A few Thanksgiving recipes

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to share a few recipes with the ladies at Immanuel. It was such an honor for me to be asked to do this and I had an awesome time. I thought I would pass along some of those recipes to you! Today, I'll start with one of my favorites that makes every holiday meal special. I will have more to share as the holiday season rolls on. I'm gonna be busy this week decorating for Christmas, and I can't wait! I'm so excited about it!! (And no, I'm not crazy ;)
I love baking and trying new things for the holidays so I'll be sure to pass along the good ones!

Cornbread Dressing and Gravy

1 recipe of cornbread (store bought or your favorite recipe) crumbled
6-7 slices of bread, toasted and torn into piece/ or about 5-6 leftover biscuits
1 sleeve of saltiness crackers, crushed
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery coup
5 eggs, beaten
2 large cartons of low sodium chicken broth (For the dressing I use store bought broth and use the homemade broth for the gravy-recipe following)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble your cornbread, toast, and saltiness in a large bowl and mix well. Sauté onions and celery in 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add to corn bread mixture. Add your soups, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and about 1 1/2 cartons of broth and mix well. Taste at this point to see if it needs more salt, pepper, or herbs. Then add your beaten eggs, shredded chicken (2 of the chicken breasts used to make the stock in the recipe following) and more broth if needed. Pour into a large, greased baking dish and bake, covered for about 1 1/2 hours. I like to stir the dressing after the first 45 minutes (to pull the crispy edges into the dressing) and continue to do this about every 15-20 minutes until it's done. Leave the foil off for the last 15-20 minutes.

Chicken Stock:
4 chicken breasts
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

For the stock, place chicken breasts, place all ingredients in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 40-45 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard. Shred chicken breasts, adding 2 to the dressing and the other 2 back to the broth.


Gravy:
4 boiled eggs
Cornstarch
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Chicken broth (strained)
2 shredded chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the gravy, bring the broth back to a boil and add the bouillon cubes; stir to dissolve. Then add the chopped, boiled eggs. Put about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl and add about 2-3 tablespoons of cold water; stir to combine. Stir cornstarch mixture into the boiling broth and cook about 5 minutes over medium high heat. If your gravy isn't as thick as you like after 5 minutes, repeat the step with the cornstarch. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Trying new things

Well, I've always wanted to try my hand at fondant and I finally did it! I'd gotten myself all worked up about it (just nervous) but I figured if I didn't just jump in and do it I never would. It was so much fun! Here's my first batch of fondant. I was so proud of it I just had to take a picture :)




This is the finished product. It's not perfect, but not too bad for my first attempt. It's for a friend of mine's daughter for her 16th birthday. I hope she likes it!

Get a Little Taste of WestCoast Peaches

I am currently doing some gourmet baking to help raise money to send my kids to church summer camp. These are not your typical tasty little cupcakes. These are homemade, gourmet treats from the kitchen of WestCoast Peaches. A friend of mine generously asked me to make the goodies for her daughter's luau party. Pictured here are the cookies and cupcakes I made. The cupcakes are homemade chocolate cake with a super-yummy-original-secret-chocolate frosting recipe (I wanted to just eat it right out of the bowl!) and red velvet cake with a vanilla buttercream frosting sprinkled with "pe-cans" of course :-)

If you know of someone, or you yourself are in need of some yummy goodies for birthdays, graduations, special events, Fathers' Day Family Dinner, or that little sweet tooth of yours, I'm ready for baking-to-order.

The most AWESOME Cinnamon Rolls!

I've been experimenting with cinnamon roll recipes, trying to find a really good one and I think I've found a winner. These are really not difficult to make and are absolutely amazing! I hope you'll give these a try because you'll be so happy with them. You could take these to any get-together with friends and you'll be a hit for sure.


