Wasabi Cream Cheese Bar

Wasabi Cream Cheese with Ginger Snaps

Finally, A Different Appetizer. 
My niece Burch and sister-n-law Penny were sitting at the kitchen counter munching on something that was vibrant green...closer look...cream cheese with wasabi and soy sauce. YUM. How simple? It's just an upgrade of the old faithful cream cheese and pick-a-peppa.  Thanks for the excellent hors d'oeuvre idea.

Wasabi Cream Cheese Bar

1 block cream cheese
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Wasabi paste...as much as you can handle
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 green onions
Ginger snaps

Take a block of cream cheese and cut in half horizontally (much easier than you would think). Spread wasabi paste on one side of cream cheese and put the block back together. It's going to look great when you cut into it. Soak the layered cream cheese bar in soy sauce for a few hours...I poked a few holes in mine with a toothpick. Cover the cream cheese in toasted sesame seeds. Top with green onions and serve with ginger snaps. I promise the ginger snaps make it.

Enjoy!

Thoughts on Thanksgiving by Webster Franklin

Me with Webster on Ft. Morgan Ferry

Even though we are into the Christmas Season...I need to go back to Thanksgiving. My brother sent me something that should be shared. Our family tradition for Turkey day/week.

Guest blogger for Sweet Salty and Southern...My Brother, Webster Franklin

It’s Thanksgiving week, Ft.Morgan. 

We arrived here some 15 years ago, a way to escape the traditions of the past….turkey, dressing, wine, Clarksdale, MS where our family all converged each year to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Today, it’s a much different celebration….Today, we have 3 of the 4 sisters in the kitchen, on the beach, barking orders to Lansdale (the only true chef and food blogger among us). Lansdale has assumed the responsibility of chief cook and feeder of the family. Although the youngest, with a child of 18 months, still, she slaves over the hot stove tonight….cooking! The meal is Mexican. Her husband Rich has dutifully grilled the meat while she has prepared the Margaritas, the chicken and the beans for what is sure to be a non-traditional Thanksgiving week meal.

You see, our family began traveling to Ft. Morgan upon the death of our Grandfather, Father or Father-n-law, depending on your standing within the family. Thanksgiving was always the traditional affair in Clarksdale…..Turkey, Dressing, Wine and a good oyster casserole…Tonight however is the evolution of this traditional affair. As a family who enjoys traditions, it is comforting that a new tradition has been formed in a generation or one that is less than 15 years old. Our children, Hardy, Burch, Webb will surely see this holiday in a much different light than my sister and I. They will see it as one of fun, where everyone gathers, plays games, shares stories, receives gifts and learns of where and whom they come from. Thanksgiving to them will be full of memories and songs made up over food and drink that I hope they can one day pass along to their own family.

My wish and hope is….that in the next 15 years that we are doing the same in the tradition of our family. One that is always changing, enjoying each other and always remembering from which we come!

 Webster, thank you for this. It means more than you know. Love, Sister.

Daniel Brown's Hot Wings

Daniel's Wings, Memphis in May 2011.

It's football season...one of the best served foods for game time is hot wings...Daniel's Hot Wings. 
I cover the table with butcher paper, throw a platter of D's wings and a roll of paper towels in the middle then back up. These wings are gone in minutes. Crispy chicken wrapped in a bold, spicy-sweet sauce that leaves just a hint of heat on your lips when you're done. Mmmm.

The Memphis in May Barbecue Contest isn't all about barbecue...there is an Ancillary Food Contest with a category of Hot Wings...and Daniel's team Slab Yo' Mama took 2nd Place in 2003 for their incredible wings. So, I'm not the only one who thinks D's wings are the bomb. I've been eating them for years now and finally got him to give me the recipe.  I was lucky enough to watch him make the sauce at the Playford Memorial Day Party ’07.

Thanks for the recipe Daniel...and good luck in May 2012, I'll be there to taste test myself.

Daniel Brown's Hot Wings
2 12-packs of chicken wings
The Sauce
1 stick butter
1 cup Frank's RedHot sauce
1/2 cup wooster (worcestershire)
1/2 tablespoon cayenne
1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon Brer Rabbit molasses
Tony’s Cachere or Emeril’s Essence

Massage the wings with oil and Tony’s or Emeril’s Essence. Fry or grill chicken wings until crisp. Heat all ingredients in a sauce pan. Toss all and serve immediately.

Frying Wings

Naked Wings

Note from Daniel: If the sauce is too hot, either add more butter or more sweet (a little Aunt Jamima will work too).

Slab Yo' Mama: Donny Kwon, Courtney Leavitt and Daniel Brown

Blueberry Muffins...From Scratch

One of the best weekend treats. I can remember knowing my mother was downstairs making breakfast and HOPING she was baking muffins! When I got my wish...thirty minutes later...still warm from the oven...Mama would make her way upstairs with tray full of blueberry muffins...always cut in half with a pat of butter in between. You could see that butter oozing out of the bottom and over the sides...that was the muffin I got first...of course...and it was usually served with OJ and a side of bacon.

