Granny's Marvelous Mashed Potatoes

Well hello and howdy blog! A few blogs back (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE) I posted a recipe and in that particular posting I talked about how my granny always made the best “mashed taters” in the whole wide world. Well today I went ahead and decided I better just post the recipe since I saw where I was “jawing” about how good they really were. So guess what? Here is the recipe for you to try and if you make it let me know what you thought of them.

Grandma's Mashed Potatoes

Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

- 8 – 10 potatoes
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 4 (Heaping) tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Seasoning salt and black pepper to taste

Throwing It Together: (Preparation)

Peel them potatoes, cover with water and cook until done (This part ain’t hard to do at all!)

Drain the potatoes, then gently and lovingly mash the potatoes and mix in rest of ingredients. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray, then add potato mixture.

Dot with butter if desired and sprinkle with seasoning salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes.

This dish can be prepared up to a month ahead of time and frozen until needed say for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner.

After Freezing Instructions: Remove from freezer and let sit at room temperature for approximately one hour and then bake as directed above.

Once again hope you enjoyed it!

Billy's "Tastylicious" Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

Sorry I have been away so long I have been really busy with life and all it’s ups and down and in betweens. How are you all? Me, I am finer than frog hair! LOL!

Okay boys and girls incase you didn’t know one of the things I love to do is bake cakes. Most of you that read this blog know that I pride myself on my baking abilities in a kitchen. One of the most asked questions I get from people is; what is your favorite cake to bake?

I love all cakes; my favorites are Coconut, German Chocolate and Carrot cake just to name a few. I also love making a plain Bundt cake believe it or not and just topping it with some fruit or something and maybe a heaping spoonful of whipped cream.

But after careful deliberation with my stomach, taste buds and brain I have decided on my favorite cake to make. It’s a “Hot Fudge Sundae Cake” and its dang good! Its probably one of the most “sinful” and “tastylicious” cakes you will ever eat in your entire life, I guarantee it.

So I am sharing it with you now. My Grandma loved this cake as well and always and I mean always requested that I bake this one for her, no special occasion required it just makes you happy any ole’ time!

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

The Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbs baking cocoa
- 2 tbs vegetable oil
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate Sauce:

- 1 3/4 cups hot water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa

Throwing It Together: (Preparation)

Heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix your Cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in ungreased pan. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla with a fork until very smooth. Stir in the nuts.

Spread evenly in a pan.

Sprinkle brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa over batter. Then pour the water over the batter.

Bake about 40 minutes or until top is dry, you will see what I am talking about here.

Spoon the warm cake into a bowl or dessert dish if you wanna get fancy with it, LOL! Down here were just a "plain bowl" kinda folks.

Top with your favorite ice cream, I do suggest a good Vanilla though.

Spoon sauce from pan onto each serving and have a “tastylicious” cake eating party!

Sausage Cheese Dip And Potato Skin Recipe's Make Football Day Heavenly

Hello everybody, how are we this weekend?

Well as you know I am a ‘BIG” football fan and more specifically I am an Alabama Football fan! I am almost “fanatical” I just don’t stalk the players around, LOL!!

Anyhow I decided today to share two of my best “Football Watching” foods with you. They are both very, very good and if your team wins or loses I assure you that your stomach will be overjoyed and happy as any old stomach could be!

Ok, so I won’t jibber jabber and talk your head off lets get right down to it and I sure do hope you enjoy these recipes because I sure do every Saturday and Sunday, well to be honest they are good any day the games are on or not! LOL!

So with that being said, HIKE!!!!

Billy’s Game Day Velveeta Sausage Cheese Dip

The Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

- 1 lb Sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
- 1 lg Onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb Jalapeno cheese (Any brand)
- 1 lb Velveeta cheese (Mexican Mild Works Good)
- 2 Can’s Ro-Tel tomatoes
- 1 Can Cream of Chicken or Mushroom soup
- ¼ cup of milk

Throwing It Together: (Preparation)

Brown sausage and set aside. Then saute the onions, set aside.

Add in the milk and melt the Jalapeno cheese and Velveeta cheese

Add Ro-Tel tomatoes and Cream of chicken/mushroom soup.

Add sausage and sauteed onion

Heat until bubbly.

Serve with Tostitos Scoops or any tortilla chip and have a football party!

