Home Cookin'

Mardi Gras King Poke Cake

February 14, 2020 by Laura Tucker 6 Comments

This recipe for Mardi Gras King Poke Cake is a fun twist on the classic dessert, and the cinnamon filling and cream cheese frosting make this a cake truly fit for a king himself!

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Fat Tuesday is drawing near, and it’s been a true Mardi Gras party in my head as I’ve been brainstorming how I can incorporate my second favorite cake in the entire world – King Cake – into as many fun new recipes as I can. Making a true from-scratch King Cake is a labor of love. It requires a little bit of TLC and elbow grease, and when a King Cake craving hits me in the middle of the day, it isn’t exactly feasible to just whip one up on a whim.

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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Street Tacos

February 13, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MazolaHeartHealth #CollectiveBias

The month of February tends to get swallowed up by that one particular holiday focused on the lovey-dovey stuff. I’m a pretty big fan of love myself, but I’m setting aside the pink and red heart shaped confections to talk about a dish that I’m really loving this week! Did you know that February is also Heart Health Month? I’ve been putting an emphasis on wellness lately in the kitchen, and after my husband came home from his physical with slightly elevated cholesterol, I knew I wanted to make sure our meals were more heart-healthy. As it turns out, accomplishing that is as easy as adding a little Mazola® Corn Oil in the mix! A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, visit Mazola.com

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Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

February 1, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Love is in the air, and Cupid’s arrow hit me right in the heart when this batch of Chocolate Covered Cherry cookies came out of my oven. Chocolate covered cherries are one of my favorite treats to indulge in between Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and biting into one and tasting that sweet cherry filling gives me heart eyes bigger than a cartoon character in love!

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Shrimp Po’ Boy Sliders

January 31, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This post was sponsored by King’s Hawaiian as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Out of all the beautiful seasons we experience here on Earth, there is one that ranks supreme in my book for many, many reasons. Sure, summer and fall are great, but football season is what really gets me excited. We’re just a few days away from the Big Game, and I’ve already got our game day spread all mapped out to make sure we’re celebrating game day right. No matter who wins on the field, the true MVP of game day is sitting right on our plates!

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Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins

January 24, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins are bite-sized portions of sugary sweetness to make your breakfast or brunch extra delicious!

It’s been a roller coaster of a week. Earlier I shared about my recent myopic macular degeneration diagnosis, and it’s been a pretty tough week trying to wrap my head around the risk of losing even more of my vision. The Lord has made himself very clear that I am not to allow doubt, fear and dread steal the joy of the promises the Lord has already made for me, and the best thing I can do is to align myself with His word and to keep pressing on and enjoy the life He’s given me with the talents he’s blessed me with.

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Easy Valentine’s Day Strawberry Delight

January 14, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

If you’re looking for a quick and easy no-fuss dessert to make for Valentine’s Day, look no further than this easy Valentine’s Day Strawberry Delight!

This Valentine’s Day, I’m skipping the fuss and serving up sweet recipes that don’t require a whole bunch of ingredients and a culinary degree to make. With two little ones in tow, it seems like my time in the kitchen is getting shorter and shorter, but the demand for yummy treats is only getting higher!
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Valentine’s Day Toffee Crunch Crackers

January 12, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These Valentine’s Day Toffee Crunch Crackers are a great way to make something great out of very little. They’re crispy, crunchy and full of chocolaty-toffee goodness!

Valentine’s Day seems to be hitting the shelves earlier and earlier every year, doesn’t it? Our Dollar General had all of their Valentine’s Day candy fully stocked on the shelves the day after Christmas when I went in to pick up a gallon of milk. It stopped me dead in my tracks as I wasn’t expecting to see it so soon! Part of me wanted to grumble at the commercialism of it all, but another part of me wanted to sort through the pink and red sprinkles and bring a bottle or two home to spark a little creativity for the upcoming season of love! After all, I love Valentine’s Day, so the wheels have already started turning in my head thinking about sweets, treats and all things pink!

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20 Black Eyed Pea Recipes to Rock your New Year

December 30, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Try these 20 Black Eyed Pea Recipes to Rock your New Year in 2020!

I may get a little side-eye for even having the gumption to make a statement like this, but black eyed peas just aren’t my favorite thing in the world. Honestly, if black eyed peas fell off the side of the earth I wouldn’t be the least bit sad about it. That may sound a little harsh, but they’re not the most flavorful of the legume family and they’re certainly not winning any brownie points with me for visual appeal either. For whatever reason, us southern folk feel the need to force ourselves to eat a heap of them on New Year’s Day for good luck, prosperity and because our Mama told us to, but I have a feeling I’m not alone in my distaste for them.

