Easy Southern Style Recipes

Easy Southern Style Strawberry Shortcake

2010-02-27T02:01:00.003-05:00

Berries burst with the flavor of a sunny Summer's day and these biscuits, made from scratch, are as fast as a mix. Add fresh berries to give a boost of fiber. Delicious nonfat yougurt replace heavy whipped cream. A good source of vitamin C.

This recipe serves 8 people.

Ingredients for the Biscuits

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces
3/4 cup skim milk

Ingredients for the Filling

2 pints of fresh strawberries, sliced in half
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Nonfat vanilla yougurt, whipped cream, or mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions for making Southern Style Strawberry Shortcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degree. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Stir in the orange peel. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Quickly stir in the milk until a soft dough forms.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits. Gather trimmings, re-roll, and cut out more biscuits.

4. Place biscuits on a prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Place biscuits on a wire rack and cool slightly.

5. Split warm biscuits in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves on serving plates. Top each with some filling. Cover with biscuit tops. Serve with remaining filling and garnish with yogurt and mint or whipped cream.

Hearth Health Vs. Southern Grits

2010-02-24T16:11:00.003-05:00

I was born in the South, and I feel privileged to have eaten some of the best home-cooked southern food on earth. I know cooks that can bake a batch of biscuits that come out perfectly every time and never, ever, use a measuring spoon or cup, much less a cookbook, in their kitchens.

Of course, as I got older, I began to understand that any food whose primary ingredients were white (all purpose) flour and Crisco® (lard), were not exactly heart-healthy. The American Heart Association is quite clear about this, never mind that my granny lived to be 88 years of age, was hardly sick a day in her life and died peacefully in her sleep. So, gradually I began to wean myself off the worst of those southern food staples that I had been raised on.

Switching to soymilk was tough, but I got used to it. Brown rice really is not that different from white rice. You can use old bread for making croutons, even if you know it would taste a whole lot better as bread pudding. These are the sorts of food sacrifices I have managed to accomplish and still retain a little of my Southern dignity.

One thing I absolutely refuse to do is give up my grits. (Thank goodness no one has bothered to package whole grain grits or organic grits!) Grits are corn. Corn is good for you. Actually, I am not sure what the Heart Association’s stance is on grits, but I think I have a pretty good idea. After all, the Association is headquartered in the deep south in Dallas, Texas. You cannot tell me that they do not eat grits in Dallas, Texas! I refuse to believe it.

Of course, my husband will point out that, even if the grits aren’t bad for you, what you put on them can be. I do recall one horrifying visit to a local restaurant frequented by visitors from “up north” when I actually saw a man putting SYRUP on his GRITS! I almost threw up. Still, I have to admit that all of that salt and the butter that I find necessary to add a little flavor to my grits might not be the best sort of food to complement this Southern diet staple. Of course, we Southerners put everything from fried okra to chopped-up green tomatoes in our grits. Grits go great with fish, too and fish is a heart-healthy food… unless you fry it.

All right. Maybe our kind of food here in the South is not the healthiest it could be. It might have a bit too much of the bad stuff and not enough of the good, but it can beat the starch of the competition for tasting good. So, before you swear off Southern food, stop and consider the alternative. A little fried chicken now and then is not going to clog all of your arteries at once. Just make sure you don’t eat it every day. Remember, you don’t want to end up like my Granny. Or do you?

Easy Southern Style Salt Pork Gravy

2010-02-22T22:38:00.003-05:00

Don't be surprised when you are traveling down South to find "Biscuits and Gravy" in restaurants and diners as it is very popular for southern folks to eat this dish.

Ingredients in Salt Pork Gravy

1/2 to 3/4 pound of salt pork
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 pint milk (canned or fresh)

Instructions for making Salt Pork Gravy

Parboil slices of salt pork for 10 minutes. This can be done the night before. You can soak the salt pork overnight to remove some of the salty taste but do not omit parboiling it.

Drain well and then cut pork into bite-sized pieces and fry. Remove pork from the pan and set aside.

Add flour to the fat and brown slightly. Slowly add milk and stir until thickened. Season to taste with pepper (this is optional). Be sure not to add salt because the salt pork is salty enough.

Add the fried pork pieces and served over hot biscuits.

