GG's Red Beans, Louisiana Style

This recipe came from my Great Grandmother, who was born in New Orleans. I have a few recipes from her, but I don't make a lot of Creole recipes because my husband doesn't like celery or onions and only tolerates carrots. So you know, the Holy Trinity is out. :)

Soak 1 pound of red beans overnight.
Rinse and cover with water.

Add:
3 Tbsp. salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer 1 hour.

Then add:

3 chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper chopped
ham bone or sausage
Tabasco sauce
white pepper

Cook until vegetables are tender. Serve over rice.

Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

My friend, Kerri sent me this recipe from the blog fashionablyfoodie. I'm putting it here as a must try!

homemade pumpkin ice cream with chocolate chips and walnuts
an original recipe by rachelle

2 cups cream
1 cup milk
2 eggs plus 2 yolks
1 cup plus 2 TB sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 (20 oz) can pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves

later:
1/4 cup chocolate chips, blended or chopped
2 TB chocolate chips, left whole
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Combine cream and milk in a saucepan, bring to a boil and turn off immediately. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine egss, sugar, salt, spices and pumpkin, mix until fluffy. While mixer is running, pour 1 cup of the hot cream into the pumpkin egg mixture. Keep adding hot cream, one cup at a time, slowly, to temper the eggs. After everything is combined, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Bring up to 170 degrees exactly, then turn the heat off. Stir in vanilla. Cool mixture overnight and prepare in ice cream maker- add chocolate chips and walnuts after ice cream has frozen at least halfway so they don't sink to the bottom.

**oh, and I added a bit of red and yellow food coloring to make the color better. i stopped counting drops after i accidentally dumped too much red and had to even it out with lots of yellow. just start out with a few drops and work from there.**

Party batch recipe:
(2 regular sized batches)

4 cups cream
2 cups milk
4 eggs plus 2 yolks
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
a whole huge can pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup chopped chocolate chips
1/4 cup whole chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Thyme and Cheese Biscuits

I love biscuits and gravy. I've been playing around with different biscuit recipes. I found this one at oldfashionedliving.com. It was a hit. FYI, I use McCormick's Country Gravy mix for the gravy.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fresh minced thyme
1/2 tsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside. Mix flour, baking powder, herbs and cheese in a large mixing bowl, using a fork. Cut in the butter. Mixture will be crumbly. Add the milk and stir until dough holds together, you may add more milk if necessary. Drop by large spoonfuls on the cookie sheet an inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Another LOVELY Paula Deen recipe. This on is great!

Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
• 1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
• 1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Mini Christmas Cheesecakes

3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar, divided
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. sour cream
2 cans cherry pie filling

Beat together cream cheese and one cup sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix again. Pour into mini foil cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Combine sour cream and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Top each mini-cake with 1/2 tsp. of the mixture and return to the oven for 5 minutes. When cooled top each cheesecake with one cherry and a little of the filling. Keep refrigerated. Makes 8 dozen.

Oreo Cookies

Recipe from: Fern Bellows

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake
3/4 c. Crisco
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla

--Mix together (batter will be very stiff). Roll into balls the size of a steely marble. Place on greased cookie sheet2 inches apart. Bake at 350 for exactly 9 minutes. Take out of oven and leave for 2 minutes before removing cookies. Leave until cooled.

Frosting

1 (3-oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cube butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mix together and put a bit between two cookies (same size), flat side together. Don't put too much so it won't run out.

Makes: 60

Granola

6 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup melted honey
1 c. raisins, craisins or other fruit
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoon vanilla

--Mix honey and oil and spread over grains and nuts. Spread on oiled pan. Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden. Add fruit and add flavor to extra 1/2 -3/4 cup of melted honey and drizzle over granola. May sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon.