Blue Cheese Burgers

My love of blue cheese only manifested itself a year or so ago. I don't think I had the opportunity of eating any really well crafted blue cheese until then. Now, I believe I could become obsessed with different kinds with no encouragement.

These burgers were delicious alongside the vibrant wedge salad with, what else? blue cheese dressing.

1.5 pounds ground chuck

salt

pepper

blue cheese

kaiser rolls

See? No special seasoning. No exotic ingredients. Just a cast iron skillet and a woman with a dream.  

Divide the ground chuck into four burgers. Set aside.

Heat a cast iron skillet on high heat until you can feel the heat with your hand when you hold it over the skillet at about 3 inches.

Sprinkle a layer of salt into the bottom of the skillet. Add the burgers. Lower heat to medium high.

Cook until desired done-ness. Add crumbled blue cheese on top of burgers and let melt. Serve immediately.

Chicken Salad with red grapes in mini fillo shells

This chicken salad can be made into sandwiches, put onto croissants, eaten with crackers or spooned lightly into these delicate mini fillo shells.

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 t. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup red grapes sliced in half lengthwise

1/3 - 2/3 cup mayonnaise

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients.  You may use more or less mayonnaise for your taste.

Egg Salad Sandwiches on Bread Rounds

Another ladies' luncheon specialty. This is a nice alternative to deviled eggs.

4 hard boiled eggs, shelled

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 t. mustard

1 T. dill or sweet pickle relish

white or wheat bread cut with a biscuit or cookie cutter into circles

paprika for garnish

In a medium bowl, mash eggs with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard and pickle relish and stir to combine.

Spoon onto bread circles and garnish with paprika.

Cream Cheese and Cucumber Sandwiches

A staple on Southern "tea party" menus for decades, these are super easy to make and are so pretty on a nice platter or tray.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 medium seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

white or wheat bread, crusts removed

Spread softened cream cheese on one slice of bread.  Layer cucumber slices on top of cream cheese.  Spread cream cheese on next slice of bread and make your sandwich.  Either cut into triangles or rectangle shapes.  Repeat with remaining cream cheese/cucumbers.

Honey Ham and Cheddar Cheese Pinwheels

I've never made pinwheels of any meat/cheese combinations which didn't disappear from the platter within minutes.  

Here's another version that is perfect for any party occasion.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup diced green bell peppers

1/2 cup diced red bell peppers

1/8 cup finely minced onion

1/4 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t. granulated garlic

1/2 t. salt

1/2 lb. shaved deli honey ham

1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
5 - 6 large 10 inch flour tortillas

Mix together all ingredients except the ham, cheese and tortillas. Lay one tortilla on a piece of plastic wrap and spread some of the filling mixture thinly over the entire tortilla all the way to the edges.

Sprinkle with the ham and cheese.

Roll up tightly and wrap the roll with the plastic wrap.Continue with the remaining tortillas until all the filling is used.

Put the rolled and wrapped tortillas in the refrigerator for at least two hours until they are well chilled. When you're ready to serve, slice the rolls into 1 inch slices and place on serving platter.

Mother's Day Luncheon 2012

These are pictures and recipes from a Mother's Day Luncheon I hosted in 2012. I used family heirloom serving pieces for this special day.  With each picture, I'll share the story of the serving piece as well.

Honey Ham and Cheddar Cheese Pinwheels

My Grandmother Clara gave me this tray.

Pasta Salad

My Grandmother Clara gave me this bowl for Christmas years ago.

Egg Salad on Bread Rounds

This serving tray was given to my Grandmother Jenkins on her wedding day by her mother-in-law, my great grandmother Martha.

Cucumber and Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches

Sweet Harold bought me this tray at an antique store.

Chicken Salad with Red Grapes served in Phyllo Shells

This plate was given to me by my Grandmother Clara for Christmas.

 

Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges and Almonds served with Poppyseed Dressing

This serving bowl was my Grandmother Clara's and she gave it to me at random one day "just because."

Pimento Cheese and Assorted Crackers

The bowl was my Grandmother Clara's.  The tray was my Grandmother Jenkins'.

And for dessert, Gateau au Chocolat

This plate is my Mother's.

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

I had some great blue cheese just waiting to be used in some delicious meals.  I decided to make a wedge salad with homemade blue cheese dressing.  And yes, it was fresh, crunchy, creamy and perfect.  

