Munchie Monday- Catfish Dinner

I decided to make fried catfish and hush puppies for last Thursday nights dinner. I used two recipes in my The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. I will post both recipes as well as the page number in the book.

Crispy Fried Catfish (Page 214)

2 cups of self-rising cornmeal

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried thyme

6 (8-ounce) catfish fillets -or- 1 (32-ounce) package of catfish nuggets

1 cup buttermilk (I did not use buttermilk, I used 3 eggs instead and it came out fine)

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoon ground red pepper

1. In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, salt, and both ground pepper. 

2. In another bowl crack the eggs and lightly beat them for a minute. Dip the catfish in the eggs, buttermilk if you used that, allow excess to drip off, and dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

3. Fry fillets two at a time, nuggets 4-6 at a time for 3-4 minutes or until they float; drain on paper towels.Pour oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a skillet, saucepan or Dutch oven; heat to 375°F (190°C).

Mexican Hush Puppies (Page 71)

2 cups self-rising cornmeal

1 cup self-rising flour

3 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup milk

1 (14 ¾- ounce) can corn 

1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I used Colby Cheddar cheese)

2 cups chopped onion (I used 1 cup because I really don’t like onions lol)

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped ( I forgot to add this :/)

2 teaspoons chili powder

Vegetable oil

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture.

2. Combine the eggs and the next 6 ingredients in a bowl; add to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened.

3. Pour oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a skillet, saucepan or Dutch oven; heat to 375°F (190°C). Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into hot oil; fry hush puppies a few at a time, 3 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Both of these recipes are super easy and quick to make. If you don't like catfish you can use any type of fish. Let me know how your catfish dinner comes out! :D Don't forget to follow me on my social media site. Click on the links on the upper right side of the blog.

Munchie Monday- Better Than Restaurant Style Salsa

My boyfriend says the best way to find out if a Mexican restaurant is any good is by the taste of their salsa. If you don't like the taste of their salsa then you might as well walk out. This salsa is to me and my boyfriend is the best salsa we have tasted.

Ingredients:

1 can of whole peel tomatoes (28 oz)

½ a bundle of cilantro

4 jalapenos

1 clove of garlic

½ small onion

pinch of salt and pepper

*Optional*

1 Tomatillo 

Directions:

1. Drain the tomatoes but keep the juice. Pour the tomatoes into your blender.

2. Add cilantro, salt and pepper, garlic, onion, jalapenos (with the stems cut off) and my secret ingredient a tomatillo. The tomatillo will also make the salsa more green in color then it would if you don't add it.

Remember the tomatillo is optional.

3. This is the part that is a bit more up to you. I personally like my salsa more chunky so I use the blender setting 'chop' until its as chunky or smooth as I like it. Also you remember that I had you guys keep the tomato juice if its to spicy when you taste it add a little of the juice and a pinch of salt.

Now you guy have some yummy salsa to snack on or have it as a whole meal! :)

The little dish is from Walmart only $1! :)

I hope you guys enjoy this salsa as much as I do. Let me know what you guys think about it  either on  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram  or just by commenting below! :)

Munchie Monday- Family Dish

This week I'm sharing with you guys a dish that has been passed down through my boyfriends family. His abuelita (grandma) has passed this to his mom, his mom to him and him to me. Now I'm sharing it with you guys! Enjoy! :)

Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

My boyfriend thought this looked cool LOL!

1lb Ground beef

2 Roma tomatoes

1-1 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (about half a bundle)

1-1 1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (we like to add a little extra)

1/4 teaspoon steak seasoning

1/5 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

3 cups pinto beans

oil

corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef, while its browning add cumin, salt, steak seasoning and garlic salt.

This is when it's cooked down some.

2. Drain ground beef. Add cilantro, onion and tomatoes and cook with the ground beef for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Don't forget to stair and it will cook down so if it looks like a lot don't worry.

It may not look good but its delicious!

3. Put the beans on to boil. You know that they are ready when they aren't hard anymore. Take about 2/3-1/2 of the entire pot drained and and them to the ground beef mixture and mash them with the mixture.

We like using cast-iron skillets!

4. Pour oil in a small skillet about half full. Heat oil up on medium-high heat. Fry 1 tortilla at a time for 10-20 seconds on each side. Shake off extra oil with a non-fried tortilla.

I had the flash on the aren't as greasy as the picture shows.

5. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the ground beef mixture in a tortilla, roll and set on a serving platter and form a pyramid with each enchiladas to keep them warm.

Our snack! Just the ground mixture on a slice of bread.

6. Serve with shredded cheese and or the green sauce on top with rice and the remaining beans on the side. These will make quite a few the most we made was like 24+. They taste good as leftovers!

Green Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 bundle (1-1 1/2 cup)Cilantro

2 Large Tomatillos

1/2 Onion

2 Roma tomatoes
3 large Jalapenos
Garlic
Salt

Directions:

1.  Place all items in a medium sauce pan and boil till tender.

2. Take each item out and place in a blender. Try not to get any of  the water, a little is okay but you don't want little to no water!

3. Add one clove of garlic and a pinch or two of salt. Liquefy it in the blender. This sauce is NOT suppose to be chunky at all its suppose to be smooth.

I hope you enjoy this traditional Mexican meal! Let me know how yours come out by tweeting me, tagging  on Instagram or posting on my Facebook page.

Munchie Monday- Patriotic Cupcakes

Don't these look yummy?? :)

This past Friday was Independence Day here in the states and I decide the day to make festive red, white and blue cupcakes.

