BROCCOLI CASSEROLE...HENRY'S SPECIAL REQUEST

Good Morning Kindred Spirits....
I have had requests to share  my family special's
all-time favorite Broccoli Casserole that
my Daddy made everytime a special holiday rolled around..
be it Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas....
it has always been a family favorite and I
promise you, there is none better than this one! 

HENRY'S BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

2 packages of frozen broccoli

2 eggs

1 stick of butter, melted

1 cup of mayonnaise

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup of Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Ritz Crackers, crushed

Combine eggs, mayo, soup and 1/2 of cheese to make the sauce.
Place frozen broccoli in baking dish sprayed with Pam.
Pour sauce over broccoli and top with crushed Ritz crackers.
Top with remaining cheddar cheese and pour melted butter over all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes~

THREE NEW RECIPES TO TRY

This year, I vowed to try new things....mainly in the kitchen!

I love trying recipes that I have never made and
you never know when you may find a new favorite!
All three of these were winners here at Estelle's...
so let's take a look at what we taste tested....

 

My friend, Mary Ellen told me about this brand of mix
and said her family loved these potato pancakes.
These are favorites in various cultures and apparently
can be found in European markets which can be served
sweet or savory.

They were easy to prepare and are tender on the inside and 
crispy on the outside....I served mine with a dollop of sour cream
and warm applesauce on the side
The mix can be found on Amazon.

An Austin Chef recommended making these apple pie puff pastries
and they were delicious...easy to prepare too!
    You will need
1 puff pastry sheet, cut into nine equal squares
one can of apple pie filling
sugar and cinnamon

Prepare muffin tin with cooking spray
place each puff pastry square into muffin tin cups
Spoon two apples into each cup
Sprinkle very generously with sugar and cinnamon
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

This recipe was a real hit!
This is Dolly Parton's Cinnamon Bread
I used one loaf of Rhode's frozen bread
Melt 1/4 cup butter in loaf pan and place frozen bread on top
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
Once risen, bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Mix 4 ounces of cream cheese with powdered sugar
and spread on top of warm bread loaf

Hope you will enjoy these recipes and try something new!

TOMATOES, BASIL AND GARLIC...THE BEST OF SUMMER FLAVORS

Oh these lovely summer tomatoes...who can resist them?
My Daddy loved sliced tomatoes sprinkled with sugar!
And, one of my favorite summer side dishes is 
Scalloped Tomatoes from the Barefoot Contessa!

The original recipe came from Sara Chase and this recipe
was featured in her cookbook, Cold Weather Cooking!

Summer is slow living and easy dinners...
the focus is keeping the garden thriving during
the hottest month of the year...

I am rather proud of my limelight hydrangea!

Mix the chopped tomatoes with salt, papper, garlic and sugar!

Saute the french bread cubes in olive oil and add the tomatoes....
saute together about five minutes.

Sprinkle with basil and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes~

Lunch is served....

For the finishing touch....how about fresh summer strawberries!
Summer is all about having fun in the kitchen!

 

DINNER AND DESSERT.....ALL HIS FAVORITES

Good MORNING loves...
Today, I have a bit of inspiration for you..
as far as inspiration for serving a delicious dinner
to those you love...
I call this my "redemption dinner",
as the dinner served the previous night
was a complete FAILURE.....
When I find myself missing my mother and grandmothers,
I want to dedicate the cooking preparation to
a few favorites straight from their collection of food specialities...
these are basic recipes that we grew up on.....
it's gonna be so good y'all......

With the high price of food these days.
I wanted to get back to some favorite basics...
Oh how I loved the times when there was a big pot
of green beans and new potatoes simmering on the stove....
it is still, to this day, a feeling of home and comfort....

To add delicious flavor,
I add chicken broth and a few slices
of applewood smoked bacon

Who doesn't love a fresh and hot yeast roll....

This right here.....you will want to keep this recipe....
men LOVE this simple casserole....






Dinner is served.....how beautiful and delicious....

Everyone loves a homemade cream pie

It was a winner.....nothing fancy...just
a weeknight dinner enjoyed by the family

 

Enjoy your home....especially your kitchen...
it indeed is the heart of the home.....

