Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Happy New Year

Hello to all my foodie friends and I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Our New Year show was filmed with two of the best Pit Master Grille Chefs In the South Carolina area.  Mark Busbee and JT Handy one judges BBQ events and the other teaches the art of wood smokin' meats.  They both co-host a radio show called BBQ Shop Talk out of Columbia which is a live show and they talk BBQ the whole time.  If you want to know BBQ then these are the two Chefs to learn from.  When they were on the show they had on the menu some Grille Stuffed pork Chops, smoked with some Apple Wood.  Then we had some Hash Brown Cheese Casserole and some smoked Meat Loaf made with some Cole's Smothin' BBQ Sauce.  Then on the menu for me was some Cole Slaw with Cranberry's and toasted Walnuts and some Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potato's.  Then I made some Pineapple Upside-Down Cake which was made with some Greek vanilla yogurt.  Did you know that the pineapple upside-down cake was invented because Dole made the hole punch machine to cut the pineapple with.  There are a few tasty dishes invented because of the machines.  Any who are you ready for some great Pineapple Upside-Down Cake?

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1 Box Pineapple Cake Mix
3 Eggs beaten
1/3 Cup Oil
1/3 cup Pineapple Juice, from the can of Pineapple Rings
3/4 cup Water

Mix all ingredients together until well blended.  Set aside.

Butter, 1 stick
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Coconut
1 can of Pineapple rings
1 jar Maraschino Cherries
1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Brown Sugar



Heat butter and sugar together in a skillet until the sugar is melted.  Arrange the pineapple rings and cherries on top of the sugar and butter.   Then sprinkle the coconut on top of the rings.  Mix the yogurt and brown sugar together and pour on top of the coconut and hen add the cake mixture over the top of the yogurt mix.  Bake in a pre-heated oven on 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until done and tooth pick clean.

I hope that you try this recipe and go yum.  I also want to say have a very Happy New Year.  Eat your greens and Black Eyed Peas, we all need the wealth, health and luck that it can bring.  Please visit my fan page and like, "Cooking With MadJon and Friends".  Watch it on ASTV 95, www.aikenstandard.com.  Happy trails to you until we meet again.  Eileen Hutson, MadJon.  Oh and check out my e-cookbook on ITunes, MadJon Holidays for your new Ipads out there in web land.

What Does Christmas Mean To You? Christmas Raspberry Coconut Ice Box Cake

 

 

 

Hello to all my foodies friends out there in web land just want to say Merry Christmas  to you all and send you out a wonderful Christmas Raspberry Coconut Cake recipe to try that my sister and I made for our Christmas Show this year.

Today am writing about Christmas.  It’s the time of year where we are celebrating as Christians, the birth of Christ, my Lord and Savior.  I know that it’s hard to celebrate Christmas when we have so much sadness around this year with the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut and the loss of so much innocence with the victims.  The loss of 26 victims total and 20 of them children and we ask why? I don’t have the answer for that.  Any who I just want to say that my prayers are with each and every family member including the shooters, they are all victims in one way or another.  All I know is God’s angels are crying along with our nation and the world.  I also want to remember the other shooting victims from this year and I pray also for their families and the loss of their loved ones during this holiday season.  That being said What Does Christmas Mean To You?  For me am very thankful for my family and friends.  Am thankful for the love they hold for me as well.  Am thankful my sister Imogene Clark was able to come and join me on my Christmas Shoot this year.  If you saw the show she was the Red Head.  We had some fun with the show and made a Christmas Brunch which I hope you try some of the recipes like: Brown Sugar Thick sliced Bacon and some Southern Fried Cheese Christmas Grits Ball’s, which were very tasty indeed. Did you know that grits came from dried ground Hominy and they were introduced to the colony’s by the American Indian. Not a lot of Northerners have ever tried grits.  They don’t know what they are missing.  Grits were a staple at our house when I was a kid. Then we tried our hand at some Pumpkin Pancakes with toasted walnuts, with some nutmeg thrown in.   We also rustled up some Fruit Salad, Fried Chicken Tenders with Milk Gravy, Ham and Spinach Quiche, and managed to make some Bloody Mary’s to take the edge off.   All was to our liking for our Christmas Brunch and I hope that your Christmas brunch is just as tasty.  I remember one Christmas when the three older children were called upon to pass on our Christmas gifts to the little ones at our house, which we did but not with great joy I have to say being that I was at the age of about 8 then and I still believed in Santa but not after that.  However we got over it and at least helped the little ones with their gifts.  Yea our dad was that way he said, one of life’s lessons is it’s time to let you know who the real Santa is and that it’s a tough world out there and its time you learned a lesson.  So I remember that lesson very well however it did show me how to share.  I also managed to do a shoot with a friend of mine named Mark Busbee, which I will write about later, however I asked him what dish he had to serve up for Christmas and he said that it was his Pecan Cake that has been passed down in their family for years.  He painstakingly grains down the pecans for the cake and I asked him if he had ever toasted the Pecans first to bring out the oil in the nuts for a more nutty taste before he grains them and he said no but he will have to try that.  Any who, I hope for Christmas that all your wishes come true but if they don’t I wish you luck in putting everything back together so it works out for you.  I wish you peace and joy in your lives.  I wish you to feel the love of God in your lives as well.  Blessing to you all and I hope you enjoy these recipes and don’t forget to make that favorite family recipe for your menu and keep watching the Cooking With MadJon and Friends show on ASTV 95. Visit me on facebook at http://www.cookingwithmadjon.blogspot.com/.  If you own an Ipad please go buy my e-cookbook on ITunes called MadJon Holiday and Merry Christmas.  Happy Trail to you and yours until we meet again.

 

Christmas Raspberry Coconut Cake

Cake Mix Yellow  1 Box
Coconut 1 Cup

Cook the cake according to box directions. Use three layer pans like 8 or 9 inch.

Raspberry Filling

1 pint fresh or frozen Raspberry's
1 cup sugar
3 TBSP Corn Starch
1 Box Jell-o Raspberry
Butter 1 TBSP
1 cup water

Mix all the ingredients and bring to a simmer about 10 minutes.   When cake is cool add the raspberry sauce in the middle of the cakes.  Now you are read to ice the cake.

Icing

1 large cool whip
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Sour Cream

Mix all ingredients together and Ice the cooled cake and top with some extra coconut if you wish.      

Southern Fried Christmas Cheese Grits Ball's

Southern Fried Christmas Cheese Grits Ball's Northerners Gotta Try Them

Hello again to all you foodies out there in web land, its MadJon again, wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas season.  However, before I start I just want to say that my thoughts and prayers are with the people of New town, Connecticut and the families of the victims.  I can't even start to say how you may feel.  All I can say is am very sorry for what has happened to you and yours.  Blessings to you during your time of need. 
Now do you know where grits came from? Well they came from the American Indian and they passed it on in the Colony days.  They come from dried Hominy and when ground they become our wonderful Southern Grits.  Which can be served with breakfast and buttered, boiled, pan fried, cheesed up and made into some wonderful South Carolina Shrimp and Grits.  I've also made a dish called Italian Shrimp and Grits. Which is one of my favorites.  When I did our Christmas show on the Cooking With MadJon and Friends set with my sister Imogene this year we made this recipe, which I liked.  However I decided they would taste better with some green onions cooked in the mix.  When I lived in Illinois we couldn't find these wonderful grits and when ever we went home to Texas we'd stock up on grits until our next visit.  My father was from Tennessee and we ate grits all my life however if you were from the North they never knew what a grits was.   My mom didn't know what grits were until she married my dad, come to think of it she hadn't eaten mush either, however she was from Connecticut.  I have heard people from up north say,"What the heck is a grits anyway"?  I hope this recipe helps introduce grits to you all. Any who I hope you give this recipe a try going down this grits road.  I also want to wish you the very best holiday season. Most of all enjoy your families you all. 

