Hog balls

I am going to share with y'all a recipe from my college days many moons ago. The first time, I had hog balls was at a fraternity pig roast. They were called, then was hog nuts, but we're going to use the cleaner name, (hog balls). The first thing we need to do is make a biscuit dough.

Biscuit Dough Recipe:

2 cups of flour
1/4 cup of bacon grease
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of sugar
4 cups of mild shrdded cheddard cheese

In a large bowl sift your flour and sugar. Then add your buttermilk and grease and mix all ingredients well. Then work into biscuit dough 4 cups of mild shredded cheddard cheese and chill batter in the refrigerator.

Pork Mixture:

1 pound fresh ground sausage (no seasoning)
1/2 cup of onions
1 tablespoon salt
1tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne powder

In a frying pan brown the ground sausage and onions. Add seasons with salt, pepper, and cayenne powder. Then get your biscuit dough with cheese and add sausage mixture. Then roll mixture into balls and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Hog Ball Sauce:
In a mixing bowl take 1 cup of mayo, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mix all ingredents and put in a serving dish.

childhood taste a damn hot dog

When I go back to Kentucky to visit family there is one pit stop. I always try to stop for a foot long hot dog with sauce, onions, mustard, and Cole slaw. Since, moving to Columbus, Ohio there are no good hot dog shops. I have searched for them... Even some of my close friends said those damn hot dogs are addicting. So, I had to create my childhood taste of Kentucky. It's a shame allot of those mom and pop joints, or soda shops with charm are going out of business. The memory of setting up on a high stool at a bar with your foot long hot dog and an orange soda @ Smitties restaurant. This place has long gone but the memories still there and there is Crisp's. So we are going today to make hot dog sauce, hot dogs, and Cole slaw.

Hot Dog Sauce:
There is many ways to make sauce, but I recently started using my crock pot. This is so easy in the morning make your sauce in your crock pot, and it'll be ready for dinner.

2lbs. ground chuck beef
1 c. of onions fine chopped
1 small can of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato pasta
1 c. of ketchup
2 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of onion powder

Combine all items within your crock pot and set your crock pot for medium heat setting. Cook hot dog sauce for about 6 hours, occasionally stirring the sauce. You will want to remove any extra grease that will form on top of your sauce. I also used this sauce for chilly and tacos.

Cole Slaw
When I make Cole slaw, I like mayo for a base and many folks will use vinegar. I also have gotten lazy by using the Cole slaw packs at your market.

1 package of Cole slaw mix
1 cup of mayo
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of cidar vinegar
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons of sugar

Place cole slaw mix in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl mix all others ingredents together to make your sauce. Pour sauce over slaw and mix. Chill at least and hour within your refrigator before serving.

Hot Dogs
I like boiling my dog, but there is many ways to cook your dog. When putting that hot dog together, don't forget to warm the buns. I hope you enjoy this childhood memory of mine. Again as we say down south y'all come back and see use.

A taste of New Orleans

Hey folks I was thinking of my favor vacation places to go. I will admit I love the beach, but there is one place that seems to have my heart. New Orleans has some inner connection that draws me to this city. I miss the variety of smells and historical sites. Most people think New Orleans is just a party city, and I will admit there is something in the water. The scents in the air from jasmine, gardenia, roses, and magnolia. Not to mention all the variety of foods cooking in this wonderful city. The smell of beignets frying, and coffee in the morning. Then the other foods like jambalaya, gumbo, po'boy sandwiches, pulled pork, crawfish, bbq shrimp, chicken/ seafood etouffee it makes my mouth just water. From the cobble stone sidewalks, and the Voo Doo shops. This City just has a charm like nowhere else. Then you can't forget what gives the life line to New Orleans the mighty Mississippi River.

So here are a few recipes for y'all to try out from New Orleans:

Jambylia Recipe

1 tablespoon of cooking oil or bacon grease
1 cup of onions
1 cup of bell peppers ( mixture of green, red, and yellow)
1 cup celery
1/4 cup parsley (fresh)
2 tablespoon garlic crushed
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons of salt or to taste
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 pounds of cooked chicken flaked
1 pound smoked sausage chopped up into slices
2 1/2 cups water
3 cups of instant long grain white rice

In a frying pan fry bacon grease, onions, sausage, peppers, garlic, and celery. Fry mixture till done, but do not over cook and brown sausage. In a large dutch oven pan pour sausage mixture into pan. Then add chicken stock, flaked chicken, water, and seasonings and bring to a boil. Then add your rice and parsley cover with lid. You want to lower your temp/heat to medium low. Cook till all liquid is gone and rice is soft. I hope you take the time to enjoy this dish.

The next taste of New Orleans is Pralines

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 stick of butter

In a pan melt butter then add sugar, water, lemon juice, and cream. Heat mixture to approximately 250 degrees and add nuts. Mixture show get thick then spread out on parchment paper.

Mom's Easy Chicken-n-Dumplings

Mom makes an easy dumpling recipe that is tasty, but I have added my own flair.

4 cans of chunk chicken
3 cans of frozen biscuits/ buttermilk biscuits
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
2 packets of Goya Chicken Favor, or 2 Chicken bullion cubes
1 large container chicken brooth/ 24 oz. container
1 stick of butter
1 tlbs. corn starch
1/4 c cold water
3 drops of yellow food coloring


In a large dutch oven or large pan combine chicken soup, chicken brooth, butter, Goya chicken favor, and chunk chicken. Heat these ingredents on high till it comes to a boil. Then mix food coloring, corn starch in the cold water. Add the corn starch into mixture and stir till brooth gets thicker. Then it's time to drop your biscuits into the broth. My mom cuts her biscuits/dumplings, and I pinch my biscuits. That is your choice. Then you drop biscuits into boiling broth. "Folks don't stir your dumplings , or over cook" I usually push my dumplings down into the brooth, since they float. The best way to see if your dumplings are done. They should be firm, and cut dumplings to see if dumplings have cooked through. Then turn down heat to low and cover dumplings. They are ready to serve, and I hope you enjoy them. Plus as we say down south "you all come back" to visit.