Billy’s “Pig Skin Day” Potato Skins

The Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

Potato Skin Filling Mixture:

- 1/2 cup tomato, chopped
- 4 tablespoons onion, chopped
- 1 1/4 tsp cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp jalapeno diced
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste

Potato Skins:

- 4 large sized baking potato's (Prefer Russets If Possible)
- ½ Cup Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese
- 8 slices bacon, cooked very crisp and crumbled up
- Sour Cream to garnish the skins to your liking

Throwing It Together: (Preparation)

What To Do With The Potato Skin Filling:

In a medium bowl, mix together all of the potato skin filling ingredients and chill till needed.

Then preheat oven to 400°.

Place potatoes in oven and bake for one hour or until the are fork tender, set aside to cool.

When they are cool enough to handle, cut the center 1/2 inch from the potato by slicing twice. One slice on the right side of the middle of the tater skin and one slice on the left side of the middle of the tater skin. This will leave you with three tater pieces, two edge pieces and one middle piece approximately 1/2 inch thick.

You don't need the middle tater piece for this recipe. Chunk it or deep fry it and cover with cheese, it's really good like that, trust me!

Turn the oven to 450°, with a spoon, scoop out the inside flesh of the potato skins, leaving about 1/4 inch on the sides. Then spray the whole potato with non stick cooking spray.

Place on a cookie sheet cut side up and bake for 12 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on each potato skin. Sprinkle on the bacon and top with one tablespoon of potato filling mixture and the remaining cheese that you have. Remember, you can always add more cheese, the cheesier the better I say!

Place back in the oven for a couple of minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve warm with sour cream and enjoy the game!

Hope you enjoy these football day recipes!

Tomato Gravy Recipe Backwoods Home Style

I actually had a request for this from one of my Youtube subscribers and decided why not let the whole world in on this one too, so lets do this recipe posting right now, shall we?

This food is truly a taste of Alabama country folks cooking. I mean in the BACK, BACK, BACKWOODS country where folks are already sitting at the table drinking their “hand squeezed” juice and eating breakfast by the time the old hens start clucking and the pigs start snorting out back at the barn. My Grandma’s (both of them) made countless batches of biscuits and tomato gravy in their lifetimes. I miss them both every day, really I do. When I have had a rough day and need to feel close to them, I make me some good old biscuits and tomato gravy just like they would do it. You know now that I give it some thought, I am more than certain she learned to make this from her Mother and probably her Mothers Mama too.

Enjoy a little of my families cooking as they did back then and I still do till this day.

The Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

- 4 tbsp bacon or sausage grease
- 2 cups water approximately
- 1/2 small can tomato paste (3 ounces or so)
- 3 tbsp flour rounded
- Salt and pepper to taste (not too much salt now you here!)

Throwing It Together: (Preparation)

In the skillet, stir flour into grease over medium-high heat. Let flour cook and brown, keep stirring, don’t let it burn. When roux has browned up nice and pretty, pour water into skillet, while stirring with it with a whisk.

Whisk in tomato paste until well blended up in there. When gravy begins to thicken reduce heat to low. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add a little more water if gravy becomes too thick now, remember that you can always thin it down if you like.

Serve with hot biscuits or toast along with some eggs and bacon or sausage for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ll feel because your tummy will be fuller than the old milk jug from the 7am milking!

Side Note: Some folks use chopped fresh or canned crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce in place of the tomato paste, you can do what feels best for ya!

Granny's Bama' Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Did I ever tell you that my Grandma spoiled me, like any good grandmother usually does, if I wanted some pie, we'd have some pie. Pepsi Cola, I got it.

You get the point I’m making here don’t ya?

However, she also loved to have me in the kitchen "helping her" by giving me little jobs to do, such as stir this with your left hand or "It won't turn out just right." I later found out one of the reasons she was like that, my dad informed me was that she spoiled me so much because I was her first and only “recognized” grandchild and only child of my parents. I never really gave it any thought till that day he said that.

I guess being an “ONLY” was something back then.

I have two really strong food memories that influence me to this day. First, one evening for dinner our whole family was at Grandma's house, an almost daily and regular occurrence. We sat down, said our prayers, and dug into the food like we always did around there (we knew we were in for some good eating when we were at Granny's.) I filled my plate with a little of everything on the table, including the “much desired” mashed potatoes or squished taters as I called them. Now, mind you, I LOVED Grandma's mashed potatoes, and when I say LOVED I mean LOVED! So, when I took the first bite, I knew immediately something wasn't right with them, I could have picked them out in a police lineup thats how well I knew her potatoes. I asked "Grandma, these aren’t those boxed snow flake fake taters are they?" "Huh? She then replied, "Yes!" then without missing a beat she turned to my Uncle and said; "How did he know that? Boy I'll never do that again." And, guess what? She never did, it was real or no potatoes at all from then on out, no sir she didn't try and cheat my taste buds no more.

