My Texas Table - 4th of July Favorites

Independence day is right around the corner. Make your 4th of July extra festive with these simple and delicious 4th of July Recipes!!! Whether your hosting a cookout or attending one, you've come to the right place. In Today's newsletter, I've gathered together our favorite cookout recipes, sweet treats and red, white and blue desserts. Several of the dessert recipes are no bake making them perfect for summer. 

Click on each of the titles below and you'll be taken directly to the recipe you're interested in. From there you can read more about the recipe, find out the ingredients and look through the instructions. I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July. 🎇 

Flat Roasted Chicken - Spatchcock Chicken

Delicious flat roasted chicken with a crispy skin, moist meat and cooks in half the time. 

If you love roasted chicken as much as we do and you never flat roasted or (spatchcock) your chicken, you need to try it. I've roasted my share of chickens, but not so much lately as meat prices have increased to an all time high. Unless I already have a whole chicken in the freezer, I will continue to purchase rotisserie chickens at Costco's for $4.99. Rotisserie chickens are perfect to make so many different meals that call for roasted chicken.  

Ever since seeing this flat roasted chicken recipe online, I have wanted to try it. I happen to have a chicken in the freezer, so it was the perfect time to give this recipe a try. When you flat roast a chicken the backbone is removed, which allows the chicken to lay flat, cook more evenly and speeds up the cooking time. I think what I love most is how crispy the skin gets.
 

Easy Recipes for Easter Dinner

Easter is this Sunday do you have your Easter Menu planned? I normally prepare a traditional ham dinner with all the fixings, but I'm a little under the weather, so we will be grilling this year instead. No worries though if you're looking for a few Easter meal ideas, I have compiled a list breakfast dishes, dinner recipes, salads, breads, simple desserts, festive treats and drinks that will be perfect for your Easter menu. Follow the links to print the recipes and for step-by-step instructions on how to make each recipe. I hope y'all find something you like. 🐰🐣

How to make Dandelion Healing Salve

Dandelion Healing Salve is a balm used to soothe sore muscles, achy arthritic joints, rough, dry, chapped skin, eczema relief, cracked heels, dry gardeners hands and to soothe bug bites.    

Most people take for granted the fact that their backyard, neighborhood or woods are full of vegetation that have therapeutic value. There are hundreds of herbs and plants that were used in Native American remedies, Dandelion flowers being one of them. Yellow dandelion flowers are usually considered to be a pesky weed, but the flowers are actually very useful. 

Dandelions are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber, making them extremely beneficial and filled with healing properties. Dandelions are also an important first food source that attract pollinators --- especially bees for our gardens. 

Banana Bread with Coconut & Pecans

Easily turn classic banana bread into a delicious banana bread filled with, rich buttermilk, sweet coconut and toasted pecans.  🍌 

Banana Bread is one of my favorite quick breads! I have several recipes on the blog, but this coconut, pecan variation is the best. This simple banana bread is moist, delicious and filled with, bananas, sweet coconut and toasted pecans. Buttermilk is my secret ingredient to making banana bread that stays tender, moist and flavorful. 

When making banana bread or any quick bread you want to make sure you don't over mix the batter. Just combine and mix all the ingredients until moistened or you will end up with a dense loaf. I also like to sprinkle a little sugar on the top just before baking which gives the top of the banana bread a slightly crisp crust.  

Cream Cheese Banana Pudding (No Cook)

How to make Cream Cheese Banana Pudding, made with instant french vanilla pudding, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream and mini vanilla wafer cookies. 

Banana pudding is a southern classic that can be found at just about any picnic, potluck or family gathering. For the longest time when it came to banana pudding the only one I would eat was the original version with a scratch made vanilla pudding. You know the one..... that's printed on every box of Nilla Wafers. 

But...... if you love rich, fluffy banana pudding, then you're going to love this simplified, no cook potluck version. This banana pudding recipe has become my husbands new favorite and he  requests it quite often. I mean you can't blame him with all those layers of vanilla pudding, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream and vanilla wafer cookies.