Homestyle Potato Salad

5-6 Large Yukon or Idaho Potatoes
2 Stalks chopped celery
1 small onion chopped
3/4 teaspoon Oregano
3/4 tsp Basil
1 tsp Celery Seed
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
6 Green Olives with Pimento’s
4 eggs whole
Mayonnaise
Paprika

Peel and cut up potatoes into bite size pieces. Add to cooking pot and cover with water.
Add the eggs a bit of salt and bring to boil uncovered. Cook until potatoes are fork tender ( about 10 minutes)
While they are cooking cut up the celery, onions and olives.

Drain potates and set hard boiled eggs aside in another pan of cold water.
Return potatoes to cooking pot or a mixing bowl.
Add celery, onions, olives, and spices. Do not stir.
Peel eggs and cut up, add to potatoes.

Fold in Mayonnaise ( start with a cup and add more as needed until the potato salad is creamy)
Put in container and refrigerate until cold. Check to see if it may need a bit more mayonnaise as the potatoes do absorb it once
it cools.
Put in serving dish, add paprika or parsley to top and enjoy.

Serves 6-8

Salad Bowls

Potato Peelers

Mixing Bowls

Cutting Boards

Easy BBQ Chicken on the Grill

2 Whole Chickens cut in half
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Liquid Smoke

Cut each whole chicken in half straight down the middle.
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

Drizzle lightly the liquid smoke over each half and rub in.
Add Salt and Pepper.

Place chicken, skin side down on the hot grill and close lid. Check back in about 5 minutes and turn over.
Cook chicken for 1 hour checking and turning to be sure it does not burn.

When chicken is just about done, brush on liberally your favorite BBQ Sauce. Close lid and let cook a few minutes more.
Remove from heat to platter and let rest for 7 minutes.

On a cutting board cut the chicken is to serving pieces, legs, thighs, white meat.
Serve with extra BBq sauce for dipping.

Serves 8

BBQ ’s and Accessories

Best BBQ Burgers on the Grill 4th of July

2 Lbs Ground Chuck 80% Lean
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

In our house the Burger is the star of the show, and what is put on the burger adds to the pizazz.

Shape out 6 Patties at 6oz and 3/4 inch thick.
Do not handle too much as this will make the meat tough.
Place on a plate and add Salt/Pepper to each side.
Put a thumb print indent on the top of each burger. This will keep them from puffing up.
Place on pre heated grill and let cook on one side for 8 minutes.
Cook on other side for 8 minutes more. ( Do not flip over and over or squish down)
Medium: 8 to 10 minutes
Well Done: 10 to 15 minutes

Another way to check how done the burgers are, push lightly on the top with your finger.
Here is one rule to follow.
If the burger feels like:
Touch your cheek - this is rare
Touch your chin - this is medium
Touch your forehead - this is well done.
I know sound silly right, but hey, it works!
If your guest would like cheese, add it at the last minute.
Put burger on soft Hamburger Buns and let your guest as the pizazz with the following:

I use a big platter or or several platters.
This is a variety of items and you do not have to do them all.
Choose your favorites or add what favorites you like to arrange.

Spring Mix Salad or lettuce of your choice
1 Onion Sliced thin
2 Tomato’s about 1/4 inch thick slices
Roasted red Peppers
Slices Bacon cooked crisp
Melted Velveeta Cheese
Slices of Provolone Cheese
Monterey Jack Cheese
American Cheese
Cheddar Grated
BBQ Sauce
Ketchup
Mustard
Relish

Serves 4

BBQ ’s and Accessories

Bobby Flay Shows President Obama how to grill

Bobby Flay shares tips with President Obama on how to grilled steaks and corn.
Iron Chef Bobby lets President Obama know about the difference of a flipping and letting the grill do its job.
Is peeking allowed when grilling a steak?

Watch this great video taken from the White House to find out.

Summer Time Cookout Fun

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Quick Breakfast Egg Veggie Wrap

2 Eggs
1 TBS Milk
1/4 Green Pepper
1/4 Onion
1/4 Tomato
1 Slice Swiss Cheese
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
1 Small Tortilla Wrap

A great breakfast wrap to cook and take on the go.

Slice the pepper, onion, and tomato in to small strips.
Slice cheese into bite size pieces
Heat pan to medium, add olive oil.
Saute veggies until soft.

In a Mixing Bowl add eggs and milk. Mix well
Pour into pan and add cheese.
Stir until eggs are set and cheese is melted.
Add Salt and Pepper to taste.

Heat Tortilla wrap in microwave about 8 seconds.

Place egg mixture in Tortilla and roll up..
Take a small square of aluminum foil and wrap tortilla to take with you
or eat right away..
Serves 1 ( double recipe for two)

Skillets / Frying Pans

Mixing Bowls

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Summer time Pasta Salad

8 oz Monterey Jack/pepper jack cheese cubed into bite size pieces
8 oz. Cooked bow tie pasta (cooked Al Dente)
8 oz pepperoni cubed into bite size pieces
1 lg. can black olives, diced
16 oz. Marinated mushrooms, drain juice
1 English cucumber diced into bite size pieces ( Seedless Cucumber)
4 plum tomatoes diced in bite size pieces
1 small bunch fresh Parsley chopped lightly

Toss all ingredients in a Mixing Bowl and set aside in refrigerator covered and make the vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TBS Orange Blossom Honey
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp crushed Rosemary
1 TBS Teriyaki Sauce
3/4 cup olive oil

Add all the above ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well and let sit at
room temperature for 1 hour.

