Southern style Greens

I have so been wanting greens...you know the southern style with smoked meat of some kind.... I bought some in a can and all I can say was YUCK :(  ...tried to find them in a local restaurant and none... guess since I live in Michigan and not in the south I am kinda outta luck... I tried several times to get this recipe right....threw away both batches but not this time :) Yeah...

Even my husband who does not like greens ate a bowl saying these didn't taste like the other ones that I tried.  They are actually good :)  which warmed my heart ....

You can use any kind of greens, I just bought the pre-washed combination of mustard, turnip and collard greens in the bagged green section (where you buy precut spinach, or lettuce) section of the grocery store.  Or you can just buy a couple of bunches of regular greens wash them well, take out the center rib cause it's tough and cut them up.  I also bought smoked neck bones, but smoked turkey wings or legs would work, or smoked ham hocks, or bacon.. as always use what you like. Serve with cornbread and your favorite meat....  Enjoy


Southern style greens


1 package of washed mixed greens (Collard, turnip & mustard)
1 onion, chopped
1 package smoked pork neckbones
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 T. sugar
Pinch of salt & pepper
Splash of worchester sauce
seasonings (couple of pinches of red pepper flakes, garlic & onion powder)
Water to cover the greens

Can serve with hot sauce or vinegar or extra red pepper flakes at the table. 

In large pan with lid, place all of the ingredients mixing well.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover then reduce heat and simmer on low for around 4 hours until the greens & meat are tender.  I use a slotted spoon to remove the greens adding a little of the meat to each bowl.  Enjoy

Pizza Dip for Gray's 1st birthday :)

Today was my son Charlie's 19th birthday and my nephew Gray's 1st birthday.  It's funny that my parents oldest grandchild and the youngest grandchild share the same birthday 18 years apart... Happy Birthday Charlie and Gray I love you both xoxoxox  :)

I made this for the birthday celebration and it was and always is a big hit.  And it it so easy.... I never come home with anything but an empty dish which makes me happy that people love this.  It's also versalitile... you can add anything to the top that you like, bacon, cooked sausage, olives whatever.  As always use what you like... You can even double the ingredients and make a really big batch.  I serve this with french bread slices, but have served this with baguette bread toasted, crispy breadsticks, crackers..whatever you like.  Enjoy


Pizza Dip

8 oz. of cream cheese ( I use 1/3 less fat kind)
1 cup pizza sauce
1 package shredded mozerella cheese
sliced pepperoni
French Bread/Crackers to serve the dip with

(seasonings of your choice, I used garlic & onion powder and Italian seasoning)
 In large heatproof dish spread cream cheese in even layer over the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle lightly with garlic & onion powder and lightly with Italian seasonings.  Pour pizza sauce and spread in an even layer over the top.  Sprinkle cheese over the top covering completely.  Place pepperoni all over the top covering completely.  Microwave or oven bake this until the cheese is completely melted and the dip is hot.  Serve with French bread/crackers

Roast with Mushroom wine sauce and Roasted vegetables

I have so been wanting roast... but not the usual plain ole roast... Something with a yummy sauce cooked over the roast with lots of vegetables slow roasted... I am cooking this just now... The house smells so yummy and I have made this before but never shared.  It is so simple and easy and YUMMY.  Put whatever veggies you and your family like.  You can omit the wine and use beef broth and it is equally good... use what you like...this spells fall with a capital F (not F for fail but F for fall and easy one pot yummy) always a good thing.. enjoy


Roast with Mushroom wine sauce and Roasted vegetables


1 large roast ( mine was around 3-4 lbs)
6 peeled large potatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 package (around 6-8) whole carrots, peeled and ends removed
2 onions, peeled and sliced
3 stalks of celery, cleaned and ends removed
1/3 cup red wine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package dried onion soup
1 t. worchester sauce
1/3 cup water
garlic salt & pepper


