Better Than Green Bean Casserole Green Beans

1 lb Fresh Green Beans, ends trimmed
4-6 slices of bacon
1/2 onion, diced
2 TB red wine vinegar (or more if you're like me and love vinegar. I usually do about 3-4 TB.)
1-2 TB sugar
Salt & pepper to taste

Boil the beans in lightly salted water for 20-25 minutes. While the beans are cooking, fry the bacon in a large skillet (not too crispy), reserve at least 2 TB of the bacon grease. Remove bacon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Allow the grease to cool a bit, then add the onion and cook until softened. Drain the green beans and add to the skillet. Chop the bacon and add to the beans and onions. Add vinegar and sugar. Cook for a 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mmm, mmm, good.

Pink Salad

This is my great-grandmother's recipe. We've had this delicious, creamy fruit salad at every Thanksgiving and Christmas since FOREVER.

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can Eagle Brand Condensed milk
1 carton whipped topping
2 C mini marshmallows
1/2 - 1 C chopped pecans (optional)

Mix and refrigerate overnight.

You can thank me later.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ever since discovering this delectable, almost dessert-like sweet potato casserole, it is a must-have at every Thanksgiving and Christmas feast.

3 C Sweet potatoes (5-6 fresh cooked or canned)(Stay the hell away from canned, though)
1 C Sugar
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, softened (don't bother with silly margarine)
1/2 C milk
1 TB vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
1 C brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 C pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash the potatoes. Mix in remaining ingredients and beat well with a mixer. (There may be some bits of butter that don't get mixed in completely. It's okay. Don't panic. They'll melt during the baking process.) Pour into a greased casserole dish. Mix together the topping ingredients and spread over the sweet potato mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes.

I typically make two of these casseroles to feed 8-10 adults. These are just as tasty reheated with a turkey sandwich.

Blueberry Sauce

Heather, almighty Queen of Shake-Shake, submitted this fabulous recipe that is fantastic on pancakes and waffles! Enjoy!

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup of water, orange juice, and sugar. Stir gently, and bring to a boil.

In a cup or small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries so as not to mash the berries. Simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and cinnamon. Thin sauce with water if it is too thick for your liking.

Baked Beans...Please Eat in Small Doses for the Consideration of Those Around You

3-4 Cans of baked beans (I use Bush's Country Style Baked beans, any will work, though.)
1/2 C of BBQ sauce (I use KC Masterpiece)
1/4 C of Louisiana Hot sauce, not to be confused with Tabasco!
1-2 dashes of Tabasco
3 TB of brown sugar
4 slices of cooked bacon, cut into bite-size pieces

In a crock pot, mix the ingredients and set to high for 3 hours, reduce to low for 1 hour. Serve.

Feeds a crowd.

Traditional Southern Shrimp Boil

3-4 lbs of fresh shrimp
2 packages of Zatarain's shrimp boil
5 lbs of red potatoes, cut in half or quartered, depending on size
12 half ears of corn (we always use frozen)
2 packages smoked sausage cut into 3 inch pieces (we use 1 package of regular smoked sausage and 1 package of cajun smoked sausage, Conecuh brand)
Cocktail sauce

In a 5 gallon pot, fill about halfway full with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 seasoning pouch, add vegetables and sausage and cover. Cook until potatoes are done, approximately 10 minutes. Shut the heat off and remove the vegetables and sausage. Bring water back to a boil and add second seasoning pouch. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, shut off heat. Allow shrimp to soak for 5 minutes, covered. Pull shrimp out of water. Serve with cocktail sauce.

Serves 4-6 adults.

Related Recipes: Cocktail Sauce

Cocktail Sauce

1/2 C Ketchup
3-4 TB Horseradish, or to taste
1 TB Worcestershire Sauce

Mix the above ingredients and serve with shrimp or seafood.

Related Recipes: Traditional Southern Shrimp Boil