How to Make Classic Rice Pudding

This recipe will provide you with the details on how to make classic rice pudding. Rice pudding is my favorite type of pudding. It's rare that you can find it homemade in my area. I started using this recipe to make my own classic rice pudding at home.

Classic Rice Pudding Recipe:

• 1 cup of rice, cooked
• 3/4 cup of seedless golden raisins
• 13 ounces of evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. Place the rice and raisins in a 1 quart baking dish and set aside.
2. Beat the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture over the rice and raisins.
4. Place the baking dish with the pudding mix into a baking pan with hot water in it.
5. Put the pans in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
6. Cool and serve. This recipe should serve about 5 or 6 guest.

How to Make Hoppin' John

The year is coming to an end and it won't be long to New Years. What's New Years without a helping of Hoppin' John. This recipe has it all, that is all of those essentials to eat on New Years Day to have good luck for the entire year. You can always throw some dried black eyed peas in your change purse for extra luck ;).

How to make Hoppin' John:
1 lb of sausage
1 medium onion chopped
2 cans of black eyed peas
2 cups of water
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup of uncooked quick rice
salt and pepper to desired taste

Brown the sausage and onion together. Add in the blacked eyed peas and water. Bring the contents to a boil, then add in the remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat and simmer the Hoppin John on low heat until it becomes thick. Serve with cooked cabbage. We mustn't forget the cabbage on New Years Day.

*I always wonder where this stuff originates from.

Cherry Salad

In a pinch for a dessert super easy and fast. Cherry salad is so simple, a child could make it. No cooking involved but it does require freezing. So, there must be some time for that detail.

1 can of crushed pineapple
1 cup of nuts
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of whipped topping

Mix it all up. Then place it in a freezable pan or mold. Put it in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Remove a bit before serving. You don't want it to thaw completely but enough it will serve easier or come out of the mold. Enjoy!

Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse

As seen in "Anthony Bourdain - No Reservations", the New Jersey episode, I've decided to try some of this cheese and bread from Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse. Anthony Bourdain had me drooling over this cheese and bread just from the screen.

So I did a bit of research, and found their site (hoping they their farm was still in operation, as my video was a bit dated). I was pleased to see that I can order some of their fine products online, and have them delivered to my home. How convenient! As a special holiday treat, I'm going to make an order. While it's not something I can afford an everyday luxury, it can be a special occasions treat. I know if the Europeans are having this stuff imported it has to be fantastic!

Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse

Sour Cream Apple Pie

This has been the easiest apple pie I've made. The recipe is simple and doesn't have too many different ingredients.

Sour Cream Apple Pie Recipe:
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups of peeled and sliced apples
pie crust

Beat all of the ingredients together except the apples. Add the apples and mix. Place the apple filling into an uncooked pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Topping:
Mix 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of butter. Make a crumble and sprinkle on top. Bake the pie for 20 more minutes.

You can also omit the topping and make this dual crust pie. You can adjust it how you like.

Hush Puppies Made from Scratch

I love hush puppies that are crispy and flaky on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Recipes that call only for corn meal, egg, milk and onions aren't too delicious. It takes an equal combination of white cornmeal and flour to get the perfect fluffiness. The onions, spices and type of milk used also play a key role in these delightful pups of fried goodness.

Homemade Hush Puppies:

1.5 cups of self rising white cornmeal
1.5 cups of self rising flour
1 teaspoon of soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
Seasonings:
Diced onions - combination of green and yellow or white
Black pepper
Garlic powder - about 1 teaspoon
Sugar - optional up to 1 tablespoon

Mix all that together and then add buttermilk until the batter is just right. It should be thick enough to hold together when spooned out, but moist. You want it to hold when you drop it in the fryer. Yet, the more moist they are, the better they will taste.

Spoon out the batter into hot vegetable oil. I think it's best to use a deep fryer. Fry until the hush puppies are brown and done in the middle. Avoid making them too big. You don't want the outside done before the middle. You can test one to get the cooking time down. Drain the excess grease off right after removing them from the oil.

*Make sure your oil is good and hot before dropping them in. If not, the hush puppies will be saturated.

Sweet Potato N' Apples

This sweet potato and apple dish is very simple to make. It is perhaps a bit healthier than some of the pies and cake we usually eat for dessert. It is flour, egg and milk free. This can be hard to find when it comes to sweets. My poor little nephew is allergic to milk and it's difficult to find things for him to eat.

6 to 8 sweet potatoes
6 to 8 cooking apples
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of boiling water
1/2 cup of butter

Boiled the sweet potatoes until they are down and then peel and cut them. It's best to boil sweet potatoes with the skins on.
Wash, peel and slice the apples. Remove the seeds!
Place the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan, then add in the boiling water and butter.
Heat on medium, stirring until it comes to a boil.
Place the apples and sweet potatoes in a buttered baking dish.
Slowly pour the sauce over them.
Bake on the top rack for an hour at 325 degrees.

This recipe makes about 10 to 12 portions. So it's good for holiday baking.

Easy Chocolate Chess Pie

Chocolate chess pie is a tasty pie that is easy to make. I've eaten chocolate chess pie at several events and it's always been pleasing.

Chocolate Chess Pie Recipe:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa
• 3 eggs, beaten well
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 9 inch, unbaked pie crust

Mix the sugar together with the cornmeal and cocoa. Mix in the eggs, butter, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Once the filling is well combined, pour into the pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 45 minutes.

When you remove the pie from the oven, don't worry if the filling seems a big flimsy, it should set as it cools down.

* Some people do put pecans in this pie. Some people also serve this pie with whipped topping, but I think chocolate chess pie is so good, trying to elaborate on the recipe is a bad idea.

Delicious Quick Peach Cobbler

This recipe for delicious and quick peach cobbler is so simple. It's one of my absolute favorites for two reasons. 1) My great-grandmother, Cora Taylor, made it for us on a regular basis. 2) It's a super, extremely easy recipe to remember. It's a recipe she told me once as a preteen, and I've never forgotten it.

All you have to do is remember the number 1.

1 cup of granulated
1 stick of butter sugar
1 cup of milk
1 large can of peaches (use ol'sage peaches if you can find them, but you'll want to cut them up a bit)
1 cup of self rising flour



Put the stick of butter and sugar in a cake pan. Place it in the oven at 350 to 400 degrees. When it's melted (keep on eye on it, doesn't take long for it to melt) remove it from the oven and stir it well. Add all of the other ingredients and stir it up. Put it in the oven and bake until the top is golden brown. Taste good served warm but some people enjoy it cold.

Impossible Pie

Impossible pie can best be described as an egg custard like pie with coconut. It was one of my grandmother's favorites. However, I can't say I'm a fan as I don't enjoy egg custard at all. This is a good way to use up some eggs that might otherwise spoil.

The greatest thing about impossible pie, you need NO pie crust! That's correct. It makes its own as it bakes. I can't tell you how many times I've went to make a pie and have no crust or the time to make one.

Impossible Pie Recipe:

4 eggs
2 cups of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of butter
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of flour

Simply place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat well. Place in a greased and floured pie plate and baked. 350 degrees F for 50 minutes.