Crackling Bread

I admit it. I love cookbooks. Always have. I have a huge assortment and I use them when I can. So no one was surprised when I went to an antique mall’s big sales day and bought -- you guessed it -- another cookbook.

This one is a small staple-bound book from 1964. It’s titled Southern Appalachian Mountain Cookbook by Ferne Shelton. As I flipped through the pages, I knew I HAD to take it home. It’s filled with those old-time recipes that you just don’t find in modern cookbooks.

My Gran always made Crackling Bread and now my Mother does too. I don’t eat it. Not really. I like the bread but I pick out the cracklings. Seems kind of silly, even to me. My Mother, who doesn’t drink milk, crumbles the bread into a glass of buttermilk and seems to love it. I’ll trust her on that because I don’t plan to try it that way.

For those who don’t know -- and the cookbook does explain it -- “cracklings are the browned pieces of meat remaining after pure lard has been rendered from fat pork.”

Crackling Bread

2 cups cornmeal
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cracklings

Mix the cornmeal, salt and baking soda. Add buttermilk and cracklings. Form into cakes and place in greased baking pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.

Different Version: My Mother fries her bread. She uses a cast iron griddle, pours the thick mixture onto the greased surface and cooks it until it is browned. Then she flips it and browns the other side.

Tea Cakes

This recipe is from my friend Sharon Sessions. It came to her through her mother-in-law, Alene Sessions. Ms. Alene was a fine Christian woman who went Home a few years ago. She lives on in the hearts and memories of the people who loved her.

This cookie is crisp and easy. Enjoy and remember the legacy of a wonderful Southern woman.

Tea Cakes

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup softened butter or margarine
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups self-rising flour

Cream sugar, butter and beaten egg. Add vanilla and flour.

Spoon out on an ungreased cookie sheet and press until the cookie is about 1/4 inch thick. Sharon's daughter, Jennifer Sessions Hartzog, said to be sure to dip the spoon into water before pressing. Otherwise the dough will stick to the spoon.

You can also roll the dough out until it's 1/4 inch think, then use a cookie cutter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool on cookie racks.

Squash Casserole

I think every Southern cook has a signature dish. It's the "go to" dish whenever she has to take food to anything, whether it's a family get-together or a feeding of the family event after a funeral. My Mother's "go to" dish is Squash Casserole. She combined different recipes to create her own. This is it.

For those poor people who either aren't familiar with yellow squash or who cook for folks who absolutely refuse to eat squash, don't worry. They'll never know unless you tell them.

Squash Casserole

2 lb. yellow squash

1 or 2 eggs (1 large egg or 2 smaller eggs)

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1/2 stick margarine

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sharp shredded cheese

1/2 small onion, chopped fine

3/4 cup real mayonnaise

bread crumbs

extra shredded cheese

Wash squash. Chop up into small pieces. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain off water. Mash squash until it's like a coarse batter.

Mix squash with all ingredients except bread crumbs and extra cheese.

Spray casserole dish with Pam. Pour in creamy mixture.

Top with bread crumbs and extra shredded cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

Black-Eyed Peas

I hope everyone already has their black-eyed peas in a pan soaking. For those of you who aren't privileged to be Southern, black-eyed peas are a tradition. The saying goes that you'll have one day of good luck for every pea you eat on New Year's Day. I don't know if it's true or not. I was never able to eat that many peas in one day, though I did try as a child. Did you know that black-eyed peas have a way of expanding in your stomach?

The other tradition -- another way of saying superstition in this God-fearing land --is to never, ever wash clothes on New Year's Day. The belief is that if you do you'll be "washing for a corpse" before the year ends. I don't have any idea where that comes from but my Mother has always preached it. Every year. To everyone who will listen and quite a few who don't. Her mother believed it. Her mother-in-law believed it. Frankly, it's easier to bypass the washer and eat.

Black-Eyed Peas

1 bag of dried black-eyed peas
salt and pepper to season
piece of ham, slice of bacon, or other meat for seasoning

Place peas in a pan of water. Soak overnight. The peas will greatly expand during this process.

Wash the peas thoroughly. Place in a boiler with water. Add the meat and a little salt and pepper to season. I've used a slice of bacon or a piece of ham left over from Christmas. Of course, you're supposed to add something I would never dream of buying much less touching. Trust me. Ham or bacon works just as well.

