Mike's Tennessee Scratch Cornbread

What does cornbread and Mini Coopers have in common? I'm glad you asked. Mike and I are Mini Cooper enthusiasts and have been driving rally's together for many years (Team Rick and Mike). He lives in Tennessee we are in Texas. Mike shared his incredible recipe with me on a visit recently. I tried it and everyone loves it and even went for seconds. This cornbread is delish and stays together and does not crumble when you pick it up. That's always a good sign!

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups self rising cornmeal (yellow or white)

1 large egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk

12" iron skillet is required for this recipe

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour 2 tbs of vegetable oil in the skillet and warm on medium for a few minutes. Make sure you spread the oil all over the skillet.

Preheat the oven to 430

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and using a whisk, mix it up thoroughly to the consistency of pancake batter. I like it a little thick and not runny.

Pour the mixture into the skillet and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top. 

NOTE: if the first time the bottom is a little burnt, try a slightly lower oven temp like 400.

Let cool 5 minutes and cut into slices and you are ready to enjoy!

Serves 8 

 

MIMI's Low Carb Taco Soup

Here is a great tasting soup super easy to make and good for you too. We make it for a quick and light stand alone treat for lunch or dinner or you can add it to a meal as a bonus dish. Its not a Chef Rico original recipe but we love the taste and its quick to make. So, take a few minutes and get your ingredients together and try this one out.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs ground pork, beef , or sausage
• 2, 8oz packages of cream cheese
• 2, 10 oz cans of Rotel or Mexican Diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons of Cilantro - fresh chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese for garnish
• OPTIONAL Shredded chicken Pre-cock 2 chicken breasts ahead of time and add in after step 4
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Brown the ground meat until fully cooked
2. While the meat is browning, place cream cheese, Rotel, and taco seasoning into a large pot
3. Drain any grease off of meat and put meat in the large pot. Stir to combine with cheese and Rotel
4. Pour chicken broth over meat and chees
OPTION Add a little shredded chicken to the mix if you like
5. Cook on low for 30 minutes
6. Before serving add in chopped cilantro
7. Garnish with shredded cheese

Serves 4-6

Comments? Suggestions? Have you tried this recipe yet?

Mesquite Smoked Beans

Simple to make and simply delicious to eat!  This dish is a great compliment to barbecue ribs, brisket or chicken and goes great with Chef Rico's Texas Potato Salad. You don't need a lot of seasoning for this since most the flavor comes from the mesquite wood smoke you use for smoking your. So next time you fire up the smoker, make some room for Mesquite Smoked Beans.



This recipe serves 8

Ingredients

• 2- 19oz cans of Ranch Style Beans or similar
• 1/4 c- brown sugar
• 1/4 c- white onion
• 1/2 c - Stubbs Mesquite BBQ Sauce
• 3 strips- thick sliced bacon 
• 1tsp - pepper

Preparation

I use a black iron skillet just for this purpose. If you don't have one, I suggest you buy one for smoking and cooking on the grill.

1. Pour the two cans of beans in the iron skillet (flavored beans optional)
2. Add in the brown sugar and stir in
3. Chop the white onion medium size and stir in well
4. Add Stubbs BBQ sauce and stir (that's just my favorite)
5. Cut the bacon into small pieces about 1/4 wide and stir in
6. Add pepper

Place the iron skillet at the end farthest from the fire box on your smoker about 2 hours before your meat is done. The mixture will become dark and thick and that is what you want. Stir occasionally when checking your meat. Add this to my Texas Potato Salad and you will have a hit on your hands.

Comments? Suggestions?

Chef Rico's Texas Yellow Potato Salad

Ingredients

• Regular brown skin potatoes - NOTE: use 1 small potato per person 
• 1/2 cup of chopped white onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped celery
• 1/3 cup of chopped large seeded black olives
• 1/3 cup of chopped whole green olives
• 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro 
• 1/3 cup of chopped dill pickles
• Seasoned salt
• Miracle Whip
• Mustard 4 - Boiled eggs

Serves 8

1. Peel and rinse the potatoes then quarter and place in large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until the quarters are still in tack but slightly soft.
NOTE: you want the potatoes to stay chunky while mixing the ingredients in.
NOTE: add the eggs in with the potatoes to boil together so the eggs will be ready when the potatoes are.
2. Drain the potatoes when done and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add all the ingredients except the miracle whip and mustard.
4. Under running cold water, peel the boiled eggs. Use two whole eggs to chop up and add. Save two for later whole.
5. With all the ingredients in, now add in 2 cups miracle whip and start stirring the mixing together really well. Add Miracle whip as needed to make the mixture wet and smooth looking not dry. Using a wooden spoon to stir with will help keep the potatoes in chunks.
6. Once you have the texture as you like it, add in mustard just enough to color the whole mixture all over.
7. Now place the potato salad in your serving dish and smooth, covering the whole dish. Cut the remaining two eggs into slices with the yellow yoke intact and place all around the top of the salad.
8. Sprinkle the top with seasoned salt for color and taste. Sprinkle  the chopped cilantro over all that and you are done. Wrap with clear Cling Wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This has been a Cadden family favorite for many years at barbeques.