Let's make the dressing first.

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. milk

1 T. red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1/2 - 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Stir together until fully incorporated and refrigerate until ready to use.

Now for the salad:

1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into quarters

3/4 cup diced grape tomatoes

1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon

3 T. finely chopped red onion

Plate the lettuce quarters.  Drizzle with the blue cheese dressing.  Sprinkle with tomatoes, bacon and onion.  Grind some fresh black pepper over the top and sprinkle with additional crumbled blue cheese.

Waffles with Strawberries

Yes, the lovely strawberries and whipped cream left over from the cream cheese pound cake made a delicious appearance for Sunday morning waffles.

These freshly picked strawberries were washed, hulled and halved. Place in a bowl with about 1/2 cup of water and 3 T. sugar stirred in and refrigerated. The strawberries natural juice thickened up nicely in the sugar water and made a great tasting syrup.

Prepare your favorite waffle recipe. Top with strawberries, juice and whipped cream.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Whipped Cream and Strawberries

My son almost always requests a pound cake for his birthday cake.  This year was no exception.  And when I go in search of a pound cake recipe, Southern Living cookbooks have never disappointed me.

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1/8 t. salt

1 T. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beat well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.

Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10 inch Bundt or tube pan.

Bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.  Garnish each serving.

For Whipped Cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 - 2 T. powdered sugar

Refrigerate bowl and beaters for an hour or so if possible before making the whipped cream.

Pour whipping cream into mixing bowl and slowly begin to beat the cream. Increase the mixer speed as as the cream begins to thicken.  Add powdered sugar gradually.  When cream has soft peaks, you're done!

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

This year instead of the traditional open faced Kentucky Hot Brown, my daughter found a great recipe for a slider version.  These were a tremendous hit with dinner guests.  I altered the recipe and technique slightly, and was extremely pleased with the results.

1 24 count package of King's Hawaiian rolls, sliced open

2 T. butter, melted

1/2 pound very thinly sliced smoked deli turkey (I requested it shaved)

12 oz. apple wood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped pimento

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup grated smoked Gruyere cheese

4 T. butter

4 T. finely minced onion

1 t. garlic powder

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/2 T. Worcestershire sauce

Place bottom of rolls in a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Brush with melted butter.

Add turkey evenly over rolls and then spread the bacon and pimento over the turkey.

Top with the shredded cheeses.  Replace tops of rolls.  Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add butter and onions and cook, stirring until onions are softened.  Add brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and stir until sugar has melted.

Slowly pour evenly over sandwiches and re-cover with foil.  Bake for 25 minutes and remove foil and return to oven for about 3 - 4 more minutes.  Serve immediately.

Cornbread Salad

Cornbread salad is a Southern staple found on most every table at church pot lucks, family reunions and the like.  And just like chicken and dressing, almost every cook has their own version.  This is not a dish that there is a tried and true "official" recipe.  Feel free to use mayonnaise, mayonnaise/sour cream mix or Ranch dressing as your dressing for the salad.  

This is the Lolly Version of Cornbread Salad

2 boxes of Jiffy yellow cornbread mixed cooked according to package directions and crumbled into a large bowl

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup diced pimentos, drained

3 large green onions, thinly sliced (include the greens!)

3/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes

1 can shoe peg corn, drained

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese

5 slices bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled

Combine the crumbled cornbread and the next five ingredients.

Mix in the mayonnaise until well combined.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place in your serving bowl or platter and top with cheese and bacon.

You can also add green peas, pickle relish, chopped boiled eggs.

Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Stew

This recipe from the Food and Wine Annual Cookbook 2009. I modified it a bit by adding some additional spices and using some of our homemade pickled jalapenos instead of fresh. The original recipe cooked the chicken by cubing it into 1 inch chunks and browning. Our personal preference is for the chicken to be stewed and shredded when it comes to soups and stews, so that's what I did with this batch.

3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken thighs

salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 cups chicken broth or stock

2 T. olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 pickled jalapenos or use fresh

2 T. all purpose flour

2 T. chile powder

2 t. ground cumin

1 t. dried Mexican oregano

1/2 t. ground ancho chile pepper

1/2 t. ground chipotle chile pepper

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

3 15 oz. cans white navy beans, rinsed and drained

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat the chicken broth and cook chicken for 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken from broth and let rest until cool enough to shred.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering and saute onions for about 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook until fragrant. Add the flour, cumin, oregano and peppers and cook stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.

