Slow Cooker Green Beans and Bacon

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh string bean, cut into 1-inch lengths ( OR leave whole, cut ends)
• 6 - 8 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 - 2 tablespoon garlic, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Place bacon at the bottom of the slow cooker. Place other ingredients on top of the bacon in crock pot. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. If you have a large slow cooker, you can double the recipe.

Portobello Mushroom Fries

Ingredients:

Oil, for frying
5 large portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

Remove the gills and stems from the underside of the mushrooms and trim the edges off. Slice into 1/4-inch strips.

Measure flour into a pie plate. In another pie plate or bowl, combine panko, Parmigiano, parsley, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.

Dredge the mushrooms in flour, followed by the egg wash and finally in the panko.

Working in batches, place the breaded mushroom slices in the hot oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined sheet tray.

Pat Summitt's Jalapeno Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

4 cans of corn
1 stick of butter 8

8 ounces of cream cheese
1 jar of jalapeno peppers (or diced green chiles)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Put the four cans of corn in a casserole dish, melt the margarine and cream cheese in the microwave. Stir and pour over the corn. Depending on how hot you want the dish, add peppers and juice accordingly. Stir and then put it in the oven for 40-45 minutes.

Grilled Artichokes

Ingredients:

 

2 to 4 large globe artichokes
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano, and thyme
Salt
 

Directions:

 

Place chopped herbs in a small bowl, cover with olive oil. Microwave on high heat for 30 seconds (or heat oil and herbs on the stove top until warm). Let the herbs seep in the warm olive oil while you prepare the artichokes.

Prepare a large pot with an inch of water at the bottom and a steamer rack. Prepare the artichokes. Have lemon wedges ready. If you want a nice presentation, use scissors to snip away the pointy tips of the artichoke leaves. As you trim the artichokes, rub the cut areas with juice from the lemon wedges to prevent the artichokes from turning brown from oxidation. Use a vegetable peeler to cut away the thick outer layer of the artichoke stems. Trim the stems to 2 inches from the base of the artichoke. Cut off and discard the top 1/2 inch of the artichokes. Cut the artichokes in half. Use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the fuzzy chokes and the small inner artichoke leaves. Rub lemon juice all over the inside and exposed cut areas of the artichokes.

Heat the water in the large pot with a steamer rack on high. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium high and place the artichoke halves, cut side down on the steam rack. Cover. Steam for 20 minutes (less of more, depending on the size of the artichokes), until you can easily pull off the outer leaves, and you can pierce the heart easily with a knife. The artichokes can be just a tiny bit less cooked than would be typically perfect for steamed artichokes, as you will be cooking them further on the grill.

Prepare your grill for direct, high heat. Use a pastry brush to brush the artichoke all over with the herb infused oil. Sprinkle all over with salt. Place the artichoke halves cut-side-down on the grill grates. Cover, and grill for 5 to 10 minutes, until you have nice grill mark on the cut sides of the artichokes.

To serve, sprinkle the cut sides with more lemon juice. Serve alone or with mayonnaise, remoulade, or aioli.

Tennesse-Style Coleslaw

Ingredients:

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sugar 

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 

1/2 teaspoon paprika 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup cider vinegar 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

2 tablespoons water

Shredded cabbage 

Salted peanuts 

Directions: 

In a small bowl, beat eggs and cream; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring sugar, mustard, paprika, salt, vinegar, oil and water to a boil; stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; very slowly add to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Return all to saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon. Cool. Just before serving, pour dressing over cabbage and toss. Sprinkle with peanuts. Yield: 1-1/3 cups dressing.

Artichoke and Baked Brie

Ingredients:

2 large artichokes, top quarter and stems sliced off
3 ounces brie, rind removed and cut into chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for the top
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons finely sliced almonds, crushed into coarse crumbs with a rolling pin

Directions:

In a large pot of salted water, boil the artichokes for 15-20 minutes (pull on a leaf to check for doneness; it should come right off). Take the artichokes out of the water and let them drain well, upside down, in a colander.
 