Still amazes me that a single muffin can bring back a memory that vivid. My brother, father and I would swarm the tray to eat this buttery-sweet goodness. I hope my family will feel the same about these...

I tried my hand at making muffins...not too bad if you ask me...a little crumbly, but tasted great.

Blueberry Muffins

Muffin
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup blueberries
----------
Crumb Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400ºF and grease muffin tins with spray or butter. Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. In a measuring cup place vegetable oil and egg and add milk to fill the cup. Mix everything together and then fold in the blueberries. Fill tins and top with crumb mixture.

Crumb Mixture...Mix with a fork 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Bake for 25 minutes.

Note: The muffins tasted great but they didn't really stick together, they crumbled. So, if there is a way to make them...more dense...I'd go that route. I'm not much of a baker so I don't know how to correct this....just yet.

Po' Man's Tenderloin

If there were ever a recipe that is a "family tradition"...this one is it for me.
The original was given to my parents after they got married (1965) from my mother's sister Frances and husband Kenneth. I have made sure to include this at the end so you can see how it's morphed.

Po' Mans was originated to be a sit-down meal that would impress under a tight budget...and what's a tighter budget than year one of marriage? My father has been grilling this meat and ceremonially cutting each slice in front of guests for years and my mother has beautifully served it on Royal Doulton china more times than I can count...it's in the hundreds. There are a good many stories that accompany this meat. I won't bore you with all but one or two won't turn you away.

ONE...My father told my godmother's mother and best friend that it was buffalo meat from Yellowstone. My father is quite the storyteller (guess that's the lawyer in him) and everyone at the dining table couldn't believe how wonderful it was. I phone call the next morning asking for the Buffalo Meat Recipe had my mother in horror! What? I have never eaten buffalo meat, what on earth? You can't believe a word Webb says! She shrugged her shoulders, I'm sure cut my father some fierce eyes and said no...it's just Po' Mans...aka Buffalo Meat to all who were at the dinner party that night!

TWO...Rich and I also like to entertain and have a few shindigs of our own. Our presentation is more buffet style than the traditional but we tend to feed 20-30+ and this recipe works for that too. So, to celebrate our nuptials we decided to have Po' Mans served at our reception. Two days before the big day my father...father-of-the-bride...had two grills heated, a cooler of beer and 22 slabs of meat....and it rained on top of that! Note to self...thank my father AGAIN for that! Most people thought what an amazing caterer we had that serve perfectly aged tenderloin. As usual phone calls came in the next day to my mother with rave reviews of the meat and how they could get it. Well, it's just Po' Mans.

Needless to say, this is by far the best meat I've ever had...I'm partial since I grew up with it, but a HUGE hit at every sit down dinner or buffet-style party. Enough chit chat...here's how to prepare and grill Po' Mans.

Ingredients
1 3-1/2" -4" top of the round
2 oz. tenderizer*...if not more
4 tablespoons garlic powder*
4 tablespoons black pepper*
4 tablespoons lemon pepper*
1 stick butter, cut in half lengthwise

Amounts of ingredients should be altered based on size of meat *Seasonings should cover meat liberally. It all depends on the actual size you get from butcher...it's never exactly what you ask for!...part of the Po' Mans essence.

The recipe goes like this...

Juke til you can't juke no mo.

Go to meat department and order a 3½-4 inch top of the round, trimmed. Tell the butcher you are going to grill it and cut it against the grain.

Take a big meat fork and start juking. Juke all six sides and don’t be timid about it...just juke the heck out of it. When you think you’ve juked enough...then juke it some more (or ask your husband, wife, child etc to take over). Juke til you can't juke no mo.

Liberally marinate the meat by coating it in tenderizer, garlic powder, black pepper and lemon-pepper. When done the meat should be covered with dry seasoning...and you can’t put too much!

Let the meat sit out at room temperature for at least 4 hours (covered).  The longer the better.

When you are ready to cook the Po' Mans get the charcoal or gas grill as hot as you can. Sear four sides about 5 minutes each, then 7 to 10 minutes of two sides. Total cook time should be 35-40 minutes.

Po' Man marinating.

Take meat straight from the grill to a plate with half stick of butter under meat and place half stick butter on top of meat. Let rest for ten minutes. Carve in thin slices across the grain. The juice will mix with the butter to make real good gravy.

The final product should be seared to burned on outside and real pink on inside. Tell your guests that it’s Tenderloin properly aged (of Buffalo Meat) and they won’t know the difference.

Definition: Juke means to puncture meat in a rapid, repeated rhythm to your favorite song until you think the meat is sufficiently tenderized.

The original recipe (I have it written in Frances’s hand writing). Daddy really altered it!

Charcoaled Round Steak
Top of the round 2½“ thick (about 7 to 8 pounds) Moisten both sides with water. Coat with unseasoned tenderizer, seasoned salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder and coarse ground black pepper. Pierce with a ford. Let sit out on counter about half a day. Cook about 25 minutes on a side. Have platter warm. Melt 1 stick of butter on bottom of steak and rub one stick in on top. Add wooster sauce and lemon juice for gravy. Cut steak in thin (¼”) slices. Serve with gravy on meat. Serves 8.