Southern Style Beef Stew Recipe

2010-02-20T01:04:00.003-05:00

This is an old fashioned southern recipe that has been trimmed of a lot of fat and the flavor enhanced. This wholesale beef stew is something you can savor, even on a diet. Trimmed lean beef saves on calories. It also scores high in protein and iron and only 247 calories per serving.

This stew recipe make 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1 pound of lean beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium tomato paste
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
4 cups sliced carrots
2 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup green bean pieces cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cooking Instructions:

Coat the lean beef with flour, shaking off excess. in a large pan, non-stick if possible, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and saute until browned, about 6 minutes. Place the beef on a plate.

Add onions and mushrooms to the pan and saute for approximately 6 minutes. Add garlic and continue sauteing, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Pour off the fat and return the beef to the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and then the beef broth. Add enough water to just cover everything and bring the stew to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the beef is tender, about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Skim of any foam.

Add carrots, potatoes, and green beans. Cover partially and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water. Stir into the stew. Increase the heat and boil uncovered for 1 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley if you desire and serve.

Extra Southern Cooking Tips:

Browning the beef produces more juicy meat. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel before adding it to the how stew.

When sauteing onion and garlic, saute the onion fire. Onions need a longer cooking time and garlic may burn if cooked for too long at too high a heat

Easy Southern Style Cinnamon French Toast Recipe

2010-02-19T16:13:00.004-05:00

For a weekend treat, serve this low-fat Southern Style French toast with reduce calorie syrup and cinnamon sugar. Fresh fruit helps keep it light. You can skip some of the egg yolks to cut down on cholesterol. Use French or Italian bread to lower fat. The calorie count for this Southern Style French toast recipe is over, only 175 grams per serving.

This recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 large egg
2 egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 1-inch thick diagonally cut slices of French or Italian bread
Cinnamon sugar and reduced-calorie maple syrup (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

In a medium sized bowl, use a wire whisk or a fork and beat the egg and egg whites together until foamy. Add the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat well; set aside.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Lightly spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat on burner. Dip each bread slice into the egg mixture, turning to coat and then drain the excess back into the dish.

Place one bread slice in prepared skillet. You can put more bread slices in at a time depending on how large your skillet is. Cook until golden brown, turning once, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Transfer cooked French toast slices to a plate and keep warm in oven that has been preheated to 200 degrees. Dip the remaining slices in the egg mixture and cook as shown above. Spray your skillet with cooking spray as needed so they won't stick.

Divide your Southern Style French toast among serving plates. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar and top with maple syrup if you like. Serve immediately.

Easy Southern Recipe for Fried Green Tomato Pie

2009-08-16T22:15:00.007-04:00

A website about easy southern cooking wouldn't be complete without a recipe for Fried Green Tomato Pie. I'd like to tell you that I've eaten them before but the closest I've gotten to a southern style fried green tomato was when I watched the movie of the same name. One of my favorite movies by the way. I think that part about Frank and ribs touched me so much that I knew I was definitely a rebellious southern gal.

Anywho, a recipe about fried green tomatoes, oh yes, and it has to be an easy southern style recipe to be featured on this site. Who would want a hard recipe anyways? And who has the time to make something that takes too long? Not me and probably not you either. And it's a pie no doubt which is even better. Now if someone would just come to my house and bake it for me I'd be in heaven.

I would like to say that I made this recipe up myself but I have to thank Vicki from Recession Proof Gourmet for coming up with such an easy and delicious concoction. Hidden within her site are recipes that she has tried and tested over the years.

Ingredients for your Fried Green Tomato Pie includes:

6 to 8 medium sized green tomatoes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Pastry for two crust 9-inch pie

Now onto the instructions for making these simply delish, and easy southern style fried green tomato pie:

Wash the tomatoes, peel and slice them.
Combine with next four ingredients in saucepan and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Mix sugar with cornstarch, add to the tomato mixture and cook until clear, stirring constantly.
Add butter and cool slightly.
Line pie pan with pastry and pour in the mixture.
Cover with pastry, seal edges and cut several gashes in top to allow steam to escape.
Bake in preheated hot oven (425f) 40 to 50 minutes.
Serve slightly warm or cool.
Good with a dollop of whipped cream.

Who would have though that you would serve whipped cream on a fried green tomato pie? Not me but hey, I'm willing to try just about anything once. Thanks again to Vicki from Recession Proof Gourmet for allowing me to share her easy southern recipe for Fried Green Tomato Pie with you.