BACK TO SCHOOL , ANOTHER BRIDAL SHOWER and THE WEEKLY MENU

 


Good Morning Kindred Spirits...
I hope this finds you all well and happy..
It seems the summer break gets shorter and shorter
as the years roll by....back to school in early August
seems so unreal, but here it is...
the beginning of Sophomore year in high school...



Our engaged couple enjoyed
another bridal shower hosted by sweet friends.....





I am loving these balloons.....
I think I want to try to make one for the holiday party...
I think they look radiant and so very happy....

Now let's talk food  that was on the menu at Estelle's this week...



I was craving a big pot of vegetable soup served up
with hot cornbread muffins....oh yes, it was just
what the tummy needed...

and summer tomatoes always remind me of mother and daddy
and growing up in Mississippi.....
I love a tomato cracker salad for lunch....

a beautiful BLT makes a divine lunch for everyone....

and yes, fresh sliced tomatoes with deviled eggs.....

for a sweet ending....fresh and hot apple fritters....

And my most requested homemade Coconut Cream Pie....

My thoughts have turned to the fall season
and am looking forward to new recipes to try....
it's so good to have a passion......

I would love to hear what favorites are on your dinner table!!

CABBAGE CASSEROLE....A SOUTHERN FAVORITE

In the South, there are certain foods we are known for....
and Southerners especially love their casseroles...
WHAT A DELIGHFUL DINNER we had this week of pork chops,
creamy mashed potatoes and this delicious cabbage casserole, with
garden fresh tomatoes on the side.....
This casserole is a favorite of ours and will probably become
a family favorite at your house.....

Ingredients
One small head of cabbage
1 medium Vidalia or yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 T. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup mayonnaise

Topping
One sleeve of Ritz crackers, crumbled
4 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Coarsely chop the cabbage and layer in a casserole dish.
Top cabbage with thin onion slices.
Season with salt and pepper.
Melt 4 T. butter and spoon over the cabbage and onion slices.
Mix soup with mayo and spoon over the veggies.
Top with buttery crackers.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

It's gonna be so good y'all!

HARVEST DINNER NOW BEING SERVED

We are early into the Harvest season.....

I love to refer to fall as this since it reminds me
so very much of spending fall at my Grandmother's in Ohio...
We would visit all those beautiful rural Ohio farms where
the owners would be on their tractors most of the day
harvesting crops for the fall and winter season.
Neighbors would come to her back porch
and leave all sorts of fresh produce as a gift..... 



This is our first, in a series of Harvest Dinners I plan to share with you.
We had company for dinner on this particular evening,
and it was going to be casual, but delicious home cooking!



A small seasonal centerpiece is a good idea to make your guests
enjoy the dinner meal.......
tonight, our menu was Mississippi roasted chicken, roasted vegetables,
a creamy corn pudding and fresh hot blackberry muffins!



The chicken was to die for.....flavorful and moist
topped with all that rich gravy.....



Fresh vegetables of peppers, red onion, squash and mushrooms......

I always want friends and family to delight in the appearance and 
definitely the taste of their food!
I know when they take their first bite...and exclaim....
"oh my gosh...this is DELICIOUS", I have succeeded!!

OVEN BAKED MISSISSIPPI CHICKEN

Every one should know how to make a delicious corn pudding..
it's a southern staple side dish and marvelous to serve any time of year.
A delightful fragrance of fresh corn, cream and nutmeg will fill the kitchen.

I like to invest in pretty serving pieces and have
wanted a beautiful bread basket exactly like this one.
When I came across this at Kroger, I knew it was going
to be perfect for all the autumn dinners we will be having!

I originally published the recipe here
BLACKBERRY MUFFINS

These muffins are light and not overly sweet
with great flavor from those big juicy blackberries!

Serve the muffins in a beautiful bread basket
with a pretty napkin and plenty of butter on the side!

For a sweet ending to dinner,
I opted to try these mini Cannoli tarts...
light and creamy with a hint of orange zest.....

MINI CANNOLI CUPS

I hope this provided you with a few ideas
to host your own Harvest dinner.....
ENJOY ....see y'all next time!