We had one of those meals that you just can't stop talking about yesterday. Yesterday, I had what I call the leftover brunch which means cleaning out the refrigerator of leftovers and eating them for brunch or throw them out.
This plate has sausage, liver pudding, eggs over easy, and rice topped with sausage gravy. Yummy, right? Also on the plate are sliced tomatoes (the last from our garden) and some leftover greens. Yes! The greens were really delicious with breakfast. Some people thought we were weird for having them with breakfast.
What put this breakfast over the top for my husband is the sausage gravy. I don't make gravy all the time so when I do, he just about looses his mind from happiness :)
Click here if you'd like to learn HOW TO MAKE SAUSAGE GRAVY.
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Weekends at our house usually means breakfast. If it's the same way at your house, then you've got to try these fried potatoes for breakfast. They go well with whatever breakfast meat you decide to have with them
They are very easy to make, and I've finally found a way to cook them without burning the onions. I used to hate burning the onions before the potatoes could get brown and crisp. Here's my foolproof way of frying potatoes with onions...
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I am a lazy baker so any dish where you don’t fuss over beating things and sifting things is my kind of baking. I didn’t want to be bothered with pie crust so I thought I would just dump things in a dish and bake; that’s how I came up with this concoction which is a combination of a Clafoutis recipe from Essential Desserts and a French Apple Cobbler recipe from Southernfood.about.com.
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Shrimp and Grits is an old Southern favorite with as many variations as there are cooks. This is my simple version. It is great as a light supper or a filling breakfast. This was a quick and easy supper for me and my husband while we were by ourself last month.
Shrimp and Grits recipe:
We got these gorgeous turnip roots from the garden the other day and I wanted to cook them right away to take advantage of their freshness. Normally, I would simply cook these roots along with the greens or just boil them and simply buttered. This time around, I wanted to try something new because the 'simply boiled' recipes just was not such a big hit with the girls.
I thought I would try pan frying them, much like you would potatoes. It was a hit! The girls loved them cooked this way and we almost finished the whole dish in one sitting!
INGREDIENTS:
Turnip roots, sliced into 1/4 inch thickness
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Water
Melt the butter over medium heat. Place the turnips and onions and pan fry on one side for a few minutes until they start to get some color. Turn over and let it brown some more. Add 1/2 cup water, season with salt and pepper and cover. Let it cook until all the liquid has evaporated and it starts sizzling again. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
The thing about being under the weather is, you turn into a big baby and start to want all the comfort foods your mommy gave you when you were sick. That's been the case in our kitchen lately what with one of us getting the cold one right after the other with moments of overlap in between cases. So lately there haven't been any new experiments in our kitchen. We've fallen back to old comforting favorites like sinigang or 'sour soup' as the girls like to call it, rice porridge or lugaw, and lots of soft rice dishes like the malagkit na bibingka below. This is the Southern version of our rice cake, the rice pudding.
We've made this at least twice since I've been sick. Mainly because the girls have been doing some cooking for me while I rest. Aren't they just wonderful? I loved being pampered. The drawback though is with my novice cooks, sometimes put a little too much water on the rice and we end up with very sticky rice that is not exactly gruel but close to it. I don't want to discourage them from cooking, so rather than cooking a new pot of rice and discarding the sticky rice as my aunts used to do when I was growing up, we grudgingly eat it anyway. Of course, none of us end up eating much of it as we all still prefer perfectly cooked and fluffy rice. What to do with an almost full pot of rice? Rice pudding!
Most rice pudding recipes, especially the Southern versions include raisins, which I love but my family hates. So this version is as plain as you can get. If you are feeling more adventurous though, this rice pudding is very receptive to just about any topping you can think of including fresh fruits. Try it with some very ripe peaches, strawberries, or blueberries and you'll be in heaven.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cooked rice, soft
2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
dash of salt
1/2 cup cream or milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp. Butter
Combine the rice, milk, sugar and salt in a pot and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionaly to keep from sticking. When it comes to a boil, keep stirring and cook until it starts to thicken. In a bowl, combine the egg, cream and vanilla and mix well. Add this mixture to the rice, stirring to blend in thoroughly. Add a tablespoon of butter, mix and remove from the heat. Let it cool, it will thicken some more as it cools. Can be served warm, but better when completely cooled or slightly chilled.
Every year, I look forward to the time when I can make a BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato)sandwich with tomatoes from our garden. Ever since the tomatoes from Our Backyard started ripening, BLTs have been a ritual lunch fare. However, while bloghopping I came across this idea from the indadvertent gardener of making BLGT (Bacon, Lettce, & Green Tomato) sandwiches. When she made her BLGT, she also made Lemon Basil Aioli which I also copied and it paired perfectly with the BLGT.