Mmm Mmm Mexican

Over 700 miles with a promise of Mexican food. I'll road trip for that. It's been 10 days since I left Texas and I've eaten some form of Mexican food for 17 straight days. I believe I am a bit obsessed. I have always loved Mexican food and require it at the VERY least...once a week. But my family get-together has just sealed the deal...Mexican is my favorite type of food! It's the spice and the lime and the beans and rice...and don't dare forget the margarita!
First thing I made when got home was Salsa Verde. Very Spicy, Very Good!

Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde
8-10 tomatillos, rinsed and halved
1 medium white onion, cut into big chunks
2 jalapenos, roughly chopped, seeded and deveined based on your wanted level of spice, the more spice the more seeds and ribbing you should leave on
2 cloves garlic
1 to 1-1/4  cup chicken stock
1/2 bunch of cilantro
salt to taste

Roast first four ingredients for 3 1/2 hours in a 275º oven. Transfer to a medium sauce pan and just cover with chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half. Pour all into a blender, add cilantro and whirl until completely combined. Add more chicken stock or water for desired consistency.
This sauce pairs with more than the obvious fajita, taco and burrito. I prefer it on eggs for a spiced up breakfast and have used it on one of the southern classic go-to hors d'oeuvres: cream cheese with...enter sauce, jelly, chutney here...twist...salsa verde...OLE!

 Tomatillos

Tomatillos, onions, jalepenos ready for roasting

What a Tomatillo looks like

Barbacoa breakfast taco at Grumpy's Mexican Cafe.

Here are just a few of my meals while in Texas...

Fajita pile up, Casa de Playford.

Peppers and Onions for fajitas.

Lin's Pico de Gallo

 

Gulp of Mexico. Taco Cabana Margarita.

Street Tacos from Taco Cabana

Rich - A - Ritas

Mexican in Memphis

I Made a Birthday Cake

I made a cake...AND...decorated it!

It took me 365 days to understand what my mother has been saying every year on my birthday. "It was just like yesterday." "It was one of the happiest days of my life."...a choked up story every year. Well, my son turned one year old and I told him how much his birth meant to me...and yes...I too choked up, just a bit.

My first year of motherhood has somehow given me a bit of courage...because I baked a cake! If you know me, you know that I DO NOT bake, I DO NOT do sweets. I can't even make slice and bake cookies...just ask my husband.

I figured if my child could make it to a year, I could concentrate enough to make his celebration cake. I made Rich help...for some reason I am unable to read direction and have no idea how to measure accurately...which is the key for making any sweet treat. I used the Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe Butter Cake Mix (NO, I did not make the cake part, that would have been disastrous.) I did exactly what the box said...but only because Rich was telling me what the box said! And wouldn't you know...it came out perfectly!

The icing is where I was going to make or break this cake. I decided on the classic butter cream. I had to make two recipes, but it was worth it.

Webb eating his first birthday cake.

Butter Cream Icing
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons whipping cream

Blend sugar and butter together for 3 minutes. Add vanilla and cream and mix for an additional minute. Ice the cake. I made another batch and made it blue by adding food coloring for the decorative touches.

Happy Birthday to my little Webb! I'm pretty sure he enjoyed it!

My Daddy's Tomatoes: Happy Father's Day

Me and Daddy. Happy Father's Day, I Love You!

My father is a food lover and tomato farmer....and it's about time I brag about his latest project... deltatomatoes.blogspot.com. He has created a blog about his tomato obsession. I have begged for years to get him to write a diary or a tomato log so that I could have a record of his tomato knowledge to pass down the 5th generation of tomato growers, my son, my father's namesake, Webb Playford. In January 2011, my father logged on to tell his tale and share his 50 plus years of tomato knowledge. I'm thrilled to read (and edit) every single word.

I'm pretty sure I got my love of food from my father. The man will eat  anything...he's had duck eyes, monkey brains and pairs spaghetti with catfish on Fridays. Some of my best food memories were when my mother would take a week with the girls to Florida and Daddy was left in charge!

My Father in the tomato patch, 2002.

Daddy made eating FUN. Breakfast was a hamburger with mayonnaise, mustard and pickles and dinner...a choice between sardines or Chefboyardee ravioli. For years I chose the ravioli...since Daddy served this dish by opening the can and sticking a spoon in it, we discovered that if you added a squirt of yellow mustard, it would take the "can taste" out of the ravioli. (I'm serious, it works) As time passed I finally got brave enough to try the sardines and you know...they aren't so bad. Saltines, sardines, a little wooster and lemon. (Usually eaten for lunch the day my mother throws a big party...he has to fix his own plate!) From that point on I've become more adventurous and willing to try anything.

Thanks Daddy, your enthusiasm and love for eating food is the reason I have my hobby...this blog. I love you. Happy Father's Day

To honor him on this special day...I give you delta tomato recipes.
Want to learn how to plant and grow your own tomatoes? Follow deltatomatoes.blogspot.com!


