This is a recipe from my late father-in-law, Phil Maillie. He loved to make this for his grand children during the spring and hot summers here in North Carolina. Everyone loved these smoothies – they were just so good! It’s not truly a sole blueberry smoothie recipe as it has other fruits in it like bananas, but you will love it nontheless.  Here is this cherished recipe! I guarantee you will love it.

Ultimate Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 Cup of fresh bluberries

1 whole banana (peeled of course)

Splash of orange juice

3/4 Cup of ice

1 container of plain yogurt (8 oz.)

3 tsp of sugar

Directions:

This is the simple part – put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Serve and enjoy.  You can garnish the smoothie with mint leaves in a fan shape or some sliced fruit like strawberrys, cherries, orange slices, etc. to acieve that look of perfection.

No, this is not a recipe.  From time to time, I will provide tips and ideas that I think are beneficial to anyone that is interested in cooking in any capacity from the beginner to the most expert chef.  And one thing I’ve found that a lot of people sometimes have a problem with is getting the perfect boiled egg.  It sounds easy does put the egg in water and boil on the stove and then let it cool and crack the eggs, remove the shell and either eat them or use them to make egg salad or some other dish.  

The EggGenie

The problem is how long any of what temperature do you cook them for the perfect boiled egg?  And what if you prefer a medium or soft boiled egg versus a hard boiled egg?  Then you have to keep in mind everyone’s range and oven are a little bit different.  They all vary to some extent.  Some run hotter.  Some run cooler and some have hot spots.  This can make it so that what would be on one oven a hard-boiled egg would, on another one, be a totally different soft boiled egg.  And if you know the difference between a hard-boiled egg and a softball and obviously one is harder and the other one comes out and the yolk breaks just like a liquid. 

Well, rather than trying to figure out the different ranges, temperatures and boiling times there is a much easier way.  And no I am not getting paid or endorsed here. I just happened to go to my local Ross’s department store and see some interesting items in the kitchen and culinary department.  One of these happened to be the EggGenie.  It was on sale for $4.99 and it might tip for today is if you want to have perfect Stated on the box that this was seen in TV infomercials.  I think I vaguely remember having seen it years ago on TV.  The idea looked simple and I figured it was worth a try.   

Here the EggGenie is steaming some soft boiled eggs.

So I brought the EggGenie home and we gave it a try.  It was far easier than cooking boiled eggs on the stove and interestingly it came with this little plastic shot glass that was measured for 1 to 7 eggs and had markings for soft medium and hard boiled.  This made it foolproof to get the exact boiled eggs that you desire.  Basically, the way it works is you fill in the aluminum pan inside it with the water from the plastic shot glass and this water will then turn into steam and cook the eggs.  The unit turns off when all of the water has turned into steam and there’s none left.  So obviously there is a lot less water used for a soft-boiled egg than for a medium or a hard-boiled egg.

The buzzer just went off and the eggs are now done.

Once the buzzer goes off you just remove the eggs and place them in cool water.  Then they are ready to be used for whatever dish you were going to use the boiled eggs for.  You can also just peel them and eat them yourself as is.  My favorite is the soft boiled eggs and they are just so perfectly done with this contraption.   So, my tip for today is if you want to have perfect soft, medium or hard-boiled eggs then you need to go and pick up one of these things at your local Ross’s department store (thesesame items are often times also carried by their sister stores T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s).  For five dollars you won’t find a better egg maker.

A close up of the finished soft boiled eggs in the EggGenie.

I got this recipe from my mother who in turn got it from a good friend of hers.  It was her personal favorite and I have been making this very same banana bread recipe for 13 years now.  Ever since I have looked to make banana bread has been the one recipe I turn to every time.  This recipe makes two loaves and I usually add nuts to one and the other one I leave without the nuts due to the fact that I have a son with nut allergies.  I personally prefer walnuts in my banana bread, but you can make it either way to your own taste desires.

Best Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

3 bananas

1 tablespoon of water

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of Crisco (I use butter sometimes instead)

2 eggs

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of nuts

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:

Mash the bananas, water, sugar and other ingredients listed above.  Let this mixture stand for 15 minutes (be sure to use brown bananas as that will give better flavor to the banana bread).

Doesn't the banana bread from this recipe look delicious?

Then bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes at 350°.  Be sure and turn on your own like to watch when they’re ready because every oven is old different and some cook faster than others and if you don’t watch it you could burn the outside or the underside of the banana bread very easily.  Let cool then slice and serve.  You can also dress it up a little by garnishing it with a little confectionary sugar.

Here is the banana bread garnished with confectionary sugar.

This banana bread is great in the morning with coffee, at lunchtime, dinnertime or as a quick snack.  Kids love this recipe.  It is also a big hit at Christmas time and the holidays!

This is another favorite of mine.  It is so incredibly easy to make and has tons of flavor.  It is definitely a party favorite and works great with almost any cracker, chips, etc.

Swiss Dip

Ingredients:

1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup of mayonnaise

1 cup of chopped Vidalia onions

Directions:

Bake in Corning Ware and served in the same dish to keep it hot.  Bake for 30 minutes at 325° in the oven.  Be sure and cover with aluminum foil and make sure that it doesn’t brown while cooking.  Serve with pita, bagel chips or even Triscuits. 

This is one super tasty dip recipe that will be emptied quickly when you serve it.

You will definitely impress everyone at your next get-together with this tasty appetizer.  Everyone always loves my Swiss dip – it is a favorite at any tailgate party!

