Candied Yams

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. all spice
1/4 tsp.nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:                     

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and rinse them well. Cut the potatoes into desired shape (I prefer chunks). In a pot over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add in the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cinnamon, all spice, and nutmeg. Add in the vanilla extract. Let the mixture bubble, the remove it from the heat and stir in the sweet potatoes, making sure they are fully coated with the syrup. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour, (or until desired texture is reached) stirring halfway through.

Simple Roasted Turkey

For the brine:

-          2 gallons of water (more if needed)

-          ¾ cups kosher salt

-          1 tbsp. peppercorns

-          1 large onion, chopped into quarters

-          6 garlic cloves, smashed

-          Fresh Rosemary and Thyme (about 4 sprigs of each)

For the turkey:

-          1 (10 pound) turkey, fully thawed

-          5 tbsp. butter, softened

-          1 tsp. poultry seasoning

-          1 tsp. seasoned salt

-          ½ tsp. black pepper

-          3 stalks of celery, chopped into large pieces

-          1 large onion, chopped into large pieces

-          2 larger carrots, chopped into large pieces

-          2 cups chicken broth

Directions

Brine:

Mix all the ingredients together until the salt is fully dissolved in a large container that will hold the liquid and the turkey. If you choose, you can boil the mixture so that all the flavors can infuse into the water quicker, but make sure you cool it before adding in the turkey.

Turkey:

Rinse the turkey thoroughly and remove the neck and giblets pack from inside the cavity. Place the turkey into the brine and make sure that it is fully submerged in the water. Add more water if needed. Cover the container with the turkey in it and place in the refrigerator for 15 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Let the turkey sit out for one hour to come to room temperature after removing it from the brine. Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels. Mix the poultry seasoning, seasoned salt, and black pepper together. Season the inside of the cavity with some of the seasonings. Smear the butter over the entire surface of the turkey. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning mixture all over the turkey. If you choose, you can stuff the cavity with stuffing or any type of aromatics you prefer. You may also put the turkey in an oven roasting bag.

Line the bottom of a roasting pan with the celery, onion, and carrots. Pour the chicken broth over the vegetables. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables, tucking the wing tips underneath it and tying the legs together with kitchen twine or even use some aluminum foil (Doing this helps make sure they cook evenly). Place the turkey into the oven and bake according to the chart below, basting every 30 minutes with the juices in the bottom of the roasting pan.

The turkey is done when the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees.

When the turkey is done, let it set for a minimum of 30 minutes before cutting into it.

Notes:

• You may put the turkey in an oven roasting bag if you choose.
• You will have to adjust the recipe, if you use a larger turkey.

Sausage Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients:

-          12 cups white bread (about 15 slices) [Or stuffing cubes]

-          1 onion, diced

-          3 stalks celery, chopped

-          2 tbsp. vegetable oil

-          1 pound ground sausage (Italian or Breakfast)

-          2 cups chicken broth (add more if needed for desired texture)

-          2 eggs, beaten

-          ½ tsp ground sage

-          1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

-          ½ tsp. fresh thyme

-          1 tsp. dried parsley

-          Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bread in to half inch cubes. Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet(s) in a single layer. Place the cubes into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until completely dried out (keep an eye on them). In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage and drain of any fat. Set the sausage aside. In the same skillet, sauté the onions and celery with the oil about 5 minutes or until soft. In a large bowl, add the dried bread cubes, sausage, onions and celery, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage. Mix well. Mix in the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes to cool and set.

Loaded Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

- 1 (1 pound 14 oz) bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
- 6 tbsp. butter, melted
- 16 ounces (2 cups) sour cream
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of mushroom or chicken
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup diced ham
- 6 to 8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix the hash brown, butter, sour cream, cream of mushroom, and cheese. Add the bacon and ham and mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Barbecue Ribs

What's up, foodies? Y'all doing good? You good? You good? I'm good! You good? Okay, good! Today I am sharing my recipe for baked barbecue ribs. Don't get me wrong, I love a good rib that's been cooked on the grill, however, I really don't like grilling....at least not when it's hot outside. If I do grill, I'd prefer to do it during the colder parts of the year..I just don't like being hot.

I have done these many, many times before, but I decided that the next time I make them, I am going to make my own rub to put on them. I have never made any type of rub before and I think I did pretty good on it. I am sure that there is something way better then what I created, but hey, I'm a newbie.

I really love ribs, but I don't eat them that much because I will eat an entire rack (and then some) with no hesitation. You can use your favorite store brand of rub or if you have your own recipe you can use it. I really hope you enjoy this sticky delight.

Ingredients:

- 1 rack of ribs (any type of your choice)
- 1 bottle of barbecue sauce
Dry Rub
- 3 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp.salt
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. chipotle chili pepper (optional)
- 1/2 tsp.black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground mustard
- 1 tsp. onion poweder
- 1 tsp. meat tenderizer (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all of the rub ingredients together until everything is well combined. Remove the membrane from the bottom of the ribs (if you choose- see video). Generously rub the dry rub seasoning all over the ribs (you will have extra). Wrap the ribs tightly in foil and bake for 2 hours or until cooked through. When the ribs are done, discard all of the liquid. Spread a layer of barbecue sauce on the ribs and then place them back into the over for ten minutes. Repeat this step two or three time to build a layer of barbecue sauce on the ribs. You can also just place the ribs under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes to stick to the ribs.

6 Flavor Butter Cake

What's up foodies. Y'all doing good? You good? You good? I'm good! You good? Okay, good. Today I am going to share my recipe for a 6 flavor Butter Cake. I am pretty sure you have heard of the Kentucky Butter Cake and I figured it was time I made my version of it.

This cake is essentially like a pound cake, the only difference is there isn't a pound of each ingredient and this cake has a delicious butter sauce that goes over it once it's cooked. I have been making this cake for the past couple of weeks to get it just like I want it. I will say that just like a pound cake, this cake tastes better the next day. I don't know why, it just does.

My recipe is not that different from any others, but I do like the variety of different flavorings in it. Although I have the flavorings listed, you don't have to use what I have. Use what you want and it will be fine. You'll notice on some of the stronger flavorings, I only added half a teaspoon, but you may use a whole teaspoon if you wish. I strongly encourage you to only add 1/2 teaspoon of the maple extract as it overpowers everything else.

I really hope you enjoy this cake. I have received some really good feedback from the people I have shared it with, considering I have made 4 or 5 of them the past two weeks while I was perfecting the recipe.

Recipe

For the Cake:

- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. butter flavoring
- 1 tsp. rum flavoring
- 1/2 tsp. maple flavoring (use 1 tsp. if desired)
- 1/2 tsp. coconut flavoring (use 1 tsp. if desired)
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract (use 1 tsp. if desired)

Butter Sauce:

- 6 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a bundt pan. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a bowl, mix together the butter ans sugar until fluffy and well combined. Add eggs one at time. Add one third of the flour mixture and mix. Add half the buttermilk and all of the flavorings and mix. Repeat steps until flour and buttermilk are combined. Pour batter in prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it using a skewer or butter knife. Poor the butter sauce over the cake. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Butter Sauce

In a saucepan over medium low heat, add the butter, water, sugar, and vanilla and mix until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved (DO NOT BOIL).