A crunchy crispy oven fried chicken that starts with a buttermilk, lemon and mustard marinade and is finished with a cornflake, Parmesan herb crusting.

Crispy Oven Fried Buttermilk Chicken

Crispy fried chicken really can be had in the oven y'all, and this recipe was inspired by an oven baked chicken recipe I saw in the May 2009 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. I love using bone-in chicken breasts because the bone really does help to produce a very flavorful piece of chicken, much more than those boneless, skinless chicken breasts. There is no surprise that bone-in is very popular in Weight Watchers recipes.

I tell ya, there really are all kinds of flavors goin' on in this recipe. I loved the buttermilk marinade with mustard, lemon and garlic for starters and of course we southerners know that buttermilk makes for an extremely tender and delicious chicken breast. Top that with a super crunchy, cornflake coating that incorporates those same tones but tops 'em off with a little southern kick!

Don't have fresh lemon juice on hand? Well, here's a tip to make sure that you always do in the future, so when you make a run to pick up lemons, grab a few extra so you'll have some in the freezer the next time you need them!

Click Here to Read More & to Get Recipe »

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Cajun Steak Marinade

Cajun Steak Marinade

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Published: April 29, 2009

I'm generally a pretty simple gal when it comes to steaks. For the most part, I prefer ribeye above all others and simply sprinkle them with a little Dale's or even just plain ole Worcestershire sauce, or my newest discovery, Country Bob's, bring them to room temperature and then throw them on the outside grill, or even on the George Foreman inside if I'm in a rush. Sometimes though, other cuts seem to need a little bit of flavor infusion, and this is one of my favorite steak marinades to use. Enjoy!

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Cajun Steak Marinade
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

2 steaks, any kind (great for sirloin)
1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup of red wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of All Purpose Sauce or Steak Seasoning
1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
1/2 teaspoon of Liquid Smoke
1/4 of a large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Accent, optional

Combine ingredients in a glass bowl or a gallon size Ziploc bag, mixing well. Add the steaks and mash around a bit to cover them. Seal and place in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight, turning occasionally.

Bring steaks to room temperature for about 30 minutes; pan fry, broil or grill to desired doneness.

Note: Use Country Bob's, A1 Steak Sauce, Lea & Perrins, Heinz 57, or a similar brown or red steak sauce. 

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Tri-Color Italian Rotini Pasta Salad

Gettin' ready for summer - it's not far away now!

Here's another pasta salad for my recipe box. The first one I posted was a Creamy Pasta Salad version, and my attempt at duplicating a local restaurant's menu item. This one is made using Italian dressing and no mayonnaise.

Of course, you can mix and match whatever veggies you happen to have on hand or find at the market. To me, those listed are the basics and to be added upon. Focus on fresh, raw veggies for the most part - though a handful of frozen peas are great - and preferably what's in season. This is fantastic for when those peppers and tomatoes start to come in. This time I threw in some of that baby corn I had leftover from doing my Spicy Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry {times two already}, and a bit of sliced radish.

Now me, I like to have chunks of crunchy veggies in my pasta salad, but chop as thin as you like! You can also switch up the pasta - I like the tri-color rotini pasta for this recipe, but wagon wheels or shells are nice too. I also use the Good Seasons envelope seasoning to make up my own Italian dressing, but a bottled commercial dressing works great.

By the way, this pasta salad is great on its own but fantastic as written with boiled shrimp tossed in. Just add in 3/4ths to 1 full pound of boiled, peeled shrimp at the end, right before chilling. I just didn't have any shrimp thawed when I decided I wanted some pasta salad, or you can bet it sure would have been in here! Glad shrimp season is about to open - we are running low!

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Tri-Color Italian Rotini Pasta Salad
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1 package of tri-color rotini pasta
1 pound of boiled shrimp, fresh or frozen
   (not canned), optional
1/2 of a medium red onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1/2 of a medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 of a medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 can of medium pitted black olives, sliced
1 cup of Italian dressing
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Parmesan cheese, to garnish
Crumbled bacon, to garnish, optional

If using fresh or frozen raw shrimp, boil in water, salt, liquid crab boil and lemon for about 4 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Drain and set aside to cool; peel. You'll add these at the end. If you're using the frozen precooked shrimp, you'll just need to thaw them, then add them in.

Boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse well and set aside.

To the drained pasta, add all of the chopped vegetables, except for the tomatoes. Stir in the Italian dressing and mix all together well. Add the cooked and cooled shrimp and gently toss. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, add the chopped tomato, toss and then sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon, because everything is better with bacon! Store in the fridge and refresh with additional Italian dressing as needed.

Note: To make this Lent friendly, omit the bacon. 

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com

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Shrimp and Macaroni Salad
Creamy Pasta Salad
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Overnight Cold Pressed Iced Coffee

Cold Pressed Iced Coffee

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Published: April 26, 2009

I used to be a coffee addict. I mean seriously. I literally drank the stuff all day long when I worked in the legal office, and in fact, often only coffee all day long - meaning I often worked through lunch and didn't eat all day. {Bad Mary.} I'm sure that has everything to do with my sluggish metabolism now, so gals ... don't do that! Eat. Eat breakfast. Eat lunch. And you won't be like a ravin' maniac starvin' Marvin' when you get home and evening rolls around.

Thank goodness we didn't have a Starbucks then. Not anywhere here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It's a good thing really, because I'm sure I would have busted my budget for sure on fancy coffee drinks. Initially we had exactly one, inside of Hard Rock casino, but over the past few years, we've had a few more locations pop up here locally, and plenty of mom and pop operations are still around, so don't worry, we are not coffee deprived y'all!

Anyway, the point of all that is, that before you could actually drive through McD's and grab a quick iced coffee, I had to figure out how to make it on my own. It's funny ... I cannot stand the taste of a cup of hot coffee that has gone cold, yet I love iced coffee. Go figure. But let me tell ya, when you want a coffee fix when the temps are on the rise and the humidity feels like a wall of heat when you walk outside, this'll do you fine!

Many coffee shops use the cold pressed method to brew their coffee into a coffee concentrate to use both for hot and iced coffee, so you may wonder why. What are the benefits of cold pressed coffee, and well, why bother? Well, for one it makes a concentrate that is just easier to use than trying to have hot and freshly brewed coffee available all the time. Cold pressed coffee has a much longer storage time - generally a jar will last you up to two weeks. But a lot of people prefer cold pressed coffee over hot brewed because the process of cold brewing significantly reduces the acidity in the coffee, making it much easier on the stomach. It also reduce the caffeine levels so that it doesn't have quite the punch that hot brewed coffee does.

I use an empty coffee can to prepare the concentrate for refrigerating overnight.  Just pour room temperature or cool/cold water in. I prefer to use filtered or bottled water.

Add the coffee, stir real good, cap and refrigerate overnight so it can "brew."

Making this is super easy if you have a French press. You just pour the mix into the press...

 

Cap it...

 

... push down on the plunger ...

 

... and pour into your storage container.

 

The press does all the work. My press is small so I have to do this twice.

 

Save those grounds to mix in your compost pile! Or to scatter around your acid loving plants - hydrangeas, azaleas; some folks use them right on their roses and even scattered in the yard! Supposedly they are a source of nitrogen.

But... if you don't have a press, a strainer and a couple of coffee filters work too; it's just a slower process that requires a bit of patience as you wait for the filter to do it's work. Karie, one of our Facebook family members said that she uses one of those a reusable filters and it works great! Thanks Karie!

 

Once you've filtered it, store it in the fridge and when you want an iced coffee {or three}, grab your pitcher, fill a glass with ice, fill the glass somewhere between halfway and 3/4 full with the coffee...

 

... add your sweetener, a splash of flavoring if ya like, top off with some milk, stir and enjoy!

I'm the only one in my house that likes iced coffee, so I only make it 1/2 gallon at a time. Plus I don't have a gallon glass pitcher anyway! You can certainly double this easily. This ratio of 1 cup of coffee to 1/2 gallon of water makes an iced coffee that is maybe just slightly more on the stronger side of mild. To adjust to your preference, try it this way the first time and then add or reduce the coffee to adjust the strength to your taste. Hope this satisfies your coffee craving this summer {which seems to have already arrived here in the deep south} while keepin' ya cool at the same time!

