Gussie's Fried Chicken and Sautéed Peaches

You ever have those days when you have no idea what to cook or eat? Yeah, yesterday was one of those days for me. Then it hit me: why not do a taste of home? 

You see, I'm originally from Georgia, but I moved to Louisiana for school. Although both Georgia and Louisiana are in the south (and in sorta close proximity to each other) the cooking styles are completely different. Don't get me wrong, I adore Cajun cooking and have adopted many ways as my own, but there's nothing like good 'ol Georgia food.

If you know me, you know I idolize Martha Stewart and Paula Deen. So when I saw this recipe on Paula's Home Cooking I knew I had to try it. 

Gussie's Fried Chicken with Pecan-Honey Glaze

Ingredients: 

• 1 (3 ½-pounds) frying chicken, cut up, or your favorite chicken parts
• 2 large eggs
• Pepper
• Cajun seasoning (everyone who is anyone in Louisiana uses Tony's, although I also like Slap Ya Mama)
• Garlic powder
• Vegetable shortening or vegetable oil
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• Brown paper bag

Directions: 

1. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Beat the eggs in a 9 by 13-inch dish. 

2. Lay the chicken pieces in the dish, and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, pepper, and garlic powder. Turn the chicken and season the other side, then slosh the chicken parts around in the egg until well coated.

3. Put enough shortening or oil in a cast iron pan or electric skillet to come just halfway up the sides of the chicken parts. Heat the shortening or oil just until smoking, about 375°F (190°C). 

4. Put the flour in a paper bag, add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and shake to coat well. Remove the chicken with tongs and place it in the hot fat. Cover the pan, leaving a crack for steam to escape, lower the heat to 325°F (163°C)  for electric skillet, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken with tongs, cover again (leaving the lid open just a crack), and cook for 10 minutes longer. Very large pieces may need to be cooked a little longer. 

5. Drain the chicken on paper towels and transfer to a platter.

Honey-Pecan Glaze: 

To make the glaze, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the honey until well blended. Bring to a simmer and add the pecans. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle the glaze over the hot fried chicken and serve.

Like I mentioned before I'm from Georgia: the peach state and I didn't think this meal would be quite complete if it didn't include my favorite fruit. This recipe for sautéed peaches is super simple (only 5 ingredients) and tastes delicious. 

Sautéed Peaches 

Ingredients: 

1 20 oz. can sliced peaches

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

⅛ teaspoon cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet. 

2. Add in the peaches and stir around. Cook for about 7 minutes or until softened. 

3. Mix in brown sugar all at once. Cook until the sugar begins to caramalize. 

4. Stir nutmeg and vanilla extract and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. 

This ended up  tasting quite amazing. The sautéed peaches turned out really well, and the hint of vanilla makes all the difference. As far as the chicken goes, Paula Deen could cook a phone book and it would taste delicious! If you're ever in Savannah you should stop by her resturant Lady & Sons. And if you can't try this recipe; it won't disappoint!

3:10 to Yuma

Good morning and happy Monday beautiful people of the world! Can you believe that we're already halfway through the month of January?!?! It seems as if 2013 is going by just as fast as 2012. One of my New Year's   Resolutions was to blog more, and so far I've done a horrible job. To be fair I've been sick with the flu for about a week, but that's still no excuse.

Movie poster courtesy of IMP Awards.

Now that I'm feeling better, hopefully I can stick to that resolution. I recently subscribed to Netflix (I know, I'm finally a civilized human being) so now not only do I have a massive DVD collection, I've got an entire new universe of movies I haven't even tapped into. I've got a Monday movie that is absolutely awesome! 3:10 to Yuma is a 2007 remake of the 1957 film starring Glenn Ford and Van Heflin.

After falling into poverty, one-legged rancher and civil war veteran Dan Evans agrees to escort the notoriously ruthless outlaw Ben Wade to Contention for money to pay off his debts and provide for his family. However, what Evans doesn't expect is Wade's unexpected knowledge and criminal wisdom as the bandit tries to get inside his head. Things get crazy when Evans's eldest son sneaks off to join his father on this dangerous job. And when Ben Wade's merry band of misfits (Haha. Robin Hood reference. Not funny? Aww.) led by Mr. Wade's right hand man, the just plain evil Charlie Prince, to whom he has given his undying devotion and loyalty, things really take a turn for the chaotic and battle ensues. Check out the trailer for 3:10 to Yuma below:



I'm not normally a fan of western remakes because they don't always feel authentic, but I was delightfully surprised with this one. I felt transported to 1884 Arizona. The saloons, the canyon, the railroad, it was all amazing. I even felt a little nostalgia with dialogue from the original movie. I don't even have to mention the terrific performances by stars Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, whose chemistry is makes the movies that much more entertaining to watch. Russell Crowe is the king of admirable, heroic characters, so to watch him play the bad guy was such a nice surprise, and no one plays a bad guy better than Ben Foster. Seriously, this two time Academy Academy nominated movie is not one to miss!

3:10 to Yuma is now available on blu ray and DVD.

Movie trailer courtesy of YouTube.

