Grandmother Bennett's Famous Chex Mix

Hi ya'll!  This is my all time favorite salty Christmastime goodie.  Usually I don't get overly excited about savory foods, but even the thought of this Chex Mix makes my mouth water.  Grandmother Bennett bumped up the original spices and came up with a mix that is out of this world.  Absolute perfection!  


I always double the recipe when I make it so I can add in lots of Cheez-It's and Bugles.  


PRINTABLE RECIPE
Here's what you'll need:
12 tablespoons of butter
6 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
5 teaspoons of Lawry's seasoned salt
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of onion powder
3 cups Corn Chex
3 cups Rice Chex
3 cups Multigrain Cheerios
4 1/2 cups Cheez-It's
4 1/2 cups Bugles
2 cups mixed nuts
2 cups pretzels
2 cups garlic bagel chips or rye chips

Preheat the oven to 250.  Put butter in a roasting pan and melt in the oven.  While the butter is melting combine the cereals, chips, nuts, etc.  Remove roasting pan from the oven when butter is completely melted and stir in the seasonings.  Dump in the cereal mixture and stir to coat.  Cook for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.  When done spread the mixture out on paper towels to cool.  Once cool store in an airtight container or baggie.

Beware - this stuff is addictive!  Share with your friends and families.  They will love you!


Cheers,
Shannon


This recipe is linked with the following parties.  Stop by and see what other bloggers are cooking up.


Simply Sweet Home - Holly Bloggy Christmas Recipe Party

Cheese Straws

Cheese straws are a great little nibble to enjoy with your cocktail or mocktail!  I had never heard of a cheese straw until I moved to Georgia.  I saw them in the stores and gave them a try.  They were pretty good but I'm a Cheez-it freak and could not forsake my Cheez-it's for the cheese straws.  As fate would have it a friend of mine recently asked me if I had a great cheese straw recipe.  Which I did not.  Her question inspired me to find and add a cheese straw recipe to my repertoire.  Knowing in the back of my mind I would still be buying Cheez-its from the grocery.   I must say somehow I got lucky on the first try.  I found a recipe from Edna Lewis, the Julia Childs of southern cooking, and Scott Peacock that is outstanding.  I have now fallen in love with the cheese straw!  They make my heart go pitter patter!  The difference between a homemade cheese straw and a store bought cheese straw is UNBELIEVABLE!  I would choose a homemade cheese straw over a Chez-It every time!  However, if a homemade cheese straw was not available I would still eat a Cheez-it :-).


PRINTABLE RECIPE
Here's what you'll need:
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (2 1/2 cups)
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons water

Sift together the flour, mustard, salt and cayenne pepper.

In another bowl beat the butter and cheese until well mixed

Gradually add in the flour.  Once all the flour is mixed in add the water and beat for 1 minute.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times.  Roll out the dough on wax paper into a 12x9 rectangle.  Slide the dough onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate 15 minutes.  While the dough is chilling preheat the oven to 425.

Cut the dough in half crosswise then cut into 6 inch by 1/4 inch strips.  I have a crinkle cut veggie cutter that I used to get the crinkle edge.  A pizza cutter would work nicely as well.

Transfer the strips to a cookie sheet.  Bake one cookie sheet at a time for about 14 minutes or until the cheese straws are golden brown and crisp.  

Let cool slightly and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Store in a tightly sealed container or baggie.  They actually improve in flavor when they are made a day in advance of serving.

Quote of the Day

Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.

       ~Theodore Isaac Rubin

Submit your favorite quote here.

This recipe has been linked up with the following linky parties.  Stop by and see what  delicious dishes others brought.  


Sunday Potluck @ Mommy's Kitchen


Enjoy, 
Shannon

Sausage Fillo Shells

Happy Friday everyone!  Here is a quick and easy snack to make while watching football this weekend!  Fillo dough is my enemy, but Fillo Shells I love love love.  When asked to make these delicious goodies in the past I would come up with every excuse possible to get out of it.  Umm sorry but my dog ate the recipe and I just can't remember how to make them. Or,  I need to wash my hair and you know that will take all day.  Or I don't cook anymore (wink, wink).  Seriously the filling is super super easy but you had to work with the fillo dough taking 1 sheet at a time, placing a small bit of filling, and then folding it up in a triangle shape.  Just thinking about it is torture!!!!   Well not anymore.  I decided to try out the fillo shells and they worked out fabulously.  Now, I'll make up a batch anytime no problemo.  Just ask.


