Casseroles & Comfort Foods

The Secret to the BEST Country Fried Steak: Venison Edition

July 28, 2016 by Laura Tucker 9 Comments

When you think about your favorite comfort foods, what comes to your mind? A lot of people love a creamy bowl of mashed potatoes, or even a cheesy pile of homemade macaroni and cheese. Maybe it’s something as simple as a grilled cheese sandwich! I’ll admit that I have a pretty extensive list of comfort foods, but one of my favorites that makes the tippy top of the list is Country Fried Steak.

Country fried steak goes by many different names. Some call it “chicken fried steak,” while others call it “cube steak.” There may be a few differences in the three, but if you ask me it’s all basically the same tasty goodness! Most people make it with beef round steak, but my family is all about the venison. My mother in law recently taught me how to cook this dish, and I’m pretty darn certain that she makes it better than anyone on the entire planet. Aside from her wonderful cooking skills, her secret to making perfect country fried steak is in one seemingly unusual little tool. So grab a cold bottle of Coca Cola and sit a spell. You’re gonna wanna read this one! 😉

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Taco Stuffed Summer Squash Boats

June 9, 2016 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

Remember last week when I was getting a little creative in the kitchen trying to utilize all of the fresh summer squash that’s filling up my garden? (If you don’t remember, I made a lemon poppy seed cake with the squash and it was AH-mazing.) 🙂

Well, here I am once again trying my hardest to find new and creative ways to use up some of this beautiful squash that’s taking over. I feel like the past few summers the only things I could think to use it for was in fritters, casseroles, and just cooked plain with a little EVOO and salt. I mean, those are all super yummy ways to eat yellow squash, but this summer I’m just feeling like I want something a little extra. Know what I mean?

So when I went out to the garden this afternoon to pick all of the squash that was ready, I had a brilliant idea hit me! Why not try my hand at stuffing the squash? After all, I make stuffed peppers ALL the time! Well, upon further inspection of the size of my squash, I decided that cutting them in half and hollowing them out would probably work a little better than truly stuffing them, but it’s all the same really!

As a lover of all things Mexican food, I knew that fiesta-fying these bad boys was a must. Thus, the idea for these Taco-Stuffed Summer Squash Boats was born! De nada, mis amigos. 😉

Taco Stuffed Summer Squash Boats | Fresh yellow squash halves stuffed with cheesy taco-seasoned beef, topped with sour cream, tomatoes and fresh cilantro. YUM! …

Walnut Basil Pesto – A Must Have for my Family!

May 27, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

Without question, the hands-down favorite dish that I prepare for my family is my Turkey Pesto Sliders with Brown Sugar and Poppy Seed Glaze. They’re insanely delicious, but they call for an ingredient that has proven to be a little bit difficult to find in my neck of the woods:

Pesto

Walmart definitely doesn’t carry it here. I’ve searched high and low at multiple stores trying to find a jar of the stuff, but I’ve never been successful in that endeavor. My Publix carries it, but they’re 45 minutes away from my house. Plus, the only place I’ve been able to find it there is on a tiny little table tucked away in the produce section along side a few other specialty spices and spreads. I was happy buying it there, but I always felt so nervous that one day I’d walk in and they wouldn’t carry those specialty goods any more.

In fact, one time they rearranged their produce section and removed the table with the pesto (without even consulting me first…so rude!) I thought for SURE that they had stopped carrying it. I almost had a conniption fit right there in front of the tomatoes and everybody! But I eventually found it on a little end cap nearby and bought almost every jar they had on the shelf out of fear and partial embarrassment. I don’t play when it comes to my pesto, y’all! That was too close of a call for me, and if I couldn’t get it there, I had no idea how I’d get my pesto fix. Walnut Basil Pesto - fresh pesto picked straight from the garden blended with olive oil, shredded Parmesan and finely chopped walnuts …

Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

May 10, 2016 by Laura Tucker 5 Comments

May is my favorite month for so many reasons. The weather here in South Alabama is as close to perfect as it can get. It’s cool in the mornings and afternoons, which makes it perfect to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Also, it hasn’t gotten humid or muggy yet, which is a huge plus for me (and my hair!) This is the month where it’s still comfortable to sit out on your front porch, go for a walk and even pick a few wild berries with your family.

There’s a huge patch of wild dewberries right up the road from my house that are always begging to be picked during this time of year, so my husband and I like to grab a giant bowl out of the cupboard and make an adventure out of it!

Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole with Blackberry Compote - So delicious and easy to prepare! …

Spice Up Family Dinner Night with this 7 Layer Mexican Fiesta Dip!

April 11, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

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

Let’s taco ’bout Mexican food for just a minute here, y’all. My husband and I can seriously throw down when it comes to Mexican. Enchiladas, quesadillas, chalupas, #4 chicken taco supreme combo with a large coke, etc. It makes no difference to us. You name it, we love it! And if you throw some queso and jalapenos into the mix? Have mercy!

And because we love it so much, we try to make it a point to prepare these types of meals at home on a regular basis. I’m telling you, as soon as my daughter is old enough to start eating the food that I prepare (she’s only 11 months), I’m establishing non-negotiable Taco Tuesdays in this house. It’s definitely happening.

I absolutely love to cook, and if you’ve been following my posts you know that I love to share recipes that tend to be Southern inspired. This post is no different, other than the fact that this one is really, really Southern. Like, South-of-the-border southern. Oh yeah mis amigos, it’s gonna be good!