Prep time: 8 hours
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 8 hour 10 min
Yield: 1 9" pie (8 servings)

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Overnight Cold Pressed Iced Coffee
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1/2 gallon+ sized container
1 cup of your favorite regular ground coffee
1/2 gallon of filtered cool or room temperature
    drinking water
Large Strainer and Coffee Filters, a Re-Useable
   Coffee Filter, or a French Press

Fill container with water; add coffee and stir in. Cover and store in the refrigerator 6 to 8 hours or overnight. After that, if you happen to have a French press, you'll pour the coffee into the pot and press, then pour the strained coffee into a storage container or pitcher. If you don't have a French press, use a large strainer and a regular coffee filter, or a re-useable coffee filer, over a pot or your storage container, and filter out the coffee grounds, changing out the filter about halfway through for a fresh one. Store the filtered coffee in the fridge.

To make an iced coffee, fill a glass with ice. Add enough coffee to fill the glass between 1/2 to 3/4ths full, add sweetener and/or flavored syrup, top with milk, stir, insert straw and enjoy!

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com

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Mint Infused Southern Sweet Iced Tea
New Orleans Style Cafe au Lait
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Images and Content ©2009 Mary Foreman/Deep South Dish. All rights reserved.
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Ground chicken, dressed up with a mirepoix of veggies and served in a light sauce on pasta.

Chicken Bolognese with Linguine

As soon as I saw this recipe in the February issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, I knew it would be perfect for those chicken tenders in my freezer. But, since the seasonings in the original recipe consisted basically of salt and pepper, I also knew that I needed to bump them up! I mean this is skinless chicken breast people - not the most flavorful part of the bird, ya know? Oh, and this is not a traditional bolognese sauce {I beg forgiveness of Bologna, Italy} but hey, I didn't name it either!

If you don't have a food scale, it takes about 16 tenders to make up a pound. I used my food processor to grind the tenders - just rough chop them a bit and using the steel blade, pulse a couple of times. That's all it takes! Course if you don't have a food processor, you can just finely chop up the chicken instead. You can also simply substitute already ground up chicken or grind up your own from whole chicken breasts. I really liked this dish using linguine, but you can certainly substitute your own favorite pasta, including regular spaghetti noodles.

Click Here to Read More & to Get Recipe »

Angel Food Ministries - April Boxes

So, I picked up my Angel Food Ministries Boxes this morning. I didn't buy much this month, just the Basic Signature Box and two of the specials - hamburger steaks and IQF chicken (those cardboard boxes you see up there), so it's not very exciting. My freezer was pretty full already and now it's really full, and hurricane season is right around the corner. Though we do have a generator, I still don't like having a fully loaded freezer just in case. Sometimes gasoline is a precious commodity after a storm and you can't run a generator without it!

I was a little disappointed about the 10 pound chicken box, because I was expecting IQF boneless skinless chicken breasts, and what apparently was substituted was IQF boneless, skinless chicken breast meat. While there were some large pieces it is mostly chicken chunks. Nothing wrong with that, but since I already have a bunch of chicken tenders {chicken tenders from last month that were supposed to be breaded chicken tenders, but again, another substitute, were plain IQF} still left, I really didn't really need more plain chicken pieces!

Oh well, that is one of the few downfalls of Angel Food Ministries. Sometimes there are substitutions, and you don't know till you pick up your order. Well, between what I had, this new 10 pound box, and the chicken included in the signature box this month, I have chicken chunks coming out of my ears!

My total this month was $69 and this is what the boxes contained. {I think I got it all}

10 pounds of Individually Quick Frozen Chicken Breast Meat
6 pounds lean all beef Hamburger Steaks (12 patties)
4 (6 ounce) New York Strip Steaks
2 pound package of Chicken Breast for Stir Fry (boneless/skinless chunks)
2 pounds of Breaded Chicken Breast Fillets
1 pound package of Steak Fajita Strips
1 (20 ounce) frozen Supreme Pizza
1 Jumbo Beef Patties Frozen Meal with Gravy (1 pound 12 ounce package)
1 pound package of Hot Dogs
1 (10 ounce) package of Individually Wrapped Sliced Cheese
1 pound of Frozen Mixed Vegetables
2 pound bag of French Fries
1 (12 count) package of White Corn Tortillas
1 pound bag of Rice
1 (15 ounce) can of Peach Halves
1 (6 ounce) package of Pancake Mix
1 (32 ounce) 2% Shelf Stable Milk
1 Dozen Eggs
1 Frozen Apple Pie

Well, got some stuff to plant so I'm off to go dig in the dirt! Guess what's for dinner ...