Add this mixture along with chicken back to broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover and let cook for about 30 minutes. Uncover, add beans and simmer the stew over moderate heat until sightly thickened about 30 minutes longer. 

Serve with chips and top with any or all of the following: shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, cilantro, diced avocado.

Black Beans with Rotel Tomatoes

You can either use canned black beans which have been rinsed and drained or cook dried beans as follows:

I cooked dried black beans which had been rinsed and picked through for little pebbles and removed those beans which weren't up to par, for about 4 hours in some chicken broth with a little diced garlic. About 30 minutes before serving, I mixed in a can of Rotel Tomatoes with Lime and Jalapenos. 

You can add the Rotel (your choice of flavor of course) to the drained canned black beans and top with a little shredded cheese and chopped cilantro.

Shrimp and Crawfish Enchiladas

This dish is  based on Paul Prudhomme's recipe.  When I realized that he had 8 cups of cheese, yes 8 cups of cheese, I knew I'd have to adjust that some. Instead of all crawfish, I decided to go with half crawfish/half shrimp.  This is a wonderful comforting meal.

1 stick butter (divided)

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup canned diced green chilies, drained

3/4 cup diced bell peppers

salt

2 t. white pepper

1 1/2 t. cayenne pepper

3/4 t. dried Mexican oregano

1/2 t. minced garlic

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup sour cream

2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (divided)

2 pounds crawfish

1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

2/3 very finely chopped green onions

6 inch flour tortillas

In a large skillet, melt 1/2 stick of butter. Add the onions, green chilies, bell peppers, salt to taste, 1 t. white pepper, 1/2 t. of the red pepper, 1/4 t. of the oregano and the garlic. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a rapid boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the sour cream and mix well until dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium skillet, melt the remaining butter. Add the crawfish, shrimp, 1 t. white pepper, 1 t. cayenne and 1/2 t. oregano.

Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 cups of the cheese and stir well. Simmer until the flavors are well blended about 10 minutes.

Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with non-stick spray and spread about 1/4 cup of the crawfish mixture evenly on bottom of the dish. With one tortilla at a time, spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture onto tortillas and roll tightly. Place seam side down in dish. I got 8 enchiladas in mine. Top the enchiladas with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese and about 1/2 cup of the crawfish mixture.

Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The remaining filling can be used for additional enchiladas or serve over rice or pasta.

Contest Time!

Contest Time! The first ever prize will be Ree Drummond's A Year of Holidays Cookbook

Here's the rules:
1. Be a Facebook Friend of Fleur de Lolly
2. Like the status on Fleur de Lolly's wall
3. Share this status on your Facebook wall

Winner must be a friend of Fleur de Lolly and will be chosen at random and announced Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 10 a.m. CST.

Creamy Caesar Pasta Salad with Diced Ham

This salad is perfect for a ladies' luncheon or a family dinner.  I used shortcuts and it was on the table in 15 minutes.  

1 box Suddenly Salad Caesar

enclosed seasoning package

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 t. red wine vinegar

1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes

1/2 cup finely diced ham (or cooked chicken)

Parmesan cheese for garnishing

Cook the pasta in boiling water in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for 12 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water and drain again.

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, seasoning packet and vinegar.  Add the drained pasta noodles and gently fold in tomatoes and ham.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

May Day Table Setting

May Day brings images of May Pole dances, flowers and SPRING!  I chose pink and white as my theme colors for the table and used White and Pink Fiestaware plates, a table runner from Hobby Lobby and Sweet Pea scented candles.

This is a beautiful tea pot, sugar and creamer given to my by Grandmother Clara. The great thing about this beautiful tea pot?  It's a music box, too!  You wind the music box up on the bottom of the pot and when the tea pot is lifted from the table, it plays, what else?  Tea for Two!

Classic at Buckhorn

We had a lovely, relaxing dinner at Classic at Buckhorn Saturday evening. An offspring of the perfectly charming Classic on Noble, we were thoroughly impressed with the service (Thanks Adam!) and food.

Bread and butter delivered to the table almost immediately.

We started with the fried oysters appetizer.  As y'all know, I KNOW my fried oysters.  These were prepared perfectly.  