Webb Franklin's Tomato Recipes

Home-grown tomatoes
Balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh basil

SLICED TOMATOES
Thick, sliced homegrown tomatoes are my favorite summer delight. Dipping them in boiling water for 8 seconds takes the skin right off and doesn’t effect the flavor. All you need is salt and pepper and you are good to go.

Sprinkle balsamic vinegar over tomatoes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and garnished with fresh basil. Lots of salt and pepper…these babies are real good.

Wait until just before serving to put the dressing on and never put the dressed tomatoes in the ice box.

CHUNKED TOMATOES
Cut tomatoes into bite-sized chunks. Use the same dressing above, but use more. I like to spoon them on the salad plate with lots of juice on a bed of lettuce. No need to toss these in a salad. Tomatoes are all you need!

Future Tomato Grower, Webb Playford

Mayonnaise. The Real Sauce of the South

Homemade mayonnaise.

This Southern ice box must is something you just have to try! I'm not kidding.

As usual, Di's was the first homemade mayonnaise I ever experienced...a smooth, creamy, salty, tangy sauce that will make your mouth water. It's like nothing you've every tasted, not even mayonnaise! (Hellmanns OR Duke's)! Here's Di's no-fuss recipe:

Diana Dubard Cooper's Homemade Mayonnaise

2 eggs, yes the whole eggs
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups vegetable oil
salt and red pepper to taste, I like a lot of both

Blend eggs, lemon, salt and red pepper in a blender and slowly add oil while blender is on high. That's it! You can add more lemon, salt and red pepper to your liking by dumping the blender mayo into a bowl and mixing the additions with a spoon until just right for you. Every Southerner has their OWN method of creating homemade mayo, this is mine and to me there is nothing better. It's just damn good!

Store-bought mayo, goodbye. Your vegetables, french fries and the obvious chicken salad, potato salad, egg salad and BLT's will thank you.

Dill Pasta with Peas

Who doesn't need a make-ahead side dish?
Pasta salad was my first thought...easy. I have neglected the kitchen for far too long, so I was itching to create, not just make. Now...how to make it different? Dill seems fresh and summery? I went for it. Here's a recipe for a great, different pasta salad.

Dill pasta with peas

Pool Party Pasta with Peas

1 box angle hair pasta
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 4oz package Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
6  tablespoons lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
5 oz frozen green peas

Cook pasta as directed and drain. Combine next five ingredients and pour over hot pasta. Mix well and put in ice box until chilled. Add frozen peas once cold.

This is a winner and your guests will love it. Hope for left overs!

Roasted Tomatoes

Roasted Tomatoes

What a flavorful surprise! 
Roasted tomatoes take on a whole new form when cooked this way. All the goodness of a tomato is slow roasted into a few concentrated bites.
Have put them in pastas, salads and served with mozzarella drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Roasted Tomatoes

8 tomatoes
oil
salt
pepper

Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Lay on a lined cookie sheet (have tested several surfaces and parchment paper works the best). drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 250ºF for 5 to 6 hours.

I promise it's worth the 5 hours in the oven.

Tomato season is here, ENJOY.

Can I Have Your Heart?

Artichoke contest plate.

The Artichoke
It's been a favorite in my family every since I can remember. I even requested Artichokes and Pizza for my birthday meal...when I was 10!

COURSE ONE: 
Artichokes. Game On! 
There is a tradition....there's ALWAYS a tradition! The Franklin's ate dinner at the dining room table (every night) and when it was artichoke night, the air seemed different...it was contest night. Manners were always expected, but getting to eat with your hands was quite the treat and legal (plucking leaves with your fingers is the proper way to eat an artichoke)...and darting out of your chair, running to the garden to pick a flower to adorn the top of your creation was somehow allowed (Mama!). No need to ask to be excused, it was okay on artichoke night.

Let me explain. We would each get our own artichoke...NO SHARING. Every leaf was carefully pulled, delicately scraped and perfectly placed on our artichoke plates (yes, they make such a thing) revealing the heart. The core of this vegetable is coveted by my family. Till this day, biting into a buttery-soaked heart is one of the most enjoyable tastes. The goal was to create a masterpiece with your leaves. You can make a circle, you can stack, you can pile...whatever makes the most interesting plate. My father won almost every time. My mother actually won the time she ran to the garden for a flower...she broke the rules and used a non-artichoke item, but we gave it to her for her creativity.

Speaking of Mama...she always asks "Can I have your heart?" with a quick response of "No!" from everyone at the table. But she had her own sneaky way of getting the heart from me. She would say, "You have to give the last bite to the person you love most at the table." Now, how terrible is that? I had to choose between my mother, father and brother (sorry Webster, you will never get that last bite from me...I carried your football equipment, your punishment...no last bite). My mother NORMALLY wouldn't say things like that or ask that I choose between her and my father...but like I said, the air was different on artichoke night. So inevitably, I would give my mother the last bite and in return she would give hers to me. A trade of love.