To this day, I credit Grandma for two things, my total hate of fake mashed potatoes and my love of cooking and love of recipes.

Oh yea, back to memories , the second memory and the one thing I do however regret is that I never learned how she was able to make her Banana Nut Bread taste so dang good, hers was always a much anticipated Christmas present. Now, I admit I have tried to carry on this tradition, and give baked goods for Christmas to family and friends and well to be honest I have completely failed at getting my Nut Bread to taste anywhere close to hers. Even though everyone is always so grateful and thoughtful with their compliments, I know Grandma's was always better, so each year I try to hone up my baking skills to match up with hers. I haven't even come close yet, but I'm getting there, I think.

Granny’s Banana Nut Bread

The Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

- 4 cups flour
- 4 eggs
- 4 mashed bananas
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (it is optional, but then again would it banana nut bread without them?)

Throwing It Together: (Preparation)

Okay cream the butter with sugar. Beat in eggs and mix until fluffy. Sift flour with baking soda and salt, then add to egg mixture. Stir in mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla and nuts.

Pour into greased bread pans.

Let stand about 10 minutes to get all settled in nice and cozy in them pans. Then bake at 325 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Then take it out of the oven and eat till you can’t walk anymore.

Also, let me know how y’all like it and if you didn’t you probably didn’t stir it with your left hand, that's the trick you know! LOL!

Granny's Jacked Up Jambalaya Recipe

Hello World! Did you miss me? I have been kind of sick for the last few days and I decided I better post a new recipe and since I was feeling kinda "spicy" I picked one of my best recipes that I eat around here, you know comfort food!

Jambalaya or “jumbalya” as its pronounced down here where I live is just one great dish to eat and make. There are so many variety of ways to make jambalaya, with chicken and sausage, shrimp, ham, or even duck and alligator (Yea I said gator).

Some of the best Jambalaya recipes involve tomatoes and tomato sauce, some use chicken or beef stock instead. The first recipes for Jambalaya used both tomatoes and chicken stock, and is a New Orleans Creole-style "red" jambalaya, as opposed to one made with only stock, a more Cajun-style "brown" jambalaya.

This here recipe of my Grandma's is more of the Southern Louisiana style with a hint of Backwoods, Alabama Redneck poured in. Enjoy, cause its good for what ails ya!

The Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound of boneless chicken breast , cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 (14 1/2 oz) can tomatoes, chopped with juice
- 8 ounces polish or conecuh sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled
- pepper to taste
- ½ tsp or some would call it a "BIG" dash of cayenne pepper

Whipping It All Up: (Preparation)

Heat the oil and saute chicken and sausage for 5 minutes, then add onion, green pepper and garlic.

Saute for a few minutes longer, then add remaining ingredients.

Cover and simmer about 30 minutes. Serve over cooked rice or you can mix the rice in it, your choice because it all goes down the same way don't it.

Serves about 6 normal folks or 3 of me! LOL

Then you sprinkle some (Tony Chacheres Original Creole Seasoning ) on top (to taste of course) serve with french bread and a salad and some sweet southern iced tea and I guarantee this will cure whatever ails ya!

Let me know if you liked it and how it turned out. :)

Granny's “MOUTH-GASMIC” Meat Loaf

Okay someone emailed me and asked me where did all these recipes I post come from. Well when my Grandmother C. and Grandmother S. passed away both of them left me their entire recipe collections because they had decided long ago that I was the “ONLY” one of the boys in the family that had a desire and need to do something in the kitchen other than dirty up plates and pass gas while digging through the candy drawer. So yea, that’s where they come from and thanks for asking too, great question. Okay, so why do I post them? Well, I just decided since I have no kids and nobody to really pass all 5000+ recipes on too that I would give them to the Internet for safe keeping and post them on my blog.

Anyhow I was asked by someone to post my best meatloaf recipe, so here it is for ya as requested, you know who you are! :)

This meat loaf is an old-fashioned favorite that my Grandmothers (both of them actually) used to make. This Meatloaf recipe was so good that everyone that ever made it only made it this way from the first time they tried it. It’s made with ground beef, sausage, oats, and other ingredients and seasonings that will just do nothing more than give your taste buds a "meaty loafy" tastylicious “mouth-gasm.”

