Living 2 Eat |

Country Fried Steak and Gravy
  

One and one-half pounds cubed steak
Flour (to coat steaks)
Cooking oil for frying
One can cream of mushroom soup
One eight-ounce container light sour cream
One-half envelope dried onion soup mix
Water
  
Flour and fry steak (cut steak in small pieces).

Add other ingredients plus enough water to simmer in crock pot for one hour.

Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Note: Instead of using crock pot you may fry steak, remove from pan and pour off excess grease. Return steak to pan. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over steak. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until steak is tender.

Yield: 6 servings 

Glazed Peach Pie
  

4 cups sliced fresh peaches
Three-quarter cup sugar
One small package peach gelatin
One cup boiling water
Dash salt
4 teaspoons lemon juice
One baked 9-inch pie shell
Whipped cream
  
Combine peaches and sugar; let stand 10 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; add salt and lemon juice.

Cool, add peaches and chill until lightly thickened. Turn into cooled pie shell.

Garnish with whipped cream and peach slices.

Yield: 1 pie  

Butter Pecan Tarts 

One cup light brown sugar
One-half cup all-purpose flour
Two eggs, beaten
One stick salted butter, melted
One cup chopped pecans
One-half teaspoon vanilla flavoring 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Spoon into greased mini-muffin tins or paper lined mini-muffin tins. Fill each cup two thirds full.

Garnish each muffin with a pecan half, if desired.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes.

Hint: The secret to this rich flavor is using real butter!

Yield: Two and one half to three dozen

Iced Spiced Tea
  

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
One quart hot water
8 tea bags
2 quarts cold water
2 cups orange juice
Three-quarter cup lemon juice
Mint sprigs for garnish
  

Boil sugar and 2 cups water for five minutes.

Add hot water and tea bags. Steep 5 minutes.

Discard tea bags. Add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Serve over ice. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Yield: 1 gallon     

Almond Joy Bars
  

One-half cup shortening
Three tablespoons cocoa
Three eggs
One and one-quarter cups of sugar
One cup flour
Fourteen ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Two cups flaked coconut
One-half cup sliced almonds
Two ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
Three cups confectioners’ sugar
One-third cup cream or milk
One-quarter cup butter, softened
One-quarter teaspoon salt
One teaspoon vanilla

  
Combine shortening, cocoa, eggs, sugar and flour.

Spread in 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Stir together sweetened condensed milk, coconut and almonds. Spread over partially baked, hot crust.

Return to oven for 15 minutes more. Let cool.

Combine chocolate, confectioners’ sugar, cream, butter, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread over cooled bars.

Dollie’s Asparagus Casserole

Two 16-ounce cans of asparagus - spears or pieces, drain and reserve liquid
Two hard-boiled eggs, sliced
Two tablespoons flour
One-half stick margarine
One cup grated medium Cheddar cheese
One cup crushed saltines
Paprika 

Place drained asparagus in baking dish. Cover with eggs.

Mix flour, margarine and liquid from asparagus. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. Pour over asparagus.

Top with crackers and pats of margarine. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Special thanks to some great Southern folks at the South Carolina Farm Bureau for this old time favorite.

Saturday

Hello Foodies,

Well, I do hope that each of you had a terrific Thanksgiving feast.  If you are like me, you are trying to decide if it is time to diet or just gain another 20 pounds and try the starvation diet beginning January 2^nd.    The curse of loving good food… huh.

During this holiday season, I am paying tribute to family and friends.   This coming week, I will focus on some all time favorite recipes from the great state of South Carolina.   My mother’s family hailed from that State, as did many of my father’s relations.

The terrific recipes are perfect for the holidays and include many that will make your mouth water.   All recipes can be found in the newly printed South Carolina Farm Bureau cookbook… check it out… it makes for a great gift to any foodie.  I will be interested in knowing which recipes you all like best.  Also, if you have a favorite recipe that is rooted in South Carolina, please let me know.

Happy eatin’!

Ben

P.S.  The picture is of caramel flan with blood oranges and pomegranate seeds prepared by Pastry Chef Lauren Mitter of the Red Drum Gastropub in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

`

Holiday Honey Punch

3/4 cup honey

2 cups water, boiling

4 cups cranberry juice cocktail

2 cup orange juice

1 cup lemon juice

1 quart ginger ale

Dissolve honey in boiling water and chill.

Combine with cranberry, orange and lemon juices and chill.

Before serving, add ginger ale.

Yield:  20 servings

A few Savoiardis (crisp Italian sponge finger biscuits) broken up, dipped quickly in strong espresso and liquor/liqueur of choice (I used Kahlua), then layered in shot glasses with your usual Tiramisu ingredients, a little mascarpone, the Savoiardis, and uncooked zabaione mixture, ending with mascarpone. Then topped with a dusting of shaved dark chocolate.
All of the flavors, but very little work.

Click here for the recipe.