Green Bean Casserole

Here's another one of those Southern casseroles that's sure to please. This is a hearty accompaniment to most any dish, and it's so easy to do!

1/3 stick butter
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups sliced green beans
3 cups chicken broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
(2.8-ounce) can French-fried onion rings
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch black pepper
Pinch garlic powder
1 cup bread crumbs
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• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet.
• Saute the onions and mushrooms in the butter.
• Boil the green beans in the chicken broth for about 10 minutes and drain.
• Then, add the green beans, mushroom soup, onion rings, salt, pepper and garlic powder to the onion mixture. Stir well.
• Pour into a greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
• Bake for 20 minutes, then top the casserole with the bread crumbs and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the casserole is hot and the crumbs are browned.
Notes: Go wild! Add some Cheddar cheese to the top of the casserole, or stir in some sour cream for extra flavor. Or, omit the bread crumbs and sprinkle generously with more french fried onions!

Chicken Fried Steak

I think this is probably one of my favorite dishes of all time.... right next to Chicken fried Chicken! When I was a child, I distinctly remember this dish served for Sunday dinner, right next to gobs of homemade buttermilk biscuits, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.

These days, this dish might be considered bad for your health, with all the cream gravy, but I say "if it tastes good, indulge!".

1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 (4-ounce) tenderized beef round steak (you can also use flank steak if you wish)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups hot water
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (ie: Accent), optional
1 bunch green onions, or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
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• Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle both sides of of the meat with the seasoning salt, and then dredge the meat in the flour mixture.
• Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add 2 or 4 of the steaks to the hot oil, and fry until browned, about 5-6 minutes per side.
• Remove each steak and allow to drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding more oil, but only as needed.
• Make the gravy by adding the 2 tablespoons of the remaining flour to the pan drippings, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.
• Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly.
• Slowly add the water and the monosodium glutamate, if using, and stir constantly.
• Put the steaks back into the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Then, reduce the heat to low, and put the onions on top of the steaks.
• Cover the pan, and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Notes: Alternately, you can leave the steak separate, and spoon the gravy over top of the steak when served.

Apple Brown Betty

A wonderful blast from the past! This dessert is basically a baked pudding (or cobbler) that dates back to colonial times. Tart and crunchy, and full of brown sugar, this is one that's easy to make and sure to please. And, it's good enough for an everyday dessert, or even a special dinner party.

2 cups coarse day-old (rather dry) bread
6 cups baking apples (tart like Granny Smith)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 TBS lemon juice
1/4 cup water
2 TBS margarine (or butter)
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• Grease a 11 x 9 baking dish. (Buttered is recommended, but Crisco or Pam spray are fine.)
• Sprinkle approximately 1/3 of the bread crumbs over the bottom of the baking dish
• Place 1/2 of the apples over the bread crumbs
Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Put 1/2 of this sugar mixture over the apples.
• Add 1/3 of the bread crumbs and then the rest of the apples sprinkled with the rest of the sugar mixture. Top with the final 1/3 of the bread crumbs.(layered)
• Splash the lemon juice and water over the top of the Apple Brown Betty.
• Cut the butter into small chunks and spread around the top.
• Bake covered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• Remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Serve hot or cold. Go Wild! Use berries instead, or serve with a lemon sauce or whipped cream!

Fried Green Tomatoes

If you haven't seen the movie, you probably have at least heard of it. No, this isn't about the movie and, yes, fried green tomatoes is something of an acquired taste. They are wonderfully tart, and they are identified with the Old South, as much as hot dogs are identified with baseball!

This is a great side dish to add some zing to your dinner. It's tart, it's crunchy, and just darned good, especially in the summertime, when fresh tomatoes are in season.