These sandwiches were made by frying green tomatoes which were first sliced, dipped into beaten eggs then dredged in a mixture of flour, cornmeal, and salt and pepper. I used toasted french baguettes slathered with basil mayonnaise then layered fried green tomatoes, lettuce and bacon. These sandwiches were to die for mainly because of the basil mayonnaise which we have used for other things since this time. Here is my version of the BASIL GARLIC AIOLI:2 egg yolks
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons chopped basil leaves (fresh)
1 Tablespoon boiling water
In a blender or food processor combine the egg yolks, garlic, dijon mustard, lemon juice and basil leaves. Process until everything is chopped up and blended then add the hot water. This will help 'cook' the yolks. Add the basil leaves and process until combined, then slowly drizzle in the oils while the blender/processor is running. Pour in a slow steady stream (be patient) until all the oil is incorporated. By this time, the aioli should have the consistency of loose mayonnaise. This can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week, but if you are like me, you will find ways to use it in about 3 to 4 days.
Another variation on the BLGT sandwiches is the LPLGT sandwich or
LIVER PUDDING, LETTUCE, AND GREEN TOMATO SANDWICH
I discovered that I actually like this version better than the BLGT. The fried liver pudding just pairs perfectly with fried green tomatoes and enhanced by the basil aioli. I know many of you will probably have never heard of liver pudding. I didn't know what it was either until I moved to North Carolina. Liver pudding is liver mixed with cereals and spices and it is another Southern delicacy. The flavor is quite mild and does not have a strong liver flavor. The Clone who will not eat anything with liver has actually eaten liver pudding, without knowing what it was, and enjoyed it! Of course, we didn't tell her what she ate ;-)
Want to know what liver pudding is? The brand that we get here in North Carolina is called Neese's. They also make excellent country style sausage without the casing. To find out more about their products, visit their website: http://www.neesesausage.com/
Barbeque to me had always meant large chunks of meat, be it steaks, ribs, chops or whole chickens, cooked over coals. So when we first moved to NC and hubby said he had a hankering for some good old NC bbq, I was unprepared for the chopped bit of pork served up on my plate. Here, this chopped up concoction is simplly called barbeque. When North Carolinians say barbeque, they are do not refer to the sauce slathered chunks of meat, they refer to the pork shoulder (or whole pig) slow cooked over coals that is then pulled or chopped fine and dressed with either a peppery vinegar dressing or a similar vinegar based tomato sauce. North Carolinians are very particular about their barbeque and most families will have their own version of the vinegar sauce ranging from bland to mouth puckering spiciness. I like the later version. If you would like to learn more about North Carolina Barbeque, start with this article.
After my initial apprehension, ok so I wasn't thrilled by the looks of this dish that has been sometimes described as something that has been chewed up and spit back out, I have learned to love this style of barbeque. As I chewed and let the flavors seep through my palate I realized this dish is very similar to a Filipino dish called sisig. Sisig is a regional specialty of the Pampanga region in the Philippines which refers to dishes that are infused with something sour be it from vinegar or other souring agents like citrus. Actually, NC barbeque is a much tamer version of sisig. NC barbeque utilizes meat high on the hog whereas sisig is more commonly known to utilize parts that are low on the hog; cheeks, nose ears, even intestines and internal organs.
Listening to my husband's stories about his family, I am reminded how this dish, in both cultures also encourage it's consumption with one form of alcohol or another. I remember my dad and his friends having sisig for "pulutan". Pulutan is a term that describes anything that is snacked on while drinking. My husband has similar stories about his dad and grandfather doing the same thing while manning the barbeque pit.
With its auspicious history on both sides of our family, it is of little wonder then that this dish has become a regular in Our Kitchen. Not to mention that is also a great way to re-hash leftover roast pork. Whether you chop your pork fine or like it in chunks, what makes this dish is the vinegar dressing. I happen to like mine with lots of spice so I always throw in at least a couple of freshly chopped hot peppers and when those are not available, I use dried pepper flakes. There is no set recipe, you just have to taste your way until you get the balance between vinegar, salt, pepper, peppers, onions, and any spices you desire, until you get it just right. When you do find the right combination, you will know for it is just like stradling the fine line between heaven and hell where it is heavenly and sinfully delicious at the same time.
