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I have told you many times that I grew up on a dirt road with family as neighbors. I played with my cousins daily, who were my best friends. I have not lived near them in years, but my cousin Melissa and I talk regularly. When we aren’t talking, we are texting. I do not have a sister, but I feel the relationship would be like ours.

Like our mothers before us, we share recipes constantly. She is a great cook but likes to keep things simple, and the older I get, the more I agree.

I recently told her about a recipe my daughter gave me when she was in college. I remember making it quite often back then, and I had a craving for it again. But unfortunately, Savannah nor I could find the recipe.

To my surprise, Melissa stumbled across it over the weekend! I was so delighted that I made it the same day. Honestly, you really can’t go wrong dousing food in buffalo sauce.

These Buffalo Turkey Burgers are so easy and sure to please. You can serve these burgers up with or without buns. They are delicious, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and blue cheese crumbles. Serve with a side of Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing.

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Buffalo Turkey Burgers

Course Main Course

Servings 2

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup buffalo sauce
• 1 - 2 tablespoons oil for pan
• cheddar cheese to top burgers
• Serving suggestions: Lettuce, tomato, Ranch dressing

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine turkey, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and paprika. Make out into four patties.
• Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add patties and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2 more minutes. Pour buffalo sauce over each burger. Cover and cook for 6 minutes.
• Turn off heat. Top burgers with cheese and let melt.
• Serve with desired toppings.

Time spent between our house and my mom’s house did not allow me to decorate for Christmas as I have in the past. It wasn’t just the decorating, though. I did very little cooking. No candy was made, which has been a staple since I was a kid. Even the meals at my house were not quite as elaborate. However, it was still the best Christmas, even without the extras that I always felt necessary.

It all sounds very cliche, but when life throws those unexpected situations at us, we realize the things we have always held so dear, things we have always felt were so very important, are just things. It’s the people in our lives, not the things, that make life happy, make celebrations memorable, and bring us absolute joy.

I will head back to my mom’s on New Year’s weekend. Therefore, cooking will again be at a minimum. Being from the south, I have to make sure the peas and greens are covered, though. This year I plan to serve this fantastic Peas and Greens Soup. It’s full of flavor and served with a slice of cornbread; it will be a delicious meal.

You can use a couple of cans of black-eyed peas if you do not wish to soak and cook dried beans. I used my instant pot to prepare the dried peas, and they were ready in about 15 minutes. Use that ham bone you save from the Christmas ham to add even more flavor. Use any greens you prefer, collards, turnips, mustard, or even spinach.

May 2022 be a blessed year for all!

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Peas and Greens Soup

Course Soup

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried black-eyed peas cooked
• 5 slices bacon chopped and cooked
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 4 cups water
• 5 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 cups diced ham
• 3 medium carrots chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cups chopped greens (turnip greens, mustard greens, collards, or spinach)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Drain black-eyed peas, set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy. Add onion and cook 3 minutes to soften.
• Add garlic and cook 1 minutes.
• Add water, chicken bouillon cubes, peas, ham, carrots, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 2 hours.
• Stir in collard greens and apple cider vinegar and cook 10 to 15 minutes.

You may have noticed that I have not posted anything lately.  I have had some problems with my photos uploading.  I will continue to work on making this right but for now, there is a picture with the recipe.  Sorry its a few weeks late, but its a delicious recipe for Christmas too!  

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I have started my menu. There is nothing I enjoy more than planning out a menu. I know it sounds lame, but there is something about researching recipes, old and new, and balancing out a menu that brings me joy. But, of course, dessert is always one of the first things I decide. I typically take a dessert to any dinner where I need to take a dish. I like to cook, but I suppose baking is my passion.

One of Greg’s favorite desserts is pecan pie. So, I recently tried this yummy Pecan Cobbler for a change. Using two refrigerated pie crusts makes this recipe easy enough for the novice baker.

I used a deep dish cast iron skillet/pot. (I love cooking in cast iron!) Make sure you butter it well; the crust will stick to the sides of the dish, if not. Cool for at least 15 minutes, but when baked in cast iron, my cobbler stayed warm for a while. I suggest serving the cobbler with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

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Pecan Cobbler

Course Dessert

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts softened slightly
• 2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 6 beaten eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips optional
• Vanilla ice cread optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Butter deep baking dish with butter, set aside.
• Unroll one pie crusts and lay it evenly in the bottom of dish, gently pressing to sides of dish. Top with chocolate chips.
• In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Fold in chopped pecans.
• Pour half of the mixture into the pan. Unroll the second crust and evenly layer it on top of the mixture, again, gently pressing the sides to the side of pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and top with the remaining mixture. Decorate the top with pecan halves. Bake an additional 30 minutes or until it looks set.
• Cool at least 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Years ago, there was an advertising slogan for a popular breakfast cereal that suggested breakfast is the meal of champions. So I guess it works out that breakfast is my favorite meal. 

Many people have dinner out for special celebrations. That’s okay and good; however, if we are celebrating me, take me to breakfast!  

Going out for breakfast can be a bit of a problem for us now. It’s not very convenient when you live so far away from everything. I often miss the Saturday mornings we would wake up late, get dressed and head out to the Coffee Cup, Another Broken Egg, or Waffle House.  

Who wants to spend their weekends waking at the crack of dawn, cooking a delicious breakfast, and then cleaning up the mess? Not me!! However, these waffles are perfect for a lazy weekend. Not only are they are yummylicious, but they are also so, so easy!! I could eat these every day, but I won’t. Treat yourself and your family to the breakfast of champions this weekend!  

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Homemade Waffles

Course Breakfast

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons butter melted and cooled slightly
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat waffle iron. Spray the grid with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a mixing bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Let the batter stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Ladle batter into the preheated waffle iron. Close lid and cook until done.
• Serve as desired with butter, syrup, fruit, whipped cream, powdered sugar, and/or ground cinnamon.