Fried Cheese Christmas Grits Ball's

Cooked 4 servings Grits, cooled
1 Egg, beaten
Onion Powder, 1 tsp
Garlic Powder, 1 tsp
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Green Onions, Chopped, 2 each
White or Yellow Cheese, 1 1/2 Cup
Jalapeno Pepper, 1 diced, no seeds, unless you want some heat
Panko Crumbs, 1 1/2 cups, to coat the balls

Cool your cooked grits.  In a bowl add your egg, spices, salt and pepper, green onions, cheeses, jalapeno, and mix until blended.  Roll into 2" balls and roll into the panko crumbs.  Heat your oil to about 325 degrees and cook balls on both sides until they are nice and brown and serve HOT.  Sever with your favorite sauce.

 This is my sister and I on the set of Cooking With MadJon and Friends Christmas shoot.  To watch the show go to www.aikenstandard.com ASTV 95 and the show is listed or go to my face book fan page https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon also I do have the Itunes MadJon Holiday e-cookbook out for your holiday menu needs.  Happy trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Eileen Hutson, MadJon.

Happy Holidays DC American Turkey Meat Loaf Obama Victory Cake

Well hello to all you foodies out there in web land, I hope all is well and that you had a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends.  My hubby and I went to DC again and just loved it.  They served Ham, Turkey, Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potato's and a Mixed Fruit Pie and Baked Apple Turnovers.  All was well in the hood and tasty I might add.  My son had friends and family this Thanksgiving at their home in the hood, as they call it.  We talked about the election and even though I batted for the other team when it all came down to it.  The Dem's want the same things for America as I do.  They want to be free and live with out government control and live where we can prosper as a nation.  We are all Americans living in this big melting pot of people with all the same dreams of what America should be.  So on this Thanksgiving I give thanks for every American and for our freedom and I say God Bless to the men and women who help keep us free.  Now let's talk about what other foods we made while I was in DC.  I made a Pecan Pie for Peggy Parnell and I made stir fried Collard Greens and Meat Loaf for the Hood party for my friend Anne Seymour. Then to show my support for our Presidents re-election I made a Blue-berry Obama Victory Cake.  Which I will be sharing at another time.  So am ready to share a few pictures from our Thanksgiving with you all on this blog.  We also hung out at the DC Market down Town and I always love looking at all the fresh meats and foods there.  If you are ever in DC on the weekend you need to stop by for a wonderful experience.

Turkey Meat Loaf

2 pounds Ground Turkey Meat
1.5 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Onion, diced
 4 Gloves Garlic, minced
1 8 oz. can Tomatoes Sauce
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 Egg
1 package crushed Saltine Crackers
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup Heinz 57 Sauce
2 tsp. Yellow Mustard

Sauce:
2 TBSP. Brown Sugar
1 Cup Ketchup
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

Mix your first 14 ingredients together until well blended.  Place mixture in a greased pan.  Mix your sauce together and pour it over the meat loaf.  Place it in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour covered and 15 minutes uncovered. You may wish to add the Bell Pepper on top of your loaf or add some jalapenos on top. What ever fits your pallet.

Cornish Game Hens and Apple Corn Bread Dressing

Hello there all you foodie friends out there in web land its Madjon again.  Boy what a month we all have had.  Yea the election is over and the TV is ours again.  Elections are always scary to me because I never know who really to believe. I sometimes feel like am in a court room when they are talking. I've been busy with a few catering jobs and getting our Thanksgiving shoot done and this year they featured recipes from my E-cookbook on Itunes called, MadJon Holiday.  They all look pretty good if I do say so myself.  My friend Sylvia came and joined in on the fun this year.  She is always a lot of fun.  Her daughter joined in but would not be on seen camera with us.  She talked from  afar.  Next week is Thanksgiving and my hubby and I will be going to DC for the holiday and we will be cooking with the hood.  Any who I had a chance to give some cooking lessons to my new friends at MHA Woman's shelter.  They made up the menu which the Cornish game hens with lemon and Rosemary and Apple Corn Bread dressing idea came to be.  The menu also included Macaroni and Cheese, Cranberry Orange Muffins, Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, and Roasted Asparagus with Rosemary and Garlic.  We had fun and so did the kids.  Kids are always fun to teach because they ask the best questions and are always eager to learn and taste.  They wanted to know the difference between a large regular chicken and a Cornish game hen.  They also learned how to make the Macaroni and cheese with egg beaters.  It took use a long time to cook because we had to piggy-back the dressing and other dishes in the oven.  Its amazing what you can do when you need too.  You can share dishes when you cook it just takes longer to cook.  The ladies did a great job cooking and so did the kids.  I will be cooking with them again after the holidays.  I hope you give this recipe a try because we really enjoyed.

Cornish Games Hens

4 Hens, cleaned and dried inside and out
Salt and Pepper to taste, inside and out
Dust hens with Onion and Garlic powder
Dried Rosemary 2 TBSP
1/2 stick melted Butter, bush onto hens
Juice from one Lemon

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and grease a pan for baking hens on.  Dried your hens inside and out.  Brush some melted butter on the hens.  Dust with Salt, Pepper, onion, garlic powders, inside and out.  Sprinkle the rosemary onto the hens and pour the lemon juice over the hens and bake for 1 hour covered and uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Apple Corn Bread Dressing
5 cups Corn Bread
8 slices toasted White Bread

Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

Broth:

1 stick butter
1 Onion, diced
3 Bouillon Cubes
2 tsp Onion Powder
3 Stalks Celery, diced
2 tsp dried Sage
32 Ozs. Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Bunch Green Onions Diced
2 Apples, peeled and diced

Grease a 9"-13" pan.  Melt butter in a pan and add celery, onions, and green onions, cook till tender.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Add the salt, pepper, sage, and onion powder and bouillon cook for about 10 minutes. Add the apples with the cornbread mix and toss.  Then pour your broth into the cornbread mix and stir. You will use a little over half of the broth.    You'll have to be the judge because some people like a dry dressing and others like it moist.  Then pour the dressing into your pan and cover and cook for about 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Then cook it uncovered for about 30 minutes or until nice and brown.

Hope you give this a try and please come like my fan page on facebook called, Cooking With Madjon and Friends.  Visit the Tv show on ASTV 95, www.aikenstandard.com.  Check out my e-cookbook for the holidays called, MadJon Holiday on Itunes.  Happy trails to you and yours and a very Happy and safe Thanksgiving.  MadJon.

Simply Me: Madjon Review

Simply Me: Madjon Review: Review for Madjon    I love to cook and try new foods!  I also love having my family over and giving them great foods to try.  I'm alw...

Halloween Meatloaf Master Chef Casting Call Busy Busy!

Hello to all my foodie friends out there in Web Land and Happy Halloween to you all.  I've had a very busy month hope you have as well.  First of all I want to say my prayers are with all the people who were in the path of Sandy my heart and prayers are with each and everyone of you.  I hope your clean up is very fast and your get the heat on there in W.V. and I saw the pictures and it was so pretty but very cold and I hope you have plenty of wood to keep you warm.  This month has been very busy with travel to the Nashville area and all.  I went to two casting calls and one I can talk about because its a up and running show.  The other casting call the show has not aired as yet.  Any who I went to Nashville with a friend and we went to the casting call for the Master Chef Show and it was very interesting, however am considered a chef not a ordinary cook right from the kitchen.  I made up a recipe for what I called a Key Lime Cake Torte and served it with fresh Mango and Key Lime Pudding and the taster ate my dish three times.  He said that I really had two dishes there instead of one.  He told me that I could serve the pudding with Vodka on the side or mixed in as a new dessert.   Any who they line you up in a tasting room and first the taster goes though and talks about your dish and then the interviewer comes by and ask you questions about what you do etc.  Well she asked me three times about owning a cafe and that I got paid to do the cooking and I had to say yes not to mention that I also had a TV cooking show so any who I wasn't picked, however it was fun and interesting to see how that part works.  If you have a dish or would like to learn about becoming a chef you should go try out for the show.  I went so that I could get my disc from the show in their hands and try to get my name out there, sort of speck. I got to go to eat at the Big River and the food was GREAT!  I got to hear some of the up and coming country music artist not the mention the view of countryside.  I was so excited about all of it.  I was like a kid in a candy jar.  It bought me back to my roots.  I loved every second of it.  At the second casting I met and made some new friends in the Atlanta area and got my products into their hands.  I also sent out my products into some blogger hands which I will let you know about later.  I thank them very much for testing out MadJon's Salsa, Me Me's Pasta Gravy, and Me Me's Cake Syrups.  As far as Halloween goes I wrote an article on it for the newspaper called ,"Ghoulish Delights For A Frightful Night".  Living On The Go on October 24th www.aikenstandard.com.  Witch Finger Cookies and a Hand Meat Loaf.  Yum Yum to all you eat this frightful Night. Am going to add the meat Loaf recipe here for you and its very easy to make and taste good too!  Also have a safe and Happy Halloween.