Be prepared to cook the peas for a couple of hours. They're done when the peas are tender. That means soft. You may need to add more water. If you let the water cook out, you'll have burned peas. Not a good way to start the year.

Oh, and don't forget the cornbread. Happy New Year!
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Baked Ham

Has everyone had a wonderful Christmas? I did. I ate my way through. It was fabulous! I've never been one to run around during the holidays telling everyone what I can't eat or even what I shouldn't eat. I choose to eat too much. It's Christmas!!!

One staple of al lSouthern holiday dinners is Baked Ham. I supposed everyone has their own recipe for this. I got mine from my Mother years and years ago. I always used it and people love eating at my house. Well, this year she decided to use a different recipe. I didn't even know that was allowed! I thought there was some kind ofrule that says mothers always have to use the same, good recipes they've always used. The new recipe was fine. But not the same. Christmas is filled with traditions. So here's my recipe for Baked Ham!I know you'll love it!

Baked Ham

Ham -- I prefer the pre-sliced kind
brown sugar
coke -- the real stuff, no diet or cherry flavored allowed

Use two sheets of tin foil to make a "nest" for the ham. Place in a baking pan with at least 2" sides. Put ham in its nest. Place brown sugar on the ham. I pat it all over so that the ham is coated in brown sugar. Pour the coke on top of this. Now you know why you needed a pan with sides on it.

Bake in a 325 degree oven 20 minutes for each pound of ham. Serve warm.

If you're lucky you can use leftovers for sandwiches. Just take sliced ham and place on a croissant. Add mustard, lettuce, cheese. Even tomato, if you must. Watch everyone around you eye your lunch with envy. Enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

I love to bake Snickerdoodles when Christmas is almost here. I don't know why I wait. Maybe it's the smell of cinnamon that fills the air while they bake in the oven. It just seems festive somehow.

I was feeling festive yesterday. The Christmas tree lights were finally hooked up correctly. (Read about that affair at bouffantblonde.blogspot.com) I wanted to celebrate the twinkling lights and vibrant ornaments. So I baked. Doesn't everyone bake when they're happy?

And when they're sad? And when they're angry? Baking is a really good outlet for your emotions. I used to bake bread when I was really, really upset. I did it the old-fashioned way where you knead the dough rather than have the mixer do it for you. It was wonderful.

But that's a whole other recipe for a different day. This is a happy recipe. I know you'll love Snickerdoodles. In fact, you might want to go ahead and bake two makings. They really don't last long.

Snickerdoodles

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the tablespoon plus teaspoon of sugar and cinnamon. Stir together in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Stir together and set aside.

Cream the shortening. Gradually add the 1 1/2 cups sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Add the vanilla.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the creamy mixture. Be sure to blend completely.

Shape the dough into 1-inch size balls. Roll the balls in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place the balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 6 minutes. Don't overcook. The cookies should be lightly browned. If you cook them too long, they're hard and Snickerdoodles are not supposed to be hard. Place them on a wire rack to cool. Enjoy.

Hot Chocolate

It's really chilly around here today. Of course, this is the Deep South. We think we're having a cold, cold day when it's only in the high 50's. That would be today. It is, however, the perfect day for Hot Chocolate.
This recipe is quick, easy and delicious. A friend taught me years and years ago and it has served me well. This recipe makes two servings. You can double or triple it easily. I know you'll enjoy it.

Hot Chocolate

2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 heaping tablespoons Nestle Nesquik Chocolate Drink Mix

Place all ingredients in a boiler. Heat on high, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Pour into two mugs. I prefer to enjoy my Hot Chocolate with nothing added. Some folks like to add those little marshmallows. They do look festive sprinkled on top of the Hot Chocolate. Others like to add Reddi Whip topping. Just squirt a little on top and enjoy.

Ice Box Fruitcake

'Tis the season for the great Fruit Cake debate. It's one of those things where you either love them or hate them. Sometimes. As with most foods, some recipes are better than others. I've never been a fan of those packaged fruit cakes that are baked. You know what I'm talking about. You buy them in a box, stick them in the refrigerator and slice at the appropriate time. No fuss. No time involved. Not much taste involved either. I grew up on Ice Box Fruitcake. I love it. So does my Dad. No one else seems to care for it in our family. However, a number of friends who "knew" they didn't like Fruit Cake like this one. It takes a little time to put together but it truly is worth the effort.