Put the brie in a small pot with the cream and let it melt on a low flame while constantly stirring.
 

When the mix is smooth, turn off the heat and, while stirring, add the yolk, the grated parmesan, the thyme and the crushed almonds.
 

Preheat the broiler to low and position the rack close to the bottom of the oven.
 

Fill the artichokes with the mix (it should cover the tops as well), sprinkle them with some more grated parmesan and almonds and place them standing head up in an oiled casserole dish.
 

Put under the broiler and let them cook for about 10 minutes, checking often, or until the cheese turns into a golden crust.

Cheesy Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sleeve crackers, crushed medium to fine (recommended: Ritz)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the squash, onion, and butter until soft. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan, Cheddar, and sour cream. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Place in the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.

Saffron Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Currants

Ingredients:

2 cups white basmati rice
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup slivered almonds
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup dried currants (or cherries, golden raisins, or barberries)
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1 tablespoon water
additional salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring the four cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt and rice, lower the heat and simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Rice should be slightly “al dente.” Drain the rice thoroughly and return to the sauce pan. Set aside.

Dissolve the saffron in the one tablespoon of water and stir into the rice.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Brown the almonds over medium-high heat in a medium or large skillet. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. When browned, pour the almonds in a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter and oil. Then add the currants and sugar. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has browned a bit, stirring frequently (just a few minutes). Remove from the burner and set aside.

Spread half the rice in a casserole dish or other baking dish (at least 3 quarts). Pour half the butter mixture over the rice and sprinkle with half the almonds. Then spread the remaining half of the rice in another layer and pour over the remaining butter mixture and almonds.

Cover (with lid or aluminum foil) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is soft and there’s some browning around the edges. Season with salt and pepper to taste when serving.

Hushpuppies

Ingredients:

6 cups peanut oil
1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

Using a deep pot, preheat oil for frying to 350 degrees F.

Using a mixing bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the onion. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and egg. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Drop the batter, 1 teaspoon at a time, into the oil. Dip the spoon in a glass of water after each hushpuppy is dropped in the oil. Fry until golden brown, turning the hushpuppies during the cooking process.

Southern Corn Fritters

Ingredients:

 

3-4 ears  fresh or cooked corn, kernels removed from cobs

3 eggs

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons cornmeal

Salt and pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

 

Whisk corn and eggs together. Add flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Mix. Add green onions and Cheddar. Mix again until all ingredients are incorporated.

In a deep ftying pan, heat oil to medium. When oil is hot, add a rounded tablespoon of batter. Flatten and fry for two to three minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Serve plain or with maple butter.

Maple Butter

Whisk together equal amounts of butter and maple syrup.

Potato Rings

Ingredients:

3 large russet potatoes, cleaned peeled and chopped into large pieces
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), softened
½ cup caramelized yellow onions, chopped
3 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced
2/3 cup  all purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts vegetable oil

buttermilk ranch sauce:
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup low-fat buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
1 tablespoon chives, thinly sliced
1 teaspoons dill, minced
½ teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water.

Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, a20-25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes into a colander and pour back into the pot.

Pour the cream and butter over the potatoes and mash with a potato masher until smooth (Add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed).

Fold in the caramelized onions and chives until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and stir.

Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan, about ½ inch thick and place in the refrigerator until the mixture has cooled down and hardened, 4-6 hours.

While the potato mixture cools place both flours, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika into a shallow dish and stir together until fully combined. Set aside.

When the potato mixture has cooled, remove from the refrigerator and using 1-1 ½ inch circle cutters, cut out as many circles as possible (usually makes about 32-40).

Using a ½ inch circle cutter, cut out a ½ inch circle from every 1-1½ circle, creating a small donut shape.

Dip the potato rings into the flour mixture followed by the egg mixture and finally again in the flour mixture (make sure the rings are completely coated).

Place the coated rings onto a clean sheet pan, lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer and allow the rings to freeze completely, 4-6 hours.

