Alabama Freezer JAM

How many times have we heard the ole saying "It is finger licking good". Now most times we are talking about that good KFC chicken. But to me there are more good things than just it. Going down the road eating a half melted Hershey bar and trying to not get it on your top and still trying to get that last bite of choc. and then looking in the mirror and see you mouth all brown with that choc. Now that is what you call good. Of course I just love choc. in any fashion or form. Do you still remember taking the kids and now the grandkids to Wendy's for that order of fries dipped down in that frosty. Heaven. lol.

We went and stayed all night over at our daughter's house and they had got some fresh eggs from Alb. and her pastor's wife had given her some freezer jam. So that called for a good good breakfast.
 Now me I love the eggland eggs since they are so much like the fresh farm ones but with the chickens going on strike during the winter and not laying that much they are just to pricey for me. But if you have a Food City in your area, trust me grab a blue carton of their brand eggs. They are as close to fresh farm eggs as they come.

Any way we made some toast and scrambled some eggs and by the way do you know how to get your eggs fluffy. Put around a 1/2 teaspoon of water in them like Paula Deen does. It will make a difference. Or you can use a little milk.

 
Then here she pulled out this homemade freezer jam of course it was strawberry. You know what those little bowls from KFC that has the mashed potatoes in them are good for. Fixing freezer jam in them or you can get the small round ones from hefty or glad. This jam had big chunks of fresh strawberries in it and boy was it good. It is not like jam out of the jar. It  is more like a spread.

 
I have heard of making freezer jam but have not ever tried to make it. But I sure will now. Just don't be on a diet because I think it uses around 7 cups of sugar. And I think two boxes of the quart size strawberries. Now me, I cannot keep fresh strawberries over one day or they began to mold. Got to do a search and see what to do about that for everyone.

 
If you get time make sure you make some of this jam. We called her and she said the recipe was inside on the paper that comes with the sure jell located in the canning dept. at Kroger or Walmart. Trust me it will be worth your time to make some. Just don't be on a diet as you can't stop eating just one piece of toast with it. We could all use diet bread and make up for all those calories that are in it. lol. I will look for a good recipe to post for it.

OREO CHEESECAKE COOKIES

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
3 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips, melted for drizzing
1 Cup Oreo Cookie Crumbs  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese, mixing until they are combined good. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix until all the ings. are combined. Add the flour and mix on low until the flour is mixed in good. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.  Using a cookie scoop roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Then roll in the crushed oreo cookie crumbs and make sure all the dough is covered. Place on cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are slightly puffed. Cool for two minutes in the pans and then put the cookies on a wire rack to cool. Once the cookies are cooled, drizzle the cookies with the melted white chocolate.

CHIPPY CANDY

1 (12 oz) Pack White Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy
1 (12oz.) Bag Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips 

Melt white chocolate in microwave starting at 2 minutes. Stir and continue until all is melted. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter to the white chocolate and stir again and pour into buttered 9x13 glass dish. Next melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir and continue until these are all melted. Pour onto the top of the white chocolate-peanut butter layer and then take a knife and swirl to combine them. Cool and cut with a plastic knife or can break into pieces.

PINEAPPLE CUPCAKES WITH MARSHMALLOW CREAM FROSTING

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
20 oz. Can Crushed Pineapple with Juice (do not drain)

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed. Pour into cupcake papers about 2/3 full and bake according to directions on box for cupcakes. Set aside and let these cool.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
20 oz Can Pineapple with Juice, make sure you drain it good
3/4 Cup Marshmallow Cream

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with a hand mixer until well blended. Spread over cooled cupcakes and refrigerate until ready to eat.

LOADED POTATO CAKES

5 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic
2 Tablespoons Butter or Marg.
2 Teaspoons Salt
10-12 oz. Sour Cream
1 Large Onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons Butter or Marg.
1 Lb. Bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 Small Box Panko Bread Crumbs
Oil For Pan Frying

In a large pot, add the cubed potatoes and cover with water. Season with salt and boil the potatoes until soft and tender. While the potatoes boil, caramelize the chopped onion in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of butter and a little sugar or you can not caramelize and just fry them with a little salt added to them. Do this slowly over low heat, allowing the oinons to release their sugar and turn golden brown if caramelizing. Set aside. When the potatoes have cooked, drain and place into a large mixing bowl. To the potatoes, add the granulated garlic, butter, and salt and sour cream. Mix on medium speed until the potatoes are fully blended and smooth. Next, chop the bacon into small pieces and add it and the onions to the bowl of poatoes. Toss the cheese on top of all this. Stir the ingredients until they are mixed good and then taste to see it it needs any more salt. Cover the bowl and place in the ref. for 4-6 hours or overnight. It has to be chilled before it can be fryed so it will not fall apart. When the potatoes are chilled shape into small cakes not big ones or they will fall aprat. Place the panko breading in a shallow pan and one at a time gently press the cakes into the breading and sit aside. In a cast iron skillet heat a 1/3 cup of oil over medium heat. Allow the oil to get hot where it will sizzle when the cakes are put into the oil. Get a metal spatula to turn the cakes with, as it will not tear the breading off the cakes like a plastic spatula does.Fry one cake at a time and flip gently after you see the edges around the bottom get golden in color. The potatoes will soften a little when cooking so you have to flip them quickly. Can be served at breakfast or for lunch.

CREAM CHEESE WALNUT SQUARES

1Yellow Cake Mix
3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts or can use pecans
1 Stick Butter or Blue Bonnet Marg.
1 Box Powdered Sugar
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 Egg

Mix together the cake mix, walnuts and butter(room temp.). Press into a sprayed 9 x 13 pan. Mix powdered sugar, egg and cream cheese together. Blend thoroughly with a mixer on medium and spread over the cake layer. Bake 35-45 minutes at 350 or until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

COCONUT FRUIT DIP

1/2 Block Cream Cheese (4oz.)
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut, the one in the can if you like it

Combine all ingredients well. Use with berries, pineapples, grapes or graham crackers or nilla wafers