The Hickory Farms Giveaway Winner is…

First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Then, here's a big “thank you” to all of you who entered the Hickory Farms Giveaway!

    Shug @Shug…My Steps of Faith.   

 Congratulations, Shug!

Shug, please email me at pams.kitchen@outlook.com with your mailing address, and the great Hickory Farms gift crate will soon be yours!

Happy Thanksgiving Wishes to you...

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!

  Be sure to go here to enter a great giveaway from Hickory Farms!  Giveaway ends tomorrow!

Succulent Succotash!

I know succotash isn't gourmet fare ~ but, why does it get such a bad rap?

Where's the parsley?

Succotash is a traditional American dish of Colonial America, which became popular during the Great Depression because it was cheap to make, and the ingredients came out of the home garden.  It was a dish of survival, which varied greatly, depending upon the cook.

Mom always served succotash at the Thanksgiving table and I do also.  The heart of the dish is corn, with lima beans accompanying it, although other beans may be used also.   Then it can be stepped-up with other veggies, crumbled crisp bacon, cream, or whatever suits you.

You either love it or you hate it ~ which side are you on?

Succulent Succotash

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped pimento

1 green or red pepper, chopped

2 cups corn

1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt and seasoned pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Ingredients:

Melt butter in large skillet.

Sauté onions, garlic until tender.

Add pimento, bell pepper, corn, and lima beans.

Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and seasoned pepper.

Stir in parsley.

6 servings

ENJOY!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!

You still have time to go here to enter a great giveaway from Hickory Farms!  It’s chock full of all kinds of goodies you’ll like!

Mom’s Oyster Dressing

I would be run out of town, if I didn’t make this for our Thanksgiving dinner!

Growing up, this was standard fare at Mom and Dad’s Thanksgiving table, and it is here also, with my family, because it’s delicious!  

It's rich, and savory and a perfect side dish for oyster lovers.

It’s also about tradition…

Mom's Oyster Dressing

Ingredients:

2 sleeves Club crackers*

1 stick butter
2 pints shucked fresh oysters, with liquor reserved
¾ cup half and half
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Butter a 9” x 13” baking dish liberally.
Crumble crackers into chunks.
Spread half of the crackers in the baking dish.
Top with one pint of oysters.
Dot with ½ stick butter.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Repeat layers.
Pour reserved oyster liquor over top.
Pour half and half over all, just to top of layers, do not cover completely.
Bake in 400 degree oven until bubbling and top is golden brown, 30-45 minutes.
Let stand 2-3 minutes.
Serve
*Use less crackers for a crisper dish.



Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!

You still have time to go here to enter a great giveaway from Hickory Farms!  It’s chock full of all kinds of goodies you’ll like!

Ultimate Stuffing for the Holidays

The title says it all!

We may talk turkey at the Thanksgiving table but, what we really crave is stuffing or dressing, as I grew up calling it.  No Thanksgiving meal would be complete without a great stuffing.  It is definitely my favorite part of the dinner.

Regardless, what you call it; stuffing or dressing, this dish is chock-full of good flavors.  This recipe, an adapted Chicago Tribune recipe, begged to be posted again, because it is delicious!

I hope you try it and agree!

The Ultimate Stuffing w/Dried Cherries and Apples

Servings: 8

This is truly the ultimate stuffing. It's always a favorite on our Thanksgiving table along with the turkey! It's delicious!

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups chopped celery, with leaves
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) package herb-seasoned bread stuffing mix
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 2 Honeycrisp apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 2-3 cups chicken broth
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a large skillet, melt ½ cup butter over medium heat. Sauté the celery and onion in the butter for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine the stuffing mix with the celery and onion mixture.
3. Stir in the cherries and apples.
4. Mix in 2 cups chicken broth and egg; the stuffing should be totally moistened, if not, gradually add more broth.
5. Season with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
7. Lightly butter a 15x10x2-inch baking dish.
8. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish.
9. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
10. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.

Notes:

This stuffing can be made one day ahead. Refrigerate until ready to bake and add another 10 to 15 minutes baking time, until stuffing is heated through.

Created using The Recipes Generator

It is the ultimate!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes. 

Take a minute, and go here to enter a great giveaway from Hickory Farms!  It’s filled with delicious goodies you’ll like!

Turkey Sausage with Peppers

We like most any type of sausage ~ whether it’s beef, pork or veal ~ whether it’s fresh, cooked and smoked, or dry.  Now, a new one has been added to the list ~ turkey sausage.