Southern Style Cooking Classes

2009-08-09T17:16:00.004-04:00

One of the best things that you can learn to do in your life is to learn how to cook. Cooking is a skill that you will need all throughout your life and you will never be at a disadvantage if you know how to cook. That is why cooking classes are pretty popular with Moms who want to improve their cooking skills.

If you have already enrolled in a cooking class and you might be worried that you may not know as much as your classmate about cooking. Knowing less is no matter join the class and learn all things about cooking that you will ever need to know.

There is no harm in preparing for the cooking class and making sure that you have all that you need to make the cooking class easier and more fun for you. Here are some tips.

1. Bring notebook and pen or a tape recorder: bring a pen and a notebook when you go to class. This will help you keep up with what the teachers is saying in the class. If you have a tape recorder, this is much better as it will be able to capture much of what your teachers are saying unlike with writing notes when you are held back by how fast you can write down the words. If you are a slow writer and you know it, then a recorder is the best option for you.

2. Do illustrations: drawing pictures will help you a lot especially when remembering the steps that you have to take to prepare the food. Drawing the procedures will help jog your memory about the process and it will also clear up the procedure for you, something that words will not be able to. If you do have a video camera, ask your teacher if you can tape the session. Do not do this unless they have consented because 90% of the time, they will not allow it for fear that it will be mass produced and sold to other people.

3. Go to bed early: When you go to your cooking class, you want to be at least awake and alert to really learn from what the teachers is saying. For understanding the cooking class you have to sleep early in the night otherwise you can't be able to understand. If that is the case, then you should prepare for the possibility and bring a recorder. You may not be very awake to listen to the teachers but at least you have a tape recorder to do the listening to you.

4. Learning everything means you had hear every words of teacher very clearly and conceptually. If you do not understand any of the procedures that he or she is teaching, then don’t hesitate to ask questions and clarify. If you have prepared for the classes you will definitely learn.

Easy Southern Style Recipes Slow Cooker Style

2009-08-04T16:02:00.003-04:00

When cooking Southern style the slow cooker is an appliance that can save you time and produce great results. Don't be cheap on your slower cooker purchase if you want to have great results with a slow cooker and the recipes you plan to prepare. You don't need the deluxe super model either. Since I don't want you to buy a Philippe Richard pressure cooker or a Mirro cooker, you are best with doing your own research for this purpose. I know you will be surprised when I tell you that you won't have to spend more then $40 for a good slow cooker to make your southern recipes in.

If you decide on any of these brand names - brand names like Rival, Hamilton Beach, Kitchen-Aid, Cuisinart or Proctor Silex - you won't go wrong. Don't go cheap since you will get what you pay for. You will want your slow cooker to last for quite a few years.

Be careful not to choose a slow cooker that has no feature. Since you don't want to rush home to take care of your meal and watch over it, an automatic shut-off and warm feature would be something you really need. The pressure cooker will automatically switch to a gentle warming mode. This helps when you are serving a large meal by keeping southern stews, soups, and other easy southern dishes ready to serve.

Once you have settled on the brand and model, now pick the size. Some of the most popular sizes for slow cookers are the 3.5 and 4 quart models. You can find large or small slow cooker, according to the needs of your family.

You can be very creative with the choices and the food you want to put into your slow cooker. When we talk about slow cooking, there is no perfect recipe. The strength of slow cooking is that it can blend the flavors of several chosen ingredients. There is no end to the types of southern foods you can cook in a crockpot. Whether you want to prepare stew, roast or a soup, slow cooker makes them all good.

Remember, fast food is out and slow southern cooked meals are in. You can make a delicious meal by tossing some ingredients in the pot just before you leave the house and come home to a delicious and easy southern style meal.

Tips For Preparing Chicken

2009-03-19T01:43:00.002-04:00

Chicken can be used in a great variety of ways in chicken recipes for preparing your meals. In addition to being high in protein and low in fat and calories, chicken is readily available, fairly inexpensive and can be prepared in a variety of delicious and nutritious ways. Buying a whole chicken is a money savings, you can season it and roast it. You can also take the whole chicken and cut it apart into quarters or smaller parts.