Green Tomatoes (as many as you want to cook...allow at least four slices per person)
2 cups White Corn Meal
1/2 cup Flour
Cooking oil (peanut or corn oil, enough to provide about 1 inch deep in pan.)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
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• Place cooking oil in large frying pan and place on medium heat.
• Wash and slice tomatoes (slice about 1/4 inch thick)
• Combine egg and milk in medium sized bowl and beat enough for good mix
• Place corn meal and flour on a separate large plate and mix with dash of salt and pepper
• Dredge tomato slices in cornmeal mix, shake off excess
• Dip tomato slices in egg/milk wash
• Dredge in the cornmeal mix again to coat thoroughly
• Placed coated slices in frying pan without sides touching
• Cook until golden brown on both sides (only about 2 minutes)
• Remove and place on paper towels to absorb oil.
Serve HOT!

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs are something I fondly remember while growing up in North Carolina. It seemed that when my grandmother made them, everyone knew that it was a special day. My family always ate Sunday dinner together, and my grandmother would go all out, especially if extra company was coming. When they were on the table, I swear I ate a dozen of them without even breathing!

These eggs are easy to do, and they are great for an appetizer, picnic, or just to be served alongside the Sunday bird. Here's the recipe that was passed down to me from my grandmother, with just a few modifications.

8 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

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Hard boil eggs and allow to cool, then peel.

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise, then remove yolks and place in a small bowl. This makes 16 deviled eggs.

Using a fork, mash the yolks and stir in mayonnaise, pickle relish, and mustard. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Fill the egg whites evenly with yolk mixture.

Store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes: Go Wild! Sprinkle a little paprika on top of the eggs to give them a little color. Or add some gherkins or pimentos. I've even known people to use capers, or even top them with Spam. Use your imagination.

If you want to be 'fancy', place the filling mixture in a piping bag and, using a decorating tip, fill the eggs with the mixture. (if you don't have a piping bag, you can use a ziploc bag and snip one corner off to insert the tip)

Lemon Pie

The memory that sticks in my head the most about this dish isn't the fact that it's one of those wonderfully tart desserts, but rather my dad asking his grandmother (my great grandmother) to make him a lemon pie, and to make it extra tart. She always put extra lemon in it, and it was so tart that nobody else could eat it. Hmmm... perhaps that's why my dad requested it that way... more for him!

Here's the recipe that my great grandmother made made for my dad... sans the extra lemon. Add at your own discretion.

1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cups water; boiling
3 eggs; separated
1/3 cup lemon juice; strained
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp lemon zest; grated
1 8 inch pie shell; baked and cooled
6 tbsp Sugar
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• Mix the cornstarch, sugar, and salt in the top of a double boiler; then add the boiling water and blend thoroughly.
• Cook over direct heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and clear.
• Beat egg yolks and stir in a little of the hot mixture; pour back into the double boiler and cook 2 minutes longer with constant stirring.
• Remove from heat; add the lemon juice, butter and lemon zest, mixing well.
• Cool and pour into the prepared pie shell.
• Beat the egg whites until light and add the 6 tablespoons of sugar gradually, and continue beating until stiff.
• Spread the egg and sugar mixture over the pie filling so as to touch the edges of the crust all around, and place in a preheated oven at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the topping is a golden brown.
• Cool before serving

Chicken Casserole

Oh the number of times I've seen this dish at a church potluck, or the number of times I've made this dish to bring to friends that are feeling under the weather. Chicken casserole is a wonderful main dish that can be served with a side of green beans or carrots, and it's a complete meal!

Try this for dinner one night. It's quick and easy, and it's even better as leftovers!

4 chicken breasts
1 package cornbread dressing; (ie: Stove Top)
1 stick margarine; melted
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

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• Boil the chicken breasts in water until tender, cube or shred, set aside, and save the broth for later.
• Melt the margarine and stir in dressing to combine. Reserve a few of the dressing crumbs for a topping.
• Dilute both cans of soup with 3/4 can each of the reserved chicken broth (1.5 cups total). Place in a bowl and keep each separate.
• In the casserole dish, layer the dish in the following fashion: Bottom layer - dressing
• Then use 1/2 of the chicken Next layer in the cream of chicken soup mixture
• Then another layer of dressing Next use the remaining chicken
• Then on top, layer the mushroom soup mixture
• Sprinkle the reserve cornbread crumbs on top and bake in a covered dish for 45 minutes at 400°F
Notes: Spice it up! Add broccoli, onions or carrots to the mixture, or top with shredded cheese.