Our Favorite Recipes!

Name: Southern Green Beans
Ingredients: 2 lbs green beans (ends snipped and snapped in half); 5 slices bacon, diced; 2 cups water; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tstp black pepper; 1/4 tsp seasoned salt; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/8 tsp onion powder; (optional) a few shakes of red pepper flakes

On the following pages you'll find some of our favorite recipes - for holidays and everyday. Some are recipes that have been passed down for years and others are favorite cookbook recipes. If you don't find the recipe you're looking for, e-mail me!

Frank’s RedHot Introduces Wingman Saucy Support Line AND a Chance to Win a Decked-Out Tailgate Truck!

September 3, 2019 By Joi Sigers

Are you as excited for the return of football as I am?! Autumn, crock-pot meals, chili, soup, Chai Tea Lattes… this is my time of year!

In celebration of the start of football season, Frank’s RedHot is kicking off #WingmanSweepstakes on Twitter. Now through September 27^th, Frank’s is YOUR Wingman! They’ll be responding to fans’ questions about tailgating (and the football and cooking life, in general, I’d imagine). When you use the hastag, you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a brand new truck. Not just any truck, mind you. This truck comes with football tickets, a hot sauce fountain, a ridiculously-over-the-top blow up bottle for Frank’s RedHot, a grill, essentials for Buffalo wings (obviously), cornhole and more.
Frank’s isn’t just putting the SASS in chicken wings, they’re putting the FUN in autumn!

Best of luck… I hope one of you win this outstanding prize!

(Continued below the video….)

Press Release

Frank’s RedHot celebrated the start of football and tailgating season by kicking off the #WingmanSweepstakes on Twitter. Through September 27th, the Frank’s Wingman will be responding to fans’ burning questions about tailgating (and life) from what the brand has dubbed their “saucy support line,” while also entering them for chances to win one of four weekly prize drawings and the grand prize – a Frank’s Wingman Tailgate Truck.

This is no fantasy, it’s the real deal! As the saying goes, Frank’s RedHot urges fans to, “Put that S#!t on everything!” This time, that means a truck that comes decked out with Frank’s RedHot tailgating essentials like football tickets, a hot sauce fountain, a grill, essentials for Buffalo wings (obviously), cornhole and more – showing that Frank’s is the wingman that has your back in the most brag-worthy way.

“Frank’s RedHot is everyone’s game-day wingman, and – like a hilariously good friend – sometimes gives you bold advice,” says Alia Kemet, Creative & Digital Strategic Director with Frank’s brand. “For instance, Wingman could tell you something simple like how much Frank’s to put on your wings, or whether to bring a date that you just met to the game. The Frank’s Wingman is there by your side to support all of your saucy tailgating adventures.”

To enter, Twitter users are encouraged to tweet a question at @FranksRedHot, with the hashtag #WingmanSweepstakes, for an assist. By doing so, they will automatically be entered into the sweepstakes for a chance to win the Frank’s RedHot Wingman Tailgate Truck. Fans who are participating will also have the weekly chance to win mini tailgate Wingman kits equipped with a bottle of Frank’s RedHot. All entries must be sent from the account owner, and received no later than September 27, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Use of any automated method to send Entry Tweets is prohibited and will result in disqualification. No purchase necessary to participate. For full terms and conditions of the sweepstakes, visit FranksRedHot.com/sweepstakes.

As the go-to hot sauce of any game-watching event, Frank’s RedHot is the franchise player of your favorite tailgating recipes – Buffalo wings, Buffalo chicken dip, RedHot chili and more. Recipes are available at franksredhot.com/recipes.

About Frank’s: It all started back in 1920 when the first bottle of Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce was introduced. Made with a premium blend of aged cayenne peppers, Frank’s RedHot adds the perfect blend of flavor and heat to your favorite foods. Frank’s Cayenne Pepper Sauce was used as the secret ingredient in the original Buffalo wings created in Buffalo, NY in 1964. Try our family of products including the Original sauce, Buffalo Wings sauce, Queso Dip seasoning mix, Buffalo Ranch seasoning, Frozen Buffalo Wings and more. Visit www.Franksredhot.com for more information and recipes.

