General Robert E. Lee's Orange Pie

 

Orange Pie is one of those old Southern desserts that I love to make around the end of summer and early autumn when the mornings begin to get cooler and the summer heat begins to drop -- though here in South Carolina it pretty much stays in the upper 70s and lower 80s for highs until about mid-November.

Its one of those desserts for that time of year when you're ready to say goodbye to sweltering hot Southern summers, but not quite ready to jump onto the upcoming pumpkin spice craze that comes with the autumn holidays.

Would you believe that none other than General Robert E. Lee was a huge fan of Orange Pie? It was reportedly one of his favorite desserts -- among a couple others -- and his came with a certain recipe that I would like to share with y'all.

I've tried it out and its pretty good. Here's how to make it.

 

Ingredients
 
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup (2 oz.) white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 cup orange juice
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar
1 large orange, sliced into 1/4 inch round halves
1 9-inch unbaked piecrust (graham cracker crust preferred)

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Preheat over to 450 F.

In medium bowl, beat together egg yolks and 1/2 cut sugar until mixture is thick and lemon colored. Add flour, melted butter, melted butter, grated orange rind, and orange juice. Mix thoroughly, then pour into unbaked pie crust.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F and bake an additional 10 minutes until custard is set.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, continuing to beat until firm stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie covering completely. Return to over for 10 minutes until meringue is golden brown. Garnish with orange slices and serve.

I would also add that a scoop of french vanilla ice cream goes wonderfully with it, as well as a nice glass of sweet iced tea when you're sitting on your porch watching the sunset.

Carl's Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Happy Holiday Season, Y'all!

For many Americans -- especially those folks who live above the Mason-Dixon Line -- no holiday meal is complete without Cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin Pie. I confess a bit of bias as I have never been particular fond of either of those particular desserts. No offense to anyone who actually enjoys them.

Down here in Dixie, we have our own Thanksgiving and Christmas time specialty: Southern Sweet Potato Pie.

Sweet Potato Pie has been a staple of the Southland since colonial times. Even though creamy vegetable pie recipes date back to Medieval Europe particularly Ireland, Sweet Potato Pie became an African cuisine tradition brought to the United States by African slaves who made it using sweet potatoes as an alternative to their traditional yams which were a plant native to Africa.

Sweet Potatoes are often called "yams" though the two are distinctly different botanically. Sweet Potatoes were first cultivated in the Yucatan region of Central American and Venezuela in South America by Native American tribes as early as 5,000 years ago. Probably the first Europeans to taste sweet potatoes were members of Christopher Columbus's expedition in 1492.

Folks here in the South adopted Sweet Potato Pie as an alternative to the Pumpkin Pie often found in other parts of the country. In fact there was a bit of a friendly regional rivalry of sorts in the early 19th century where Southern folks rejected the "Yankee dessert" in favor of Sweet Potato Pie.

These days Pumpkin Pie can be found all across the United States, including the South where we do have our own unique versions of the classic recipe.

Every fall and early winter, I break out a recipe for this particular Southern tradition that my grandmother Carolyn (God rest her soul!) taught me to make -- though I added a couple of small touches to my version of that recipe.

Ingredients

2 pounds Southern Sweet Potatoes (sliced 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup (4 oz.) butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz.) coconut
3/4 cup (6 oz.) evaporated milk
2 white eggs
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 pinch of salt
2 unbaked 9 inch pie shells

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Place your cut Sweet Potatoes into a pot of water and boil them for 15 to 20 minutes until they are softened. Drain the sweet potatoes and then mash them all.

Next add all of the ingredients and carefully stir them together for a minute until they are thoroughly mixed together. Then carefully spoon the mixture into the two pie shells and smooth the surface evenly. Do not overfill the top of the pies as the mixture will expand as it cooks, then shrink.

Preheat your over to 350 F and place your pies on a cookie sheet, then place them carefully into the oven. Cooking time approximately 50 to 55 minutes until the crust and pie surface is brown. Remove and let them sit for an hour to cool off, then serve.

This recipe makes two pies and it goes good with just about every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal, or for that matter any other large gathering. I hope y'all try it out and enjoy it for yourselves. Let me know what y'all think.

Until next time have a Happy Holiday Season and Y'all come on back now, ya hear!

Carl's Famous "Better Than Sex" Spaghetti

Greetings and Salutations, Y'all! 

