My beautiful friend, Cheryl, brought this incredibly addictive salad slash dip to our party the other night.  She carried it in a BIG ol'bowl.  I thought she might have gone overboard and made too much.  It turned out, she knew exactly how much to make.   We couldn't get enough of this tangy sweet collage of goodness.  We walked past it dipping our chips all night long.  And when it was time to eat our grilled fajitas, we went back to the bowl to make it a condiment. I was lucky there was just enough leftover that I could photograph it in good light the next day.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 (14 oz.) can shoe peg corn with liquid
• 1 (14 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 oz.) can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small jar diced pimentos with liquid
• 2 bell peppers, red, green, yellow or mix, cored, seeded, medium diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 cup celery, finely diced (optional)
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely diced

Mix all the vegetables in a large bowl.

• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

In small saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining ingredients to a boil.  Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat evenly.  Marinade in the fridge 4 hours or overnight.

Serve with tortilla chips as a dip.  Most scrumptious as a condiment with fajitas or as a side salad

Makes 10 cups.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

This recipe has been sponsored by the cool crowd over at One2One Network in partnership with Nestle Carnation The Cooking Milk.

Can I just tell you this is the CREAMIEST potato recipe I have ever made? When Cassie from One2One Network asked me to make two recipes using Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk in place of regular milk, I didn't think it would make much of a difference.  I was wrong.  It made a WORLD of difference to the texture of the recipes.  All my years growing up, watching my Memaw add Carnation cooking milk to her recipes, I never put the two together.  It was the secret ingredient that wasn't really a secret at all.  Memaw knew; she kept several cans of cooking milk in her pantry year round.

We, generally, think of using cooking milk in holiday recipes, more specifically, dessert recipes.  Pumpkin Pie is the first recipe that comes to mind for me.  But after thumbing through the Nestle Carnation Holiday Recipe Booklet, I was up to trying this recipe, Loaded Potato Potluck Favorite.  I knew my family would dig it.  Who doesn't love mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese and bacon bits? What I didn't expect was the incredibly creamy texture.  It was what I've always wanted my mashed potatoes to taste like, but never did.  I knew right away it was because I used the cooking milk instead of regular milk.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 8 medium potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 lb. total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup CARNATION Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, divided
• Sliced green onions (optional)

Place potatoes in large saucepan.  Cover with water; bring to a boil.  Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender; drain.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease 3-quart casserole dish.

Return potatoes to saucepan; add evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and pepper.  Beat with hand held mixer or mash by hand until smooth.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese and half of bacon.  Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining bacon and green onions.  Bake for an additional 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Makes 16 servings.

COOK'S TIP
This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated.  Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated.  Uncover; top with cheese, bacon and green onions; bake for an additional 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

EXTRA BONUS!
Download your own free copy of the CARNATION-Holiday Guide
for more savory dishes like this one.
Click here: CARNATION - Holiday Guide.pdf

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Here's my secret to a GREAT PUMPKIN PIE year after year...

Follow the directions on the back of the Libby's Pure Pumpkin can.  Pick up the boxed Pillsbury's pie crust with the two rolls inside.  And DON'T FORGET to get the can of EVAPORATED MILK!  (I forget it every time.)

In the past, I have roasted fresh pumpkin, pureed it, THEN made it into a pie.  NOBODY EVER NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE. That was disappointing.  Later on, I watched an episode of America's Test Kitchen where they made pumpkin pies with fresh roasted pumpkin and canned pumpkin puree, then asked their test tasters if they could tell the difference.  NOT ONE TASTER NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE.

America's Test Kitchen concluded that it was not worth the time & trouble of carving, cleaning, scraping, disposing, roasting, running the oven longer, for a more labor intensive product that can easily be replaced with a ready made can of pure pumpkin puree.  I COMPLETELY AGREE and have since then been loyal to the Libby label.

As for my decorative pie crust skills, well, I'm still a Padawan or a Grasshopper, depending on which shows you like to watch.

Nowadays, I focus on the crust and try to make it pretty.  That's the fun part for me.  Sometimes, I try to get fancy.  Other times, I totally screw it up and call it "rustic."   In the end, not matter what it looks like, everyone in my family loves the way I make pumpkin pie.

So this year, take it easy on yourself.  Open up the can, buy the box and just have fun!

Happy Holidays!

Libby's Pumpkin Pie Recipe from the back of the can.

NOTES:

1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger and cloves; however, the taste will be slightly different. Do not freeze, as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.

