12:23 p.m. - 2009-01-20
LET'S EAT!!!!
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I'm currently reading..
I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass
Yesterday I mentioned a cookbook by Trisha Yearwood and her mother and sister entitled....
GEORGIA COOKING IN AN OKLAHOMA KITCHEN.
This is one of the books I borrowed from the library yesterday. I read it and salivated over the recipes last night and this morning. I am not a good cook and have little knowledge about cooking other than I am able to read and therefore, hopefully, follow a recipe and have a good meal when I am done.
This is a great cookbook for people like me. It has about 120 recipes with beautiful pictures. The recipes are easy to follow and the explanations are good. My only criticism is that occasionally the quantity is written as a medium sized chicken breast instead of giving you a measurement in ounces.
However, I did learn a few things. Did you know that:
1 cup self-rising flour= 1 cup of sifted all-purpose flour + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder?
1 cup buttermilk = 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar + enough milk to make 1 cup?
half and half = 1-1/2 tablespoons melted butter + enough whole milk to make a cup?
1 teaspoon vinegar = 2 teaspoons lemon juice?
Well, I didn't!
Another thing I liked about this cookbook was that most of the ingredients are found in my cupboards and most of the cooking utensils are items I have.
I also learned about boiled peanuts and hushpuppies and other Southern dishes. And I even picked out a couple of recipes that I might make myself.
WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP.
Serves 6
2 - 14 ounce cans of chicken broth
3 - red potatoes about 4 ounces each, peeled and diced into 3/4 in. pieces
1 - 12 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 - 8 ounce package frozen lima beans
2 - tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 - 12 ounce can cream-style corn
salt and pepper to taste.
Using a medium saucepan, combine the broth with the potatoes, tomatoes, beans and onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium for 20 to 25 minutes...or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the corn and serve.
This goes great with Buttermilk Cornbread.
BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD
Serves 8
4 - tablespoons corn oil or bacon drippings
3 - cups self-rising cornmeal
2 1/2 or 3 cups buttermilk, well-shaken.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a well-seasoned 9 inch cast-iron skillet and place over medium high heat. Put the cornmeal in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the cornmeal and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Using a fork, stir in enough of the buttermilk to make a batter that is thick but can be easily poured into the hot skillet. (You may not need all 3 cups).
Carefully pour the batter into the skillet. The oil will come up around the edges. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the oil over the top of the batter. Continue to heat on the stove for 1 minute, then transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the corn bread for 20 minutes or until browned on top. Turn the skillet onto a cooling rack to keep the crust crisp.
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Here's another recipe that I would ordinarily not even consider...but seeing the pictures and reading the ingredients made me think this could be a winner.
SWEET AND CRUNCHY GARDEN SALAD.
Serves 4 to 6
1 - cup sliced or slivered almonds.
1/2 - cup sugar
1 - head iceberg lettuce, rinsed
1 - head romaine lettuce, rinsed
1 - cup vegetable oil
1/4 - cup red wine vinegar
1 - tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 - teaspoon salt
3 - green onion (scallion) tops, thinly sliced
1 - 22 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained and chilled.
dash of black pepper
dash of cayenne
Mix the almonds with 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring as the sugar melts and the almonds brown. Spread the almonds on an ungreased baking sheet to cool...the nuts will be very hot so use a metal spatula. When they are cooled, break the candied almonds into tiny pieces.
Tear the lettuce into pieces and wash well. Dry the greens thoroughly and put in a salad bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
Combine the oil, vinegar, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the parsley, salt, pepper and cayenne and mix well. Chill covered until ready to serve.
Combine the lettuce, green onion, candied almonds and orange segments in the salad bowl. Just before serving; toss the salad with the dressing to coat the greens.
I wish you could see all of the pictures.... Yummy!
I think that is enough food to make all of you hungry.
Since I have been discussing Southern cooking with all the sugar and butter and great tastes, I thought you might also enjoy this joke.
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One day, Jimmy Jones was walking down Main Street when he saw his buddy Bubba driving a brand new pickup.
Bubba pulled up to him with a wide grin.
'Bubba, where'd you git that truck?'
'Tammie give it to me.' Bubba replied.
'She give it to ya?
I know'd she wuz kinda sweet on ya, but a new truck?'
'Well, Jimmy Jones, let me tell you what happened. We wuz drivin' out on County Road 6, in the middle of nowheres....Tammie pulled off the road, put the truck in 4-wheel drive, and headed into the woods. She parked the truck, got out, threw off all her clothes and said,
'Bubba, take whatever you want.'
So I took the truck!'
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It's another beautiful day in my neighborhood. It's still cold at 10 degrees at noon and there is some snow coming down but the sun is shining and the sky is another gorgeous shade of blue. Life is good.
ENJOY YOUR DAY.
