The Thought Of My Moment

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn”

-David Russell

Enough said....

Hickory Flatts Home Made Chicken And Noodles With A Story

Okay I know what your gonna say, another recipe blog Billy?

Yea well this blog has a story, it means something to me and it’s a recipe all mixed into one. So just bare with me because I go through spells where I want to talk about everyday stuff and sometimes I want to share some down home recipes with you, and this is one of those recipe days.

My Grandma lived on a farm in rural Mississippi when she was young and this recipe followed her from Hickory Flatts, Mississippi to where we lived here in Mobile. It was passed down from Daughter to Daughter and finally to Grandson, yea that’s me! When I was growing up, every Sunday most of my immediate family who lived close enough to us would drive to my Grandma’s to visit and have Sunday dinner.

One of the meals that she used to make that I always remember having a wonderful aroma when I walked into the kitchen was her homemade chicken and noodles cooking on the kitchen stove and I tell you it was delightful for me. To this day, whenever I cook this up, that “warm feeling and memory” just about turns me into a kitten and makes me purr and want to fluff something. I just recently gave this recipe to some more of the other kinfolks in my family and told how to properly roll out the noodles and such, because trust me noodle rolling is an art form, or should be anyhow.

I am now going to share this “purrrrrrrefect” recipe with you…

LOL! I just love typing that…purrrrrrrrrrefect! HAHAH!

Home Made Chicken And Noodles

• -1 Whole Chicken
• -5 chicken bouillon cubes
• -1 1/2 tablespoon parsley
• -8 cups water
• -¾ teaspoon pepper
• -¼ teaspoon salt
• -1 medium onion

Step 1 Preparation:

Add all ingredients to large cooking pot. Cook to boiling, and then immediately put on low heat and cover. Cook for about 3-4 hours until chicken is falling off bone.

Put a large bowl in sink with a colander inside. Carefully pour liquid and chicken in colander, letting the chicken broth drain into large bowl. Once stockpot is empty, set empty stockpot on hot pad on counter. Take the colander with chicken on another large bowl to cool. Return drained chicken broth to stockpot and set aside.

Once chicken is cooled, de-bone chicken and place chicken in another bowl. Set aside. Discard chicken bones and onion (If you want to keep the onion you can).

Da’ Noodle Dough

• -3 cups flour; more will be needed, so keep it handy
• -3 eggs stir lightly
• -3 tablespoon vegetable oil
• -1 1/2 tablespoon salt
• -1/4 teaspoon pepper
• -1 1/4 cup boiling water

Step 2 Preparation:

Put flour, salt and pepper in large mixing bowl. Stir.

Make a hole in the center of the flour. Put the stirred eggs and oil in the hole you made.

Quickly add boiling water and stir vigorously until dough ball starts forming. Add flour if needed to stiffen dough to form a nice dough ball. Dough should be a little stretchy. Once its makes it to stretchy, move dough to a lightly flour coated cutting board. Knead dough for about 10 minutes until all flour is absorbed and you again have a nice stretchy dough ball.

Cut or pull the dough into smaller dough balls about 3 of them or so. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin (I prefer a wooden pin) on floured mat into a “pie crust shape” circle until desired thickness about 1/8th inch or so. Add some more flour over top and roll dough up. Use a sharp kitchen knife and cut roll in small cuts 1/8th inch. Unwind the rolled noodle strips and put into floured bowl.

Once all dough is all cut into noodle strips, take bowl to stove. Put chicken stock in the stockpot back on stove on high heat. Once stock is boiling, put on medium heat. Add noodles one or two at a time, stirring after each addition. Once all noodles are all added, add chicken, stir.

If broth and noodles need thickening, put 1/3rd cup flour, ½ cup milk and ½ cup of the hot chicken broth in bowl or measuring cup. Mix thoroughly and stir into noodles, stirring constantly until thickened. Cover and cook on low for about ½ hour, stirring once in a while.

Add some extra salt and pepper to desired taste. You also could add carrots to this recipe as I have done that as well and it turns out really good that way too. Also you could use some store bought noodles but why cheat yourself? It's a little more work but really, really good. I know this recipe seems difficult to make and out together but I am telling you that it really does make you feel good when its done and you eat it.