Frank’s is one of McCormick & Company’s brands. As a global leader in flavor, McCormick has built a portfolio of leading flavor brands that enhance people’s enjoyment of food all around the world. Every day, no matter where or what you eat, you can enjoy food flavored by McCormick. McCormick Brings the Joy of Flavor to Life™.

Be sure to follow Frank’s on Twitter!

Steeped Coffee Review: The Fastest, Easiest Hot (or Iced!) Coffee Imaginable

July 27, 2019 By Joi Sigers

Two of my greatest passions are tea and coffee. I have a tea blog and often approach this food blog as a coffee blog… hey a caffeinated girl’s gotta do what a caffeinated girl has got to do, right?

Truth be told, I love coffee and tea equally – like their my children. Whichever one I’m with is my favorite at that moment. Often, when it comes to making a fresh cup or glass of either, time comes into play and I choose tea. It’s just so easy – and, no I’m not a huge fan of most instant coffee.

When I was contacted by Steeped Coffee about telling my readers about their product, I read these words, “STEEPED COFFEE is the easiest way to make a great cup of coffee anytime, anywhere, in minutes. Take your moment—at home, work, or on the go. Steeped single-serve coffee bags are filled with 100% specialty coffee and are crafted for quality, freshness, and convenience. Every bag is nitro-sealed inside compostable packaging, making every cup guilt-free and eco-friendly,” I (literally) said out loud, “Ingenious!”

My cats thought I was talking to them, so they ignored me.

Seriously, though. How has this not been thought of before – it is absolute genius. You simply make a hot cup of coffee exactly as you would a hot cup of tea (in fact, you don’t even have to steep it as long… unless, that is, you want your coffee to be so stout it flirts with you).

Many may argue, “Silly food blogger, Pods have been around for years!” but here’s why Steeped Coffee has totally changed the game:

There’s a bit of a controversy surrounding pods when it comes to the environment. You can click the link and read about it when you’re through here. I won’t dive into that right now, the link leads to an article that does it greater justice than I could. What I want to point out is the obvious – one is FAR more apt to have access to boiled water than they are a K-Cup machine. Whether it’s at the office or job place (microwave water if a stove isn’t available), your kitchen, or even a campsite – Steeped Coffee is simply more convenient than pods.

Simpler to carry, too.

Naturally, none of this means Jack if the coffee isn’t good. I’m delighted to tell you that it’s very good, indeed! Due to the fact that it’s summertime, I’ve enjoyed my Steeped Coffee iced more than hot, but it is wonderful both ways. If you make it iced, a little vanilla syrup and/or sweetener makes it taste like it’s from your favorite coffeehouse.

As you can see in the pictures within this review, I sometimes like my iced coffee with milk and other times without it. You can’t go wrong either way.

I wanted to be able to choose a personal favorite for the review, but I honestly can’t. They are all fantastic, even the decaf!

Learn more about Steeped Coffee on their website. You’ll find the subscription information, buying options, a blog, and even a GREAT looking diner mug!

Features of Steeped Coffee include:

100% Specialty Coffee: quality coffee ethically sourced directly from farmers
Nitro Sealed: removes oxygen, stopping the clock on freshly ground beans
Ultrasonic Edges: no glue, staples, or wasted materials for max steeping
Full Immersion Filter: non-GMO filters that regulate ideal water-in and maximum flavor-out
Guilt-Free Packaging: made using plant-based renewable and compostable materials
Micro Batching: roasted locally in small batches
Precision Ground: consistent water-cooled grinding to the micron
Pre-Portioned: consistent SCA recommended water-to-coffee ratios
Just Add Water: single-serve convenience with no machines required
Barista Approved: tested by multiple independent specialty coffee Q-graders for freshness, quality, and taste

Winco Hamburger Smasher and Turner: Perfect for Diner-Style Burgers

June 27, 2019 By Joi Sigers

I love burgers. There, I said it. I love them more than words can even say. In fact, I wouldn’t spend too much time searching for words because that would be time taken away from eating burgers.

