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.