Plus, you will have eaten something my family has had on their dinner table for generations and well I don’t know if that means anything to you or not but it sure does to me. Trust me once you make it, the meal will become really easy to do and you will love it guaranteed.

Enjoy!

"Bestest" Banana Nut Bread Recipe From Granny's Kitchen

Well I have been sick for about three or four days now. I don't know why but for some reason today I was thinking comfort food. I am getting better, and I think its a really bad case of the flu and you know what my Grandma used to say "Feed The Billy and Starve The Flu!"

Okay so I was sitting in bed thinking and suddenly my brain FLASHED on a memory from years gone by.

My Grandmother always made this really awesome Banana Nut Bread and I remembered that it always made me feel so good inside after eating it. So I got up and dug and dug through the recipes and I found it. Well I think its the recipe, I had several to choose from but this one got my attention the most because of all the notes it had written on it by my Granny.

So, let me share it with you now and if you make it let me know what you think.

"BESTEST" BANANA NUT BREAD

Ingredients:

• -1/2 cup shortening
• -2 eggs
• -1 cup sugar
• -1 cup chopped pecans
• -3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• -1/3 cup sour cream
• -Pinch of salt or about 1/4 tsp
• -2 cup sifted flour
• -1 tsp. baking soda
• -1 tbsp. Brown sugar

Preparation:

Cream up shortening and sugar, add beaten eggs and mashed bananas.

Stir in sour cream. Sift flour, nuts, salt, and soda together and add to mixture.

Pour into greased and floured 9 x 5 loaf pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on top.

Bake in 325 degree oven for about 1 hour or until done its done.

Granny's notes on the bananas used:

"Use yourself as ripe a banana as you can find or let them ripen before hand. The blacker, the better. Don’t be afraid, it wont kill nobody, then freeze them overnight. Thaw and then mash them suckers up really good."

According to her notes they will be the "best flavored bananas" you’ve ever tried.

Another Granny note:

"Add a box of instant banana pudding on occasion for a little kick in the butt!"

My Optional Glaze Idea:

This is my very own recipe and I think it will go good here. Not to sure if Grandma would have liked it, but I think its a winner. It's a great rum glaze that I use on banana bread pudding or I use a glaze like for fresh cooked home donuts.

• -1/2 cup Rum
• -4 tbsp. butter (1/2 stick)
• -3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
• -2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• -1/4 cup water

Melt down the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, lemon juice, rum, and water, and bring to a rolling boil.

Cook it up, whisking occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken and the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and transfer it to a serving cup or whatever you use.

Okay so I just totally salivated on my keyboard typing this for you all. I sure hope you appreciated all the effort and drool here, LOL!

Now I am off to eat my nut bread and reminisce a little about the good ole' days.

Knock Your Socks Off Peach Cobbler

I have had my mind on cobblers for the last few weeks and because I always write about what is on my mind, guess what you get? Yea, a cobbler blog.

One thing that my Grandma made used to make was peach cobbler. And I have to admit it was and is still the best I have ever had, I don’t know if it was her “swirls of love” that she added in or what. She'd somehow whip up magic and it was quite good with ice cream or whipped cream, heck it was good by itself actually, warm or cold. So, of course, through the years I couldn't get those peach cobblers out of my head that she used to make. Sure I can make a mean peach crisp, and could have posted the recipe for that instead but I just had to post her recipe for her as she called it “ Knock Your Socks Off Cobbler!”

I'm pretty glad I did share it because I think you will enjoy it. I also have included a very quick and easy cobbler that I think you can really use when your in a hurry for something that’s really, really good.

Knock Your Socks Off Peach Cobbler

COBBLER INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup cold water
3 pounds fresh peaches - peeled, pitted, and sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Cobbler Preparation:

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Work in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cold water. Sprinkle over flour mixture, and work with hands to form dough into a ball. Chill for about 30 minutes or so.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out half of dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Place in a 13x9 baking dish, covering bottom and halfway up sides. Bake this for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

3. In a large saucepan mix the peaches, lemon juice, and orange juice. Add 1/2 cup butter, and cook over medium-low heat until butter is melted. In a mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cornstarch; mix into peach mixture. Remove from heat, and pour into baked crust.

4. Roll remaining dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch or so. Cut into 1/2 wide strips. Weave strips into a lattice over peaches. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is golden brown and your kitchen smells like heaven.

