PECAN LOGS

These Pecan Logs are filled with marshmallow cream, covered in caramel and rolled in toasted chopped pecans.

This is my favorite candy recipe. They are so easy to make and not so costly.

Your friends and family will be so impressed and surprised when you bring these fresh and not store-bought pecan logs to your next function.

Recipe:

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound box of confectioners sugar

1 jar 8oz marshmallow cream

1 pound caramels

1 pound  toasted pecans, finely chopped

Mix vanilla into marshmallow cream. work in confectioner sugar, small amount at a time
roll into logs.

Melt caramels in saucepan over low heat. If needed, add a small amount of milk to thin.

Roll logs in caramel and then roll in chopped pecans. chill in refrigerator before cutting.

Yield approximately four dozen small slices.

Collard Greens With Cornmeal Dumplings

All this about Greens, I mean collards greens down south in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia where the greens grow. This is a new twist in cooking collard greens, with cornmeal  dumplings.

Meaning bread in the pot! Cornbread that is already to enjoy. You can choose the meat you like, whether it is ham hock or salt pork, you cannot go wrong in the South. enjoy the pot liquor of the collard greens in the cornbread dumplings.Yum!!!!

For the collard greens:

Dutch oven or a large pot add water,oil and ham hocks and Cook 45 mins. add collard green stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, chiles, and measured salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the collard is tender.

For the dumplings:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour


1/3 cup yellow cornmeal


1 teaspoon baking powder


1 tablespoon unsalted butter


1/2 cup whole milk

whisk together flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then blend in butter well with your fingertips. Stir in milk until just combined. Let dough stand 5 minutes.

With wet hands, roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls. Gently place dumplings on top of greens. Cook, covered and undisturbed, over low heat until greens are very tender and silky and dumplings are puffed and cooked through, about 20 minutes.


[Dropping the dough in heaping tablespoons about 1/2 inch apart into the simmering greens]

 Sprinkle the greens with the reserved bacon and serve immediately.

Collard Green Dip

Talking about southern hot nights....Here a creamy hot dip, you need to serve at your next party.
It will WOW THEM!!!! Collard Green Dip.

Ingredients

2 slices bacon

1 small sweet onion, chopped about 1 cup

1 medium red sweet pepper

1 pound fresh collard greens, trimmed and coarsely chopped about 6 cups

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 8 ounce package cream cheese cubed and softened

2 ounces  Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 1/2 cup

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning optional

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Thin bread sticks or vegetable sticks
Directions

In a 12-inch skillet cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towel. Remove and save bacon dripping for another recipe but use 2 teaspoons of bacon drippings from skillet and add onion and sweet pepper to skillet. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat or until vegetables are just tender, stirring occasionally. Add cut collard greens and garlic; cover until tender, stirring occasionally. You can add a little water if becoming dry. Remove from heat.
Add cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and seasoning to the collard mixture, stirring until combined. Crumble remaining bacon and add to collard mixture.  
Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes or until warmed through. Serve with vegetable dippers or bread sticks.

Jamaican Brown Chicken Stew

Jamaican Brown Chicken Stew....How soul can you get??? This stew base on the curry powder and the spices that goes in this stew. I call it goodness of hot soul.

1 medium chicken, cut into 8 portions

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 onions chopped

1 chilli pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 teaspoon thyme

4 cloves garlic chopped

2 teaspoon curry powder

pinch allspice

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2  cup chopped green bell pepper

4  cups chicken stock

1 nice size butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite- sized cubes

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized cubes

2 1/4  cup Basmati rice, cooked in coconut milk

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan until really hot. Add 4–5 pieces of chicken to the oil and fry gently skin-side down for about 5 minutes on each side until the chicken is browned all over,remove the chicken and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Carefully pour out most of the oil, leaving just 2 spoonfuls in the base. onions, chilli, garlic, thyme and peppers, and stir briefly.

Add chicken to a big pot adding spices, squash and potatoes. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a rich gravy. Serve with the coconut rice.