~ What's In Your Pot? ~

Today, in my pot I've got white beans and country ham cooking. Yum! That along with squash relish and cornbread makes a complete meal. ~ Chef ~

~ Sloppy Joe Tacos ~

Ingredients:
1 pound ground round beef
1 can (15.5 oz) Manwich® Original Sloppy Joe Sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups shredded lettuce
12 taco shells, warmed
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 cup chopped tomato
Directions:
Cook beef in large skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes or until crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally; drain. Stir in Sloppy Joe sauce and cumin; simmer 5 minutes. Divide lettuce evenly between taco shells. Place about 1/4 cup meat mixture in each shell over lettuce. Top meat evenly with cheese and tomatoes. Simple, Simple, Simple! ~ Chef ~

~ Pumpkin Beignets ~

I wish I had included this recipe during the Christmas Season as these would have been terrific Party Pleasers.
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105º)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup hot water
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions: Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes. Combine flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, hot water, egg, shortening, and salt in a large bowl; stir in yeast mixture. Mix dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest in bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, 30 minutes. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Pat to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with confectionate sugar ... if you dare! ~ Chef ~

~oOo~ Oatmeal ~oOo~

How do you like yours?

~Porridge~ ~Cookies~

~Cake~

I say cake! Here's a recipe for Oatmeal Cake with Caramel-Pecan Frosting you will love.
Ingredients: Cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk
Caramel-Pecan Frosting (your choice - make your own or store bought)
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Coat bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pan), and line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray, and dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Combine water and oats in a medium bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oatmeal, beating until blended. Lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire rack. Once cooled ... you know the rest. ~ Chef ~

~ A "Little" Sweet Treat ~

For those of you not dieting this New Year and needing a mini-dessert this recipe will work great in your 1.5 quart mini crockpot.

Ingredients: * 1 (16 oz) package of brownie mix (your choice)
* 1/4 cup melted butter (not margarine)
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 can sweetened condensed milk
* 1/4 cup walnuts
* 1/4 cup coconut
* 1/4 cup rolled oats
Directions: melt butter and pour into crockpot then add the 1/4 cup of water, egg and the brownie mix. Stir until none of the powder is left dry; batter will be quite thick. Now pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the top. Next cover the condensed milk with a layer of oats, then coconut, then walnuts. Place lid on the crockpot and cook on high setting. Test with a knife after two hours. If brownies are still doughy cook for another hour. Then test again until the knife comes out clean. Once the knife comes out clean remove the lid and cook for another 10-20 minutes to get rid of the collected condensation and help solidify the condensed milk. Brownies are done when the edges pull away from the sides. Something a little special just for you! ~ Chef ~

~ National Spaghetti Day ~

If you are tired of ham, turkey, dressing and all the trimmings you are in luck ... today is National Spaghetti Day. Now I know when you hear the word pasta, you immediately think of Italy, but did you know pasta actually goes back to the Etruscans (400 B.C.). No matter where it originated from it has definitely become an American favorite. So take the time today to prepare a big pot of spaghetti along with some garlic bread. Then get a plate and a fork ... sit back and ... Enjoy! ~ Chef ~

~ It's a New Year! ~

Now I know all of you ate black-eyed peas on New Year's Day -but- do you know the purpose behind doing so? And did you know there is more to the tradition? Here's the story ...

The practice of eating black-eyed peas for "luck" is believed to date back to the Civil War. First planted as food for livestock, and later a food staple for slaves in the South, the fields of black-eyed peas were ignored as Sherman's troops destroyed or stole other crops. Thereby giving the humble, but nourishing, black-eyed pea an important role as a major food source for surviving the Confederates.

Today, the tradition says you eat the black-eyed peas with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens). The peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. If you serve cornbread with your peas and greens the cornbread represents gold.

Some traditionalist go as far as to say ... for the best chance of luck every day in the year ahead, one must eat at least 365 black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health. And NO all agree that eating only the greens without the peas will not work. So I hope you ate your peas and greens on New Year's Day! ~ Chef ~