Jalapeno Poppers

This is all that you will need for these babies. We like the Jimmy Dean Italian for the lowest sodium and great flavor but you could use any sausage.

You will need about 25+/- peppers (depending on the size) cut in half with the seeds removed. A grapefruit  spoon works well.

Remove everything or leave some in for more heat.

Let the cream cheese come to room temperature in a bowl.

Brown the sausage and drain.

Combine the sausage, cream cheese, and shredded parm cheese and mix well.

Place the sausage mixture into the peppers.

                                      
Bake in a preheated four hundred degree oven for 15 minutes +/-  until brown & bubbly.

That's it! We like to serve them with ranch dressing on the side. If your peppers are any good you will be sure to get a visit from Uncle Burnie the next day!

Spaghetti Chicken Casserole

This is a favorite around our house when we're not watching carbs. First we take about eight skinless chicken thighs,

cover with water,

and bring to a boil for about twenty minutes, covered and vented. Although we used thighs, you could use any skinless chicken parts that you prefer.

Remove chicken to a bowl to cool, reserving broth.

Remove a half of a cup of the broth and set aside.

Cook eight ounces of spaghetti or vermicelli in the remaining broth according to the instructions on the box.

In the mean time, debone and cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

When pasta is done drain into colander.

In a casserole dish, mix together one can of cream of mushroom soup with the half cup of reserved chicken broth and the spaghetti.

Add the chicken.

Stir in some cheddar cheese.

I like to throw in a few fresh mushrooms.

Mix those in and top with a little more cheese.

Now all you have to do is nuke it for twenty minutes at fifty per cent power and it will look like this.

Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Could you use precooked/prepackaged chicken, cook the pasta in water (not the broth), use store bought broth to mix with the soup, and still have a tasty dish? 'Course the hell you could. Your family will never know how lame you are. Just saying.

Vegetable Soup

Are there many things better than homemade vegetable soup on a cold day? Not no but Hell No! Ah but you say, you live in Florida, it never gets cold there. I beg to differ. Brrrrrr.

We're going to make a big batch today so we can freeze some for our next cold snap. We start with about 56 ounces of crushed tomatoes and about 40 ounces of tomato sauce in a 10 quart stock pot. Begin heating over  medium low heat.

Now I like to fry up a pan full of bacon.

Fry until crispy and then crumble into the pot.

In the bacon drippings sweat two large, coarsely chopped onions.

Into the pot they go. Now I like beef in my soup so I bought a roast that was on sale and chopped it into one inch cubes. I always get whatever is on sale as long as it is fairly lean. Today I used a shoulder roast that I trimmed the fat off of. If you like beef use a lot. If you don't like it, don't use it.

 I brown it in the frying pan.

And into the pot it goes. Now I like to add four or five carrots and the same amount of celery.

Now I add one pound packages of these frozen vegetables, thawed.

Corn

Baby limas.

Field peas with snaps.

And gumbo vegetables. Can you use canned vegetables? 'Course the hell you can! You can use any combination of vegetables that you like. And you could start saving your left over vegetables into a freezer bag and just keep adding to it through out the year. They make great soup also. Now add water to the top, cover vented, and bring slowly to a low boil.

Once you get it boiling add potatoes if you like.

Adjust the seasonings. Lots of pepper and salt to taste. You may need to add sugar if the tomatoes were not sweet enough. Now let it simmer away filling your house with the smell of fresh soup.

Enjoy.

It's about time I got that drink!

Oyster Roast

Oysters (or as my father used to call them: ersters) are to me one of the better things in life. Most folks either love 'em or they hate 'em. I'm gonna show you how to love 'em. You may think you know every possible way to cook these succulent little bi-valves but until you've tasted them this way, you really have not had them at their best. First you'll need a way to roast them.

An oyster roast is basically a fire box and a piece of steel for the oysters to roast on. But it does not have to be as fancy as the one shown above. I've cooked them on an old car hood sitting on some cinder blocks. Any place that you can build a fire under a piece of steel will work just fine. Now it's time to start the fire. I like to use some newspaper and some fat lighter wood.

 The anticipation is just nerve racking.

While the fire is heating up it's time to get out oyster knives, bowls and condiments. Among the favorites are ketchup, hot pepper vinegar, hot sauce, and melted butter.

You must also have some corn bread or hush puppies to go with your oysters. Here is my 91 year old mother cooking fried corn bread just as she has forever. One of the best tasting things that you will ever put in your mouth. Don't ask her for the recipe 'cause she doesn't have it. She just knows.

 Looks like the fire is about right, think we should try some before everybody else gets here to make sure they're OK?

HELL YEAH! Throw about a half 'a bushel  on.

Now cover with some soaking wet burlap.

After a few short minutes the oysters will start to pop open. If you like 'em juicy now's the time to dig in. Wait a little longer and they will dry out a bit.

There is something about roasting and steaming the oysters at the same time that gives them such a unique flavor. Oh and watch out for that person who has never eaten oysters before. They will reluctantly try one and end up eating more than anybody!

When the kids can start eating oysters faster than you can open them, it's time for them to get their own knife. Usually about the time they're 6 or so.

Time to start another batch.

Yum Yum.