 

Ice Box Fruit Cake

1 quart chopped pecans

1 can Eagle Brand milk

1 lb. candied cherries, finely chopped 

1 lb. candied pineapple, finely chopped 

1 lb. raisins

1 lb. graham crackers, crushed

5 tablespoons lemon juice 

Stir pecans, cherries, pineapple, graham crackers and lemon juice together. Gradually stir in the milk. This mixture is very, very sticky so be prepared. I place wax paper on the bottom and sides of a bread loaf pan. Put the cake mixture in this. Fold the wax paper over the top of the mixture. Cover this with tin foil. Place in the refrigerator at least overnight. You can do this a week or more ahead of time. It's Fruit Cake. It keeps. Just slice what you want when you want it and store the remaining Fruit Cake in the refrigerator.

Pecan Delights

This is the season for pecans in the Deep South. Pecans are falling from their trees. Which is a good thing. It is so not fun to try and knock the pecans from the limbs. I know. Some folks have expensive tree shakers. Really. They hook up to the tractor and then the tree. They shake the tree, sort of like one of those body vibrators. Before you know it, you've got a shower of pecans coming down. Better duck. Pecans can hurt.

We don't have expensive equipment like that. My father only has about 50 trees. So we gather then the old-fashioned way -- we use our hands or this little roller thing. Can you say back-ache?

Yesterday we finished gathering pretty much all that we're going to gather. This afternoon we finished sorting through the buckets, discarding the bad or "light" ones along with the rubbish that comes along for the ride. And, yes, there is some expensive equipment to do that too. And, no, we don't have it either. What we have is a system. I go through and get the worst ones. My father goes behind and gets the light ones. My mother prefers to operate independently. We're all happier that way.

Why go through it all? Well, we do sell some of the pecans. But they are also excellent for eating and baking. This recipe is something my mother baked when I was a child. I carried the recipe away from home with me and have always used it. It's not too sweet but don't worry. There are plenty of calories.

Pecan Delights

1 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Using a mixer, cream butter. Gradually add sugar until well blended. Mix in water and vanilla. Slowly add flour. Then stir in the chopped pecans.

It's okay to mix this up ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator. If you're in a hurry, just go ahead and bake.

Use a teaspoon to drop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Leave about an inch between each drop.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 325 degree oven. These cookies taste much better if you don't get them too brown.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Two of my friends got together one afternoon and baked two loves of Pumpkin Cranberry Bread. Apparently one friend had pumpkin in her cupboards. The other friend had the cranberry in her cupboards. They gathered at one house, mixed everything together, slid the pans into the oven, then headed to the back porch for some good old-fashioned socializing. What a great excuse to reconnect and enjoy the company of our friends!

We were fortunate enough to get a few slices of the result. It was wonderful! Here's the recipe.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin
4 eggs
2/3 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup dried or fresh cranberries, chopped.

Beat sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water in mixer bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda and spice. Stir only until moistened. If you keep stirring, the bread will be dry.

Grease two 9" x 5" loaf pans. Evenly divide the batter, placing half in each pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes.

Share with friends!

Apple Dumpling Cobbler

This recipe has one of those little post-it markers sticking up so I can easily find it. It's a yummy, easy dessert that is perfect for the fall.

Apple Dumpling Cobbler

1 (8-oz) can of crescent rolls
2 large apples
1 cup orange juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Peel and quarter the apples, making sure to get rid of the seeds, etc.

Lightly grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

Unroll the crescent rolls and separate. Wrap each apple quarter with crescent roll dough. Place in baking dish.

Bring orange juice, 2/3 cup sugar and butter to a boil in a sauce pan. Pour mixture over apple dumplings.

Stir together 2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over dumplings.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Creamy Chicken Manicotti

I've always thought I must have a little Italian blood in me somewhere. I've never found any in my periodic genealogy searches but it's got to be there. I love pasta and I talk with my hands. Isn't that some kind of qualification for being Italian? Okay. Maybe it's just another weird Southern trait looking for an excuse.