Already parted chicken can be purchased for just a little more than a whole chicken. No matter what sort of chicken you purchased, be it whole or portioned, ensure that you clean it well and take extra precautions in the kitchen. Not only be the hands washed before working with chicken, but the utensils and counter space should be cleaned thoroughly. Uncooked chicken can hold bad bacteria, so keep your cooking space clean to avoid spreading the contamination.

Before you start cooking, rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. And remember that chicken needs to be cooked thoroughly. Eating raw or undercooked chicken could result in food poisoning. This is a highly unlikely scenario, but it is better to be safe than sorry. There are literally thousands of chicken recipes available in cookbooks and online, so it is unlikely you will ever run out of ideas on how to prepare chicken.

From grilled chicken to chicken salad, you could make a different recipe every day of the week for years before getting tired of the flavors and textures available through different cooking methods and ingredients. Grilled chicken is an easy recipe. It is quite easy to do on top of a stove. A delicious recipe of chicken can be prepared by adding few drops of olive oil to a few boneless chicken breasts and after that season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the breasts by searing them on a hot grill surface, approximately 5 minutes per side, until their juices are transparent, not pink. The cooked meat can then be cut up and mixed with celery and mayonnaise for an easy and delicious chicken salad, sliced for sandwiches, or covered with tomato or Hollandaise sauce for a quick dinner. A few other favorite chicken recipes include fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, chicken Parmesan and sweet and sour chicken.

Fresh chicken can be frozen easily, thus try to find and stock up on it when it's on sale. Just make sure you freeze the chicken in airtight packages. In order to thaw it out, keep it refrigerated for up to a couple days, defrost it in the microwave, or let it soak in water that is cold. Never leave chicken to defrost on the counter! Chicken is a delicious and nutritious staple in the homes of millions of Americans and can be adapted in many recipes that call for beef or pork.

Chicken can help in reducing your food expenditure if you are on tight budget these days like other people. Try some tonight!

A Guide To Southern Style Cooking Recipes

2009-03-06T16:38:00.005-05:00

Let's get started cooking Southern Style!

There is a common saying that cooking isn’t "rocket science" but although anyone can cook, it does take a little imagination to come up with innovative southern style recipes of your own.

Getting Started

If you are going to try your hand at Southern cooking, it is advisable to choose the recipes that are not too complicated. You should not try a recipe that has 15 or more ingredients and takes an hour to prepare. Not only will you be overwhelmed you will get frustrated in the process. Also, do not try a southern style recipe with unusual ingredients or difficult steps. Read the entire recipe carefully before starting and make sure you have all the ingredients, appliances and utensils ready.

Understanding all the directions is important. Make sure that you have enough time to finish the recipe from start to finish. Collect all the ingredients in one place. Measure each ingredient before cooking. Wash your hands and put on your apron before you start cooking.

Where To Find Southern Cooking Recipes

Cookbooks that are available in bookshops are a great resource for all kind of recipes. Southern style recipes are also available in magazines, newspapers, on food packages, in grocery stores, or on television food shows like the ones you see on the Food Networks. Another great resource is as close as your family and friends. Why not try taking Southern style cooking recipe class from your local adult education department in your town or maybe a southern style cooking supply store in your area might offer classes for southern style cooking.

Of course, the Internet is a great source to find and download recipes. There are right there are your fingertips and you can just visit your favorite website everytime you need to try a new recipe.

Organizing your Recipes

You should come up with some type of system to store all of your southern recipes. File all of your recipes in one place, like a recipe book or maybe a recipe card box. There are many free software programs you can download from the Internet to help you organize your Southern style recipes right on your computer.

Trying Your Own Cooking Recipes

Once you start feeling comfortable with southern style cooking, you can get creative by experimenting with some ingredients such as substituting beans for carrots or beans for meats, etc. You can also try different variations of southern spices and herbs, as each of them will give your southern dish a different flavor and aroma.

Try experimenting with different textures and colors in your southern meals as well. You can take one type of dish and try lots of different variations. Once you start experimenting, you are bound to fail at times and end up with a southern style mess! It is a good idea to cook small portions when trying out a new southern cooking recipe.

