Confessions of a Foodie

My Grandmother passed away a couple of years ago. And right afterward, I found myself missing her so much that I was searching for something to feel close to her again. One thought kept popping into my mind, peach cobbler. Isn’t it funny how food has the power to do so much more than just fill our stomachs! My grandma made the best peach cobbler, with it’s buttery, spongey crust, and gooey peach filling. Unfortunately, she never wrote down any of her recipes, so I felt like there was no hope of making this wonderful, sentimental dessert. But thank God for the amazing invention of the Internet. I did a search on Google, and I finally found a recipe that looked just like Grandma’s cobbler. So I tried it, and low and behold, it tasted just like it, too. I think I ate peach cobbler everyday for a week after Grandma died, and some how it helped sooth the ache in my heart. So here’s to all the Grandma’s out there who make us unhealthy sweets to make us feel loved.

Ingredients

1 c butter (no substitutions)
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c self rising flour
1 1/2 c whole milk
2 (15 oz) cans of peaches (I use 1 in heavy syrup & 1 in light. It makes me feel a little better!)

Preheat oven to 350. Cut butter into pads and place in a large baking dish. Place the dish in the oven to melt the butter.

Mix sugar and flour together. Stir in milk a little at a time. Pour batter over melted butter. Spoon peaches and syrup over batter.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour.

**NOTE**
Bake in a glass dish! Trust me, I just learned this the hard way. I prepared two cobblers for a potluck and used a glass dish for one, and a disposable aluminum pan for the other. Bad idea! The cobbler baked in the glass casserole dish was perfect–chewey crust, creamy filling, perfect. The metal pan completely changed the texture and consistency of the cobbler, and not in a good way. SO learn from my mistake, use a glass dish.

This recipe originally came from my Aunt Linda, but I have taken ownership of it, because I make it SO often. This cake is so good in it’s simplicity. Please, I ask that you at least try this cake by itself, before you go adding fruit and whipped cream or any other unneeded addition. It sound plain but it’s not. This cake is so good that I give it for presents. And the funny part is that after receiving it as a gift, most people never want anything else from me. So try it, and enjoy.

Ingredients

3 c cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 c unsalted butter (no substitutions)
3 c white sugar
6 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c sour cream

Preheat oven to 300. Grease and sugar (just like flouring, but with sugar) a 10 in. Bundt or tube pan. Set a side. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Then, stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream. Pour batter into pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 80-90 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. (Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. If not, bake it some more.) Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove it from the pan, and let it finish cooling on a wire rack.

I hope you enjoy this special treat.

This is not an authentic Russian dish. This is an adaptation of my mom’s stroganoff. Think gourmet hamburger helper. This is a great meal to throw together when you’re in a hurry. It’s quick, simple and oh, so delicious. Pairs well with green beans.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
16 oz egg noodles
1 package cream cheese at room temp (I use the 1/3 less fat kind)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1-2 small cans of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 pack onion soup mix

Prepare egg noodles according to package. Be careful not to overcook them. (Nothing’s worse than soggy noodles.) In a large skillet, brown ground meat. When it is browned completely, drain the meat, but do not rinse it! Return the drained meat to the skillet add the mushrooms, sauteeing them with the meat for a minute. Next, add the onion soup mix, and stir with the meat until dissolved. Stir in the cream cheese until well blended. Finally add the mushroom soup. Turn off the heat, but leave the skillet on the burner until the noodles are ready. When the noodles are “al dente” drain them, and then toss them with the sauce.

That’s it. Serve with some nice green beans. I recommend fresh, but if you’re in a pinch, heat canned green beans in their juice with 2 Tbs oil and 1 packet of Goya ham seasoning. YUM!

I hope you all read what I’m sure is my now famous meatloaf recipe. On it I suggested pairing it with garlic mashed potatoes. I didn’t want to leave you hanging, so here’s my recipe. This is not for the faint of heart. Oh, not because it is difficult to prepare. No this recipe is quite simple, but it is loaded with all kinds of fatty goodness. So for those of you who are timid of spirit, beware.

