Vegan Coleslaw

Makes 2 big servings of coleslaw or 4 small side dish servings of coleslaw

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 package coleslaw mix

1/2 c just mayo
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp raspberry wine vinegar
1 tbsp Real Lemon lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ploughman’s mustard
1/4 tsp celery salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix dressing first. (Adjust proportions to your taste as your family prefers)

Add coleslaw mix.

Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler

Adapted from Southern Living.

INGREDIENTS

1/4-1/2 cup unsalted butter
1-2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices, peeled
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
orange zest (optional)
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
Chopped pecans (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Put butter in 13 x 9 pyrex dish. Put dish in oven. Let butter melt.
3. Put peaches on top of butter.
4. Mix remaining ingredients, pour on top of peaches.
5. Bake 40-45 min.
6. Serve with ice cream.

 

Southern Apple Cake

Fresh Apple Cake with Pecans and Brown Sugar Glaze

For the Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups finely chopped apples
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
For the Glaze:
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons evaporated milk, or half and half, or milk

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch pan, or two 8- or 9-inch cake pans, round or square. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, soda, and salt, and stir with a fork to mix everything together well.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, a wooden spoon, or an electric mixer at low speed until pale yellow and foamy. Add the oil and the vanilla, and beat them together well. Stir in the sugar-flour mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix the batter, stopping as soon as the flour disappears. Add the apples and nuts, stir to mix them into the batter until fairly uniform, and scrape the batter into the prepared pans.
3. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown, springs back when touched lightly near the center, and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.
4. Place the cake on a wire cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel. Make the glaze while the cake is hot. Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Spoon the glaze all over the hot-from-the-oven cake. Let the glazed cake cool completely, and serve in squares right from the pan.

Makes one 9 x 13-inch cake

From Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations. Chronicle Books 2007. Copyright Nancie McDermott. All rights reserved.

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

From Recipe Revival: Southern Classics Reinvented for Modern Cooks by the Editors of Southern Living

NOTE: This recipe alone is worth the cost of the book.

Makes: 2 dozen (or a 13 x 9 pan full).
Hands On: 20 min
Total: 3 h 20 m

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 c powdered sugar
3/4 c cold butter, cubed
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 c semisweet chocolate morsels
3/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c light corn syrup
1/4 c butter, melted
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 c sweetened flaked coconut
3 c toasted pecan halves and pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Line bottom and sides of 13 x 9 pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 in to extend over the sides. Lightly grease the foil.
3. Pulse the flour and next three ingredients (powdered sugar, cold butter, unsweetened cocoa) in food processor 5 or 6 times or until the mixture is crumbly. Press the mixture on the bottom and 3/4 in up the sides of the prepared pan.
4. Bake the crust at 350 F for 15 min. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the chocolate morsels over the crust. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 min).
5. Whisk together the brown sugar and next three ingredients (corn syrup, melted butter, eggs) until smooth. Stir in the coconut and toasted pecans, and spoon into the prepared crust.
6. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 min or until golden and set. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Chill 1 hour. Lift from the pan, using foil sides as handles. Transfer to a cutting board. Cut into bars.
7. Enjoy!

Ambrosia Salad

Mix:

1 bag Kraft miniature marshmallows (white or colored)
1 can mandarin oranges (or fresh)
1 can crushed pineapple (or cubed)
1 c toasted chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1 c baker’s coconut (or fresh)
1/2 c maraschino cherries (optional)
1 c halved red seedless grapes (optional)
1/2 c sour cream (or vanilla yogurt)
1/2 c whipping cream (or cool whip)(optional)
2 tbsp sugar (optional)
cinnamon (optional)
nutmeg (optional)

Optional:

diced mango
diced papaya
diced banana
diced apples

 

 

 

White Lily Light and Fluffy Biscuits

From the White Lily Light and Fluffy Biscuits recipe on the back of the White Lily Enriched Unbleached Self-Rising Flour package

Makes 12 biscuits

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups White Lily self-rising flour *
1/4 cup shortening, chilled (replace with butter)
2/3 to 3/4 cups buttermilk or milk

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 500°F. Coat baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.

Measure flour into large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until crumbs are the size of peas. Blend in just enough milk with fork until dough leaves sides of bowl.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently 2 to 3 times. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut using floured 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet 1-inch apart for crisp sides or almost touching for soft sides.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

1 c buttermilk =

1 c milk
1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar (white, apple cider, or rice)

Mix and let sit for 5 min.

Flour Substitutions

Here’s a list of some flours and their protein contents, from the book Cookwise by Shirley O. Corriher:

Cake flours (Swans Down, Softasilk):
7.5 to 8.5% protein

Bleached southern all-purpose (White Lily, Martha White, Gladiola, Red Band):
7.5 to 9.5% protein

National brand self-rising (Gold Medal, Pillsbury):
9 to 10% protein

National brand bleached all-purpose (Gold Medal, Pillsbury):
10 to 12% protein

Northern all-purpose (Robin Hood, Hecker’s):
11 to 12% protein

Northern unbleached all-purpose (King Arthur):
11.7% protein

Bread Flour:
11.5 to 12.5% protein

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KAF homemade self-rising flour

Self-rising flour is flour with baking powder and salt already added. A staple in many Southern recipes, it’s traditionally milled from softer, lower protein wheat, which is what grows in the South; and it produces softer, more tender baked goods than all-purpose or higher-protein flours.

