I was born on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. My mom, Izetta, was born in Tennessee and raised in Waterford, Virginia. My dad, Charles Irving, was born in a small town outside of Leesburg, Virginia. Most of my aunts and uncles remained in Virginia. We would drive to the country every Sunday and had wonderful Sunday dinners with relatives. My mom would help cook in their big country kitchens. Nothing says comfort like southern food and. . .good ole' hospitality is truly a southern tradition.
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Friday, November 27, 2015
OLD-FASHIONED DRESSING
I stopped stuffing the turkey several years ago because in order to get the stuffing to 165 degrees F, the breast tends to be overdone and dry, even with brining. The turkey cooks much faster when it is unstuffed and you don't have to worry about removing the stuffing from the bird within a hour. My husband cuts the turkey up and puts it all on a platter. Any parts we don't use, the dogs love!
1 rustic loaf of country sourdough or white
bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 t grape seed oil
1 lb sage sausage, crumbled
6 T unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery with tops, diced
1 T fresh thyme leaves
2 T minced fresh sage leaves
1 t poultry seasoning
3 cups chicken stock or broth, divided
2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Place bread cubes on two large baking sheets
and bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
This can be done a few days ahead and
when cool, place in an airtight container.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage over
medium heat until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon
to another bowl and set aside.
Pour off most of the grease.
In the same large skillet, melt the butter
and add the onions and celery and sauté over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
Add the thyme, sage, and poultry seasoning.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and sauté
a minute more.
Add the sausage back to the skillet, along
with ½ cup of chicken stock and stir to combine.
In a large bowl, mix the bread cubes with the
dressing ingredients.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs with
the remaining 2 ½ cups of the stock.
Pour into the bread ingredients and mix to
combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large greased
baking dish, such as a large oval gratin dish or lasagna pan.
Bake in the 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes
at 375 degrees F.
Fluff with a fork before serving and serve
hot.
Friday, October 30, 2015
STEAKHOUSE CHOPPED SALAD
This is the type of salad you would get when you went to a steakhouse years ago. I remember having a salad similar to this in a steakhouse in Oak Park, Illinois. My family always loved this salad. It's not fancy but very delicious. If you add a couple more eggs, it would be a complete meal.
4 slices bacon, diced
3 hard boiled eggs
3 hard boiled eggs
1 small head iceberg lettuce, core removed and chopped
½ red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
½ cup chopped green olives
16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half or 2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, chopped
Dressing
½ cup mayonnaise
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t granulated sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fry bacon until crisp and set aside.
Chop eggs, and set aside.
Chop eggs, and set aside.
Chop lettuce and place in a salad bowl.
Add red onion, olives, tomatoes, and scallions to
salad bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise,
vinegar, garlic, and sugar.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour over salad and toss.
Add the bacon and chopped eggs and gently toss again.
Serves 4
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
HUEVOS RANCHEROS - RANCHER'S EGGS
This is easy to put together as long as you make the Salsa Fresca first and set aside. You can also buy already prepared salsa to make it even easier on yourself. Chop or shred the cheese, have the beans heated, cook the potatoes and chorizo, if you want to include them in your meal. Chop up the cilantro and slice the avocado after you scramble your eggs.
Salsa Fresca
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
2 T finely chopped red onion
1 T finely chopped jalapeño pepper
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 scallion, chopped
½ t red wine vinegar
Zest and juice of ½ lime
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
2 flour tortillas
1 can enchilada red sauce
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded or finely chopped
1 can black beans, heated
4 eggs, scrambled
1 avocado, sliced
Cilantro leaves
Chorizo sausage, optional
Country fried potatoes, optional
In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, toast one side of the tortilla.
Spread on a ladle of the enchilada sauce.
Sprinkle on half of the cheese.
On half of the tortilla, add some beans and then top with half of the scrambled eggs.
Fold the tortilla over and using a large spatula, place on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven while preparing the other tortilla.
Place each tortilla on warm plates.
Tuck in some salsa, avocado slices, and cilantro.
Place a scoop of sour cream on the side and serve with Chorizo and potatoes, if desired.
Serves 2
Salsa Fresca
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
2 T finely chopped red onion
1 T finely chopped jalapeño pepper
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 scallion, chopped
½ t red wine vinegar
Zest and juice of ½ lime
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
2 flour tortillas
1 can enchilada red sauce
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded or finely chopped
1 can black beans, heated
4 eggs, scrambled
1 avocado, sliced
Cilantro leaves
Chorizo sausage, optional
Country fried potatoes, optional
In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, toast one side of the tortilla.
