Forkland Fall Festival yummies

As I promised...

[caption id="attachment_848" align="alignnone" width="499" caption="Forkland Festival"][/caption]

here's the Forkland Festival food pics.  Yum, yum!

 

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I was so busy taking pics of other people's food in between bites of yummy CH&B, that I only got a pic of my last little bit.  I passed over the Ribeye Sandwich for this delicious Country Ham and Biscuit.

 

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My youngest daughter went for the Chili Cheese Fries, her favorite.

 

[caption id="attachment_845" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Ribeye Sandwich"][/caption]

My hubby's Ribeye Sandwich.  They cook onions and peppers to top the ribeyes right on site.  The smell is wonderful and draws a big crowd.

 

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Butterfly Fries are a festival favorite and big time seller.

 

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My older daughter picked up some roasted corn.  I think we all had a bite of this hot, buttery treat.

 

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And last but not least, my hubby's all time favorite, Funnel Cake.

 

While at the festival, we also purchased a homemade fried Apple Pie and a jar of Honey to take with us.  

 

The Forkland Festival is a must on our fall vacation event list.  If you're ever in that area in October, be sure and stop by.

For more information on this wonderful fall festival, go here.

Peanut Butter Cookies (low carb)

In the fall, I get a hankering to bake, bake, bake!

 

Since I try to live the low carb lifestyle, that limits my baked goods choices.  When I want to bake cookies, this easy recipe always comes to mind.

I found this recipe several years ago in my Aunt Mary's little recipe box.  Last night when I baked these little gems, I subbed Splenda for the sugar.   I have written the recipe here as it is on her recipe card and added my own tweaks.



 

Magic Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup granulated sugar (I subbed Splenda)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla, optional

Mix the peanut butter and sugar well.  Add the egg.  Mix well.  (As the egg is added to the peanut butter mixture, it  causes the mixture to have a cookie dough texture)

Drop by rounded spoonfuls on baking sheet.  Using a fork, press the cookies down to give them that classic peanut butter cookie look.  Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes.  Do not overcook.

 

Cool and enjoy!

Easy Ranch and Bacon Pasta Salad

I love a good pasta salad and if it's easy and simple, that's even better!

 

A few Sundays ago, my sister-in-law called to invite me to a family picnic and so I decided a simple pasta salad would be a great addition to the meal she had already prepared. 

 

After the afternoon service, she, her husband, 2 daughters, 8 grandchildren and my family of 4 plus my baby great-nephew, all met at the park for an evening of food and family fun.

 

There was Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup, Cornbread, Sandwiches, Chips, Pasta Salad, Fresh Veggies and Ranch Dip, Sweet Tea, Banana Pudding, and Coconut Cake.

 

There's no time like Family Time!

~~~

More great homestyle recipes:

Vegetable Beef Soup with Southern Cornbread

Steak and Onion Salad with Creamy Homemade Dressing

Chocolate Fudge Pie



Easy Ranch and Bacon Pasta Salad

1 box pasta, cooked ( I used Dreamfields Penne Rigate - low carb)

1 cup homemade ranch dressing

1/2 cup bacon pieces

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced - optional

Mix the cooked, drained and cooled pasta with the dressing, cheese, and bacon.  Chill and serve.

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Fall Festival time in Kentucky

We love spending time with our family in Kentucky. 

We always try to make it to the Forkland Festival in October.  Since I wasn't cooking I got to take some picture of festival food which I'll be posting soon.

My husband and daughters went fishing and returned with enough for a good size meal. 

Below is today's dinner.



Fried Crappie and Bass

Homemade Hush Puppies

Home canned Green Beans

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Fried Potatoes (it's been so long!)

Garlic Texas Toast (by special order from my youngest)

 

My hips will never forgive me!

The Holidays and your favorite recipes

The holiday season will soon be here. 

Thanksgiving is a very special holiday for our family and usually centers around our family dinner.  

Mom's Southern cornbread Turkey and Dressing is the usual star of the main meal.  There are other favorites that complete our meal.  My brother has to have Chunky Potato Salad, made the same way my grandmother made it.  I usually enjoy the Sweet Potatoes and baked Ham.  

One daughter loves the Green Bean Casserole and Yeast Rolls while daughter #2 loves the Ham and Cream Style Corn.

And of course, the dessert choice wouldn't be complete without mom's Angel Salad on the menu.  (Pictures and recipe forthcoming)

 

 I'm a dessert eater.  Below are some of my favorites.

 



Peanut Butter Balls

 



Southern Pecan Pie

 



Chess Pie

 



Sour Cream Pound Cake

 

And if you're watching your sugar intake...



Low Carb Mini-Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

~~~

What special dish are you looking forward to? 

Beating Cancer

Note:  Please forgive this discombobulated post.  I felt to write about this today, but I'm very busy and have had many interruptions today, so my writing may be a little hard to follow.

My friend's mom has cancer. 

So many people are affected in some way with this horrible disease.

 My friend's mom...let's call her Bev...has a very positive outlook on life, even though the doctors have done almost all they can for her.  Bev is a very active woman and is always encouraging others.

 The other day, Bev received a phone call from a lady telling her about her cancer story.  How she had been given up to die 6 years ago and decided to live to the best of her ablility.  She said she is now cancer free.

 This lady shared with Bev what she now eats.



Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.  No canned or frozen.



 

No white potatoes, only red.

No sugar or Splenda, only Stevia.

No margerine, only real butter.

Only a very small amount of pasta.

 



Green tea.

 



Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

 



Fresh herbs.

 

And lots of garlic.



Lots of garlic...up to 6 "pods" per day.

 

Bev is excited, uplifted, and encouraged.  Hopefully I'll be back in a few months telling you that Bev has beaten cancer!

 

My mom also has cancer,  since 2003.  A rare sinus cancer.  She has had chemotherapy and all the radiation that she can have.  Her only hope is a very drastic surgery involving removing most of the left side of her face, then rebuilding with bone and skin taken from her leg and arm.  She decided against the surgery.  I hope to be able to encourage her to follow the diet that Bev is following.  Maybe some of Bev's excitement will encourage my mom to hope again.



 

If you pray, please say a prayer for my mom, Genelle, and for my friend's mom, Bev.  These are two very special ladies and we need them around a while longer.

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More information on foods to boost health can be found at WebMD.

*Images courtesy of Microsoft