Recipe(tried): Black History Recipes

Collard Greens

3-4 bunches collard greens
2 cups water
1 ham hock or salt pork (small piece)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Wash and remove stems from greens. Boil ham hock or salt pork for 1 hour in water. Tear leaves into bit-sized pieces. Add greens, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and cook greens slowly until tender. Simmer for 2 hours. (Serves 4)
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GreensHundreds of years ago, slaves planted greens on a little piece of land their owners gave them. Some slaves cooked greens in an iron pot. If you were making a "mess of greens" you were cooking a lot of leaves, water, and meat in a big black pot or any kind of pot.

2 bunches turnip greens
2 bunches mustard greens
1/2 pound salt port
1/2 pound of bacon (sliced or cubed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 dried red peppers
1/2 medium onion chopped

Place greens in cold water with one teaspoon of salt. Let set for about 10 minutes. Wash greens. Put in plain cold water, picking out any pieces that are bruised or broken. Break off all very large stems. Make sure you wash greens thoroughly, so they are cleansed or any sand or soil. In a large pan, fry meat until browned. Drain off fat if you prefer a healthier meal. Add greens, water, and seasoning. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours on low heat, or until greens are tender. Use the leftover juice with greens and cornbread.

Westridge Young Writers Workshop, Kids Explore American's African American Heritage. New Mexico: John Muir Publications, 1996.
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Black-Eyed PeasBlack-eyed peas came from Africa. They are a healthy food that people eat to become strong. Some African Americans believe that if you eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, you will have good luck for the new year.

1 pound black-eyed peas
4 cups water
1 medium onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cubed ham (option substitutes: 2 polish sausages, 2 hot sausage links, or bacon)
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper (optional)

Pick and wash the black-wyes peas. Place in slow cooker or, if you wish to cook them on the top of the stove, a large dutch over. Combine wtih salt, pepper, onion, water, and ham or other meat. You can add crushed red pepper if you like spicy food. simmer on the top of the stove or turn slow cooker to high and allow peas to cook 3 to 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

Westridge Young Writers Workshop, Kids Explore American's African American Heritage. New Mexico: John Muir Publications, 1996.
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Down-Home Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening or cooking oil
3/4 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Add milk. Mix with fork until particles cling together. Form dough into a ball and transfer to lightly floured bread board. Knead gently 8 to 10 times. Roll dough out with rolling pin until about 1/2-inch thick. Cut with 2-inch round cutter or cut into 2-inch squares. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

To make shortcake, add 1 cup sugar. Then prepare the filling and topping. Wash and prepare 2 pints of strawberries. Top with milk, cream, or whipped cream.

Heritage Recipe from The Black Family Reunion Cookbook by the National Council of Negro Women.
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Emancipation Proclamation Snackin' Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter, add sugar gradually, blend well. Beat eggs well and add to butter and sugar mixture. Mix sifted flour, salt, and baking powder. Add milt a little at a time. Finally, add vanilla. Use two 9" x 12" buttered cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Westridge Young Writers Workshop, Kids Explore American's African American Heritage. New Mexico: John Muir Publications, 1996.
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Sweet Potato Pie

2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 1/3 cups sugar (brown or white)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
3/4 stick of butter

Peel and culbe sweet potatoes. Mash potatoes with all the above ingredients. Beat with mixer on medium speed until smooth (or you can mix it by hand until smooth). Place in pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until firm when touched in the middle.

Westridge Young Writers Workshop, Kids Explore American's African American Heritage. New Mexico: John Muir Publications, 1996.
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Chitterlings

5 pounds frozen chitterlings - thawed
5 cups water
2 stalks celery with leaves
2 large onions - chopped
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic - minced
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 red pepper peds, cut in pieces (optional)

Soak chitterlings in cold water for at least 6 hours. Cover pot. Drain. Strip as much fat as possible from each piece and wash thoroughly in cold water. Make sure it is entirely free of dirt. Cut into small pieces about 1 inch. Place in full pot of water with salt and pepper. Add other ingredients to the pot and cover. Cook over medium heat until tender anbout 2 1/2 or 3 hours. Serve with vinegar or hot sauce. (Serves 4-6)
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Dirty Rice

2 cups rice
1/2 pound chicken gizzards
1/2 pound chicken livers
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup onions - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
1/2 cup celery -chopped
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 Tablespoon parsley - chopped
2 green onions - chopped
dash of salt
dash of pepper

Place gizzards and livers in pot and add water. Put the cover on the pot. Boil for 10 minutes. Add ground beef to skillet and mix well. Pour off oil and drain. Add chopped onions, garlic, celery, green peppers, green onions and parsley. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes. Remove livers and gizzards from water and chop well. Add to mixture. Stir well. Stir rice into mixture with salt and pepper. Pour into casserole dish or baking dish and heat in oven at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. (Serves 6-8)
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Tasty Fried Chicken

1/4 cup bacon drippings or vegetable shortening
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 3 - to 3 1/2 pound fryer chicken, cut up

Wash chicken, pat dry, and set aside. In a brown paper bag or a plastic bag, add flour and seasoning; shake well. Place chicken in the bag, a piece at a time, and shake to coat. Shake excell flour from each piece and place it on a plate. Coat the chicken a second time. In a large cast-iron skillet, over medium heat, melt bacon drippings and enough shortening to make 1 inch of cooking oil When oil is hot, add chicken and fry until brown on all sides. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to fry for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and its juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove cover from skillet during the last 15 minutes of cooking. (6 to 8 servings)
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Okra Gumbo

2 pounds shrimp
16 cups chicken stock (1 gallon)
1/3 cup butter
2 pounds okra - sliced
1 large onion - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
2 tablespoons parsley - chopped
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes (#2 can)

Peel and clean shrimp. Melt butter in soup pot. Add okra, onion, green pepper and saute. Add garlic and chopped parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Add strimp and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir thoroughly. Serve with rice. (Makes 8 Servings)
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Red Beans and Rice

2 cups red kidney beans
6 cups water - cold
1 large onion - chopped
1 green pepper -chopped
1/2 pound ham - cubed OR
1/2 pound smoked sausage - sliced
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Wash beans in cold water. Drain beans and put in covered pot with cold water. Add ham or sausage to pot. Bring to boil slowly. Add chopped onions, garlic, green pepper, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally until beans are soft. Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to make a creamy sauce. Serve with rice. (Serves 6)

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Hominy Grits

1 cup grits
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups water
3 tablespoons butter or margarine

Bring water to a boil. Add salt. Slowly stir in grits. Stir constantly to prevent lumping. Reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes. Serve hot with butter. (Serves 4)
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Fufu

1 large yam
1 egg
5 teaspoons evaporated milk
1 small onion - grated
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
pinch of garlic salt

Peel and cut yam into small pieces. Boil pieces until tender in 1/2 cup water for 20 minutes. Drain off the water and mash until smooth. Add the egg, milk, onion and garlic salt. Beat and roll into 2 inch balls. If the mixture is too wet, add a little flour. Fry in butter or margarine until brown. (Serves 2-3)
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Baked Beans

2 large cans pork and beans
1 small onion
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons molasses
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons catsup or barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/4 pound salt pork, diced or 6 slices of bacon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pour beans into pan. Add onions, mustard, molasses, brown sugar, catsup, corn syrup, bacon, salt and pepper. Mix well. Bake in oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees F. (Serves 6-8)