RECIPES

COOKIN' GREENS (collards, turnip greens or water cress {winter cress or creases} depending on who you ask)

Thoroughly wash the greens, usually put in a sink of cold water. You may need to rinse a few times. Break off the tough stalks and tear large leaves down some. In a large pot, bring 6 to 7 quarts of water to a boil and add a Ham Hock and a spoon full of salt. Boil this for about 15 minutes to boil the ham hock (fat meat) before you add your greens. While boiling, add the greens a little at a time until you have them all in without boiling over. *I like to add 1/2 cup of sugar* Let them come to a boil once again for about 5 minutes, then set on simmer and cover pot. Depending on the tenderness of the greens this could take anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour. This makes up a nice "mess" for 4 to 6 hungry people. I like drop biscuits with mine.

2 pounds catfish fillets -- 1/2 inch thick
1 teaspoon garlic powder (some like the garlic and some don't)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cracker meal or coarsely crushed unsalted crackers and CRISCO SHORTENING

1. Trim the catfish of any skin. Stir the garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the fillets. Dip the fillets in the cracker meal, pressing gently so the
meal sticks to both sides of the fillets. Shake off the excess and set the fillets aside.

2. Heat the Crisco in a large heavy skillet over a medium heat. Slip the fillets into the skillet and fry, turning once, until the fillets are cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels before serving.

FRIED CHICKEN
2   3 1/2 pound Frying chickens, cut into 8 pieces                Salt        Freshly Ground Black Pepper
   2      cups all-purpose flour                                                      Crisco Shortening
   2      tablespoons paprika                                                        1 tablespoon paprika for the finished chicken

1) Sprinkle the pieces with salt and pepper. Stir the flour and paprika together in a
shallow bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess flour.

2) Pour enough Crisco shortening into a heavy deep skillet (cast-iron works great) to fill it to 2 inches. Heat over medium heat to 375¼ F. (A small cube of bread dropped in the dropped in the oil will brown in about 20 seconds.)

3) Add only as many of the chicken pieces as will fit without touching.
Overcrowding will lower the temperature of the shortening and make your fried chicken greasy. With a long-handled fork or tongs to prevent getting splattered, turn the chicken pieces until they are golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 6 minutes. The easiest way to tell if the chicken is cooked is to poke a fork down to the bone near the thickest part - if
the chicken is cooked the juices will run clear, not pink.

4) Remove the chicken pieces from the skillet to drain. If you have to fry the chicken in batches, keep the fried chicken warm on a baking sheet in a 250¼ F oven. When all the chicken is fried, sprinkle the pieces with paprika and serve hot.

Slick Dumplings

1 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2T shortening
pinch of salt

Put all ingredients in a bowl. Add water, a little at a time, until you can handle the dough, as a dough, when kneading. Roll out very thin on a floured surface. Cut into strips or small squares and add to pot. Cook about 5 minutes until thick, makes about 4 servings. {Alan Gravenor}

Dumplings

1 1/3 C flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 C milk

Combine egg and milk, beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Drop on top of stew or in broth or whatever you desire. Make sure there is plenty of liquid, as they will absorb liquid. Cook with cover off 5 minutes. Put cover on and cook 5 minutes longer. They will triple in size. Leave cover on and serve immediately. If do not look done, cook 2 - 3 minutes longer.

1 lb black-eyed peas -- dried 1 piece skin from a smoked ham or 2 ounces slab bacon -- diced
1/4 cup pork rib drippings or fried chicken drippings or bacon drippings
3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1) Pick over the peas to remove stones and dirt. Rinse the
peas well and soak them in cold water for 20 minutes.
Drain well.

2) Combine the peas and the remaining ingredients in a
large pot. Pour in enough cold water to cover the peas by 1
inch. Heat to simmering and cook, covered, until the peas
are tender but not mushy, about 1 1/2 hours. Keep an eye
on the peas while they are cooking and add more water to
keep them covered if necessary.

COLE SLAW
2 1/2 pounds cabbage 2 large carrots 1 cup Mayonnaise 1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 1 cup raisins

1) Trim the tough outer leaves from the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into
quarters and cut away the core from the cabbage pieces. Finely shred the
cabbage. There should be about 8 cups. Peel the carrots and trim the
ends. Grate them on the coarse side of a grater.

