Living 2 Eat |

… from the kitchen of Donna Engle Godfrey

PECAN CHESS PIE

1 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup margarine, melted
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 325.

In a medium bowl, mix together cornmeal, sugar, flour, lemon juice, vanilla and margarine. Mix in eggs until well blended. Stir in coconut and pecans. Then pour mixture into pie crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Be sure to cover pie with foil. Take off foil when there are 10 to 15 minutes left of bake time.

Pie will be somewhat “shaky” when removed from oven, but will firm up as it cools.

Being a guest at the Westin’s Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta (GA) several times per year, I dine at Pittypat’s Porch every time I am in town. 

Pittypat’s was founded in the early 1960’s by A.J. Anthony.  He stumbled upon a  winning concept — providing out of town guests with a Southern experience, and that includes fried chicken!  Even the decor reflects the Old South with a rocking chair lounge, and dining under the porch.

The chicken salad on “Pittypat’s Sideboard” cannot be missed, nor can the “Blackeyed Pea Cakes”.   The pea cakes are incredible and were a first for me.   Finish the evening with the Bourbon Street Bread Pudding, you will have sweet dreams.  

Gwen, an older lady with graying hair, walks the restaurant with pride and overlooks all the tables with the attention of a doting grandmother.   She seems to know when the sweet tea needs a refill or the “I’m too full” statement should be overlooked and a sinful treat be delivered to conclude a fine meal.  Gwen is the best server at Pittypat’s and she takes great care of me every time, please tell her that I sent you!

A trip to Atlanta is not complete without a meal at Pittypat’s.   It is worth the trip just to meet Gwen.

NOTE:  I must tell you that over the past ten or so years, I have dined at Pittypat’s and been sorely disappointed.   HOWEVER, new owners took over and things returned to five star standards.  

… from the kitchen of Judy Gay

PEACH CRISP

 Filling

2 tablespoons Splenda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 cups sliced fresh peaches or 32 oz. frozen peaches, thawed

            (can substitute half peaches and half blueberries)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping

1 cup uncooked oats, quick or old fashioned

¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds

2 tablespoons Splenda

4 tablespoons margarine, melted

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray.

For filling — combine sweetener or sugar, flour and cinnamon in large bowl; mix well. Add peaches and vanilla; stir until fruit is evenly coated. Spoon into baking dish.

For topping — combine all ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Sprinkle evenly over fruit.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until fruit is tender. Serve warm. 

 I make this EVERY party I have and good heavens, people seem to go crazy over it!  I serve it with dinner rolls and in a chafing dish.  The real key is to cook it until it falls off the bone.  Scrape the fat off because enough is cooked into the meat over time.  Of course when you scrape the fat off, you have to eat the crusty top of it until you get sick!

Love to you,

Lori Mitchell Barnett

Austin, Texas

www.lmbphoto.com

Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 (5 to 7 pound) pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

Dry Rub:

3 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

3 tablespoons coarse salt

Cider Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 cup yellow or brown mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 dinner rolls or buns

Rub/Marinate Pork

·  Mix the paprika, garlic power, brown sugar, dry mustard,

·  and salt together in a small bowl.

·  Rub the spice blend all over the pork and marinate for as long as you havetime for, as little as 1 hour or up to overnight, covered, in the refrigerator. 

Cooking: 6-8 hours before serving or more, adjusting for roast size

·  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

·  Put the pork in a roasting pan and bake, fat side up for about 6-8 hours. 

·  Basically, roast the pork until it’s falling apart and off the bone and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 170 degrees F.

Sauce

·  To make the barbecue sauce: combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat.

·  Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves.

Prepare

·  Remove the pork roast from the oven and transfer to a large platter.

·  Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While still warm, take 2 forks and “pull” the meat to form shreds.

·  Using 2 forks, shred the pork by steadying the meat with 1 fork and pulling it away with the other.

·  Put the shredded pork in a bowl. Pour 1/2 of the sauce on the shredded pork and mix well to coat. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

·  To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom 1/2 of the hamburger bun, and top with the slaw (optional)

Serve with pickle spears and the remaining sauce on the side.

… from the kitchen of Donna Engle Godfrey

PEACH COBBLER

 1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup buttermilk

2 large cans of canned peaches (I like to use 2-1/ cup fresh Georgia peaches)

drain syrup and reserve.