Hand Meat Loaf

1 pound ground Beef
1 Egg
1 cup Crackers, crushed
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tsp. Mrs's Dash
1 tsp. Onion and Garlic Powder
1/2 diced Onion
1/4 cup Heinz 57 Sauce
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 tsp. yellow Mustard
1/2 Onion for palm of hand
1 Red Bell Pepper for fingernails
Extra ketchup for blood

Mix all ingredients and place on flat sheet.  Place the onion on the end for the hand bone and shape the meat into a hand and add your fingernails and ketchup for the decorating.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to one hour.  Cook uncovered.

Hope you have a wonderful end of October and also hope you try the recipe.  Please come lie my fan Page on face book called Cooking With MadJon and Friends.  Watch my TV show on the web.  Email me with recipes and if you own a ipad please go buy my new e-cookbook called MadJon Holiday on itunes though Apple, download it.  My email address is madjon51@aol.com come and talk recipes with me.  Happy Trail to you and your until we meet again.  Eileen F. Hutson, MadJon.

Gettin Cold Need Comfort Foods Vegetable Soup & Newby Family

Well hello again to all my foodie friends out there in web land, I hope everything is well.  I've been really busy with being the TV host of the ASTV 95 '"Cooking With MadJon and Friends".  I have a ball cooking and making up recipes.  The last john I did was with my friend John Vaughn who is very talented in the music industry.  He composes his won music and its wonderful.  His working on a healing recording now.  I believe his just about finished with it.  Can't wait to hear it and buy it.  Any who I have also been out of town this month to the great state of Tennessee, that is where my father's family is from.  My dad was born in Spring City right a the month of the mountain called Newby Branch which is now a park named after my family.  It rest on top of the mountain.  They owned that from back in the early 20's or 30's I think.  Not sure of the times.  This winter my sister's and cousin Perry are going to take a trip up their and nose around.  Can't wait for that trip.  While we were in Spring City we visited my grandpa Newby's farm that they used to own and it is still owned by the same family that bought it years ago from my grandmother after my grandpa died.  She sold it for like 1600.00, I hate that she did that because it sits right at the feet of a mountain and its so pretty and peaceful.  They let us go up to the cemetery that sits on a hill and it has graves from the revolutionary and Civil wars in it.  It was so interesting to see the grave stones standing.  We also saw a pot and a copper coil for making White Lightening, I did take a picture of it before they came out to meet us.  Yes that is still made in them there hills.  While we were there the man said that he remembers the name Flora Mae on the deed so they are the family that bought the land from my grandma.  While we were there I learned about Hattie's store across from the railroad tracks and I saw the one room school house they the kids all went to bare feet and all.  I learned about a uncle called one-legged George who my dad was named after.  He road a horse and he and his brother lived on the land on the hill as well.  They said that he worked for the railroad and shot somebody and buried him on the land.  Not sure how true that is but from what I've heard he was a real mean man and always had a gun.  While we were at the family cemetery we ran into a lost cuzz of ours from the Thurman side of the family,.  Perry is named after his great grandfather.  It is one of the most beautiful places I've seen and we ate lunch at the cemetery.  Peaceful lunch anyway.  Its fun to go back and see how your parents and grandparents lived.  My sisters and I did walk away with some antique barbed wire from the fench with their permission of coarse.  Any who the reason we all went back home was to say good-bye to our cousin who died last week. Andra Newby,  RIP.   He was a nice man and left four kids.  So sad!  While we were home we stayed at Perry and Patsy Newby's house and shes a wonderful comfort food cook.  She made us Buttermilk Corn Bread, Pinto Beans, and greens from the garden.  Loved it all and ate it all.  Had to go get weighed at the Doctor on Monday when I got back and gained 2 1/2 pounds on just the few days we were there, I enjoyed it.  Any who let's give you my recipe for some homemade Vegetable Soup.

Vegetable Soup

1/2 Stick Butter
1 Onion, diced
4 gloves Garlic, diced
2 cartons Chicken Broth
2 tsp. Onion and Garlic powder
2 Bay Leafs
2 Chicken Bouillion Cubes
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 Pototoes, peeled and diced
1 Large Bage of Mixed frozenVegetables
1/2 Head Shredded Cabbage
Dried Parsley
1 TBSP dried Basil
1 Large can Diced Tomatoes, 28 ozs.

Melt the butter in a pan for the soup.  Next add the onions and garlic.  Cook till the onions are clear in color.  Then add the broth, bouillions, spices and bring to a simmer.  Then add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, cabbage, and anything else that is listed, hehe like the tomatoes.  Simmer for about 45 minutes and serve with some of your own Buttermilk Corn Bread.

Hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as my family does.  Wish me luck I have two cast calls this weekend for Masterchef and Supermartet Show.  Please come and like my fan page on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon and go view my e-cookbook on itunes called MadJon Holiday and buy it to make some memories of your own.  Happy Trails to you and yours until we meet again, Eileen F. Hutson, MadJon.

Sugar Free Chocolate Pecan Sandie Trifle With Strawberry

Hello to all my foodie friends out there in web land its MadJon again writing from a not know place.= called Trenton, SC.  I don't know how busy you have been but school started and then there are football games, catering and finishing up the third season of playing host to the Cooking With MadJon and Friends TV show.  Its been a interesting year with more guest on our show.  I've had more guest with products here in S.C. like Lee's Seasonings and Ron Moore with his healing Salts.  We only have about 4 or 5 more shoots to do for specials like for the Holiday season and cooking at the S.C. State fair.  Which there will be SCSFA members at the fair selling all their products.  The products are all made with produce from the great state of S.C. and there are like about 350 members in our group.  That is how I sell MadJon's Salsa, Me Me's Pasta Gravy, and Me Me's Cake Syrups.  The cake syrups serve to add moistness to the cakes as well as flavor.  Let's see do you want to know how I got started with making products and ending up with my own TV show.  Well the story is I make a mean pasta gravy and salsa that my family and friends loved so like all kids they thought I needed more to do with my life because my grands were in school and my hubby was working, the kids all had jobs getting on with life and they thought I had too much time on my hands and they can't have that, noooo.  So they said mom we think you could sell your pasta gravy and salsa so I got it tested and got the bar codes, etc.    However I needed a place to make the product, sell the product, and test the product.  So a place opened up and I decided I'd see if anyone would buy my food after all my grandfather was a chef on my mom's side and I was taught a few things and like the saying goes the Apple doesn't fall to far from the tree.  Let's see, i had the passion, love for people, and now let's see if I had the skills.  I opened the cafe and started testing out recipes on my customers and they would always say my compliments to the chef and then ask to meet me.  My mom was from the North and my dad was from the South, they both were wonderful cooks.  My mom cooked a lot of Italian foods that her dad made and my dad made all the southern foods and the HOT southwestern dishes that he loved.  He learned to cook the dishes for us though our travels that we took across this great country of ours.  We were always on the move from the East coast to the West coast, north and south.  We had housekeepers that would clean and cook for us and I used to watch the cook when we lived in Texas make the hot sauce that my dad when eat when he came home with the re fried beans she'd cook for us.  She'd put the tomatoes right on the burner and I'd watch her roast the vegetables for the sauce right in front of my eyes and the peeling when just crackle, I loved it but boy was it HOT.   We lived on route 66 out west up and down the road we'd go, I have a ton of stories to tell you there.  Any Who am getting off the subject.  Back to the products.  The cake syrup came from a idea I had when I was a kid and we'd run out of syrups at our house after all their were six kids and they ate like pigs.  You'd have to be the first to eat the food when they bright it home.  Any who I was making a coconut cake one day and I didn't like what they told me to use so I made syrup to pour on the cake after it was cooked and it made it moist and added flavor.  So now I make the syrups in different flavors and add it to all my cakes.  The names for the products come from my grandchildren, the first three letters of each of their names and combined them. It just happens to be french, it means Beef and Spice among some other meanings but am sticking to this meaning.  OK so now you know something about the products that I sell.  The TV show came after I had won about 30 awards for the cafe and one award for my hundred dollar apple pie.  Any who lets talk about the dish am writing about today.  My friend has a sugar problem and we play bridge once a week and of coarse we eat.  So am trying to help him out.  I hope you enjoy the recipe and give it a try.  You can use Greek vanilla yogurt with this dish instead of pudding however am using skim milk for this recipe today. Oh, I meant to tell you that the Strawberry has about 200 seeds on it and its the only fruit that carries its seeds on the outside.