Cinnamon Rolls:
1 (1/4 oz) pkg dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (just heat in microwave for about 1-1/2 minutes)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, room temp
2 Tbsp flour

Dissolve yeast in warm milk in large bowl or mixer bowl.
Add sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour and mix well.
Knead the dough into a large ball using hands lightly dusted with flour. (I use the dough hook of my mixer and it only takes about a minute or two)
Put in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise for about 1 hour or until dough is double in size. (I heat my oven to about 100 degrees, turn it off, then place the covered bowl in and it helps the rising process)
Roll out dough until approximately 21 inches long and 16 inches wide. (About the size of a big cutting board) It should be about 1/4 inch thick.
Mix the filling ingredients together minus the butter. Spread the butter over the dough, then sprinkle evenly with filling mix. Press down lightly.
Roll the dough up starting with the long side. Cut into 12 pieces. (I cut the uneven ends off, then mark the center. You should then mark for six rolls on each side and then cut the rolls. If you mark it off first, you'll always end up with uniform rolls.)
Place in greased 9x13 dish, cover, and put back in oven and let rise until double in size again.
Take dish out of oven, and preheat to 400 degrees. Bake rolls for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Cool slightly and then spread with icing. (recipe to follow)

*TIP: You can make these ahead of time, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature, slice and place in baking dish and let rise until double in size. Follow directions as above.

Cinnamon Roll Icing:
2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
8 oz block of cream cheese, room temp
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer until combined. Slowly add all the powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Beat the mixture for 12 minutes. (I know it sounds like a long time, but it really does make a huge difference) Scrape down periodically to make sure it's all mixed well. When almost done, add in juice and vanilla.
*I think this is even better if you make the icing earlier and refrigerate for a while before using.

Trying something new!

Well, I'm gonna be trying something new soon and I'll let you know how it goes. I love to watch the cake challenges on Food Network and I feel inspired to try one myself. I'm going to make a basic 2-tiered round cake and make marshmallow fondant (for the first time ever) and decorate it! I'll never figure out how if I never try right? We'll see how it goes! I'll post a pic either way. I may discover cake decorating isn't my thing and should stick with cupcakes. Fingers crossed.....

Fresh Strawberry Pie

I was in the grocery store the other day passing by the strawberries and I could almost taste a homemade strawberry pie, just like we would eat during the summer when I was a kid. When I got married I went back to cheating completely on this pie; buying the glaze in the grocery store. It really is so easy to make your own and tastes SO much better. In this particular video I did use a pre-made roll out crust. Of course, homemade crust is delicious also, but I think the bought crusts are really close and work if you're in a hurry.



1 pie crust, baked and cooled
8 cups of fresh strawberries, quartered
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch

In a blender, blend 1 cup of strawberries with 2/3 cup water. Pour into a small saucepan and add sugar and cornstarch. Mix well. Cook over medium heat just until boiling, then continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let sit without stirring for 10 minutes. Let the glaze cool. Put a little glaze in the bottom of the baked, cooled pie crust. Place a layer of strawberries in next. Add more glaze over this layer. Add more strawberries and another layer of glaze. Finish with your prettiest cuts of strawberries and finish off with the rest of the glaze, making sure you coat all of the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but even longer is better if you have time. I finish my pie off with homemade whipped cream. Tip: If you are not going to be eating the entire pie, I would put whipped cream on each individual piece as it's served. The whipped cream can separate and get runny otherwise if it's stored on the pie.

Margherita Pizza

This is a quick, easy pizza that's also really pretty and great for entertaining. Oh yeah, it tastes really good too! :)









1 pizza dough (the kind you find at the grocery store near the canned biscuits works or you can make your own)
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced
fresh mozzarella cheese
fresh basil, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
3 tbsp pizza sauce
olive oil
salt and pepper

Place pizza dough on stone and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. Spread pizza sauce very sparingly over pizza. (This step is not necessary if you don't have any) Sprinkle garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella evenly over pizza dough. You can use small mozzarella pearls like I used or you can use slices, whatever you like and the look you're going for. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Bake for around 10 minutes at 400 degrees. When the pizza comes out of the oven, add basil, sliced or left whole and drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy!!

Skillet Chocolate Lava Cake

It's great to get back to one of my favorite things.....COOKING!! It's been 3 weeks since our little Ava Drew arrived and things are finally starting to get back to normal. She is such a good, sweet baby. (Thank you Lord) :) Our church family blessed us tremendously by bringing us meals every evening and we are so thankful. It was such a huge help and I also got to try out other people's dishes, which I always enjoy. One fun Friday night, about 2 weeks in, I decided to make this dessert for the family. I picked this recipe because the ingredients are usually always in the pantry AND it's really simple to put together. Most importantly, it's absolutely delicious! It's one, giant chocolate lava cake! Who wouldn't enjoy that?!