Have an excellent weekend everybody - I know y'all are all outside diggin' in the dirt too, right?

Click here for some recipe ideas using Angel Food Ministries ingredients!

Beef and Bean Burritos

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Beef and Bean Burritos
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of chopped jalapeno
1 pound of ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
8 turns of the pepper grinder
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of Slap Ya Mama, or your favorite
   Cajun seasoning, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup of beef stock
1 (10 ounce) can of Rotel tomatoes, undrained
1 (4 ounce) can of green chilies, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can of refried beans
10-12 burrito size flour tortillas
1-1/2 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet; add the onion and jalapeno; cook until onion is soft but not browned. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a potato masher, until browned. Add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning and oregano. Stir together and continue cooking for about 1 minute. Add the beef stock and stir. Add the diced tomatoes and green chilies; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until thickened and reduced, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Warm the refried beans in the microwave or on the stovetop; set aside. This just makes them easier to spread. Warm the tortillas so that they will roll easily and not tear. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Spread a thin layer of the refried beans in the center of a tortilla. Top with cheese, and layer that with the beef mixture. Fold the bottom up, fold in the sides toward the middle and then roll up from the bottom. Place the burritos in the baking dish, seam side down.*

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, or just until warmed through. You can also warm them in the microwave - wrap one in a paper towel and microwave on medium about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until hot.

If you are preparing these for the freezer, wrap the burritos individually in parchment paper and place them all into a large freezer bag to store.

*To turn this into a casserole, after placing all of the rolled burritos into the dish, pour a small can of enchilada sauce down the center of the burritos on top and sprinkle some additional cheese over that. Cover and bake at 325 for 30 to 45 minutes or until steaming hot. Garnish with additional chopped onion, chopped tomatoes and sliced green onion once you remove it from the oven.

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com


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Spicy Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry

So, last night Hubs had leftover meatloaf and my body was craving some veggies, so I decided to do a dish of my Spicy Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry with some of those boneless, skinless chicken tenders I got in my March Angel Food Ministries box. Those are perfect for a stir fry! Hubs isn't too hip on all the veggies, so generally when I do a stir fry like this, loaded down with vegetables, it's pretty much all mine for a couple of days. Perfect for days full of gardening!

This time I used yellow onion, baby carrots, split in half lengthwise, broccoli, Italian green beans, chunks of cabbage, green onion, garlic, baby corn and shiitake mushrooms with the chicken. This recipe makes plenty for 2 really hungry adults or a family of 4 - just adjust the veggie amounts and types according to your needs and taste! Of course serve it over some hot, steamed or boiled rice and a side of soy sauce for sprinkling.

I had some leftovers for lunch today and it was just delicious. Fast, easy and yummy ... check it out!

Get the Recipe Here! Spicy Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry

'K... back to the yard!

Sweet and Spicy Meatloaf Glaze

This is a great all purpose sweet and spicy glaze that I dearly love on meatloaf, because I don't know about you, but far as I'm concerned a meatloaf just ain't a meatloaf without a glaze slathered on it!

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Sweet and Spicy Meatloaf Glaze
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1/2 cup of Heinz ketchup
1 teaspoon Emeril's Kicked Up Horseradish Mustard*
- but any Creole or spicy mustard will do
2 tablespoons of light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning

Combine the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, and Cajun seasoning; stir well. Brush glaze all across the top of the meatloaf the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

*Contains: Vinegar, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Horseradish Powder and Red Pepper

Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

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Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
Horseradish Dipping Sauce
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A yummy breakfast casserole that can be put together at the last minute - hash browns, sausage or ham, onion, bacon, milk, eggs, salt and pepper - what more could you want to start the day?!

Speedy Breakfast Casserole

I love breakfast casseroles but I hate having to think about building them the night before ... I never think about that the night before!! And besides that, I usually wake up deciding I want a breakfast casserole - I don't usually want it the night before! While occasionally I will construct a night before dish, this breakfast recipe is my go-to for the most part. It's got everything a good breakfast casserole should have - potatoes, cheese, sausage, bacon and eggs. And you can make it right away!