A dining companion ordered a serving of the soup of the day....which was lamb stew.  A request for several additional spoons was met promptly and we all had a taste.  Perfectly seasoned with a thick broth and tender chunks of lamb and lots of vegetables.  Oh my, this was awesome.

Dining companion also ordered the grilled salmon salad.  She reported the salmon was cooked to perfection.

Sweet Harold ordered the fried catfish (two whole fish, no fillets here!).  Crunchy and lightly breaded.  Not greasy in the least.  He also enjoyed the side of slaw.

For myself and other dining companion we chose the blackened redfish over cheese grits.  The sauce?  Oh my goodness.  Tomato based with crawfish tails, vegetables and nice slices of andouille sausage.  This was perfection.

Dessert was shared all around.....

Sorry for the blurry picture, but I was in too big of a hurry to dig into my portion of this homemade Butterfinger cake.

I didn't try the coconut cake, but it was the agreement of the other diners that there had to be a grandmother on the premises that baked this delicious cake.

Mississippi Purple Hull Peas

These are my favorite type of peas.  Typically referred to simply as "field peas" in the South, I can make a meal from a bowl of these and some hot cornbread.

1 pound of frozen purple hull peas

water to cover by about 2 inches

4 slices bacon, diced OR 1/2 cup cubed ham or 1 ham hock

salt and pepper to taste

Bring peas and water to a boil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven or cast iron pot.  If you're using a ham hock, add it now.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  Add diced bacon or ham and let simmer for another 1/2 hour or so.

Add water as needed.

Ina Garten's Carrot Cake

This was the PERFECT Easter dessert!

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 t. pure vanilla extract

2 ½ cups plus 1 T. all-purpose flour, divided

2 t. ground cinnamon

2 t. baking soda

1 ½ t. kosher salt

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 pound carrots, grated

½ cup diced fresh pineapple

For the frosting:

3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 t. pure vanilla extract

1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

For the cake:

Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.

Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

For the frosting:

Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. 

Creamy Silver Queen Corn

Silver Queen corn is my all time favorite corn.  These precious little kernels were grown in our garden and lovingly "put up" in the freezer by yours truly.  It honestly tastes as if it was just picked from the summer garden.  

Follow this link Silver Queen corn for more information.

When I cut the kernels off the cob, I usually make two passes through the kernels. That releases the milky goodness from the kernels.  

If you are fortunate to find Silver Queen corn this summer, please take advantage of the opportunity and make this recipe.

8 cups corn kernels (with milk)

1 stick butter

salt and pepper to taste

3 T. self-rising flour

3 T. water

In a large saucepan add corn and juice.  If the corn appears to be dry, add additional water.  Over very low heat, bring corn to a gentle simmer.  Stir frequently to keep from sticking.

After about 30 minutes of cooking, add butter and salt and pepper.  

Make a slurry of the flour and water in a small bowl and add to the corn.  The mixture will have to return to a simmer to allow the flour to thicken the corn.

Cook an additional 30 minutes or so, continue to stir frequently.

Brown Sugar and Butter Glazed Baby Carrots

Carrots are a must on Easter Sunday at Lolly's house.  These are simply delicious and can be ready to put on the table in about 20 minutes.  The younger family members especially liked the "baby carrot" version, but you could certainly dice or slice regular sized carrots for this recipe.

1 pound baby carrots 

3 T. light brown sugar

3 T. unsalted butter

pinch of salt

Lightly steam carrots over boiling water with a steamer basket until a knife will easily slide into carrots, about 8 - 10 minutes depending on their size.

Drain carrots.  In a shallow saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter and add sugar and stir until the mixture thickens into a glaze.  Add carrots and gently stir to combine with the glaze.  Add a pinch of salt and serve immediately.

Easter 2014

You'll see dishes in this album that you've seen me cook before.  To me, Easter is the MOST traditional food meal of the year.  I seldom vary the menu.  I did add a new Springtime punch and Ina Garten's carrot cake made its debut. I'll post individual pictures and recipes in the next few days.  

Silver Queen Corn 

Mississippi Purple Hull Peas

He Is Risen Eggs with Country Dijon Mustard 

Hashbrown Casserole

Lolly's Potato Salad

Brown Sugar and Butter Glazed Baby Carrots

Brown Sugar Glazed Baked Ham with Pineapples and Cherries 

Southern Green Beans 

Carrot Cake 

Springtime Fruit Punch