Peanut Butter Cookies

I am certainly not known as a health food guru. Most of my recipes start or end with butter. I don’t wear

butter as a badge of culinary honor but surely it can’t be bad for you in moderation. I have always

believed the mantra “Fat is Flavor”. My husband and I can share a ribeye steak with ease. He eats the

leaner inner section and I eat the outer portions that are laced with threads of juicy flavorful fat. I firmly

believe in seasoning southern vegetables with rendered bacon grease, strips of salt cured ham, or

smoked ham hocks, but I am not opposed to ditching the fat for healthier options like smoked turkey

wings, vegetable stock, onions, olive oil, and garlic.

As we mature, we are faced with the age-old question; how do I live a long healthy life? There are many

acceptable answers to this question but certainly a key part of the answer is fueling our bodies with

simple, wholesome foods. I am always on a quest to find healthier versions of old favorites. I create

meals for my family based on memorable foodie experiences, recipes compiled from cookbooks and

magazines, outstanding menu items, and experimenting with new ingredients.

I am not well-versed in the vegan preparation of food but I did welcome the challenge when a former

bride requested vegan dishes for her wedding. The bride’s mother was a native of Jenkins County and

the wedding reception was hosted at their family farm near Birdsville. The bride had many out-of-town

guests and wanted to accommodate their vegan lifestyle. We prepared a fun” breakfast for supper”

style menu that included vegan pancakes. We prepared the pancakes tableside using vintage waffle

irons. Jams, jellies, syrups, compound butters, and other assorted toppings allowed each guest to top

their pancakes with the condiments of their choice. I can think of many other healthy options I enjoy for

breakfast: egg white and spinach omelets, veggie frittatas, and oatmeal with seasonal fruit.

One of my favorite lunch spots in Statesboro is Sugar Magnolia Bakery and Café. A hidden gem located

within the downtown district, Sugar Mag, as my friends and I refer to our preferred brunch/lunch spot,

offers a seasonal menu featuring fresh salads, artisanal pizzas, pastas, and freshly baked specialties. I

love meeting with my girl gang and catching up over charcuterie and their signature Magnolia Lemonade

cocktail. My go-to lunch order is the delicious quinoa bowl loaded with fresh veggies, feta, and

chimichurri sauce. I add grilled shrimp and I can’t think of a better light lunch. After my first quinoa bowl

from Sugar Mag I had to create my own version. My family and I love Mexican food. I had a blast

fashioning a recipe for a healthy quinoa bowl loaded with Southwestern flavor!

Dessert is not often synonymous with health food. My husband’s favorite food is peanut butter. Johnny

has a discerning palate that only tolerates Peter Pan Creamy Peanut Butter. He swears he has passed a

blind fold peanut butter identification test. He wakes in the middle of the night, usually around 3:00

a.m. for his “midnight snack”. He and our English Cocker Spaniel, Reb can be heard rummaging around

the kitchen in search of Nutter Butter cookies. I set out to find a recipe for a better version of their

favorite treat.

Cooking Light is a great source for lighter fare. I often take inspiration from the pages of colorful dishes.

The magazine takes a sensible approach to offering healthy recipes that focus on fresh ingredients and is

not fixated on completely eliminating carbs, fats, or sugars. The recipes are often simple and filled with

easy-to-find ingredients. This is key for me since I usually shop for dinner ingredients at my small-town

grocery and products can be limited. Pinterest and the internet are also great resources for fun new

recipes. Another culinary challenge is to order fresh ingredients from your local farmers market and

create new dishes with what you have “on-hand”.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookies:

2 c Almond Flour

½ tsp. Baking Powder

1 c Peter Pan Creamy Peanut Butter

½ c Pure Maple Syrup

2 Eggs

½ tsp. Vanilla

Topping:

¼ c Natural Chunky Peanut Butter

3 Tbs. Turbinado Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour and baking powder in bowl and mix well. Add remaining

ingredients. Mix until combined. Refrigerate dough for at least for 30 minutes. Spray baking sheet with

non-stick spray. Spray hands with nonstick spray. Dough is sticky! Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place

on baking sheet. Make an indention in the center of each ball with your thumb. Spoon a small amount of

natural chunky peanut butter into the indention in the center of each cookie. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Sweetheart Biscuits

I’m a firm believer every Southern lady should have a good biscuit recipe in her repertoire. The “perfect” biscuit recipe has eluded me for over 15 years. After trying countless recipes: cutting lard, sifting flour, and kneading dough with some of the best biscuit bakers in my circle I have come to realize that most folks who cook an excellent biscuit don’t have a 3 x 5 recipe card with precisely measured ingredients. A good biscuit is all about the feel of the dough and the loving hands that magically create a flaky morsel of buttery goodness out of ingredients that most people have in their pantry.