This is a wonderful company dish. It's also a wonderful anytime dish. Be prepared for lots of laughs as you prepare it though. I never have managed to stuff those manicotti shells too well. I tend to shove the ingredients in one end of the shell and watch it come out the other. I know there's a trick to it. It's just that after all these years, I still haven't found it. This is worth the effort though. Just remember to laugh.

Chicken Manicotti

8 manicotti shells
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 (4-oz) can sliced mushrooms, undrained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions except don't add the salt. Drain. Set them aside.

Combine the soup and sour cream together, stirring well. Combine half the soup mixture with the chopped chicken. Stir well. Stuff the chicken mixture into the manicotti shells. Remember to laugh as you do this. Place stuffed shells into a greased 12 x 8 x 2 Pyrex dish. It's okay to use another type of dish. I just have a Pyrex dish that's perfect for Chicken Manicotti.

Place onion and margarine in a skillet. Saute until the onion is tender. Add the mushrooms. Stir in reserved soup mixture. Pour this over the manicotti shells.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional five minutes.

This serves about four people.

Cocktail Sausages

Everyone sometimes needs to take something somewhere. Right? We've already discussed numerous foods suitable for feeding the family after a funeral and covered dish events. But what about when you need something yummy to take to a social event that requires snack or finger foods?

Here in the South Saturdays revolve around football. Period. It you aren't at the game, you're expected to watch it on television. Parties are numerous. It's generally better to attend a party where pretty much everyone roots for the same team. Things can easily get out of hand otherwise. But that's another story.

These cocktail sausages are wonderful. And you'll get a good laugh when you look at the ingredients. Who knew that grape jelly could be a secret ingredient? Get the cheapest jar on the shelf. This is one time when quality really doesn't matter.

Cocktail Sausages

1 lb. cocktail sausages
1 12-oz. bottle chili sauce
1 16-oz. jar grape jelly

Boil and drain sausages. Mix chili sauce and gape jelly in a saucepan and heat to simmering. Add sausages. Use those little toothpicks for serving. These should be served hot.

Another tip is to use a crock pot. It helps keep everything warm while the party goes on. Just be sure to double or triple the recipe. You'll need it!

Beef Taco Skillet

Okay, does anyone out there sometimes want supper that is quick and easy and requires a minimal amount of pans? Yeah. Me too. Beef Taco Skillet is one of those recipes. It's a Campbell's soup recipe. They usually offer recipes that can be thrown together with ease.

One warning though: traditional meat and potatoes people probably won't be patting you on the back with gratitude. Older Southern men generally fit that description. This recipe is for busy people and kids. Oh, and people who love Tex-Mex food.

Beef Taco Skillet

1 lb. ground beef
1 can (10 3/4-oz.) tomato soup
1 cup chunky salsa
1/2 cup water
8 flour or corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1" pieces
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook beef in skillet until browned. Pour off the fat.

Add soup, salsa, water, tortillas and half the cheese. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for five minutes or until it's hot.

Top with remaining cheese.

Eat and enjoy!

Squash Casserole

Sometimes it's easy to understand why the Deep South is know for being a little overweight. Not that we would ever cook anything that would adhere directing to one's thighs.

Squash Casserole is not something for those concerned about calories and weight gain. It is for anyone who loves something truly mouth-watering wonderful. This is my Mother's recipe. Indulge!

Squash Casserole

2 lbs. yellow squash
1 to 2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/2 stick margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
plain bread crumbs
extra shredded cheese

Wash squash. Cut off ends and discard them. Cut up squash into one to two inch pieces. Place squash in water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain off water and mash squash until it resembles a course batter.

Stir together squash, mayonnaise, onion, egg, cheese and margarine.

Coat a 12" x 12" baking dish with cooking spray. Pour mixture into the dish.

Sprinkle bread crumbs over top of mixture. The top should be lightly covered.

Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven

Sprinkle grated cheese on top of crumbs. Bake an additional five to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Marbled Brownies

Everyone needs a chocolate fix every now and then. Some folks need it more often than others. That would be my mother, who doesn't eat many "sweets" but loves chocolate. This recipe is perfect. It also came from her. I don't remember exactly when but probably around the time I left her kitchen for my own. It's easy (always a good thing) and is dressy enough to serve anywhere.

