Home Grown Tomatoes - Tomato Pie

left to right, top to bottom; Tomato Pie after bake and pre-bake; Spaghetti and the jewels that made it all possible.

There is a saying in the South, “There is nothing better than Home Grown Tomatoes.” There were several summers Mama had tomato plants out by the swimming pool. As someone who really doesn’t like eating raw tomatoes (yes, I AM a true Southerner), I have in recent years tried things like tomato sandwiches. I won’t say I don’t like them, but then, enough Duke’s Mayonnaise can make any dish taste good!

While visiting my friends Mary Angela and Zebidiah Prince yesterday, I noticed their bounty of tomatoes in their kitchen. Thankfully they sent me home with two bags ripe and ready to eat. I had already decided to make some homemade spaghetti sauce this weekend; my canned tomatoes now get a reprieve. 

Tomato Pie was also on my mind. In conversation with my friend Lane Harvey last week, she shared a Tomato Pie recipe that used Pimento Cheese as it’s topping. It just so happens I have some leftover Pimento Cheese from last week and added one cup of shredded mozzarella and a dab of Duke’s.  Here is my original recipe. 

Tomato Pie

4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced

10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

½ cup chopped green onion

1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell

1 cup grated mozzarella

1 cup grated cheddar

1 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.

Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.

Back To School - Lunch Boxes - Plain Cookies

I was a proud owner of an "Emergency" lunch box back in the day. Notice the choices kids have today. They are really deprived!

Back To School - Lunch Boxes - Plain Cookies

During a recent shopping excursion, the seasonal aisle containing things like grilling accessories and outdoor serving pieces had been replaced by school supplies! Schools in the Metro Nashville area will be convening in two weeks. What really caught my attention was the lackluster assortment of lunch boxes on display. When I was a student, I recall an abundance of choices that included almost every television show, cartoon character, super hero, or movie. I begged for new lunch box every year, although I can count on two hands the number of times I took a lunch to school. 

Mrs. Connor's Plain Cookies

A few weeks ago I posted a favorite recipe from my days as a student at Lanier County Primary School. This post will feature another of Mrs. Margaret Connor’s recipes. She called them Plain Cookies but they are similar to drop cookie recipes I have found. The recipe was taken from the Flatlanders Cook Book. 

Plain Cookies

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¾ tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 sticks butter

2 ¼ cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Remove butter from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to beginning to allow it to soften. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until well blended. In a separate container, beat eggs and vanilla together with a fork until blended and add to creamed mixture. Add dry ingredients gradually, mixing until well blended. Using a tablespoon, drop cookies onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes about 50 cookies. 

Peach Cobbler from a Georgia Peach

Fresh Peach Cobbler - recipe courtesy Grandma Pafford's Cook Book: Her Favorites - Old and New Recipes Tried & Tested in Grandma's Kitchen

Today was a leisurely Sunday that allowed me to visit the Farmer's Market set up in my neighborhood of Madison. Not expecting to buy anything, I saw Georgia peaches from The Peach Truck, a local business that I recall seeing debut in Nashville last summer. Peach Cobbler had been on my mind...so when in Rome...(or Madison, in this case).

Thanks to my Aunt Nell's niece, Annette Dickson Tobin, I was able to secure a copy of one of the first Lanier County cookbooks I remember getting my hands on as a child. I don't know what happened to Mama's but am thankful for this 26 page treasure. Bobby Pafford, a Lanier County native, while running for the Public Service Commission of the State of Georgia, distributed Grandma Pafford's Cook Book: Her Favorites - Old and New Recipes Tried and Tested in Grandma's Kitchen. The cookbook is divided into four sections: Cakes and Fillings, Pies, Cookies & Candy, Salads & Miscellaneous (dishes more savory in nature). As the book opens in the center where it is stapled, on page 13 is the recipe for Fresh Peach Cobbler. The recipe I provide below has been edited and re-written, but is the original recipe.

Fresh Peach Cobbler

5 medium sized peaches, ripe; peeled and sliced

1 cup sugar

tablespoons (¾ stick) butter, melted

1 cup sugar

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup milk

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix peaches with one cup of sugar and set aside. Combine 1 cup of sugar, flour, baking powder, milk and salt; whisk until smooth avoiding lumps in flour.  Pour that mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish in which the melted butter has been added. DO NOT STIR. Add sweetened peaches and bake for 1 hour. 

Ok, so I have a pretty big announcement...and I'm still pinching myself about it. Shelly Barnes, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent with the University of Tennessee Extension in Wilson County, has invited me to participate in the "Taste of Wilson County" at the 2014 Wilson County Fair in Lebanon. My demonstration will be Saturday August 23, at 5:00PM at the Adult Family & Consumer Sciences Building. I would love to personally invite all of you to attend.  I have attended many fairs over the years and the Wilson County Fair is on the top of my list. Great food, clean midways and great things to see and do are in store for everyone. For more information on the Fair, visit http://www.wilsoncountyfair.net

School Lunchroom Food - Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

Lunchroom Ladies, Lanier County High School, 1981 

Thinking back to my school years, I always enjoyed cafeteria food. Vegetable soup and yeast rolls stand out as some of the best things I ate during my years in the Lanier County School system. To this day, the best glazed doughnuts I've ever had were at the Palms Dining Center located on the Valdosta State campus. The staff would not put them out to be served until after the football team had left eating breakfast. My guess is that the football team would have left none for anyone else to enjoy.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

As a student at Lanier County Primary School, Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies were my favorite treat.  Mrs. Margaret Conner, who supervised the lunchroom, submitted this recipe in the Flatlanders Cook Book. Occasionally these were made with Rice Krispies cereal. All in all, they are similar to a Rice Krispies Marshmallow Treat in consistency; using peanut butter instead of marshmallows. 