Biscuits can be a staple of every meal and deserve a place at any well-appointed table. Breakfast begs for a buttery biscuit slathered with homemade jam or local honey. A farm lunch calls for a hearty biscuit to fuel a family for an afternoon of hard work. I remember my daddy and granddaddy sopping “Cat Head” biscuits in cane syrup at farm lunches at the Brown’s Kitchen House. The biscuits were so large they required their own bowl filled with amber syrup made from a neighbor’s sugar cane. One of my earliest tasks in my Mother’s kitchen was making mayonnaise biscuits. These light and airy gems consist of 3 simple ingredients: flour, mayonnaise, and milk. I was in awe of how these every day kitchen staples could turn into a savory morsel baked up in miniature muffin tins.

My friend Rusty Lane towers over the auction block. He cajoles bids from the most conservative of patrons, but in my opinion his most impressive skill is his ability to whip up a batch of perfectly crafted biscuits. Rusty rolls the biscuits in his had and makes a small indention in the center where melted butter pools in the hollow created by his giant hands. His famous biscuits are a dinner staple at what he lovingly calls The Shack. He even includes the biscuits in his family’s Christmas dinner tradition. The biscuits are served with a chocolate sauce that rivals any jelly or syrup.

My earliest forays in the kitchen began when I moved away to college. I had a tiny kitchen, cheap pots that scorched everything, and a willing circle of friends who bravely agreed to dinner invites. Most meals included what we lovingly referred to as “fat bread” widely known as sour cream muffins or butter-me-nots. The recipe consisted of three simple ingredients: flour, butter, and sour cream. Baked in mini muffin tins, these little buttery morsels will melt in your mouth!

I lean towards the older ways in most of my habits. I think every fine meal should include a basket filled with warm freshly baked bread, but with today’s low carb diets and crazy fads a quick salad is what’s for dinner most nights. Take the time to slow down and bake a batch of biscuits. I promise the end result will be a complete satisfaction only garnered by a job well done. I call this recipe sweet heart biscuits because they are in fact a labor of love and the sure-fire way to anyone’s heart!

Sweet Heart Biscuits

4 c Plain Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 ½ tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Sugar

1 stick Butter

2 Eggs

1 c Sour Cream

1 c Buttermilk

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Grate very cold butter into the flour mixture and mix until butter pieces are coated. I use a food processor with a grater attachment for this task. Place eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk in bowl and mix well. Make a well in center of dry ingredients add wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. The dough will be sticky. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead 2-3 times. Pat the dough out by hand into a rectangle approximately 1 ½ inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or cut with knife and shape into round balls of dough. Place biscuits close together on generously greased pan. Dot the top of each biscuit with butter. Bake at 375 degrees 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Fat Bread Biscuits

2 c Self Rising Flour

2 sticks Butter

1 c Sour Cream

Place all ingredients in bowl. Mix until just combined. Spoon onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

Helpful Biscuit Baking Hints:

• Butter or shortening must be ice cold

• Do not over mix

• Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients for better mixing

• Use your hands. Biscuit making is all about the feel of the dough.

• Use a sharp knife or biscuit cutter

• Serve piping HOT

• Don’t be afraid to try and fail many times until you find your perfect recipe

Bett Bett's Fried Shrimp

I am a terrible speller and my proficiency at grammar is more than lacking. Spell check and my mother

helped me through many a book report, college paper, business plan, menu, and now this blog, but the

one who would enjoy proofing my blog the most left us almost ten years ago. She would have relished

marking these paragraphs with bold red ink in her cursive script, not out of malice but out of love for the

English language and me.

My grandmother, Betty Strickland Cramer, AKA Bett Bett, will always be one of my favorite people. She

was petite in stature; her feet matched her tiny frame. They were the definition of dainty, a size 6 quad.

Shoes and jewelry were her weakness. She had the former and the latter to match every outfit. Bett Bett

was prissy and sassy and made no apologies. She could hold a grudge indefinitely but if she loved you,

she would fight for you until the end.

Bett Bett taught English, at Jenkins County High School, for almost thirty years so at one time or another

she taught someone related to every person in Jenkins County. She did not tolerate the word ain’t or

unruliness. She was beyond proud of the fact she had paddled several of the JCHS boys’ basketball team.

If I had a penny for every time she said I taught his/her father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousin I could retire

at the age of 37!

Bett Bett had a quick wit that wavered on the verge of sarcastic but she was never mean. Her delivery

was cool with a hint of indifference. My mother was often the subject of these little “zings” as we called

them. These episodes offered us endless entertainment at Mom’s expense. Bett Bett and Mother were

closer than close. Not some silly movie screen mommy-daughter mush but the real-life kind. My mother

practically doted on her, and we all knew their love ran deep.

