Recipe(tried): Down Home Southern Menu... Fried Chicken, Fried Cabbage, Mess O'Greens, Southern Style Candied Yams, Southern Macaroni and Cheese, Georgia Style Cornbread, Down South Peach Cobbler

Goode Afternoon,

I don't know why I woke up today thinking about Southern Food...perhaps it was because a few weeks ago, Mom and I had to go to St. Petersburg and we ate a delightful lunch at Atwood's Soul Food Cafeteria. Can you believe that for $5.00 a piece, we had ribs, black-eyed peas, cornbread and greens? And they serve you lots!!

Or perhaps it was because I was thinking of the wonderful dinner we both enjoyed back in 1998 at Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem, New York. I was so pleased with my dinner that I bought her cookbook and was quite honored to have met Sylvia and have her autograph my cookbook. I understand she has a new one out called, Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook.

In either case, today is the day for some soul satisfying food....this type of cooking and eating just makes me warm and fuzzy all over. And the leftovers, my oh my, they are even better.

I was first introduced to soul food when my sister lived in Georgia some 17 years ago. You would always be able to find some little restaurant that served home-cooked meals that made you feel like you were surrounded by family and Grandma was right out back cooking all that delicious, simple food.

Of course, my sister being married to a Georgia native, cooked up biscuits, ham, sweet potatoes, lots of congealed salads, pork in all styles, chicken too, whenever she invited us out for a week's visit during winter!! Oh, and the desserts that I was introduced to, well, let me say that they were trully mouth watering. I will never forget her wedding buffet table at the church...a long table laden with all sorts of southern casseroles and specialties. Visiting her every year was a special treat as there is nothing compared to the quiet countryside.

Of course, my DH won't be all that happy when he sees what's on the menu, he has deligently been losing weight for the past 3 months walking his 5 miles after work. You know what, he can walk a little bit more tomorrow!! Hee-hee....

Here is what I am preparing for tonight's meal.

Debbie's Mama's Sweet Iced Tea (the absolute BEST)
Fried Chicken
Collard Greens
Macaroni and Cheese
Fried Cabbage
Candied Yams
Cornbread
Peach Cobbler

I will work off those extra calories tomorrow when I do the yard!! As Scarlett O'Hara once said, "Tomorrow is another day"....

Happy Cooking!!! Gina

Fried Chicken

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of black pepper
2 tablespoons of seasoned salt
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
vegetable oil for frying
1 whole chicken cut in parts (or use only chicken breast)

In a large zip lock baggie, combine flour, pepper, seasoned salt, paprika and garlic powder, mix ingredients well.

Place oil in large skillet and heat at low heat.
Flour chicken parts in the large baggie and place them in skillet.

Brown chicken on each side. Do not over crowd your chicken pieces as this will make the chicken greasy. Drain well in the oven on paper lined plates kept warm as you cook the rest of the chicken.

Fried Cabbage

1 pound bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 pounds cabbage, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Fry bacon until crisp and well browned. Drain and set aside. Add chopped onion to the bacon grease and stir until limp. Add cabbage, pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Stirring well so that all the cabbage is coated. Add crumbled bacon bits and cover and cook over low heat until cabbage is limp and tender.

Mess O'Greens
Servings: 4-6

1 medium onion, chopped
bacon drippings
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon sugar
Better Than Bouillion Ham Base
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 pounds collard greens, well rinsed, thick stems trimmed of and discarded, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Salt and pepper to taste
1 smoked ham hocks (about 9 ounces each) or 1 teaspoon of

In a large pot, combine the bacon drippings with the chopped onion and saute. When limp, add the garlic and saute till aroma released. Add the sugar and the seasonings and 1/2 cup water. Add the collards and stir well, simmer on low. Cook the ham hock in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water for 45 minutes. When done, add 2 cups of the liquid to the greens and when ham hock is cool enough to handle, cut the meaty parts off and add to the pot of greens.

Southern Style Candied Yams

2 lbs. yams, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar or more to taste
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 cup raisins
2 cups pineapple chunks

Preheat oven to 400. Place yams in a 12x12-inch baking dish. Pour in the water and vanilla. Mix the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl till blended. Sprinkle this mixture over yams and cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle the raisins and pineapple over the yams and baste with juices. Cover with foil again and continue baking about 20 minutes more till tender.

Southern Macaroni and Cheese

1 (16 oz) box of macaroni
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 (13 oz) can of evaporated milk
1 block (approx. 16 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, cut in small cubes
1 small box of Velveeta, sliced
1 (4 oz) can of jalapeno peppers, chopped (they usually come whole in the can, you will need to chop them)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 block (approx. 8 oz) sharp or mild cheddar cheese

Cook the macaroni according to package directions.
Cook about 1 minute less than the package directions.
Drain the cooked macaroni but do not rinse.
Return the macaroni to pot.
Add butter, milk, cheese cube and slices to hot macaroni.
Mix well, until butter and Velveeta melt. The mixture will be soupy. The cheese cubes will not melt completely.
Add peppers.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour into baking dish.
Cover the top with the remaining cheese (grated, sliced or cut into cubes.)
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
You want the top to brown and the pasta to set.

Georgia Style Cornbread

3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. finely ground black pepper
a sprinkle of cayennne red pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup corn kernels, drained well
3 eggs, beaten till frothy
2/3 cup half and half

Preheat oven to 400. Thoroughly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, peppers, and salt into a medium bowl. Add the cornmeal and toss with a fork to blend. Add the corn, eggs and half and half, stir just to blend. Pour into prepared pan and bake till golden brown, 15 minutes. Cut inot squares and serve hot and buttered.

Down South Peach Cobbler
Best served with vanilla ice cream

1 large can of DelmonteTM Sliced Peaches
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar

1 box of PillsburyTM pie crust mix - follow the directions to make the pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix peaches and other ingredients (except pie crust) in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Pour peaches into a large casserole dish. Roll the pie crust into 1 whole sheet to cover the dish, or cut it into strips and place over the peach mixture. Bake until golden brown, approximately 1 hour.