Southern Sunday Treat

Thanks to Pinterest I have millions of others tried and true recipes at my finger tips and oh do they love to go a walkin' on lazy Sunday afternoons.  I ran across a "no-bake" Banana Pudding recipe that I knew I just had to try just for my hubby!  I have never attempted banana puddin' before today but I feel confident I will again soon :)  It was really simple!  I adapted the recipe a bit because for some reason these days we seem to be getting less and less ounces for the same price as before.  Trying to find a 5 ounce package of jello pudding is near impossible these days!  So here goes the adapted recipe:

No-Bake Banana Puddin'

2 (3.4 ounce) packages of instant banana cream pudding
2 cups cold milk - I used skim
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk - I used fat free
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (8 ounce) containers frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (8 ounce) package of Bud's Best vanilla wafers
4 bananas, sliced

Mix together the packages of pudding and the 2 cups milk. Whisk for 2 minutes until it starts to thicken up.  Pour the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract into the pudding mixture and whisk to combine.

Begin layering in a large bowl: wafers, 2 sliced bananas, half the pudding mixture, 1 container of the whipped cream, then repeat wafers, 2 sliced bananas, remaining pudding mixture, remaining container of whipped cream and a few decorative wafers on top.

Refrigerate until ready to eat (at least 2 hours but ideally, overnight).

Happy Bites :)

One Kookin' Kouple

Lulu & Jonjon

Memorable quotes:  "Psych" Spellingg Bee (2006) - Shawn Spencer [into the microphone] Ba-NA-na. A yellow fruit. Also, a kind of pudding. A delicious pudding.

Mardi Gras is the love of life!

The Hubs and I enjoyed two if our homemade favorites in celebration of this past "Fat Tuesday" - Cajun Shrimp and Smoked Gouda Grits and Hurricane Punch!  [If it was even possible] I think he came to love me even more after I made these two yummy items for him the first time!  One of his all time FAV combos now :)  Makes my heart smile every time he finishes the last bite of the shrimpn'grits leftovers and wants to know when it will be in the menu rotation again.

I love anything THEMED!!  Holidays lead to parties which lead to putting together fun outfits and food menus!  And he has come to embrace and love all those 'lil things too - esp. when it means great themed meals are in in-store for his manly yet eclectic palette.  But if we are being honest - we girls with the "gift" - we can make a Holiday out of anything ;)

Hurricane Punch
makes 6 to 8 servings
(we always make double and freeze the leftovers to enjoy on a random occasion)
4 cups pineapple juice
4 cups orange juice
2 cups light rum (for best results we use Captain Morgan's Silver Spiced Rum)
1 cup grenadine
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 triple sec
1 liter lemon-lime-flavored soda, chilled*

Combine all ingredients; stir to mix well.  When ready to serve, add lemon-lime beverage; stir gently.  Serve over ice....  Or think ahead and put a couple of plastic glasses full of this yummy goodness in the freezer to get niiiiice and slushy!  I am not much on sugar comas, well not in this 30-thing metabolism decade of my life, so we omit the "simple syrup" part of this orig. recipe - there is nothing simple about a cup of sugar, not even when mixed with lil ole H2O.  There is plenty of natural sugar in the listed Ingreds.  I promise.  I assure you.

*when doubling the recipe we still use the 1 liter of lemon-lime soda (diet, of course).

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

(Pronounced "Lay say lay bohn tohn roo lay")... In plain English - Let the good times roll!!!!!!!!!

[I have TRIED to use less exclamations, bible, but while periods serve their glorious purpose 99% of the time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just give me some sort of happy, joyous release! !! !! ! Just can.not describe it ;)]  It truly is the 'lil things in Life.

Drink up and enjoy!
Jonjon and Lulu

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Nothing says L-O-V-E like rice-crispy GOODNESS!


Red Velvet Rice Crispy Treats

1 (10.5 oz) bag of mini marshmallows

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup red velvet cake mix

6 cups rice crispies cereal

sprinkles for topping, optional for that extra pizazz!

1. Melt butter and mini marshmallows over low heat. When the marshmallows are completely melted, mix in the vanilla and red velvet cake mix.
2. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the rice crispies until evenly coated.
3. Pour the batter into a lined or greased 13"x9" pan and press down.
4. Wait until cooled and cut to serve.

We hope you enjoy and have a wonderful Vday!

Jonjon & Lulu

POP it like it's hot!

