Chicken Poop and Home Made Tomatoe Soup Summer's Best

Hello to all you foodies out there in webland.  Hope all is well.  I've been busy with getting some chicken poop from a local farmer to add to my garden that am going to plant very soon.  We have been working on a water system for the yard.  I have been told that chicken poop is what you need for a garden.  The smell is more then I can take when shoveling it!  First we went about 30 miles to go pick it up and then the air in the truck wasn't working so on the way back we smelled it with the feathers flying along with the flys inside the truck.  What a trip, plus it was HOT outside.  We unloaded it partly in my yard, then at a friends, he has a garden just starting and we left him a surprise.  His been in Ireland so we haven't heard back from him as yet.  Then we went to my friends house to clean out the back of the truck and what a hoot!  We start hoseing out the back and the poop is just sitting at the back of the truck and my friend wants me to get up in the truck and broom it out, well am not going there I said so we moved the truck.  I got to the front of her house on the street and then the mess just falls out onto the street right in front of her house.  What a mess and she was non to happy with me but anywho we managed to spray the back of the truck out and swept the street with water and a broom.  What a smell but it is not to bad now.  It still smells alot in my yard since it has rained.  Anywho I will have a wonderful garden with fresh vegeables in it though fall.  Can't wait.  I will let you know if the chicken poop helps.  It has already helped my friends front yard. 

Now we are going to talk about Tomatoes and there is nothing better then home grown.  My hubby is from Texas and in the summer he loves having thick smoked Bacon, Milk Gravy, Sliced Tomatoes, and Fried Corn Bread.  Oh and don't forget the sweet onions!  Anywho he also loves home made tomatoe soup which his aunt used to make for him when he was little.  However mine is different from hers, she puts bacon in hers which is good as well and hers was more like a sour tomatoe soup.  Anywho I made this up for him just a few days ago and he loved it.  Am passing it on to you all to enjoy because I know we will be having some of this soup again before the tomatoes run out.  Recipe follows:

MadJon's Home Made Tomatoe Soup

6 fresh Tomatoes, diced
1 Large Onion
6 Gloves Garlic, diced
1 Stick Butter
3 T. Flour
 Salt and Pepper to taste
6 leafs fresh Basil
4 sticks fresh Thyme
2 Bay Leafs
1.5 tsp. Mrs's Dash's
1.5 tsp. Onion and Garlic Powder
3 T. Sugar
4 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Cups Half and Half

Now place the chopped onion and garlic with butter into pan.  Cook till clear and then add the tomatoes, cook till done.  Add the flour, spices with the sugar and mix into pan.  Now slowly add the broth and stir till mixed and simmer about 20 mins.   Then add the half and half and cook on low for about 10 more mins.  Serve hot or cold.  If you want this smooth just add the tomatoe and onion mixture into a blender after they are cooked and then add the flour spices, sugar, and broth, cook then add the half and half.  You may also top this with bacon.  Serves 8.

This ends our story with the chicken poop and our wonderful Tomatoe Soup.  Visit my TV show on aikenstandard.com, ASTV 95, Cooking With MadJon and Friends.  Please email me with any questions that I may answer for you.  Enjoy your gardens out there in webland.  If you live in the CSRA area remember me for catering and private cheffing or cooking lessons.  If anyone has a spcial need I'd be happy to c ome and cook for them.  Anywho Happy Trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Come be my friend on FB, Linkedin, etc. etc. etc.  God Bless, Eileen Hutson, madjon51@aol.com, Cell number is 803-646-0217.  Oh and if you have any aprons out there for me to wear on the TV show just forward them to the Aiken Standard with your name and yu will be meantioned on the TV show.

June is Hamburger Month "Let's Make American Hamburger's and Collard Greens"

Hello to all you foodies out there in web land, its MadJon again.  I hope all is well with you and yours.  I have missed you all so much. I have been off the computer for a couple of reasons, one is that I've been really busy and the other is that our computer line has not been up and running.  You don't know what its like with out a computer these days or maybe some of you do.  It was like I was on a lost Island all by myself with no one to talk too. All I could do was think!  I couldn't work on my recipes for the TV shows or my cook book.  Am rolling now!   While I was off S.C. made the state Vegetable called Collard Greens and may be I will add a recipe to cook the greens on this blog as well today.  Then June came in hot hot hot and the food of the month is the wonderful American Hamburger.  Did the hamburger come from the city of Kansas with all its wonderful beef?  I don't know for sure?  I also did a tour with the Celebrity Chefs as a fund raiser and we cooked Fried Fish and Chips with a Malt Vinegar White Sauce and served it English style in newspapers from the Aiken Standard.  Loved it Loved it loved it! Plan on doing it again next year with a theme. Any who its one of my favorite meals to enjoy.  It nice to be back among people again to share my , life, recipes, and ideas.   So here go again with the first recipe:

Great American Hamburger

1 Pound Hamburger Meat
2 tsp. Onion Powder
2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
Optional 2 tsp. Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
Optional 1 Can Beer

Mix all ingredents except Chipotle seasoning, unless you want to use the seasoning in the Hamburger and Beer.   Then foam into patties.  Grille and while the burgers are grilling baste the burgers with your beer.  I like to grill onions and toast my buns.  I also like mushrooms cooked in beer for the top of the burgers as well.  You could add about 1/4 cup of flour to help hold the mix together if you wish.  I don't add the flour.

Southern Collard Greens Recipe

2 Bunches of Collard Greens
2 Ham Hocks
1 Large Onion Chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 T. Cooking Oil and Hot Sauce
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 T. Onion Powder
1 T. Vinegar
Clean Greens and remove the spine, cut greens, if you don't remove the spine your greens will be bitter.  Place oil and onion in pan and cook till the onions are browned, add the greens, cover with water, add spices and ingredients.  Ham Hocks and add a few drops of hot sauce to taste.  Cook till greens are very soft, like a few hours.   You will love these.  Make some corn bread and honey you are there!

I hope you enjoy these recipes very much and email me with any questions that you may have.  Am glad to be back in the game of computer life!  Watch my TV Show, Cooking with MadJon and Friends on aikenstandard.com, ASTV 95, Cooking With MadJon and Friends.  I hope you are all having a great and safe Summer so fair!  Happy trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Eileen Hutson, MadJon.

Spring is Here Let's Make "Cream of Broccoli Soup" YUMYUM!

Well hello to all my foodie friends out there in Web land.  I hope all is well and that all your cooking turns out, out, out.  Have you tried any new recipes as yet?  I try new recipes all the time.  Its like a chemistry test every time because you are thinking how would this taste or pear or how would this look?   In today's world am finding that anything just about goes in cooking these days, just throw out the old and come in with the new.   I hope that doesn't mean that is what we do when we get old.  Throw us out and start a new!  Any who today just about any and everything is being tried or used which is a great thing!  With the cost of food these days I like to see everyone use the leftovers they have to make other recipes.  I know when I cook a roast we can get two more meals out of it.  Sometimes I think its better to get a larger piece of meat and use it over and over again, kind of like an old shoe but hopefully it doesn't taste like leather.  Am going to be busy this month with cooking at The Taste of Home Show in Aiken and catering.  Its better to stay busy.  You know the other day I bought a plant for the outside holder of my house and would you believe that that is the only plant that we have outside because my hubby has taken two and a half years to start any yard!  But back to the plant, I paid like 27.00 for this plant and guess what I did it almost passed on
 because I forgot to water it.  I say my daughter come in with this ______ grin on her face and I said what's so funny and she says , Mom you have to water plants you know.  Well I looked and it had almost left this world.  However I saved it and hopefully my hubby will get busy with our yard and I'll be planting almost all the plants, I can't wait!  Any who let's get back to our Cream of Broccoli soup, I do have a story with this one.  I made the recipe for the show last Monday and I had two guests from French.  Nice ladies. I learned alot from them about how they do their vegetables.  They stream alot of foods.  They also like their vegetables really, really soft and they like to taste the flavor of the vegetables.   Recipe Follows:

Cream Of Broccoli Soup

2 Heads Broccoli Cut Up
1 Onion, Chopped
4 Cloves, Garlic Minced
3 T. Corn Starch
1 Stick Butter
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Mrs Dash
3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
2 Cups Water
2 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Cups whole Milk or Cream
 Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Bay Leafs
1 Cup of American  Cheese ( or whatever you like)

  Take the cut up Broccoli, onion, garlic, butter and place in a pan to cook.  Once it starts cooking start adding the spices, bay leafs, cubes, corn starch, salt and pepper.  When the broccoli is tender start adding the water and broth.  When it has cooked another 20 minutes then turn down the heat and add the milk.  Cook on low for about 15 more minutes.   Add cheese till melted. Stir often.