Chocolate Pudding Pecan Sandie Trifle With Strawberry (Sugar Free)

1 Box Sugar Free Pecan Sandie's, Crushed
1 Box Large Jell-O Chocolate Pudding, Instant
1 8 oz. Sugar Free Cool Whip
Skim Milk
Fresh Strawberry's, sliced in half
(Banana's or crushed Pineapple, drained) optional

Mix the milk with the jell-o according to package directions.  In the bowl add some halved strawberry's on the bottom of dish.  Add some crushed pecan Sande's and top with some pudding.  Add some cool whip and repeat the process until pudding and Sandie's are all gone with the fruit.  If you wish you may add some pineapple, drained and some bananas to the mix.  Easy recipe.  Serves at least eight.

I hope you enjoy this dish its very easy to make and your guest will love it.  Please come like my fan page at https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon and please follow me.  Also if you have a ipad please come and view my new MadJon Holiday e-cookbook on itunes.  The recipes have been well tested.  Yum Yum.  Happy trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Any questions my e-mail is madjon51@aol.com, send recipes if you wish or if you have any questions please feel free to ask.  I love hearing from you all.  Eileen F Hutson, MadJon.

RADIO SHOW, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st

RADIO SHOW, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st Cooking With MadJon And Friends

Cream Cheese and Sugar Free Cheesecake Bring it on.

Well hello again to all you foodies out there in web land, hope all is well.  I don't know about you but I've been busy finishing up my third season as the host of the,"Cooking With MadJon and Friends Show" for ASTV 95.  I hope your day has been going great!  Mine started out with my morning walk and then my friend Chris and I went to check out the Herbs in my garden and ran into a not so friendly Copperhead.  Which we took care of with my hoe.  He was a rather a larger Copperhead and was coming at us out of the garden. Chris grabbed the hoe and took care of the problem rather fast.  Poor snake but I don't want Copperheads in my garden, it isn't safe for them or me!  Any who that is how my day started, now my day is ending with you.  Am sorry its taken some time to get back to the blog but I have busy in this life.  I've had several friends ask for this recipe so am going to be putting it up tonight for all to see and share.  You know that Cream cheese is American made and was invented around 1880.  Now we have alot of uses for Cream Cheese in our cooking and its not just for desserts anymore.  I put it in my pastry's, desserts, and spreads.  I've used it in my sauces as well.  Here in America we use Cream Cheese for one of the best desserts around Cheese Cake.  In France they use Neufchatel Cheese with Gelatin to make their Cheese Cakes, which makes them Light and Airy. In Italy they use Ricotta Cheese for their Cheese Cakes. The Greeks use a combination of Cheese's like Muzthra, Feta and Farmers cheese's. I think as far as the texture goes I prefer our good old NY Cheese Cake style.  Any who whatever cheese you like to use is the cheese that you should use.  Any Who I hope you enjoy this recipe and give it a whirl.

Sugar Free Cheese Cake

Crust
No Sugar Pecan Shortbread Cookies, I used Murrells, 1 package
Melted Butter, 2 TBSP.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and melt the butter and add it to the crushed Pecan Shortbread's.  Press it into your cheesecake pan and bake for about 10 Min's. in pre-heated oven.  Cool.

Filling
3  8 oz. 1/3 less fat Packages softened Cream Cheese
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 Cups Sugar Free Sweetener
4 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 TBSP Lemon Juice

Beat the cream cheese with the sugar, sweetener, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice.  Pour mixture into the pan and cook in a pre-heated oven on 325 degrees for about 1 hour or until done.  Cook in a hot bath which means cover the bottom of the pan with foil and place the cake in a pan with about 1/2" water in the bottom of it.  I use a rimmed cookie sheet. Cool Cheese Cake for about 12 hours before serving.

Topping

1 package fresh Strawberries
1 small package Strawberry Sugar Free Jell-o
1/2 Cup Sugar Free Sweetener
3 TBSP Corn Starch
1 1/4 cups Hot Water

Place the jell-o, water, cornstarch, and sweetener into a pan on the stove and cook it till it is clear in color not cloudy.  Set aside and cool. If your sauce is not thick enough for you just heat it again and add another tablespoon of corn starch to the mix.  Slice your strawberries and mix it with the cooled topping . Serve on top of Cheese cake when it has cooled for at least 12 hours.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the recipe and if you have any questions my email address is madjon51@aol.com.  Please visit my fan page and like it at https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon.  I also have a new Holiday Cook book out on itunes called MadJon Holiday for your ipads and it would alos make a great gift.  Happy trails to you and yours until we meet again, MadJon.  Eileen Hutson.


                     
                                            

Cooking With Madjon: Coconut Cream Pie Muffins Great Labor Day Dessert

Cooking With Madjon: Coconut Cream Pie Muffins Great Labor Day Dessert: Hello to all my foodie friends out there in Web Land its MadJon again posting on some very tasty dessert.  I got the idea to make these f...

Coconut Cream Pie Muffins Great Labor Day Dessert

Hello to all my foodie friends out there in Web Land its MadJon again posting on some very tasty dessert.  I got the idea to make these from a group on face book that I belong too called Outrageous Foodies and I just love the group.  I saw a birds nest dish from grated potatoes and to me it reminded me of shredded coconut.  So I went to the taste kitchen and made up this recipe.  You know that coconut came to this country in the late 1800's and a man named Franklin Baker from Pa started shredding and producing the coconut here in the United States for our household use.  Am so glad that he did because coconut is one of my favorite flavors to eat.  They have it in candy, puddings, fresh coconut Milk, coconut oil, cakes, cookies, and even drinks.  I love it in anything!  When we were kids in Miami we'd sit under the palms and the nut would drop and we'd remove the outer shell and place 3 holes on the end of the coconut and drink the milk.  Then we'd get out hammers and break the nut and eat out the meat.  It was great to just go along the sidewalks and pick up the coconuts to eat.  It took us awhile to open them but we used whatever means we needed to get into that juicy white meat. Their were six kids in my family and my Uncle Jack had 16 kids so it was hard to keep a coconut free on our streets.  Any who I hope you give a try.

Shell

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan.

Mix together:

2 cups shredded Coconut
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP Corn Starch
2 TBSP melted Butter

Shape into the muffin pans to make a nest and then bake in the oven for about 10 minutes and remove from oven.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Corn Starch
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Egg Yolks, beaten, reserve egg whites
pinch of Salt
4 Cups Whole Milk
1 cup Shredded Coconut

Mix together and pour into muffin pan.  Cook for about 40 minutes or until done.

Topping
Beat the egg whites with 3 TBSP sugar, add  tsp. Vanilla, and a pinch of Cream Of Tarter.  Beat eggs till they are stiff and top the pies with it and sprinkle coconut on top and bake in a pre-heated oven until brown.  Rest for about 10 minutes and loosen the sides with a butter knife to remove.

I hope you enjoy these pie muffins and when they cool is the best time to eat them.  Please visit my Cooking With MadJon and Friends on face book and I also have a new cookbook out on itunes called MadJon Holidays for you ipads.  Write me with your comments at madjon51@aol.com.  Happy Labor day weekend and happy trails to you until we meet again.  MadJon.