Marbled Brownies

1 package Duncan Hines Family Size Brownie Mix
2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons butter (softened)
5 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Cheese Mixture: Beat the cream cheese and butter together with your mixer. Add the sugar, two eggs, flour and vanilla. Beat until it's smooth. Set aside.

Brownie Batter: Empty the brownie mix and chocolate flavor packet into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons water and three eggs. Mix by hand until thoroughly blended.

Pour half the brownie batter into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Pour all the cream cheese mixture over the brownie layer. Spoon the remaining brownie batter here and there over the cream cheese batter. Move a knife through the batter in wide curves to create a swirl design.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Cool before you frost it.

Easy Chocolate Frosting

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the cocoa until it is blended thoroughly. Add the confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir until it's smooth. Add more milk, if necessary. until the consistency becomes easy to spread.

Frost brownies. Let them sit until the frosting is firm. Then cut into serving size pieces.

Chocolate Cake

I guess a person knows she's a true Southern cook when she takes stock of what she has on hand and then decides what to cook. That was me recently. I needed to bake a cake. Specifically, I needed to bake a cake that could be considered a birthday cake. Without all the decorations. Though I did consider decorations. Cutting out cake designs is similar to cutting out wood designs, only using a knife instead of a saw. But I didn't. The young man was turning 15 and I didn't think he would be impressed with cutesy.

What I ended up making was a Chocolate Cake. Everyone loves Chocolate Cake, don't they? I used a basic pound cake recipe for the layers. The recipe came from my cousin, who got it from her mother, who got it from her mother-in-law. For those who aren't Southern, this is how many, many good recipes are passed down in this part of the country.

I wasn't sure what type of chocolate frosting to make. But I knew I didn't want to go to the store. When you live outside the city limits, going to the store takes a little longer than five minutes. And it involves make-up and a change of clothes. I didn't want to do that. I didn't have enough semi-sweet chocolate for frosting. I could have used chocolate powder but I didn't really want to. I did, however, have a package of milk chocolate chips. Guess what kind of frosting I made! Yep. Milk Chocolate Frosting.

It all turned out pretty good. None of the cake went to waste, as the saying goes. They ate every slice. That's the best compliment ever.

Chocolate Cake

3 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
5 to 6 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cooking oil
2 sticks butter, softened to room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Beat the sugar, butter and cooking oil with a mixer until it is creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Mix the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.

Grease and flour four round cake pans. Divide the batter equally between the four pans. I use a large spoon to do this, dipping out equal amounts into each pan until the batter is all gone.

Cook the cake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Because I use a rather small oven (or so it seems sometimes), I had to cook two pans at a time. It took about 35 to 45 minutes each time. I just kept checking it. (Which probably explains why I don't remember exactly how long I cooked the layers!) Every oven is different though. I know I say that a lot but it is true.

Let the layers cool thoroughly before icing.

Milk Chocolate Frosting

One 11 1/2 oz. package milk chocolate morsels
6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the chocolate morsels, butter and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds. Stir again. The ingredients should be melted. If not, continue until thoroughly melted. Don't overcook.

Pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and milk, alternately. Beat in the vanilla extract. The frosting should be smooth. If necessary, you can add a little more milk to thin the frosting so that you can easily work with it. Just be sure to beat thoroughly after the addition.

I turn the cake layers upside down to ice them. I don't know why but the underside always looks better to me. Select the best looking layer to be the top one.

Center the bottom layer on a cake plate. Frost the top. Add each layer and frost the top until all the layers are stacked. Then frost the top and sides of the cake. When you put a dollop of frosting on the top, don't backtrack until all the frosting is spread. This will help keep those pesky crumbs from wrecking havoc on your pretty cake.

This cake is wonderful for company or for a family of chocoholics.

Blueberry Muffins

If you haven't figured it out by now, I love blueberries. I use them a great deal in baking. That's especially true this time of year. Sadly, the crop is about to come to its end. But I've got lots in the freezer thanks to my very generous aunt!

I really prefer muffins I make at home from scratch. Some folks like those mixes (my mother is one of those) but they just don't taste the same to me. There's nothing like homemade that says special. You can serve these for breakfast (that would be me), a snack (that would also be me) or dessert (that would be my mother). They're pretty much welcome any time of the day.