This recipe is one of the four items as part of my first phase of testing for the cookbook. It is likely I will test each recipe between five and ten times before it will be in it's final state. That being said, let me preface any future recipes featured here on my blog may or may not be included in my cookbook. It is possible I will also post a recipe that will be in either preliminary stages of testing. This is the original recipe as it is listed in Flatlanders Cook Book.  In my testing I have been using light corn syrup instead of dark and I mix/heat the sugar, syrup and peanut butter together before adding cereal. Further testing will reveal more precise things like types of equipment used, pan size, etc. 

Additionally, many people today have concerns about using products containing GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) or High Fructose Corn Syrup. According to the Karo Syrup website's Frequently Asked Questions, none of their corn syrup products currently being manufactured contain High Fructose Corn Syrup. There is no information on their site as to whether it is or is not genetically motified. 

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

2 cups sugar

1 cup dark Karo syrup

2 cups peanut butter

2½ quarts corn flakes

Mix sugar and Karo syrup.  Let mixture boil up once and remove from heat.  Add peanut butter and cereal. Mix well working quickly. Put mixture into greased pan and press down.  Cut into squares while warm.  Caution:  work quickly; mixture hardens fast. 

Testing...1, 2, 3...4

Fried Chicken...something that improves each time I make it. Does practice really make perfect?

Have you ever prepared a recipe and the results didn’t quite come out like it should have? Does the recipe for your Aunt Martha’s Peach Cobbler not taste like the way she made it? As I wrote in my last blog entry titled “Cookbook Boot Camp”, I mentioned the work ahead of me is to begin testing recipes. 

A well-written recipe contains a list of ingredients listed in order of how they are to be used. The instructions should be clear and leave nothing unexplained. These are all things I thought I knew and understood. I also learned this after making a Lemon Chiffon Pie Father’s Day weekend. 

Let me preface that I do not have a lot of experience baking or making desserts. I am not ashamed to admit cooking mistakes. Now you get a confession. My whipped egg whites did not become stiff like the recipe called for. Not understanding what I had done wrong, I carried on with the recipe and decided I would make it again in the future.  

Upon leaving the kitchen, I went to YouTube and found a video on whipping egg whites. It was in that video I learned my mistake. I whipped my egg whites in a plastic bowl instead of using a glass or metal bowl. The chef in the video explained that even a clean plastic bowl retains oils from previous uses and therefore the whites will not stiffen properly. 

Earlier in the week, I decided to officially begin testing for the cookbook. Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy, Buttermilk Biscuits, Seven Layer Salad and Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies were the items I chose to prepare for and serve today, Independence Day. All and all everything came out really good. I chose three of my friends to test for and serve a late lunch. I received “thumbs-up” on all items; however, I have made notes and know what steps I will do differently next time. 

The Fried Chicken was very good today; it needed a little more seasoning in my opinion. Over the last few years, I have consistently made good gravy so that turned out nice and smooth today. The Seven Layer Salad tasted just exactly as I remember it tasting the last time I ate it. I altered the original recipe for Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies with one I found on the Karo Syrup website. The taste was exactly like it should be but they ended up more of a messy, clumpy type of cookie rather than a bar I was hoping would result.

None of the items were perfected this first test. Therefore, I will not post a recipe today. Please forgive me, dear readers; I promise one to come next week.

Cookbook Boot Camp

Patti LaBelle, Ted & Matt Lee

I only heard two phrases spoken while music blared thru the EarPods of my iPhone.

"Thank you for choosing Southwest Airlines flight 2266 with non-stop service from Nashville to New York's LaGuardia Airport."  

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have started our descent into New York’s LaGuardia airport. In preparation for landing, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Make sure your seat belt is securely fastened and all carry-on luggage is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Please turn off all computers until we are safely parked at the gate."

With this last phrase my heart began to race. Arriving in a destination such as New York is exciting in it's own right. My purpose for visiting New York was to attend a Cookbook Boot Camp hosted by Matt & Ted Lee. In my blog entry titled "The Mechanism", I spoke of my hesitation to get "in gear" and complete my cookbook project. I was now about to walk off the proverbial cliff of fear and anxiety, hoping to fly.

