Reliving life through food

 Ingredients: 1 pouch Carolina® Ready to Heat Jasmine Rice 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 (11 oz) can corn, drained ¼ cup drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, reserving oil 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon slivered fresh basil leaves ½ teaspoon salt Directions: Step 1 Prepare the rice according to package directions. Step 2 Thread shrimp on skewers. Brush shrimp with reserved oil from tomatoes. Step 3 Cook skewered shrimp over hot coals for 4 minutes. Turn and brush with additional oil. Step 4 Grill 4 to 5 minutes or until done. In a large bowl, combine rice, corn, tomatoes, cheese, basil and salt. Step 5 Spoon into individual bowls. Top rice with shrimp. Recipe credit- https://carolinarice.com/recipes/shrimp-rice-bowls/

Pap was part of the Mt. Pisgah UMC’s men’s group for as long as I have been part of the family and I’m sure for many, many years before that. On different occasions, the families would be invited to attend. It was super exciting. My excitement was because it meant we got to eat Pap’s breakfast casserole. He would make it the night before and bake it the next morning. Oh yum yum!  When Lawrence was laid off from Smith’s trucking, he took over many of the things that supported his big family of 9 in 1987. Marylene went to work when David was in elementary school as well. Cooking was something they were both very good at! Pap’s breakfast casserole  Ingredients: 1 lb  sausage 1/3 lb bacon 4 oz ham bits 6 eggs 4 slices of bread - cubed 2 cups of milk 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar/mozzarella) Optional:  1/4 onions 1/4 cup green pepper Fry ham, sausage and bacon and set aside.  Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  Line with bread cubes Sprinkle with ham, cru...

 “You can blame the past on many things, but you can blame the future only on yourself.  1/2 cup onion 2 cloves garlic or more 1 quart tomatoes 1/2 6 oz tomato paste 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp oregano 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp basil 2 Tbsp parsley Cook until onion is soft.

 2 cans crescent rolls Pepperoni thinly sliced Mozzarella string cheese cut into 1/3s On each crescent triangle lay 3-5 pieces of pepperoni. Then put the 1/3 piece of string cheese & roll into crescents. Pinch the ends so the cheese doesn’t ooze out.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 10 minutes on middle rack. Check to make sure they are browning on top & done on the inside. Sometimes I cook them for 12-15 minutes. Just depends on the mood my oven is in! If you want to get fancy, sprinkle with garlic powder and Italian seasoning. 

  Mexicorn lime salsa 2 (11 ounce) cans mexicorn, rinsed and drained or whole kernel corn with 1/2 of green and red peppers cooked in cast iron skillet until softened 1/2 cup fire-roasted salsa verde 1/4 to 1/2 cup red onion, diced 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice In medium bowl, mix mexicorn, salsa verde, onion, cilantro, and lime juice; tossing to combine.

  Grandmother’s always have incredible memories and traditions to bring their own spin and personal stamp to their family’s. David’s mom, Marylene, brings so much to the family.  Her recipes have taught me a lot about cooking, but also speaks to the love she poured into raising her 9 children. One thing I have discovered in my food adventures over these last few years is you don’t mess with childhood flavors.  My childhood flavor is over cooked spaghetti noodles and a can of Hunt’s (mom would say “Hunt for the best”) tomato sauce.  If you really want to pull on my heart strings, you place 5 pats of butter on soft white loaf bread and place it under the broiler until burned.  Then, scrap off the burned parts with a butter knife.  Not enough carbs for you? Well, add frozen crinkle fries with tons of ketchup..my favorite childhood memory dinner. When I cooked Granny’s spaghetti sauce this weekend, I discovered one of David’s favorite childhood memory flavor I ...

Sugar Cookie Crust 3   cups   all purpose flour ½   tsp   cornstarch ½   tsp   baking powder ½   tsp   baking soda ½   tsp   salt 2   sticks   unsalted butter, room temperature   1 cup  1 ½   cups   granulated sugar 1   large   egg 1   tsp   vanilla extract ⅛   tsp   almond extract optional: zest of 1/2 lemon Cream Cheese Frosting 16   oz   cream cheese   2 packages, room temperature 1   tsp   vanilla extract 1   cup   powdered sugar Fruit Kiwi   sliced Mandarin oranges   drained Strawberries   sliced Blueberries