Serve warm with Vanilla Ice Cream and you are on your way to happy land!

Billy’s Quicker Peach Cobbler

Cobbler Ingredients:

1- Stick butter, melted
5- Tbsp Sugar
1- Box Yellow Cake Mix
2- 28 Oz Cans Sliced peaches in heavy syrup
3- Tbsp Cinnamon
½ Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

Cobbler Preparation:

1. Grease or butter a 9 x 13 cake pan.

2. Take your 2 cans of peaches and drain one and keep the juice from the other.

3. Place fruit in a sauce pan with 2 Tbsp of sugar and simmer till it thickens. Place mixture in cooking pan.

4. Sprinkle cake mix on top of fruit.

5. Pour melted butter over cake mix and sprinkle with chopped nuts and with the cinnamon and remaining 3 Tbsp of sugar on top of butter and cake mix.

6. Cook at 350 degrees about 1/2 hour or until browned.

Again, you can serve with Vanilla Ice Cream and enjoy.

Warning: The above recipe is so good it’s addictive.

Granny's Yummy For Your Tummy Pineapple Pie

Do you like good and quick Pie recipes?

Well I was sitting here thinking about making a Pie today and this is what popped in my head.

I know your probably thinking; “Billy, we never know what is gonna pop in your head!” And you would be right, but right now I am thinking “Pineapple and Pie!”

You know just the word "PIE" gets me soooooo dang excited, and if you add the word "Pineapple" I might just dang near faint to the floor!

When I say "excited" I mean excited for some good ole’ fashioned make you feel better comfort food. Pie is the ticket for me, how about you?

So, I went looking through my collection of recipes for something "DELICIOUS" and I ran across one I just loved.

Here is my Grandma’s recipe for a quick, easy, VERY RICH and totally off the hook yummy Pineapple Pie. Back in the day when I was younger, I loved this one during the hotter months of the year. My Granny used to make this Pie and to be honest with you it never lasted very long in the fridge.

It’s so good you have to eat two slices or your tongue will get mad at you and totally go on a taste strike!

Really its that good...

Ingredients:

• 1- 9" or 8 " Graham Cracker Crust.
• 1- (12oz) tub cool whip, use 1/2 tub.
• 1- can (20oz) crushed pineapple, drain it.
• 1-(8oz) sour cream.
• 1- large box instant vanilla pudding mix.
• 1/2 cup chopped Walnut or Pecan nuts (optional)

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together and then put in the graham cracker crust, yea it’s that easy. Also remember you could do it with "low fat" ingredients but man who would want to ruin it like that, LOL!

Also you could use a regular Pie Crust but I don't think it would be near as good as the Graham Cracker crust, just saying...

Refrigerate the pie for several hours, like 4-5 hours to get it really good and stiff.

Okay so I made mine, well okay I made two and if you make yours I am sure you will enjoy it, so get cooking its easy to do and very rewarding for your tummy!

Remember; “A smiling face makes the world a better place and so does Pineapple Pie!”

Billy’s Famous Stuffed BBQ Pulled Pork Baked Potatoes

I was hungry today and well as you can see from the picture I am definitely trying to loose weight this year, LOL!

CALORIES, HECK YEA WE GOT EM!!!

Yea I know this recipe is loaded (in more ways than one) but dang I was hungry and I have always enjoyed these when I make them so I decided what the heck and whipped me up a batch today.

Ingredients:

4 - large baking potatoes
2 - cups prepared shredded BBQ pulled Pork
2 - cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 - tbsp butter
½ - cup sour cream
¼ - cup chopped chives

Preparation:

Split open warm baked potatoes.
Heat shredded Pork BBQ in a pan.
Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese to each potato.
Add 1/2 cup hot shredded Pork BBQ to each potato.
Top each with 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp sour cream.
Sprinkle with the chives as you like.

And enjoy!

What I like to do with this recipe is sit down and eat mine with some freshly baked Texas Toast and maybe some fresh fried Corn on The Cob. It’s a great meal, but not one for those of you folks that may be counting calories or diet conscious.

Note: If you can’t find some decent shredded Pork in the store, try cooking up some Pork Spare Ribs and just pull the meat from them. Very tasty way of doing it as there is nothing better to eat than Pork Ribs! Also if your just serving one just simply divide all the ingredients by ¼ and you will be off and running towards the full stomach finish line.