Ted and Matt invited myself and other participants in the Boot Camp to arrive for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at the Brooklyn studio Ted shares with his artist wife. There I was joined by Rachel, Leah, Carol and Jackie. Our group, we later learned, was the first session for non-chefs; bloggers, writers and cooks. Rachel is a culinary school graduate from the Asbury Park, New Jersey area. Leah is a Charleston native and an attorney currently living in Atlanta. Carol resides in the New York City area and has previous writing and literary experience. Jackie works in marketing and lives in his hometown of Tucson. As we got to know each other, it was interesting to hear everyone’s specific concepts and ideas for their books.

Without going into details on what was covered in the sessions, the big takeaway for me was learning what I should be doing to get a book published. The time and information shared by Matt & Ted was invaluable.  Something unexpected was how each of the participants sought and gave input to each other. I took away several ideas for titles and concepts from our discussions alone. 

Food...Glorious Food!

During my downtime, I was able to see two Broadway productions Motown The Musical and After Midnight. During the performance of Motown, I was sitting on the second row. The actress portraying Diana Ross, while performing the song "Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand), reached out and shook my hand. Due to photography not being allowed during the performance, you'll just have to take my word for it that it happened. 

While waiting for my ticket for After Midnight, the show's star, Patti LaBelle, arrived at the theatre. She was on a phone call and I didn't get to really talk to her. However, to the person on the other end of her phone she said, "Listen, honey...I just arrived at the theatre. There are some fans out here wanting their picture made with me." I proceeded to snap several "selfies" with her. 

New York and Brooklyn did not disappoint my palate! Upon arrival in Brooklyn Wednesday, I visited Roberta's for pizza. Luckily I enjoyed it because Matt and Ted served it to us for Friday's lunch. Thursday's they ordered in sandwiches from Saltie. Thursday evening I stopped into the Paramount Hotel to ask for a suggestion for dinner before Motown. The Concierge suggested Daniela, an Italian restaurant in the heart of the Theatre District. There I enjoyed a squid ink pasta with shrimp, crabmeat and cherry red peppers. I visited three delis during my visit: Carnegie Deli (Friday dinner: club sandwich), Katz Delicatessen (Saturday breakfast: over easy eggs with sausage, home fries and toast) & 2nd Avenue Deli (Saturday dessert: chocolate bakba). Before I arrived, I decided I wanted to have Korean food. My lunch choice on Saturday was beef bulgogi from Madangsui near Macy's Herald Square. My final culinary indulgence were macaroons from Sugar and Plumm in SoHo.

Now the work begins...I will send the rest of the year testing recipes and writing a proposal. Stay tuned!

Daddy

Lawson I and Lawson II with Robert (top and bottom photos)

Father’s Day offers me a chance to reflect. Daddy was one cool dude! I feel like I channel him in various way as I go through each day. His quirks, the things he would say and some of his habits I realize I have acquired.  

One thing I have not exactly taken on is how much he loved coffee. I enjoy coffee when I wake up each day. Beyond that, I rarely drink any caffeinated beverages. Daddy had his own habits, or preferences you could say. He drank coffee each and every day at 5am and at 5pm. This schedule did not diminish no matter the circumstance, his location at the time or whether or not he was at home. 

When he served in the Georgia General Assembly, his hotel bathroom served as his personal barista parlor. There you would find a Bunn coffee system, mugs, Folgers coffee, sugar and half and half. He travelled with a small cooler for transporting half and half. This prevented him from traveling by air for many of his trips. 

He passed away in 1994 when i was 27 years old. The coffee craze from the Pacific Northwest had not yet found it’s way to South Georgia. I can only imagine that he would not like coffee from establishments like Starbucks. He probably would not have wanted to order a latte, frappé or any of the specialty coffee beverages many people enjoy today. 

In honor of Father's Day, I have included a recipe for Lemon Chiffon Pie. It is one of my favorite desserts Mama made, and I'm quite certain it was served to the family on Father's Day.

Lemon Chiffon Pie

1 baked 9” pie shell

1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin

1 ½ cups sugar, divided

4 eggs, separated 

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

⅓ cup cold water

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup heavy cream, whipped

Separate eggs and allow whites to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before beginning. Combine gelatin and ⅓ cup of sugar. In double boiler top, beat egg yolks well; stir in lemon juice, lemon rind and water followed by gelatin/sugar mixture. Cook over boiling water, stirring, 5 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and place over large bowl filled with ice water to cool.. Place egg whites in glass or metal bowl and beat with salt until fairly stiff. Gradually add ½ cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff. Fold in lemon mixture. Fold chiffon mixture into pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, spread whipped cream on top. You can sweeten the whipped cream with the remaining sugar, to taste.

The Anti-Pimento Cheese

Cheddar is not the culprit here

Pimento Cheese is one of my favorite things on the planet. In a future blog post I will write about it and share Mama's recipe for her Pimento Cheese. For now, let's look at an alternate version of this Southern staple.

I visit my sister Paula each September and spend a week at her condo in St. Augustine Beach. If you ever have the chance, St. Augustine is a wonderful place to visit, vacation and rest and recharge. On my visit in 2011, we were invited to her neighbor Jim & Bonnie's for a cookout. During that time I was doing much of the testing for recipes I will include in my cookbook. I came across a very interesting recipe from Matt and Ted Lee.