That was years and years ago...today, my brother and I send photo texts back and forth with decorated plates...mainly for the jealousy factor that one is eating an artichoke and the other is not! And it's easier to get an outside judge...someone NOT sitting at the dining room table during creation. Yes, my brother's family, The Franklin II's, pose the same challenge at their dinner table...as do I. I can't eat an artichoke without the contest (even when I eat it alone).

As long as I live, the artichoke will forever remind me of sitting with my family at the dining room table. Thank you Mama...for making me understand the importance of sitting down with your family to eat dinner. So many memories. Yes, you can have my heart...but only the last bite!

Artichokes from our recent meals. Some people don't participate (photo 3).

My Simple Artichoke Recipe
No need to fancy this one up. It's great as is!

1 Artichoke for each person
Butter
Lemon
Wooster* (Worcestershire Sauce)

Boil Artichokes until the bottom is soft, usually 45 minutes. Test by inserting a fork in the center of the heart. My Aunt Hardy steams them with the same time and outcome. I've just always done it this way.
Heat butter and add enough lemon to make it just tart...everyone has their own way.

*Now, my husband grills the artichoke. After boiling, drain and cut in half lengthwise. Brush mixture of melted butter, lemon and wooster on artichoke and grill for 5 to 10 minutes until artichoke is slightly charred on outside.

The Perfect Bite

The Perfect Bite

It was a normal night...picked Webb up from day care, debated on whether to do laundry (pass), poured a glass of wine and started thinking about dinner. Nothing special...Salmon: marinated in balsamic vinegar and quick seared in a skillet, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon: Rendered cubed bacon, set aside and left 2 tablespoons of grease, boiled sprouts until tender, quick ice bath to keep the color then cut in two, a 3 minute char in the bacon grease, top with bacon crumbles, Sweet Potato: simply baked. I didn't even take a picture because the plate didn't look great...the salmon and sweet potatoes were the same color...but then...

As I started eating...I realized I was carefully constructing on my fork...a layer of sweet potato, a little salmon with balsamic, a piece of sprout and then bacon...being careful not to have it topple over before it reached my mouth. I was creating the absolute best bite possible! LIGHTBULB. I made Rich pause the movie...I deconstructed my first plated meal, grabbed a clean dish and made myself 9 perfect bites...I ended up eating less and enjoying more.

Roasted Vegtables:FFY Night

Roasted Vegetables and Wild Rice

It's FFY again...Fend For Yourself! Rich is at the Grizzly game, Webb has gone to bed early and I'm left trying to figure out what I'm going to eat...because yes, I'm going to eat and Taco Bell doesn't deliver! Left overs it is...but it's damn good left overs. So good, Rich even eats it!

If you don't know already, when I met my husband he didn't eat vegetables. So he doesn't eat celery? NO. He doesn't eat carrots? No. What about beans? Oh yeah, he eats beans...one kind...Ranch Style Beans, and that's the extent of the bean eating. A long story short...he's come a long way.

Rich has been patient and has tried just about everything I've made...but I think I have come across something that is a clear winner...Thank you Deidre for the recipe!

Rich's vegetable journey started with asparagus...he was intrigued by the way they grow...my father raises asparagus and the way they poke out of the ground and reach amazing heights in hours is an incredible thing to watch. Rich started by eating the tips...agreed, the leaves are much better than the trunk (same with broccoli). I decided not to give him a trunk or leaf choice...I chopped it up and paired it with something he actually likes...sweet potatoes, added some goat cheese to make it creamy, put this on top of wild rice and wah-la!

My friend Deidre got me hooked on her roasted veggies recipe a few years ago. The best thing about it, is that you can use just about any vegetable. Deidre uses sweet potatoes, red onions and squash...which is why I never thought about serving this to Rich. I've added a few twists and tweaks to mine and Rich's liking, but I'm telling you, whatever you like...it will be wonderful! My recipe for tonight's leftover meal goes like this...

Wild Rice
4oz package wild rice
2 cups chicken stock
1-2 cloves minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Webb Franklin Asparagus

Roasted Vegetables
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
15 asparagus, cut in fourths diagonally
2 beets, cubed
I wish I could say that red onion was in this...but Rich wouldn't dare go there.
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
2-3 cloves minced garlic
4-5 splashes balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
Crumbles of goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Wild Rice: Heat oil and butter in a heavy-bottom pot, saute garlic for 2 minutes. Add wild rice to olive oil and butter and stir for 1-2 minutes. Pour 2 cups of chicken stock into rice and boil, cut heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Vegetables: Mix all veggies with herbs, vinegar, 1 clove garlic and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Roast on a greased cookie sheet at 475º for 25 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Make sure to stir every ten minutes or they will stick.

Deidre's Roasted Vegetables
The Original Recipe by Deidre Lightle..Thanks for sharing.