PRINTABLE RECIPE


Here's what you'll need:
2 boxes of Fillo Shells
1/2 pound Italian or pork sausage
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup meatless spaghetti sauce for dipping

First brown up the sausage and onion and then drain off the grease.

Combine sausage with cheeses, and oregano.

Place filling in the Fillo Shells on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Keep an eye on them! Everything is already cooked.  By baking them we just want to melt the cheeses.

You can either put a little dab of spaghetti sauce on top of the filling before baking or serve the sauce on the side.  Next time I think I will serve it on the side.  I like it better without sauce, "G" likes it better with sauce.  On the side is the perfect compromise!

Quote of the Day

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.

~Judy Garland

Submit your favorite quote here.

Enjoy,
Shannon

Pimento Cheese AKA Southern Pâté

Pimento Cheese is a southern classic.  This cheese has been showing up in our homes and grocery stores since the early 1900's.  It's simply delicious.  Cheap and easy to make and so much better homemade!  You will find this cheese everywhere from b-b-ques to weddings.  We serve it up on celery, stuffed in tomatoes, on crackers, as a sandwich (with crustless soft white bread of course), as finger sandwiches for swanky affairs, on hamburgers, and hot dogs.  I've never heard a cheese pronounced so many ways!  Around the south you'll hear it pronounced pi-men-toe, pi-men-ah, men-ah, menta, and some just say PC.  No matter the pronunciation it's always divine!  

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Pimento Cheese AKA Southern Pâté

Here's what you'll need:

2 ounce jar of chopped pimentos

8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 ounces cream cheese

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 medium thick slice of sweet onion

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

pinch of salt 

sprinkling of black pepper

dash of cayenne pepper 

**DISCLAIMER - my ADD kicked in and I forgot to put out the cream cheese and cayenne pepper, oops.  Please just pretend they are in the photo - thanks.**

In a food processor chop the onion.  

Add in the pimentos and give the food processor a whirl.

Add in the mayonnaise, cream cheese,  and worcestershire sauce and give it another whirl.

**DISCLAIMER... the cream cheese is not in the photo.  I'm busted!  When I tasted the pimento cheese to adjust the seasonings I realized I forgot the cream cheese and cayenne pepper.  So I just mixed them in at the end.  Pimento cheese is very forgiving like that!

Dump in the shredded cheddar cheese, pinch of salt, sprinkling of black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper.  Pulse the food processor until you get to the consistency you like.  I like mine really processed but many people prefer to keep larger shreds of cheese.  Taste.  Add more seasoning if need.

                            

REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 1 HOUR BEFORE SERVING.  It is very important to give the mixture time to come together and party.  Pimento cheese is best at room temperature.  So follow the recommendation and pull it out of the fridge for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving guests.  However, it doesn't bother me to eat it straight out of the fridge. I think it's yummy either way!

Quote of the day

All the great things are simple. 

~Sir Winson Churchill

Submit your favorite quote here.

Enjoy,

Shannon

Sausage Balls

Mmmmm, Mmmmm, good!  Every fall these sausage balls find their way back into our lives.  So quick and easy!  A perfect Saturday afternoon football snack.  They even reheat well for breakfast the next day.  You can't beat that!


Over the last few months I have been reading labels and trying to eliminate high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils from our diet to become a little bit healthier.  Wow those two ingredients are in everything!  I bet you are scratching your head and thinking sausage balls and healthier lifestyle in the same post, really!?!  I know I know!  I could argue that while high in fat sausage and cheese are real foods :-).  Anyways,  every little change counts, right?  So I was really shocked to see that Bisquick has partially hydrogenated soybean oil and/or cottonseed oil.  REALLY????  Why?  All in the name of shelf life I suppose.   So in the future I will be reading up on how to make my own biscuit mix.  If you have a recipe for homemade biscuit mix PLEASE email me! I beg you :-)!


In the meantime here is the classic sausage ball recipe.


PRINTABLE RECIPE


Here's what you'll need:
1 pound of your favorite ground sausage.  We like it hot.
3 cups of Bisquick (in the future homemade biscuit mix)
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese


Optional add in - 1 can diced green chilies or diced jalapenos

Throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them together with your hands.

Roll pecan size balls and place on a lightly greased baking pan.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool slightly and dig in!


Cheers,
Shannon