My favorite way to fix burgers is “diner-style,” just a food blogger cool way of saying, “burgers that are smashed into an iron skillet.”

Before we found the HANDY as HECK Winco Burger Turner above (or as I call it, my smasher), it was a headache to smash the burgers into the skillet. I’d try to get my spatulas to go along with the plan, but they just weren’t built for it. You should’ve seen me, holding the spatula in one hand and placing a mug on top of the spatula with the other hand. The spatula took a beating, the mug felt anxious, and the cats laughed. Embarrassing.

This crazy cool and inexpensive little tool has made life a lot easier. It’s also perfect for the grill – gets the burgers nice and flat. This makes them cook quicker and, in my opinion, makes them tastier.

Product Description from Amazon

Stainless steel construction
Wooden handle
Winco products range from tabletop to kitchen utensils to food preparation supplies
Winco products are used by all foodservice and hospitality industry experts worldwide

See Winco Burger Turner for more information!

T-Fal Cookware: Their Non-Stick Pans are a Personal Obsession

May 13, 2019 By Joi Sigers

This beauty is a personal favorite, my 12″ Non-Stick Fry Pan from T-Fal –the inventor of non-stick! This beauty came from Target, but T-Fal can also be ordered (easily) on Amazon.

T-Fal “Thermo-Spot” technology is something that was new to me, but now I’m completely hooked on it. The Thermo-Spot shows when your pan is ready to use… kind of like the red light that lets you know when your oven is good to go.

It’s amazing to me that someone hadn’t thought of this long ago. Leave it to T-Fal.

I also love that T-Fal Initiatives take the non-stick game to the next level. Seriously, everything slides right off of these pans. I love to make “cheese clumps” for salads and soups – which is simply putting little mounds of shredded cheese onto a skillet and letting them brown and crisp up a little. You’d think these guys would spell DISASTER for clean up, but T-Fal pans, they literally slide right off the skillet and into the dish.

As you’d expect from someone who has a food blog, I cook every single day of the week. In fact, when our cats need to find me (to play, feed them, scratch their heads or cater to them in any manner), the first place they look is always the kitchen. Come to think of it, the same’s true for every member of my family… except for the scratching heads part, the human members of my family seldom as for such a thing.

As an avid cook, I have had up close and personal experience with all manners of pots, pans, and cookware in general. If a new cook were to ask me to recommend ONE pan she/he should buy to begin their kitchen collection, I would recommend T-Fal. I love many different pans (including my beloved iron skillet collection), but this is the brand I’d most often recommend.

Why? In a word – perfection. T-Fal cookware is perfect in every single way.

Read more about T-Fal non-stick pans and their ingenious Thermo-Spots on Amazon.

Southern Green Beans

March 20, 2019 By Joi Sigers

Southern Green Beans

Southern green bean recipes differ from cook to cook – often in the same family! For example, if my grandmother or mom had known I’d one day grow up to put chicken broth in my green beans, they’d have passed out Old-Hollywood-style.

But, what can I say? Years ago, when I saw how much FLAVOR adding chicken broth to rice created, I began experimenting and, lo and behold, it adds a beautiful flavor to almost anything.

Including green beans.

Naturally, if you want to go with all water (as opposed to half water/half broth), go for it. They’re your beans, after all!

I love to add a little dash of red pepper flakes toward the end – if you go easy, the heat is barely noticeable. It adds a new level of flavor without setting your tongue on fire. I’ve never tried this recipe with canned beans, so I have no idea how they’d turn out. Buying fresh takes a little more time (since they don’t snip or snap themselves), but it is SO worth it.

Southern Green Beans

Ingredients

2 lbs green beans (ends snipped and snapped in half)
5 slices bacon, diced
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tstp black pepper
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
(optional) a few shakes of red pepper flakes

Instructions

Fry the bacon until crisp.
Remove the bacon (but keep it!) from the pan, reserving the grease.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the bacon grease.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
When ready to serve, crumble half the bacon on top and gently stir. Place the rest of the bacon on top - you know, for a picture-worthy display!

Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms and Tomato

March 5, 2019 By Joi Sigers

My love of and infatuation with eggs defies description, so I won’t even try. I love to try different techniques with them – even if I have a preferred style of fixing a particular egg dish (omelets, for example), I love to experiment with different ingredients, measurements, and cooking styles.

When it comes to scrambled eggs, you could LITERALLY cook them differently each day of the year. Most of the time I add 1 TBS milk, heavy cream, or (rarely) water per 2 eggs. However, with the scrambled eggs, here, I only add 1 TBS heavy cream. The moisture in the vegetables compensates for the decrease in liquid.

If you don’t like mushrooms, pass this one by as the mushroom flavor is strong (I love mushrooms like crazy, so I’m good to go). You could always substitute green onions for the ‘shrooms or tomatoes if you so desired.

Your eggs…. your call!

Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms and Tomato

Ingredients

5 Eggs
2 TBS Butter
Chopped Mushrooms and chopped tomato (enough to equal 1 Cup)
1 TBS Heavy Whipping Cream
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Break the eggs into a bowl and add the whipping cream and salt and pepper. Mix together with a whisk or fork.
Add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the egg mixture - 1 small tomato (peeled) is enough. Add however much chopped mushrooms you want.
Melt the butter in a skillet, then pour in the egg mixture.
Cook, while "scrambling" the eggs with a spatula over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Be sure you don't overcook - overcooked eggs are a sin against humanity.
Serve with bacon and/or toast!

The Muffin Tin Cookbook: Fun and Easy Meals Your Family Will Love (Plus a Fish Tacos Recipe)

January 1, 2019 By Joi Sigers

A while back, I was sent a wonderful cookbook to review, The Muffin Tin Cookbook: 200 Fast, Delicious Mini-Pies, Pasta Cups, Gourmet Pockets, Veggie Cakes, and More!

Love it, love it, love it.

Cooking is more than just one of my favorite hobbies and pastimes – it’s a passion that I love greatly. Even now, I’m sitting at my desk in my home office – working in a frenzy of keyboard tapping and brainstorming, breaking only for much needed sips of coffee. Yet all I can think about is what I’m going to cook for supper, what my next dessert will be, and wondering when I can try out a new stuffed chicken recipe I saw yesterday.

Cooking, baking, cooking, baking, cooking, baking… a peek inside my brain.

Given the fact that it’s something I love so much, I want others to get the same kind joy from cooking as I do. I think that’s one of the reasons I get so excited about fresh, fun, and creative new cookbooks like The Muffin Tin Cookbook. Not only are new cookbooks a complete joy ride for me in my amusement park of a kitchen, I know that other foodies will get a huge kick out of them as well.

I also like to see cookbooks filled with recipes that people will actually make! Recipes that don’t call for you to visit a foreign country and bring back an extract you can only find there – then stir it into a broth using the feather of a virgin peahen… Please. Every single recipe in The Muffin Tin Cookbook is one you’ll make and make again.

Another thing I like to see in a cookbook is plenty of recipes that are quick and easy. A lot of people have to work outside of the home AND come home and cook supper. People who have a limited amount of time to work with don’t need fussy recipes. They need recipes that can be thrown together quickly, cooked in a flash, and don’t require a lot of cleaning up afterward. The Muffin Tin Cookbook is a dream come true for someone looking for such recipes.

Since the recipes on Get Cooking are gluten-free (as are all of the recipes I personally make and eat – health reasons), I will point out that this is NOT a “gluten-free cookbook.” Many of the recipes call for flour and a host of other foods off limits to those of us why have to eat gluten-free. HOWEVER, as with most cookbooks in my collection and recipes I find in the wild, I simply make the necessary substitutions.

Book Description

Muffin Tins—They’re Not Just for Muffins Anymore

There’s nothing you can’t make in a muffin tin—and we’re not talking merely muffins. All you need is a muffin tin, paper liners, and this ingenious, one-of-a-kind cookbook, and you can whip up delicious dishes that are as easy to prepare and serve as they are good to eat.