Easy Southern Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

2008-12-31T16:34:00.005-05:00

Try this recipe for easy Southern Style Buttermilk mashed potatoes recipe. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon butter
1-1/4 cups non-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, then add enough water to cover by at least 1 inch.
Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat, covered, until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.
meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
Stir in the buttermilk and heat until just warm (the buttermilk will curdle if you overheat it).
When the potatoes are done, drain them in a colander and return them to the pan.
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or electric blender.
Stir in enough of the warm buttermilk mixture to make the potatoes fluffy but not soupy.
Season with salt and pepper.

For an extra kick add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives to your potatoes when you season them with salt and pepper. Easy Southern Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Easy Southern Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-12-23T13:26:00.003-05:00

This easy southern style chicken noodle soup is the best thing to have on a cold day. It is super easy to make and only requires 5 basic ingredients. If you don't have tiny bowtie noodles you can substitute them for elbow noodles, egg noodles, large bowtie noodles, or spiral noodles.

You can substitute the chicken breast for leftover turkey if you like.

Ingredients:

1 boneless chicken breast
1 can of chicken broth
1 stalk of celery
1 large carrot
1 cup of tiny bow tie noodles

Cooking Instructions:

Add 3 cups of water to a 2-quart saucepan.
Add 1 can of chicken broth to the saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and add chicken breast.
Chop celery and carrots finely and add them to the pan.
Add salt and pepper to your taste.
Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the chicken breast and cut it into small pieces.
Return the chicken pieces to the saucepan.
Add the bow tie noodles.
Cook another 10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked through.

Easy Southern Chicken Noodle Soup

Easy Southern Style Hush Puppies

2008-12-18T01:23:00.003-05:00

Hush puppies are an American food consisting of small cornmeal breads that are deep fried or baked in a spherical or oblong shape. Hushpuppies are a distinctly Southern food, although they are now available throughout America on the menus of fried-fish fast food restaurants. The name “hushpuppies” is often attributed to hunters or fisherman who would quickly fry corn meal and feed it to their dogs to “hush the puppies” during cook outs or fish frys.

-- From Wikipedia

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1-1/2 cups cornmeal
3 tablespoons flour
1 egg
2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise

Cooking Instructions:

Heat cooking oil in a 2-quart saucepan.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Add equal parts of milk and water to make the batter the desired consistency that will easily drop from a spoon or shape by hand.
Carefully drop into the hot grease.
Cook until browned on all sides.
Drain on paper towel covered plate.

Makes about 15 hush puppies. Easy Southern Style Hush Puppies

Easy Southern Style Oven Fried Chicken

2008-12-01T08:17:00.002-05:00

"Fried chicken is chicken which is dipped in a breading mixture and then deep fried, pan fried or pressure fried. The breading seals in the juices but also absorbs the fat of the fryer. The chicken itself may be chicken pieces on the bone with skin, or boneless and skinless pieces."
Wikipedia

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, halved (not boneless)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons margarine or butter

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°.
Mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a large zip bag.
Add chicken pieces, coating one at a time and removing before adding more.
Shake to coat all sides of the chicken breast in the seasoned flour.
Put margarine or butter in shallow baking pan and melt in oven.
Add chicken and turn to coat with the margarine or butter.
Bake skin side down for 30 minutes.
Turn and bake 30 minutes longer or until tender.

Makes 4 servings. Easy Southern Style Oven Fried Chicken

Easy Southern Style Applesauce Muffins

2008-11-28T09:34:00.004-05:00

Easy Applesauce Muffins
Makes 24 Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 cups applesauce
1 tablespoons apple pie spice
1 cup cinnamon chips

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, vegetable oil and egg until just blended.
Add buttermilk.
Stir in applesauce, spice and cinnamon chips.
Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Muffins make a great gift from the kitchen because they keep well for a week or more and everyone loves muffins. They are great for breakfast and as a midnight snack. Easy Southern Style Applesauce Muffins

Easy Southern Style Nacho Chip Dip

2008-11-27T13:24:00.007-05:00

Easy Southern Style Nacho Chip Dip

Ingredients:

cream cream (8 oz package)
chili (15 oz can)
salsa (8 oz jar)
shredded cheddar cheese (8 oz bag)

Instructions:

Soften cream cheese to room temperature.
Spread cream cheese in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
Pour chili on top and spread to cover the cream cheese.
Pour salsa over chili and spread to cover the chili.
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the chili, covering it completely.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cook for 20 minute or until bubbly.

