Shirley McMurtrie

Pork Sausage Patties

I like pork sausage as you can tell by the number of recipes I have that include it. Just making patties and frying them can make a rock-like nugget if you get them too brown.
This recipe is nice and tender. The extra time it takes to mix it up is worth it. I like to get my hands in there to do that. I understand that not everyone is inclined. Mix them any way you want. They will be delicious.

Captain Kangaroo? Nope

Kangaroos are not native to Union county, Tennessee. It is usually too big of a hop from Australia to this neck of the woods. I have never seen a live one. The zoos of my childhood didn't stray much from the lion, tiger and monkey varieties. No Kangaroos.

Foxes

FOXES

Down by the pasture
In an old hollow tree
Lives a red tail fox
And her little ones three.

Chicken and Stuffing

Here is another chicken breast recipe. There are so many things you can do with chicken. If you have a can of chicken breast on the shelf or chicken parts in the freezer, you have supper under control. This recipe can be easily cut in half. It is a quickie, done in 35 minutes. Good, too.

Sweet potato and banana casserole

This recipe is simple. It's mostly just sweet potatoes and bananas. You do have to cook the sweet potatoes first. That's okay. That gives you time to find your deep 2 quart casserole dish and assemble the remaining ingredients. Canned orange juice is okay, too. There's not much to the recipe, just takes a few minutes to prepare.

My log cabin doll house

In the early years of our stay here, near Hickory Star Marina, money was in short supply. We were restoring the buildings on the property with only my husband's Social Security check and his two small pensions. I would later find work baby-sitting Melissa Carter's daughter, Ashley, then doing restaurant cooking, being a security guard at commercial locations and finally as a home health care worker. But it was tough going at first.

Honey butter chicken

If you like Honey-Mustard Sauce on your chicken, you'll like this. No mustard needed here, just enjoy the buttery honey flavor. Sometimes I forget how good chicken tastes when sweetened. But if you've never tried that flavor, you are in for a treat.

Cats

I am fond of cats nowadays. That was not always the case. I remember back in my childhood when I thought my dad was perfect and knew everything about anything. He hated cats! So I did, too. I would express my dislike at every opportunity. Then we moved to Summers Road in Union County. We had mice galore. They were everywhere and didn’t care if we saw them or not. All food had to be stored covered and sealed.

My Biscuits

I wrote a story about Jackie making my biscuit recipe. I have the recipe cited on page 54 in the Revival Vision Cook Book. If you don't have the cook book, that is not enough information to make my biscuits. So here we go.

Mock crab cakes

Most everyone likes crab cakes. They can be a bit expensive to make. Here is a good iimtation “got you fooled” crab cake recipe. Make it in the winter time when no one suspects you are using zucchini. Fool 'em.

Meaty Cabbage Soup

I like stuffed cabbage, but it is a chore to make. This soup has a taste close to that and it's a lot easier to make. This recipe reminds me of Shoney's Cabbage Soup

Pasta Bean Soup

This is a good cold weather soup that's hearty enough for supper. To make it more hearty, saute a 1/2 pound of ground beef, breaking into small chunks, then add to other ingredients just before simmering. It reminds me of an Olive Garden soup

Bean and Sausage Soup

I have made bean soup with just about every cut of pork. This was my first attempt with smoked pork sausage. It is great. One advantage is that I don't have to scrounge up some ham for my next batch of soup. I usually have a hunk of smoked sausage in the freezer.

Sauces for Steak and Roast Beef

Horseradish has always been a favorite of mine. It goes so well with roast beef, but so do mushrooms. Here are two sauces featuring each. Steak always has more flavor, it seems to me, when it is topped with a mushroom sauce. I hope you know how well horseradish goes with a piece of leftover roast roast.

Cheesy Beef Dip

We all know and love the cheese dip made with Velveeta cheese. There are only three ingredients in that dip. This recipe is longer, but you are more apt to have all the ingredients in your pantry and fridge. Be sure to add the cinnamon. That spice goes especially well with chili powder, Three cups is a lot of dip, but it will go fast.

Molded Horseradish Relish

Not all relishes need to be of a sauce type. A shimmering mound of lemon flavored Jello goes well with ham or roast pork. You can make it the night before and allow it to smooze in the fridge until ready to serve. Let's face it, anything you can make ahead is a plus.

Chinese New Year

CHINESE NEW YEAR
FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Better than last year;
It's put out to pasture.
For good fortune and fun,
Try two thousand twenty-one.

Happy Chinese New Year, y'all!

Pork Chops with Cream Style Corn

I like pork chops. I like cream style corn. Put my two "likes" together and you have this recipe. It's something different. I suppose you wouldn't think of combining those two, but this is a great dish. If you have thinner pork chops, adjust the first baking time accordingly. You know, we can get in a rut planning our weekly menu. Try something different this week. Try this recipe.

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