7 layer Mexican Fiesta Dip - The perfect way to spice up your family Mexican night! + Time Saving Kitchen Hack: How to cook Quinoa in the Microwave #YesYouCAN #ad …

Pesto Chicken Sandwich with Creamy Goat Cheese and Sauteed Peppers – Recipe

March 29, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

I don’t really consider myself a sandwich person. I mean, it’s not that I don’t like sandwiches. Oh no, I like them just fine! What I guess I mean is that I just don’t ever really make sandwiches. I much prefer a Subway artist to do that for me if you know what I’m sayin’.

However, just a few months ago I was eating with a group of friends at a small sorta-local chain restaurant that serves soup and sandwiches. It was a nice little place, but I had never been before and had no idea what to order off of the menu. As I stood in line reading over the menu board, the word “pesto” caught my eye. I barely even read what else was on the sandwich, I just knew it had pesto on it and would therefore be in my belly. Stat.

Chicken Pesto Sandwich with creamy goat cheese and sauteed peppers. This sandwich is to die for! …

Using Farm Fresh Eggs: Oven Baked Denver Omelette Recipe

March 3, 2016 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

There’s something so charming about farm fresh eggs. The unusual hues, the imperfect shapes, the rich yolks inside. They’re locally and responsibly grown, and they’re just simply the best!

A dear friend at our church started raising chickens over a year ago. Because she is so caring and kindhearted, she shares her eggs with families within the church. Each dozen is such a blessing, and my family is always so delighted to receive them.

farmfresheggs …

Cheesy Hash Stuffed Peppers – The Ultimate Brunch Recipe

February 25, 2016 by Laura Tucker 6 Comments

During the busy work week, breakfast in our house is often an afterthought. It’s usually rushed, thrown together, and hardly filling. By the time 10 o’clock rolls around, my tummy is rumbling and begging for Saturday to come. What’s so special about Saturday, you ask? On Saturday, we brunch. And we brunch hard!

We put a lot of love into our bellies each Saturday morning. We’ll break out the cookware that gets neglected on weekday mornings and we enjoy a sit down meal at the table. It’s a real treat for our family, because it’s just not something we get to do every day!

This past weekend, some serious deliciousness went down in our kitchen. These Cheesy Hash Stuffed Peppers created the ultimate brunch experience for us, and boy were they delicious!

Cheesy Hash Stuffed Peppers - The Ultimate Brunch Recipe using Corned Beef Hash #HowDoYouHash #ad …

The Best Breakfast Casserole

December 28, 2015 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

I am all about comfort foods. Most breakfast foods (sugary cereals and poptarts aside) are all comfort foods to me. I love warm and flaky biscuits, fluffy scrambled eggs, sweet honey or syrup, and I certainly love my cheese grits! If I’m going to be honest, I think breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. My family even loves to have breakfast for dinner! It’s not that often that I get to stop and actually cook breakfast during the week day, but I always look forward to the weekends when I sometimes get to indulge a little.

If us Southerners love anything besides those delicious breakfast items I just mentioned, it’s a good casserole. Casseroles are staple dishes. I can’t think of very many occasions where making a casserole isn’t appropriate. If I see a casserole in a buffet line, I’m having some of that! So years ago when my mother-in-law made this dish, I fell in love fast. I’ve had a few different versions of “breakfast casseroles”, but this is the best breakfast casserole I’ve ever tasted. It’s simple, hearty, warm and oh so delicious!

The BEST breakfast casserole ever! This would make a great dish for brunch, too!

This dish is PERFECT to serve as breakfast in bed on birthdays, anniversaries, or during the holidays. It’s also really good reheated!

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:…

Southern Egg Salad (with Bacon!)

November 30, 2015 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

This is one of my favorite go-to recipes when I need to whip up a yummy side dish for an event or a pot-luck. It’s got a little somethin’-somethin’ that sets it apart from your typical egg salad, and boy is it a game changer!

I’ve always liked egg salad, but I’ve never loved it. Sure, I’d help myself to some at a bridal shower or at a picnic/cookout, but that’s really only sort of occasion I’d ever eat it at. It was never something I thought to prepare at home and eat as an actual meal, and I certainly never craved it. That is, until this happened:

Cream cheese + Bacon

Yes, my friends. Cream cheese and bacon. All up in yo egg salad. AND it’s glorious. Whip these two rock star ingredients up into this egg salad and you’ll be licking the spoon! Think I’m kidding? Try it.

Savory Southern Egg Salad with a twist! The cream cheese and bacon really make this one spectacular!

Gone are the days where I viewed egg salad as being just okay. With this flavorful twist on a Southern staple dish, you’ll have people going back for seconds. And you certainly won’t think twice about eating this as a meal in your own home. It’s deee-lish! I personally love to eat it on slider buns, but it also pairs nicely with crackers. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

(Note: This recipe is doubled to feed a larger crowd. Feel free to reduce the ingredients as you see fit.)

1 dozen hard boiled eggs
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
4 Tbs butter, softened
Bacon, cooked and chopped. (Real bacon bits work fine as well)
4 Tbs low-fat mayo
Pickle Relish (to taste)
2 tsp sugar
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel the hard boiled eggs and separate the yolk into a large bowl.
Blend egg yolks, cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
Mix in remaining ingredients, making sure the egg whites are blended in last.
Cover in air-tight container and chill for an hour
Serve on your choice of bread or crackers and enjoy!

What are your thoughts on egg salad? Have you ever added anything different to a traditional dish to give it a new life? If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts!