Baked White Beans

recipe loosely adapted from Greenwise Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 2 (16 ounce) cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
  
• ½ cup olive oil mayonnaise
  
• 1/3 cup water
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons brown rice flour
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat canola oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onions, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, water, brown rice flour, rosemary, mustard, black pepper, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Add the beans and mayonnaise mixture to the sautéed onions. Mix together. Transfer to a 2 quart baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serves 5.

Southern Minestrone

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all

  

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 2 Vidalia onions, chopped
  
• 1 carrot, chopped
  
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
  
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  
• 6 cups of water, plus more if needed
  
• ¼ medium heat green cabbage, chopped
  
• 1 ham bone
  
• 2 to 3 cups cooked ham, chopped
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper
  
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  
• ¼ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into ½ - inch pieces
  
• ¼ pound cut okra
  
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
  
• 1 zucchini, chopped
  
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can black-eyed peas
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• ½ cup long grain white rice
  

Directions

1. In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, and celery. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the water, cabbage, ham bone, and ham. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.
   
2. Add the tomatoes, green beans, okra, squash, zucchini, black-eyed peas, basil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Add more water if necessary until vegetables are covered by 1 – inch. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Add the rice and more water if needed. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Serves 6.

Mama Jean’s Pound Cake

     Three years ago today one of the most special women in my life passed away, my Mama Jean. She was my grandmother, teacher, role model, and friend and for that I am forever grateful. I am the woman I am today because of my Mama Jean. In fact, much of my personality comes from her. The organized person who hates clutter and loves a clean house is exactly like Mama Jean. At Mama Jean's house the bathrooms were cleaned daily. If you didn't read the newspaper by 10 O'clock, then you would have to wait for a new paper the next day. My dad says he sometimes thought he might get thrown in the trash if he sat still for too long. My coffee addiction comes from Mama Jean. She actually let me start drinking it when I was in the 4^th grade (my mother was not very happy about this). She taught me to drink it black in order to save calories and always told me I would be thankful when I got older. Today I am very thankful for that. Mama Jean and I both shared a strong love for sweets. Every afternoon Mama Jean would stop for a "tea party." A tea party always consisted of coffee and some kind of dessert, whether it be an ice cream from McDonalds (or Besto), a donut from Dunkin Donuts, or something directly from her own kitchen. As a child, I loved these times around the table. Today, I value all the moments I get to spend in the kitchen. It reminds me of the many memories that were created in Mama Jean's kitchen. 

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter, softened
  
• ½ cup Crisco
  
• 3 cups sugar
  
• 5 eggs
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon flavoring
  
• 4 cups flour
  
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. In large mixer, cream together butter, Crisco, and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
   
3. In a medium bowl whisk together flour and baking powder. In a small liquid measuring cup mix together milk, vanilla flavoring, and lemon flavoring.
   
4. Gradually beat in the flour and milk mixtures to the creamed butter. Alternate between the two, beginning with the flour and ending with the milk. Pour batter into a greased bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Rosemary White Bean Soup

Recipe courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried great northern beans
  
• 3 onions, chopped (4 cups)
  
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 large branch fresh rosemary, 6 to 7 inches
  
• 1 pound mild pork sausage
  
• 2 quarts reduced sodium chicken broth
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cover the beans with water. Soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain.
   
2. In a medium skillet, brown the sausage, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Drain off fat and set aside.
   
3. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté 15 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic, rosemary, and sausage. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the beans, chicken broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Uncover and mash the beans lightly with a potato masher. Simmer an additional 30 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Serves 6.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

Recipe courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

  

Ingredients

• 1 pound green lentils
  
• ¼ cup olive oil
  
• 4 cups yellow onions, chopped
  
• 3 cups celery stalks, medium-diced
  
• 3 cups carrots, medium-diced
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• ¼ cup tomato paste
  
• 1 quart chicken broth
  
• 2 quarts water
  
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  
• 1 (13 ounce) package smoked linked sausage, sliced
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cover the lentil with boiling water and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes. Drain.
   
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Sauté the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, black pepper, thyme, and cumin until very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered. Stir in the red wine vinegar, sausage, and remaining salt. Simmer an additional 15 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

Cornmeal Griddle Cakes

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-rising cornmeal
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 ½ cups almond milk
  
• 1 egg
  
• ¼ to ½ cup canola oil, for frying
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl mix together the cornmeal, baking powder, kosher salt, and sugar. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the almond milk and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Mix until just moistened, using the fewest amount of strokes possible.
   
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, ladle the batter into the skillet, ensuring not to crowd the cakes (If using a 12-inch skillet, you should get 4 to 5 cakes per batch). Cook each cake 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Add more oil to the pan and repeat the process. Yields 12 to 13 griddle cakes.

Brunswick Stew

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds chicken parts – I used all dark meat
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• ¼ teaspoon celery seed
  
• 3 cups fresh or frozen lima beans
  
• 2 cups cooked pulled pork, chopped
  
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
  
• 1 cup homemade barbecue sauce
  
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  
• ½ -1 cup chicken broth or water
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium high heat and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
   
2. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, celery seed, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper; cook about ten minutes or until tender but not browned. Add the lima beans, pulled pork, tomatoes, barbecue sauce, tomato sauce, chicken broth or water, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper. Return the browned chicken to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Off the heat and leave stew on hot stove eye, covered, for an additional hour.
   
3. Remove the bay leaf and any chicken bones or skin, if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 5.