Ranch Oyster Crackers

Ranch Oyster Crackers

(Appetizer)

3 tbsp Ranch Dressing Mix (or 1 pkg)

1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

5 cups or 10 oz bag Oyster Crackers 1

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
2. In a large bowl, combine everything but oyster crackers. Add oyster crackers, and toss (stir) slowly until coated. Spread evenly on baking sheet.
3. Bakefor 15 to 20 minutes in oven stirring gently after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in airtight container.
1/2 cup serving = 176 calories

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake & Frosting

The recipes cake from the back of the Hershey's Cocoa (Natural Unsweetened) box. Yep!

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. 2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. 3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting. 

This was the outcome of the cake I made using this recipe!

Red Velvet Cake Balls

I first saw this recipe on Kelly's Recipe blog and knew I wanted to try it one day.

The players....

One box Red Velvet Cake mix (can also make with any other flavor cake mix)

and everything else needed to make the cake

One container of icing (I used cream cheese icing)

Almond Bark (you can use any type of chocolate for coating as long as it is not milk chocolate.. It won't harden up)

First off... I love my kitchen aid mixer

Secondly, I love watching the brown cake mix turn to a pretty red!

Pour into 9x13 pan

Bake cake as instructed on the box

Break up the cooled cake

Add in the container of icing

Mix the cake and icing together until smooth and all combined

Roll the cake and icing mixture into balls, I find it helpful to place in the freezer for a short time before dipping into the almond bark.

Drop into melted almond bark, follow the packaging to melt the almond bark or chocolate, I usually add some Crisco to help the chocolate get to a smooth state

Make sure the cake ball is completely covered, I use a fork to allow the chocolate to drip off

Place on parchment paper for the almond bark to harden

LOTS of cake balls are made from the recipe

Crawfish Etouffee`

Crawfish Etouffee`
3/4 cup Cooking Oil
3/4 cup Flour (all-purpose)
1 chopped Onion
1/4 cup chopped Celery
1 clove Garlic
1 chopped Green Pepper
1/4 cup Butter
1 can Tomato Paste
3 cups Water
2 Chicken boullion cubes
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp (optional) Tabasco sauce
1 tsp Paprika
2 pounds Crawfish Tails

Cook roux from oil and flour in microwave. (Put oil and flour in microwave safe bowl. We like to use 8 qt Pyrex measuring cup. Stir. Cook on High 2 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking for 1 minute intervals and stirring until roux is the color of a penny. CAUTION: ROUX IS VERY HOT!) Immediately add onion, celery, garlic, and green pepper and stir. Vegetables will cook in the hot roux. 


In a small skillet, melt butter and then add tomato paste.  Saute paste in butter until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. Combine paste mixture and roux in dutch oven. Pour in broth (water with melted bouillon cubes) and add balance of seasonings. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Add crawfish tails 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice. 

Charla`s Bread Recipe (Bread Machine)

Charla`s Bread Recipe
1 cup Water, HOT
2 TBSP Sugar
2 TBSP Cooking Oil
1/4 tsp Salt
3 cups Flour (unbleached bread flour)
2 tsp Yeast for Bread Machines

Put in bread machine in order given. Cook on Regular bread baking cycle.

1 1/2 lb loaf 


This recipe was given to me by Charla Miley. 

Pepper Steak

Pepper Steak
2 pounds Flank steak
2 tbsp Cooking Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 pkg Brown Gravy Mix
1 1/4 cups Water
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 large Green Pepper, cut in thin strips
1 large Tomatoes, cut in wedges

Thinly slice steak diagonally. Brown with onion in oil. Stir in gravy mix, water, and soy sauce. Stir until thickened. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add green peppers and tomato. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve over rice. 

Pancakes

3 cups Flour (self-rising)
1 Egg(s)
1/6 cup Cooking Oil
3 cups Milk

Put flour, eggs, and cooking oil in a large mixing bowl. Add milk slowly while mixing to a good consistency. Brown on one side on a griddle set to about 280 degrees. Flip and brown the other side (this is much quicker than the first side).

This makes about 15 pancakes


-recipe from Larry

Nanny's Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread Dressing
1 cup Cornmeal, self-rising
1 1/2 cup Flour (self-rising)
1 Egg(s)
1/2 cup Cooking Oil plus small amount (*see below)
1 1/2 cup Milk
2-3 Chicken - Boneless Skinless Breast, boiled and diced (save broth)
4 Egg(s), boiled and diced
1 Onion, diced
4 stalks green onions, diced

Make Cornbread:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix cornmeal, flour, 1 egg, 1/2 cup cooking oil, and milk. Put enough cooking oil* in the bottom of an oven-safe skillet (cast iron is best) to cover the bottom. Preheat the skillet and oil. (Oil is ready when a drop of mixture sizzles in pan.) Pour mixed ingredients into skillet. Bake 15-17 minutes until center springs back. Broil until golden brown. Set aside.

Cook chicken. Save 4 cups of broth. Set aside.

Boil Eggs. Set aside.

Cook onions and green onions in oil*. Set aside.

After everything is done, combine all ingredients including saved broth and put in 9x13 pan. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

(Mary Hagan "NANNY")

Mama's Cornbread

Mama's Cornbread

1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1 1/2 cup self rising flour
1 egg
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 1/2 cup milk

Heat oven to 400*. Mix all ingredients. Put enough cooking oil in the bottom of a skillet to over the bottom. Preheat the skillet and oil. Pour mixed ingredients into skillet. Bake 15-17 minutes until center springs back. Broil until golden brown.

Edith Aline Hagan Rainey

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins

1 egg
3/4 cups milk
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup cooking oil
2 cups self rising flour
1/3 cup sugar

Heat oven to 400*. Grease bottoms only of a 12 muffin pan or line with paper baking cups. Beat egg in medium bowl. Stir in milk, berries, and oil. Stir in flour and sugar together just until flour is moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Fill cups about 3/4 full. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.

Pound Cake - Any Flavor

Pound Cake
can be made with any flavor cake mix

1 pkg cake mix
1 box instant pudding (to match cake flavor)
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease 10 inch bundt pan or tube pan. Combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, water, and oil in large bowl. Pour into pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15-25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate.

Gumbo

Gumbo

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1 lb bag frozen okra
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups minute rice



Boil chicken with onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Remove and cut chicken into bite size pieces when cooled.
Add okra and tomatoes to water and cook on low until okra is done.
In the meantime, make roux in microwave with flour and oil. Cook for 1 minute at a time until roux is the color of a penny.
Add roux to pot, cook about 20 minutes on low. Add chicken and cook for 10 more minutes.
Serve with Rice.