Green Bean and Shoepeg Corn Casserole

I've been meaning to try this recipe for awhile now. I just never got around to it. Wow! I won't make that mistake again. This is fabulous. Even the normally finicky eaters at my house went for seconds.

The recipe comes from Christy Jordan's cookbook Southern Plate. I definitely recommend you purchase it, and not just for this recipe. She shares many family recipes that are just wonderful Southern dishes. Give it a try.

I wasn't quite sure what "shoepeg corn" is. I consulted with my Mother and used a can of whole kernel corn. It worked great. I know you'll enjoy it!

Green Bean and Shoepeg Corn Casserole

1/2cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
One 11-ounce can shoepeg corn, drained
One 11-ounce can French-style green beans, drained
One 11-ounce can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1/2 pint sour cream
1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) margarine or butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except for the crackers and margarine. Place in a casserole dish. Melt the margarine in a skillet and mix with the crushed Ritz crackers. Spread over the top of the vegetables and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Blackberry Cobbler

The blackberries are ripe. I'd about given up on them. We had a few earlier, barely enough to make one making of blackberry jelly. Then they sort of dried up. That was before the rain. Now they're making like crazy. I'm thrilled. Really.

 

So is Abby. This large dog/child sits right next to me and picks her own blackberries. She is crazy funny. Sammy, my other dog/child waits for me to pick blackberries for him. He's too dignified to deal with the thorns.

 

I needed to make a cobbler so I went to my go to cookbook, Southern Plate. Christy Jordan is an awesome Southern cook! I recommend this cookbook to anyone and everyone. This recipe is super simple. And I didn't have to use the mixer or anything.

 

I didn't cook it quite as long as Christy suggested. It was golden so I took it out a few minutes early. Every oven is different. That's something important to always remember when you're trying a new recipe. Also be sure to wash your berries. I know it should be obvious but some folks just don't think to wash fruit and vegetables before you cook them. It's just a good habit to develop.

 

Oh, and Christy says you can use other berries or peaches instead of blackberries. Did I mention that the peaches are almost ripe?

 

Blackberry Cobbler

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 cups blackberries (use can use fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the stick of butter in an ovenproof casserole dish in the oven while mixing the ingredients.

Place 1 tablespoon butter on top of the berries in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the sugar over the berries. Stir. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute so that the sugar begins to melt.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour and 1 cup sugar until blended. Pour in the milk and mix until blended.

After the butter is melted, take the casserole out of the oven and pour the batter on top of the melted butter. Pour the berries on top of the batter. Do not stir! Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the cobbler. Place in the oven and cook for 55 minutes, or until golden.

Makes 8 servings.

P.S. This is wonderful with ice cream!

Apple Dessert Pizza

It all began when I went to the Pizza Hut buffet. They make this wonderful dessert pizza that is way too sweet and way too wonderful. I thought it would be a good item to take to potlucks and such.

So I did what anyone does, I googled apple dessert pizza and found this wonderful recipe from Christy Jordan. It figures. I LOVE her cookbook, Southern Plate. This recipe isn’t in that cookbook but it does have some other wonderful recipes. I most definitely recommend this cookbook!

Apple Doozie

1 pizza crust
1 can apple pie filling
½ cup quick oats
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup flour
½ stick margarine (¼ of a cup)
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup Confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pizza crust on baking sheet. Open pie filling and dice it up a bit while it is inside the can. Spread over pizza crust.

Place flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using a long tined fork, cut margarine in to mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of pie filling on pizza crust and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Top with glaze.

Glaze

Place all glaze ingredients in small bowl. Stir until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add a little more milk. If it’s too thin, add a little more sugar. Drizzle over Apple Pizza with a spoon.

Variation

To use fresh apples, peel and chop two to three cups apples. Sauté in two tablespoons butter until tender. Add a few tablespoons sugar is you like but keep them a bit tart because the topping adds a lot of sweetness.