Bett Bett was my number one biggest fan. She did not think I was perfect or too precious to receive a

reprimand. We were too much alike to never butt heads. A pop on the thigh in the Bi Lo parking lot after

our bi-annual dentist appointment is still etched in my memory to prove this fact, but let someone else

mess with me. I would call my mother squalling over one of life’s injustices. She ever played the devil’s

advocate and always advised me to “be the bigger person”. I would immediately hang up and speed dial

Bett Bett. She would commiserate. She would threaten to call their mother, call the teacher, or write a

seething Letter to the Editor to The Millen News to right the wrong. It would be all “their” fault and none

of mine.

My family lived 17 miles from town so most afternoons we ended up at Bett Bett’s house, a convenient

in-town squatting spot until our next engagement: t-ball, softball, cheerleading, Bible school, church,

dance, or just to hang out. Her house was like a second home. We were always welcome, but there were

understood limitations to her hospitality. One did not interrupt The Young and the Restless. EVER. If you

wanted something to eat other than Lance Peanut Butter Crackers, Raisin Bran, or Crystal Light

lemonade you should bring it with you. Plundering was also a “no no”. Ditto, eating on the carpet. We

loved going to Bett Bett’s. She never bothered us and let us watch cable cartoon channels on her 10-

inch bedroom TV. That was the life!

Bett Bett was a diehard Braves fan. The kind of rabid fan, who if out of pocket during the actual game,

recorded the game on VHS to be watched later. She talked to the TV as if the entire team and coaches

were a part of her 9th grade English class at Jenkins County High School. She admonished a missed catch,

walk, or bad call and she likewise commended a 3-2-1 double play, a sliding catch in center field, and

pick-off by a quick handed pitcher. Our bond was solidified by our love for the Bravos. We tomahawk

chopped our way through the 90’s with the passion only an overweight, awkward preteen and a retired

widow in her late sixties could muster. We didn’t miss a game, and if we did the next day, we discussed

in detail the finesse of a great catch made by David Justice, a stand-up homer by Chipper Jones, or the

spectacle of a Bobby Cox tirade that ultimately got him thrown out of the game. We had our favorites.

Greg Maddox was always a topic of conversation. He was our favorite pitcher with his cool demeanor,

Clark Kent glasses, and a touch of endearing goofiness. Fred McGriff, the “Crime Dog” was as solid as

they come. A commanding presence on first, he always kept us on the edge of our seats waiting for his

next homer and it was hard not to love Lemke with his boyish good looks and kind eyes. The Braves

1995 World Series win was the culmination of our years of fandom. It was our time and our moment.

After the ultimate win I lost interest and ventured into my teenage years, but every time I flip through

the channels and see our boys at bat, I can’t help but smile.

I asked my mother, “How do you sum up Bett Bett in just a few paragraphs?” Well, you just don’t. I

don’t have to try because at the most random moments I think of her. The other day I heard Simon and

Garfunkel and I was transported to the back seat of her Cutlass station wagon with the wood grain side

paneling belting out Bridge over Troubled Water. Each time I have to wait at Herndon for the train to

cross the tracks I hear her say “Trains a camin’” to which I would respond “How you knew?” We would

always laugh when she completed our banter with “I heard it blew!” I caught myself chewing gum in

church a few Sundays ago and saw her pursed lips because I “looked like an old billy goat chewing his

cud”. As I walk by the hearth in my living room, I catch a glimpse of the little white milking stool I

perched on at the foot of her recliner as we shelled peas or pealed peaches. Her cast iron skillet sits

seasoned in my cabinet and ready to fry up the prettiest mess of pale white shrimp you can imagine. Her

fried shrimp were a treat. The recipe below is a close as I could get!

Bett Bett’s Fried Shrimp

1 lb of Shrimp (peeled and deveined)

1 c Whole Milk

2 Eggs

2 c Plain Flour

1 c Self-Rising Flour

1 Tsp Salt

4-6 cups Wesson Oil

Cast Iron Skillet

Heat oil to 350 degrees in Cast Iron Skillet. You must use a cast iron skillet! These little delicacies just

don’t taste the same fried in another vessel, and be sure to use fresh grease. Bett Bett’s shrimp were

always beautiful with the palest crust.

Beat eggs and add milk mixing well. Combine plain flour, self-rising flour, and salt. Add your shrimp to

egg and milk mixture. Make sure all shrimp are coated well. Add shrimp a few at a time to flour mixture

and coat well. Add to hot grease a few at a time. Do not overcook. Shrimp will be a light golden brown.

Sherry Kay’s Fried Chicken

Pulling into the familiar drive off of Dixie Crescent as I have many times before feels a little different this time. Is it because we haven’t seen each other in months due the novel corona virus or the fact that our country has been pushed to the breaking point amid racial tensions? I don’t know the answer but I do know I want to sit at the picnic table in the back yard with my friend, Sherry Kay Williams and enjoy a cold beer. I hopped out of my car with a 6-pack of Miller Genuine Draft (Sherry’s favorite) and was greeted with open arms.

