over rice.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

Snickerdoodle Muffins

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients
1 cup Butter, Softened
1 cup Sugar
2 whole Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2-¼ cups Flour
¾ teaspoons Baking Powder
¾ teaspoons Baking Soda
¾ teaspoons Cream Of Tartar
½ teaspoons Salt
1 cup Greek Yogurt (I used Fage Greek Yogurt)
¼ cups Milk
_____
FOR THE TOPPING:
⅔ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon


Preparation Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a muffin tin with liners. Using cupcake liners is a must due to the fragile nature of these muffins.

In a mixer, combine the butter and sugar and cream until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the greek yogurt and milk and mix to combine. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until you have a smooth batter.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping.

Use scooper and plop a scoop of batter into the bowl with the sugar and cinnamon. Gently roll the batter in the sugar and cinnamon. Place the ball into the muffin liner.

When you have completed all of the muffins, sprinkle the leftover cinnamon sugar onto the tops of all of the muffins.

Bake the muffins at 350ºF for about 15-18 minutes or until they are golden on top and just baked through.

Enjoy!

***Adapted from Heather Christo***

General Tso's Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons safflower or peanut oil
1 2/3 cups water
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons safflower or peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Stir-fry chicken pieces, in batches, until light golden brown. Transfer to plate and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, whisk water, soy sauce, apricot jam, hoisin, cornstarch, and vinegar together in bowl. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in soy sauce mixture, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.

3. Add cooked chicken to sauce and return to simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with fresh green veggies and rice/quinoa. Enjoy!

Serves 4