A couple of time-saving tips that I use to make this super-speedy are one, to use pre-cooked sausage. When you get back from the grocery store and have a spare moment, go ahead and cook an entire pound of Jimmy Dean sausage, stick it in a freezer bag and put it in the freezer. That way you can skip the step of having to cook the sausage, and frankly, next time you want some homemade biscuits and sausage gravy {you can also use this gravy recipe for that as well}, you've already saved yourself some time there. Or if you want a homemade pizza, you've got this pre-cooked sausage to sprinkle on top! Or if you want a breakfast quesadilla or breakfast burrito, you'll be able to sprinkle some sausage on top before folding your quesadilla {by the way, I'm not a folder, I like 'em flat and with 2 tortillas, like a sandwich} or rolling up your breakfast tortilla.

Same thing with the bacon. Next time you brown up some bacon for a recipe or a meal, cook a few extra slices and store them in a freezer bag in your freezer. That's perfect for this recipe! Plus you've got pre-cooked bacon at the ready to chop up and sprinkle on top of a salad, a baked potato, or to use as a garnish! Of course this breakfast casserole is an excellent dish to make using up some of that leftover holiday ham that you've got stashed in your freezer too! Just substitute the ham in place of the sausage.

Click Here to Read More & to Get Recipe »

Easy Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie Dessert

This Layered Banana Cream Pie Dessert starts with a quick baked vanilla wafer and pecan crust {though walnuts would be amazing here too} that is pressed into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Sliced bananas go over that, and then are topped with a bit of the plain vanilla pudding, which sort of then seeps into the cracks and crevices between the bananas.

Then some Cool Whip is gently blended into the remaining pudding and that goes on top of the banana and pudding layer. Top it off with the remaining Cool Whip and let it set up in the fridge for several hours. Leave it plain or top it off with some grated or shaved chocolate, or even just a simple sprinkle of some more of the chopped nuts.

The concept is from a Kraft recipe from Food & Family magazine, and while it's hard to beat Homemade Southern Banana Pudding, especially when it's made with the original cooked custard, but I gotta say, this dessert brings in the traditional flavors, is a breeze to throw together, and well, it sure runs a very close second.

It is delicate and light and just delicious! If your bananas are on their way to being banana bread fare, guess what? They will work in this dessert! I bought my bananas with the intent of making this dessert awhile back, then got busy with garden stuff and by the time I got around to making it last night, well, my bananas were pretty much black and very overripe. I decided to use them anyway and they worked beautifully in this dessert, so fresh or ripe bananas will work here.

All of the layering gives you a complex mixture of texture and flavors that just explodes in your mouth. If you love banana, you will absolutely love this! Why not give it a try this weekend? I guarantee you'll be revisiting that refrigerator to sneak just one more bite!

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Easy Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie Dessert
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1-1/2 cups of crushed vanilla wafers, about 45 wafers
1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup of unsalted butter, melted
About 4 bananas, sliced
3 cups of milk
2 (4 serving size) packages of Jell-O instant
   vanilla pudding
1 (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip, thawed in fridge
Optional Garnishes: Shaved or grated chocolate
   and/or additional chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Process the vanilla wafers in a food processor, or place into a zipper plastic bag and using a rolling pin, repeatedly roll over them until crushed well. In a small bowl, combine the crushed wafers, nuts and melted butter until wafers are thoroughly coated. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and firmly press evenly into the bottom. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and set aside to cool at least 10 minutes.

Top the cooled crust with enough sliced bananas to cover. Put the pudding into a roomy bowl and whisk in the milk for about 2 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Remove 2 cups and layer that carefully on top of the bananas, reserving the remaining pudding.

Remove 1 cup of the Cool Whip and gently fold that into the reserved pudding until blended. Carefully spread the Cool Whip and pudding mixture over the top of the pudding layer. Top with the remaining plain Cool Whip and spread evenly and carefully over the top, taking care not to disturb the underlayers. I found that an offset spatula made an easy job of this.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours; store leftovers in the fridge.

Makes approximately 16 servings.

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com

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Banana Pie with Shortbread Cookie Crust
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Take your classic BLT sandwich & add a fried egg. You got some kinda good goin' on there!