Homemade self-rising flour can be used in any recipe that calls for self-rising flour. To replicate soft, Southern-style self-rising flour, start with our Perfect Pastry Blend (10.3% protein) or Unbleached Pastry Flour (8.0% protein), instead of all-purpose; and add baking powder and salt as directed in the recipe below.

If you use King Arthur All-Purpose Flour (11.7% protein) to make homemade self-rising flour, be prepared to increase the liquid a bit in any recipes you use it in (to account for this flour’s higher protein level); and expect the results to be a bit less tender.

whisk the following together thoroughly:

1 cup King Arthur flour (see options above)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Note: If you weigh your ingredients, Unbleached Pastry Flour weighs 3 3/4 ounces per cup; Perfect Pastry Blend, 4 ¼ ounces.

Use as directed in your recipe.

to make a larger amount of self-rising flour:
8 cups King Arthur flour (see options above)
4 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt

Whisk together thoroughly. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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About White Lily Flour:

White Lily is a soft wheat flour that is ideal for pastry like biscuits, cookies & pie crust because of its low protein/gluten content. Because of this it is not a good choice for pizza crust or other bread doughs where you need higher gluten to give the dough structure & texture. Use all purpose or bread flour for pizza dough & you will be much happier!

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Kentucky Corn Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 c corn meal
1 c wheat flour
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c oil
1 1/4 c buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Put 1 tbsp butter in cast iron skillet and place in oven. (butter has a low smoke point, so keep an eye on it)

Mix oil, buttermilk and eggs.

Mix dry ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.

Pour into hot cast iron pan.

Bake for 25 min.

NOTE:

This is SOUTHERN style corn bread, as it has no sugar. Texture is dry and crumbly, not soft and cake like. Be authentic at your own risk. (Yes, I am from the North. No, I’m not a fan of Southern cornbread).

Red Velvet Cake

Makes 15 cupcakes or 1 9 inch round cake pan.

CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1.25 c cake flour
1/8 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c oil
1 egg
2 tsp red food coloring
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c buttermilk
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp white vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Butter 9 inch round cake pan, line with parchment, butter parchment. Dust with flour.

3. Whisk flour, cocoa and salt.

4. Beat sugar and oil in kitchenaid.

5. Add eggs.

6. Add food coloring and vanilla.

7. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatingly.

8. Beat until just combined.

9. IN SEPARATE BOWL, mix baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter. Beat 10 seconds.

10. Pour batter into cake pan.

11. Bake 30 min.

12. Transfer cake to rack to cool completely. CAKE MUST BE TOTALLY COOL when you frost it or it will be a HUGE mess. HUGE. (Don’t ask me how I know..)

NOTE: Cupcakes are baked at 375F for 18-20 min.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature (use Philly original cream cheese, NOT the low fat kind)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter
1 pound / 16 oz / 2 c confectioner’s sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Beat cream cheese and vanilla until fluffy (2 min).

2. Add butter, beat.

3. Add sugar, beat. Done and done

4. If you fridge the frosting before frosting your cake, make sure you let it come to room temperature and beat on low speed FIRST.

VERDICT: This is one of my favorite cakes (the other is German Chocolate Cake). I love this cake and this recipe. You’ll definitely find yourself making this cake again and again. It’s soooo good 🙂

Cast Iron Corn Fingers

Rose Levy Beranbaum Recipe, published in LA Times

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-10-10/food/fo-26_1_corn-fingers

CORN FINGERS (Adapted from Campton Place)

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup milk

1 large egg, separated

1 cup cooked corn kernels, cut off cob

DIRECTIONS

About 5 to 10 minutes before batter is ready, preheat at 425 degrees 2 cast-iron corn finger molds, sprayed with non-stick spray or lightly greased.

Stir together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and crushed hot pepper in medium bowl. Lightly whisk together butter, cream, milk, egg yolk and corn kernels in separate bowl.

Beat egg white in small bowl until soft peaks form when beater is lifted slowly. Stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture just until moistened. Lumps should still remain. Fold in egg white just until incorporated.

Spoon or pipe batter into molds until almost full. Use small metal spatula or back of teaspoon to smooth, if necessary. Bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Invert onto rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Corn fingers freeze well for several weeks. Wrap each airtight in plastic wrap and place in heavy-duty freezer bags. To reheat from frozen, bake at 400 degrees 7 minutes. Makes 12 to 13 corn fingers.

NOTES (4/28/15): Delicious. Moist. Not too sweet. Amazing.  Baked in a 6 cup muffin pan (not nonstick) but each cup only half filled. Turned out well.

Next time: Maybe add some more sweetness, like maple syrup. And jalapenos instead of crushed red pepper.