Once the potato rings are frozen, preheat the oil, in a large pot, to 375°F.

While the oil heats up, place the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper.

When the oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the rings into the oil and fry for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown.

Drain onto a large plate lined with paper towels and season with salt with pepper.

Repeat with the remaining potato rings and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Potatoes Au Gratin

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup milk

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes

2 cups grated Gruyere

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the milk in a small heavy saucepan and peel and smash one of the garlic cloves. Add it to the pot and then heat the milk gently until it starts to bubble at the edges. Remove from the heat and let steep while you continue with the recipe. 

Peel the second garlic clove, cut it in half and rub the cut side around the inside of an oval gratin dish about 9 inches long and 2 inches deep. Rub 1 tablespoon of the butter over the inside of the baking dish. 

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/8-inch-thick slices (use a mandoline to get them nice and even), laying the slices on a kitchen towel to drain. Layer about a third of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish, fanning them into concentric, overlapping circles. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and sprinkle a third of the cheese over them. Repeat with two more layers of potatoes, salt and pepper and cheese, making the top layer as neat and tidy as you can. 

Remove the garlic clove from the hot milk and pour the milk evenly over the potatoes. Dot the top of the potatoes with the remaining tablespoon of butter and bake the gratin for about 30 minutes, until it's browned and bubbly. Let the potatoes cool for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Frico with Bacon and Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
2/3 cup sliced and boiled potatoes
5 ounces Asiago cheese, shredded

Directions:

 

In a 8-inch non-stick pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until golden. Pour off all of the fat. Add the cheese and cook until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown. The frico should be firm enough that it moves in the pan. You may have to use a spatula and shake the pan a little. Blot with paper towels if there is an excess of oil on the top. 

Place the potatoes in a single layer on the cheese. Invert a plate onto the top and turn the pan and the plate. Slide the frico back into the pan. Continue to cook until the second side is golden and the inside is still a little soft. Slide off pan onto a cutting board. 

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.  Makes enough to serve 6

Oven-Fried Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

3 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cornbread dressing mix

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash the potatoes and cut each into 6 thick wedges. Mix the mayonnaise with the hot sauce, onion salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Coat the potato wedges with the mayonnaise mixture and roll them in the dressing mix. 

Place in a greased baking dish and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Serve with your favorite dip.

Ice Box Bread and Butter Pickles

Ingredients:

Pickling cucumbers to fill a gallon jar, skins left on and cut into thin round slices with the blossom end removed(approximately 2 to 3 dozen pickling cucumbers)
3 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
4 cups sugar
4 cups vinegar
1/3 cup canning and pickling salt
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoon mustard seed

Directions:

Sterilize a 1 gallon jar and lid directly before using for 10 minutes in simmering water or in the dishwasher.

In a large saucepan over low heat, combine sugar and vinegar and stir just until the sugar is dissolved. Add salt, turmeric, celery seed and mustard seed. Stir to combine. Pack sliced cucumbers and onions very tightly in the sterilized jar. Pour liquid over making sure to completely cover the cucumber slices. Seal and refrigerate. Icebox pickles don’t need much time to marinate. You can eat them after a day and they keep for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

Southern-Fried Okra

Ingredients

6 cups oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh okra, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. (You may not need to use this much oil; do not fill the pan more than halfway up the sides with oil.)

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper. 

Dip okra in buttermilk and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well. 

Carefully add okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. (It may be necessary to fry the okra in batches.)

Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately.

Chessy Scalloped Potatoes

Cheese Souffle

Parmesan French Fries

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Cut potatoes into strips (I keep mine on the thick side because they shrink).

Soak the potatoes in warm water for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Drain and rinse potatoes.  Pat potatoes dry with a dish or paper towel.

Toss potatoes in a large bowl with olive oil, salt, garlic and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

Arrange potatoes on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake  for 15 minutes.

Remove potatoes from oven, turn over and cover with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

Turn up oven to 500 degrees and bake potatoes for another 15 minutes.

Stuffed Mushrooms