… from the kitchen of Rea Douglas

More Firehouse Favorites Cookbook

San Diego Fireman’s Relief Association

San Diego, California

Corn Soufflé

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

½ cup half & half

¾ cup milk

12 oz. can whole corn, drained

3 eggs, beaten

Lightly grease 1 quart casserole dish. 

Melt butter in saucepan.  Remove from heat, stir in flour, salt and sugar.  Cook until smooth.  Gradually stir in Half & Half and milk.  Continue cooking until thick.  Stir in corn, then beaten eggs.  

Pour into casserole dish.  Bake at 350F for 40 – 50 minutes.

.

Bourbon-Laced Sweet Potatoes

.

4 medium sweet potatoes, baked (see Note below)

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk (whole or 2 percent)

1/4 cup bourbon

As soon as the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and place in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the butter and brown sugar, and mix at medium speed until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix for 2 minutes. Serve at once, or gently reheat if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Sweet potatoes can be boiled, roasted and fried, but for this recipe the texture is better when they are baked. Also, they are very easy to peel when baked. To bake, wash them well and poke several holes in the skin with a fork. Place on a pan in a 375°F oven, and cook until fork tender, about 45 minutes. You can save some time by baking them in the microwave for 5 or 6 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a fork, but the texture is slightly different.  For more information on this recipe, click here.

411 - How to Select and Store

Choose sweet potatoes that are firm and do not have any cracks, bruises or soft spots. Avoid those that are displayed in the refrigerated section of the produce department since cold temperature negatively alters their taste.

Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place, where they will keep fresh for up to ten days. Ideally, they should be kept out of the refrigerator in a cool, dry, dark place not above 60F, which would fit the characteristics of a root cellar. Yet since most people don’t have root cellars, we’d suggest just keeping your sweet potatoes loose (not in a plastic bag) an storing them in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated cupboard away from sources of excess heat (like the stove).

Old Fashioned Texas Fried Okra

1 quart okra (4 cups)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup shortening

Wash okra well and drain. Cut off tip and stem ends. Cut in 1/2-inch pieces, and set aside in medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Pour the beaten egg over the okra, and toss until okra is coated. Pour flour mixture over okra, and toss to coat.

Heat shortening in a large skillet over medium heat (oil should be hot, but not smoking hot). Add okra and fry until brown and crisp. Drain well on paper towels. Makes about 6 servings.

Recipe from Texas Cooking.

411- Okra

Description: Okra is a green, fuzzy, deeply ridged pod. Most common in warmer climates, it can also be grown in cooler areas if the proper variety and cultivation techniques are used.

Selection: Choose bright green pods about 3-4 inches long. They should be firm and moist, not spotted, moldy, limp or dry.

Storage and handling: Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator 2-3 days. When ready to use wash well in a bowl of cold water.

Preparation: Remove stem end and slice if desired. Prevent okra from becoming slimy by adding vinegar or other acidic ingredients such as tomatoes when cooking, or by breading okra with cornmeal before frying.

Serving suggestions: Okra can be fried, pickled, or added to curries, sautés, and soups. Okra is used in Gumbo, a southern specialty soup, to help thicken it. Substitute okra for zucchini in ratatouille. Dress cooked okra with butter and lemon juice, butter and curry powder, or toss with a vinaigrette and chill.

Nutrients: Vitamins A, B6, C, K; thiamin; folate; calcium; fiber.

1 lb raw = 8 cups whole (4 c. sliced)
1 lb cooked = 2 1⁄4 cups

“Hush Puppies”

The “hush puppy” is a traditional part of the fish fry in the South where this little corn pone initiated. The story has it that when it was announced that there was to be a fish fry down in the woods, everybody showed up, and by “everybody” we mean the dogs too. Well, the gaiety of the occasion made the dogs bark and they got in the way of the busy cooks, so, to quiet the howling confusion, someone discovered that something to eat worked. And so, a barking dog was tossed a little corn pone with the admonition to “hush, puppy.” And he did.    As per Paulette Kenyon.

Diane Barber Moss’ Hush Puppies

3/4 cup white cornmeal

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup flour

* water

 Mix dry ingredients together.   Stir in milk, onion and water (* use enough water to make batter too thick to pour, but not thick enough to pick up with fingers).    Mix well.

Turn cooker on medium-high heat. When it is boiling hot carefully drop hush puppy batter in the oil using a tablespoon. Allow hushpuppies to brown on all sides. They should begin floating when done, but if they don’t, do NOT overcook them.  Let them drain a minute on a piece of paper (brown paper sacks from the grocery store works best!) before serving, but serve hot.

If you were raised in the South, then you know that an old fashioned fish fry is not complete without several things… cheese grits, coleslaw, baked beans and hush puppies.

Before my lactose intolerance became an issue, I perfected cheese grits.  I would eat them several times per week for months.   A quick easy recipe that anyone can make…

Ben’s Creamy Cheese Grits

Quick grits

Milk or heavy cream

Velveeta - cut into chunks

Tabasco or hot sauce

Salt & pepper

Prepare Quick grits and use milk instead of water.   Do not add any butter.  Salt and pepper — a couple of dashes of each.