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This jalapeño popper grilled cheese sandwich was DELISH-ious!!!!!!  Made with homegrown jalapeño peppers :)  We both have a love for the hott & spicy so this was right up our alley.  Next time I'll serve it with some creamy soup of some sort...

Ingredients per sandwich

• 2 jalapeño peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
• 2 slices sour dough bread
• 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled

Directions

1. Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down.
2. Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until the outer layer of the skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes.
3. Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container, seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily "pinch" off.
5. Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Father's Day Breakfast: Ultimate Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pancakes

We celebrated most of Father's Day weekend 2011 at the ballpark for Allstars but after breakfast Sunday we spent our Father's Day driving around in the 2011 Jeep Wrangler I rented.  We hit up Tannehill and then went to Mom & Dad's for Dreamland ribs, yum!!  It was the perfect day to spend the day with family :)

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

The lemon juice and baking powder provide a little more “lift” in these pancakes, making them lighter and fluffier than most.

1. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)
2. Stir all ingredients with a wire whisk or fork just until the ingredients are moistened & blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.
3. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. To keep warm, place in single layer on cookie sheet. Cover with aluminum foil, and place in 200°F oven up to 10 minutes.

Ohh myy gosh ... SO GOOD!!

Okra isn't just for frying or gumbo anymore! This recipe we stumbled across on Southern Living's site simply ROCKS your tastebuds.  This is a must try if you are an okra lover.  I was in charge of the gril while Jonjon snuck in some extra study time and mine came out a little more burned "delicately charred," a phrase we have adopted from the authors of "Just Married & Cooking."  Nonetheless they were sooo good!

Peppery Grilled Okra With Lemon-Basil Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• Cheesecloth or coffee filter*
• 1 (32-oz.) container plain low-fat yogurt*
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
• 2 pounds fresh okra, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Garnish: freshly ground pepper

Preparation

• 1. Line a wire-mesh strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth or 1 (12-cup) coffee filter. Place strainer over a bowl. Spoon yogurt into strainer. Cover and chill 24 hours. Remove yogurt, discarding strained liquid. *(we substitued 16oz of plain Greek yogurt and it turned out just fine, just a helpful tip if you don't have 24 hours for your tastebuds to sit on hold ;)
• 2. Preheat grill to 400° to 450° (high) heat. Combine strained yogurt, basil, next 3 ingredients, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
• 3. Toss together okra, olive oil, and remaining 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper in a large bowl.
• 4. Grill okra, covered with grill lid, over 400° to 450° (high) heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until tender. Cool 5 minutes.
• 5. Transfer okra to a serving dish, and serve with dipping sauce. Garnish, if desired.

as previously published in Southern Living, JULY 2009



These muffins are banana! B-a-n-a-n-a!

Ok, so we are a couple of Claire Robinson snobs... at least we admit it ;)  If you have yet to check out her show, "5 Ingredient Fix" on Food Network I suggest you set your Tivo, DVR, etc. Her recipes make a big flavor bang without a lot of buck at the grocery store.  Recipes with lots of ingredients make people nervous, including me, and the more you need the more likely you are to forget one or more. You will notice several of her recipes showcased in our blog from time to time.

A few nights ago I pre-made muffins for our morning breakfast.  Every since I discovered this recipe called for "ripe" bananas I was all over it! We had a whole bunch of neglected very ripe bananas from the last Sam's trip that never made it into the snack rotation and if you know me personally I hate to waste anything. I even drove to the grocery store that night at 9:00pm to get "self-rising" flour because we were out - I was just that excited and bent on making them.


Brown Butter Banana Muffins: Yield 12 muffins

1/4lb (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ripe bananas
1/3 cup raw agave syrup or honey
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper muffin liners.

Put the butter in a small saucepan or skillet and melt over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the milk solids have turned a nutty golden brown and remove from the heat and let cool.

Peel the bananas and mash into a large bowl with fork until liquefied. Add the honey (what we had on hand) and egg and stir well; pour in the butter and whisk until completely combined. Add the flour and, with a rubber spatula, fold it into the wet ingredients until just combined; do not over mix.  With an ice cream scoop, evenly divide the batter among the muffin tin cups.

Bake in the center of the oven until golden brown and the tops spring back when pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin; transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: To make self-rising flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup all-purpose flour.

What to toss in if you have it:
Chopped toasted pecans will add a nice crunch; or Claire also reccomends a smear of cream cheese on a warm muffin, heaven!

5 Ingredient Fix - Easy, Elegant, and Irresistible Recipes, Claire Robinson, Host of 5 Ingredient Fix [October 2010]