Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2005 i Taste of the South

With shorter days and colder weather, the winter months are the perfect time for cooking and baking. From whipping up quick meals for my family to making gifts for teachers and friends, I find myself in the kitchen much of the time. Planning the menu for holiday gatherings is something that I enjoy. I spend hours deciding on the perfect combination of dishes for my family’s Christmas Eve meal at my own house and what I will take to the many family reunions—and then there are appetizers to make for the church parties, too. The recipes presented in this issue of Taste of the South will drastically reduce the amount of time I usually devote to planning, which will leave me more time to spend preparing food for those I…

This hearty breakfast casserole, which blends bacon and eggs with leftover turkey and the distinctive flavor of artichokes, can be baked in one large dish or in individual servings— adjust baking times accordingly. Turkey-Bacon-Artichoke Breakfast Casserole Yield: 12 servings Preparation: 25 minutes Chill: 8 hours Stand: 30 minutes Bake: 45 minutes 1 (6-ounce) package seasoned croutons 2 cups chopped cooked turkey 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 (13.75-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped 1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1½ cups shredded Mozzarella cheese 10 eggs ½ cup milk 1 pint half-and-half ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground white pepper • Place croutons in the bottom of a lightly greased 9-x-13-x-2-inch baking dish. Top with turkey, bacon, and artichokes. Sprinkle with cheeses. • In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs…

Want to give your pies a special look for the holidays? Try one of these decorative ways to finish your piecrust edge. Cut 1⁄4-inch strips from extra piecrust dough and use two strips to make a decorative braided edge for your pie. Brushing the edge of the piecrust with egg whites will help the braided edge stay in place. Making a professionallooking fluted edge is easier than you might think. Just pinch the piecrust between your thumb and forefinger and give it a twist. With a little practice, you’ll find the rhythm and be able to turn out a beautiful piecrust edge in minutes. Roll out leftover pie dough and use decorative cutters to cut out shapes to embellish the edge of your piecrust. Sets of these tiny cutters, with…

Nettie Authément of Houma, Louisiana, submitted this recipe for Cajun Pap and Apples, a traditional dessert of baked apples and vanilla pudding. The important part of cooking Pap, she says, is not to be in a hurry. “Cajuns do not know how to hurry,” Nettie explains. “That’s why their food is so good!” A great favorite of her children and grandchildren, especially at Christmastime, this recipe makes enough to feed a crowd of 12 or more. If you’re expecting fewer guests, you can easily cut the recipe in half. Cajun Pap and Apples Yield: 12 servings Preparation: 30 minutes Cook: 1 hour for apples; about 10 minutes for pudding Baked apples: 12 baking apples, such as Rome or Granny Smith 4 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons butter, cut into 12 even…

Microplane® Zester [1]It sounds like an improbable story. A frustrated homemaker, trying to zest an orange to make an orange cake, picks up one of her husband’s new wood-working tools and gives it a try. The results are amazing, and the Microplane® line of kitchen graters and zesters is born. All of the graters and zesters have surgical-grade, stainless-steel blades with razor-like edges that cut food easily. We tested the Classic Zester, which resembles a 12-inch ruler. The Microplane company promises that it will produce “lacy shards of zest that fall from its surface like snowflakes,” and we were not disappointed. We used it to zest an orange, to shave bittersweet chocolate, and to grate Parmesan cheese, and we were captivated by the results. With the orange, the Classic Zester…

Priester’s Pecans in Fort Deposit, Alabama, is a favorite stop for families traveling south on Interstate 65. The rustic wooden building just off Exit 142 offers something for everyone: an inviting front porch with comfortable rocking chairs; tempting pecans and handmade candies to sample; a fun viewing area where you can watch candies, cakes, and pies being made; a lunch bar where you can enjoy a delicious meal; not to mention clean restrooms and plenty of parking. “That’s what we’ve built our business on,” says Ellen Ellis Burkett (pictured above with her brother, Thomas Ellis), who manages the Priester’s Pecans retail operation, “being a welcome retreat on the way south.” Families often use the Fort Deposit store as their meeting place. “Growers will be calling to sell us their crop…

Take a break from the holiday rush and invite your family and friends to a relaxed late-morning brunch. It’s a great way to bring together the best elements of the holiday season— good food and good friends. Whether you’re entertaining your family on Christmas morning, feeding a crowd on New Year’s Day, or spending a lazy Sunday morning in front of the fireplace, we’ve made it easy with a simple but elegant brunch menu that will have everyone clamoring for second helpings. These delicious recipes prove that not all holiday entertaining has to be a grand production. You can make some of these dishes ahead or put them together the morning of the brunch without a lot of fuss. Assemble our Bacon and Cheese Grits the night before, and then…

Chess Pie Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie Preparation: 15 minutes Bake: 1 hour 6 eggs 1 cup butter 3 cups sugar 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell, unbaked • Preheat oven to 350º. • In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Set aside. • In a medium saucepan over low heat on stovetop, melt butter. Add sugar and vinegar, whisking constantly for 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. • Pour sugar mixture over beaten eggs; mix well. Add vanilla; stir. • Pour filling into pie shell. Bake for 1 hour, or until center is set. Sweet-Potato Pie with Streusel Topping Yield: 2 (9-inch) pies Preparation: 15 minutes Bake: 1 hour Topping: 1 cup light brown sugar ½ cup flour ⅓ cup butter ½ cup pecan…

I just love the fall of the year when the cool winds start whippin’ and our leaves start turning red and gold, which is usually around November. To me it’s a blessed relief following the oppressive heat and humidity of June, July and August. Because of the heat, we find ourselves running from car to building, which means we spend way too much time indoors. So the fall time of the year for me is like revitalization. I find myself frisky and full of life again. Michael and I are building a new home, and we hope to be in it around November. To me, this is the perfect time of year for establishing a brand new yard. I’m very fortunate that Brandon Branch, one of my personal assistants, also…

