Courtesy of Paula Deen

Bobby's Pimento Cheese

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

http://www.pauladeen.com/

I have had several requests for this recipe. Once you taste it, you will know why.

Using an electric mixer, beat room temperature cream cheese.

Until smooth and fluffy.

The recipe calls for 2 to 3 tablespoons smashed pimentos. I dice up as small as I can dice, a whole small jar of sliced pimentos. Now add this to your cream cheese mixture.

Cut off the ends of your onion and peel the skin. I used a yellow onion. It's what I had. I keep them on hand always because they are so versatile. You can use them in any dish, whoever says you can't, tell them I said so. I am sure they WON'T care.

Grate 1 teaspoon of onion and add it to your cream cheese mixture.

Add 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese. I usually like to grate all of my own cheese for this recipe. It makes the pimento cheese much creamier, even more delicious but this time I used what I had on hand. Add 1 cup of grated Monterey Jack cheese.

 Add 1/2 teaspoon of House seasoning. Recipe follows

House Seasoning: 1 cup of salt, 1/4 cup black pepper, 1/4 garlic powder. Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. It will not last that long. I use it as a dry rub on chicken fajitas, my son uses it on his popcorn (which is so good.) It is really good.

Now that you have all of your ingredients in the bowl, beat until well blended.

It can be used as a dip for crackers, celery or as a sandwich filling, which is my favorite!

I haven't met a bread I didn't like, but I do have my favorites.

My favorite bread for this sandwich filling is a french loaf cut into sandwich size portions and toasted. I spread the pimento cheese on one side of the sandwich and put the tomatoes on the other and toast it in the oven for about 3-5 minutes. It also tastes good on a crescent roll. Enjoy!

I read "Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin", about a month ago. It is such an easy read. Paula Deen has a true American Dream storey. I could not put the book down. I laughed, cried and cheered her on to success! The bonus about this book is that it has fabulous recipes in it! I love this book! I love Paula!

Cypress Cream of the Crop

Amy Hebron Photography

&

H2 Oh! Designs

www.amyhebron.com

Amy Hebron Photography is a Cypress Sensation! Amy is a resident of Cypress. She is a wonderful photographer and very smart business woman. Amy Hebron takes indoor & outdoor portraits. Amy takes family photos, newborn pictures, senior pictures for graduation and so much more!

She also does photo decor, and makes custom domino, scrabble and bottle cap necklaces, which are very popular with girls of all ages in Cypress. That is not all Amy makes. She hand crafts amazing, detailed belt buckles and more. Please check out her website. She is my very first Cypress Pick!

THANKS AMY!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.......

Cornelius Nursery

1200 N. Dairy Ashford 281-493-0550

http://www.corneliusnurseries.com/index.html

Cornelius Nursery is a winter wonderland. If you have never been to Cornelius Nursery on Dairy Ashford, it is a must see during the month of November! If you are feeling grinchish, it will really get you in the mood for Christmas!!

                                                               

If you don't have Christmas ornaments yet, or you want to start fresh with new ornaments this set is a great start!

Chicken Tacos

Mom's Chicken Tacos

This is my mom's chicken taco recipe. She is the best cook I know. She has been making these chicken tacos for us since we were kids and still makes them for her grandchildren. Old school moms, like mine don't use recipes. They just cook, using no measuring cups but only how seasoning feels running through their fingers or by eyeing liquid so many times, they know just by looking at the liquid that it is 2 1/4 cups. Really, like a chef would measure ingredients.

I wanted to learn how to make these tacos so badly that about 2-3 years ago I sat down with my mom while she was cooking and we walked through all the steps while I wrote down an ACTUAL recipe.  I am so excited to share it with you! It is easy and so tasty.

You will also need 1 garlic clove ( not shown here).

Rinse your chicken, removing any giblet parts but leaving the skin on. This will only add more flavor to your chicken/broth. Pat dry and add to your stock pot filled about 1/2 way with water. Just covering your chicken enough with water so that is doesn't dry out or you don't over flow a boiling pot. Add to the pot 1/2 - 1 whole onion cut in half, 1 clove of garlic peeled, crushed and add salt. This is so that your chicken has plenty of flavor. You will also need to reserve about 2 cups of broth when it is done.

Cover your pot, leaving it tilted  so that your chicken does not boil over. Boil on medium heat for 1 1/2 hours.

Chop 1 onion, 3 celery stalks, 1/2 a bell pepper and 2 tomatoes

Let your chicken cool enough to handle. Debone the chicken and discard the skin and the bones. 

This is what your chicken should look close to after you have deboned it.



Chop your chicken until there are no big chunks.

Add 1 cup of chicken broth from your pot to a skillet.

On medium to medium high heat saute your chopped bell pepper, celery and onion in the broth. 

When your vegetables are soft add in the tomatoes.

  

Add in another 1/2 cup to a cup of broth and saute just a minute longer.

These tacos are very light and healthy, depending on what you add to them.

Now add in your chopped chicken and stir. the reason you use so much broth is because you have a whole chicken and veg. chopped up in the pan and you don't want to have dry chicken.



Stir together blending all those wonderful flavors together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low for about 10-15 minutes.

In your cast iron skillet or a regular skillet heat your corn tortillas. You can also use flour tortillas, whatever you prefer.



Serve meat mixture onto the tortillas with a slotted spoon. I add everything from the window to the wall to my chicken tacos. You can add whatever fixings you like. In these tacos I added sliced avocados, sour cream, lettuce, cheese and even salsa. My family loves this recipe and I hope yours does too!

This recipe makes 12-15 tacos.

Ingredients:

1/2 bell pepper (any color)

1 1/2 onions

3 celery stalks

2 tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

1 whole chicken

1 package of corn or flour tortillas

lettuce (optional)

cheese (optional)

sour cream (optional)

salsa (optional)

avocados (optional)

Directions:

Boil chicken for 1 1/2 hours in a stock pot with 1/2 an onion and 1 crushed garlic clove.

While chicken is boiling chop your bell pepper, onion, celery and tomatoes.

When chicken is done boiling and cool to touch, debone and chop chicken.

In a separate skillet saute bell pepper, onions and celery in chicken broth. Add tomatoes, a little extra broth and chopped chicken. Stir, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Heat tortillas and serve.

Stay Tuned....

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!

My family had a fun time last night. Our neighbors came over for snacks before our goblins set off to trick or treat. We all sat together the rest of the night passing out candy and catching up.

Coming up this week...Cypress has a lot of events coming up this week. Be sure to check the side bar for those events. I will also have more recipes coming, great pictures of Christmas decorations and a featured person in Cypress, you dont want to miss it!

Have a great day!!

It's time to prepare for the Holidays. Be sure you have all of the serving trays you need.