Summers End Bounty From Our Garden Stuffed Italian Fried Okra

Hello to all my foodie friends out there in web land.  Madjon here and I hope all is well and that you enjoyed your summer.  The kids are back to school here in South Carolina.  Labor Day holiday is in just a few days.  Maybe you all can make some of this wonderful Okra for your holiday cooking menu.  We have had a lot of the bounty from our garden again this year.  The Okra plants must be a good five to six feet tall this year.  That's what Chicken Poop does for a garden.  Any who I was introduced to this wonderful vegetable called Okra early on in my life, being that my dad was a big mountain man from Tennessee.  He is the one that did most of the Southern cooking at our house.  Okra was high on his list of foods to have us eat along with the pinto beans, greens and yes that wonderful Buttermilk Corn Bread that he used to cook.  Sometimes I'd sit and watch him eat the corn bread hot with cold Buttermilk poured on top.  I could never understand how he could eat such a combination of food!  My pallet just couldn't get past the sour in the buttermilk.  Any who my mom would drink buttermilk for a upset tummies, as she called it.  Any way am suppose to be talking Okra.  You know all you northerners are missing out on not eating Okra because its slime, heck that's the whole fun of eating it.  Did you know that Okra is a natural thickener and high in fiber.  Its been around for centuries and was bought here by the slaves from Africa.  It has been used to make rope and the seeds have been dried and used for coffee.   You can boil it, bread and fry it, stew it with bacon,  Roast it, stuff it and even dry it and use it for chip dipping.
Now I have not even listed half the uses for this wonderful vegetable.  There are a lot of uses for it in Indian recipes.  Any who this is just one way that I enjoy using the Okra.  Last year I stuffed it with Feta Cheese and Jalapeno peppers.
This year I made it an Italian way browned on some olive oil.  So I hope you all give this recipe a try, shall you.

1 doz. okra, cleaned, slit okra and seeds removed
Salt and Pepper Okra to taste

Filling

Three Italian Blend Cheese's 1 Cup
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Dried Italian Seasonings
Mix all ingredients and fill your Okra pods.

Breading
1 Cup Corn Meal
1/2 Cup Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Egg, Beaten

Mix all ingredents and heat about 1" of oil in a pan and roll the filled okra in the egg and then roll it in the dry mix.  Place into the oil and cook to a golden brown on both sides.  Remember to turn your pods and don't fry it on to high a heat.

I hope you give this recipe a try and write me with any comments, I always like to hear from you all.  Come like my fan page https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon and visit itunes to buy my holiday e-book called MadJon Holiday.  Also come watch the TV show at www.aikenstandard.com ASTV 95.  Happy trails to you and yours until we meet again.  MadJon.  Recipes are always welcome.

Texas Beef Standing Rib Roast Go Houston Texans!

Well hello to all my foodie friends out there in Web Land, I hope all is well.  I have spent the last month on the road in D.C. and to the Houston area.  That is where we are from.  My father -in-law has just been told that he has Alzheimer's and we had to help talk him into moving, selling his home and on top of that telling him he can't drive anymore.  What a horrible thing to have to do to some body.  He felt like we were kicking him out of his house.  Poor thing! So my hubby will be going back and forth to Houston for the next few months.  Any who let's do some talking about this wonderful cut of meat called a Standing Rib Roast. As you may know Texas is well know for their Beef and this is what we call a Standing Rib Roast which is a cut of meat from the primal rib section and is a very tender and pricey piece of meat.  My sister-in-law bought it before we arrived not knowing how to cook it.  This roast had five ribs which means that you could serve about 10 people.  It was maybe total weight of 5 pounds.  You can figure that each rib will feed two people.  When you are picking a roast make sure its a nice deep red color not brown.  If the meat is brown then it is too old and it cost to much for you to waste your money on old meat, sort of speak.  You can go to your butcher and get him to cut you one or talk to the butcher at your store and Rhonda bought this one from H.E.B. and I must say that it was a good cut of Beef.   Your roast should be cooked standing up and with Dry Heat.  It should be salted and seasoned with spices and I like to rub my spices into the meat.  You are also going to do what is called searing the meat in a very hot pan with oil in it.  Searing meat caramelizes and browns the meat which adds color and flavors to the meat.  Any who you are going to slit the meat with a knive tip and go in about two inches deep and then you are going to add a garlic glove placed inside the slit.  Your going to do that about 8 times and I put it all over the roast.  Then I rub it with Salt, Pepper, oven and Garlic powders and sear the meat on all side until it is nice and brown.  Then you are going to add some red wine and beef broth to the drippings and add it to the bottom of your roasting pan.  I use a sided cookie sheet so the roast is exposed to the dry heat.  That will give it a nice and brown color as well.  Any Who am ready to give you a recipe on our Texas Standing Rib Roast, go Houston Texans, whcih are my mother-in-laws favorite football team.

Texas Standing Rib Roast

4-5 Pound Standing Rib Roast
6 to 8 cloves fresh Garlic

Slit the rost with the knive and place the cleaned garlic into the slits

Salt and Pepper to taste, sprinkled onto roast
Onion and Garlic Powder, sprinkled onto roast

Rub the spices on the roast with fingers, the best thing God gave you to work with.
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
6 basil leaves, fresh
1 stick Oregano, fresh
1 stick Rosemary leaves

Finely chop the herbs and add them to the Dijon Mustard.  Rub the mustard all over your roast with your fingers.

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Heat the oil in a pan and sear your meat on all sides.


Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees and place roast into your pan after it is seared.  Then to the drippings in the pan you add about 2 cups red wine and 1 cup Beef Broth.  Stir the pan and pour it into your roasting pan with the roast.  Then you bake the roast for 20 minutes on 450 degrees and then turn down your oven to 350 degrees and bake your roast for 18 minutes per pound or until it reaches a temp of 145 to 150 degrees.  Remove your roast and let it rest for about 15 more minutes before carving.  Take the drippings from your pan and heat it with about 1 more cup of red wine and 1 more cup of beef broth. Cook till reduced.  This is a great sauce with lots of flavoring.

I hope you enjoy this recipe we shall did.  Come visit my fan page on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon and also go to www.aikenstandard.com ASTV 95 and watch my TV shows.  Also I have a new cookbook just released MadJon Holiday though itunes.  Please email me with your comments or questions about recipes at madjon51@aol.com.  Bona Y'all and Happy Trail to you until we meet again.  Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!

MadJon Holiday E-Cook Book Come Buy It At

Hello to all my foodie friends out there in web land.  Am in the great state of Texas visiting relatives for another 2 weeks.  While I was on my way home on 7-13-12 my daughter text me saying that my cookbook had been released on itunes!  Its called MadJon Holiday and may be bought on the link I have provided.  Am so excited about this book after all cooking is my passion and this helps me pass on all the love i feel for people is though cooking.  I hope that you give this a try and feel all the love that i try to pass on to you though food. Well let me tell you a little bit of how I got into this business.  I invented some products called Me Me's Pasta Gravy, MadJon's Salsa, and Me Me's Cake Syrup.  I needed a location to produce the products.  Well a location opened where I could open a cafe and at the same time have my recipes tested on the public.  Which I opened the cafe in 2007 and in three years I won like 37 different awards plus a Best Apple Pie award.  Then while Madjon's Bakery and Cafe was opened I was asked if I would be interested in hosting my own TV cooking show and I said well yea!!!  Then we started testing the recipes and everyone seemed delighted with  them and so last October we decided to start the first ebook which was a holiday book.  It took months to get everything together and a lot of hard work to get the book on itunes.  First we started the photo shoots.  Then I had to plan out the menu's for the three shows for the taping not to meantion the recipes.  Then we invited the guests and tested the foods on a lot of people.  They had to take a lot of still photo's of the foods and I don't know if you know anything about cooking shows but it takes hours to do a shoot.  Any who the end result is the E-book. Then you have to take everything that we did at taping and turn it into a book and that was no easy task.  It was edited like 4 times and I want to say thanks so much to Stacey who has worked so hard to bring this to market.  Then she had to first get it approved and then re approved.  Any who I just wanted to say I hope that you give this book a try for your holiday cooking this year.  It does have some great recipes in it.. Thanks to the Aiken Standard and their staff for all the hard work that they do for the show and for MadJon Holiday Ebook.  Go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/madjon-holiday/id520208369?mt=8 Happy trails to you and yours, Eileen Hutson, MadJon.  P.S. Looking forward to more E-books being released and all it takes is a lot more time!  Just kidding.

