The Southern Lady Cooks

CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

Posted on December 2, 2013 by The Southern Lady

I love peanut butter balls. I can’t leave them alone when I make them and these crunchy ones are so good. They just melt in your mouth.

2 cups crunchy peanut butter (could use smooth)

1 stick butter or margarine or 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons

2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

2 cups rice krispies

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons shortening, Optional (This is solid shortening like Crisco and you cannot substitute butter or margarine)

Melt the peanut butter and butter together. (You can do it over low heat on the stove or in the microwave. I do mine 2 minutes in the microwave) Mix together the powdered sugar and the rice krispies. Mix the sugar and krispies with the melted peanut butter and butter. I just use a wooden spoon to mix them together. Form into balls about 1 inch in size or whatever size you like. Cover a baking sheet with wax paper and place peanut butter balls on the sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. Melt the chocolate and shortening either on the stove or in the microwave. I do it in the microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes and stir well. Dip peanut butter balls into chocolate and place back on cookie sheet. Keep chilled until firm or about an hour. Makes 3 dozen depending on size you make them.

Enjoy!

Note: The addition of shortening creates a smoother and more manageable consistency than melted chocolate alone. Doing this helps to make a more evenly coated product.

If you like this recipe, you might also like my recipe for Chocolate Butterscotch Clusters.

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Filed under: Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls | Tagged: brunch, candy, Chocolate, Christmas, confectionery sugar, Crunchy, easy recipes, Entertaining, food, Holidays, microwave, peanut butter, powdered sugar, recipes, rice krispies, semi-sweet chocolate chips, shortening, southern lady | 18 Comments »

BAKED SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Posted on November 20, 2013 by The Southern Lady

My family loves sweet potatoes just about any way you might “fix” them. This baked sweet potato casserole is my favorite. Wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas but we love this anytime.

4 medium to large sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled (I boil mine. You could also use canned sweet potatoes, drained. Two of the tall 40 ounce cans, but I think the uncanned are best)

1 stick butter or 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons

1/4 cup heavy cream (could use evaporated milk or regular milk)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Can use more of the spices if you like. I like to taste the sweet potatoes)

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup nuts, chopped (Walnuts or pecans)

Marshmallows (Optional)

Cook and peel sweet potatoes and mash with potato masher. Add butter and cream to potatoes just like if mashing regular potatoes. Stir in brown sugar, egg, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. (I used a 7 x 11 casserole dish. Put mashed sweet potatoes in dish and sprinkle nuts over the top. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and add enough marshmallows to cover top of baking dish. Can use the miniature or big marshmallows. Put back in oven until marshmallows start to melt and brown on top. (I just stick mine under the broiler for a few minutes.) This makes 8 to 10 servings. Reheats well in the microwave or oven and could be put together the night before without the nuts and marshmallows and cooked the next day. Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you might also like my recipe for Mashed Potato Casserole.

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Filed under: Baked Sweet Potato Casserole | Tagged: baking, brunch, casserole, Christmas, cooking, dinner, easy recipes, Entertaining, food, Holidays, nuts, pecans, recipes, side dishes, southern lady, sweet potato, Thanksgiving, vegetables, walnuts | 42 Comments »

SWEET POTATO MUFFINS

Posted on November 17, 2013 by The Southern Lady

These Sweet Potato Muffins are wonderful with coffee or a glass of milk as a snack. They heat up well in the microwave, can be frozen to use at a later date or just slather them with butter while still hot for a delicious muffin anytime.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter or 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons, melted

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 packed cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed (could use canned)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins (Optional)

1/2 cup nuts (Optional) I use walnuts. Pecans are good, too.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. Mix together melted butter, sugar, eggs, sweet potato, buttermilk and vanilla extract with mixer. Add dry ingredients and continue to mix. Fold in raisins and nuts mixing with a spoon. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking oil. Fill cups 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes checking for doneness as ovens vary. Makes about 18 muffins depending on the size you make them. Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you might also like my recipe for Best Pumpkin Muffins.

Filed under: Sweet Potato Muffins | Tagged: baking, Breakfast, brunch, cooking, easy recipes, Entertaining, food, muffins, nuts, Raisins, recipes, southern lady, sweet potato, walnuts | 6 Comments »

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON AND WALNUTS

Posted on November 15, 2013 by The Southern Lady

This Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe is so good. I have never been a fan of brussels sprouts but can make myself sick on them “fixed” this way. A great side dish to any meal.

1 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts (could use frozen), washed with outer leaves discarded, ends removed and split in half

4 slices bacon

3 or 4 green onions, chopped

1 small sweet red pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

1 cup walnuts, chopped (could use pecans)

1/2 cup craisins or could use raisins

2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds (Optional)

Grated parmesan cheese (Optional)

Fry bacon until crisp, remove from skillet, drain on paper towels, crumble and set aside. Cook red pepper and onion in bacon drippings, drain and set aside with bacon. Add olive oil to skillet into bacon drippings left in pan and toss brussels spouts in oil and drippings. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking oil and spread brussels sprouts out on sheet along with the cup of walnuts. Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper over brussels sprouts. Roast in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes turning once or twice to keep from burning. Remove from oven. Place brussels sprouts and nuts in serving dish along with craisins, crumbled bacon, cooked peppers and onion, sunflower seeds. Sprinkle on grated parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Enjoy!

Note: I don’t like my brussels sprouts cooked until almost black. If you like them this way, you will need to remove nuts from the pan and cook sprouts a little longer than 15 minutes.

If you like this recipe, you might also like my recipe for Ritzy Brussels Sprouts.

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Filed under: Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon | Tagged: Bacon, brunch, brussel sprouts, craisins, dinner, easy recipes, Entertaining, food, Holidays, nuts, Onions, pecans, Raisins, recipes, roasted, southern lady, sunflower seeds, walnuts | 7 Comments »

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