Sometimes it is the Little Joints that Have the Most Flavor

Right outside of my hometown is a little restaurant I frequent to on weekends. Edz Wingz. A cozy, rustic little joint with the best wings in town, or even the state if you ask me. Ed, the owner, is a character in himself, with a bubbly personality to match his bubbly features. If you find yourself in the small town of Fayetteville, Tennessee, be sure to check this place out. For a look at their menu click HERE.

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Meat Loaf

Guys, this is the BEST meat loaf I have ever put in my mouth! It is not your everyday meatloaf. The homemade sauce is definitely a step up from your average bottle of catsup. The brown sugar makes this southern dish melt in your mouth while your hands are reaching for more. This recipe is taken form the Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook with a few minor changes that have worked great for me in my kitchen. The picture does no justice for the flavor bursting inside. My family was in a hurry to dig in so I didn't have the chance to make it picture perfect.

Boarding House Meat Loaf:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef-chuck


• 3/4 cup uncooked, quick-oats


• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt


• 1/4 cup chopped onion (I add a little extra, I love the taste of fresh onion!)


• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper


• 1/4 cup catsup


• 2 eggs, beaten

Grease a loaf pan.

Combine all of the ingredients into a loaf.

Preheat oven to 365 degrees and cook for about an hour, or until it reaches 160 degrees in the center.

Pour off the juice and place on a platter and cover with meat loaf sauce.

Boarding House Meat Loaf Sauce:

• 3/4 cup catsup


• 2 tablespoons chopped onion


• 2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper


• 1/3 cup of brown sugar, slightly packed

Heat sauce mixture in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until the onions and peppers are tender.

Support Local Farmers. Eat Fresh. Be Healthy.

This link provides those in and around the Tennessee area with a list of farmers that can cater to your everyday kitchen needs. Buying directly from farmers in your hometown not only ensures that you are getting fresh produce, but also helps your community to thrive economically.

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Pork Tenderloin Sandwichs

As many of you already know, Paula Deen has teamed up with Smithfield. Smithfield may be known for their smoked hams, but a favorite in my house is Smithfield tenderloin. They always turn out so juicy and tender that no one can resist. One of the best things about having tenderloin for dinner is the great little sandwiches they make for lunch the next day! I stumbled across this great recipe from Paula herself, the Smithfield website has several tasty recipes you may find intriguing for yourself!

Quick and Tasty Taco Salad

For this dish, all you need is:

• 1- 16 oz. can refried beans.
  
• 1 -16 oz. can nacho cheese (You can use cheese from a jar as well, any brand will do just fine.)
• 2 -1.25 oz. taco seasoning packets
• 2 cups lettuce
• 1 cup pico de gallo (The great thing about this is you can find this already made up in the salad section of your grocery store. I found it at Wal-Mart. It saves you time and even money on tomatoes, chives and red onions.)
• 1 -16 oz. container of sour cream
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef (I prefer lean beef.)
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the beans evenly on the bottom of a baking dish.


Spread the cheese on top of the beans.


Mix one packet of taco seasoning in the sour cream and spread on top of the cheese.




Place in oven for about fifteen minutes, just long enough to heat the cheese, beans and taco cream spread.


Cook the meat until fully browned with one taco packet.


Top the dish with lettuce and pico de gallo.


Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Southern Style Hearty Sausage Gravy

I just left the dinner table where I made breakfast for dinner, a family favorite around here. Growing up I absolutely disliked gravy and biscuits, now I love it and tonight was the first time for me to make this southern delicacy. Go easy on me, I didn't keep up with the exact measurements. As soon as I realized how delicious this hearty gravy was, I had to share.

Hearty Sausage Gravy

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour


• 2 tsp. black pepper


• 1 1/2 tsp. ground sage


• 1 lb. mild pork sausage


• 2 1/2 cup milk


• 1/2 cup water


• salt to taste

Mix the flour, sage and pepper together in a small mixing bowl.

Cook the sausage until brown in a skillet for about ten minutes.

Stir in the flour mixture for a couple of minutes until the flour is fully absorbed.

Cream the sausage mixture with milk and water. Turn down the heat and let simmer until it thickens.

Season the gravy with salt.

Serve over split biscuits.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This recipe gets great feedback every time. It is a great dip for a party, or even for a quick snack at home with your favorite tortilla chips.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

• 2-3 12.5 oz. cans Tyson Chunk White Chicken Breast (I use 3) drained
• 2 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• 1-2 cups buffalo sauce (I love Heritage Fare's Chicken Wing Sauce and it comes in a 12 FL oz. bottle.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the softened cream cheese on the bottom of a baking dish.

Heat the chicken in the microwave for about a minute, and shred it with a fork.

Mix the chicken and the buffalo sauce together until the taste is just right for you.

Pour the mixture over the cream cheese evenly.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, you just want the cheese to melt nicely on top.

For an added kick mix the cream cheese with chopped jalapenos.