Skillet Chocolate Lava Cake

1 package fudge brownie mix
4 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used closer to 1 cup)
2 cups water
1 jar chocolate fudge ice cream topping (original recipe calls for 12 oz, but I like the results better with the 16 oz jar)
1/2 tsp vanilla

- Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Spread batter over the bottom of a large skillet (around 12 inch). Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over batter.
- Put ice cream topping and water in a bowl and whisk until combined. Microwave on high 5-6 minutes or until boiling. Whisk again and add vanilla. (This mixture will be very thin.) Pour ice cream/water mixture over brownie batter in skillet.
- Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. The top of the brownie will be very saucy but it will thicken as it cools off. Place on a cooling rack to cool.
- Spoon into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream. Top ice cream with Magic Shell or I like to melt bittersweet chocolate chips in the microwave for around 45 seconds then drizzle over the ice cream. It will harden up like Magic Shell does, but it's much yummier! You could also top with your favorite toasted nuts , or dress it up with some fresh mint.

Back in the Swing of Things

Baby Ava Drew will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. Can you believe it? I am feeling much better an am about to get back to cooking. I have missed it so much. I have a little recipe for a lava cake that I will post soon. I shot the video about a week ago but haven't been able to post it yet for one reason or another.

I will be getting to some of your requests over the next couple of weeks and we'll get back to enjoying our time together in the kitchen. Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. Now, get ready for some great dishes from the kitchen at WestCoast Peaches.

Having a Brunch?

Here is a simple recipe that I came up with to make your next brunch a success.

Jody's Chicken and Broccoli Quiche
1 cup Cooked Chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup cooked broccoli
Salt and Pepper
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 pie crust

Roast a chicken breast with olive oil, salt and pepper at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cook onions and mushrooms in 2 tbsp of butter until tender. Add broccoli, chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk 4 eggs with milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add vegetable mixture, cheddar cheese, and mix well. Bake pie crust at 350 degrees for 5 mins. Raise temp to 400 degrees. Fill crust with egg/vegetable mixture and bake 15 mins. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake until set at edges and slightly loose in center (around 30 - 40 minutes). Let cool and set.

TIP: Don't forget to cover your pie crust edges with foil if they are browning too quickly.

This is great served with your favorite salad. It's sure to make a great brunch treat for you and your guests.

Cauliflower Casserole

Now, at first glance, you are probably thinking "what?!" And, I know some of you may not be fans of cauliflower. We all have different tastes. But, let me challenge you to just watch this video blog. Even if you are not cauliflower's biggest fan, it may still give you ideas of how to dress up some of your foods to add variety to your meals. This casserole was a family favorite at reunions and the holidays when I was growing up in middle Georgia. Try it out and see if it might become a new favorite for your next family gathering.



1 head of Cauliflower
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of mustard
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
Salt

Remove green leafs and hard core from Cauliflower
Rinse Cauliflower well
Cut cauliflower into individual stalks OR leave whole - which ever way you prefer works!
Place cauliflower in boiling salted water and cook until fork tender
Drain cauliflower well and place in baking dish
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and mustard
Spread mixture over cauliflower evenly
Cover with cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges (approx. 20 mins)

Ava Drew's First Day

I have taken a few days off from cooking to have my fourth little baby, Ava Drew. God has blessed us tremendously in so many ways, and we want to share His miraculous blessings with all of you. So, below is our self-edited video of Ava Drew's First Day. Enjoy, and check back soon for a guest blog from my mother. We're not going to miss a beat here at WestCoast Peaches. You gotta eat...why not make it good!

Response to A Question

Jenny in Georgia wrote and said:

Jody- love this blog! I feel inspired to start cooking like this- you make it look so easy. And it is good, Southern food that those of us in Georgia love-

I'd love to hear your input on what types of kitchen tools, utensils, pans, etc. you find best to cook with as well as storage containers (like for flour,etc) when you do your blogs. Also what doesn't work well. Also, will you include in your blogs (like with the creamed corn) how to tell when it is "done"? Does it matter what type corn you use-sweet vs. field corn, white or yellow, etc etc.

Thanks so much- hope all goes well with your new arrival!


Thanks for following my blog, Jenny! I am so glad that so many people are interested, and THANKS for your questions and suggestions.