As the grits are boiling, reduce heat to simmer and stir in chunks of Velveeta.   The chunks should melt evenly and not clump together if properly stirred.   The grits will thicken and you can add additional milk to thin if desired. 

Carefully watching the grits so they do not scorch, add a couple of dashes of Tabasco for a feiry kick.

NOTE:  Grits at the Starling home were always cooked with milk or cream instead of water.   Grits cooked this way will require little butter and have a smooth consistency.

Shredded cheese can be substituted for Velveeta, however, it does not melt smoothly and can be string-y.

From the heart and kitchen of Bernadette Black Starling.

I have made this for years as it was a staple at the Black Family gatherings.   My relatives and I seemed to find an easy way of making this classic extra special.   Today, I make this for Benjy every time we gather together.

Benjy’s Favorite Pea Salad

2          large cans LeSuer peas, drained.  

4          chopped boiled eggs

1          small jar pimento chopped fine

2          heaping tablespoons of chopped pickles

1          heaping tablespoon of Hormel real bacon bits

Chopped onion (optional)

Mayonnaise (you have to be the judge as to how much you like)

Fold the mayonnaise into the ingredients carefully as you do not want to crush the peas.   If needed, add a teaspoon or two of pickle juice to moisten.  Add salt and pepper to taste but it does not take much.

I like to let it set for a few hours before eating… this will allow the flavors to mix together.

Tips:  

I never use relish in anything that calls for chopped pickles, it just is not the same as fresh chopped pickles.

NEVER NEVER NEVER use fake bacon bits.  The fake bits puff up like dog food.  Again, never ever use fake bacon bits.

A lot of my recipes come from Food Network or the book “The New Basics”.  I am not a plagiarizer as I try to always credit them.  But, the biggest thing is that I’ve cooked it, and love it.  When you’re reading it, or watching it on television, you wonder if it’s as good as it looks.

This is from Food 911 and I think it was Tyler Florence who did this episode.

These are the best Collards I ever ate!

Lori Mitchell Barnett

Austin, TX

www.lmbphoto.com

… from the heart and kitchen of Brundi Starling Crawford. 

 I have always loved eggs, especially deviled eggs.   I can remember visiting my godparents and ‘Aunt Phyllis’ would always have a tray of eggs ready for me.   Today, I love making deviled eggs and have found a quick easy combination that seems to please everyone.  These are a perfect addition for that special Sunday lunch with family.

Boil eggs (add a tad of vinegar in water, this helps prevent cracking).

Peel and cut eggs in half.

Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip), add a smidge of mustard, salt, cracked pepper, and about a teaspoon of sugar. Thoroughly mix together.

For a special kick, add fried crumbled bacon.

Neatly place a heaping spoonful in each egg. Sprinkle with paprika.

Simple and delicious!

… from the kitchen of Danielle Nastri

Blue Cheese Mac n’ Cheese

1 lb penne pasta (or whatever pasta you prefer)

2 tbsp butter

¼ cup flour

¼ cup minced fresh sweet onion (optional but I love this addition)

2 cups whole milk

1 cup whipping cream

3 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 ½ cups blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13×9 baking pan.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and leave in strainer.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to make a roux and stir constantly to let the flour cook, but not burn. Light brown is good.

Whisk in milk and cream. Simmer until mixture thickens, whisking constantly, DO NOT LET BOTTOM BURN. Reduce heat to low and add grated cheddar cheese (reserving 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top before baking) and crumbled blue cheese and onion. Whisk until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add cooked pasta to sauce; stir until all pasta is coated. Transfer mixture to buttered baking pan and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

A NOTE FROM DANIELLE

This is one of those “not if you are watching your weight or cholesterol” recipes : )

… from my mom (the best cook in the world), Bernadette Black Starling!

When I was young back in the late 50’s and 60’s, my parents always took me on vacation to the Great Smokey Mountains.  Every year we would stay at Furry’s Lodge in Waynesville, North Carolina.  I always enjoyed the meals served around the large round table with the Lazy Susan type of top where you helped yourself.   I can still remember some of the great things we had there and here is one big family favorite.   Amazingly, I learned how to make this by standing on a chair and peeking through the window and watching Mrs. Furry’s kitchen staff!

Bernadette’s Broccoli Bake

2 large head of broccoli (frozen boxes will do, but fresh is always best)

Butter

¾ cup graded mild cheese

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Carnation Evaporated milk (or Half & Half)

Boil broccoli in salted water until almost done.  Drain.   Please drained broccoli in your favorite casserole dish and dot it with butter.

Mix the mayonnaise and cream to a thick creamy consistency (not too thin), and add the graded cheese into this mixture.  Pour over the broccoli and sprinkle with paprika for color.

Bake at 350 for about 15 – 20 minutes and serve hot.   You do not have to worry about leftovers… there won’t be any!

NOTE:  This is a side dish that would be requested as part of my last meal on earth!   I have eaten this for years and loved every bite.