Easy Southern Style Nacho Chip Dip

Easy Southern Style Party Meatballs

2008-11-24T09:14:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

16-ounce can Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
12-ounce bottle Heinz® Chili Sauce
2-pound bag frozen, pre-cooked, cocktail-size meatballs

Cooking Instructions:

Combine sauces in a large saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth.
Add meatballs.
Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.

Makes approximately 30 appetizer meatballs.

Slow cooker Preparation:

Place meatballs in a slow cooker.
Combine sauces and pour over meatballs.
Cover and cook 4 hours on HIGH.

This recipe was taken from the Ocean Spray/Heinz website. For more great recipes like this visit www.ultimatepartymeatballs.com

Easy Southern Style Beef Jerky

2008-11-23T08:21:00.002-05:00

For many years people have made beef jerky for food, storage and necessity. Many new methods have been developed such as freezing, adding chemicals, etc.

We still love the taste and ease of Beef Jerky Original which is generally made from beef but has been enhanced by other flavors like caramel.

Campers and backpackers like jerky because it is easy to pack and requires no refrigeration. It can be used in cooking as well as for snacks.

When making jerky all the fat and moisture must be removed. Jerky is a very good source of energy. Sometimes these benefits are offset by the many chemicals added by processed jerky.

For Making your own health jerky follow these steps:

Marinade Ingredients:

Recipe #1:

2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Recipe #2:

1/4 cup wine vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder

You will want to experiment with your jerky marinade recipe to find just the right combination.

Cooking Instructions:

Three (3) pounds of meat will dehydrate down to about 16-18 ounces of jerky.

1. Select your meat. Lean beef is best. Choose a round or sirloin, brisker, flank steak, or even venison.

2. Cut your beef into thin strips less than 1/8 inch thick, with the grain of the meat. If you want to make slicing easy partly freeze your meat. Make sure you trim all the fat because this does not freeze and can turn bad.

3. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a large gallon size Ziploc bag.

4. Add sliced meat and refrigerate, turning and "squishing" the bag every hour or two. Hearty meats like beef and venison should be marinated overnight.

5. When you are ready to begin the drying process place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven to make cleanup easier. Drain the meat in a colander and dry with paper towels.

6. In a dehydrator use non-stick spray oil on the racks. In an oven set it at 200° allowing for preheating. The oven is not meant to cook but only get rid of the fluid by evaporation. Place meat slices directly onto oven racks. Leave the oven door open a crack to allow moisture to escape.

Drying times will vary due to oven differences and meat size and type. Perfect jerky is firm and dry and not at all spongy. However, if your jerky is so dry it breaks in two easily, it is probably too dry.

Store your jerky in zip bags and keep it in either a refrigerator or a freezer until ready to eat.

Easy Southern Style Beef Jerky

Easy Southern Style Glazed Ham

2008-11-21T17:26:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

8 to 10 pound whole boneless ham
16 oz. can of whole berry or jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons honey mustard

Cooking Instructions:

Making The Sauce:

Combine cranberry sauce, apricot preserves and honey mustard in a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the preserves are melted and the sauce is smooth.
Remove from the heat and set aside.

Makes 2-1/4 cups of glaze.

Baking the Ham:

Preheat the oven to 325°.
Place the ham in a shallow roasting pan in the middle of the oven.
Bake, uncovered, for 1-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 140°.
Baste liberally ham with the glaze during the last 45 minutes of baking.

Easy Southern Style Glazed Ham

Southern Style Whiskey Cake

2008-11-19T08:26:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups seedless raisins
1-1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons whiskey
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup nuts, chopped

Prep Instructions:

Combine raisins and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Cool and add whiskey.
Let stand overnight.

Cooking Instructions:

Cream butter with sugar, beating until fluffy.
Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Drain liquid from raisins into a 1-cup measure. If there is not enough liquid to make a cup fill the rest with more whiskey.
To creamed mixture blend in dry ingredients and liquid, alternately, a third of each at a time blending well after each addition.
Stir in nuts, vanilla and raisins.
Beat egg whites until stiff.
Fold into batter.
Pour into two 9-inch cake pans.
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
Cool and frost (optional)

Butter Cream Frosting for Whiskey Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 to 5 tablespoons whiskey

Instructions:

Cream butter with powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until spreading consistency.