Fried Egg BLT Sandwich

I woke up at the crack of dawn due to a stopped up allergy head and a husband who was havin' a snore fest {again}. 4:30 a.m. is just too early for a human being I'm tellin' ya!! Anyway, for breakfast I made me one of those sandwiches up there and knew that, even though it isn't really a recipe per se, well, it was so dang good I just had to share!

Click Here to Read More & to Get Recipe »

Easy Beef Nachos

For some reason I have been on a Mexican and/or Latin kick here lately because my dishes seem to all be leaning that way! First, I have been majorly craving an authentic Cuban Sandwich for a month, then I made the Beef Enchilada Casserole, and then I was craving a beef and bean burrito, but I decided to make a Burrito Casserole the other day {will get that up soon}. Yesterday, besides a ham and cheese po'boy that I had for lunch, dressed and pressed thank-ya-very-much, I never got around to eating a "proper" dinner.

I was busy in the yard, and taking photos, and uploading and writing my gardening post over at My New 30, and Hubs went off to do his thing, so I just quickly fed him some leftovers. Later, by the time he got home, I had decided I just had to have some nachos! They have been on my mind here lately, so course I had already bought the ingredients, and yes, Hubs helped me eat 'em ... though he doesn't like 'all that junk' on his.

I ate the leftovers for breakfast today. Is that just wrong??

Anyhoo.... here's a simple throw-together version of beef nachos, in case you are. interested. I've listed the ingredients that I like to use, but of course you should vary those according to your taste. The secret to me, is in the layered baking, so that you get nacho goodness all over. Oh and I just adore the Sam's Choice salsa with corn and black beans from Walmart for this. Enjoy!

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Easy Beef Nachos
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Near about 1 full (14 ounce) bag of Santitas White Corn
  Authentic Mexican Style Tortilla Chips, or other thin chip
1 pound of ground beef
1 cup (more or less) of Sam's Choice Southwest
   Black Bean and Corn Salsa, or your favorite
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
Optional garnishes: Additional salsa, green onion, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeno, sliced black olive, seeded and chopped fresh tomato, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Cook the ground beef until browned and mash it up with a potato masher; drain if needed. Add the salsa, as much as you like, and stir it into the beef to warm through. Remove from the heat.

Layer 1/2 of the chips on the pizza pan. Top with 1/2 of cooked beef and add 1/2 of the cheese on top of that. Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes in a preheated 350 degree, just until cheese melts. Remove, add another layer of the chips, then the rest of the beef, and the remaining cheese and return to the oven another 6 to 8 minutes, or just until the cheese melts.

Top with any or all of the garnishes. Dig in!

Tip:  Leftover chili is a great substitute for these nachos! 

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Beef and Bean Burritos
Authentic Mexican Shredded Beef for Tacos
7 Can Taco Soup

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Layers of corn tortillas with ground beef, enchilada sauce, cheese and other delicious seasonings in a quick and easy casserole form.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Published: April 13, 2009

This is a quick and yummy recipe that you can throw together and have on the table in no time. It's delicious and not too spicy, though you can certainly kick that up if you want to. Believe it or not, I usually don't!

Halved recipe pictured

I halve this recipe for Hubs and me and it made 4 very generous servings. Use the recipe as is to serve 8. Now I do confess to going a little over on the cheese - but not by much honestly, just simply because I shredded the whole remainder of the cheddar block I had and it was just over a cup, so I used it up rather than have a tiny bit left over.

Speaking of shredded cheese - I have nothing against buying pre-shredded cheese bags. I know it's a time saver and I use it myself sometimes. But something that I learned is that shredded cheeses have stabilizers and fillers in them to keep the cheese from clumping back together after the shredding process. On the other hand, a block of cheese is, well, just a block of cheese! No fillers. No stabilizers. And while I haven't worked out the cost, surely it must be cheaper to shred up a whole block of cheese, which you can then freeze if needed, than to buy it bagged as pre-shredded? Well, unless of course, you catch a good sale with an equally good coupon! Anyway, that's one of the main reasons that I got a food processor - to make an easy job of it. Yes, it can be a pain to clean, but if you wash it right away the cracks and crevices come clean pretty easy, so it's worth it. I usually wash mine while something is cooking.