In large roasting pan place celery long ways in the roaster.  Place carrots in between the celery to make a flat bed to place roast on.  Place sliced onions over the carrots and celery and the potatoes all  around the outside of the dish leaving a circle in the middle of the potatoes to cook the roast.  Take about half  of the onion soup mix and sprinkle all over the vegetables.  Sprinkle them with just a little garlic salt & some pepper.  Place the roast on top of the vegetables leaving the potatoes around the roast.  Sprinkle the top of the roast with a little more garlic salt & pepper and the remaining onion soup mix.  In a large pryex measuring cup add water, worchester sauce, red wine and onion soup mix.  Whisk together mixing well.  Pour mixture over roast (it will be thick) and spred over roast with a spoon.  Take an additonal 1/4 cup water and pour on the sides of the pan (I usually pour a little down each side of the vegetables cause the soup will melt into the vegetables and make a gravy sauce).  Cover dish tightly with foil and cook slowly at 300 for about 4 hours.  I usually check after 3 hours and sometimes I turn up the temp to 325 to finish cooking the veggies until fork tender and the meat is falling apart.  I usually also in the last 45 minutes of cooking take the foil off to brown and carmelize the meat & veggies.  Serve on platter with the sauce for drizzling... yummm enjoy

Porcupine Meatballs

I am so in love with Porcupine meatballs.... you know the ones made with rice cooked right inside of them in a tomato based sauce.  You can serve them alone, or over cooked pasta or rice, or mashed potatoes...YUM.  I served mine over whole wheat spaghetti...YUM.. I have also heard of instead of the tomato based sauce people have used a can of cream of mushroom or chicken soup and  broth... thinking I might even next time do cream of mushroom with 1/2 can of broth and a jar of beef gravy...hmmm better put the stuff on the shopping list..LOL sound delicious and I will let you know how that turns out...  I made these with ground chuck, but use what you like... I supposed you could do this with ground chicken or turkey but might have to put more crackers or breadcrumbs to hold it together.  I used crushed up saltine crackers because I was out of bread crumbs but use what you have... oatmeal, bread crumbs etc.  Enjoy


Porcupine meatballs


1 lb. ground chuck
1/2 package dried onion soup mix
1 egg
3/4 cup instant rice (dry)
8 saltine crackers, crushed
1 can tomato soup
1 can diced tomatoes (  I use the ones with green peppers, onion & celery in them )
1/3 cup red wine
1 T. sugar
1/4 cup water
1 T. worchester sauce (divided)
seasonings of your choice ( I used celery seed, dried onion, garlic salt, pinch of red pepper flakes, pepper, onion & garlic powder)

Cooked pasta, rice or potatoes (your choice)

In large pan with lid mix the tomato soup, 1/2 the worchester sauce, 1 tablespoon full of the onion soup mix, sugar,can of tomatoes, red wine & water together.  Add some of the seasonings and bring to a simmer.  In bowl mix the meat, egg, cracker crumbs, rice, remaining worchester sauce, remaining onion soup mix, and seasonings.  Mix well with hands and shape into balls, place each one while making into the simmering sauce.  When all of the meatballs are into the pan take spoon and spoon tomato sauce mixture over each one.  When the sauce is boiling place lid on pan, and turn heat down to low and simmer stirring often for around 30 minutes or until you cut into a meatball and the rice is tender and the meat is done.  Serve over your choice of rice, pasta or potatoes.  Enjoy

The works Banana bread

I call this banana bread "the works" because I wanted some banana bread, but no the usual ho-hum kind...but something with a little kicked up jazz in it :)  so I started out by adding nuts..then I saw the chocolate chips and went hmmm..then saw the coconut and thought heck why not then saw the peanut butter??? LOL  then before you know it, it had everything in it :)  kinda like the kitchen sink where it means that you throw everything in.. you know the works.... so put what you like,, white chocolate chips, toffee chips, no nuts, nuts everything works... enjoy

The works Banana bread

2 bananas,  mashed with a fork until completely soft
1/2 cup EACH white & brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
splash of vanilla
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter (can use chunky and skip the nuts)
2 cups flour


Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 2 loaf pans.  In large bowl place bananas, egg, sugar, oil, applesauce, peanut butter & vanilla mixing well.  In another small bowl whisk together flour, soda, salt & baking powder.  All at once add flour mixture, coconut, nuts & chocolate chips mixing until just comes together being careful to not over mix.  Divide evenly in 2 loaf pans.  Bake for about 35 minutes (or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for about 5 minutes and turn out onto plate to cool...