Sherry has a laugh that is throaty and contagious. Her clothes are ironed to a sharp precision with a pointy crease running down the front of her jean shorts. Her hair is always sassy in a curled pony tail and her lips are tinted a light shade of fuchsia. She is my lead line cook at Honey Café and my friend. I admire her mad skills in the kitchen and I respect her.

Sherry Kay’s Fried Chicken

1 Frying Chicken

¼ c Texas Pete Hot Sauce

3 Tbs. Water

2 Tbs. Salt

1 Tbs. Seasoned Salt

1 Tbs. Pepper

3 ½ c Self-Rising Flour

Oil

Cut chicken into pieces and wash with cold water. Place cleaned chicken in a bowl with Texas Pete, water, salt, seasoned salt, and pepper. Mix with hands until chicken is well coated. Add ½ cup flour. Mix thoroughly until a paste like batter coats pieces of chicken. Place 3 cups flour in a paper grocery sack. Add chicken to the sack and close sack tightly. Shake vigorously until chicken is coated. Deep fry in oil preheated to 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Drain on paper sacks and serve hot.

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Pimento Cheese and Strawberry Balsamic Glaze

When the first hints of emerald, lime, and sage start to peak through the fields and forests of South Georgia my mind begins wandering to my favorite spring activities. I hear the crack of the bat hitting a homerun ball, feel the sun browning my bare toes as I kayak down the Ogeechee, and I smell the sweetness of a batch of strawberry preserves simmering on the stove at my family’s kitchen house. As the gloomy days of winter pass, I know the earth will soon flourish with new life.

Each spring I anticipate the drive down Hwy 17 to Jacob’s Strawberry Farm. The long beds of strawberries glistening in the sun are waiting to be picked by little fingers and grandmothers’ hands alike. My crimson stained hands dripping with the sweet juices of my labor inspire me to create new recipes and remember old favorites.

My love affair with strawberries began when my grandmother and I planted a strawberry pot. The urn shaped terracotta pot was placed at her back door where we routinely checked the plants for the first sign of a white bloom and as the blooms faded, we anxiously awaited signs of our newest berry. It seemed to take months for those green berries studded with tiny seeds to grow pink, then red and ripe for the picking. We enjoyed those berries warm off of the bush or sliced in our favorite cereal. She is gone now and I don’t know what happened to our strawberry pot. I know planting that sweet little pot each spring would evoke fond memories of our days together.

The recipe below is a combination of favorite dishes. The pecan crusted chicken is a throw back to my early career as a chef at Statesboro Brews. We served this popular dish with house made whole grain honey mustard with hints of dill weed. The pimento cheese and strawberries are reminiscent of The Plains Cheese Ring made popular by First Lady Rosalynn Carter. My grandmother served this at Christmas as an appetizer. The addition of the balsamic vinegar adds a nice acidic flavor to the strawberries and helps thicken the sauce as it cooks. Each element of this recipe could stand alone or be added to another dish to create a new recipe!

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Pimento Cheese and Strawberry Balsamic Glaze

Chicken Breast

4 small Chicken Breasts or large Chicken Breasts cut in Half

3 c Crushed Pretzels

2 c Finely Chopped Pecans

2 c House Autry Chicken Breading

2 c Flour

4 Eggs (beaten)

Olive Oil

Mix pretzel crumbs, pecans, and chicken breading together. Dip chicken breast in flour and shake off excess. Dip in beaten egg. Then dip in pretzel pecan mixture. Press the breading firmly around chicken to make sure every piece is coated completely. Continue process until all chicken is coated. Heat oil in skillet and brown chicken on both sides. Place on pan and finish cooking in oven. Cook for approximately 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees.

Pimento Cheese

1 c White Cheddar Cheese

1 c Mild Cheddar Cheese

4 oz Cream Cheese

1 c Mayo

2 Tbs. Finely Chopped Onion

2 oz Pimento

Mix all ingredients until well blended and refrigerate.

Strawberry Glaze

3 c Finely Chopped Strawberries

¼ c Balsamic Vinegar

¼ c Brown Sugar

Cracked Black Pepper to Taste

Place all ingredients in sauce pan and cook until thickened.

To Assemble:

Once chicken is cooked completely top with pimento cheese and bake 5-10 minutes until cheese starts to melt. Remove chicken from pan and place on serving platter and top with strawberry glaze. Asparagus is a perfect accompaniment for this dish or it can be served atop a bed of greens.

Red Fish Bienville

Every now and then a trip is just what the doctor ordered to cure a tired body and soul. After a hectic wedding season, I ventured some 500 miles west. Catching reds and specks was the name of the game. Redfish, red drum, spot tail, spots, speckled trout, sea trout, paper mouths, and channel bass are all names for sporty little fish that pull like heck at the end of a line. They are pretty good eating too.

