07.30.08

Blackberries

Posted in Southern Specialities at 12:00 am

I love picking wild Blackberries along side of our country roads. Here is a recipe to use all those tasty berries that ya’ll pick.

BLACKBERRY COBBLER:

3 cups fresh blackberries or 2 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen blackberries, thawed
3/4 cups sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. butter, melted
crust (recipe below)

Place berries in a lightly greased shallow 2 quart baking dish. Combine sugar and flour; stir in water and lemon juice. Pour mixture over berries and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Place crust over hot berries; brush with butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

CRUST:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2-3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup buttermilk

Combine first 4 ingredients. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in whipping cream and buttermilk. Knead dough 4-5 times; roll out on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough to fit baking dish.

Hope ya’ll enjoy this as much a we do.

See ya’ll soon.

07.28.08

Southern Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

Posted in Southern Specialities at 12:00 am

This is another fantastic recipe I got Down home on vacation one year. I really love this dish and I hope ya’ll will to.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN AND CREAM GRAVY:

Butter Flavored Crisco or shortening

1 chicken, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, cut up

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

CREAM GRAVY:

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup light cream

1 cup water

Have a deep heavy cast iron skillet or Dutch oven with oil or hot fat about two inches deep.

Combine flour, salt and pepper; sift into a pie plate or wide bowl. Roll each piece of chicken in flour and place in the hot fat (about 370° F). Put the largest pieces in first. When all pieces are in the skillet and heat is regulated, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove top and turn chicken pieces when the underside is well browned. Replace top for another 5 minutes, remove and cook in open pan until the bottom side is browned. About 30 to 35 minutes in all will be required for cooking chicken if it is not too large. Try to turn the chicken only once.

The fat should be deep enough to cover the pieces when it boils up, but make sure you use a deep skillet, preferably one made for frying chicken, and watch carefully.

To make cream gravy:
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons flour; blend and cook until golden brown, scraping browned bits from bottom of skillet. Gradually stir in 1 cup light cream and 1 cup hot water. Stir until smooth and thickened; add salt and black pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and serve with hot biscuits, potatoes.

This also makes a great family Sunday Supper or just a great family dinner. People here don’t sit down together for family dinners as much as they do down home and boy they don’t know what they are missing.

Hope to see ya’ll soon.

07.26.08

Peach Cobbler

Posted in Southern Specialities at 12:00 am

A few years back I went home to take care of my grandparents Mama and Papa. Sadly Papa passed on while I was there and then it was just Mama and I. Mama was crazy about Cobblers any kind really but she sure loved this Peach Cobbler. Every time I make one I think back on those days as they were the last that I saw her alive. We talked on the phone quite a bit when I got home but it wasn’t the same. I felt terrible that I could not go back to her when she needed me in the end but I couldn’t get time off from work. I miss her terribly. So this recipe is for you Mama. I hope I make you proud. I love you.

MAMA’S PEACH COBBLER:

1/2 cup butter, unsalted

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup self-rising flour

3/4 cup milk

1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches in light syrup

1 tsp.vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place butter in a deep 2 quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

In a medium bowl, mix sugar and flour. Stir in milk, a little at a time, until well blended. Pour carefully over melted butter in dish. Spoon peaches and syrup over batter gently.

Bake in preheated oven 35 to 45 minutes, until crust is puffed and golden.

I hope ya’ll try this and let me know what ya’ll think. My Mama sure loved this and I know ya’ll will to.