Trashy Traditions

Happy New Year everyone.  I hope yours is off to a great start.  We've had a very relaxing holiday season this year.  From Thanksgiving through to Christmas, we've had very little travel and lots of pajama wearing days.  THE best.

Our oldest daughter, Melody, completed her final two classes in December and The University of Texas at Tyler assures us her diploma is on the way.  Another milestone in December was watching our middle daughter graduate from Texas A&M University at Commerce.  So proud of them both and excited to see what 2014 brings in this new chapter of their lives.  My sweet hubs got a new position with the company he works for, which means less stress and no more working shift work.  P.T.L.

Speaking of the hubs...my sweet husband has been THE sole creator of this week's Free Recipe Friday recipe for as long as we've been married.  We thought it was pretty common until a few of Rudy's friends didn't know what it was.  We call it Texas Trash.  It has nothing to do with trash except that we typically mix all of the ingredients in a giant clean trash bag - unscented of course.

James and I both grew up nibbling on this concoction and this is the only time of the year it's made.  We now feel compelled to share this little piece of heaven with you.  The makers of Chex cereals have caught onto this recipe over the years and have come out with their own version.  Chex Mix, as they call it, was created after their boxes of Chex cereals started disappearing off the shelves during holiday season. DO NOT BE DECEIVED - it is NOT the same, ha.  It lacks that extra something...that extra sheen...you know, bacon grease.  Scoff if you will, but once tasted, you'll become a die-hard fan!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 lb. butter - 4 sticks

1 cup bacon grease

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons salt

10 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (a 10 oz. bottle)

1-2 tablespoons Tabasco (we use Louisiana hot sauce)

Heat the above ingredients in a medium size stock pot 

until well combined.  

We always taste ours and tweak it a bit - 

sometimes we add a little extra Worcestershire, hot sauce, etc.  

Feel free to make yours your own.  

Once all is completely melted and combined, take off the heat 

and let cool just a bit.

In a large CLEAN durable trash bag, 

combine the following:

1 box of Wheat Chex

1 box of Rice Chex

1 box of Bran Chex

1 box of Corn Chex

1 box of Cheerios

1 bag of pretzel sticks

1 can of salted peanuts

1 can of salted mixed nuts

Note: we are often unable to find one of the cereals listed above during the holiday season.  We either substitute something else (bagel chips, Cheezits, oyster crackers, etc) or do without, it's a-okay.  We are also not huge fans of peanuts, so we use 2 cans of mixed nuts and skip the peanuts.  If you want to use two cans of pecan halves or cashews it will be perfectly fine, and I will be your best friend.

After all dry ingredients are dumped into a large CLEAN trash bag (this works best with two people), gently, every so gently, combine the ingredients by rolling the trash bag between your arms until well mixed.  While one of you opens the bag back up, the other person can drizzle the warm broth mixture over cereals...trying to avoid inhaling the mixture or pouring directly on the bag itself (trust me on this one), and then roll bag again to completely coat everything.  Just twist the bag closed and hold tightly and flip that bag all around. Gently of course.

This mixture will fill about 6 deep disposable aluminum roasting pans or you can "bake in anything you can find" as my husband says.  Scoop the mix out with a large paper plate, measuring cup of whatever works best for you.  Bake these slowly with an oven temperature of about 300 degrees for several hours.  Stirring often.  This works well if you have double ovens.  Just be patient if you don't, and cook the pans full of goodness in shifts.  You just want to dry the mixture out a bit so it won't get soggy during storage.  The sound of the cereal hitting the pan will change as you stir and it will get louder, so to speak, in the aluminum pan towards the end.

Store cooled trash mix in good seal-able containers.  We use cookie tins and old popcorn cans.

Several chapters ended with the close of 2013, 

we are excited about what new chapters are opened in 2014.  

Wishing you a great new year 

enjoying tried and true family traditions 

with the ones you love!

ENJOY!!!