In their book, The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout DIshes with Down-Home Flavor, their recipe for Cheese Relish is suggested as a snack for your favorite cracker or as a filling for a grilled sandwich. I prepared this dish and presented it with a basket of crackers. However, many of the guests were adding it to their hot dogs as a topping. After a taste myself, I have decided this is my preferred way to enjoy this "anti-Pimento Cheese". I imagine it would be great on a grilled burger as well. This recipe is in honor of Matt and Ted, as I prepare to spend next week at their Cookbook Book Camp in Brooklyn. 

Cheese Relish

10 oz. Swiss cheese, finely grated
One 12-oz. jar pickled banana peppers (hot if available) drained and minced
3 tbs. sour cream
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbs. chives minced (approx. 1/6 bunch)
2 tbs. capers (soaked in fresh water for 1 minute then drained)

Mix all ingredients together with a spatula until evenly blended.  Refrigerate, if possible, for 2 hours or overnight.   

The Mechanism

One of my favorite music discoveries over the last year is Disclosure, an English electronic music duo consisting of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence. I attended their show in Atlanta at Terminal West last October. Their album (I can say "album" because it was issued on vinyl, as well as CD and digital formats) Settle, was nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards.

As a big music lover, I have previously used music for inspiration for blog posts and will continue to do so in the future when appropriate. Driving to work, The Mechanism shuffled it's way into my headset. It was released back in April and features producer Friend Within. It has a heavily produced deep house sound, with only vocal samples for lyrics. However those few words speak to my project, where I currently am, where I need to be, and encourages me to keep focused. Click on the video above to listen to and watch the video! You can also download the track on iTunes.

“So one of the things I need y’all to do for me is
You gotta know that it’s coming
And once you know it’s coming
Once you know it’s coming
Stay in the zone
Stay in your body
Increase your maximum level
It’s one simple reason

The mechanism of incessant,
incessant, habitual conceptualization
Creation of ideas, goals and frameworks
That are turned over
Completed
To the friend within”

— The Mechanism - Disclosure featuring Friend Within

Over the last year I have been compiling recipes and writing stories. I enlisted friends to assist with editing the various sections. My friend David Paine has reviewed and edited all sections as a whole. I guess you could say I have technically finished my book. That being said, until starting this website a few months ago, I was at a standstill. I was in fear in any type of movement or progression toward my final goal. I've imagined myself on a mountain cliff looking down below. My thought process has told me that once I move too far into this project, it will be like falling off the high point of that mountain and with no turning back. It's easy to see everything from a safe place. My journey into the unknown has paralyzed me from pursuing this further. 

Two months ago, I decided to focus on writing a book version that would be electronic in nature versus a printed work. I began laying out the content using iBooks Author on my Mac computer. Work demands and time constraints inserted themselves into my work flow and thus, the application hasn't been opened in several weeks. Around the time of my renaissance of sorts, I got a call from a friend with an opportunity that I will share with you at a later date. That event is what prompted me to begin my website and this blog. Fortunately, I came across something called Cook Book Bootcamp. Below is copy from their website describing the event.

“Cookbook Boot Camp is a two-day intensive workshop for professional chefs and others eager to publish cookbooks of quality. In a series of six intensive seminars hosted by award-winning cookbook authors Matt Lee and Ted Lee,participants will shape a compelling kitchen vision—and learn practical methods for communicating that vision to others—so that they can achieve their personal and professional goals through cookbooks. Success in publishing requires different skill-sets from restaurant success, but what both share is a dependence on the chef’s core vision and his or her ability to express that vision to customers, viewers, readers, editors and agents. At Cookbook Boot Camp, Matt and Ted lead a select group of participants in seminars whose rigorous, workshop-style exercises will produce a compelling and unique vision, and a personalized action plan for each participant, including, in the final seminar, the foundation of a cookbook proposal. Seminars begin with the fundamentals of crafting a personalized story and progress to the nuts and bolts—topics like developing recipes, finding an agent, editing a manuscript and managing a successful photo shoot.”

— http://www.thefoodlife.com

I'm happy to share that I will be flying to New York in two weeks to attend Cookbook Boot Camp. This is the much-needed "kick in the butt" I've been desperate for. My expectation is that I will return home with many tools in my tool belt and further direction. 

After Memorial Day

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Peeler Park - Madison, Tennessee

When I host luncheons, I usually have everyone gather by 11:00 AM. This time I decided to allow myself a leisurely morning with a 2:00 PM start time. I started with a walk at my favorite local greenway, Peeler Park. Being an early riser, I was on the path by 7:00 AM. I was hoping for about a two hour walk but a minor rainstorm (more importantly, no waterproof protection for my iPhone on hand) rendered me down to about 85 minutes. Going forward, i'm going to have a ziploc back in my pocket at all times! Above are pictures from a sunny day at Peeler Park.

My last post offered a preview of the day with a recipe for Big Fat Bacon Sliders. I decided to add ground pork to the mixture and it was delicious! In the past I've added sausage to ground beef so I knew the ability to control the seasonings would be something I would appreciate. The proportion was one part beef to one-half pork. 