You will need:

1 box of white cake mix

2 14oz vanilla frosting

3 egg whites

1 1/4 cup of water

1/3 cup of oil

Red and blue food coloring

Cupcake tin and cupcake paper cups

Mixer and bowl

3 Pastry bags and 1 tip

Directions:

1. Empty the box cake mix in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg whites, water and oil to the cake mix. Beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally, until well blended

2. Divide mix into three bowl. Using  the food coloring tint one bowl red, one blue and leave the third bowl white.

3. Next spoon one spoonful of red cake mix in each cup, followed by white and blue mix. 

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool them for about 10 minutes in the pan and 30 minutes out on a cooling rake. 

5. While your waiting for to cupcakes to cool you can prepare your frosting. I divided the frosting among three bowls and dyed two red and blue. I didn't use the red because in came out pink LOL. Put the blue and white frosting in their own pastry bags. 

6. With your spare bag cut the tip and place your decorating tip in the bag. Cut the tip off the other two bag and place the bags in the third bag. 

7. Now you can decorate your cupcakes! I just swirled the frosting around the cupcake. Nothing to fancy but a perfect dessert option to a Fourth of July barbecue 

First time swirling frosting!

I hope you guys had a great weekend and for my fellow Americans I hope your Fourth of July was great. I hope you like these. If you do try them out let me know by tweeting me a picture or tagging me on Instagram! What would you like to see a recipe of? Tweet me of comment below. Also don't forget to show some love by liking my new Facebook page.

Munchie Monday- It's a dogs life for me.

This week's Munchie Monday is not for people but for the four legged people of this world. As you guys can probably tell from the title I'm talking about your dogs. I am so excited about this one because this is a special treat for one of my dogs, Sarah, who on Wednesday will be two years old. More about it in this weeks Throwback Thursday!

I got this recipe from AllRecipes.com I did half the recipe because it makes 4 dozen when you use a cookie cutter like they used. The cookie cutter I used made about 40+/-. I'm kinda glad I didn't use the full recipe. 

Here is the half recipe:

Ingredients:

Into the oven the bunnies go!

1/2 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons AND 2 teaspoons of margarine

1/2 cup of boiling water

1/4 cup AND 2 tablespoons of cornmeal

1 teaspoon of white sugar

1 teaspoon of beef or chicken bouillon granules

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

I burned a few :(

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325*F (165*C). In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, margarine, and boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes, while you grease cookie sheets.

2. Thoroughly stir in cornmeal, sugar, bouillon, milk, Cheddar cheese, and egg. Mix in flour, a little at a time, until a stiff dough has formed.

3. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, mixing flour as needed until dough is smooth and not sticky. Roll dough out to a 1/2" thickness and cut with a cookie cutter and place 1 inch apart on the greased cookie sheets.

4. Bake 35-45 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool before serving.

Sarah say they are yummy!

My doggies LOVED them!! They would've eaten all of them if I let them.

Can we have some more?

That's it for Munchie Monday. I hope your doggie friends enjoy these amazing treats! Let me know how they come out, tag me on Instagram.

xoxo

Rita!

Munchie Monday- Honey Wheat Bread

This is an old bread recipe that I found in my grandmothers recipe. Its super yummy & great for toast and sandwiches.

Ingredients:

 1 1/2 cup of warm water

1/4 cup of honey (microwave the honey to make it more liquidity)

1 tsp dry active yeast

2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 - 2 cup of white flour

4 Tbs Sunflower seeds

1 Tbs oats

1. Combine honey & water in a large glass or plastic bowl. Add yeast & let sit for 10 minutes or till frothy.

2. Add 2 cups on whole wheat flour stir until there are no dry clumps. Cover & let sit for 30 minutes.

3. Stir in salt, sunflower seeds & 1 cup of white flour. Mix till the dough pulls away from the bowl. Place dough on a lightly floured surface & knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth. Add remaining flour to prevent sticking. Return dough to a light greased bowl & cover for 1 hour in a warm location. I ran a kitchen towel under the hot tap & covered with that.




4. Place dough on the lightly floured surface and form into a log & place in a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Sprinkle the oats over the top and cover for 1 more hour. Preheat the oven to 350* F (176*C)

5.  Place bread in preheated oven for 30-45  minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

That is this weeks Munchie Monday! Happy Baking! :)

xoxo

Rita!

Munchie Monday- Strawberry Cupcakes

Hi everyone and welcome to my first post for Munchie Monday! This week I will show you how to make some good tasting strawberry cupcakes and strawberry frosting. For the cupcakes I use a Betty Crocker strawberry cake mix and followed the directions on the box.
The frosting however I did make from scratch and it got it from here. I actually messed up the recipe by ONLY added 1/4 cup of butter. So the icing didn't come out the best. :(

 Ingredients for the Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar, plus extra, as needed

1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry fruit spread or jam (I LOVE strawberries so i added like 5 tablespoons of jam :D)
Mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

 In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter until light and smooth. Beat in 3 cups powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

 Beat in the strawberry fruit spread or jam into the vanilla frosting. Mix in the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, plus extra, as needed, until smooth and creamy.
I added mini chocolate chips to the tops of them to act like "seeds". :D

Mine came out really thin at first but that might have been because i didn't add enough butter. I did chill the frosting for about a hour and a half and it thickened up. Other than it being thin it tasted AMAZING! The strawberry flavor was the perfect amount! It was a little to sugary next time I time I will be using this recipe. It's a cream cheese frosting recipe that looks really good.

I hope you enjoyed today's post! I hope you try these Strawberry cupcakes and let me know how they come out. :)

xoxo

Rita!