Just before serving the pasta salad, add vinaigrette and coat entire salad well.

Serves a crowd!

Pasta Bowls

Salad Bowls

Picnic Baskets

Texas Salsa

2 cans Del Monte Diced Jalapeno & Onion Tomatoes…
Don’t Drain. (Regular diced or stewed tomatoes will work but they’re not as good)
½ white onion
2/3 Cup cilantro
1 clove garlic
2 jalapenos ( remove seeds for less heat)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ fresh squeezed lime juice
1 TBs olive oil
Salt to taste

Add above ingredients in a food processor just until chopped.and put in a bowl and mix together until it is all completed through the processor.

Add the following ingredients to the salsa.
(These do not go in the food processor)

Avocado, chopped into small squares
1 15 oz. Can black beans, drained
1 small bag frozen Corn,
½ lb. Of Roma Tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Mix all together and chill for 1 hour.
Serve with Tortilla Chips

Appetizer Platters and Dishes

Mixing Bowls

Get Great Dip Bowls Click Here!

St. Patricks Day Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner Recipe

Corned Beef

4-5-pounds corned beef brisket
1 Seasoning Packet from the brisket

For Cabbage Turnips and Potato’s

1 Cabbage
1 Large Turnip
1 Bag Small Red Potato’s
3-4 Strips Bacon
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Stick Butter
1 tsp Sage
1 large spring of fresh thyme
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Carrots

1  Bag Carrots
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Stick Butter

Corned Beef
Place your Brisket and Seasoning packet, in the Crock Pot or pot on the stove . Cover with water, put the lid on and set on high for Crock Pot and Medium High for stove method. When your brisket is done, it should be very tender and will have shrunk down some. Set aside and cover with foil.Tip: In the last hour this is cooking start preparing the rest of the dinner.

Potato’s and Turnips
Wash off your red potato’s and add whole to cooking pot with cold water.
On a cutting board cut Turnips in quarters and add to potato’s. Put in Bay leaf,  Salt/Pepper to taste and boil until fork tender. Drain the liquid, toss with butter and leave in pot covered to stay hot.

Cabbage
In a large pot or dutch oven add a little oil and bacon. Cook until crisp. Cut up cabbage in bite size pieces and add to pan.
Add Thyme, Sage, Salt & Pepper and water, cover and simmer on med to med low stirring occasionally for about 15 Minutes. You want your cabbage tender but not too soft.

Carrots:
Cut up carrots to small bite size pieces and place in small pot. You can also use baby carrots for this. Add butter and sugar stir well.. Cover and let simmer on Med for about 20 minutes. They will be sweet and a great side dish to the corned beef..

When you serve your brisket, you want to cut it against the grain to be sure it is tender. This means you look at what direction the lines are going and cut the opposite way. Ex: If the lines in the meat are going East to West., than cut North to South.

Plate up with 1/2 inch thick slices of brisket, add a good spoonful of the Potato’s and Turnips and than the carrots. It will make for a lovely plate and delicious meal!
Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick’s Day :}

St Paddys Day Items

Stuffed French Toast for your Breakfast

1 Loaf large french bread
1/2 lb Breakfast sausage
1/2 Package bacon
1/2 c Milk
4 lg Eggs
1/4 c Sugar
1 ts Cinnamon
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 lb Boiled ham (thinly sliced)
1 Package American Cheese

In a large skillet fry the bacon crisp, remove and fry the breakfast sausage.

On a cutting board, slice the bread into eight slices approximately 1 1/2″ to 2″ thick; then cut into each slice 3/4 of the way through to make a pocket.

Mix the milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla togeather into a batter in a mixing bowl; set aside.

Divide the bacon, sausage and ham into eight equal parts. Dip each piece of bread into the milk batter and submerge it so that both sides and edges are coated.
Open each piece and put in one portion of the bacon, and ham along with one slice of cheese and close the bread again.

Fry the stuffed batter-coated bread slices in a lightly oiled skillet until golden brown on the outside and the cheese is melted on the inside. Serve two slices to a plate with your favorite garnishes and condiments - fruit, maple syrup, confectioner’s sugar, honey.

Breakfast Plates
Breakfast Platters
Get the Perfect Valentines Gift

Valentine’s Day Chocolate Cheesecake

2 c Vanilla Wafers, Fine Crush
1 c Ground Toasted Almonds
1/2 c Butter, Melted
1/2 c Sugar
12 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 c Milk
1 ea Env. Unflavored Gelatin
16 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 c Sour Cream
1/2 ts Almond Extract
1/2 c Heavy Cream, Whipped

In large mixing bowl, combine vanilla waver crumbs, almonds, butter and sugar; mix well. Pat firmly into 9-inch springform pan, covering bottom and 2 1/2 inches up the sides.
Set aside.

