The Adam's Family Cookbook

The Adams Family Cookbook is a work in progress. I'm putting together recipes, stories and photos of my my Grandmother and my Great Aunts. I think some folks in our family will really enjoy it. Also it can be something to share with the next generation.

I am still in the gathering stage.  The cousins have been wonderful pulling up all sorts of things from Chicken Spaghetti to Pink Stuff, and my Granny's Oatmeal Bread. Every time I get a new envelope in the mail it's like Christmas. hee hee.

Of course being a southern family, no cookbook would be complete without a Praline recipe. or Mom's Jambalaya. So I'll keep going here.

By the time our Reunion comes around in September, i should have a rough draft. Or, that's the goal anyway. Wish me luck. I have another cousin to ask.

Best Ever Meatballs

Easy yummy meatballs.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/4 cup Italian cheese
Salt
2 tablespoons onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced

Makes 18 meatballs

Put all the ingredients in one bowl. Mix well. Pinch small amounts of the meat mixture form into a ball and add to a greased baking dish. Bake at 275 for 25 minutes until browned and cook through.

These are now ready for your favorite sauce. Enjoy

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz Reese's peanut butter cups chopped fine
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 375.
Cream sugar and butter together until smooth with an eclectic mixer. Then add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time. blend 3 to 5 minutes. The batter should be smooth. Next and the salt, soda and 1/2 cup of the flour. Start the the mixer on low. Add the rest of the flour a little at a time--about 1/2 a cup. Mix for 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure the batter is smooth and soft. Stir in the peanut butter cups and the nuts. Mix with a rubber spatula until well mixed.

Spray the cookie sheets with cooking spray, then scoop out a teaspoon of the mixture, drop onto the cookie sheet. On a large cookie sheet put no more than 12. Space them about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Cook each pan for 10 minutes. let the pan cool for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Continue baking.

Enjoy with a nice cold glass of milk.

 

Apple Pecan Cake

This comes under the title what to do with a bag of apples, when you know you can't eat them all. I started by coring the apples and dicing them up. Then put them in a large stock pot with 1/4 cup sugar and a tablespoon on cinnamon, added just a little water and simmered them for 2 hours. 

I put them in a container and refrigerated overnight. Cooked apples can be used in many ways, but this is about cake. 

 

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

Eggs, oil water 

1/2 can cream cheese frosting

1 1/2 cups cooked apples.

1 tablespoons cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake directions

Make the cake batter following the instructions on the back of the box. Add the cinnamon, apples, and pecans. Pour the batter into two greases 9 inch cakes pans. Bake according to package direction. Use the higher end of the time range. 

A toothpick should test cleanly when they are done, and should be a nice golden brown. Let them cool before turning out on a cake plate. Use the 1/2 can of cream cheese frosting for the first layer. Make sure in is spread evenly, then carefully put the other layer on top. Pour the frosting over the cake, spread until smooth. Let the frosting set up before cutting and serving. 

Frosting directions:

Bring the butter to room temperature. Add the sugar, milk and vanilla, and sour cream all at once. Beat until smooth.

Baked Chicken Alfredo

You know how you get a certain taste for something, and no one makes it? Oh sure some restaurants get close, some recipes get close, but when it comes down to it, you just have to make it yourself. Thus this weekend's delight.It's a combination of chicken, noodles,  mushrooms,  onions, garlic and cheese. sprinkled with a few bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.. I'm cheating by using a jarred Alfredo, but it will still be wonderful.

Start  by marinating 4 chicken skinless chicken breasts with 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 6 oz sliced mushrooms,   and 4 tablespoons Italian salad dressing. Let marinate for at least an hour. 

Take the chicken and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes. Let them cool and rest, then slice into bite sized pieces.

While the chicken is resting, boil 1/2 pound egg noodles. drain and layer the noodles in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish add the diced chicjen 1/2 an onion diced, 2 jats of alfredo sauce. top with bread crumbs and cheese.

bake until sauce is bubbly and bread crumbs have browned. -- abour an hour