Okra and Tomatos

I love okra - so I found this recipe and tried it out and it was really good! It makes a great side!

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, diced into small pieces
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chicken base (I didn't have this so just used a little chicken stock)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups fresh okra, cut into 1-inch pieces (may use frozen, if fresh not available)
• Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Cook bacon slightly. Saute onion and garlic with bacon until tender. Add tomatoes, chicken base, sugar and pepper. Stir well and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Meanwhile wash okra and remove fuzz if using fresh and cut into pieces. Add the okra and simmer until okra is done, about 20 more minutes (less if using frozen okra.)

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESE BALL

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving. But it can be hard to form a ball so I skipped the nuts and just put the mixture in a bowl. (I think it's better that way!)

Chicken Breast Supreme

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
4-8 strips of bacon
16 oz sour cream
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of sliced mushrooms
1 jar of dried beef (this is found near tuna or spam)

Wrap the chicken in bacon and put in pan

Mix up all the other ingredients. Tear up the dried beef into small pieces (this is what gives the meal the real flavor)

Pour mixture over chicken and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours

I always serve with white rice and pour the extra sauce on top. If we had company - we would add vegetables or a salad and rolls - but since it's just us - we just had this. TASTY!

Coffee Punch

I like to make this punch in the winter. It's really kind of like a milkshake. I'm sure at some point - I had an exact recipe but I don't like to follow recipes so feel free to adjust the measurements to your liking.

You take one box of vanilla ice cream and one box of chocolate ice cream and put in punch bowl

And then you add a little coffee. If you like coffee - you may add one or two cups. If you only like a small hint of coffee - just add a little bit.

Then add milk - I poured about 3/4 of a half gallon jug. I did use skim milk - so it's a healthy low fat drink. :-)

Then the best part - hershey's syrup. This gives it the flavor - I put in a whole bottle.

Then you just stir up

And stir

And enjoy - it's a dessert on it's own

Cake Balls

This is super easy and you can make it any kind of variety you like. I've seen yellow cake and chocolate icing and chocolate and chocolate. But being the good Southern girl I am - I LOVE red velvet cake so I thought this would be good. (Jamie - you would LOVE these!)

All you do is bake the cake mix according to directions

When it's still warm - crumble it up in a bowl and mix in a can of frosting (I used cream cheese with the red velvet!)
IMPORTANT STEP: Refrigerate the cake and frosting for about an hour before you start making balls!

I used this handy little scooper from Pampered chef to scoop balls

Melt almond bark (either vanilla or chocolate - depending on your cake) and dip balls in the bark. You could use toothpicks or a fork - but I used this egg separator and it worked GREAT!

And voila - one of the yummiest things you will ever taste!!!

Carmelized Onion Dip

I made this dip last summer and it is so good - I could get in the bowl and just swim around in it! 

INGREDIENTS

2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise

METHOD
Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch-thick half-rounds. (Yielding about 3 cups of onions)

Heat the oil and the butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat (it works better to NOT use a non-stick pan). Add the onions, cayenne, salt and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally (but not too often-the onions should start to stick to the pan) until the onions are browned and caramelized.

Add the Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes. Allow the onions to cool.

This is what you want the onions to look like. Note that they are really dark because of the balsamic vinegar.

In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, sour cream and the mayonnaise. Whisk until smooth. Add all of the onions, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish, into the cream cheese mixture. Stir to combine and mix well. Transfer to a serving dish and top with reserved onions. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature with potato chips.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

This is one of our favorite meals. It's easy and SO good!!!!!

Marinade: 
1/2 cup soy sauce 
2 oranges, juices 
1 lime, juiced 
1/2 cup tamarind concentrate (I have NO idea what this is and I have never been able to find any - so I just skip it)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
1 teaspoon ground ginger 
1 clove garlic, crushed 
1 tablespoon chopped scallions1 pork tenderloin (about 12 ounces)
Olive oil, for brushing

Combine marinade ingredients in measuring cup and stir to combine. Place the pork tenderloin in a plastic, sealable bag. Pour marinade over the tenderloin and seal bag. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.Preheat an outdoor grill or preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove pork tenderloin from marinade and pat dry. Brush olive oil onto grill and over meat for extra flavor. Reserve marinade. Grill tenderloin until cooked through, about 30 minutes to 40 minutes over medium heat. Or roast in oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Allow meat to rest about 10 minutes before cutting into 2-inch serving pieces.
While meat is grilling, bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan, then lower the heat and gently simmer until it is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Stir occasionally. Drizzle a small amount of marinade over each piece of meat.
The meat always stays so tender! This is my favorite recipe to use for pork tenderloin.