2) Stir the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and mustard together in a large
bowl until blended. Add the cabbage, carrots, and raisins and toss to coat
with the dressing. Let stand, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Store, covered, in the refrigerator for at least a few hours and toss well
before serving.

Scrape and clean a hog's head, then split it and take out the eyes and brain. the butcher will do this, if requested. Clean the ears and scrape them well. Put all on to boils in plenty of cold water & simmer gently for four hours, or until the bones will easily slip from the meat. Lift out the meat and bones into a colander, remove the bones and chop the meat fine. Skim off every particle of grease from the water in which the meat was boiled, and return the meat to the boiling stock in the kettle. Season highly with salt and pepper and powdered herbs. Add enough corn-meal and buckwheat flour, in equal quantities, to make a soft mush, stirring constantly for the first fifteen minutes, then lower the heat and cook for one hour. Pour into bread pans, cool and keep in a cold place until needed. the scrapple may be served cold or may be cut into slices, dipped in egg and cracker-crumbs and sautéed'.

80 Mushrooms 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup mushroom stems, chopped

*Line baking sheets with foil. Wash and remove the stems from the mushrooms. Chop and reserve 1/2 cup of the stems. Brush the caps with the butter and place on the trays. in a medium bowl combine the Parmesan, mushroom stems, garlic salt, and cream cheese, blending well. Fill the caps with the mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. These may be frozen. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Makes 80 stuffed mushrooms.

CORN PUDDING

   Corn Oil                                                            2 large eggs
   1 can evaporated milk -- 6 ounce can        1/4 cup sugar
   1      tablespoon cornstarch                          16oz can creamed corn
   1   teaspoon salt                                             1/4 teaspoon black pepper -- freshly ground is best
   1      tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

1) Lightly grease a 7 by 7 inch baking dish with corn oil. Preheat the oven to 350¼ F.

2) Beat the eggs and evaporated milk in a small bowl until
blended. Stir the sugar and cornstarch together in a small
bowl and add them slowly to the egg mixture, beating
constantly, until blended. Fold in the corn, salt, and
pepper. Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish and
dot with the butter.

3) Bake until the pudding is set and golden brown on top,
about 1 hour. Serve hot from the dish.

* Wash and wipe the seeds. Coat with the oil, and spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or in a 150 degree oven for 2 - 4 hours. They pop when done, but need to be watched. Store in an airtight container. Makes 2 cups.

8 pork chops 3/4 inch thick pinch of salt and black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups all-purpose flour Vegetable oil Paprika

1) Trim the excess fat from the edges of the pork chops. Sprinkle them
generously with salt and pepper.

2) Season the flour generously with salt and pepper. Dredge the pork
chops in flour until coated on all sides. Shake off any excess flour.
Pour enough vegetable oil into a heavy deep skillet (cast-iron is best)
to fill it to 1 inch. Heat over medium heat to 375F. (A small cube of
bread dropped in the oil will brown in about 30 seconds.)

3) Add only as many of the pork chops to the skillet as will fit without
touching. Cook them, turning them once, until cooked through (no trace of
pink remaining in the center) and deep golden brown, about 12 minutes. Use
a long-handled fork or tongs to prevent getting splattered.

4) Remove the pork chops from the skillet to drain. Sprinkle them with
paprika and serve hot.

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. lean boneless deer meat, partially frozen 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 tsp. ground pepper 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. onion powder 1/4 tsp. hickory smoked salt

*Trim the fat from the meat. Slice the meat as thinly as possible. In a bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Stir until dissolved. Add the meat and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Shake the excess liquid from the meat in a 150 - 200 degree oven until dry and brown, a minimum of 8 hours. Cool, remove from the pan, and store in a glass jar. {If spicy hot jerky is desired, you may sprinkle coarsely ground black pepper over the meat just before placing it in the over}.

CANDIED YAMS
2 lbs Sweet Potatoes (YAMS), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups water         1 teaspoon vanilla extract        4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
   1/2 cup granulated sugar                                              1/2 cup light brown sugar
   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                    2 cups pineapple chunks
   1/2 teaspoon ground allspice                                        1 cup raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 400 deg. F. Place the taters in a 12- by 12-inch baking
pan. Pour in the water and vanilla. Mix the butter, both sugars, cinnamon,
and allspice in a small bowl until blended. Sprinkle this mixture over the
taters. Cover the baking pan tightly and bake for 45 minutes.