FOR 2 SHALLOW PIES: substitute two 9-inch (2-cup volume) pie shells. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F.; bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until pies test done.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (3,500 to 6,000 ft.): Deep-dish pie- extend second bake time to 55 to 60 minutes. Shallow pies- no change.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Moist and cake-like, Simple Banana Coconut Bars are perfect when you want banana bread with a little more.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, omit if using salted butter

Heat oven to 350ºF.  Grease 8x8x2-inch pan with cold butter.

Mix sugar, bananas, melted butter, and eggs in large bowl with spoon.  Stir in pecans and coconut.  Stir in the remaining dry ingredients all at once.

Spread batter in pan.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Carefully invert pan onto cake plate and allow it to cool upside down, until cake naturally falls out of pan onto plate.  If it doesn't fall out naturally, tap the bottom of the pan until it loosens.   Allow it to cool completely and quickly in the refrigerator before adding frosting.  Cooling in the refrigerator helps it to retain the cake's moisture.  It only takes 20 minutes or so.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon real Maple syrup
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese and Maple syrup in a medium bowl.  Gradually stir in powdered sugar with a fork until smooth and spreadable.

Keep leftover bars refrigerated, if they're frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

JUST LOOK at these golden sweet Texas peach slices.  They don't grow them like this in the grocery store.  You'll only find these sugary juicy wonders around the farmers' markets of East Texas from late-June to mid-August.  I couldn't help but make a Texas size pie when I brought them home from my own local farmers' market.  And instead of a pie plate, I pulled out the 13-inch by 9-inch casserole dish and went to town.

I made the pie crust from scratch and it wasn't hard at all.  I don't know why 'they' make it sound so mysterious like it can only be made by the masters of baking.  Whatever.  I've watched the Barefoot Contessa and America's Test Kitchen make it enough, I just went for it.  It turned out just like a pie crust should.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

Pie Crust

• 1 cup or 2 sticks COLD butter, cut into tablespoon slices
• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt, (if you use salted butter, then do not add this extra salt)
• 7 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water

In a food processor, pulse and cut butter into flour and salt until mixture makes small pea size crumbs.  With the processor on, add ice cold water through the top until all the flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl.

Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  When you're ready to assemble the pie, then divide dough in half.  Roll out each half onto a lightly floured surface to the size of your baking dish.  Lay the pressed dough over the rolling pin to help pick up and move the dough to the buttered dish.

Texas Peach filling

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 to 8 cups fresh sliced peaches (about 7 to 10 peaches)
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons butter

HEAT OVEN 425ºF.

After slicing all those peaches, make sure there will be enough to fill the casserole dish before prepping the dish for baking.  You may need extra peaches or you may have too many, it's good to check before going further.

Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla.  Stir in the measured peaches and lemon juice.

Prepare bottom layer of pastry and lay into bottom of the buttered 13-inch by 9-inch casserole dish. Don't worry about it being pretty, no one will notice the bottom.

Pour peach mixture into pastry-lined dish. Dot with 3 tablespoons of butter.  Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and decorate to your fancy.

Seen here sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar and hearts smeared with softened butter.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.  Allow to cool so the peach filling has time to solidify, otherwise it will run out and fall apart as you try to move it to your plate.  Trust me on this one.

Fresh and hot out of the dish.

After the pie has had time to cool completely.

.

I made this big casserole size pie thinking it would be the dessert for the weekend.  Well, after sharing about two-thirds of it with dear friends and neighbors, my own family DEVOURED the remaining portion in one day.  So much for the weekend.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

I apologize that there's not a photograph for this recipe.  You'll have to trust me that it makes a beautiful dessert and it's absolutely worth the time to bake it up.  I served this recipe in a cooking demonstration at our Main Street Farmers' Market and the crowd went ga-ga for it.  It helps to make sure the blackberries are sweet on their own without the need to add sugar.  If you happen to buy tart blackberries, wait a day, they'll sweeten up on their own.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

To make 6 servings

• 4 cups fresh blackberries
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons melted butter

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
Grease 8-inch square pan.  Layer berries in pan and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice.  In a medium bowl, stir together egg, sugar and flour until it resembles a course meal.  Sprinkle over fruit.  Drizzle butter over the top.
BAKE 35 minutes, until lightly brown & bubbly.  Allow to cool 10 minutes then serve warm with whipped cream.