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

Cinnamon to taste

Melt butter. Mix ½ cup sugar, flour and milk. Pour in dish with butter.

Spread on bottom of pan.

Mix water, ½ cup sugar and peaches together. Spoon over batter and add juice from canned peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake at 350 degrees until brown…..35-40 minutes

Selection Tips from Dickey Farms:

•  
  • Smell the peach. The peach is a member of the rose family and should have a pleasingly sweet fragrance.
  • Look for a creamy gold to yellow under-color. The red or “blush” of a peach is an indication of variety, not ripeness.
  • Peaches should be soft to the touch but not mushy.
  • Look for a well defined crease that runs from the stem to the point.
  • Don’t squeeze peaches; they bruise easily.
  • Place firm peaches on the counter for a day or two, and they’ll ripen.
  • Promptly refrigerate ripe peaches and eat them within a week of purchase.
  • To peel a peach, dip it into boiling water for 30 seconds, then in cold water. The peel should slide off easily.
  • To keep sliced peaches from darkening, add lemon juice or ascorbic acid.

Conversion Tips

One pound peaches=	3 medium peaches
	2 cups sliced peaches
	1 1/2 cup peach puree

… from the kitchen of Denise S. Plunkett

 Williams-Sonoma has the ABSOLUTE best croissants! 

 The croissants arrive frozen and you can keep them in your freezer until you want a fresh, hot one (or two! or three!).  Take them out the night before and allow them to rise, and in the morning you’ll see a huge, beautiful croissant, ready to bake.  They are flaky on the outside and soft on the inside. 

Although a bit pricey, they really are divine! 

NOTE:   Denise has an incredible palate.  In fact, so does Oprah Winfrey.  They both picked these croissants as THE BEST!  

Did you ever make s’mores when you were a kid?   I did, and loved it!   Did you ever make s’mores as an adult?  I have, and loved it even more!

Fresh graham crackers, big chunks of Hershey chocolate bars, plump squishy marshmallows, skewers and a volcano shaped flame emerging from a Chinese pupu platter dish was delivered to our table… and six adults became kids and shared childhood stories of campfires, Scouting, and special moments.

For about an hour, I sat with two couples having little in common and over this dessert we bonded, laughed, nearly cried and exited the dinner having a newly found love and respect for one another.   This special order seemed to bring us all together and helped us fondly recall times in our lives where no bills existed, no 60 hour work weeks and no heartaches.   With each sweet bite we were all transported back in time.

The backdrop for this blast from the past was the five star Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.   The only existing hotel in the world with a Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced design, The Arizona Biltmore has been an Arizona landmark since its opening on Feb. 23, 1929 when it was crowned “The Jewel of the Desert.”

The Biltmore Grill is an outdoor restaurant at the resort that serves S’mores… along with lots of other fine foods.   The layout is rather simple and heavenly during the winter months.   An outdoor fireplace gently warms the area and removes the chill from the rapidly cooled desert nights which are free of humidity (and bugs!).   Stars shining bright, a roaring fire place, s’mores and great conversation… what more could anyone ask!

NOTE:   If you would like to order a S’mores Kit for yourself or as a gift, check out Cosi.  

Stick To Your Bones Chicken Casserole

1 large package wide egg noodles

1 large bag of grated sharp cheddar cheese (can add more or less) 

1 medium container sour cream (don’t use low fat)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

4-6 Chicken Breasts

Brown chicken and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Cut into chunks.

Boil egg noodles and drain.  Add cooked chicken, mushroom soup, sour cream, ½ of the package of cheese and stir.  Place in 9×12 baking dish.  Put remaining cheese on top. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Tip:  Sprinkle with crushed Ritz crackers, and drizzle butter on top.  Bake until cheese has melted and it bubbles.

NOTE:   The first time Brundi made this, I ate a small bowl, then a large bowl.  Brundi was thrilled that I liked here new dish.   Then, Brundi went upstairs to get ready for an event we were headed to and during that time I had to have another bowl.   Before I knew it, I had eaten about 2/3 of it.  I was embarrassed as it was so good that I could not help myself.  Had Brundi not been saving some for Scott, I probably would have just finished eating the entire pan.   This dish is easy, basic and filling.