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
½ Red onion diced (about the size of the potatoes)
1 squash, cubed (optional)
Mix together:
¼ C of olive oil
4-5 splashes of balsamic vinaigrette
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary

View full recipeYour favorite herbs can be substituted. Mix oil mixture with veggie mixture and cook at 475 for 25 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Make sure to stir every ten minutes or they will stick to cookie sheet. I serve mine on brown rice and usually eat with fresh corn on the cob! –DL

A TEN Course Meal: By My Design

Oh to OVERindulge! Rich and I went with a group to Hot Springs for a little R&R...after a weekend of lake house relaxing and betting at the track (Oaklawn), our last stop was The Arlington Hotel. They have a brunch that is…well…gi-normous! Since I have been once before, I was prepared and ready to tackle a meal I am not soon to forget.

It rarely gets better than a serve-yourself, brunch buffet. You can create your meal exactly the way you want it. There is a true art to managing your way through a buffet. My father is a lover of this method of eating and has passed his talent down to me.

Before you start. There are a few things to remember.

1.     This is your meal, make it exactly the way you want it.

2.     Make sure you get the lay of the land before you start piling food on your plate.

3.     Don’t fill up on what you don’t absolutely have to have. Save room for what  you couldn’t possible leave sitting on your plate…believe me there will be plenty.

4.     This is not a rushed event. Sit back, relax and enjoy the food!

Okay, now that the rules are sets, I’ll take you through my 10 course meal. Yes, 10 Course Meal!

Course 1: Peel ‘em and Eat ‘em Shrimp.

A light start…I chose 5 shrimp with cocktail sauce.

Course 2: Raw Oysters

Three plump raw oysters with lemon, Wooster (Worcestershire) and cocktail sauce on top of crackers

Course 3: Salad

This is one of my favorites. Spinach, beets, mushrooms, bacon, gorgonzola dressing.

Course 4: Salmon

Smoked Salmon with egg, red onion and lemon (really wished for some capers, but could not find them)

Course 5: Eggs Benedict

I ended up not eating the English muffin, it was too soggy, but the egg, Canadian bacon and hollandaise were wonderful.

Course 6: Chicken Fried Steak

I couldn’t pass this up. Chicken Fried steak with red skinned mashed potatoes. I don’t particularly like white gravy, so I left it off and added the potatoes.

Course 7: Catfish and Wild Rice

Fried catfish with wild rice and tartar sauce

Course 8: Roast Beef 
Perfectly carved red meat with au jois and green beans

Course 9: DONUTS

Lightles, Browns, Playfords and Wiles

 

The Arlington actually makes the donuts right there while you are watching! Incredible...an absolute must. I only ate one bite of each one (okay, maybe two)

Course 10: Cheese
Ending with cheese is always a good idea...much lighter than the donut.

I hope everyone gets to experience a buffet like this. And a quick apology to the crew that had to watch me eat 10 plates! Same time, same place next year! 

Potatoes...Three Times

Thrice Baked Potato

What's better than a twice baked potato? A THRICE baked potato! I made twice baked potatoes for our weekend getaway...last week...and I always make more than I need because, well...one, I might mess up one of the potatoes needed and...two, they're always better the third time around. Rich has labeled this as an A+++ dish!

EASY DIRECTION: Bake Russet potatoes until done. (One potato for two people). Cut in half lengthwise. DELICATELY dig the potato out with a spoon leaving a little attached the skin (this will make for a sturdy boat). Mix potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper...THEN a twist. I can't just do the normal thing...I add a little truffle oil...just a few drops...this gives it a taste of sophistication. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth. Stuff the potato halves, cover with cheddar cheese and bake for 20 minutes. I cut up green onion and have bacon crumbles for the top. And ALWAYS make at least one extra potato. Without the boat skins, I put the potatoes in a ramekin, top with cheese and bake until warm, top the same way.
  
Third time is definitely a charm.

FRIED CHICKEN!

Fried Chicken

I can't believe it! I MADE FRIED CHICKEN! Of all food this is the one I was most afraid of making. Growing up my mother tried to fry chicken...tried being the key word. I do remember once that we (Daddy, Webster and I) were very excited and impressed when we sat down at the table and beautifully fried chicken sat before us...the perfect golden brown. YES, she did it! After much excitement and congratulations we dug in...to raw chicken! And this is why I have such a fear of this Southern fried treat. If my mother couldn't do it...how on earth could I? Every Southerner has their own version...ours was Church's...and it was GOOD!

Rich asked if I would make him fried chicken...total panic came over me and he knew it...weakness! NOTE: Never, ever let 'em see you sweat! At that point Rich made a comment that I took as: You can't fry chicken? You're from Mississippi and you have a blog about food and you can't fry chicken? (I'm sure Rich didn't say this, but it sure is how I was hearing it.) So...challenge accepted! I spent a whole week researching.

There was only one logical place to start...Di's Fried Chicken. Diana is a damn-good cook, especially when you want something Southern. I called to get her recipe as a base. "Now you know I don't have it written down." The recipe goes like this...

Diana Dubard Cooper's Recipe
It's a three drink meal. You put the eye on 8 and get the oil hot. Coat chicken with seasoned flour (salt and pepper) and put in the oil. Cover and go have a bourbon and water on the porch and leave the chicken about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over when you make your second drink. Go sit back on the porch. Take off top and turn down to 6 or 7. Fix another drink. When just about through with bourbon, check on chicken and turn over. Should be done at end of 3rd drink...takes about 40 minutes.