Truthfully, they wouldn’t be so bad if they just has a little more va-va-voom. You know, a little zing to them. They always end up looking a little slimy cooped up on the side of my plate on New Year’s Day, and I’m always left wondering exactly how many black eyed peas I need to consume before I get all the good luck points.

This year I’m making it a point to revive the black eyed peas on my plate by incorporating them into a dish in a unique way! I’ve searched Pinterest up and down for a little inspiration, and these 20 Black Eyed Pea Recipes are at the top of my list to try this year to spark a new love between me and the black eyed pea!

All of these recipes are put together by a group of amazing food bloggers, so if you see a recipe you like be sure to visit their page and show their recipe a little love!

Black Eyed Peas and Greens Stuffed Buns – Savory Spin

Black Eyed Pea and Sausage Chili – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black-Eyed Pea Sweet Potato Cornbread Pot Pie – Vanilla and Bean

Jalapeno Black Eyed Pea Cakes – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black Eyed Pea Cornbread Casserole – Plain Chicken

BBQ Black Eyed Pea Collard Rolls – Vanilla and Bean

Black Eyed Pea Fritters – Immaculate Bites

Black Eyed Pea Dip – Veggies Save The Day

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Eyed Peas and Kale – Vivian and Me

Hoppin’ John Casserole with Cornbread Crust – Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen

Hot Black Eyed Pea Dip – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black Eyed Peas with Smoky Collards and Cheesy Grits – Vanilla and Bean

Spicy Jalapeno Black Eyed Pea Hummus – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black Eyed Pea Pull Apart Pizza – Climbing Grier Mountain

Black Eyed Pea Hummus – Grits and Pinecones

Black Eyed Pea Texas Caviar – The Hungry Bluebird

One Pot Cajun Black Eyed Peas and Rice – Diary of a Recipe Collector

Black Eyed Pea Salad – Immaculate Bites

Black Eyed Pea and Kale Tacos – Heart of a Baker

Black Eyed Pea Gumbo – The Skinny Fork

Are you a fan of black eyed peas? Do you eat them for New Year’s each year, or do you enjoy them all year long? Leave a comment below and share the love!

Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy

December 11, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy is a classic confection that’s perfect for holiday parties or as a special treat year round!

I love old school Christmas confections. You know, those yummy little treats that you know you’ll see someone bring to a Christmas party at least once or twice during the season. The good ol’ classics that you can never go wrong with. They’re my very favorites. And while this recipe for Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy may not look colorful and festive like the Christmas season, I can’t hold a piece in my hand without singing the chorus to “Jingle Bell Rock” in my head. I turn into a right jolly ol’ elf every time I take a bite!

I don’t believe I own a single hand-me-down church cookbook that doesn’t have a recipe for corn flake candy in it somewhere. All the ladies that have come before me that used to make this treat knew what was good. They’re perfectly chewy with a little crunch in every bite, and just when I thought these candies couldn’t get any better, someone went and added a big ol’ scoop of peanut butter to make me love them even more.

Adding peanut butter to a dessert is a sure-fire way to get me on your good side. Growing up near the peanut capital of the world, I’m pretty partial to my beloved peanuts. The added peanut butter gives these candies a bit of a creamier taste that is irresistible, and it’s a perfect candy to package up and share with friends and family!

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try:

Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy

Save Print

Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter (I prefer creamy, but crunchy is great, too!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups corn flake cereal
Wax paper

Instructions

Line counter with large section of wax paper
In a large and deep pot, combine corn syrup, sugar and peanut butter and cook over medium heat until the center begins to boil, stirring constantly so sugar doesn't scorch.
As soon as mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and add in vanilla and corn clakes
Stir until cereal is thoroughly coated
Spoon corn flake mixture into dollops onto wax paper immediately, as mixture will quickly harden as it cools
Allow candies to cool down on wax paper for about 30 minutes before consuming
Enjoy!

Have leftover corn flakes you want to use up? Make these Corn Flake Christmas Wreaths!

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here at Southern Made Simple!

White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Stars

December 10, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

You know what smells absolutely heavenly this time of year? The smell of freshly baked gingerbread coming out of the oven. It’s such a warm and sweet aroma, and nothing says Christmas is almost here like a fresh batch of gingerbread cookies! These White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Stars are rich and crisp, with just a smidge of softness tucked away in the middle. Go ahead and grab yourself a glass of milk before you continue scrolling. You’re going to want to hang onto this recipe! …

Home Cookin'

This post was sponsored by King’s Hawaiian as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

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