Chicken Mushroom Pockets

This was hors D'oeuvres weekend, for so many reasons. My good friend Carol was having a graduation party for her oldest son and I made several of the ones on our menu for her party. Also Mike is making appetizers for his parent's 50th wedding anniversary next weekend and he is going to make some of these as well. These were a great hit even with all the teenagers! These were very good, one of the favorites from everyone and would be good for any party and any occasion! The dough was crescent dough and the filling was sauteed fresh mushrooms, onion and garlic, with cream cheese and cooked diced chicken, a great flavor! They take a little time to prepare so allow yourself plenty of prep time! The crawfish pies and chicken mushroom pocket are both on this platter. Thanks Paula! Enjoy!

Mini Crawfish Pies

These were delicious! They were supposed to be made with crawfish meat, but the grocery store I usually go to did not have it, so I substituted with crab meat, not sure if there would have been much of a difference, as craw fish meat would be very similar to crab meat. Very easy to make and they only take about 12 minutes in the oven. This would be a good appetizer for any occasion. The mini crawfish pies and chicken mushroom pocket are on this same platter. Thanks Paula. Enjoy!

Onion Cheese Bread

A tasty bread from a mix. Except for the onion chopping easy to fix. Just a suggestion do not turn on the wrong burner on the stove. Especially with the skillet you just sauted the onions in on that burner. I turned around and it was smoking badly which of course caused the smoke alarm to go off. Had to stop cooking to check in with the alarm company. Bake a little longer than it states because my middle was not completely baked. The cheese on top gives good flavor. Thanks Paula!

Orange, Strawberry and Date Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

A healthy salad we all enjoyed. The surprise of the salads the dates. for me wa I do not like dates but in the salad they were great. I did use chopped dates so they had been covered in sugar. Sugar can do wonders, especially if it can make me like dates. The dressing was good on the salad. On its own I felt it was rather bland but on the salad it compliments the fruits beautifully. I had planned on using our favorite lambs lettuce but Trader Joe was out. Know that would have added to the overall taste but it was good with a mix of spinach and spring mix. I am sure you all heard Paula had to have her maid arrested for theft. Can't imagine a better person to work for than Paula. Hopefully she and Michael will get all that was taken returned.Wishing you the very best Paula you deserve it. Thanks Paula!

Grilled Southern Panzanella Salad

What a surprisingly great mix of flavors! The vegetables in this dish were bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, onion, garlic and tomatoes and the onion, peppers, squash and zucchini were supposed to be grilled, however it looked like it could rain and so I decided to saute them instead of standing at the grill in the rain holding an umbrella and you know it turned out remarkably well. The croutons were a cornbread mix that was cooked, cooled and then cut up into pieces and drizzled with butter and baked again for about 10 minutes and they were delicious! All this was mixed with the lemon vinaigrette dressing and it was wonderful! You'll enjoy this one! Thanks Paula! Enjoy!

Pina Colada Smoothies

Cool, refreshing, and healthy fresh fruit. I used organic bananas and honey. The flavors blend well and you can taste each ingredient with every sip.The honey adds sweetness but does not over power the drink. Other fruits could be added to give a different taste. Coconut is a favorite of mine and the coconut milk does not disappoint. Easy and quick to prepare. This could be breakfast, a snack, or the drink to compliment your meal. Thanks Paula!

Shrimp and Grits with Sweet Tomato Relish

We were simply not sure about "grits" but I have to tell you they were really good. Mixing in the Parmesan cheese and a little salt with them gave them a great flavor and it was really good with the shrimp cake on top. The sweet tomato relish was very good and could be used for dipping chips in or anything else for that matter, it was a great compliment for on the grits and shrimp cakes! This would be a good dish for any occasion. Thanks Paula for introducing the "grits" thing to those of us who didn't grow up eating them. Enjoy!

Lime Mojitos

Not any of our favorite drink but still refreshing. We did not add the alcohol and I think it would be better with it added. Just no drinkers among us. If you do enjoy a kick to your drink I would give it a try. Tart with a hint of mint. I made it the night before which enhanced the mint and cut a little of the lime flavor. Michael added sugar and said it improved. We are just a little more sweet tea connoisseurs. Add the vodka. Cheers! Thanks Paula!

Lemon Custard Ice Cream

I have to tell you making homemade ice-cream really brought back the memories for me. Growing up we had an ice-cream maker that you had to turn by hand and I loved turning that thing. Mom would make the ice-cream (and she made plenty of flavors over the years) and my cousins or whomever we had over the house for the picnic or whatever we got together for would take turns cranking the ice-cream maker, adding ice and salt along the way until you couldn't turn it anymore, someone would even have to stand on the top of the ice-cream maker to hold it down and keep it from moving all over the place, what great memories. Of course I used an electric on so it took a bit of the nostalgia out of it but the lemon custard ice-cream was fantastic very smooth and creamy, even if it wasn't hand cranked. Thanks Paula! Enjoy!

Baked Beans

One of my favorite foods is baked beans. I have a recipe I love that does not include soy sauce or Creole mustard but must have ketchup. This recipe is great and it has no ketchup in it! I look forward to the leftovers. I could not find Creole mustard at any store. I finally found Cajun mayonnaise and gave it a try. I would definitely recommend it not only for the beans but also on a sandwich or as a dipping sauce. The crumbled bacon through out was an added flavor and a treat since I rarely use "real" bacon. A great addition to any outdoor event. Thanks Paula!

Ultimate Creamy Potato Salad

Another addition to a cookout is potato salad. This version has a unique taste with the lemon juice and dill. There was an option of basil or dill and I chose organic dill. I think it was a good choice. I did add a little more mayonnaise than it called for because I felt it had too tart a lemon flavor. With that addition of more mayonnaise the lemon added a nice flavor. This goes well with the baked beans. Makes me ready for another cookout. Thanks Paula!

Doodle Dogs

As I started loading all the pictures this week of the food we had prepared from Paula's menu we put together each week I discovered that I hadn't taken a picture of this dish and thought, oh no this will be the first recipe that we won't have a picture of for the blog. I immediately went to the kitchen and discovered that I still had enough of all the ingredients that make this recipe and put a sandwich together and took a picture of it on my kitchen table, (as you will notice everything else was taken outside on the patio as it was such a beautiful day we ate outside for Memorial Day!), so you have a picture of this food item on the blog, whew! What a unique dish! This was fresh chicken tenders marinated in buffalo wing sauce and grilled with baby spinach, fresh bacon bits and blue cheese dressing all on a bun (I used Hoagie buns), it's a great alternative to a traditional hot dog or hamburger. If you don't care for blue cheese dressing you can substitute for one of your choice. A great sandwich! Thanks Paula. Enjoy!

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Who doesn't love corn on the cob and this was so easy and good that it will surely be a favorite during the spring, summer and fall months when you can use the outdoor grill. What a great flavor. All you do with the corn is pull back the husks and clean all of the silk off and brush butter over the corn and grill (turning it as you go) until the corn is slightly brown and cooked through, it was fun leaving the something to hold onto while you eat it instead of using the corn holders! Thanks Paula! Enjoy!

Spring Vegetable Salad

I love salads and this was so good, the fresh sugar snap peas, asparagus, peas and radishes in the dressing was wonderful, and so healthy too! The dressing was Dijon mustard, dill, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper! It was very easy to put together and will go with any main dish. This was a perfect side dish with the shrimp and grits cakes! Thanks again Paula! Enjoy!

Loaded Deviled Eggs

My daughters favorite. Add bacon and sharp cheddar cheese and these are loaded with all her favorites. We were all very happy she was able to join us for our Memorial Day Weekend With Paula Cookout. We have missed her because all of her time is spent on a Master Degree. Hardest part of this recipe is cracking the shells off the eggs. That is if you use the prepared bacon instead of frying it. Mayonnaise and sour cream blend well. A few drops of yellow food coloring give them eye and taste appeal. Make extra because they go quickly. Thanks Paula!

Strawberry Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Anytime you want a perfect dessert that everyone will love just serve any type of "Gooey Bars". They have been a family and friend favorite ever since the first bite. We have tried many flavors and it is impossible to pick a favorite. They are all great. The strawberry ones were as good as all the others we have tried. So pick a flavor and the compliments will start. Easy to make. The only hard part is getting them perfectly gooey. A fine line between not done, gooey, and a little too done. As often as you will be making them it won't take long before you will know gooey. Some favorites of our family have been caramel, chocolate mint, red velvet, and chocolate peanut butter to name only a few. Make up favorites of your own or check out your local Wal-Mart to see if they carry them already made. These are a favorite of Paula's also. Thanks Paula!

Pineapple Coconut Bars

Coconut is a favorite of my family. The crumbly bottom and top layers are a nice compliment with the pineapple center. When making again I would make more crumb mixture. I added some pineapple juice to the crumb mixture because it did not seem to have enough moisture to stick together well. A nice fruity bar recipe to add to a summer meal. Good on its own but nothing wins over gooey bars. When having them no other dessert will measure up. Excitement in my home. My daughter bought me some back issues of "Cooking with Paula Deen" for mother's day. What a wonderful gift! They just arrived and I have spent time enjoying each issue. Many new ideas for our weekends with Paula. If you don't have them all be kind to yourself and order today. Thanks Paula!

Crispy French Fries

Who doesn't like French fries? Well this recipe was very unusual and very good. The light cornmeal breading gave the potatoes a great flavor and they were surprisingly very easy to make, other than the chopping they were very easy to make. They would go with many different types of meat to make a great meal. These will surely be a hit with adults and kids! Enjoy!

Three Dipping Sauces (Wasabi, Barbecue and Remoulade)

It was nice having three very different dipping sauces for the fries. I had never used Wasabi powder for cooking before and it is really good. Not sure which one of the three was the biggest favorite, I think they were all well liked. These sauces would be good for a lot of different appetizer type foods. Wonderful with the fries! Thanks Paula! Enjoy!

Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers

Hamburgers are the quintessential summer food and Paula knows how to make them yummy! The thing that makes these so good is the "liquid smoke" ingredient and the "Hickory Smoke" barbecue sauce that was mixed into the lean ground chuck. I bought 92% lean ground chuck which made the burgers a bit more healthy. The recipe for these burgers was that you make thin 4 inch patties and cut a slice of sharp cheddar cheese into four little pieces which you place on top of a patty and then take another patty and put it on top and then seal the edges so the cheese doesn't come out while you are grilling them. I used premium Italian Crustini rolls for the buns. The burgers were fantastic! The fresh tomato, lettuce, reserved bacon slices and caramelized onions just put these burgers way over the top! A sure summer grill-out favorite! Thanks Paula. Enjoy!