From quick-serve appetizers and sides to gourmet entrees and desserts, you’ll find an amazing variety of mouthwatering options for your dining pleasure, including:

Shrimp Cakes with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce
Egg Crescent Pockets
Deep-Dish Pizza Cups
Cornmeal-Crusted Mustard Chicken with Sweet Potato Coins
Duchess Potatoes
Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Cups
Mini Ice-Cream Cakes

The best part (besides the tasty goodness): It’s fast, easy, mess-free, and provides built-in portion control. Kids will love to help you make them—like cupcakes, only better for your family!—and leftovers are as easy as popping the muffin-meal into the microwave.It just doesn’t get any better than The Muffin Tin Cookbook . . . your next memorable meal is just a muffin tin away! – From Amazon

Fish Tacos Recipe

3 pieces tilapia, about 3-4 ounces each, cut in half
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and Pepper
6 taco-size flour tortillas
Light sour cream, chopped green onion, chopped tomato, lettuce, and salsa for serving

Place the tilapia, chili powder, cilantro, oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl and allow to marinate 1/2 an hour, in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare 6 jumbo muffin cups by spraying with cooking spray.
Push one taco tortilla down into each cup and press any sections that bubble out against the sides.
Place 1 piece of marinated tilapia in each cup and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness of fish, until cooked through.
Serve with toppings.

Taco tortillas are smaller tortillas and are just the right size to line jumbo muffin cups. Lemon juice can be substituted for the lime juice.

Muffin Tin Recipes

There’s an entire chapter in The Muffin Tin Cookbook devoted to Breakfast – a time of the day when few of us have unlimited time. Recipes in the Breakfast chapter include:

Egg Crescent Pockets
French Bread French Toast
Grits Casserole
Cheese Danish Cups
Bagel Sausage Sandwiches
And More!

Other chapters include:

Appetizers and Snacks (Asian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce, Spiced Pecan Cups, Hot Pretzel Bites…)
Beef and Pork (Mexican Meatloaf, Sloppy Joe Cupcakes, Taco Mini Pies…)
Chicken and Turkey (Teriyaki Turkey Cups, Chicken Tortilla Pies, Italian Chicken…)
Seafood (Salmon Cakes, Deviled Crab Tarts, Shrimp with Polenta…)
Potatoes, Rice, Pizza, and Pasta (Candied Yams, White Pizzas, Stuffed Gnocchi…)
Vegetables ( French Onion Pie, Edamame in Rice Paper Cups, Cherry Tomato Cups…)
Muffins and Breads (Corn Muffins, Monkey Bread, Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins…)
Desserts (Hot Chocolate Muffins, Lemon Pound Cake, Apple Cupcakes..)

Each recipe indicates the size of muffin tin needed. As the author says on page 8, “Keep in mind that you can make your dishes any size you like, but you will need to adjust cooking time up or down accordingly (if you make a bigger cup than the recipe suggests, baking time will be longer; if you make a smaller cup baking time will be shortened).”

Please see The Muffin Tin Cookbook for more information. When giving cookbook reviews, I like to suggest the sort of cook that the cookbook in question is “ideal” for. Although this cookbook is PERFECT for busy cooks, it’s just as fun and enjoyable for those of us who are simply busy cooking! It would make an excellent gift idea for someone who’s new to the world of cooking – maybe even in a bag with a brand-spanking new muffin tin.

Homemade Vegetable Broth for Thanksgiving Dressing

November 20, 2018 By Joi Sigers

One of my daughters, Brittany, has been a committed vegetarian since she was 12 years old. It began with eating the top part of tacos while leaving the meat at the bottom untouched and with eating everything on her plate except for the meat. I asked her, very matter of factly, about it one day – not wanting to make a mountain of what may have been a molehill.

Spoiler alert – it was not a molehill.

She adorably told me, “I don’t want to ever eat anything that once had a face.” I told her that it was her decision to make and that I was on her side. If she didn’t want to eat anything that once had a face, no one… and I mean no one… was ever going to make her.