In a double boiler with simmering water, add chocolate chips; stir until smooth and melted. Set aside.

Pour milk into small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over top. Let sit for 1 minute. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and melted chocolate chips; beat until fluffy. Beat in gelatin mixture and almond extract. Fold in whipped cream.
Pour into prepared pan. Chill until firm (about 3 hours).

Run knife around edge of cake to separate from pan; remove rim. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired. Makes 1 9-inch Cheesecake

Cheesecake Tip: To easily cut cheesecake, take a long strand of plain dental floss, stretch it taut, and gently press it through the cake. When you reach the bottom of the cheesecake, simply pull the floss out from underneath.

Perfect Valentines Day Gifts

Dessert Plates
Dessert Bowls
Dessert Dishes
Dessert Collectibles

Easy Quick Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 Garlic clove ( Roasted or chopped fine)
1/8 tsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 oz Danish Blue cheese

In a food processor or heavy-duty blender, combine all ingredients except the blue cheese. Blend until smooth.
Add blue cheese, and pulse quickly once or twice. Do not blend so you will have small chunks of blue cheese.
Serve in dipping bowl with hot wings, or over a salad.

Note- Roasted garlic is delicious in this recipe and not as sharp as raw garlic. Either way this is delicious and a family favorite with hot wings!
Enjoy!

Hot Buffalo Chicken Wings Party Recipe

4 to 5 pounds chicken wings
Salt (if desired)
4 cups vegetable oil
4 Tablespoons butter or margarine (1/2 stick)
5 Tablespoons Louisiana-brand hot sauce or Tabasco sauce

On a cutting board, chop off the tip of each chicken wing, and save in freezer for another recipe for broth or soup. Chop the wing in half (cutting at the joint) to make 2 pieces and sprinkle with salt if desired.

Heat the oil over high heat in a deep skillet, Dutch oven, or deep fryer until it starts to pop and sizzle (around 375 degrees ).
Cook half the batch of chicken wings 10-12 minutes or until they’re golden and crisp, stirring occasionally.
Drain on paper towels and cook the remaining wings.

Melt the butter or margarine over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, add the hot sauce.
Stir well. At this point you could add a Tablespoon of Honey for added great flavor.

Put the chicken wings in a mixing bowl and pour the butter hot sauce mixture over them. Toss them well to coat each one. ( You could use a Tupperware type container with a lid and toss them that way too)
Place the chicken on a warm serving platter,, add celery sticks and a dipping bowl with Blue Cheese Dressing, Ranch Dressing or both.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Buffalo Chicken Wings are traditionally served with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

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Honey BBQ Superbowl Chicken Wings Recipe

Sauce for Wings

1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
1-1/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sweet molasses
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Wings
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
20 chicken wing - with the tips removed
4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying.

In a medium saucepan, mix the ketchup, vinegar, honey, molasses, liquid smoke, onion powder, chili powder and salt together.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes; set aside.
Preheat the oil in a deep fryer to 350º. Salt and Pepper the wings. Deep fry the wings, about 6 to 8 at a time for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
Drain on a paper towel lined cookie or baking sheet. Add wings to mixing bowl and half the sauce. Toss with spoon until all wings are coated
Put on platter with remaining sauce in a bowl on the side.

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Home Made Seafood Gumbo

1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup flour
4 cans (16 oz. each) tomatoes, un drained
1 pint oysters, un drained
1 pound Andouille or Smoked Sausage
1 pound crawfish shells and all
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de Veined
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

5 cups hot cooked rice

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
File’ ( a custome seasoning for Gumbo) Found in most grocery stores.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Melt the butter or margarine in large or soup pot. On a cutting board chop the onions, green peppers and celery and add to soup pot.
Stir in the flour and stir constantly over medium heat for 1 minute as the rue thickens..
Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Stir in the seafood and all the seasonings. Simmer for about 10 minutes so as not to overcook the seafood.
Sprinkle with the sliced green onions. Serve over hot cooked rice with a few drops of hot sauce and a sprinkle of File’ on top.
Makes 10 to 12 servings

Soup Bowls
Soup Tureens
Gumbo on Ebay

Superbowl Football Nachos Dip Party Recipe

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cans (16 oz. each) refried beans
1 pkg.(1-1/4 oz.) taco seasoning mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chunky taco sauce - mild, medium or hot
1 can (4 oz.) green chiles, sliced
1 cup sliced black olives
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
tortilla chips

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onions. Drain well. Add the taco seasoning mix and cumin; stir and set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine the refried beans and Monterey Jack cheese and mix well.
Spread the bean mixture in a shallow 10″ x 15″,  oblong or oval baking dish.
Cover with the ground beef/onion mixture. Spread the chunky taco sauce over the beef.

Top with the Cheddar cheese.
Scatter green chilies and black olives, over the cheese.(At this point, you may made ahead and refrigerated until party time, but do not freeze.)

Bake in a preheated oven, uncovered, at 400º for 20 to 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated through.
Place the baking dish in the center of a large tray or platter, surrounded by a generous supply of tortilla chips.
Serve with sour cream and/or guacamole on the side.

Wrap up in container and take to tailgate party!

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