Remember my old saying “Pig Will Make You Big!”

So get your “MUNCH ON” and eat hearty with this recipe.

The Amazing Inter-Dimensional Disappearing Cauliflower

So I was cleaning out the refrigerator today getting rid of some of the not so fresh vegetables and charitably giving them to the earth worms at the local dump.

Yes I was just throwing the stuff in the garbage, but I was bored so I was cutting all the not so fresh stuff up and making it look pretty. So, there was some Cauliflower I bought that I was just never in the mood to eat, so I was breaking it into smaller pieces so it would be easier for them (The Earth Worms) to eat. After I broke up the Cauliflower, I started cutting the stems into smaller pieces with a knife. I did not use a cutting board since the cauliflower was kind of really frigging gross and I wasn't about to wash it or the cutting board since I was just giving it to the earth worms at the dump.

There I was just holding the stem in my hands, I cut a piece off, and it flew straight up into the air, and.....

I waited to see where it would eventually land or at least to hear a quiet thump so I could get an idea of where it may have landed so I could pick it up and throw it away.

I waited....And waited….And waited….

Nothing, it was nowhere to be found. I looked all around the kitchen area.

All over the floor….

Under the fridge….

In the sink and trash compactor….

Behind the toaster….

Under the stove....

In my shirt pocket….

In the toaster….

Behind the microwave….

In my underwear….

Everywhere….

It just wasn't there….

I figure one day I will either find a disgusting shriveled up piece of cauliflower in about a year or so when I'm least expecting it. Or maybe it went straight up into a vegetable black hole and landed quietly somewhere in another part of the universe, planet or dimension of space.

Lets ponder this thought. Some innocent Alien being is at this very moment on some distant Alien planet in their Alien kitchen fixing their Alien dinner when a piece of some sort of white and green vegetable matter they have never seen before just falls straight out of their Alien ceiling and into their Alien frying pan.

“KA-PLUSSSHHH!!!!”

All they can do at that Alien moment on their Alien Planet, standing in their Alien kitchen is stare at it with their large black Alien eyes completely scared out of their Alien minds and saying to themselves “We Are Not Alone!”

Remember “A Smiling Face Makes The World A Better Place”

Human Looking Fish, Freak or Evolution?

The owner of this Korean fish started to notice that its face has begun to look more and more human over the last couple of years. You look at the video and tell me what you think? Human looking or just strange?

I just have to ask myself could the little fishes pictured here be evolving into something else? Or could it just be a freak of nature? Are we witnessing first hand the evolution of a species?

Things that make me say hmmmm....

The Great Pork Chop Blunder

This blog is a lesson in listening to others and I just thought it would be something interesting to blog about today.

I call it “The Great Pork Chop Blunder!!”

I actually heard this in the checkout line at Winn Dixie on Monday of this week.

The customer in line in front of me approaches cashier with two packs of boneless Pork chops with a price tag of $13.49 and $14.22 respectively.

The cashier scans the Pork chops then that’s where the stupidity begins.

Cashier: “Ma’am did you know they are on sale and they scan at $15.99 on buy one get one free.”

Lady Customer: “The label on the meat that they’re $13.49 and $14.22.”

Cashier: “I know, but they scan at two for $15.99, buy one get another one free”

Lady Customer: “But... that’s not what the label says”

Cashier: “I know ma’am we are having a sale and they were updated in the computer before we had a chance to change the labels in the back. So you can buy the chops for two packs for $15.99, on the buy one get one free on sale.”

Lady Customer: “I don’t care what price comes up in the computer. The labels say one price and you say another, so you have to sell them to me at that price on the labels!”

Cashier: But ma’am?

Lady Customer: Don’t but me!! Just ring them up at that price.

Cashier: “Okay if that’s what you want.”

The cashier did the override of the two for one price in the computer and changed it to the prices printed on the labels. The customer paid $11.72 more than she had to and smugly goes on her way like she had got one over on the cashier.

All I could do at that very moment was shake my head as I looked at the cashier as she was just kind of standing there in amazement at what happened. Some people just won’t listen.

Lesson learned here for me:

ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE CASHIER, THEY HAVE THE COMPUTER!

Remember; "A Smiling Face Makes The World A Better Place!"