My husband, Johnny, my sister, Mary Beth, and I were the last remaining participants of a fishing trip originally planned for eight. We drove the 10-hour trek past New Orleans to Apple Jack fishing camp in Port Sulphur, Louisiana. We navigated through a rough looking trailer park and topped a steep levee to reveal rows of houses on stilts lining a road flanked on either side by water. The waterside community reminded me of my place on the Ogeechee River back in Georgia and I knew I would come to love this fish camp far from home.

Returning home refreshed and recharged I wanted to capture Louisiana in a single recipe. Combining our haul from the fishing trip and a traditional topping for oysters married the flavors to represent the tastes of our trip.

“There’s no such thing as bad food in south Louisiana. It’s on a level with heroin.”- James Lee Burke

Red Fish Bienville

• ½ cup shallots, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 4 tablespoons flour

• 1 cup chopped mushrooms

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 cup half and half

• 1 egg yolk

• 1/3 cup dry white wine

• 1 cup peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 4 red fish filets

• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 tablespoons butter

• Lemons and Fresh Parsley

PREPARATION

1. Sauté the shallots and garlic in butter and slowly stir over a very low heat until the onions are well cooked, but not brown. Sprinkle with the flour and cook until the flour begins to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock and half and half and stir until smooth. Beat the egg yolk into the wine and add to the chicken broth mixture. Season with the salt and pepper, and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes until thickened. You may need to add chicken broth if mixture gets too thick. Add shrimp and cook until just pink.

2. Place red fish in baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Cook filets for 10-15 minutes until just done.

3. Mix Ritz, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter together for topping.

4. Spoon the sauce over each filet and sprinkle with Ritz topping. Return to the oven and bake until Ritz mixture is lightly browned.

5. Garnish with lemon and parsley. Serve with rice or grits.

Vanilla Pear Honey

By most standards this is a recipe for pear preserves. A sweet lady named Mrs. Gloria Ellison shared a jar of her “pear honey” each year when she made them at her home on Oglesby Pond. I could make a meal of warm biscuits, butter, and pear honey. I don’t have Mrs. Gloria’s recipe but I came up with a recipe that is similar. I added vanilla bean to the recipe. The subtle flavor and specks of vanilla bean make this recipe something special.

I used pears from the trees my Grandaddy planted at the farm. I think most people are intimidated by the pears that grow plentifully in our area. The pears are hard and green and never seem to ripen until they are rotting on the ground. The secret is to catch the pears when they start to change color slightly from green to yellow with hints of burnt orange. The flesh of the pears is white upon pealing but turns the most beautiful amber honey color when cooked.

10 cups Pears (peeled, cored, and cut into pieces)

1 Lemon

8 c Sugar

1 Vanilla Bean

Peal, core, and slice pears and place into a bowl of cold water with juice from one lemon. When all pears are cut drain off lemon water. Place pears in a pot with sugar. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the pot. Cook for 2 hours on a slow simmer until pears are tender. Place in jars using proper canning techniques.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

My new favorite biscuit recipe!! So ready for FALL!!! In researching for this recipe I found most recipes called for buttermilk. I do love the tang of buttermilk in a traditional biscuit but I knew I wanted these sweet potato biscuits to be sugary and cake-like. This is a feel good recipe and I hope it makes you happy!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

4 c Plain Flour

1 Tbs. Baking Powder

1/2 c Sugar

2 sticks Butter

2 c mashed Sweet Potatoes

1/2 c Heavy Cream

1/2 c Milk

Cinnamon Sugar Glaze:

6 Tbs Butter

1/2 c Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Place flour, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Cut very cold butter into pats and cut in with a fork. I like to use my fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Add sweet potatoes, heavy cream, and milk. Stir until just combined.

The dough will be very sticky. Turn dough onto floured surface. Flour your hands generously and work dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Using a floured knife cut dough into 2x2 inch squares.

Melt the butter for the glaze and put in a shallow dish. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow dish. After cutting each biscuit dip top in butter and then dip in cinnamon sugar. Place on greased baking sheet so biscuits are almost touching. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the tops and edges are starting to brown.

The biscuits do spread when cooking. Let cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm.

• Two medium sweet potatoes should yield 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. Bake potatoes until tender and allow to cool completely. Peel and mash. Place in fridge until ready to use.

• When I “cut” flour in using my fingers I just squish bigger pieces of butter and flour between my fingers until the butter and flour start to look like lumpy cornmeal. I like to touch and feel food. Especially dough! You can always use a fork if you don’t like messy hands.

• Don’t over handle or mix dough. These biscuits will be perfectly tender if you do not overwork the dough.

• Flour is your friend when preparing this recipe. Keep flour nearby because this dough is sweet and sticky!

• Allow biscuits to cool slightly so they are easier to handle and don’t tear or crumble.

• These are delicious for breakfast, dessert, or sandwiched with a slice of salty ham.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

This was not my first time making cinnamon rolls, and it certainly won’t be my last. I love this new recipe. It was simple and fast! I typically don’t gravitate towards recipes that involve yeast, and kneading, and rising….I just don’t have the patience required for baking. My attention span is much too short for all that measuring and waiting. This recipe does require a little tlc but its totally worth the extra effort. My family gave this recipe its definite stamp of approval!

