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

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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.