Potato Salad, Cole Slaw & Sliders/Hot Dogs

The remainder of the menu included hot dogs(which I pan-fried in my cast iron skillet), Mama's Cole Slaw, sweet tea and homemade pink lemonade. Sean brought a shrimp platter, my friend David provided the buns and friend Mark made Patti LaBelle's Potato Salad and Strawberry Delight from the Lee Brothers. He told me that he hoped we enjoyed the dessert because he was never planning to make it again. I honestly didn't read the entire recipe before sending it to him as the ingredients list was enough to know it would be enjoyable. Mark stated that it required more steps than he would have preferred. It was a great frozen treat and I would consider making it myself in the future.

I have never cared for the consistency of cole slaw, specifically the texture of the raw cabbage. Over the years, Mama would ask me about every other year, "How do you know if you don't like cole slaw? Have you ever tasted it?" I actually ate two slaw dogs on Monday and quite enjoyed it; knowing Mama was smiling and saying "Didn't I tell you it was good?" Here is the recipe for Mama's Cole Slaw. 

Mama's Cole Slaw

1 head cabbage, shredded (Mama used the cheese side of a box shredder)

Mayonnaise, to your preferred consistency

¼ cup Sweet Pickle relish

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients until well combined.  Just before serving, add enough salt to taste.

With plenty of leftovers in the refrigerator, and dining out last night at one of Nashville's premiere steakhouses, I have plenty of food for the rest of the week! I think it's time to get the bicycle out to burn some additional calories that walking isn't offering me.

Dinner On The Ground - Memorial Day

Holidays like Memorial Day are occasions I enjoy hosting friends over to my home for food and fellowship. For many it's an official "kick-off" to the Summer season.  I recently learned something interesting about it's history after doing some reading. Writer Sherry Lamoreaux contributed the following to a blog entry on blog.act-on.com titled Dinner on the Ground”: Why We Have Picnics On Memorial Day.

“Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established “Decoration Day” as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. It is believed that May 30th was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. Annual Decoration Days for particular cemeteries are held on a Sunday in late spring or early summer in some rural areas of the American South, notably in the mountains. In cases involving a family graveyard where remote ancestors as well as those who were deceased more recently are buried, this may take on the character of an extended family reunion to which some people travel hundreds of miles.

People gather on the designated day and put flowers on graves and renew contacts with kinfolk and others. There often is a religious service and a “dinner on the ground,” the traditional term for a potluck meal in which people used to spread the dishes out on sheets or tablecloths on the grass. It is believed that this practice began before the American Civil War and thus may reflect the real origin of the “memorial day” idea.

Our nation may have shifted to barbeque as the national Memorial Day tradition (and a kick-off to summer) but we like to think of the custom as having its roots in “dinner on the ground.””

Back home, Mama used to refer to "dinner on the ground", as any type of family reunion or church gathering; although, I never remember eating on the ground, picnic style. Typically, even if we were outdoors, we sat at tables or on the tailgate of our Chevy truck.

Big Fat Bacon Sliders

As I prepare for Memorial Day on Monday, I will be hosting my own "dinner on the ground" Burgers, hot dogs, some awesome sides and a great dessert or two will be on the menu. Next week, i'll post pictures and some recipes. Instead of doing the regular size burger, i'm choosing to make mini-burgers, otherwise known today as sliders. This recipe, from Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman,  I prepared on Memorial Day three years ago. The photograph here was taken on that date as well. However, I'm planning to add a special ingredient into my sliders to make them extra special!  Can you guess what it will be? 

Big Fat Bacon Sliders

(makes about 16 sliders)

2 pounds Ground Beef

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Or Other Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

16 strips Thin/regular Bacon

1⁄4 cups Barbecue Sauce

slices (shavings) Cheese: Cheddar, Jack, Etc.

whole Dinner Rolls (or Slider Rolls)

Combine meat with all seasoning ingredients. Knead with hands to combine. Form into small-to-medium sized balls; an ice cream scoop is a great way to get uniform-sized patties. Cut slices of bacon in half lengthwise. Wrap one half around ball of hamburger, pulling slightly to keep taut. Smooth to secure seam. Repeat with other half of bacon, ending seam in the same place.

Place patties, bacon seam side down, on a baking pan with a drip tray sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Press gently on each patty to flatten as much as you can without squeezing meat out of the edges. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to firm.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Brush each patty liberally with barbecue sauce. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bacon is cooked to your specifications. Remove from oven and lay a cheese shaving on each patty. Serve on a roll with your choice of toppings/condiments.

Condiments...the Sequel

Morton's Wedge Salad with Thousand Island Dressing

Ok…so I have thought I would at least post a recipe every other blog entry. It was my intent to post something with the Condiment entry last week. However, I hit the “publish” link before I did that. I hope my readers will forgive me.

In my list of favorite condiments, I listed Thousand Island Dressing. Mama always kept a bottle of the Kraft brand in the refrigerator,but from time to time would make a homemade version from Mrs. Dull’s Southern Cooking. 