Dough:

2 1/2-3 c All-Purpose Flour

3 Tbs. Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

1 pack Dry Yeast

1/2 c Water

1/4c Milk

3 Tbs. Butter (softened

Filling:

3 Tbs. Butter (softened)

3/4 c Brown Sugar

3 Tbs. Cinnamon

Rising Glaze:

1/2 c Heavy Cream

2 Tbs. Butter

Icing:

3/4 c Heavy Cream

2 c Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Place all of the dry ingredients in mixer bowl and mix well. Place butter, milk, and water in a small bowl. Make sure the tap water is hot. The temp of water and milk mixture should be around 110-115 degrees. The heat from the liquid activates the yeast. You can microwave the mixture until it reaches desired temperature. Pour the milk mixture in the mixer bowl with dry ingredients. Mix with dough hook attachment for 5 minutes. The dough should pull away from the side of the bowl and be smooth and elastic to the touch. Not sticky. Add additional flour if the dough is sticky.

Place the dough on floured counter top and press or roll out until you have a 14x12 inch rectangle of dough.

Cover entire rectangle of dough with softened butter, then cover with brown sugar, and sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Roll dough tightly starting with the long end. Once you have a long roll cut the cinnamon rolls in 2 inch segments. Place rolls touching each other in greased 9x13 pan. Mix 1/2 c heavy cream and 2 Tbs. melted butter in bowl and microwave until just warm pour over cinnamon rolls. Cover with warm damp towel and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. While cinnamon rolls are cooking place icing ingredients in bowl and whisk until smooth. Remove cinnamon rolls from oven and spread icing generously over the warm rolls. Serve warm.

Chicken Verde Cups

16 oz Cream Cheese

4 c Cooked, Shredded Chicken Breast

1 c Salsa Verde

7 oz Chopped Green Chilies

1 c Pepper Jack Cheese

1/2 c Chopped Green Olives

1/4 c Chopped Green Onion

Dash Hot Sauce

1 lb Egg Roll Wrappers

Place all ingredients in a bowl , and mix well. Cut egg roll wrappers into 4 smaller squares. Spray a mini muffin pan generously. Place one wrapper in each muffin cup. Fill wonton cups with chicken verde filling.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the edges of wonton wrappers begin to brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve.

I like to spoon a little salsa verde on top for extra color and flavor.

This recipe makes 4 dozen cups. You can also serve the chicken verde filling as a dip. Just top with extra cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes and serve with tortilla chips.

Pimento Cheese Cornbread

4 c Self-Rising Corn Meal

1 1/2 c Buttermilk

1/2 c Milk

2 Eggs

1/2 c Oil

1/2 c Sour Cream

2 Tbs. Sugar

1 Tsp. Salt

1 c Bacon (cooked and crumbled)

1 c Pimento Cheese

Place all ingredients in bowl except pimento cheese. Mix until just combined. Add pimento cheese and mix until just combined. I like to leave some bigger pieces of pimento cheese so you can see the gooey cheese when you cut the cornbread. Pour into greased 9x13 pan or skillet and bake at 350 degrees
for 30 minutes or until middle is set. Let cool for 10 minutes and slice.

Creme Brulee Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

4-6 Medium Sweet Potatoes

Crème Brulee Filling:

1 c Whole Milk

8 Egg Yolks

1/2 c Sugar

2 Tbs. Cornstarch

2 1/2 c Heavy Cream

1 Vanilla Bean

Dusting Sugar:

1/2 c Sugar

1 tsp. Pumpkin Spice

Bake sweet potatoes until tender. Let rest until ready to use.

Place egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in bowl whisk until smooth. Add heavy cream and whisk until smooth.

Place milk in saucepan and heat until just warm and bubbles start to form around the edges. Do NOT boil.

Pour milk into egg and cream mixture slowly to temper. Pour mixture back into pot. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into mixture. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken and bubbles form in the center.

Do NOT boil. This mixture will break and you will have to start over!

Chill mixture completely in refrigerator.

Reheat potatoes until warm. Cut slit into potatoes longways and make well in the center. Sprinkle inside with dusting sugar. Spoon crème brulee filling in well. Dust with sugar and torch until golden brown. Allow to cool for 1 minute. Serve as a side dish or dessert!

Apple Blondies

Its HOT as Hell in Georgia right now. I just needed a little fall in my life. I wasn’t ready for pumpkin spice just yet so I opted for a cinnamon spiced apple recipe. The tart of the granny smith apples is delicious with the buttery and sugary blondie filling. Try an apple blondie square topped with vanilla ice cream and I promise you will feel a crispness in the air that wasn’t there before.