If you are used to the all-meat Texas style chili or the TexMex chili with beans, then this chili is an acquired taste. I am still acquiring the taste for this; but here in NC when they say chili with your dog, this is the chili that they are talking about. It is ground beef in a sweet ketchup sauce. You food snobs out there can stop groaning and rolling your eyes now. It is actually pretty good, like most food is, if you keep an open mind and an open mouth. My little Southern Belle just happens to love this with her hot dog so I have learned to make it just the way her Grandma Dot made it. I have tried embelishing it with additional seasonings, but she likes this original recipe, so now I make it this way all the time. It's easier on me, actually. I usually make a very small pot as I know it is only the Clone and her dad who will be eating it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups of ketchup
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
freshly ground black pepper
Brown the ground beef and let it render it's own oil. The brand I buy is so lean that I sometimes add a tablespoon of oil just to get it nicely browned and have enough oil to sautee the onion. If you happen to use a fatty cut, drain the excess fat before adding the rest of the ingredients. Add the onion and let it cook until translucent then add the rest of the ingredients. Some cooks like to have a sweeter sauce but with the sweetness of the ketchup, all I could muster is another teaspoon of brown sugar just to give it that extra flavor. Molasses would work well too.
Southern Cooking
When all the hotdogs are gone or you just don't like hotdogs, here's another way to use up that southern style chili, in a sloppy joe sandwich!
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound of pork, diced thin
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 14 oz. can of coconut milk
Collard Greens & Beet Greens
Salt & Pepper to taste
Chili Peppers (Serrano or cayenne) to taste
Heat about a tablespoon of oil and saute' the pork until it becomes opaque and edges turn slighly brown. Add the garlic and fry for about one minute until it becomes fragrant, then add the onions and sautee another minute. Add the coconut milk and let it come to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Add the chopped greens and chili peppers. Stir briefly and cover. Let it simmer until the greens are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Adjust seasonings and serve.
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My husband loves breakfast, and since the girls went on summer vacation, we have been indulging too much. We've even had breakfast food for late dinner! We got us some true blue country ham, which reminds me of tuyo (salted, dried sardines), strangely enough, because of it's saltiness, and it's strong smell. It smells a bit like funky feet, but if you can get past that, which really, it dissipates as it cooks, is really quite delicious.
On this day, since we had plenty of green tomatoes, we decided to have some fried green tomatoes along with liver pudding (another southern specialty) and country ham, of course accompanied with buttery grits. Yummy cholesterol heaven!
The ham is so salty that I parboiled it first and threw out the first water, added a bit more and boiled it down until all the liquid has evaporated and the ham started to sizzle and take on some color. After the ham has browned, my mother in law used to deglaze the pan with coffee, producing what they call red-eye gravy which is then drizzled over the grits. I like frying rice in the same pan and getting that good country ham flavor all over the fried rice.
I have also taken a liking to fried green tomatoes which is simply dredged in flour and fried. We couldn't wait for the tomatoes in the garden to ripen, so this was a great way to have a sampling.
In contrast, this is my hubby's favorite Filipino breakfast meat, tocino.
This was my first attempt at making tocino at home, and it wasn't too bad, if I do say so myself. I simply marinated thin slices of a boston butt pork roast in apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper. No coloring, so this doesn't have the usual reddish color, but the flavor was good. I cooked the tocino over low heat until all the liquid evaporated and the marinade started to caramelize and take on that golden color. Tip from my dad: cook it slow, don't over cook it, and you will have a tender tocino. It worked!
Continue to the Coconut Cake Recipe.
Sweet potato pie is a Southern staple during Thanksgiving. My husband's family is not too much into pumpkin pies, but sweet potato pies are a must. It's just not Thanksgiving without them. My mother-in-law, Dot, made the best sweet potato pie, not too sweet, not overly spiced. Like most good cooks though, she didn't have a recipe; she just cooked by feel. When it felt right, then it was time to put it in the oven. This is one of of her recipes that I cajoled her into sharing with me. For some reason that I find strange, many Southern cooks don't like to share their recipes. So one occasion when she was making these, I watched her and approximated the proportions. She was so funny, because once in a while I'd catch her shield the bowl and throw something in there. I'd say, "Now what did you just put in there, Mom?" and she would say nonchanlantly, "Oh, nothing, I was just tasting it" and smile. She says that is her secret, she tastes as she goes along, and stops adding ingredients when she feels and tastes it to be right. This recipe comes very close to her pies, but I think there is just something special that moms and grandmas add to their cooking that makes it special and reminds you just of them. I hope my daughters will someday look back and think the same way about the foods we've shared.
2 Deep Dish Pie Crusts (I used the ready-made, store-bought stuff, but if you want to make your own from scratch, Manang Kusinera has a very good recipe and step by step method of making pie crust on her blog.