A nice mixed garden salad with some steamed green beans go really well with this dish. Enjoy!

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: About 8 servings, depending on how you cut them

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Recipe: Beef Enchilada Casserole

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 pounds of ground beef
2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
1 (11 ounce) can of Mexicorn/Fiesta Corn, drained
1 (10 ounce) can of enchilada sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
2 pinches of kosher salt
8 grinds of the pepper mill
About 16 corn tortillas
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until soft. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a potato masher. Drain off excess fat, if needed, and return to skillet.

Add the tomato sauce, corn, enchilada sauce, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Place enough tortillas to cover the bottom of the pan and overlap, with some extending up the sides of the dish. Place 1/2 of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas and layer with 1/2 of the cheese. Add another layer of tortillas, then meat and sprinkle with the other half of the cheese. Loosely tent with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes covered. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove and let sit for a few minutes before cutting.

Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

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Check These Out Too!

Beef and Bean Burritos
Authentic Mexican Shredded Beef for Tacos
Beef and Bean Burrito Skillet

Images and Full Post Content including Recipe ©Deep South Dish. Do not repost elsewhere without explicit permission. All rights reserved.
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Strawberry Angel Cake

So, here's another one for the strawberry files, since all those delicious strawberries are showing up in the southern markets right now. Don't worry the rest of the country, you're not far off! Last weekend I made a fresh Strawberry Pie that was reminiscent of the Shoney's Strawberry Pie of my youth. Oh my gosh does that bring back some memories.

Well, I got this recipe idea from Miss Lucy's cookbook but she actually got it from a fan. It was originally written for frozen strawberries but definitely use fresh if you have them right now! And don't forget to set aside a couple of whole strawberries to make some pretty strawberry fans to garnish each serving, like in the picture.

This would be fantastic served in individual pretty, stemmed glasses for a dinner party and honestly, the fluff can even stand all on it's own - it is that good! I mean c'mon ... look at that picture - it totally looks like ice cream doesn't it? But with strawberries, whipped cream, cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk too?? You just cannot go wrong with that!

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Strawberry Angel Cake
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup of sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip, or equivalent fresh whipped cream
2 (10 ounce each) packages of frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
1 (15 ounce) Angel Food Cake or Pound Cake
Extra strawberries, for garnish, optional

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until well combined. Add the lemon juice and condensed milk and blend. Carefully fold in the Cool Whip. Add the thawed strawberries and combine well. Cut the cake up into small bite size pieces and place them into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cover with the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate. Keep leftovers in the fridge.

Note:  Got fresh strawberries?   You'll probably want about 4 cups of them.  Rinse well and macerate them in sugar for a few minutes before using, then mash.  Be sure to set a few aside to make these sweet strawberry fans for garnish!

Variation: Mix the cream cheese mixture with the cake cubes in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Adapted from Miss Lucy's Classic Cajun Deux

Check These Out Too!

Fresh Strawberry Pie
Speedy Strawberry Lemonade
Mary's Ambrosia


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Spicy Orange Dipping Sauce and Jezebel Sauce

This is a great dipping sauce for many things, but I especially love it with baked ham.

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Spicy Orange Dipping Sauce
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1 cup of orange marmalade
1 tablespoon of spicy mustard
1-1/2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Pinch of salt
Couple dashes of hot sauce

Combine well and refrigerate until needed.

Jezebel Sauce:  Substitute 1/2 cup of apple jelly with 1/2 cup of pineapple preserves for the orange marmalade; add the other ingredients, combine and refrigerate.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Mustard Sauce

Coconut shrimp are a favorite down here along the Coast and these are delicious and not at all hard. The hardest part is dealing with pieces of coconut that come off and then burn in the oil.

The shrimp that I used were extra large ones The Cajun pulled up on the last shrimping trip, so just about 4 or 5 made for a real nice serving and didn't result in much residue of coconut falling off. If you are cooking smaller shrimp, or a larger batch overall, you may find you'll need to strain or change out your oil. That's just the downside of doing coconut shrimp, but I gotta say it really is worth the effort.

I usually prefer to eat these with a sweet dipping sauce, but decided to do a spicy one this time.