I read up on protein,vegetarianism, health concerns AND benefits, etc. We became black bean burger experts and, truth be told, the whole family surely benefited from the increased veggies in the kitchen. I made certain then and I make certain now that anything I cook for her doesn’t contain any ingredients that… well… once had a face.

One of the biggest areas of concern (for me anyway as a cook) has been replacing chicken broth in the food I make for her. It adds SO MUCH FLAVOR! Store-bought vegetable broth simply cannot compare. That’s why I prefer to make my own vegetable stock to use for her dressing at Thanksgiving. She’s a huge, huge, huge fan of garlic and flavorful herbs, so I can add those in and give her the layers of flavor she loves.

And no faces.

The recipe below really isn’t a recipe as much as it is a technique because it’s so customizable. If you’re using a vegetable broth for soup or stew, you might want to leave out the sage and replace it with thyme or basil. However, for Thanksgiving stuffing, don’t dare leave out the sage.

While I’ve said (in the recipe below) to simmer for 30 minutes, I actually turn the heat down and simmer for longer. Why? I love for the kitchen to smell like Thanksgiving! Naturally, you can’t simmer too long, however, or your broth will cook away. The house will smell like Autumn Heaven, but you’ll be left with a tablespoon of broth.

Homemade Vegetable Broth for Thanksgiving Dressing

Vegetables for Vegetable Broth

Ingredients

1 large Sweet Onion
2 cups Chopped Celery
Celery tops
20 Baby Carrots (halved or left whole)
9-10 Cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
2 Bay Leaves
Twig of Rosemary
Twig of Thyme
3 Sage Leaves
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp Salt
8 Cups Water

Instructions

Clean and chop (coarsely) the vegetables.
Heat EVOO in a soup pot.
Add vegetables and herbs to the EVOO and cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add salt and water. Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes (uncovered).
Strain and throw out (or eat!) the vegetables.
Store your broth in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Gluten-Free Corn Pudding (or Use All Purpose Flour for the Traditional Version)

October 22, 2018 By Joi Sigers

Gluten-Free Corn Pudding

I’ve been tweaking, experimenting, tweaking, planning, and re-tweaking favorite and new recipes for the upcoming holidays. In our family, real joy is found around the dining room table (holidays, special days, any days….), so I put the utmost thought and planning into the food we’ll be gathered around.

Like most families, we have our traditional favorites that make their appearance on their perspective holidays, but I also love to try new dishes and desserts to keep my adored ones on their adorable toes. I’ve been experimenting with corn pudding the past few months because everyone loves corn and, let’s face it, it’s a must-have for Thanksgiving.

Before I had to give up wheat and gluten, my go to corn pudding called for a box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix (recipe). I’ve been trying since to come up with a recipe to rival that delicious recipe. The one below is as delicious, it’s just different, you know?

I’ll post future corn pudding recipes as well as other side-dish, bread (gluten-free, of course) and desserts here on the food blog in the coming weeks.

After all, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before we know it!

Gluten-Free Corn Pudding

Ingredients

2 Cups Corn (canned, drained or frozen, thawed)
4 TBS Gluten-Free Flour (or All Purpose, if not going the gluten-free route)
1 TBS Butter, melted
3 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
2 Eggs, Well Beaten
2 Cups Whole Milk
Paprika (optional)

Instructions

Mix the corn, flour, salt, pepper, and sugar together in a medium bowl. Be sure the clumps of flour dissolve into the mixture.
Combine the well-beaten eggs, melted butter, and milk in a separate bowl. Stir well.
Combine both of these mixtures together and pour into a butter-greased baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. During the first 30 minutes, stir the mixture a few times - being sure to stir upward from the bottom. You want to be sure to incorporate all of the pudding together so it doesn't over-brown on the bottom. Using a wooden spoon is best.
The pudding is usually ready after cooking for 1 hour, even. To check, use the knife inserted in the middle trick - when it comes out clean, it's ready to come out of the oven.
Optional: Dust the top with a little paprika.