Black-Eyed Pea Salsa Yield: 6 cups Preparation: 20 minutes 3 (15.8-ounce) cans black-eyed peas 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil • In a large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients. Toss gently with olive oil. Serve with pita chips. Cumin Pita Chips Yield: 4 dozen Preparation: 10 minutes Bake: 8 minutes 3 (6-inch) pita-bread rounds, split ¼ cup butter, melted 2 teaspoons garlic salt 2 teaspoons ground cumin • Preheat oven to 350°. • Cut each bread half into 8 wedges. • Place wedges in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush wedges with melted…

All-purpose, bread, whole- wheat, cake—many types of flour can be found on the baking aisle of a typical supermarket. Which type of flour is best for Southern-style baking? The answer depends, of course, on what you plan to bake. When the protein in flour is combined with a liquid, it forms “gluten,” the magic substance that allows yeast dough to rise. Different types of flour contain different amounts of protein and, therefore, produce different amounts of gluten. High-gluten flours made from hard wheat are great for making yeast-leavened baked goods like bread and rolls. Low-gluten flours made from soft wheat are better for biscuits, cakes, and other pastries that do not depend on yeast to rise. So not all flours are equal. Here’s a list of the common varieties available…

Pecans are at their freshest and most flavorful in November and December, just after they have been harvested. Perhaps that’s why they’ve become part of traditional Southern holiday celebrations. Pecans have often been called the “all-American nut.” Native to the Mississippi Valley, they were a staple of the diet of Native Americans, who pounded them into flour and used them to flavor food. Thomas Jefferson, our third president, who was also a well-known horticulturist and food connoisseur, imported pecan trees from Louisiana to plant at his home, Monticello. New disease-resistant varieties of pecan trees developed in the 19th century, along with commercial pecan-processing equipment introduced in the 1920s, have made growing pecans a major industry. Today, more than 500 varieties of pecans are grown in the United States. Pecans are not…

Celebrate with Brunch Pages 10–16: Most dishes, table linens, and accessories from Table Matters. Location courtesy of Dottie King. A Holiday Meal to Remember Pages 18–24: Platter, baking dishes, and salad bowl from Bed, Bath & Beyond. “Solitaire” china by Lenox®. “Jamestown Platinum” goblets by Mikasa®. Cut-glass cake stand is antique. Cutwork tablecloth from Mr. Tablecloth ®. Location courtesy of Dottie and Terry Smith. Encore for Leftovers Pages 26–28: Baking dishes and dinnerware from Target®. Location courtesy of Rebecca and Paul Touliatos. From Paula’s Kitchen Pages 41–42: Bowl and plate from T. J. Maxx. Location courtesy of Anna and Wayne Harris. Perfect Pies Pages 30–36: Dishes and table linens courtesy of Dillard’s, Decatur, Alabama. Pottery pie plates by Longaberger®. Cake stands are antique. Location courtesy of Katie Allen. A Scrumptious…

Holiday Italian Salad Yield: 8 servings Preparation: 20 minutes 4 cups torn green-leaf lettuce 4 cups torn red-leaf lettuce 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 recipe Creamy Balsamic Italian Dressing (Recipe follows.) • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except dressing. Add dressing, tossing gently. Serve immediately. Creamy Balsamic Italian Dressing Yield: approximately 2 cups Preparation: 5 minutes Chill: 1 hour 1 (.7-ounce) envelope zesty Italian saladdressing mix 3 tablespoons water ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ½ cup olive oil 1 cup commercial ranch dressing • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; whisk until well blended. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Whisk well before serving. Easy Orange Rolls Yield: 36 rolls Preparation:…

My mother, Frances Norwood, taught me never to fear anything—a part of my character that has landed me in some scrapes, but has led me to some pretty glorious moments, too. It was only as an adult, confronted with the rather nail-biting task of writing about my own mother, that I realized my mama couldn’t teach me what she doesn’t know, and fear is one of those things. Never was that more evident to me than in 1996, when my mother realized a long-held dream of opening a bakery and catering business. What’s more, she did so at the age of 53, stopping in the midstream of her professional life as an accountant and bookkeeper to begin anew as a baker of pies, cookies, and cakes. She has never looked…

A cozy dinner with one of the important people in your life calls for a special menu that is easy to prepare, serves just two, and is delicious to boot. Enter Leslie Bailey. Leslie is a busy career woman who treasures the time she spends with her family and friends. A television and radio personality in Montgomery, Alabama, Leslie has recently published a cookbook entitled, Hey, Leslie! What’s Cooking?, which includes many of the recipes she uses in her catering business, Silver Spoon Caterers. The recipes for some of the food that Leslie created for this special meal appear in her new cookbook, while others are Silver Spoon favorites. All are guaranteed fabulous and are only enough for two average-size servings. She often says, “Good food doesn’t have to be…

A few years ago, on a crisp morning in early December, I dropped by my mother’s house and found her knee-deep in Christmas decorations, preparing for the legion of children, grandchildren, and friends who would descend on her home during the holiday season. As I walked into her living room, I was assailed by the most intoxicating smell. It reminded me of Thanksgiving and Christmas, family gatherings, and good times all rolled into one. “What are you cooking?” I asked her. “Oh, nothing,” she replied. “I’m just baking some sweet potatoes; they make the house smell so good.” That was the day I came to understand something that my mother had known for years; that the smell of sweet potatoes roasting in the oven is one of the traditional aromas…