When Life Throws You Lemons Make Lemonade

Hello to all my foodies friends out there in web land, hope all is well.  Last week we sent the 4th in Washington D.C. and it was hotter then a fire cracker.  We had to drive our truck down because my hubby wracked our new car again!  Only this time he can't remember how he did it.  He stuck the guard rails over the rail road tracks and I thought the car was totaled however the insurance company says its fixable.  It didn't look like ti to me.  He did over 10,000.00 worth of damage, man!  The car will never be the same!  It doesn't even have but maybe 50,000 miles on it.  Engine isn't even broke in yet.  Oh well that's what I get for buying a red car!  They for some reason have a higher rate of wrecks.   At least my hubby turned out OK, again.  When life throws you Lemons make Lemonade.  Any Who we spent the 4th in D.C. and loved every minute of it!  We had a FBI tour and I say thanks for the FBI!   Had a 4th for July Party in the Hood at 8th and I and met some very interesting people.  Then we went to visit the capitol and before we went in we had to give them our water so when we left it was really hot and we had nothing to drink.  I'd given anything for a iced down Lemonade. Then our picture got taken and we ended up on the front page of the Washington Post!  He took our names and said he didn't know if it would be used but the next morning I went to have breakfast at Ted's Bulletin and they rolled out the paper and we were on the front cover with a small story!  Then my nephew saw it on MSN though his Hot mail.  Boy what a trip.  Speaking of Ted's Bulletin that is a great place to eat.  They make wonderful Pop Tart's and I ate the Corn Beef Hash with Eggs.  It is made fresh by the chef.  The service is wonderful as well, thanks to Christina Thompson.  We also marched in the parade.  We did a couple other exciting things but am going to blog on them later.  Any who I recommend that everyone go visit our capital because of all the wonderful adventures a family can have there.  You learn so much history and most of it is free of charge to visit. Please come visit me at face book fan page Cooking With MadJon and Friends or go see my cooking show at http://www.aikenstandard.com/ ASTV 95. 

Anne's Life's Lemonade

4 Cups Water
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
Fresh Mint 4 springs
Fresh Basil   3 sprigs
Lemon 1 Cut in Rings

Place 2 cups water, sugar, 4 lemon rings, 3 sprigs mint and 3 sprigs basil in the pot and bring to a boil.  Then add 2 cups of water to the mix.  Remove the lemon rings and mint and basil.  Pour Lemonade over some Ice and serve with a mint leaf.

i hope you enjoyed this blog and hope that you give this recipe a try.  Please send me your thoughts and recipes at madjon51@aol.com.  Happy trails to you until we meet again.  Bona Y'all.

Red Velvet Cake 4th of July and America

Well hello to all my foodie friends out there in web land I hope all is going well for you all .  If you live in the USA I say Happy Fourth of July.  This holiday is special to me because it reminds me of our freedoms that we still have in this country.  My mom and dad both fought in WW11 behind enemy lines I know for a fact my mom was in Germany.  She got injured and was sent home right before the war ended. She was in the Wac at age 16, her dad signed her up.  I have never known a women stronger in my life and that fought so hard for our rights even after I was grown.  She raised six kids and lived with a man that believed men were superior to women and that we were the weaker sex.  The only thing weaker on me is my strength! However in sports I saw Billy Jean King kick butt with her tennis skills.  Even before our dad died in 1979 she lived in Tulsa and instead of sitting around eatting bon bons she fought for the rights of women vets and was picked by the Governors of Okahoma and when she moved to SC to be the liaison for women veterans.  She fight for any vet who had a problem with the VA trying to take a benefit away from them when she knew what their rights were.  Boy if she believed in something she wouldn't let anything get in her way.  When I lived in WV she'd fly in and off we'd go to DC and meet with the congressmen and senators to discuss what she thought should be done.  I was with her when she went to DC and we met with a women general to discuss the Women's Momorial I saw the plans before it became a reality.  Talk about the greatest generation.  She was one of them and then I think about my generation and how we are not fighting for our rights and our grand childrens rights.  My mom believed in this country, she believed in its people, all of them.  She said its hard to make change but change can be made if you fight hard enough for it.  She'd say always to me, you pay attention to what our government is doing or what other foreign goverments are doing.  You need to write your representives and tell them what is what or one day this country will be taken over without firing a shot.  Are we close to that point now?  Some people would agree with me and some wouldn't.  I still believe in this country with all our problems.  I believe, what a wonderful word which means To regard (something) as true or real, to have an opinion, which we still may express to a degree am just wondering do we still have the right to believe?.  Are we affraid to really say what we believe or write it down.  Freedom is another word which means: The condition of being politically free.  Freedom is what our forefathers fought for.  We are still the greatest nation on this earth if we were't then why do we still have people running to our shores and wanting to be an American in the greatest country on earth.  I just want to say a great big thank you to all who have fought and died for me and my country and which I am happy to call myself an AMERICAN.   I want to say a special Thank you to my mother, Jeanne Varney Newby for everything she did for this counrty and her fellow Americans.  Happy trails to you until we meet again. https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon

Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose Flour, sifted
1 3/4 cups Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 cups Oil
1 cup Buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp Red Food Coloring or reduced Beet Juice
1 tsp. Vinegar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Almond extract

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, and cocoa.  Then add oil, buttermilk and blend well.  The add the beaten eggs.  Ad food coloring and blend well.  Add your vinegar and extracts.  Pe- heat your oven to 350 degrees and grease 3 cake pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until done.  Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes then place on a wire rack to cool.  Icing time.

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 Cup Butter softened
1 pound Cream Cheese softened
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Almond Extract
5 Cups Confectionary Sugar, sifted

Cream your butter an cream cheese until light and creamy.  Add your extracts.  Slowly beat in your sifted sugar and beat until creamy an smooth.  Ice cake when completely cool.  Bona Y'all.

Salad Greens With Cranberry and Orange Slices & Lemon Salad Dressing

Well hello to all my foodie friends out there in Web Land I hope your summer is working out for you.  Well I've been busy with Catering and I had a fund raiser last Friday at the Wilcox and our theme was Hunger Games and I made dishes with alot of berries and wild game like Bacon wrapped Quail with a Blueberry Sauce and Feta Cheese on top.  Then with that i made some Creamed Parsnips with Leeks.  A Cranberry Walnut Zucchini Breakfast Bread and some Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies.  Everyone loved the foods I had selected.  They didn't want to try the Parsnips but after a couple of them ate them then everyone was talking about how good they were and they just had to try them.  Then I filmed with the Women Of Wood side and had a blast.  They made some Rosemary Baked Salmon, Carrots and Grapes, Lemon Rice, Oyster Stew, Herb Beer Bread, and Baked Alaska.  Did you know that the Baked Alaska recipe came from like the 1887 and a chef made it up because of the USA buying Alaska from Russia. I worked with Rita, Gail and our host was Suzanne.  Nice ladies and their group does fund raisers around the Aiken area and they also have about five cook books that they have made over the last five years.  There are some good recipes in those books.  Sorry you can't buy the books as yet but they are thinking about selling them for charity.  Any who a good time was had by all.  Today am going to give you one of the Salads I did on my TV show "Cooking With MadJon and Friends."  I'd like for yo to go and like my fan page on FB https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon and also go view some of the TV shows at http://www.aikenstandard.com/ ASTV 95.

Cranberry Orange Salad With Lemon Dressing

Dressing:

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Oil
1 tsp Seasoned Salt
1 tsp Onion Powder
2 TBSP Sugar

Mix all ingredient's till well blended.