Frosts two 9-inch layer cakes. Southern Style Whiskey Cake

Easy Southern Style Fried Potato Cakes

2008-11-18T09:08:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups warm mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt
pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Sprinkle the potatoes with water, sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well.
Add flour, a small amount at a time, mixing well until a stiff dough forms. Use more or less flour to obtain the proper consistency.
Shape into small, flat patties and fry on a lightly greased griddle until brown, turning once

Easy Southern Style Fried Potato Cakes

Easy Southern Style Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-17T09:01:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

1 prepared pie shell
16 ounces canned pumpkin
1 cup lightly packed molasses cane sugar
5-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups vanilla rice milk or 1-1/3 cups soy milk
4 large eggs

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine pumpkin, cane sugar, spices and salt in a mixer bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Transfer to medium saucepan and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in the milk and return briefly to simmer.
In separate small bowl, whisk the eggs together.
Return pumpkin mixture to mixer bowl and, with the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs slowly.
Transfer mixture to pre-baked pie shell and bake on center rack for 25 minutes, or until the edges of the custard have cracked slightly and the center is set.

Tip: Cover edges of crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent them from browning too much.

Cool pie on rack 1 hour before serving.

Easy Southern Style Pumpkin Pie

Easy Southern Style Indian Corn

2008-11-16T18:23:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, smoked, if possible
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1 egg
1 can (2 cups) cream style corn
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces.
Slowly fry in a frying pan until crisp. Do not drain.
Add onion and green pepper.
Cook until onion is transparent, stirring occasionally.
Drain off excess fat.
Add corn, whole unbeaten egg, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly.
Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Easy Southern Style Indian Corn

Easy Southern Style Cheesy Potato Casserole

2008-11-15T13:24:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of hash brown potatoes
10 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz.) sour cream
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
2 sticks margarine, melted separately
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cornflakes, crushed

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat over to 325°. Thaw potatoes. Mix all ingredients except 1 stick of butter and cornflakes. Place in a 9 x 13-inch dish. Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in cornflakes. Put this mixture on the top of the casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Southern Style Sweet Potato Casserole

2008-11-14T13:20:00.002-05:00

Main Ingredients:

3 large sweet potatoes or canned potatoes
1 stick margarine
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring

Topping Ingredients:

1 cup pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 stick butter

Cooking Instructions:

Peel and cook sweet potatoes until tender. Drain, mash and add to other ingredients in large bowl. Pour into a greased casserole dish.

Topping: Melt butter and add all other ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over sweet potatoes and bake in a 350° oven for 35 minutes.

Southern Style Sweet Potato Casserole

Southern Style Green Bean Casserole

2008-11-13T08:45:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

2 cans of green beans (regular or French-style)
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (2.8 oz.) Durkee French fried onions

Cooking Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except 1/2 can of French fried onions together in a large bowl. Pour into a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish and bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Top with the remaining onions and bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes until onions are golden brown.

Southern Style Green Bean Casserole

Easy Southern Soda Cracker Pie

2008-11-12T22:56:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
15 saltine crackers
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch of salt

Cooking Instructions:

Beat eggs until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until stiff. Add sugar gradually and fold in crumbled crackers, nuts and vanilla. Bake in buttered pie pan at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes. No crust is needed. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream on top.

Easy Southern Soda Cracker Pie

Southern Style Chicken Pot Pie

2008-11-12T09:17:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
12 oz. of sour cream
1 can Veg-All mixed vegetables
4 or 5 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
3/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 cups self-rising flour

Cooking Instructions:

Combine soup, sour cream, vegetables and chicken and place it in a 9 x 12-inch pan. Mix butter, milk, baking powder and self-rising flour together in a medium-size bowl. Pour mixture over chicken. Do not stir. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until crust rises and browns

Easy Southern Style Banana Bread

2008-11-11T15:28:00.007-05:00

Try this great banana bread recipe. It is super easy and you can use those over ripened bananas that you hate to throw away.

Ingredients:

2 sticks margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 cups sifted plain flour (measured accurately)
3 cups mashed bananas
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Cooking Instructions:

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and bananas in a large bowl. Add flour, baking soda, salt, vanilla and nuts. Do not use mixer for best results. Bake at 350° in 2 large loaf pans which have been greased and floured. Bake approximately 1 hour until top springs back when touched.

