Friday, April 27, 2012

Crab Hush Puppies for Fish Fry Friday


The weekends are a great time to try something Fun. I really love this recipe. It's simple and have a great taste. Here is a different spin on Hush Puppies! Try Crab Hush Puppies. 
If you try it, let me know how you like it.






Southern Bell Crab Hushpuppies

Ingredients 
1 cup      self-rising white cornmeal mix
½  cup    self-rising flour
3 tbsp      green onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp      finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup     chopped onion
¼ cup     canned corn (drained).
1 tbsp     sugar
 ¼        teaspoon salt 
  ¼       tsp old bay
Dash of Black Pepper
8           ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked
1 large    egg
½  cup    mayo (can add more if needed)
Vegetable Oil    
Preparation
Stir together cornmeal mix, flour, green onions, onions, cornbell pepper, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in crabmeat, egg, and mayo until just moistened. Let stand 10 minutes. Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 360°. Drop batter by tablespoonful into hot oil, and fry, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Using an ice cream scoop works well also.


If you try it, let me know how you like it.

From the Heart,
Bridgette 


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Apple Glazed Chicken


In my household, chicken is a FAMILY STAPLE! My husband loves chicken so I had to figure out a way to give a little "flare" to a standard chicken dish. Here is an EASY Apple Glazed Chicken Recipe. Easy to prepare and your family is sure to love this!

Ingredients
Chicken (pieces or whole roaster chicken)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Season All
Butter/Cooking Spray
Water

Apple Glaze

1/3 Cup of Apple Jelly
1 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard
1 tsp Soy Sauce (low sodium)
1 tbsp stock juice from Baked Chicken


Cooking Directions

1. Preheat your oven 350 degrees.

2. Clean and Rinse your chicken and lightly pat dry with a paper towel.

3. Lightly season your Chicken with Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and a little Season All.
  *Note: Season All is salty so do not use alto Season All and Salt.

4. Remember to season both sides of your chicken.

5.  Add 1 small pieces of Margarine to the top of each piece of chicken. If you are cooking a whole roaster then add it liberally all over the chicken and place pieces in the cavity of the chicken as well.
  *Light Option: Spray the tops of each piece of chicken with Cooking Spray.

6. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan. Just enough to barely cover the bottom. Approximately 1 cup of water. This will depend on the size of the pan that you are using.

7. Cover your chicken with foil but cut small slits in the top to allow steam ventilation.

8. Cook for 1 hour and 30 mins. Totally cooking time will be approximately 2 hours. This will depend on how fast your stove cooks.

9. After the first hour, Remember to occasionally baste your chicken while it is cooking. This helps your chicken to remain moist. Simple take a Baster or Spoon and pour the juice from the chicken back over the top of the chicken. Do this every 15 mins after you have been cooking your chicken for at least one hour. *For Whole Roaster Chickens - also remember to baste the inside of the chicken.

10. Remove your foil and allow your chicken to begin to brown slowly on the top.


While your chicken is cooking you can begin to prepare your Apple Glaze

1. Add the Apple Jelly to a saucepan and whisk until smooth on a medium heat setting.
2. Add the Spicy Mustard, Soy Sauce and Juice from the chicken.
3. Wisk all of the ingredients together on a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir every few minutes so that it does not stick.
5. After the glaze begins to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.
6. Begin glazing your chicken with a pastry brush.
7. Glaze each piece of chicken then allow to brown for 5 -10 minutes before adding another layer of glaze.

*Please feel free to use your own baked chicken recipe and simply add the glaze. 


How did this recipe work for you? I would love to hear your feedback and see some picture. Remember to sit down and enjoy this dish together with those you love the most...FAMILY!!

From the Heart,

Bridgette



Family time...from the Heart!

Some of my greatest memories growing up were centered around two things ......FAMILY and FOOD! Family meal times were always a time of fun, reflections and delicious food. Food that MOM and DAD prepared, not from a recipe but from the heart!! Thats called REAL SOUL FOOD!!! Every evening we stopped for a few minutes to give thanks for a safe day and to sit as a family to enjoy time together surrounded by DELICIOUS FOOD. Family time is so very important because it helps to bring about a sense of Unity and Love. What better way to have that time then at dinner time! Do you remember SUNDAY DINNERS!! How can I forget those Sundays of leaving church, then coming home, setting the table and sitting down together at the table which was filled with a SPREAD of food that no BUFFET could challenge. Sundays nights were the best part of my childhood memory. Dad would always prepare some kind of special TREAT for us and then find a family movie to play on the "REEL to REEL". Yes, I said a "REEL TO REEL". We did not need the movie theatre! Dad would simply set up the portable screen and would show us a family movie that he rented from the library for free. Do you remember Swiss Family Robinson, Polly Ann and Polly Anna? What fond memories!!! 


As I begin this blog, I want to challenge every family to take just 15-20 if your day to sit down together and enjoy one meal. I know this is challenging because OUR SCHEDULES are SO very BUSY! But just remember that this time that you are depositing into your family will bring about GREAT WITHDRAWALS at later time. Or maybe you will bring back the Sunday Family Dinner Time at home! Now as a young wife and mother, I have been enjoying cooking for the ENTIRE Family and spending quality time together surrounded by good Southern Style recipes that anyone could make. Stay tuned, because I will sharing some of my favorites recipes, secrets of GOOD HOMEMADE SOUTHERN COOKING and even some family fun ideas. Lets keep of family close and make sweet memories together.

From the Heart,
Bridgette