Spicy Southwestern Beans and Cornbread

We love beans and cornbread around here.  It takes me back to my roots.  Except no offense to my mother's cooking, we don't have them every night.  And we don't have them with fried potatoes.  Or fried pork chops.  Or fried okra.  Or fried squash.  (Get it?  My childhood consisted of a healthy "fried" diet.  No wonder I RARELY fry anything.)  Literally I made beans and cornbread for the first time in 15 years a while back.  You could say I was kind of burnt out on it from my childhood.  Being a family that gets easily burned out on recipes, you can see why I'm always changing the recipe routine.  Trying to stay out of the recipe rut.  So I came up with a Mexican twist on beans and cornbread.  Because that's one thing we never get tired of is Mexican food.  Now you've got two delicious versions to choose from, and I'm pretty sure you won't tire of either!

These are great as a meal on their own,
or they make an outstanding side dish.
Try them with a steak!

The Spicy Southwestern Bean Party

Cover beans with 2-inches of water.

Boil, then let sit for 1 hour.

Drain well.

Return beans to the pot.
Add water and boil again.

Add green pepper, onion and garlic.

Add Worcestershire sauce.

Add chili powder.

Add dry mustard powder.

Simmer some more.

Add Ro-Tel and simmer some more!

And now for the Mexican Cornbread.
Because you can't have
Spicy Southwestern Beans
without cornbread!

The Line-Up
(Don't be scared.  It looks like lots of
stuff, but it all gets dumped in one bowl.)

Combine eggs, oil and flour.

Add yellow cornmeal.

Add salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Now add the vegetables:
Garlic...

Drained Mexicorn

Shredded cheese
(That's not a vegetable...Oh well, throw it in too!)

Diced green pepper, onion and
jalapenos.  Mr. Devilish Dish
is an outstanding dicer/chopper.

Place in a greased baking pan.

Bake until light brown.
Serve with the Spicy Southwestern Beans for
a combination that can't be beat!

Oklahoma Caviar

I'm pretty sure every state, or at least every "Southern" state has their version of a black-eyed pea dip they call "caviar."  You may have heard of "Texas Caviar."  Well I'm an Oklahoma Girl through and through and we DO NOT eat Texas Caviar 'round here.  We eat Oklahoma Caviar.  I love this version because it has lots of jalapenos, but not too much kick.  It's ideal for tailgating and perfect for New Year's celebrations if you happen to follow the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year's Day.  We like to serve it like a dip with tortilla chips, but it makes a great side dish to any entrée, especially with a big piece of cornbread.  Enjoy.  Just don't call it Texas Caviar, because thems fightin' words!

OKLAHOMA Caviar...
Because around here no one eats fish eggs...

The Famous Oklahoma Club Special

Visit just about any golf course in Oklahoma that has a bar, and they'll have Club Specials.  Visit just about any bar in Oklahoma and they'll have Club Specials.  Legend goes, the Club Special was invented at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City.  The course opened in 1923, so that's a lot of history, a lot of golf and a lot of  beverages.  I've sampled my fair share, and nothing beats a cold, refreshing Club Special in the golf cart on a hot, Oklahoma day.  One local golf course even serves them up frozen-style.  If I could master that technique, I'd never leave my kitchen.  They're delish, and not just for golf.  Believe me.  Obviously, I'm not a golfer.  But I do know my way around a cocktail and this one is a hole in one!

I've also heard this called a Vodka Special,
or a Country Club Special, but round' here
it's just a Club Special and that's
good enough for me...

 

Club Special

2 ounces vodka
1 ounce limeade
1 ounce Sprite
club soda
lime and lemon wedges

Combine vodka, limeade and Sprite to a glass of ice.  Fill with club soda and garnish with a lime and lemon wedges. 

Prep Time:  Approximately 5 minutes     Cook Time: 0, you drink it!

Apple-Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Bars with Browned Butter Frosting

Last Fall, my pal Michaela over at An Affair From The Heart made the most fabulous Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars on the planet.  They taste like a really yummy homemade version of those frosted sugar cookies we are all tempted by in the Wal-Mart bakery.  It's a terrific go-to recipe and one that has lots of room for variation.  We've both made them on many occasions.  Halloween sprinkles, Christmas sprinkles.  Oklahoma Sooners sprinkles.  Michaela even made an Easter version and changed up the frosting to include a White Chocolate  Cream Cheese Frosting, decorated with M&Ms.  If you haven't visited Michaela's blog by now, you should because I've told you to a million times.  And also because her recipes are always awesome, her pictures are gorgeous and her stories are inspiring.  This Halloween was the first time EVER, that Little Devil was not a trick or treater, and Mr. DD and I stayed home and handed out candy.  We made a big pot of his Award Winning Chili, and took turns answering the door for the neighborhood kiddoes.  Inspired by Michaela, I decided to make a Fall version of the Sugar Cookie Bars to celebrate Halloween and the season.  I'm in love with everything browned butter right now, and wanted to try a browned butter frosting on the bars.  You will not be disappointed with this variation!  The frosting is to die for.  Give these bars a try.  And the standard version.  And the white chocolate cream cheese version.  Heck, try your own variation and let Michaela and I know about it.  We would love to hear from you!

A great variation on an old favorite!
The frosting=TO DIE FOR!

Houdini Bars

Dessert named after the world's most famous magician?  Yes, they are that good.  MAGICALLY good.  So good they DISAPPEAR.  Believe me, they're not an ILLUSION.  A simple combination of boxed cake mix, cream cheese, coconut and a few other ingredients and ABRACADABRA!  You'll be CONJURING up all kinds of praise from your family and friends over these bars that taste part birthday cake, part cheesecake and part coconut cream pie.  A truly CHARMING combination. 

Ta-Da!

Lemon Raspberry Bread

A while back, my friend Michaela over at An Affair From The Heart posted this yummy Lemon Raspberry Bread on her blog.  I didn't even have to look at the recipe.  The picture was enough for me!  Mr. Devilish Dish loves anything with raspberries, so I knew this would be an all around winner at our house too.  Last week, a friend mentioned how much she loves Eggs Benedict and Little Devil commented, "The only Eggs Benedict I like is when my dad makes it.  He makes the best hollandaise sauce."  So I decided maybe Eggs Benedict should be on the menu.  It's really hard to get our family together around the table for breakfast.  Some people are sleeping in while others are headed to the golf course.  I figure there's nothing wrong with a little breakfast for dinner, so last night we had Eggs Benedict, and of course Michaela's Lemon Raspberry Bread.  The bread was sweet and super moist, and the perfect compliment to our "breakfast for dinner" meal.  It was pretty awesome this morning with a cup of coffee too!   

Sweet & Moist...
Perfect for breakfast or dinner.
Or an afternoon snack.
Or a midnight snack...