This recipe came from my father-in-law, Philip Maillie, who loved to cook and bake.  He took great pride in his Scotch scones and loved making them for the grandchildren.  I just have to say they are the best and very addicting to say the least. 

I used to look forward to him making them and now I will pass this great recipe on to you.  On a sad note, Philip Maillie (Pop-pop) passed away earlier this year, but his great cooking skills and love for the kitchen will live on through great and timeless recipes like this one.  Just try this recipe and you will see what I mean – the best Scotch scones ever!

Pop-pop’s Scotch Scones

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup raisins (use golden raisins only)

4 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamin (the sugar and cinnamon are to garnish on top)

Directions:

Plump the raisins by boiling them in water until soft.  Mix the dry ingredients to form biscuit like dough.  Add the buttermilk and raisins (be sure anddrain the raisins well first).  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to 1/2 inch thickness.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and then cut the dough into a diamond or triangle shape and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350°.  Let cool and then sere and enjoy.

Pop-pops scotch scones in the mini scone tray

My father-in-law made this even easier for me as he bought me a scone pan just for this purpose.  I can put the dough into the individual mini scone pan and form mini scones.  This scone pan not only makes it quicker and easier but also makes them that much more impressive looking.

These are the scones and the recipe that all my girlfriends ask me to make and have for them whenever they come over for brunch.  Also my kids absolutely go crazy for them as well – hence the name Pop-pop’s Scotch Scones.   Just one taste and you will see these are the best tasting scones you will find anywhere!

Pop-pop's amazing scotch scones ready to serve and eat - Don't they look absolutely delicious?

These scones and a good cup of coffee or tea and you will feel as if you just brought Starbucks or Carribou Cafe into your kitchen!  They are absolutely amazing in every way!

Vanilla pudding cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box vanilla pudding

1 box vanilla cake mix

Confectionery sugar for garnishing

Cupcake wrappers

Directions:

these are pretty easy to make, basically you just follow the cake mix directions that come on the cake mix box and you also follow the pudding mix directions on the pudding box.  Be sure and mix these in two separate bowls – one for the cake mix and one for the pudding mix.  Then pour the cake batter into the cupcake wrappers in a cupcake tin.

For baking simply follow the directions on the boxes.  When cooled cut out a small circular top from the cupcakes and save the top – you will use this in a second as the lid.  Pour the pudding mix in the whole and top off the cupcake with its hat or the top you just removed earlier.  Then sprinkle the top with confectionery sugar and enjoy. 

Don't they just look wonderful?

These cupcakes look great and taste great too.  As an alternative, instead of confectionery sugar, you can use a chocolate sauce or syrup like Hershey’s and this will give it more of a Boston cream type of effect.  Both ways they taste great.  And I guarantee your kids will love them too.

Doesn't the 6 ingredient or layered salad look delicious?

This special salad recipe I craved everyday when I was pregnant.  I literally made it every 3 to 4 days and ate it every night for dinner.  I guess I could’ve craved a lot worse – and it was absolutely delicious!  Your family will love this 6 ingredient salad recipe also.  Hint – kids love this salad and it is a great way to get them to eat their vegetables!

Heavenly 6 ingredient salad

Ingredients:

1 head of shredded lettuce

1 head of cauliflower or broccoli in bite-size pieces

1 medium chopped onion

1 lb. bacon crumbled into pieces (or you can use 4 jars of Hormel Black Label real bacon bits)

8 oz. or 2 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 pint mayonnaise

1/4 C sugar

1/8 C vinegar

Mix the Mayo dressing and ingredients seperately in a bowl (1 pint Mayo, 1/4 C sugar, 1/8 C vinegar).  Put all the ingredients listed above (except the Mayo dressing and the shredded lettuce else the lettuce will wilt and not be soggy) in a salad bowl and mix well.  Then add the mayo dressing you just created.  Lastly add the shredded lettuce and toss the salad well. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Easy Southern Corn Pudding

Easy Southern Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

4 C. Corn

6 TBL sugar

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

2 TB flour

1 C. half n half

1 C. heavy cream

2 TBS melted butter

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.  Melt the butter and then add it to the mix.

Bake in the oven at 350° for 45 minutes.  Watch the corn pudding for the last five minutes of baking.  It should be done when the top starts to brown a bit.  Sit and let cool.  Enjoy.

Best baked beans

Ingredients:

2 large can’s of baked beans (I prefer Bush Baked Beans, but you can use whatever you like)

1 T spiced or Dijon mustard

1 Lg. chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper (you can use different peppers to add and vary the resulting spice and flavor of your baked beans)

1 C ketchup

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C maple syrup

Mix all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon and pour into either Corning Ware or an iron dish with a lid.  Be sure and spray the container first with vegetable spray.

Bake at 350° in the oven for 2 to 3 hours.

These are the best baked beans you will ever have!

And presto you have magnificent best baked beans that people will be remembering for years to come.  You will definitely be the talk of any tailgate party or barbecue!

* in a pinch I have made these without the green pepper’s and they still came out delicious.  You can also play around with this baked bean recipe and it’s ingredients here to make to make it your own and cater to your own personal tastes and preferences.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. hamburger meat

1 onion chopped

2 peppers cut small

1 (30 oz.) crushed tomatoes can

1/2 tsp. salt/pepper, curry powder, chili powder, cumin

1 3/4 C  rice

Added note – you may want to add more than 1/2 tsp of each just be sure and taste first.

Fry the hamburger along with the onions and peppers and at the end, when they’re softening, add the sauce.

Separately cook the rice in water.  Boil and add a little salt to the water.  Follow the directions on the package for the rice.