Blondies:

1 stick Butter

2 c Brown Sugar

1 1/2 c White Sugar

3 Eggs

1 Tbs. Vanilla

1 tsp. Cinnamon

3/4 Tbs. Baking Powder

3 c Plain Flour

3 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored, and diced)

Icing:

1 c Powdered Sugar

1 Tbs. Mayonnaise

2 Tbs. Half and Half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Melt butter and place in mixing bowl with brown sugar and white sugar. Mix well. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl mix flour, cinnamon, and baking powder until combined. Add to sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Batter will be very thick. Add apples and fold in.

Pour into prepared dish. Pat the batter into the corners. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The top will be golden brown and slightly gooey in the center.

Mix powdered sugar, mayo, and half and half with whisk until smooth. Pour over warm blondies.

Allow to cool completely before you slice.

I can never wait to slice so mine always has big scoops missing out of the corners.

Variations:

Add 1 cup of pecans or walnuts

Jambalaya

The main motivation for this recipe was a savory ham bone left over from last Sunday’s dinner. I hate to waste a good ham bone! They are full of flavor and make a rich stock. Also, the autumnal nip in the air Thursday afternoon and Friday morning made me wish for a hearty pot of fall comfort food!

I have to credit my Mother with this recipe. She made this when we were growing up. It makes a big pot so she would always send some to a sick friends or family member. I modified the recipe and added shrimp and white wine. I included a pic of my Mother’s original recipe card.

1 Ham Bone (with some meat still attached)

1 c Green Bell Pepper (diced)

1 c Onion (diced)

1 c Celery (diced)

1 lb Smoked Sausage (sliced in rounds)

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

2 c Ham (cubed)

1 c White Wine

2 cans Petite Diced Tomatoes (14.5oz)

4 c Chicken Broth

2 c Rice

1 lb Shrimp (peeled and deveined)

2/3 c Ketchup

3 Tbs. Hot Sauce

1 Tbs. Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Place ham bone and 6 c water in a heavy stock pot. Boil until tender. Remove bone from broth and allow too cool. Cut remaining meat from bone (approximately 2 cups) and save. Save 4 cups of ham stock.

Place olive oil, bell pepper, onion, celery, and sausage in a heavy bottom soup pot. Sauté until veggies are tender. Add white wine and deglaze. Add ham stock, chicken stock, tomatoes, and cubed ham. Bring to a boil. Add rice and reduce heat. Cook until rice is done. You may have to add additional stock if needed.

Remove from heat. Stir in hot sauce, seasonings, ketchup and shrimp. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve with cornbread! This is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day after flavors have time to marry. You can omit the shrimp or add chicken for a variation!

Big Batch Margaritas

This recipe makes 3 gallons of the best homemade margaritas you have ever tasted! Make sure you have a big bucket or cooler to mix it up in. I make this recipe for parties, or I give away quart jars to friends!

4 cans Frozen Limeade

15 oz. Lime Juice

4 Liters Sprite

4 12 oz. Corona Beer

19 oz. Country Time Lemonade Mix

32 oz. Pineapple Juice

2-3 c Patron Tequila

Mix all ingredients. Add tequila to taste. Serve chilled over ice, and rim glass with salt. Store in fridge for up to two weeks.

Variations:

Puree frozen mixed berries and add to margarita mix. Garnish with fresh berries,

Add fresh peach or mango puree to margarita mix.

Muddle fresh jalapeno pepper slices in glass. Add margarita mix. Rim glass with salt and pinch of cayenne pepper.

Skillet Pound Cake

Skillet Pound Cake with Farmers Market Fruit

3 sticks Salted Butter

1 c Sugar

3 Eggs

2 ½ c Self-Rising Flour

½ c Sour Cream

1 Lemon Juice and Zest

Place 1 stick butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Place skillet in 350 degree oven and melt butter

completely. Do not brown or burn butter.

Turn oven down to 325 degrees.

While the butter is melting in the skillet. Place 2 sticks softened butter and sugar in mixer andbeat until fluffy.

Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add flour and sour cream alternately.

Mix until combined. Remove hot skillet from oven and pour batter over melted butter. Place in center of oven

and bake at 325 degrees for 30-45 minutes until the cake is set. Serve warm in theskillet with fresh farmers

market fruit and freshly whipped cream.

Summer Squash and Cheese Grit Soufflé

You can always find leftover grits in the kitchen at Honey Cafe. I always cook too many because who can actually cook a small pot of grits? It’s not possible. They grow! I use my leftover grits in cornbread dressing, skillet cornbread, and now a new variation on a summer favorite, squash casserole! So next time you cook too many grits don’t toss them in the trash. A new recipe awaits!

4 c Cooked Grits

2 c Cooked Squash

1 1/2 c Sharp Cheddar (shredded)

2 Green Onions

4 eggs

Season Salt & Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place grits, squash, 1 cup cheddar, and green onion a in bowl.

Separate eggs and add yolks to grit mixture. Mix well.

Beat egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Add to bowl with grits mixture and gently fold in.

