Little Jack’s Corner

 Welcome to this week’s Works for Me Wednesday here at Little Jack’s Corner!
Ok, I’ve been making sweet tea the same way - like my mom - for years now.  The process from start to finish isn’t that long, maybe an hour from bag to fridge, but for a lazy cook like myself I wanted to find [...]

(Voiced by 5 month old Jack-Evan, Typed by Mommy)

…testing…testing…Hello?  Is this thing on?

Yes?  …ok.. Hello, Jack-Evan here, reporting from the pumpkin patch.
Today I am going to show you how to make toasted pumpkin seeds.

The first thing you need to make pumpkin seeds is, well, a pumpkin.
If you are not allowed to handle knives, you’ll also [...]

I don’t know about you, but I love yogurt!  I’m not a big fan of plain yogurt, but I do adore any kind of flavored yogurt dessert or drink.
However, I rarely buy the big tubs of yogurt at the store, because they tend to go bad before I remember to eat it all - and then [...]

Yum yum yummy….I just cooked my first ever boneless pork chop tonight. 
If you’ve read my blog before, you know I’ve mentioned that before I married in 2006 I didn’t cook anything.  I didn’t even know how to boil water! :)  Since then though (and since my hubby has an enormous appetite), I’ve learned that I [...]

Tonight’s Menu at Our House:
Cheesy Manwich Potatoes
Italian Cucumbers
Broccoli Soup
Chicken & Dumplings (courtesy of my mom!)
Banana Split Milkshake
Tea to Drink
    
CHEESY MANWICH POTATOES
Wash some irish potatoes (regular white), and put in a pot, whole, to boil for an hour or two.  Don’t worry about peeling them. :)  You can also “bake” them in the oven like a [...]

Tonight’s Menu at Our House:
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Little Green Peas
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Ketchup / Mustard for Dipping
Water to Drink

HOMEMADE CHICKEN NUGGETS
Cut chicken breasts into nugget size portions.  In a bowl, break 1-2 eggs and stir to break up the yolk.  If you are out of eggs, oil can also be used.
Using a gallon sized plastic bag, pour [...]

I like cooking.  Especially good ol’ downhome southern cookin’.  No out of the way 100-ingredient cuisines for me.  Just good ol’ cookin….the easier, the better.  I rarely follow recipes when I’m cooking a meal, just adding this or that in ways that seem right.
Tonight’s menu included:
Chicken & Rice Casserole
Shredded Cheese
Ritz Crackers
Italian Cucumbers (Sliced)
Frozen Grapes
Fruit Yogurt
Water [...]

Don’t tell anyone, but I love cooking.  I mean absotivelyposolutely llluuuvvv it.
(So I’m not quite sure why I don’t do it more often…I…just..don’t). 
I guess it’s easier to just give in and grab the $5 Hot & Ready pizza at Little Ceasars after a tiring day with the baby.
But oh I do love cooking a good [...]

Using some left over homemade flour tortillas, cut into triangle wedges with a pizza roller.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cheese or any other seasoning you like and bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes.  
Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn or turn brown!

Heat a flat skillet or frying pan to medium heat. 
Using 2 slices of bread, spread mayonaise on one piece, place a piece of slice cheese on top and cover with the other piece of bread to form a sandwhich. 
Spread butter onto the outside (both sides!) of the sandwhich and place in the skillet.  Using a [...]

Cut up washed potatoes into large manageable chunks. Feel free to keep skins on! (Red potatoes make especially pretty dishes). Boil in salted water for about 20 minutes until fork tender. Drain, smash with potato masher, add optional ingredients, and transfer to serving dish.
Options: boil with garlic cloves; add caramelized onions, butter, milk, mayonnaise, cheese, [...]

Boil 6 teabags in a 6 cup pot of water, approximately 5 - 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes. Put one cup sugar in pitcher. Pour half of the tea in pitcher and stir to dissolve sugar. Pour remaining tea in pitcher. Repeat until full. Cover & refrigerate!

2 ½ Cups Flour
3/4 Cups Milk
1/3 Cup Shortening
Seasonings of Choice
Toppings
Combine the dry ingredients, blend in shortening and add enough milk to form a soft pliable dough.  Add italian seasonings, salt & pepper in dough if you’d like.  Pat out dough onto a greased 12 inch circle pizza pan and top as desired. Bake in a 375F [...]

Cut up onions, place in a crock pot. Sprinkle on salt and sugar (optional). Pour melted butter over onions, cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Five medium onions yields 2 cups of caramelized onions. Store in freezer for future use.
USES:   These delicious, buttery onions for soups, stews, toppings on polish sausage dogs, mixing [...]

3 Cups Flour
½ Cups Shortening
1 Cup Warm Water
Knead together in a bowl and slowly add water until it forms a nice dough ball. Cover and let sit for 20-30 minutes. After, break off golf ball size dough balls, rolls, flour, and roll out to desired thickness and size. Fry both sides a minute or so [...]