2. Sprinkle the raisins and pineapple chunks over the yams and baste them
with the juices in the pan. Cover the taters and continue baking until very
tender and the juices are bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve hot from the pan.

1 pint jar Oysters Small white Celery Stalks with leaves from the center of the stalk, chopped

1/4 cup Butter or Margarine 3/4 tsp. Salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1/4 tsp. paprika 1 quart Milk Butter Oyster Crackers Paprika

* In a 2-quart saucepan heat the butter over low heat until it begins to bubble. Add the chopped celery, saving some of the green leaves. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add the oysters and cook for 3 - 4 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters curl. Remove from the heat and add the milk, salt, pepper and paprika. return to the heat and cook until almost boiling, about 10 minutes. During the last few minutes, add the reserved celery leaves. Serve in hot bowls with a lump of butter and a dash of paprika in each bowl. Serve the crackers on the side. Serves 6.

7 Tea Bags 12 Sprigs Mint Rind of 3 Lemons 8 cups Boiling Water Juice of 7 Lemons 2 cups Sugar 8 cups Cold Water

*Steep the tea, mint and lemon rind in the boiling water for 12 minutes. Remove the tea, mint, and lemon rind from the water. Add the lemon juice and sugar, then strain. Add the cold water. Makes 1 Gallon.

Grandma's Iced Tea

Boil 2 quarts of cold water in a teapot. Remove from heat once rolling boil is reached. Add 4 tea bags. Steep for exactly 15 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Refrigerate and serve iced.

*Slice the lemons into thin rings. Place in a porcelain or enamel container (definitely an old recipe). Add the sugar and pound with a wooden mallet to extract the juice. Let the mixture stand for 20 minutes. Add the cold water and ice cubes as desired. Stir until well blended. Makes 3 quarts.

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar Dash of Salt 2 quarts Apple juice 1 teaspoon Whole Cloves 1 3" stick cinnamon

* In a large saucepan combine all of the ingredients. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes. Makes 2 quarts.

* In a glass jar or container with an airtight lid, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Cover and store until needed. Add 2 tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of water for a quick cup of hot cocoa. Makes about 34 servings.

1 pound Ground Beef 1/2 cup Chopped Onion 16 ounces Mixed vegetables 10 ounce can Tomatoes (Rotel) 13 ounce can Spanish Rice

* In a large stock pot, brown the ground beef and onion. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Serves 6.

6 cups Chicken Broth 15 ounce can Tomato Sauce 4 medium diced Potatoes 2 chopped Carrots 1/2 chopped Onion

1/4 cup chopped Celery Tops and pieces 1/4 cup chopped Green Pepper 1 handful uncooked Rice 1 teaspoon Basil

1/2 teaspoon Parsley 1/2 teaspoon Dill 1/2 teaspoon Pepper (black) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 1/2 tsp Salt

* Usually I boil skinned chicken pieces for about 2 hours to obtain the broth. I add the above listed items and other leftover vegetables like green beans and corn if available. Bring the broth to a boil and then simmer for about 1 hour. The soup lasts well in the refrigerator for up to a week and can be frozen. Serves 6 to 8 (anonymous chef)

1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup water 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Boil sugar, water and spices to **Hard Crack Stage (300-310 F). Drop peanuts into syrup. Stir until nuts are dry looking. Pour out on foil and let stand until cool and dry.

1 (6 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 lb. peanut brittle (cooled & unbroken)

Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiler) water OR in microwave according to package instructions. Spread melted chocolate over the peanut brittle to coat. Break into pieces and store in airtight container.

In mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces fat free cream cheese, 1/2 c. pumpkin and 1/2 cup Splenda...mix well. Beat in tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix well. Fold in 8 ounces reduced fat or sugar free cool whip. Refrigerate until serving. (2 TBSP = 25 calories) Serve with Graham Crackers, ginger snaps or vanilla wafers. (Submitted by Nancy's Mom Mom Sally)