Easy Southern Style Banana bread recipe

Southern Style Giblet Gravy

2008-11-11T15:11:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken broth
1 cup diced chicken (including neck meat and liver)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon diced pimento
4 tablespoons flour, mixed with enough water to make a paste
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Cooking Instructions:

Let the chicken broth reach a boiling point in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the chicken and stir flour paste gradually into the boiling mixture until thickened to the consistency desired, adding more or less flour paste as needed. Add pepper, pimento and eggs. Stir.

This is delicious over cornbread dressing or toast and can also be made using turkey.

Southern Style Giblet Gravy

Easy Southern Salad Surprise

2008-11-11T03:03:00.007-05:00

Ingredients:

1 package of coconut cream pudding mix (instant)
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (9 oz.) container of Cool Whip
2 or 3 bananas, sliced
Sliced cherries
Whole cherries for topping (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Place the pudding mix in a large mixing bowl. Add pineapple, bananas, sliced cherries and fold in the Cool Whip. Top with whole cherries and serve.

Easy Southern Salad Surprise

Southern Style Glazed Nuts Recipe

2008-11-10T21:22:00.006-05:00

Ingredients:

3 cups pecans, toasted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions:

Mix sugar, cinnamon, water and salt together in a large bowl. Cook over medium heat until the soft ball stage. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat until thick. Add pecans and coat well. Pour out on wax paper in a thin layer. Let cool and break apart. Store in an airtight container.

Southern Style Glazed Nuts Recipe

Grandma's Southern Style Sausage Balls

2008-11-10T17:40:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

1 lb. hot sausage
3 cups Bisquick (or Jiffy mix)
1 lb. of grated cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Shape into 1 to 2-inch balls.

Place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Southern Style Cooking Terms

2008-11-10T17:39:00.003-05:00

Batter

A mixture of flour or liquid that can be beaten or stirred.

Blanch

To place fruits or nuts in boiling water to remove skins.

Braise

To brown meat or vegetables in hot fat, then to cook slowly in a small amount of liquid.

Drippings

Liquids resulting from meat being cooked.

Giblets

The liver, gizzard or heart of poultry.

Marinate

Let food stand in liquid that will add flavor or tenderize.

Mince

To cut foods in very fine pieces.

Privacy Policy and Disclosure Statement

2008-11-09T18:01:00.001-05:00

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Easy Southern Style Recipe Cooking Tips

2008-08-25T02:53:00.000-04:00

In present day households, almost every member of the family is careful about eating healthy foods to stay healthy. When making the decision to eat healthy food, choosing what is to be eaten is not the most important thing. You need not sacrifice the foods you love most, to remain healthy, but varying your methods of preparing them could prove to be extremely beneficial. Salt intake in diets must be regulated to avoid blood pressure and other such worries. All you need is to make a few variations in the way you cook them.

Although salt is an important aspect of food preparation, too much of a good thing can be bad. Lower the amount of salt that is put into food being prepared. Instead of making use of canned foodstuff that are soaked in oil and salt for preservation, use fresh foods that will lessen chances of cardiac problems. Fish, being a well known source of iodized salt, is an excellent means of obtaining this nutrient. Reduce the amount of oil used in cooking by switching to non stick cooking pans. Save time, energy and the complete nutritional content of your food by making use of the microwave as opposed to long periods of cooking on a cooking range. The next time you are making a pizza recipe don't use as much oil and the crust will be healthier and lighter.

Extended heat causes a lot of nutrition in foods to be lost and therefore, microwave cooking is advised as an alternative. Instead, scrub your vegetables well before you cook them. A lot of this nutritional content is lost when these vegetables are peeled and then cooked.

Use a rack when grilling or roasting your food so that you remove the fat while allowing your food to retain its great taste. It is advisable to remove any excess fat from your prepared food, even though we know that fat adds flavor to it. Save your meat from charring, but sensibly. Grill or roast your food by placing it on a rack so that the fat is allowed to drip free from the food.

People who work from their house are normally pressed for time, so they use vessels other than non stick pans, so they don't have to spend all their time washing dishes. A major portion of the nutritional content of vegetables lies in the skin.

Although these liquids have the same effect as oil, they do not carry the same content of fats. Non vegetarians are advised to opt for white meats in place of red ones. You will also find yourself using less salt, but also getting your adequate supply of nutrients.