Pie Recipes

My dad could fix one of best Kentucky Derby Pie you could taste. There was one problem he would not share his recipe with no one, and I begged for years. He would joke around and told me it was going to the grave. Then one day my mom ran into this recipe while cleaning. Then the recipe got shared, and I baked a pie and shared it. I think dad was a little cracked. So here is dad's Kentucky Derby Pie recipe:

1/2 c. salted butter melted
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour (self rising)
1 cup semi-sweet bite size chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans chopped
2 tlbs. or 1 oz. Southern Comfront Bourbon
1 unbaked pie shell

In a large bowl let melted butter cool, and beat in your eggs. Then stir in your sugar, flour and mix well. The next step is to fold in your chocolate, pecans, and bourbon. Then pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes or until it sets. Suggestions use a Pillsbury frozen pie shell and paint it with buttermilk. Let the pie shell set for a moment, and it will taste like it's homemade. There's a story I'll share with you folks another day concerning pie crusts. I hope y'all enjoy this pie as much as I have.
I was visiting St. Louis many "years ago" with some college friends , and we stopped in an old restaurant downtown. I had a piece of chocolate buttermilk pie. It was so good that I asked the owner, if he would share the recipe. I was shocked the owner give me the recipe, and I have enjoyed it for 20+ years. So here is the recipe for chocolate buttermilk pie.

1 pre made pie shell/ Pillsbury
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
7 eggs
1 c. of buttermilk
3 c. of sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a double boiler melt chocolate chips, and watch closely not to burn. In another mixing bowl combine all ingredents and blend together. Then pour in the melted chocolate into the mixture and fold. The next step is pour into the pie shell. Then bake pie at 350 degrees for hour. Remove the pie from oven and let cool off, then refrigate for afew hours. I usually use fresh whip cream, ( 1 c. of heavy whipping cream, 1/2 c. sugar, and tsp. vanilla whip mixture till it's firm.). I hope you enjoy these pies and as usually y'all come back to visit.

Fried Chicken

I think one of my dad's favorite foods is fried chicken. When, I was a young kid I can remember mom frying chicken, and dad almost eating the whole bird. Mom had her own way of preparing her fried chicken. She would salt and pepper the chicken and roll it in the flour and fry it in hot grease. It was a simple way, no dredging or dipping in an egg bath. She would fry the chicken till it was crisp and golden brown. I can't even describe the fragrace or smell. Heres mom's recipe for frying chicken.

1 whole chicken (that dad usually cut into pieces)
1c flour
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1/2 c oil (your choice/I prefer peanut)

Rinse or soak chicken pieces off in the sink, then salt and pepper chicken. You will need a large bowl for your flour. Then roll your chicken in the flour and coat each piece. When I fry chicken I like my cast iron skillet, but my mom likes non stick skillet. You heat your cooking oil on high heat looking for a temp around 350 degrees. You place chicken in the skillet start with the dark meat pieces first. You fry the chicken until it is golden brown and pieces are cooked through, (no blood). If you use a deep fryer the chicken will float to the top when it is done. I hope y'all enjoy my mom's chicken.




Dave's Fried Chicken

I like bathing 1 whole chicken cut up in 1 cup of buttermilk, 2 eggs, and Louisiana Hot Sauce. I take my chicken and place it a flour mixture in a zip lock bag. Mix 1 c. flour with 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1tsp. onion powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin powder, 1 tsp. black pepper, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large zip lock storage bag. Season chicken with Old Bay Seasoning, and place chicken in the zip lock bag and shake flour over the chicken. Then place/dunk the chicken into the egg bath, and roll chicken into flour within a large bowl. Heat your grease to 350 degrees and fry your chicken tills it's golden brown, and done inside not bloody. I surely hope y'all try these recipes and enjoy them. As we say down south "y'all come back ," and visit me again.

Cheesy Grits

One of my favorite foods are grits! From butter grits, cheesy grits, grit bread, and grit pie. Since, I promised y'all a cheesy grit recipe in my last blog. It's time to rattle your pans folks and lets start cooking. When cooking grits the rules are "never leave them", continuously stir them and season, (salt) in the beginning. I like Quaker instant grits, but that is your choice. I make around 6 to 7 cups of grits in this recipe.



You will need the following:

3 c. of water

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 c. grits

1 can of celery soup

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick of butter

1 c of shredded mild Cheddar cheese



In a large sauce pan put water, butter, and can of celery soup. Bring these items to a boil while stirring. Then add your instant grits, and salt. Continue stirring the grit mixture on high heat. The grits will bubble up so be careful not to get burnt. When the grits get thicken, or firm lower your heat to low. Then add your heavy cream and cheese, and fold into the grits. Let the cheese melt and your ready to serve! I suggest serve with fried chicken, fried catfish, and don't forget your greens/corn bread.



(BUTTER GRITS)

If you are like my daddy butter grits only! Don't insult your grits by adding. In your sauce pan put 3 cups water, 1 stick of butter, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 cup grits. Then bring to a boil and continue to stir mixture till thick and firm.

I hope y'all will enjoy these grit recipes as much as I do.

Please take the time share your thoughts/comments. If there is a favor recipe you would like to share that would be grateful. So as we say down south "y'all come back" to visit.