P.S. Did anybody watch the Golden Globes last night? I loved it! Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were hilarious hosts. I was so happy that Ben Affleck won best director for Argo. What was your favorite moment of the show?

Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes

Many people don't care for meatloaf, but growing up it was a staple in our household. This recipe is a different, slightly sweeter take on the "typical' meatloaf. Serve a slice of this meat for pure comfort, especially when accompanied with mashed potatoes.

Ingredients: 
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup milk 
⅔ cup finely crushed peanut butter crackers
¼ cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
½  teaspoon dried leaf sage, basil, or oregano, crushed
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1½ pounds lean ground beef, ground lamb, or ground pork. 
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C)
2. In a medium bowl combine eggs and milk; stir in crackers, onion, parsley, salt, sage, and pepper. Add ground meat; mix well. Lightly pat mixture into an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. 

3. Bake in a 350° (176°C) oven for 1 to 1¼ hours or until internal temperature registers 160° F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Spoon off fat. In a small bowl combine ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard; spread over meat. Bake for 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into 8 slices. 

Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes: 

Ingredients:

1½ pounds baking potatoes (i.e. russet or Yukon gold), peeled and quartered

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

½ cup sour cream

3 to 5 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or 1 teaspoon crushed chives

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan cook potatoes and the ½ teaspoon salt, covered in enough boiling water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed. Add the 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper. Gradually beat in enough milk to make potato mixture light and fluffy. Stir 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives into the potatoes just before serving. If desired, sprinkle with additional snipped fresh chives and butter. 

This isn't that meatloaf your grandmother forced you to eat, far from it. This meatloaf is sweet, juicy and delicious. The peanut butter crackers add a bit of flair in the way only I can, and combined with the mashed potatoes this dish is sure to become tradition at your house too!

Moulin Rouge!

Happy Monday! May your day be as swift and merciful as an execution. Haha. Just kidding. However, today is New Year's Eve so I'm sure you'll want the day to pass with some haste so you can get to your New Year's Eve plans.

via Imp Awards.

I was in the mood to end the year with a bang, so I went for an extremely over the top movie that everyone loves! Moulin Rouge! is a musical unlike anything you've ever seen. The year is 1899, and young Christian, a poet, (played perfectly by the gorgeous Ewan McGregor) has left his humdrum life to move to Paris and become a part of the Bohemian revolution. He crosses paths with an eccentric gang of artists putting on a show. Christian quickly becomes swept up in the world of sex, drugs, and love when he decides to write the show and falls for the city's most beautiful courtesan in the process. 

He's not the only one enamored with the beautiful courtesan Satine. What started out as an innocent theater production has turned into a dangerous search for truth, beauty, freedom, and love when a wealthy duke agrees to invest in the production in exchange for Satine. Check out the trailer for Moulin Rouge! below: 



Everything about this movie is above and beyond: the acting, the costumes and set designs, and especially the chemistry. Featuring hits from some of the biggest names in music of the 20th century, the soundtrack alone is reason enough to give this movie a watch. Moulin Rouge! is sure to reinvent your perception of the typical love story. With performances from an A-list cast including Nicole Kidman, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, and Richard Roxburgh this movie will be sure to remind you that of all things, the most important is love.

Moulin Rouge! is now available on blu-ray and DVD.

Movie trailer courtesy of YouTube.

Out of Commission

Photo courtesy of Peachtree Business Products.

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday.

Just when it seemed like I was getting back into the swing of things the charger of my laptop crapped out on me, so I was out of commission for a little while. And just when I was starting to get into a flow of blogging regularly. The one good thing that did come out of not having a laptop for a week was that I had a lot more time to cook, watch movies, drink wine, partake in some DIY crafts and take pictures! Of course that also means I have more to share with the world in 2013.

I'm very excited about the new year. Everyone talks about how much they want to change things, but there are big things ahead for not only myself, but Wilfred and perhaps this blog as well.

Candy Cane Mice

You're probably not aware, but Martha Stewart is one of my absolute favorite people ever! The woman can do anything and everything. She wears many hats: chef, interior designer, wedding planner, and have you seen the woman's collection for pets at PetSmart? She's an absolute genius.

So when I found this candy cane mice craft on her website, I knew I just had to try it out. It's super simple and only requires a few things to make. You can even make one for every member of your family!

Tools:
a few sheets of felt fabric
scissors
pen or sharpie
photocopier/printer
candy canes

How-To:
1. On a photocopier enlarge mouse template by 150%. Print.
2. With a pen or sharpie trace body and ears onto felt; cut out.
3. Cut inner ears and a dot for a nose from felt in a contrasting color. You can also cut eyes from black felt. I  didn't have black felt, so I just used Sharpie.
4. Glue the face and inner ears in place. 
5. Make slits in body for ears and candy-cane tail where marked; to make cutting easier, fold felt across center of slits, and snip.
6. Slip ears through slits at front; then slide wrapped candy cane through body slits, tucking the end underneath the ear piece at the back.

Wilfred's is the blue one (because he's blue), and mine is the cute little pink one with the backwards ears.