Bill is really big on turkey so when I saw a package of Italian-style turkey sausages in the grocery store the other day, I bought it for something new to try on him.  There are a plethora of recipes for turkey sausage on the Internet, and I zoned in on this one from Dr. Oz.

This was good!  If you’re a fan of sweet turkey sausage, bell peppers and tomatoes, you’ll like it too. The next time, I’ll be making this with hot turkey sausage, instead of sweet. 

This recipe is a keeper!  I served it with brown rice and a green salad.

Turkey Sausage with Peppers

Adapted

Ingredients:

1 package Jennie-O Sweet Italian-style turkey sausage (5 sausages)

2 bell peppers, sliced and cut in half

1 sweet onion, sliced

1 (28-ounce) can Hunts Fire Roasted Tomatoes Diced

½ teaspoon each ground basil and oregano

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning

Non-stick cooking spray

Method:

Slice sausages into bite-size chunks.

Coat a non-stick skillet with cooking spray liberally.

Turn heat to medium high and brown sausages, remove and set aside.

Spray skillet generously with cooking spray again and add onions.

Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes until tender.

Return sausages to skillet.

Blend in tomatoes and seasonings.

Simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes.

Serve

 

ENJOY!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!

Take a minute, and go here to enter a great giveaway from Hickory Farms!  It’s chock full of all kinds of goodies you’ll like!

Woo hoo! A Gift from Hickory Farms to You!

Good things come from Ohio ~ Hickory Farms and me! ☺ 

Hickory Farms from Toledo, l claim Pickerington.   Hickory Farms was established in 1951, me around then too; when Richard Ransom began selling hand-cut cheese at local fairs.  Lucky for us!

HICKORY FARMS TRADITION ~

Hickory Farms and I have another thing in common ~ we’re both big on tradition! 

Hickory Farms is a classic holiday tradition that has been bringing family and friends together for over 60 years.  It hasn’t been quite that long for us, but Bill and I, like many Americans, have distinct memories of Hickory Farms at holiday gatherings.

Bill and I both grew up with the Hickory Farms holiday tradition, and we’re still carrying on that tradition today for our family and friends.  It’s a wonderful thing when the parcel arrives from Hickory Farms ~ deciding which delicacy to dive into first. 

So ~ to say the least, I was ecstatic when the good folks at Hickory Farms sent me their “Toast the Traditions” beautifully packed, extra large gift crate, chock-full of their delicious savory summer sausage, cheeses, mixed nuts, pistachios, chocolate-covered cashews with, pears, apples, and La Crema Chardonnay.  

Over the weekend, we sampled it all, and then we toasted to Hickory Farms for all the delicious farm fresh savory sweet goodies, it was a wonderful thing!

Hickory Farms is very proud of those nostalgic moments and continues to focus on and celebrate its long heritage of tradition and authentic holiday memories.

Hickory Farms not only embraces passing down traditions through generations of families, but also creating new traditions and sharing them with loved ones.

BUY HICKORY FARMS ~

Do you have fond memories of Hickory Farms traditions?  If not, it’s time to start your own now!

All the great gift trays and baskets are just a click away, at Hickoryfarms.com.  Or, you can find them in their 700+ Holiday Market stores and kiosks across America, as well as in select retailers.  Also, catch all the latest deals from Hickory Farms via Twitter and Facebook!  

WIN A HICKORY FARMS “Toast the Traditions” gift crate!

Hickory Farms is offering a gorgeous gift crate with delicious snacks, just like the one I received, as a giveaway for one of you lucky readers.  You will win:

Hickory Farms Signature Beef Summer Sausage 5 oz.

Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese 4 oz.

Smoked Cheddar Blend 4 oz.

Deluxe Mixed Nuts 4 oz.

Roasted Pistachios 4 oz.

Chocolate Caramelized Cashews with Sea Salt 4 oz.

3 extra-large D’Anjou Pears

2 bright and juicy Fuji Apples

La Crema Chardonnay

To enter:

1.    Mandatory ~ Browse through the Hickory Farms website, and tell me in a comment below, which collection you’d like for you and your family, or which one you would like to give.

2.   This giveaway will remain open until midnight, CST, Thursday, November 28, 2013.      

3.   The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and announced on Friday, November 29, 2013.

  

4.   This giveaway is open only to U.S. residents.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

Disclaimer: Compensation and products for review were provided by Hickory Farms via MomTrends. I received a free sample of the product for the purpose of this review and to facilitate a giveaway.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Hickory Farms.