See why I went to Di FIRST! All of her recipes are in off-the-wall measurements...there's one that says...take receiver off hook (meaning you don't have time to talk on the phone during this process!) Anyway...

I went to the K-Roger next to my house and bought chicken parts...skin on, bone-in. I then scoured the internet and read about brining or soaking chicken in buttermilk. This method would ensure tender chicken...I chose to soak over night in buttermilk, Louisiana Hot Sauce, salt and pepper. Who doesn't want juicy, tender chicken...right? Plus, putting the fry off for a day to build my confidence was okay too. Next step...breading... seasoned flour or flour and cornmeal or crackers and panko.That would have to be decided at the time of the fry!

Timing and temperature were my biggest concern. I have learned that the art of frying chicken boils down to two things. TIMING and TEMPERATURE. Most "modern" recipes say it takes 30 minutes to fry chicken, but EVERY person I talked to that has actually fried chicken says it takes 40 minutes. DELIMMA. Armed with all I had learned...it was time to get in the kitchen.

I Southerned up. I threw my hair in pigtails. I had a little Taj Mahal playing on the iPod and got to work...lots of decisions to be made. And since my fear had grown even more after reading all the different ways you can prepare this dish I had to have Rich by my side for support. He happily agreed and was standing by with a (now I know) NON functioning fire extinguisher. We did go over the rules of grease fire beforehand...DO NOT throw water on the fire, smother it. With that....a quart of peanut oil went into my 13" cast iron skillet...I turned the eye on 8 to see where that would take us.

While oil was getting hot I finally decided on the breading. No panko, no crackers and no cornmeal in the pantry...looks like we stick with flour....I'm feeling better at this point. This is how I cook. I can't follow a recipe to save my life. I read as much as I can read about a particular dish, then I "wing it" once it's time to start cooking I have to rely on the inner cook.

Flour, salt, pepper, cayanne, garlic powder and poultry seasoning are dumped into a grocery bag...the old school kind...brown paper! Then I made an egg bath...3 eggs, hot sauce, buttermilk, salt and pepper. I dipped each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and tossed in the grocery bag...Rich took over and did the shake, shake, shake dance to evenly coat.

Oil was at 375º...ready! Chicken went in for 10 minutes. Temp went down, but back up to 375º. Turned the chicken and cooked for another 10 minutes. Side two looked a bit burned and I got concerned...Rich gave me an internal temperature read of 159º at 23 minutes into frying! I wanted to take the chicken out at 160º. This was NOT what I had hoped.

We pulled the chicken for fear of over cooking. Taste...INCREDIBLE! Crispy outside with a hint of heat and perfectly salted. Meat was tender and juicy..thank you buttermilk! Outside tasted great but was a little too dark. I hope to fry again soon to try and correct my mistakes. Temperature was too high. I'd like to drop the temperature to 350º and cook for 35 to 40 minutes.

I'm calling this a success, now that my fear is gone about frying chicken I can tweak and perfect. I will repost once I have a true recipe...and hopefully that will be the base of a fried chicken nights to come.

A Friday Night Bean Burrito

Bean Burrito

Mexican is all I require after a long week of work. It's sort of a trend of late that Friday is marked Mexican night OUT. A slight twist last Friday...Rich was going out with Bill! I still had to have my Mexican fix and knew a bean burrito would hit the spot. I have a list of Mexican foods that I would love to master, but I haven't quite gotten to that list...yet. Until then...a bean burrito will have to do.

My Bean Burrito
1 Flour tortilla
1/4 can refried beans (I like Taco Bell)
Sour cream sauce
   Sour cream
   Lime juice
   Cumin and salt
Pico (make a batch to last a week!)
   5-6 tomatoes, diced
   1 yellow onion, diced
   1 jalapeno, diced
   1 cilantro bunch
   juice of 3-4 limes
Hot sauce, Tapatio
Cilantro for garnish

Tapatio Hot Sauce

Heat beans and spoon a layer on the tortilla. Add a few dashes of hot sauce (Tapatio is my favorite). Fold tortilla starting in the middle then wrapping the top and bottom together. Place folded side down in a hot non-stick skillet and sear until you get a crunchy outside, flip and sear other side. Plate and top with sour cream sauce (mix ingredients until thinned by half) and pico. I use extra cilantro leaves on top...the more the better in my book.

Mexican Foods I want to create:
1. Mole Negra (New Years Resolution)
2. Chicken Enchiladas
3. Salsa Verde
4. Tamale...preferable pork
5. Margarita...DONE
6. Chorizo Tortas
7. Guacamole...done not mastered

Birthday Dinner

Snack Pack for Slip

Webb, Rich and Slip

On February 21st my family celebrates Slippydog's birthday.
Today my white (yellow) lab turned 11...or 77...how ever you want to look at it.
Slip has had the same meal for her special day...Steak and a Vanilla Snack Pack.
If you have a canine in your home...this is the celebratory meal for them...I promise.
Happy Licking.