Blueberry Muffins

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar

Lightly beat the egg with a fork. Add the milk and cooking oil, beating lightly with the fork. Set it aside.

Stir together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the pan. Pour the egg mixture in. Stir only until moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Do NOT over mix.

Add the 2 tablespoons sugar to the blueberries. Stir. Fold the blueberry mixture into the batter. Again, only stir enough to thoroughly mix.

Put those little paper baking cups into the muffin pan. You can grease the pan and forgo the little cups. It's just that the little cups make the muffins easier to get out of the pan and make it easier to clean said pan. Also, they just look pretty.

This muffin mixture makes 12 to 18 muffins, depending on how much batter you put in each little cup. I tend to go for smaller muffins. Just spoon the mixture into the cups.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Because I use less batter per paper cup, it only takes my muffins 20 minutes to bake. They'll be lightly brown on top whem they're done.

Don't expect leftovers with these. It's difficult to eat only one, especially when they're just-from-the-oven warm.

Fried Okra

Fried okra is a staple around our house this time of year. Whenever any other crop fails, the okra seems to keep on going. One year the plants were taller than me (literally!) when they're usually only about two to three feet high. It made all summer and into the fall. We figured the first frost would be the end of the okra. Nope. We finally threatened my father to not bring any more okra in. We ate okra two meals a day for way too many months. Of course, our taste buds were primed and ready the next year when the okra crop started coming in.

I know some folks boil okra. Some use it in soups. In my world, which is Deep South, it is fried. You were surprised, right? You'll find it easy to do.

Fried Okra

okra
salt
all-purpose flour
cooking oil

Wash the okra. Cut off the ends. Then chop the okra pods into 1/4 inch-thick pieces.

Lightly salt the okra. Mix with just enough flour to coat the okra.

Heat a small amount of grease in a skillet. Of course, we use a cast iron skillet but I suppose any skillet will do. Use a medium to medium-high heat.

Place okra in the skillet, stir, then cover. Stir often. Cooking time varies depending on how much okra you have. Okra should be light brown and green, not burnt! If you're not sure what done okra looks like, just spoon out a little, let it cool and taste it. Then you'll know.

Place a paper towel on a platter. When the okra is done, spoon it onto the paper towel. That helps soak up some of the grease. The remainder of the grease goes into your mouth and directly onto your thighs. Just kidding!

See. That wasn't so hard. I guess it means you're now a Southern cook!

Cinnamon Bread

Once upon a time I cooked a lot. The kitchen belonged to me. I didn't have to share. I didn't need to work around anyone else's schedule. When I felt like cooking, I cooked.

One thing I loved to do was bake bread. I've spent many afternoons waiting for my dough to rise and pounding out my attitude on a poor piece of dough. But sometimes I did things the easy way. Cinnamon Bread is one of those easy recipes. You don't have to wait for dough to rise. It doesn't take hour upon hour to taste the finished results. It does, however, make your house smell wonderful. Cinnamon always does that.

Cinnamon Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice added
1/3 cup corn oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Combine all ingredients with an electric mixer. I always combine my dry ingredients and stir together before adding to everything else. When measuring the flour, be sure to lightly spoon it into a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. So many people don't realize this and they use the scoop method. ie. They use the measuring cup to scoop the flour from it's container. That packs the flour in and causes you to use too much. Then the bread or cake or whatever is too dry and you can't figure out why. Now you know.

Beat all the ingredients together until fully mixed. You can substitute one cup of buttermilk for the milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice if you'd like. I just never have buttermilk in the house so I'm accustomed to using the substitute.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Streusel

2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons margarine or butter, melted

Stir all ingredients together. Pour over batter top. Take a small knife and gently swirl the streusel into the batter.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, remembering that oven temperatures vary. In my oven it takes about 50 minutes. You'll know it's done when a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the bread from the pan as soon as you take it from the oven. Let it cool before slicing. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. I always reheat leftovers in the microwave because I like it just a little warm.

This bread is wonderful to freeze. I simply wrap it in plastic wrap and then put tin foil on top of that. Thaw in the refrigerator.