5 Cups Salad Greens
1 Orange Slices, peeled
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberry's
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped

Place all ingredients into a large bowl and pour salad dressing over the salad right before serving.  Serves eight.

Well I hope you give this recipe a try and email with any questions or recipes that you would like to share at madjon51@aol.com.  Happy trails to you and yours and please enjoy the summer.  MadJon.

Let's Make Some South Carolina Seafood Stew

Well hello to all my foodies friends out there in web land.  Its been awhile since I've posted a blog due to family matters and just plain life as we call it.  I have been working in the Garden which is doing very well with all the rain that the Carolin es has been getting.  There is nothing better then home grown garden.  We planted Okra, Tomatoes, a lot of different varieties, eggplant, cukes, watermelons, cantaloupe, herbs, onions, and even artichokes.  I think we placed a squash plant or two.  Did you know that to keep producing your squash you need to check under the leaves for eggs and remove them, a moth comes and lays eggs on your leafs and then you get the bugs that eat the plants from inside out.  One day it looks great and the next day it looks flat on the ground.  We have been checking our leafs.  This is our second year of planting this garden.  I bought in Chicken poop last year.  However I added more this year with lime, and Epsom salt.  I use Epsom's salt with our house plants as well every year.  I will be sending out some more garden shots when I blog again to let you see how its growing.  Last year we grew corn and it was wonderful but it does take up alot of room.  This year I plan on doing some pickles for my hubby.  I will also make some pickled Okra this year.  Have you tried dried Okra, its wonderful.  Not alot of calories there, boy howdy.  I love this time of year yesterday on the shoot I made some peach crisp for dessert and I used the peaches I had frozen last year and they were FAB.  I will be freezing more this year.  If anyone has any garden questions or even have any advice for me on gardening come right ahead and email me at madjon51@aol.com.  Love to hear from you all.  Forward some recipes for me to try.  I have be given wine to try and grits from my fans and I still have to use the grits and I say thanks so much for all the goodies.  Someone sent me a cheese board, which I have used a few times.  I never mind trying out products for anyone. Please come like my fan page on FB at Cooking With Madjon and Friends.  Come watch the TV show at http://www.aikenstandard.com/  ASTV 95.  Am busy today cooking for a birthday party so I need to make this quick.  I made up this recipe for some fish that I had left over from last season and it was to small to fry or toss in a pan so this is what I ended up with.  It has all the things I like to eat in a stew.  Enjoy and Bona Y'all.

Seafood Stew

Butter, 1/2 stick
Onion, 1 small, diced
Fresh Garlic, 4 cloves, minced
Flour, 3 TBSP
Celery, diced, 1 Cup
Salt and Pepper to taste
Bay Leafs, 2 whole not crushed
Potato's, 5 large, diced
Water, to top off potato's in a pan
Carrots, 3 diced
Parsley, 1/2 cup chopped
Chicken Bouillon Cubes, 4
Mrs's Dashes, 2 tsp.
Old Bay, 1 tsp
Onion and Garlic Powder, 1 tsp. each.
Fish, 1/2 pound, cut
Shrimp, 1 pound, raw
Half and Half, 2 cups

Melt the butter in a pan and add to that the onion, celery, and garlic.  Saute till clear in color.  Then add your flour and stir.  Then add some water, stir.  Then start adding your spices like, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders, Mrs's Dashes,  Ole Bay and Bay leafs.  Then add your peeled potatoes, diced and carrots.  Add the chicken bouillon and bring to a boil.  Add more water to top the potato's if needed.   When the vegetables are tender then you add the fish and shrimp.  Then add the half and half and cook the stew on low for about 10 to 15 more minutes.  If you don't cook the stew on low it will burn your stew.

Well this is it for this blog and please give a try.  I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do.  Serve it with some corn bread muffins and some cheese on top for serving.  Bacon nice as well.  Happy trails to you until we meet again.  Eileen Hutson, MadJon.

Mother's Day and Home Made Peach Ice Cream

Well Hello to all you foodies in Web Land hope everyone had a great Mother's Day.  I spent the day planting Flowers and refreshing our flower beds.  Working out in the yard is a nice way for me to remember my mom.  We lost her a few years back and I sure miss her ways of telling me to get in there and not give up the fight!  She was part of the greatest generation and turf as nails.  Growing up in the depression and going into the WAC at the age of 16 and she had to get her dad to sign off for it.   She had a full scholarship to attend Carnegie Hall in music with a very rare soprano voice but WW 11 rolled around and she decided she would hold off on a music career, she thought she was needed else wear.   I guess she was.  She went crazy, blond and all however the whole barracks went blond with nothing to do but wait for their orders.  They were told that they had no right to change one thing on their bodies because their bodies no longer belonged to them, they belonged to the US Army.  Any who she ended up behind enemy's lines in Germany working in top secret on codes or something like that.  She was a higher rank then my dad when they met.   Close to the end of the war she got hurt and had to return home on a boat carring the wounded back home.  That is where she met my dad for the first time.  However he was quit the ladies men his whole life but she didn't give him the time of day.  She had her eyes on someone else.  My dad had seen her at a soft ball game that was arranged by the army women against the men.  However my dad told one of his buddies she that blond over there am going to marry her and his friend said which blond, there's nine of them out there.  He also told him Allen you don't even know her name.  Anyway its a true story.  She was playing poker with some men on the ship and my dad walked up behind her and tried to tell her what to play and that didin't set well with my mom.  Any who by the time the ship rolled into the harbor he had won her over.  The rest is history and a few more stories along the way.  I don't have enough room to write them all to night.  My mom was a very special lady who would stand up to anyone for what she believed in.  If someone couldn't stand up for them selves, she was right there in front of them to help.  Mean as a snake when she needed to be.  She wrote letters to the houston newspapers and they would publish them.  She always said if you are not happy with somehting in this country write or call your representives and if that doesn't work then call Washington.  Any who she made wonderful Ice Cream when we were kids.  Here is a recipe that you can use in a ice cream machine.  If you don't have one just mix it and freeze it. 

Peach Ice Cream

1 Cup Ripe Peaches, peeled and sliced
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 Cups Whipping Cream
2/3 Cup Half & Half
1 tsp Vanilla

Cut up the peaches really fine.  Next Whip the whipping cream.  Then add the sugar and cinnamon and mix till blended.  Then add the half and half , vanilla and blend well.  If you have a machine just mix it for about 12 to 15 minutes.  Then pour the ice cream into a bowl and freeze till stiff. 

I hope you like this recipe and please come visit me at http://www.aikenstandard.com/ ASTV 95, Cooking With MadJon and Friends.  Come like me at Cooking With MadJon on Facebook.  Come like my fan page on https://www.facebook.com/pages/Me-Mes-Pasta-Gravy-MadJons-Salsa-Me-Mes-Cake-syrup/203328146388200  or E-mail me at madjon51@aol.com with recipes or questions about cooking.
Happy Trails to you until we meet again.  Eileen F. Hutson, MadJon.

                                              

Johnston Peach Blossom Festival & B.B.Q. Creole Chicken

Hello to all my foodies friends out there in Web Land.  Hope all is well and the cooking is great this summer with all the B.B.Q. dinners that you will be making.  Any Who am one tried puppy today.  I watched my friends grand baby today and I forgot how much work babies can be.  Any Who the baby made it though the rough day I gave him.  He is so cute and has the bluest eyes.  Tomorrow I film for the Cooking With MadJon and Friends TV show which I will be making Peach Ice Cream, Lemon Cake, Strawberry Salsa, and Guacamole.   Sounds wonderful and my hubby will love it.  Am getting ready to cook at the Taste Of Home Cooking Show on this Thursday plus getting ready to cater for the VIP room. Boy am exhausted!  Last Saturday we went to the Johnston Peach Blossom Festival and had a great time shooting there.  I love small town parades like they had.  The Grand Marshall was a WW11 vet and there is not a lot of the Greatest Generation left.  It made me feel like I was sent back to the 50's with all the warmth the town could muster.  The food was great and they offered goodies like Red Velvet Funnel Cake to Roasted Butts.  A good time was had by all.  For your information alot of the food venders at festival or events are only attending at the festivals and fairs.  So if you like the foods they have to offer, you need to find out what events they travel too.  Any Who are you ready for some B.B.Q. Chicken?