Makes 1½ cups

1 C. mayonnaise

¼ C. chili sauce

1 T chopped onion

1 T chopped sweet pickles

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 t paprika

1 hard boiled egg, chopped (optional)

Mix all ingredients; may be served immediately.  Will keep 4 to 5 days.

Over the weekend, I visited Morton’s Steakhouse, which is one of my favorite places to dine. The Thousand Island Dressing they serve is a combination of equal parts of their Cocktail Sauce mixed with their Mustard-Mayonnaise Sauce. It eliminates the chopped pickles and egg and the horseradish offers a nice “bite” to a traditional recipe. I’ll include the recipes for the Morton’s sauces, which can be found in Morton’s The Cookbook and  Morton’s Steak Bible: Recipes and Lore from the Legendary Steakhouse.

Morton’s Cocktail Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

½ cup bottled commercial horseradish

1¾ cups bottled chili sauce

¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¾ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth. Strain the horseradish in the sieve for 2 to 3 minutes, or until reduced to ¼ cup. Squeeze the cheesecloth to extract all the liquid. Discard the liquid. In a small mixing bowl, combine the strained horseradish, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk until completely blended. Serve immediately or transfer to a covered storage container and refrigerate for up to 7 days. 

Mustard-Mayonnaise Sauce

Morton’s serves this delicious sauce with crab cakes, as well as their miniature steak sandwiches.

Makes about 1¾ cups

1½ cups mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish

In a mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and horseradish. Whisk with a wire whisk until lightened and smooth. Use immediately or transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Condiments

Sauces, marinades, dressings, or whatever your favorite word is for them, we all love condiments. Most of us could not imagine eating foods without having them within arms reach. After all, they have the potential and possibility to make the more boring and bland foods exciting or even tolerable. For you word nerds out there, namely my lifelong friend Davonna Livingston, condiment is defined as a substance such as salt or ketchup that is used to add flavor to food. It’s origin is late Middle English: from Latin term condimentum, from condire, which means ’to season’ or ‘to pickle.’

For me the use of condiments solely depends on what I'm eating. For example, the only time I use steak sauce would be on a steak ordered at a place like Waffle House. Daddy taught me that fine cuts of meat don't 'need' steak sauce. 

Growing up, ketchup was my number one choice; specifically Heinz Ketchup. A few instances Mama bought brands bearing the name of Hunt's, Stokley and Del-Monte (or whatever was on sale, never a "store" brand). Oh how I shudder in thought of not having that sweet, sugary taste of Heinz. I moaned and groaned enough that eventually Heinz was the only brand in the Patten refrigerator. Much like Daddy's philosophy regarding steak sauce on a steak, Mama didn't allow me to use ketchup on her Mommy Mades (Homemade French Fries). I currently reach for "Simply Heinz", one made with sugar as opposed to High Fructose Corn Syrup. However it no longer holds place as first choice of condiments.

Duke's Mayonnaise on a Tomato Sandwich

Mayonnaise has always been a close second choice. And don't even think about serving me Miracle Whip. There may be some of you who would disagree, but mayonnaise should never be substituted with Salad Dressing aka Miracle Whip. That is one thing I will fight you over!  

However, for the amount I of mayonnaise I go through in my kitchen, it ranks number one with a bullet. I used it over LeSeur Early Peas as my most bizarre use during my teens. In college, classmates from Valdosta State College helped me discover mixing mayonnaise with ketchup for eating with french fries. 

It wasn't until moving to Nashville almost 13 years ago that I discovered Duke's Mayonnaise. I prefer it to any other for it's taste and consistency. I also like that it doesn't have added sugar. Blue Plate mayonnaise is my second choice.   

There are others I like but to my most beloved list I add the following(in no particular order):
Worcestershire Sauce (Lea & Perrins)
Ranch Dressing (Hidden Valley package mixed with milk and Dukes ONLY. I refuse to eat any kind of bottled Ranch…it’s just not palatable)
Thousand Island Dressing(homemade preferred; Mama always had a bottle of the Kraft brand on hand)
Heinz 57 Steak Sauce(awesome combined with mayonnaise for fries)
Blue Cheese Dressing(homemade and/or any kind of refrigerated type of blue cheese dressing)

Nola Restaurant, Palo Alto, California

Hot Sauce is another favorite. Interestingly enough, until I was about 20 years old in college, I would not eat anything hot and spicy. The first Buffalo wings I ever ate were in college at the Mill House in Valdosta. Over the years I’ve dived a little deeper into the hot zone. I have no preferences for hot sauce but the ones i’m likely to buy most often are Frank's, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Crystal Hot Sauce and Trappey's.

The idea for this blog posts was as I struggle with eating healthy, I have been putting hot sauce over steamed broccoli, carrots and cauliflower. When I mean steamed, I mean steamed just enough to take the initial raw bite off. So let's just say I'm eating them raw, ok? Hot sauce makes them bearable and actually enjoyable. 

I would love to hear your comments on this. What is your favorite condiment and what are you most interesting uses for them?