Any who I hope you enjoy the rest of your week and try this soup recipe and let me know how you like it.  I've enjoyed visiting with you.  Happy Trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Eileen Hutson, MadJon.  Remember to watch "Cooking With MadJon and Friends", ASTV 95, http://www.aikenstandard.com/.

Pine Rattle Snake and let's Make "Marinated Olives"

Well hello to all you foodies out there in webland I hope this finds all and you safe and sound.  I hope you have been enjoying the warm weather we have been having.  Have you all put in a victory garden as yet?  I've been busy with my herb garden and a vegetable garden.  I bet you are wondering what a snake had to do with olives? Nothing, except this morning while we were walking at my home I almost stepped on a rattle snake!  It was a feet in front of me and all I could say is SNAKE, SNAKE!  It was stricking at the dog and us.  At first we thought he was OK but  then his head went up and that's all she wrote! We have alot of pine trees out here where I live but that is the first snake I've seen in the two years I've lived out here.  Any who no harm done, he went on his merry way.   Has that ever happened to you all?  Well the olive recipe I made up for a friend of mine named Ann who lives in D.C. she was having a party and asked if I could send her some recipes and this is one recipe that she has used many times in the past.  I hope that you enjoy it as well.  They are light and tasty to add as a side with sandwiches or just eat by themselves.  Recipe follows:

Marinated Olives

1 Can Black Olives, drained
1 Jar of Green Olives, drained
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Sugar
5 Cloves Garlic, smashed
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, graded
1 tsp. Italian Spices
3/4 Cup Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil

Drain olives and set aside in bowl.   Mix in bowl the vinegar and sugar till disolved and add to that the rest of the ingredients and mix like crazy.  Add to the olives and let rest over night.  I served these at a catering job last night and they went on and on about them.  I hope you go on and on about them as well.  They are a easy dish to make.  You can use any kind of olive that you may like.  Experiment with recipes because you can always adjust recipes to your likes.

Tomorrow I will be posting a Broccoli Soup recipe which I like alot.  I've been busy with catering and the TV shows.  I've been enoying my grand children as well.  I hope everyone gets a chance to do that in their lives or at least enjoy your neices and nephews.  Its time for me to say good-bye so I wish you happy trails until we meet again.  Watch me on "Cooking With Madjon and Friends" on ASTV 95, go to  aikenstandard.com. on the web.

Happy Easter Let's Make "Deviled Eggs"

Hello again to all you foodies out there in webland its me again, MadJon.  I hope all is fine and dandy with you and yours.  Its kind of late to be up for me but I've been out with our Daughter Terri.  We've been playing the game of darts but I think the men were more interested in her then in the game, if you know what I mean.  Oh well such is life!  When I was little my mom used to make all of our clothes for Easter.  She had five girls and one boy so you know she had to try and save some money.  We all had a matching dress and black shoes with lace socks, white gloves, and a hat.  The dresses all stood out with the gathers at the waist.  Back to the Fifties tonight!  Any way I can remember dying the Easter eggs and waking up to find our Easter Baskets by our beds.  We loved hunting the eggs and I loved all the bright colors of spring.  There were no plastic eggs that I remember at that time.  Any who we would have to give up our eggs for the dinner with Deviled eggs.  Does anyone out there know the history of the Easter egg, just asking is all?  Anyway my mom made the best Deviled eggs in the world I thought then.  Am going to pass the recipe on the you all.  I hope you enjoy it.

Deviled Eggs

12 Boiled Eggs, cut in half with yolks removed
6 T. Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing
1 tsp. Horseradish
1/4 Cup Pickle Relish
1 tsp. prepared Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp. Onion and Garlic Powder
3 strips of crisp fried Bacon
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese shredded

Mix all ingredients with the yolks till blended.  Fill yolk mixture in the egg holes and top with a quartered black olive if you wish.

Well its late and time for me to head to bed but before I leave you all I want to wish you a Happy Easter to you and yours and I hope I will be back on soon to list another recipe for Easter.  Any who I hope you try this recipe and let me know how it works for you.  Go make some Easter memories and happy trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Visit me at http://www.aikenstandard.com/, ASTV, Cooking With MadJon and Friends.  Thanks, Eileen Hutson, MadJon.