B.B.Q. Creole Chicken

Sauce:  Heat all ingredients in a pan and simmer for about 10 minutes.
1/2 Cup Apple Cedar Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
1 tsp. each Garlic and Onion Powder
1 tsp. Seasoned Salt
Black Pepper to taste
Crushed Red Peppers to taste
1 1/2 tsp. Tony Creole Seasoning
1 tsp. Seasoned Salt
3 TBSP Sugar

2 Whole Chickens Cut in Half

Season the chicken half's with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders to taste.  Dust them baby dust them!  Cook the chickens on high in your pit but on indirect heat.  It takes longer to cook the chickens but it taste alot better.  After the chicken has cooked for about 1 1/2 hours then baste the chicken with your sauce about twice and then cook another half hour of until the chicken is done.

Well I hope you give this recipe a try and wish me luck with The Taste of  Home Cooking Show.  E-mail me at madjon51@aol.com.  Come like my fan page on FB at Cooking With MadJon and Firends.  Watch the TV show at wwwaikenstandard.com ASTV 95.  appy Trails to you until we meet again, Bona Y'all.

Catering With RCTCU And Italian Meatballs With Mushroom Sauce

Hello to all you foodies out there in web land I hope all is well.  Hope you are eating some wonderful food that you enjoy and that is worth all the calories that you intake.  I say if it doesn't taste good just don't wast the calorie counts.  Me I've been busy with our garden and also I had a catering job in April.  It was for the RCTCU members.  This is my fourth year catering for them.  Its always a pleasure cooking for them because they seem to like the foods I choose every year.  Great to have Food Fans!  That is what keeps me going in this business is customers that enjoy my foods.  I also feel very humbled to serve them.  To them I say thanks you.  Also one of them wrote me to ask for the recipe of the Italian Meatballs and am more then happy to share it.  I also served these at our daughters wedding reception about 17 years ago.  So any who, if anyone is living in the CSRA or Atlanta area I'd love to come and cater or private cheffing for you.  Contact me at madjon51@aol.com and also go to http://www.aikenstandard.com/ ASTV 95 and view some recipes that you may try of mine.  Recipe follows:

Italian Meatballs With Mushroom Sauce

Ready Made Italian Meatballs, about 48
Mushroom Soup, 1 can
Sour Cream, 1 1/2 cups
Heavy Cream, 1 1/2 cups
Worcestershire Sauce, 1 1/2 TBSP
Onion, diced 1 large
Garlic, 4 gloves, minced
Butter, 1 stick
Flour, 2 TBSP
Oregano, dried 1 1/2  tsp.
Sweet Basil, dried, 1 1/2  tsp.
Onion and Garlic Powder, 1 tsp. each
Black Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese, garnish, 1 cup
Parsley Flecks, 1/4 cup. garnish

Heat butter in a pan and add the onions and garlic, cook till they are clear in color.  Add the flour and mix lightly. Then  add the soup, sour cream, and Worcestershire.  Mix well on low heat.  Then add the onion and garlic powder with the black pepper.  Then to that you add the oregano and basil.  Simmer.   Then add the cream and simmer about 10 minutes.  Cook your meatballs according to package directions. Add the sauce to the meatballs.  Then when they are ready to serve, garnish with the Parmesan cheese and parsley flecks.


I hope you give this recipe a try and you may add soem mushrooms to the sauce if you wish.  If you have any recipes out there that you would like for me to try just email me at madjon51@aol.com.  Come like my fan page on FB at Cooking With MadJona nd Friends.  Happy trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Bona Y'all.

Creamy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pie

Well hello again to all you foodies out there in web land this is MadJon again and today we are going to be talking about some nice and creamy Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Crust.  Last week I went to lunch with my foodies Club and we ate at one of the little bristles in Augusta along the river.  The food was great and the desserts were Hugh!  However I think the Peanut Butter Pies they served could use a creamier filling.  So I went home to my test kitchen and came up with this pie recipe which everyone loved on the set of the "Cooking With MadJon and Friends" show so am going to share it with Y'all.    If you go to this web-site you will learn the history of how the Peanut Butter Pie came to be.  http://www.danspeanutbutterpies.com/History.aspx neat story.  Any who I would have thought the recipe when have been made up at about the time Peanut Butter cookies came into our world.  Any who let's give this a try shall we.

Peanut Butter Pie With Chocolate Crust

1/2 package of Keebler Striped Chocolate Cookies, crushed
3 TBSP. Butter melted
3 TBSP. Sugar, Brown or White

Crush your cookies and to that you add the melted butter and sugar.  Place in a 9" pie pan and bake crust in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.  Cool when cooked.

Peanut Butter Pie

1 8 ozs. Cream Cheese Package, softened
1 cup Confectionary Sugar
3/4 cup Peanut Butter, smooth
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp Caramel Sauce, ready made
Reese's Minis Peanut Butter Cups
1 Cup Chopped Salted Peanut

In a bowl beat the heavy whipped cream till stiff, then to that you beat in the softened cream cheese.  When it is well blended then you add the sugar and beat till it is smooth.  Then to that you add the peanut butter, vanilla and caramel.  Blend well.  You can use a Ice Cream Sauce for the caramel if you wish.  Now you pour the mix into your crust and cool for about 4 hours.  Then top pie with your Reese's minis and chopped nuts.  Pour alittle of the caramel sauce on top and I say Bona Y'all.

Let's give this recipe a try if you like Peanut Buttter.  Let me know how you like it and also send me some recipes please at madjon51@aol.com.  Visit me on FB and like my fan page and tell your friends about it, https://www.facebook.com/#!/CookingwithMadjon.  Happy trails to you and your until we meet again.  Bona Y'all. MadJon.

Best Depression Comfort Food Banana Nut Bread

Well hi to all you foodie friends out there in web land, its MadJon again writing to you about one of the best comfort foods that I remember my grand mother baking and coming in the door the best smelling aroma there is to smell.  It also made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  I couldn't wait to cut a piece and slab on the butter, yum, yum!  Any who I just made some today for a catering job coming up and am going to cut the loafs in slices and add a cream cheese filling with it.  Can't wait till they taste it.  I also added some cinnamon to the batter.  What's nice about Banana Bread is that its easy to make and you can add raisins, nuts or even some orange to the mix.  I've even made a Chocolate Banana Bread.  It came to be in cookbooks around the  1930's and it came about with the use of baking soda and baking powder.  The Banana itself is from a wild banana seed and its from like the Pacific and south east Asia.  Any who I say thanks so much for the banana its one of my favorite fruits to eat and isn't as expensive as most fruits.  Any who the best breads are made with really ripe bananas and the one's I used today were black in color.  So, are we ready for the recipe?

Banana Nut Bread W/ Cinnamon

1 stick and 1/2 stick Butter
1 1/2 cups Sugar
3 medium ripe Bananas, mashed
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 cups sifted Flour
1 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 cup chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease two loaf pans with butter or spray.  Sift the flour with the salt and soda, set aside.  Melt the butter and mix it with the sugar.  Then mash your ripe bananas and mix it with the butter and sugar.  Then to that you start adding the dry ingredients to the mix and add your buttermilk till all your flour and buttermilk have been blended with the banana mix.  Then beat your eggs and add them to the mix and blend.  Add the cinnamon and vanilla and blend well.  Then last add the chopped pecans and you guessed it, blend well.  Pour into the loaf pans and bake in a preheated oven for about  1 1/4 hours or until done to touch or tooth pick comes out dry when inserted into the middle of the bread.

You will love this recipe and try it with some fresh coffee, yum, yum.  Please write me and tell me what you think of this recipe at madjon51@aol.com.  I love hearing from you.  Also go like my fan page on facebook Cooking With Madjon nd Friends.  Also come follow my blog. Come watch the TV show at http://www.aikenstandard.com/, ASTV 95.  Happy trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Eileen Hutson, MadJon