Add season salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into greased baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 c cheddar. Bake for 30-45 minutes.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Nothing pairs better with the pure dog days of summer than a refreshing lemon pie. I have always been intimidated by lemon meringue pies. So many things can go wrong! The pie crust might be a tad too brown, the filling too runny, the meringue might weep or turn grainy. Do not be afraid! The recipe below is fool proof, and the towering meringue can make any cook look like a pro.

This recipe makes two pies, as I believe one pie is never enough!! Make one for your next event and keep one for home! The recipe does call for two whole lemons which does go against every grain of culinary student still trapped inside my 35 year old body. I was taught never to allow the bitter white pith of lemon rind to mar the delicate flavor of lemon zest. However, I love the vibrant flavor of this pie and I attribute that lively flavor to using two whole lemons!

2 9inch Deep Dish Pie Crust

Filling:

2 Whole Lemons

3 c Sugar

4 Tbs. Flour

6 Tbs. Cornstarch

2 c Water

1 c Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Salt

10 Egg Yolks

3 Tbs. Butter

Meringue:

10 Egg Whites

1/2 c Sugar

1 Tbs. Cream of Tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick pie crust with a fork and cook until barely brown (approximately 8-10 minutes).

Prepare filling: Place sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt in non-reactive pot. Mix well. Add water, lemon juice, and egg yolk. Mix with a whisk until all egg yolks are incorporated. Quarter whole lemons and remove the seeds. Place in blender/food processor and pulverize. Add to egg yolk mixture. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Pour into prepared pie shells.

Prepare meringue: Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in mixer with whip attachment. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Top pies with meringue. Bake at 350 degrees for 10- 12 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Allow to cool and set before slicing.

Beer Boiled Peanuts

I always research recipes before I create my own take on a dish. Most boiled peanut recipes call for 2 lbs of peanuts. Around my house, 2 lbs. of peanuts would just cause a fight. We require a 5 lb. minimum. My Daddy and Uncle Mark would pick a truck bed full of fresh peanuts on the vine and the kids and farm help would pick the nuts free of the vine. They would fire up a big army pot on a gas burner and cook those field peanuts to perfection under the office shelter at the farm. Just like frying fish straight out of the river peanuts are better boiled fresh off the vine. I like to take old classics and add a fun new spin. These peanuts are best the next day. They soak up all those delicious spices!

5 lbs Raw Green Peanuts

1 c Seasoned Salt

1/3 c Pepper

3/4 c Sugar

1 c Franks Hot Sauce

16 oz jar Jalapeno Slices

16 oz Budweiser

2 gallons Water

Rinse peanuts and pick out stems and vines. Add peanuts and remaining ingredients to a large pot. Place lid on pot and cook for 1-2.5 hours depending on the size and freshness of the nuts. You may need to add additional water as the nuts cook. Once peanuts are soft inside the shell turn off heat and allow peanuts to sit in pot liquor (cooking juice) for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Drain and serve. If there are any left refrigerate and enjoy later! These are called beer boiled peanuts because beer is an actual ingredient in the recipe but they are also best enjoyed with an ice cold beer!

Blueberry Biscuits

Earlier this week went for a late afternoon walk on the farm at dusk dark. The walk did my heart, mind, and soul good. After a stressful wedding season I just needed to slow down and allow the land to speak to me and remind me who I am. A girl from Grapevine Rd. My favorite place and the very best place to be! I breathed in the air after a much needed rain, watched a mama doe with her little ones, scavenged the field rows for shards of glass and pottery of an old home place, checked our favorite sunflower field, and marveled at how peaceful life can be in the still moments.

I ended my walk down “the lane”, near the blueberry bushes. The berries were just beginning to ripen. Clusters of bitter green, tart fuchsia, and sweet blue enticed me for a quick snack. The recipe below is a variation of a well loved biscuit recipe. You could easily add fruit or even cinnamon and raisins to the recipe below. They are the most delicious fresh out of the oven.

Blueberry Biscuits:

4 c Plain Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 c Sugar

1 stick Butter

2 Eggs

1 c Sour Cream

1 c Butter Milk

1 c Blueberries

Icing:

2 c Confectioners Sugar

5 Tbs. Heavy Cream

2 Tbs. Butter

1 Tbs. Vanilla

Dash Cinnamon

Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar into bowl and mix well. Grate very cold butter into flour mixture. Mix until butter is just distributed. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Mix egg, sour cream, and buttermilk together and add to well in flour mixture. Stir flour into wet mixture and mix until just combined. Mixture will be very sticky. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead a few times and pat out flat. Sprinkle blueberries over dough and fold dough over to enclose berries. Pat dough out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured biscuit cutter. Place biscuits close together on a greased pan. Almost touching! Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. While biscuits are baking mix all icing ingredients until smooth. Remove biscuits from oven and immediately pour icing over the top and enjoy piping hot.