Heathy Eating "Cooper River Bridge Run" Charleston, S.C. "Banana Split Parfait" & Warren Peper

Hello again to all my foodie friends out there in webland and I hope all is well.  Today we are talking about being in Charleston, S.C.  for the Cooper River Bridge Run with  the "Charleston Post & Courier" and Warren Peper, plus about 40,000 runners.  This is a 10K run which means its about 6.2 miles.  I think they said it was the 34th run.  It was so amazing to watch them run and they even had a 90 year old women finish the walk and they also had disabled runners who I had the pleasure to interview before my show.  One of the young men won a trophy for the run.  You will be able to watch the show when it aires on http://www.aikenstandard.com/.  I was lucky enough to be there helping out and watching Warren Peper interview some of the runners and the people watchers.  What a GREAT guy he is.  You all in Charleston are so lucky to be able have Warren around to handle all your sports invents.  Not only did he handle his invent but he also helped me out with my TV show, I had a couple people bail out on me at the last minute and so he so kindly said he'd stay and do my show with me.   What a hoot we had or at least I did.  You will have to watch the show "Cooking With Madjon and Friends".  We had a gum and lady incident.   It was one of our funniest shows yet!  I can't wait to watch it!  Any who let's pass on one of the recipes from the show.

Banana Split Parfait:

2 Large Packages of Vanilla Pudding Mix, that you cook
4 Cups Skim Milk
1 15 oz can of Crushed Pineapple with juice

Cook pudding according to directions but use only 4 cups of milk, total plus add the pineapple with juice and cool down.

1 bunch Banana's, sliced
1 package fresh Strawberries, cut up
3 Granola Bars, smashed
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped

Smash Granola bars and add to pecans.

Chocolate Sauce

1 T. butter meled in pan, 3/4 cup sugar, placed in pan. 3 T. Corn Syrup, 2 T. cocoa, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and about 3 T. skim milk.   Cook till all comes to a boil and cool.  It will thicken.

Layer cooled pudding, fruit, granola mixture, and sauce.  Then repeat till pudding is all done or you reach the top. HEHE.  Then you may top it with a whipped topping if you wish.

To all the ladies who ate with us I say thanks so much and we were delighted to have you come visit us during the shoot.  Here is the recipe that you asked for.  To the Charleston Post and Courier, I say thanks so much for letting Warren come shoot with me.  I'd love to do that with him again.  His a delight and a very good sport!!!  Too all my foodie friends out there in webland I say thanks for visiting and Happy Trails to you and yours until we meet again.  Hope you have a wonderful week.  I think that the Charleston Post and Courier should air "Cooking With Madjon and Friends" sometimes on their Web site. You all may have some fun with it.  Enjoy the recipe as much as we did. Write me at madjon51@aol.com and watch us on http://www.aikenstandard.com/.  Thx, Eileen Hutson, MadJon.

" It's The Little Things" Let's make"German Potato Balls"

Hello to all you foodies out there in webland, I hope all is well.  Its me again, madjon.  You know as we go though life and we get older and you have been married for alot of years you sometimes start wonderful does he love me like he used too or anymore.  Well you know what is love and marriage any who?  Is it I can't live without you kind of love or is it the kind where you know your loved by the little things that he does for you.  Now let's face it my hubby is no big romantic!!!  He never has been.  The only cards I get from him is on my birthdays and it usually is one that says am sorry for not saying this or doing this for you.  Not saying I love you enough. That's just the kind of guy he is.  His from Texas and I guess his just made that way.  Any who, this morning on his way to work he came over and covered me with a blanket, not because he had to but because he wanted to make sure I wasn't cold.  I hope you all get what am trying to say here.  I guess love isn't in the saying "I love you", all the time its easy to say those words but its in the little things that we do everyday that go unnoticed to us till its to late or your sitting around wondering if he still loves you.  Any who I think its something to think about.  Let's make some German Potato Balls that I made for the TV show at yesterday's filming.  By the way now all you have to do is go to http://www.aikenstandard.com/ and hit ASTV on the bar and "Cooking With MadJon and Friends" is easy to find along with my cooking blog and recipes.

German Potato Balls

4 Cups Cold Mashed Potato's
3/4 Cup Sour Cream
2 Green Onions, chopped fine
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Cup Cheese, your choice
4 Slices Crisp cooked Bacon
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs beaten
Oil for frying

Mix all ingredients and roll into balls  Then coat with egg and Panko, fry balls in hot oil until nicely browned on both sides, about 350 degrees. 

These are really a nice side for your dinner.  Nice texture.  I hope you think about the little things in our married or unmarried lives for each other.  I want to wish you Happy Trial to you until we meet again.  Try the recipes and let me know how you like them.  Eileen Hutson, madjon.  FYI:  Am going to Charleston to film on Saturday and I will let you all know how it turned out.