Valentine's Day Dinner

It was a great Valentine's Day. I turned the iPod to Jazz, put Webb in the highchair and told Rich to pour me a glass of wine. We were in the kitchen as a family...nothing makes me happier. As I prepped all the ingredients and sipped my wine, Rich fed Webb Cheerio after Cheerio until bedtime...8:00! (A little early so Mama and Daddy could have some alone time.)

Scallop and Shrimp with Corn and Bacon

Filet Mignon and Roasted Asparagus.

Valentine's Day preparations.

Valentine's Day Meal. Slippydog guarding the door.

Rich's favorite meal that I fix him is Scallop & Shrimp with Corn and Bacon in Truffle Oil and a quick-seared filet mignon. And that is what I served...along with a salad, rolls and a tuxedo cake from Fresh Market (I wasn't in the mood to make dessert.)

This meal was all about preparation. I have a Four Course Meal to Impress that I have been serving for a few years now. I've got it down to a science. I didn't do the whole meal for V-day...I altered it just a bit but kept the most important parts. For a full rundown on a great Four Course Meal. Click here: http://sweetsaltyandsouthern.blogspot.com/p/four-course-meal.html

Thank you Rich for setting the table. I had a wonderful evening!

Brats and Rice

Bratwurst and rice with onion

I wasn't really prepared for the snow last week and didn't make it to the store...scouring the freezer and pantry were my only options. Rich's Aunt Patti sent us a whole box full of meat from the New Braunfels Smokehouse in Texas. We only had one item left...Bratwurst! I thawed it then started to create a very strange combination of flavors that turned out to be pretty tasty.

I wasn't sure how German meat and Spanish rice would go together, but I pulled melded the two flavors by adding a sweet note...the Woodchuck Cider. To balance the sweet...mustard and red pepper for some heat and tang. The dish came together and created a great one pot meal.





Brats and Rice
4 New Braunfels Smokehouse Brats
1 bottle Woodchuck Winter Cider
1 8oz. package Vigo yellow rice
1 medium yellow onion, peeled...keep whole
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Heat oil and pepper flakes on medium in a heavy pot that has a lid. Roll onion in oil and season with salt and pepper. Cut the brats into 4 or 5 pieces and add to oil. Cook brats and onion until there is a good crust on the brats. Add cider, 1 cup of water, mustard and package of rice. Bring all to a boil, cover dish, turn heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. It was that easy.

Onion Note: I have to keep the onion whole because Rich can't stand onions. For others who decide to make this I would suggest sauteing the onion in the oil before adding the brats.

Plantation Toast

Plantation Toast, Mashed Potatoes, Po'Mans

I had forgotten about Plantation Toast until last night. The smell coming from my kitchen of baking buttered bread brought back memories of waking up at my Godmother's. My Godmother lives on a plantation...hence the name Plantation Toast. The same smell would wake me up as a child...I would creep downstairs because I was always the first one up...and my nose would take me straight to the kitchen where I would sit on a stool next to the oven and wait for everyone else to get up and have breakfast. I thought that was just the smell of the Plantation...and it was/is... But last night, my house was filled with the same buttery aroma...amazing how a smell can take you back.

The reason this toast is so marvelous is that you can pair it with a runny sauce (eggs) or au jus and the toast stays crispy. It's Friday night and nothing but leftover Po'Man's Tenderloin (top of the round...roast beef). Rich and I have both eaten this at least 4 times this week...and about to be a 5th. The only thing I could think to serve was good ol' SOS. (I'm not going to spell it out...I'm going to keep my mother guessing).

Rich was hungry so I had to make it snappy.... I buttered both sides of the bread, stuck it in the oven around at 250º. Let the bread get crisp all the way through (15 - 20 minutes...which give you time to get everything else done.) I sliced the beef as thin as I could, made au jois (the package stuff), made patties out of mashed potatoes and reheated them in a hot skillet. To finish...I layered toast, potatoes, soaked meat and top with au jus. Amazing stuff! Rich was quite impressed...especially since this was meal #5 from the same meat. I'll keep Plantation Toast in mind for many more recipes.

Snow Ice Cream

2011 Snow Ice Cream

It took me over an hour to get home from work in the great Memphis Snow storm we are having today. The only thing that got me through it was knowing that I had a bottle of wine and snow ice cream waiting on me when I got home...they actually go quite nice together.

On the VERY rare occasion that it snowed in Greenwood, MS growing up, my mother would always make snow ice cream...as a child I was amazed that she could whip up one of my favorite dessert out of SNOW! I'm still amazed that you can actually do this. I can't wait to let Webb try it, and hope that his memories are like mine..."Super Mama" when it snows!

Snow Ice Cream
fresh fallen snow (not the yellow stuff)
vanilla extract
sugar
cream
cinnamon
You have to determine the measurements on your own...I don't like mine so sweet. Rich...likes it sweet. Mix first four ingredients together and top with cinnamon for really good snowy treat!