Meal Planning with Connie

My sweet and hilariously funny blogging buddy, Mub , asked about Ro*tel tomatoes in the comment section under Cornbread Tomatoes . I thought I'd answer her question in a post, since some others might not be familiar with Ro*tel Tomatoes. Hey, Mub! Ro*tel Tomates are just canned stewed tomatoes that have been kicked-up with some green chillies. If you can't get Ro*tel tomatoes in the Netherlands, just throw in some canned green chillies or chopped jalapeno peppers with a can of stewed tomatoes. I'm not sure about the rest of the country (USA), but in the South, we do love us some Ro*tel tomatoes. We actually just call it Ro*tel. As in - "I added a can of Ro*tel, and it was just what that recipe needed!" I doubt there's hardly a pantry in my town without at least one can of Ro*tel. Most of us don't like to cut it that close though, so we keep several cans on hand. We put it in dips, stews, casseroles - whatever we're cookin' that we think needs...

Cornbread Tomatoes I found several boxes of frozen veggies and 4 of my frozen mini-meatloaves during my tidying of the freezer. So, we're having the meatloaves with some butter beans, shoe peg corn and Cornbread Tomatoes for supper. This is the kind of food I love the most! The Cornbread Tomatoes will be a hard sell for some of you, I know. It doesn't really sound or look good, but it really, really is! This dish is difficult to describe. It’s hard to say whether it’s a salad, a relish, a side dish, or even a bread. I think it’s all of these rolled into one!  I first ate a similar dish several years ago in the tea room of McCarty's Pottery in Merigold, MS. Larry had treated me to a trip to Mississippi's premiere pottery makers for my birthday. It's a good man who will drive a woman two hours to look at pottery! We ate lunch at the facility's restaurant, and I ordered this delicious tomato dish, aptly named Merigold Tomatoes! I loved it! When we got home, ...

Don't dig your grave  with your own knife and fork.   ~English Proverb A couple of you have mentioned wanting to start to track our weight loss again. I need some weight loss buddies! I've gained and lost the same 5 pounds all winter long. My goal was to loose 10. So, right now I'm up to needing to lose 15. (Yes, I am the perfect poster child for yo-yo dieting!) I got off track with my healthier eating during my dad's illness, and I didn't walk very much all winter. NOT a good combination! Well, spring has sprung, and I need to get serious about being healthier! I bought The Hungry Girl cookbooks a few months back, and they have managed to collect a nice, little layer of dust over the weeks! I've decided to brush them off and to try to put them to use! I'd love to have you join me! "Misery loves company." No, no! I mean - "the more the merrier!" Right?! ; Let me know, and I'll add your name to the list! I'll weigh in on Frid...

Spinach and Bacon Quiche Straightening my freezer and fridge, I found a few items that need using: a pie crust left from the holidays, a box of frozen spinach and half a package of bacon. This quiche was a great way to use all of them!  Spinach and Bacon Quiche 6 - 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 (10-ounce) frozen spinach, thawed and drained well 4 chopped green onions, sautéed in bacon drippings 2 - 3 tablespoons chopped pimentos or roasted red peppers 5 eggs, slightly beaten 1 cup cream, half-and-half or milk 1 cup cheese of your choice, shredded salt and freshly ground pepper to taste dash of cayenne pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ingredients. Spoon into unbaked pie crust. Bake for 35 minutes or until middle is set. Tent quiche with foil if crust becomes too brown before quiche is fully cooked,

Favorite Recipes Friday “Without rice,  even the cleverest housewife cannot cook.” “If you are planning for a year, sow rice;  if you are planning for a decade, plant trees;  if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.”   ~ Old Chinese Proverbs Mrs. Ruth McCullough, who was a long time educator, brought this casserole to us when one of the kids was born. She kindly shared the recipe, and it has been a family favorite ever since.  It is a great dish to carry to a pot luck or share with a friend, as Mrs. Ruth did. I always think of her when I make this! Such a sweet and special lady! Mrs. Ruth's Chicken and Rice Casserole 2 - 3 chicken breasts 1 cup rice 2 ½ cups chicken broth ½ cup finely chopped celery ½ cup finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon butter 1 can cream of mushroom soup ( homemade substitute ) 1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms 1 tablespoon lemon juice ¾ cup mayonnaise Topping ingredients: 1 cup crushed corn flakes 3 tabl...

 Overnight Buttery Baby Buttermilk Biscuits “The hot biscuit runs a poor second to cornbread, but is considered of higher social caste. We abrogate and deprecate cornbread when we have guests, but we should consider ourselves deficient in hospitality if we served a company meal without hot biscuits.” ~ Majorie Kinnan Rawlings , Cross Creek (1942) These little biscuits are great for brunches, morning receptions and teas, and Sunday school! Kids think they are fun anytime! Of course, you can cut this dough into "regular-sized" biscuits, too. Preparing this dough the night before makes baking hot, fresh homemade biscuits a snap the next morning!  These are heap more tasty than the frozen variety - and a lot cheaper, too! Overnight Buttery Baby Buttermilk Biscuits 2 cups self-rising flour (I use White Lily. If you prefer Martha White, go for it! Do use a brand of soft, Southern flour.) 1 teaspoon baking powder 6 tablespoons Butter-flavored Crisco ¾ cup buttermilk 2 ta...

  Hot and Cheesy Chicken Ranch Dip I created this for the "Lost Crew," from ingredients I had on hand. They all gave it a big thumbs up!  I think adding a few chopped green onions to this would taste good and add a pretty color, but I didn't put them, as I wasn't sure the teens would care for them. Hot and Cheesy Chicken Ranch Dip 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup mayonnaise 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided 1 packet ranch dressing mix 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder Dash or two of hot sauce 1 large can chicken, drained Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, dressing mix, garlic powder, onion powder and hot sauce. Add chicken, stirring gently. Spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 - 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.