"Granny's “MOUTH-GASMIC” Meat Loaf"

THE STORE BOUGHT STUFF: (INGREDIENTS)

- ¼ cup chili sauce or ketchup
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ¾ cup oats, quick or old-fashioned
- 1 pound ground beef and ½ pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons water or milk

Ketchup Topping:

- ½ Cup Ketchup
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons prepared mustard

THROWING IT TOGETHER: (PREPARATION)

Okay go and heat up the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion; cook, stirring, stir it some more until tender, about 10 minutes or so.

Okay now in a large bowl, mix up the beef and pork mixture, oats, chili sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, beaten egg, celery and onion mixture, and the water or the milk.

In a 13x9-inch baking pan, shape meat mixture into an approximate 9x5-inch loaf.

Cover the top of the newly formed uncooked meat loaf with ketchup mixture.

Throw in in the oven and bake at 375° for 1 hour. Using 2 spatulas or whatever you got, carefully move the now cooked and "mouth-gasmic" meat loaf to a plate and slice.

Now get ready for the “MOUTH-GASM” of your life because this here recipe wont let your meat loaf around for long! LOL! I know it was corny, but cute…

Let me know how it comes out.... :)

Grandmalicious Macaroni and Cheese

Okay well today it’s all about “comfort food” and you can get nothing more “comfy for your tummy” than some good old fashioned, down home, home cooked Mac & Cheese.

Come on people do you remember when you were younger sitting around and making a meal out of a bowl of Mac & Cheese watching Green Acres? Or how about eating it with some fish sticks and ketchup on the side when you were a kid, remember that? I sure do. Well last night I was talking to my "Mostest, Bestest and Greatest" BFF, and we were talking about how nothing is better than good old fashioned Macaroni and Cheese to eat for a meal or as a side dish, your choice! Myself, I can make a meal of it for sure.

“DING!! Light Bulb Comes On Above Billy’s Head!”

So, there I was laying in bed last night thinking about it and I just could not stand it any longer. I got up outta bed and went and dug around through my granny’s recipes and I found her favorite (my favorite actually, am not going to fib here) Macaroni and Cheese recipe. I think what really gives this one a “big ole’ fat Billy two thumbs up” is all the great ingredients and how it comes out when done cooking in your oven.

Okay, have I convinced you yet? Without further commentary from me, here it is, Grandma’s famous home made Mac & Cheese.

“Grandmalicious Macaroni and Cheese”

The Store Bought Stuff: (Ingredients)

-12 ounces Extra sharp Chedder Cheese grated
-6 Slices American Cheese Sliced is ok.
-12 ounces Gruyere Cheese grated
-12 ounces Parmesan grated
-1 cup heavy cream/whipping cream
-1 cup half and half cream
-¼ tsp. nutmeg (yes nutmeg, just go with me on this)
-2 ½ tsp. Worchester sauce
-2 tbsp. Olive Oil
-2 egg yolks
-½ tsp. black pepper
-16 oz Pasta Noodle (I prefer medium shells myself, but that’s just me)

Throwing It All Together: (Preparation)

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, you got to have heat to eat you know!
2. Grease up a large casserole dish (9"X13" pan).
3. Cook pasta according to instruction for your chosen al dente aka "cookedness." Toss all the pasta in the olive oil when finished to prevent it sticking together, just give it a good old fashioned oil rub down and make it happy. Oh yea, remember the pasta will cook some more in oven so don’t over cook it on the stove top, kapiche?
4. Combine cream, the half-and-half, them egg yolks and the nutmeg in a good-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add 1 ½ cups of each of the cheeses and all the slices. Stir frequently until all cheese is melted (about 10 minutes or so,) add the Worcestershire sauce and throw in the black pepper, it's getting good now!

Recipe Note: Be sure not to let it boil (boiling causes the cheese to "break down" and gives it a rubbery consistency and makes it turn out yucky poo!)

5. Place pasta in the casserole dish and coat with melted cheese mixture. Stir it up to make sure everything is well-coated.
6. Sprinkle remaining uncooked cheese on the top.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. When the edges have turned golden brown, crank the oven up to broil for about a minute and keep cooking until the top is golden brown, 3 minutes or so.

I know you’re going to love this one, so enjoy and let me know what you think…..

See you again soon!