4 Large sweet potatoes
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter, softened not melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 tablespoons flour
Bake the sweet potatoes for one hour in a 350 degrees F oven. You can also microwave or boil them, I just prefer baking them. Just make sure you leave them whole, don't peel and slice them yet as they would absorb too much liquid. Cool after baking, and peel, then mash.
In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients until they are well blended. Momma Dot used to mix hers by hand, but she says that she discovered, when you mix with an electric mixer, the beaters pick up the stringy strands and give a much smoother pie. Just don't scrape the beaters after mixing, although it may seem the frugal thing to do. You'll see what I mean when you clean the beaters. Divide the batter into the crusts. At this point, you can freeze the pies to bake at a later time.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes. Cool before serving.
While the turkey is roasting, I cooked the Greens. Greens is a must for us, when we have turkey, they just go so well together. Greens is a typical southern dish, and most would not dream of mixing the type of greens together, but I find the flavor of mixed greens quite good so I usually mix collards, mustard, and turnip greens together. They didn't have turnip greens at the market this week though, so for this version I only used collards and turnip greens.
The most important thing about cooking greens is washing them. They tend to have a bit of dirt and sand still stuck to them, so if you don't like gritty greens, wash them thoroughly. I usually put them in a basin full of water and slosh them around to loosen the dirt, then repeat until there is no sediment at the bottom of the basin. Greens can be cooked just by themselves, of course, but this being the south, it wouldn't be quite right if it didn't have a piece of smoked pork in it. Most people use smoked ham hocks, but I prefer to use pieces of Virginia Country Ham. At most groceries here, they also sell smoked turkey which is what some people use especially if they are not into pork. To start, boil the smoked meat in about 4 cups of water in a large pot. Boil the meat while you are preparing the greens to give it a head start in getting tender and flavoring the broth. Many southern cooks don't add garlic and onions to their greens, but I do. So I put two cloves of garlic and 1/2 of a chopped onion to the boiling water. After washing the greens, it's time to trim them. For the mustard greens, all you have to do is to cut the ends off (stalk end) and cut up the leaves in one inch strips. For the collard greens, I take off the stalk completely and just keep the leafy portion, also cut into one inch strips. Add the greens to the pot, and simmer until tender. When the greens are tender, (after about 30 minutes) adjust the saltiness by adding more salt if needed. Add about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and two tablespoons of cider vinegar and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Stir, and check the seasonings again and adjust as necessary.
For dessert, here is another traditional southern fare. I used the recipe on printed on the box of Nabisco 'Nilla Wafer Cookies.
35-45 "Nilla" Wafers
6-5 ripe bananas, sliced
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup all purpose flour
Dash of salt
4 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CUSTARD: Mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt in top of double boiler. Blend in 4 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
MERINGUE: In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat unti stiff peaks form.
ASSEMBLY: To assemble, spread a small amount of the pudding on the bottom of a glass dish; cover with a layer of wafers ad a layer of sliced bananas. Pour 1/3 of custard over the bananas. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard to make three layers of each, ending with custard. Spoon the meringue on top of the custard spreading to cover the entire surface and sealing well to the edges.
BAKE: Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool slightly or refrigerate, and serve.
For us, I doubled the recipe as the kids and the hubby always like to have leftovers. If I make one batch, it is only good for one sitting.
So it has started cooling off, and the smell of fall is in the air; and I am just plain tired of fried chicken. Another family favorite to cook and eat is this chicken and dumpling, which I have learned is a staple in southern cooking. My husband has been missing good chicken and dumpling like his grandma used to make until I came across this recipe in Southern Living magazine. He says it comes very close to his grandmother's version. The girls like to help with this dish. Since they love working with dough, they are in charge of making the dumpling.
Boil in a large stock pot:
1 1/2 gal. of water
2 stalks of celery
1 onion, quartered
1 Tbsp. salt
1 whole chicken (washed and excess fat trimmed)
Boil for one hour and turn off heat. Cool, and remove chicken. Skin and bone chicken and shred into bite sized pieces.
Strain chicken broth and discard the vegetables. Put 10 cups (or more) of the broth in a large pan. Any excess broth can be saved for later use. To the strained broth add:
4 Tbsp. chicken granules (or small bouillons)
1 tsp. pepper
Shredded chicken meat
Simmer while making dumpling.
For dumpling combine:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and cut in the shortening until the mixture becomes crumbly. Add the milk and mix until moistened. Do not over mix as this will make the dumpling tough. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3x2 inch strips and drop 1 at a time into the boiling broth. Stir gently until all strips are added. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occationally.