My kitchen "tools" and utensils vary. I love Pampered Chef items, but I have a wide variety of things. I'll try to feature some of these items in a future blog. My sweet husband bought me Emiril's Cookware this past Christmas and it is WONDERFUL. Lovin' it!

As far as storage, I have 3 big glass jars on my counter. They are for flour, sugar, and rice, and you can write the name of each item with chalk on the front of them. I got mine at World Market, but you can probably find them elsewhere, as well. When doing a video blog, I have some items in bowls. I use measuring cups on occasion, so I might have used one for flour.

With the creamed corn, I cook it for 20 mins because it seems to help it become creamier. It would probably be "done" within 10, but you can taste it to see if it's tender. Whatever corn you prefer will work. I used yellow in the video blog.

Thanks for all of your questions. That's the part that makes it so much fun! Keep 'em coming!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It's that time of year. Though cooler weather is always welcomed with much excitement at our home, unfortunately, sickness seems to accompany our wintry friend far too often. My kids and husband have been sick with colds and flu already. In each situation, the common request in our home has been for this recipe. It is great on a cold winter day. It is perfect for that little pick-me-up when someone is not feeling their best. I would eat it in a box with a fox any day of the year :) What ever excuse you can come up with, this meal is going to be a treat! This is just one of those little recipes you can keep in your back pocket to pull out for any occasion.



5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
half an onion, peeled
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cups egg noodles
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 white wine (it's good with Sherry too)
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Put chicken breasts, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, bouillon cubes, and lemon zest in a large pot and fill with water 3/4 full. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, onion, and bay leaves and set aside. Chop chicken and save to add at the end. Add chopped celery and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Then add your sliced carrots and cook another 5-8 minutes. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package (usually around 5 minutes is what I do so they do not overcook throughout the rest of the process). Slowly add your chopped chicken in, and then add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, white wine, and fresh parsley. Heat through for about 1 minute then turn off heat. Enjoy your yummy soup with a loaf of warm, crusty bread!

FOLLOW ME

Follow me on TWITTER by clicking on the icon on the right hand side of this page. Also, help me get the word out about this blog by posting a link on your Facebook page by clicking on the "share" icon on the right hand side of this page. You can also join the group "WestCoast Peaches" on Facebook. By joining, you can post comments, pictures, questions, and make requests. Feel free to email me at westcoastpeaches@gmail.com. Thanks for being a part of the joy of cooking with me at WestCoast Peaches!

Recipes and Video Posts

Thanks for your input. I've had some comments from viewers that would like to have the typed out recipe along with the video blog. No problem. I've begun typing that out starting with the Chicken with Almonds. You can simply highlight it, copy it, and add it into any word document program you like. Then, print it out. Hopefully, this will make our time together at WestCoast Peaches even more productive. Thanks again for your comments and input, and for hanging out with me at WestCoastPeaches.blogspot.com!

WestCoast Peaches' Homemade Peach Cobbler

In response to a request by Darlene of California for a cobbler recipe, here is a great PEACH COBBLER recipe that is sure to get your taste buds tingling. This cobbler is so simple to make, which is a very good thing. Because, once people taste it, you are going to be getting requests to make it often. As always, have fun in the kitchen!


PEACH COBBLER

1 stick of unsalted butter
2 29 oz cans of sliced peaches in syrup
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. sugar dusting over top of cobbler after cooking

Melt butter and place in dish
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with whisk
Add in milk and mix well
Pour over butter in 9 1/2 x 11 baking dish
Distribute peaches evenly over batter using slotted spoon
Pour 1 can (approx. 1 cup) of peach juice evenly over the peaches
Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees
As soon as cobbler is removed from oven, dust the top of it with 1 Tbsp. of sugar

For a Fresh Peach Cobbler
Combine 4 cups of pealed, sliced peaches with 3/4 - 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Lower temperature and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Chicken with Almonds

This is a great little dish that is a favorite at my home. My mom gets the credit for this one and I was enjoying it at an early age. Now that I have a family of my own, it has become a favorite once again. If you are not a fan of almonds, simply don't add them to the dish. It will still be amazing.




