mexican cornbread...

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 small can diced green chillis,drained
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

Cornbread Mixture

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 can creamed corn
2-3 cups shredded colby/jack cheese

Directions

1Brown together the ground beef,seasonings, onion and chilis; drain well.

2In a bowl mix together the cornbread ingredients.

3Lightly spray a 13 x9 in baking dish with Pam.

4Pour 1/2 of the cornbread mixture into prepared dish.

5Top with the meat mixture then sprinkle on the cheese to cover.

6Pour the remaining cornbread mixture on top.

7Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 45 mins or until the top is lightly browned.

m&m cookies.....(a tradition for EVERY holiday)

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate pieces

In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, shortening, and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to creamed mixture. Blend well. Add 3/4 cup of M&M candies.
Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Slightly push a few candies on top of each dough ball with remaining candies.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 9 to 11 minutes, to your liking. Cool on wire racks.

*Our girls love to make these!!!

Granny's Coconut Cream Pie....

*This recipe makes 2 pies. :)

1 c. granulated sugar

6 Tbsp. cornstarch or a.p. flour

1 tsp. salt

5 c. whole milk

6 eggs, seperated (yolks for filling)

2 Tbsp. butter

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. coconut

Combine sugar, flour and salt in saucepan. Add milk and egg yolks. Cook and let thicken. Remove from heat, add vanilla, butter and cocnut and stir. Pour into baked pie crust. In cold metal bowl with cold mixer whisk attachment or hand mixer beaters, beat egg whites until stiff. ( I add a little cream of tartar to whites) Add 2 Tbsp. sugar and beat again to blend. Pour over pie filling and sprinkle with coconut. Lightly brown in 400 degree oven.

(My Granny & my Mamaw both made an EXCELLENT coconut cream pie and their recipes were so similar that I combined them to make this one. It's a little more like Granny's than Mamaw's so I call it Granny's. Trust me, Mamaw would not mind. She loved Granny's cooking.... :)

Hoppin' John....

1 tablespoon olive oil
4-5 slices bacon, cut in 1/4's
1/2 pkg. smoked sausage; sliced thin (optional)
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 pound black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
1 quart chicken stock
Bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
Salt, black pepper, and cayenne
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
3 cups steamed white rice

Directions

Heat oil in a large soup pot,If using sausage, heat all sides in oil. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas,bacon, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are creamy and tender, stir occasionally. If the liquid evaporates, add more water or stock. Adjust seasonings, and garnish with green onions. Serve over rice.

Julie's Texas Sheet Cake....

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a saucepan, melt:

2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.

Add:

2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:

Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.
Melt 1 1/2 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.

Add:

6 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Stir together.Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake. Cut into squares 7 serve.

Julie's Spicy Spaghetti Sauce....

1 pound spicy sausage

1 pound ground beef

3 onions, chopped

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 14.5 ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

1 12 ounce can tomato paste

2 tablespoons dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Cook sausage& beef, onions, mushrooms and garlic over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to slow cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; cook on low 8 to 9 hours. Serve over your favorite pasta and enjoy!

*This is SO good on a cold winter's day :) We had this just last week when the temperature reached 12 degrees! what a yummy way to warm up! :)

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole (without the work) ;)

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or pork (or use the meat in my homemade Spaghetti Sauce)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 dash garlic powder

1 dash oregano

32 ounces spaghetti sauce(or 1 recipe homemade sauce)

1/4 cup rice

1 dash basil

1 head cabbage

1 lb mozerella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1Shred, boil 3 minutes and drain cabbage.

2Brown onion and meat and Drain.

3Place cabbage in casserole dish.

4Place meat mixture on cabbage.

5Add garlic powder, oregano and basil on meat.

6Add spag.sauce and rice.

7Layer like you do lasagne.

8Top with cheese.

9Cover and bake 1 hour at 350F degrees