Friday Night Munch Time

Friday night madness has begun along with Monday night football, college football, Sunday games. . .oh where does it end???  If you want to whip up one of the easiest snacks around (other than dipping carrots in ranch dip - or are we the only fam that does that?!), you'll need to jot this Free Recipe Friday down!  Three ingredients.  That's all you'll need for this yummalicious snack food with a little bit of kick but, mild enough to eat the leftovers for breakfast (or are we the only fam that does THAT?!)  The pics aren't the greatest but, please give these a try.

WHAT YOU NEED:

6 whole eggs (we use large)

1/2 - 1 cup sliced pickled jalapenos (the ones in the jar)

2 cups grated cheddar (we use sharp)

salt and pepper

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grab a 9x9 or 8x8 baking dish, either is fine.

Spray it with non stick spray and set aside.

Dice enough pickled jalapenos to cover the bottom of your dish.

You can make that layer thicker than mine and all will be well.

Cover the peppers with your shredded cheddar.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and a pinch or two of salt/pepper.

Pour over cheese and using a fork,
wiggle the eggs around making sure they get thru that layer of cheese.
This recipe is very, VERY forgiving. 
You can easily add an extra egg or two if you want to stretch it. 
Don't you just love forgiving recipes???
Now, bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool just a bit before serving

(although they are great warm or cold)
and cut into small squares.

For something so delicious, it could not be more simple.

These are super great for game time snacks, parties and get-togethers

or just late night munchies!  Quick and easy and just as good the next day.

Whether you'll be enjoying concession stand goodness

or snack time at home,

ENJOY!

Pigs, Elephants and Donkeys!

When pondering what to post this week
for Free Recipe Friday,

it was a toss up between a breakfast post
and a snacky post.
I went back and forth and back and forth.

Then I realized BOTH of my contenders
contained bacon (go figure).
So in honor of the giver of this recipe,

Uncle Brandon, and his upcoming birthday,

 the snack post won out.  

Here's to you Brandon!

With the holidays on the horizon
these little piggy treats need to go in the
keeper pile.
We made these during the last presidential debate.
James and I ate half of them during the debate
and the other half for breakfast. 

We. Are. Pigs.

Brandon, my brother in law,
made these for us one year when we piled in on them
at Christmas.  But that's a whole other story.
They'd be so great for game night, movie night,
or 'I can't get enough of bacon and sausage' night.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Sliced Bacon - a 12 ounce pkg, not maple
(use the cheap, thin stuff)
Lit'l Smokies - a 14 ounce pkg
(not the the cheesy kind)

Brown Sugar - 1 lb. (half of a 2 lb bag)

Water - 1 to 2 tablespoons

9x9 Baking Dish
Non Stick Spray

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat oven to 350.
Coat baking dish with non stick cooking spray.

Set aside.
Slice bacon slices in half.
(I use kitchen shears and cut the whole
stack in half - much easier than using a knife).
Grab a halved bacon slice and wrap firmly
around a lil' sausage.  Lay each in dish.

Continue wrapping sausages with bacon slices

until the bacon is used up. 

You will most likely have a few sausages leftover-
save them for an omelet or some scrambled eggs.

Next, cover the 'pork overload' with brown sugar.
Don't be shy here - you want to cover completely.

Drizzle a little water over the sugar,
maybe a tablespoon or two.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake.
After 30-40 minutes,

remove the foil and continue baking

for probably 30 more minutes.

disclaimer: I seriously lost track of time here -

we were watching the debate and
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah -

so if you happen to overcook
your little porkies - I do apologize -

but you should be perfectly fine.

You can certainly bake these a little less
or a little more depending on your taste.
We happen to like our bacon
on the crispy side instead of the floppy side.
But you can do what you want.
However, please oh please

DO NOT eat these until they have cooled a bit.

Even after the sugar bubbles have calmed down,

 resist the urge.  Hot, melted sugar = certain death.

 After they've cooled a bit - you will enter heaven on earth.

Yummmmmm.

ENJOY!!!