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Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Mustard Sauce
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

2 cups of canola oil
1 pound of extra large shrimp, peeled, deveined
   & butterflied with tails intact
Self rising flour, about 1/3 of a cup, more or less
2 eggs, beaten
Coconut, shredded & sweetened, about a cup

Heat canola in a large skillet over medium high heat until the oil shimmers. Pass the shrimp through the flour, then the egg, then the coconut; set aside on a plate until all are coated. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown, taking care to not crowd the pan. Drain on several layers of paper towels; serve hot.

Source:  http://www.deepsouthdish.com 

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Serve these with Spicy Mustard Sauce

Or, Try One of These Sauces!

Spicy Orange Dipping Sauce or Jezebel Sauce
Jalapeno Cream Sauce
Mississippi Comeback Sauce
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Spicy Mustard Sauce

Spicy Mustard Sauce
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons of creole mustard with horseradish
1 jalapeno, finely minced

Combine well and refrigerate until needed.

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Step by Step Pork Fried Rice

Fried rice is a perfect for using up leftovers; perfect for leftover rice and that tail end bit of leftover pork roast, though any leftover meat will do. Shredded beef roast, sliced steak, chopped chicken and even shrimp work well too, so be sure to save any leftover meat you have and stick it in the freezer to save for this dish. This would be a great with boneless, skinless chicken breast meat or tenders too! If you want to cook the leftover meat a little bit longer, or if you're using raw meat of any kind, add it at the beginning as noted. If you only want to warm it over and not really cook it further, wait to add it until near the end when you add the rice, tomatoes and peas.

As is common to most stir-fry dishes this moves fast, so mise en place y'all - meaning prep everything first and have it at the ready before you start. You'll need peanut oil, 5 to 6 ounces of leftover pork sliced thin, 2 stalks of green onion sliced, 2 cloves of garlic chopped, a tablespoon of soy sauce, a heaping teaspoon of brown sugar, 1-1/2 cups of leftover rice, 1/2 of a tomato, seeded and chopped, 1/2 cup of frozen peas and 2 eggs beaten.


Heat the peanut oil on medium high and add the leftover pork and green onion. Stir fry it for a minute or two. If you are using leftover pork and do not want to cook it further, just wait to add it in later so that it is only warmed through. This recipe is based on using already cooked leftovers, but if you are using fresh, raw pork you will definitely want to add it here to cook it through a bit longer.


Add the minced garlic and stir fry for about a minute, moving it constantly. You don't want to burn it.


Mix together the soy sauce and brown sugar and add it to the pork mixture.


Stir the soy sauce and brown sugar mixture and cook for an additional 2 minutes.


Add in the rice, tomatoes and peas...

...and stir fry an additional 2 to 3 minutes, constantly stirring.


Scoot all of the rice and veggie mixture to the outside of the skillet, forming a well in the center. Pour in the beaten egg.


Let the eggs set for just a few seconds, then scramble them by moving them around but keep them in the center of the skillet, moving them until they begin to set.


Once they set well...


...begin to drag the rice and veggie mixture into the egg and turn it, repeating this until the egg is incorporated into the rice and veggie mixture.


Mix together, plate up, serve and enjoy!

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Step by Step Pork Fried Rice
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1-1/2 to 2 cups of leftover rice
2 tablespoons of peanut oil
2 stalks of green onion, sliced
6 to 8 ounces of leftover pork roast, sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce
1 heaping teaspoon of light brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 a tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup of frozen peas
2 large eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste

Arrange everything and have it ready to go. Heat the peanut oil in a heavy bottomed skillet or wok. Add the onion and the pork if you want to cook it a bit. If it is already cooked to desired doneness, add the pork in later just to warm it. Stir fry for a minute or two.

Add the garlic and stir fry for about a minute. Meanwhile blend together the soy sauce and brown sugar. Add to the skillet and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the rice, tomatoes and peas and stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. If you did not add you leftover pork, add it here.

Make a well in the center of the rice mixture and pour in the eggs. Let them set slightly, then begin to scramble the eggs by moving them around a bit but still keeping them in the center of the skillet. Once the eggs set, drag the rice and veggie mixture into the middle and turn; repeat until all of the egg is incorporated into the rice mixture and everything is warmed through. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve and enjoy!

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
Chap Chae - Korean Mixed Vegetables with Beef & Cellophane Noodles
Spicy Orange Garlic Shrimp


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