Ingredients

6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (russet potatoes will give the creamies consistency, but any spud will do)
3/4 cup butter (don’t skimp!)
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 Tbs garlic powder
3 Tbs Chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water (2-3 Tbs of salt) until soft. (The salt is very important, because if you don’t salt the water, then you will have to use more salt at the end then you would by salting the water.) Once the water is boiling it should only take about 10 minutes.

Drain potatoes, then return them to the same pot that they were boiled in. (This will help remove excess moisture, so you don’t get gummy spuds.) Add the butter and cover the pot with a lid for a couple of minutes to allow the butter to melt. Then add the cream and garlic powder. Mash the potatoes with a masher or you can use a mixer for creamier potatoes. (If you use a mixer, be careful not to over mix your potatoes. When potatoes are “manhandled,” the starch begins to break down, giving the mashed spuds a glue-like consistency that is not too appetizing.) When the potatoes are mashed to the consistency you like, stire in the chives. Finally add salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it! Simple, but oh so tasty!

I think all of America has grown up on some type of meatloaf. Unfortunately, too many mothers were guilty of creating something that resembled a brick more than anything edible! I’m here today to change your outlook on meatloaf. When prepared correctly, it is addictive. I recommend pairing this tasty entree with yummy garlic mashed potatoes or homemade mac ‘n’ cheese and fresh green beans or roasted asparagus. I’d love to know what you think when you’ve had it. *Disclaimer* This is not a low fat, low carb, low taste dish! It is full flavored and full figured. If you’re feeling a little guilty, just tell yourself, “I’m not eating this everyday. It’s okay to splurge now and then. I can always have a salad tomorrow!” ~PS The leftovers make killer sandwiches!

Ingredients
1 1/2- 2 lbs ground beef (my favorite to use is ground chuck. Don’t bother with the expensive stuff, because it won’t be as juicy.)
1 cup bread crumbs (plain or Italian)
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbs grill seasoning (I use McCormick Montreal Steak)
2-3 Tbs worchestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins)
1 Tbs yellow mustard
3 Tbs ketchup
1 small onion, grated (you can also use a food processor to finely mince it)

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup worchestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbs brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Do not over mix, or the meat will become tough. Form 6-8 patties. (That’s right patties! Trust me here. You’ll thank me in the end.)

Heat your largest skillet over med-high heat. *Note* If your skillet does not have a metal handle, double cover the handle with aluminum foil, because you’re going to be putting the entire skillet in the oven. Add one Tbs of olive oil to the pan.

Brown the meatloaf patties in the large skillet for about 5-7 minutes on each side. (Do not move the meat once you’ve put it in the pan. Leave it alone until it is time to turn it.) While the patties are browning, prepare the sauce by combining all 4 ingredients in a bowl, then whisk it together.

After both sides of the patties have browned, remove the skillet from heat. Cover each patty with about 2 Tbs of the prepared sauce and place the pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes. (Until the sauce has formed a nice, shiny glaze.) That’s it. Meatloaf in under 45 minutes! Bet your mom never did that.

Ingredients
1-2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion (my favorite is Vidalia)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 small can tomato paste
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 Tbs Ground Cumin
1 Tbs Chili powder
1 tsp yellow mustard
5-10 dashes of Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, brown ground beef over medium-high heat, then add the onion followed by the garlic. Cook the onion until translucent. (If your meat is exceptionally oily, take the time to drain the fat from the meat, but DO NOT rinse it. You don’t want to wash away all that yummy flavor!) Then season the beef mixture with salt and pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Then add the yellow mustard and Tabasco sauce, followed by the tomato paste. Stir to evenly distribute the tomato paste throughout the meat. Finally add the black beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. At this point taste your chili, and adjust the spices if needed. Then let the pot of chili slow simmer over medium-low heat for at least 20 minutes. NOTE: the longer you allow your chili to simmer, the better it will taste, but make sure you stir it often and DO NOT let it come to a rapid simmer. This will cause your meat to start to, well for lack of a better term, disintegrate!

If you want Beth’s true chili, then there is a very specific way to eat this tantalizing treat. Start with a base of small corn chips (preferably Fritos). Layer on a generous portion of Beth’s World Famous Chili. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. (NO light stuff here!) And there you have the PERFECT bowl of chili. Oh and by the way, this chili is perfectly suited for an amazing chili cheese dog. But that my friend is another story!