Broccoli Casserole

I've had this recipe since I worked at a Levi's plant in Tennessee. The lady who worked in personnel (that is what they called human resources back in the '70s) made this dish for a potluck at work. It was delicious. I always modify the recipe one way or another....I use fresh, steamed broccoli, I've used various cheeses, you can try different creamed soups, you can add a small can of mushrooms, drained. The recipe makes an 8" x 8" casserole. I usually double it to make more.

1 box Frozen Broccoli Cuts
1 Egg (beaten)
1/2 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
2 teaspoons Chopped Onion
2 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
10 crushed Ritz crackers (for topping)

Cook the broccoli until tender. Drain the excess liquid. Mix together all ingredients except crackers, and a small amount of cheese to garnish the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.

Tennessee Corn Dish

I found this dish on Foodnetwork.com a few years ago. It is a recipe from Dolly Pardon's family. It is really tasty and an easy side dish to make a little ahead. Using fresh corn is best, but it works to use canned tiny niblets size corn. The recipe makes 8 servings. It's also easy to increase the recipe for a larger group.

3 eggs
2 cups whole kernel corn, fresh
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup fine saltine crumbs for topping

Beat the eggs. Combine with corn, butter, milk, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour into a buttered 8" x 8" pan; sprinkle the top with bell pepper and cracker crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Why I Love Food & The Foodie Blogroll

Some of my earliest memories are of food. I remember a lovely 2-layer homemade chocolate cake that my mother made for my 4th birthday. It had circus animals on the top. For my 5th birthday I was asked to decide my favorite meal, and mother would make it for me. Since beef steak was a rare treat in our home, I asked for Sirloin steak, mashed potatoes, and frozen peas. I was very specific. She made it and I still remember the meal, many eons ago.

My dad was born in North Carolina, and we lived in Northern California. So every 4 or 5 years while I was growing up, we would take a car trip across the US. I can still remember a small town in the Midwest, where I ordered a chicken fried steak. Out came a steak the size of the dinner plate, crispy chicken fried and pounded nice and thin. It was draped over mashed potatoes and smothered with home-made gravy. I was in heaven, and had never tasted anything so wonderful. Again, the memory is still very fresh.

I come by the love of food naturally. My mother can still recite what she ordered to eat in each town as we traveled across country, and can remember which trip and what year it was. We talk food a lot when we call each other on the phone.

I didn’t cook much growing up, since mother was a great cook in a small kitchen. She preferred to just get the meal on the table…..

I got married, and my mother-in-law was from Arkansas. From her I got some really great recipes that I was not familiar with growing up. Eventually there was another marriage, this time my mother-in-law was in Tennessee. I watched her cook many batches of biscuits, made from scratch in a big tub, mixing gently with her fingers. I learned to cook various East Tennessee staples and local delicacies. I still cook with this kind of style…..it’s very ‘country’. (not like Britney Spears)

I’m yet on my final marriage, and my mother-in-law is in Arizona. I don’t see her much, but on the Holidays I watch and help her make gravy and all the traditional fare. Through my husband I have learned to make lots of spicy Mexican dishes which are some of our favorites.

This is why I have decided to feed my passion, as well as others like me. The recipes speak for themselves, and may eventually have a few photos to go along. I keep forgetting to take a picture until after we have delved into the meal……..oops.


I have discovered many new food and cooking related websites lately, which are fascinating and entertaining. I have joined the Foodie Blogroll which is a feature of The Leftover Queen website. It is a fun, humorous, and motivating website about food. Joining the Foodie Blogroll is free, and there is lots of linky love happening if you do. There are hundreds of food related blogs to check out too. I know it will keep me busy, and Biker Chickz Recipes is on the list.

Machaca Beef

I've been making this recipe for years and it always comes out tasting good. It is made in the slow cooker and takes 10-12 hours on low. The meat is good to fill burritos, tacos, chalupas, quesadillas, for chili, on a baked potato, or anything else you can think of. Makes 10-12 servings

1-1/2 lbs. beef roast (chuck or round)
1 large onion, sliced
4 oz. can diced green chilis
2 beef bouillon cubes
1-1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup salsa

Combine all ingredients except salsa in a slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover. Cover the cooker and cook on low 10-12 hours, or until beef is tender. Drain and reserve liquid.
Shred the beef using 2 forks to pull it apart. It should come apart easily. Combine beef, salsa, and enough of the reserved liquid to make of desired consistency.

I sometimes use the excess liquid in my next pot of soup or chili. It adds a lot of flavor.