6-8 chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of diced onion
3 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup Sherry
2 tsp. dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
1cup sour cream
4 Tbsp. slivered almonds (opt)

Salt and pepper chicken
Brown chicken in oil and remove
Saute onions in same pan
Stir in flour
Slowly add sherry and chicken broth
When liquid begins to simmer, remove chicken to skillet
Add tarragon, salt and pepper
Cook covered on low for approximately 45 minutes
Stir in sour cream and heat; do not boil
Garnish with slivered almonds

I like to serve this with white rice

Comments, Questions, and Requests Are Welcome

I've been blown away by the response to WestCoast Peaches so far. I never would have imagined so many people would follow and enjoy watching and hearing about me in my kitchen. I can't thank you enough for making this so much fun. I've also loved hearing from so many of you via facebook, email, and blog posts. Keep the comments coming. Also, feel free to ask questions, make suggestions, and let me hear about how those dishes are turning out.

Also, if you have a problem with any of the dishes, please let me know what the issue was and I may be able to advise you on what went wrong and how to fix it. This blog is designed to be interactive. My goal is to one day be to a place where we can do a live video post with viewers asking questions and making comments as we go. I just need to get a baby girl here and get my life back together first!

Speaking of little baby Ava Drew, her scheduled arrival is Friday, January 22, 2010. Stay tuned! I will be posting some video of her right here at WestCoast Peaches!

And, speaking of peaches, I am planning on posting a great recipe for Peach Cobbler. This is in response to Darlene Propp's request for a cobbler recipe. Thanks Darlene, for the comment. If you like peaches, you are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE this cobbler.

There will soon be a post for one of my favorite Italian dishes, too. It will rival anything you can get in a restaurant, yet it is so simple you will amaze your friends and family at your next get together.

Thanks for hanging out with me in the kitchen at WestCoast Peaches!

Flavorful Food

One thing many people forget to do is to season their food along the way. NEVER wait until the dish is done (or almost done) before you start adding your seasonings and salt. To salt your food in the beginning and throughout brings the flavor out of the food as it cooks. If you wait too late, you will just have salty, bland food. But, how do you keep your food from becoming too salty?

The answer to that question is simple: Don't ever serve something to others that you haven't tasted throughout the cooking process. Salt and season properly at the start of your dish. Then, taste it throughout. If it needs a little more, add it. If this is not something you are currently doing, you will instantly see the taste of your food go from 1 star to 4 stars.

Southern Creamed Corn

I have said it all my life; "Life is not lived out of a Can!" So, why should your vegetables come out of one? Check out the following video blog for one of my favorite side dishes. I want to give a little credit to my Dad and 9 year old son, Caleb. They each shared in the filming of this one. It's a family affair at WestCoastPeaches! I'll have a new main dish or dessert on an upcoming blog. But for now, check out another Southern Side and enjoy your little taste of the South!

Fried Okra

Southern Food is definitely near and dear to my heart. After all, I was raised in Georgia. Today, I want to show you how to make a side dish that is sure to complement a variety of meals. Last night, we had lemon-peppered pork chops, with broccoli casserole and FRIED OKRA! Check out my video blog to see just how simple this side dish is to prepare. And, enjoy your little taste of the south.

West Coast Peaches Returns

Well, it's been close to 2 years since my last blog. I won't even begin to attempt to play catch up with all that's happened in those two years, but I will mention a couple of really awesome things. First of all, our oldest son Caleb and our oldest daughter Abby both accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. I can't begin to express how excited that makes Jeff and I and how exceedingly grateful we are to the Lord for calling them to Himself. They are truly amazing kids and I can't wait to see what the Lord has planned for their lives.

Secondly, we are expecting our 4th child (3rd daughter) in just 2 weeks! We are all so excited and can't wait to meet her. I feel like I get to hold her every day, but I can't wait to hold her in my arms and kiss her sweet face.

I was blessed with a mother who loved to cook and taught me at an early age value and skill that I've used throughout my life when preparing meals for my family and friends. Now, I want to pass this on to you as we share together our love and passion for cooking. Here's what this blog is going to look like:

- original and family recipes

- cooking tips

- pictures of selected dishes

- categorizing of main courses, sides, etc.

- and a section called "cooking common sense" In this section I will address those little quick tips that most cookbooks never mention. Those little things that the "experts" assume we all know but when executed make the biggest difference in presentation and taste.

From time to time I will be featuring your recipes as well. So, let me hear from you! I want to answer your questions, help you be creative, and hear your thoughts and ideas as well.