Mama

Paula, Lawson and Rosie, Mother's Day 1967

Paula and I lost Mama 14 years ago. Days like today are always hard for me. Between Mothers Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, I try to not think too much about the fact that she is gone, but for the good memories I have. Mama is my primary inspiration for wanting to learn to cook. She totally understood the way food brings people together. Many friends and family members revered her for her cooking ability. Whether it was Homecoming at First Baptist Church to meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas, not many turned down an invitation to eat at her table. 

Mama was hard to buy for. Whether it was Christmas, her birthday, or Mother's Day, Mama did not want to receive any kind of item or items that had any kind of connection to cooking or cleaning. One year Daddy gave her something called a Kitchen Magician. You might say that went over like a lead balloon. She also didn't want money or gift certificates(as they were called back then). She appreciated a gift that was purchased and that required some thought put into it. 

Some Mothers love kitchen appliances for Mother's Day...not Rosie!

On a day like today, many take their mothers out to eat. In Lakeland, we didn't have many choices for dining out. Many Mother's Day had her cooking in the kitchen, because she wanted to please Daddy. That being said, in honor of her, and in honor of Mother's Day, I will not post a recipe with this blog entry. Mothers enjoy your day...and come back often for recipes. 

Baked/Grilled Vidalia Onions

An update regarding my last post. I purchased a strip steak a few weeks ago at my local Kroger. It was one of the more expensive brands and was discounted for quick sale. I put it in the freezer and pulled it out on Tuesday to thaw in the refrigerator. I let it marinate in Georgia Olive Farms Olive Oil and Mitchell Street Steak Seasoning from Penzey's. Last night it hit the grill. I did a much better job of grilling this steak and not overcooking it. The grill I bought is a Tru-Infared model from CharBroil, which from what I've read cooks much faster than a standard gas grill. For future grill sessions, i'm planning on turning the heat down to low for cooking.

What was I going to have with my steak? I've been very intentional to eat well this week. I decided not to eat out until tomorrow, as I have plans to eat at two new restaurants in the area. With my chicken breasts and pork chops I grilled last Sunday, I've had steamed broccoli, carrots and or cauliflower and salad with homemade Thousand Island Dressing. I have also walked for 45 minutes every day this week!

I love either a baked potato or Mommy-Made's with grilled steaks...however now is the time to enjoy Vidalia onions while they are "in season". I pulled this recipe out from my past grilling days and served these with my steak last night. Because I didn't have the heavy carbohydrates of the potato, I didn't feel lethargic and even went for my walk afterward!  

Grilled/Baked Vidalia Onions 

Makes one serving

1 Large Vidalia Onion

1 cube beef bouillon (I use Beef Flavored "Better Than Bouillon; one teaspoon equals one cube)

1 tablespoon butter

Peel the onion, then cut off the top and bottom to make it sit flat. Using a peeler or melon baller, cut out a space in the center of the onion. Be careful not to break through the sides or bottom. Place the bouillon in the hollowed center and add a pat of butter on top. Wrap securely in foil and bake at 350° F for 30-45 minutes or until tender. If cooking on the grill, place on top of hot coals and cook 45 minutes, turning every so often.

The Thrill of the Grill

And he said, come on honey say you will
Jump on into my Coupe DeVille
There's a Mexico sunset standing still
Fall in love to the thrill of the grill

These lyrics from singer/songwriter Kim Carnes’ 1982 album Voyeur offers self-indulgence to my 80’s teenage years. It was the first thing I thought of when I decided to write this blog post this morning.

Prior to moving to Nashville in 2001, I owned a Weber grill. Years of failing to protect it from environmental effects rendered it useless. Six years ago I purchased a Weber charcoal model. I did not have the desire nor patience to acquire the skills necessary to master charcoal grilling. Thus, that grill became the victim of rain and rust.

Last month I purchased a Char-Broil 2-burner Tru-Infared model at my local Lowe’s. After my purchase, I learned three other friends have this same model. My first two efforts were not great ones. My ribeye that I marinated for 24 hours was overcooked, despite my thermometer telling me otherwise. My Easter pork tenderloin was undercooked. Hence, be warned of any recipe that says it is “foolproof”. I finished the tenderloin in the oven for 15 minutes and it was perfect!

This morning, good results of my grilling efforts prevailed. I grilled eight boneless pork chops and four chicken breasts for this week’s dining.  Also in the refrigerator is homemade Thousand Island Dressing, chopped romaine hearts for salad, and steam-bag veggies. I found some zucchini in the refrigerator and sautéed  it in Georgia Olive Farms olive oil and Penzey’s Spices “Sunny Spain” seasoning.

I plan to make efforts this spring and summer to become a grill master! What are some of your grilling tips? What are your favorite things to cook on a grill?  

"A party without cake is just a meeting."

LCHS Class of 1984 30th Reunion

This quote is from legendary chef, author and television personality Julia Child. I recently returned from my hometown of Lakeland, Georgia where I attended a family reunion as well as my 30 year high school reunion. Fortunately for me, I was the coordinator of both events and planned them to coincide on the same day at the same location. 