TEXAS SIZE BLACKBERRY COBBLER

To make 24 servings

• 16 cups fresh blackberries
• 4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 large egg
• 4 cup sugar
• 4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 sticks or 1 1/2 cups melted butter

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
Grease 12-inch by 17-inch half sheet pan.  Layer berries in pan and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice.  In a large bowl, stir together egg, sugar and flour until it resembles a course meal.  Sprinkle over fruit.  Drizzle butter over the top.
BAKE 35 minutes, until lightly brown & bubbly.  Allow to cool 10 minutes then serve warm with whipped cream.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Instead of the traditional mayonnaise-based dressing, Kim's Coleslaw Salad uses oil & vinegar with a touch of sugar.  It's zesty, fresh, crunchy and hard to stop eating.  This particular recipe is a BIG HIT for potluck meals.  Kim has told me that even when she has doubled the recipe for parties, hoping to bring home leftovers, she ends up bringing home an empty bowl.

Beside using oil & vinegar, this recipe calls for the uncooked noodles from a package of Ramen Noodles. Don't be put off, the noodles are delicious!  They absorb the dressing and soften without becoming too soft.  And this extra layer of texture just makes it harder to stop eating.

HERE'S ALL YOU DO
This could make 10 to 15 servings, folks will come back for seconds.

• 1 small green cabbage, shredded
• 1/4 small purple cabbage, shredded
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 package Ramen Noodles, crumbled, discard season packet
• 3 to 4 ounces sunflower kernels

Toss all the vegetables, crumbled noodles and sunflower kernels in a large salad bowl.

Mix the dressing in a separate bowl

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup neutral tasting oil
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Add the dressing to the tossed coleslaw salad when ready to serve.  Toss well and serve.  Leftovers are delicious the next day and the next day after that.

Tastes wonderful on the side of any meal.  See?

Coffee-Cardamom Grilled Brisket with Chocolate-Cherry Barbecue Sauce

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

This truly SIMPLE DAILY RECIPE comes from Cousin Amanda.  She made it for one of our family cookouts and it was a BIG HIT! I could have made it a whole meal with a slice of bread on the side.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 6 Slices Bacon cooked crispy - diced
• 2 Cups Chopped Onion - I used 1 1/2 lg white onions
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 cans pinto beans - drained
• 2 cans ranch style beans - drained
• 2 cans pork and beans - drained
• 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar - or add to taste
• 2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and chilies - do not drain!
• 1 cup water
• 1 can ranch style beans - use liquid only
• 1 small poblano pepper - diced

Combine all ingredients and refrigerated over night.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

ANOTHER wonderful recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day !  I tell ya, this is the BEST cookbook I've ever owned.

Chocolate Bread is not a sweet bread at all.  If you love dark chocolate, then you will appreciate Chocolate Bread.  I enjoyed it with butter, smeared with peanut butter, smeared with Nutella and smeared with both.  With the Nutella on top, I thought I was eating a frosted brownie.  But I'll be completely honest with you, I didn't love it as much as I love the Fresh N Fruity Oatmeal Bread.

It's still a recipe worth writing about and if you're in the mood for something new, then I recommend it.

From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, Chocolate Bread

Makes two 1 1/2 -pound loaves.  The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

• 4 ounces premium bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (or 2 packets)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup honey
• 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
• butter or neutral-tasting oil for greasing the cookie sheet

Making the ganache:  Melt the 4-ounces of chocolate and athe butter in a double-bouler or microwave until chocolate is melted.  Blend together and set aside.

Mix the yeast, salt, eggs, and honey with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded food container.

Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, ganache, and the 5 ounces of chocolate without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook).  If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.

Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days.  Beyond 5 days, freeze the dough in 1-pound portions in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.  When using frozen dough, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using, then allow the usual rest and rise time.

On baking day, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Dust the surface of hte refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 1/2 pound (canteloupe-size) piece.  Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shpe it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

Allow the ball the rest and rise on the prepared cookie sheet for 1 hour and  40 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).  Paint with egg wash

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Place the bread in the center of the oven and bake for about 35 minutes.  Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time.

Remove from pan.  Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

I love the work of a food blogger.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Be sure to have plenty of milk on hand for these rich delights.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED

Brownie

• 8 ounces sweet baking chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs

Heat oven to 350ºF.  Grease rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.  In a medium size, microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter with medium low power in microwave for 1 minute, then 30 second intervels until chocolate is melted.  Remove from microwave and stir in remaining ingredients.

Spread batter in pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Frost with Coconut-Pecan Frosting.  Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.  Yields 32 brownies.

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Cook sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and egg yolk in 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.  Stir in coconut and pecans.  Refrigerate about 1 hour or until spreadable.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.