Spread on a ladle of the enchilada sauce.
Sprinkle on half of the cheese.
On half of the tortilla, add some beans and then top with half of the scrambled eggs.
Fold the tortilla over and using a large spatula, place on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven while preparing the other tortilla.
Place each tortilla on warm plates.
Tuck in some salsa, avocado slices, and cilantro.
Place a scoop of sour cream on the side and serve with Chorizo and potatoes, if desired.
Serves 2
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
GRILLED LONDON BROIL
There is no such cut of beef called London Broil. It is usually a flank steak. The name comes from the way it is prepared and grilled or broiled. Some butchers will label a top round steak "London Broil." The name is unknown in London, England. I served it with sautéed mushrooms, baked new potatoes, and steamed garlic green beans.
4 cloves garlic, pushed through a garlic press
2 T extra-light olive oil or grape seed oil
3 T dry red wine
3 T honey or balsamic vinegar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T soy sauce
1 t fresh or freeze-dried oregano
1 t fresh or freeze-dried basil
1 t fresh or dried thyme
1 t paprika
2 t Montreal Steak seasoning (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (2 lb) flank steak
Place a large zipper plastic bag in a bowl and open the top
Put all of the above marinade ingredients in the bag.
Pat steak dry with paper towels, then place in the plastic bag, squeeze
out most of the air and swish around to coat the steak evenly with herbs, oil,
and wine.
Zip bag closed and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.
Remove steak from refrigerator and place on a platter or baking sheet,
and let come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal grill.
Grill steak over hot coals for 5 to 6 minutes each side, turning once.
Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before
carving.
Slice across the grain into thin diagonal slices.
Serves 4
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
FRESH PACK GARLIC DILL PICKLES
Growing up on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., I remember a small
corner grocery store at the end of my block. Near the front counter, there was a
large pickle barrel and I would routinely go there to buy a dill pickle
for 5 cents. My mom used to say, "It will dry up your blood," because
I ate them, almost every day—or at least when I had a nickel. These pickles are
the closest to the taste that I remember. I found locally grown pickling
cucumbers all wrapped up in neat little plastic bags at my grocery store. Every
southern lady has a pickle fork. I still have my mother's silver pickle fork. No finger dipping into the pickle jars!
4 quart-size wide mouth canning jars
6 cups filter water or spring water
2 cups white
vinegar
½ cup pickling
salt or canning salt
24 to 28 pickling cucumbers, (not waxed) 6 to 7, per jar
4 whole cloves garlic,
peeled
8 fresh bay leaves, thoroughly rinsed (provides tannins for crunchy pickles)
8 fresh bay leaves, thoroughly rinsed (provides tannins for crunchy pickles)
1 T yellow mustard
seeds, per jar
1 T dehydrated
sliced garlic, per jar
2 t dehydrated
minced onions, per jar
1 t coriander seeds, per jar
1 t coriander seeds, per jar
1 t black
peppercorns, per jar
1 t dill seeds, per
jar
½ t red pepper
flakes, per jar (optional)
Sterilize the canning jars
by immersing them in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove from the boiling
water and place upside down on a clean dry tea towel.
In a saucepan, bring the
water to a boil. Add the vinegar and salt and mix until the salt is fully
dissolved. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Rinse cucumbers under cold
running water and then put them in a large bowl and cover with cold water and
set aside while brining mixture is cooling.
Completely drain pickles
in a colander and set aside.
Pack 6 to 7 pickles in
each canning jar.
Add 1 clove garlic to each jar.
Add 2 bay leaves per jar and follow with the spices.
Add 1 clove garlic to each jar.
Add 2 bay leaves per jar and follow with the spices.
Pour the cooled brine
evenly over the pickles.
Add the seals and tightly screw the rings on the jars
and turn the jars upside down to evenly distribute the seasonings.
Place jars on a baking sheet or pizza pan, upside down, and let sit on the counter for 1 day.
Place jars on a baking sheet or pizza pan, upside down, and let sit on the counter for 1 day.
Refrigerate jars, right side up
on the 2nd day.
Pickles are ready to eat
after the 4th day.
Pickles will keep refrigerated for 3 to 4 months.
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