Relatives on Mama's side gathered with 35 in attendance. Classmates, spouses, teachers and other friends numbered 40. We had enough food between both events to cater at least two other events. For the family reunion, Paula requested I make Mama's Dressing. In addition to that I made Baked Asparagus. This recipe was a family favorite and we often had it on occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The recipe was submitted by Ruth Bradberry Patten, otherwise known as "Too-Too". She was Granddaddy's second wife and the recipe is one she submitted to the Flatlanders' Cookbook. 

Baked Asparagus

1 large can green tip asparagus

1 C. slivered almonds

1 C. grated cheddar cheese

2 C. Half and Half

2 C. saltine crackers, crumbled

2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Arrange in baking dish in layers all ingredients, except for half and half. When done pour half and half over layers.  Sprinkle crumbs over top and let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Bake for about 20 minutes until thick.  Cut immediately.

Cooks note: Mama never used the slivered almonds and therefore I omit them when I prepare this. Also, I prefer to use Ritz Crackers instead of saltines.

Family

The Jackson Sisters. Letha, Frances, Avie & Ludell

Family

“You can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge 'em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don't.” Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

Family is a universal theme in my writings for my book. Many memories of my family growing up in Lakeland, Georgia involve around gatherings where some of the best food in the world was served. Mama's mother was Avie Jackson Carter. Avie had three sisters: Frances, Ludell and Letha. Mama's side of the family always spent many of the holidays together. The hosting duties were switched around over the years but when I grew up, New Year's Day was at Aunt Letha's, Thanksgiving at Aunt Frances', and Christmas at Aunt Ludell's.      

Over the years since the passing of all the Jackson Sisters (Avie, Frances, Ludell & Letha), their respective children have at one time or another taken on the role of hosting. With many of them gone (Mary Linda, Ludell's daughter, is the only surviving member of her generation), everyone has gone in different directions with regards to holidays. 

Last year, upon urging by my sister Paula and some of our other cousins, I decided to call all of the remaining cousins together. To be clear and minimize confusion, I called the reunion "The Jackson Sisters Reunion". Other family members from the Smith family(Great Grandmother Mary Smith Jackson), but the bulk of family are the descendants of Avie, Frances, Ludell & Letha. We gathered the last Saturday in April in Lakeland and approximately 40 of us gathered. The weekend was chosen for two reasons; Mary Linda's birthday falls in April and Camp Creek Church Homecoming is always the last Sunday in April. Camp Creek Baptist Church is just over the county line in Clinch County. Many of Mama's family took root there and still attend to this day. 

Everyone who attended last year had such a great time that we have decided to continue the tradition annually.We are gathering this Saturday in Lakeland. Needless to say there will be some amazing food prepared! I am making Mama's Dressing and Baked Asparagus. The following day will be Camp Creek Homecoming; another wonderful opportunity for food and fellowship. I will probably come back to Nashville at least five pounds heavier!

Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

Merle, Rusty, Paula & Rosanne, Easter 1960

Just in time for Easter...not that you can't enjoy these delicious delights year-round. 

Two of my favorite things to eat are pimento cheese and deviled eggs. My friend Lance Respess brought this recipe to my attention. I can’t say these eggs taste like pimento cheese but they do taste a little different than a traditional deviled egg. It has become my go-to recipe for deviled eggs today.   

12 large eggs, boiled

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened

¼ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons diced pimientos

½ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Remove yolks and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside whites on a serving plate. With a fork, break up yolks until fluffy. To yolks, add cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, diced pimientos, dry mustard, salt, and freshly ground pepper; mix. Fill egg whites. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Is Social Media and the Internet replacing the need for cookbooks?

the first community cookbook I was ever aware of from my hometown of Lakeland, Georgia

I am in the process of writing and editing my first cookbook. It’s something I have been working on for the last five years. When I set out to do this, social media was abound but I do not remember the abundance of food and recipes being shared on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Five years ago I had never heard of Pinterest. Today I cannot launch social media without being bombarded with shares of recipes and pictures of friends culinary creations. 

When I began speaking of writing a cookbook, many of my friends asked if my plans included an electronic version of the book. At this time, my first effort will be made available in the iBooks Store via Apple and iTunes (ALERT: buy an iPad now!) However, it did make me ponder this thought…will the internet (social media sites to be specific) and electronic versions of books replace the conventional versions of traditional cookbooks?

I realize for some the answer to this question will based on how old each of us are. Some of us will never own a tablet or digital reader; therefore, electronic versions are out of the question. Some of us that own these devices will possibly never buy a “hard” copy of a book ever again. I, for one, really enjoy taking my iPad into the kitchen to use for cooking. I can stand it up easily and it is simple to interact with while I am preparing food. 

What will become of the handed-down, family cookbooks, recipe boxes? I’m sure they will continue to be passed down, but don’t expect those whom you give them to to have the same excitement over the form in which those treasured recipes exist. Something to consider is putting them into a form that can be saved on a computer or backed up to a cloud service. This way, everything will be in a format that will appeal to everyone. Also, it’s never a bad idea to have a backup copy of family recipes, no matter what format you have them in.

I would love to hear your comments on this. Where are you presently getting your recipes? Have social media sties influenced what you cook? If you were to buy a cookbook in the future, what form would it be in?