 

One of the best dishes that my family and friends both swear by is this blogger's famous "Better Than Sex Spaghetti" named so after a complement I received from a former co-worker that I fixed some for who thoroughly enjoyed it; declaring in her ecstasy that it was better than the sex she'd previously had the night before. Apparently my recipe for spaghetti had a profound emotional impact on her -- or she simply had a really lousy partner? 

 

Well, in my case, my spaghetti recipe has gotten me through many a lonely night, sitting in my recliner and watching old horror films, or action movies. While I cannot personally claim I got the same reaction from eating it as those infrequent occasions I've enjoyed some naughty bedroom fun, I will say that it's really damn good spaghetti. 

 

If y'all want to find out how good it compares for yourselves, feel free to try it out. 

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb. Ground Hamburger

1 Cup Diced Green & Colored Bell Peppers (Red, Yellow, & Orange)

1 Garlic Clove (or minced garlic)

1/2 Cup (4 oz.) Diced Onions 

1 Cup (8 oz.) Sliced Mushrooms 

3 Cans (15 oz.) Tomato Sauce

1 Can (15 oz.) Diced Tomatoes 
1 Can (6 oz.) Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup (4 oz.) Water

1 Tablespoon White Cooking Wine
1 Tablespoon Rootbeer

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Basil 

1/4 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Peppermint leaves

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar
A small squirt of Ketchup

 

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Cook the hamburger meat, green and colored bell peppers, garlic, onions and mushrooms together ten minutes till meat is brown and vegetables are softened, and then drain. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, with the meat and vegetables and cook on a medium setting until it comes to a boil.

Once the spaghetti sauce is boiling, reduce the heat slightly and let it simmer on the stove for another for about 30 minutes on the medium setting till it thickens. Add the rest of the condiments while the sauce cooks and keep it stirred in order to avoid the sauce sticking to the pot.

Once the homemade spaghetti sauce is simmering, all that’s left to do is boiling the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions and then, once the spaghetti is done to your liking, drain it and mix the spaghetti in with the sauce and then dish it up.

This recipe makes enough to feed one serving to about 6 to 8 people.

 

Total preparation and cooking time runs about 45 to 50 minutes, but its well worth the time I can promise y'all that. I also like to serve my spaghetti with garlic bread, or Texas Toast.

Try it out of yourselves and let me know what y'all thought of the recipe in the comments section. Enjoy!

Grandma Carolyn's Southern Fired Apple Pies

This blog post is dedicated in loving memory of my grandmother, Carolyn B. Wallen (1942 - 2018) RIP.

One of best things that my dear Grandmother Carolyn -- God rest her soul! -- ever made for us kids were her outstanding Southern Fried Apple Pies. 

As I got older I would often hang out in the kitchen and watch her make them, and then later on helped her out as they prepared them. Making these a few times a year with my grandma was one of my favorite memories of cooking with her. Every time I make them her legacy as the best cook I have ever known lives on. 

Thank you, Maw Maw.

They are great for family gatherings on holidays, for day trips, or for church groups -- and they never lasted very long either. Here is how you make them. 

 

Utensils You Will Need

A large spoon

A pot

A frying pan, or skillet

A large bowl

A measuring cup

A set of measuring spoons

A cookie cutter 

A rolling pin

A pastry cloth

Ingredients

10 - 12 ounces of dried apples

About 2 tablespoons sugar (or to your taste)
About 2 tablespoons cinnamon (or to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil for frying

2 1/2 cups self-rising flower

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup milk

 

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Cook dried apples in a pot of about 2 cups of water for about 30 minutes until done. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon then add salt. Allow apples to cool to about room temperature (another 20 or 30 minutes). 

While the apples are cooling mix the self-rising flower, shortening, and milk in a bowl by hand until dough is made. Then roll the dough out onto a pastry cloth with a rolling pin until the dough is slightly flattened. Then take a round cookie cutter and cut out small rolls, then take your rolling pin and flatten the dough into thin disks about four inches wide.

Take a large spoon and place a spoonful into the center of each disks, laying it out across the middle. Then carefully fold each disk in half to make crescents. Use a fork to press the edges of the crescents together.

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with vegetable oil and bring it to frying temperature. Place the apple pie crescents carefully into the oil and fry them on both sides until they are the color of brown to your liking. Then place them onto paper towels until they are cooled off to room temperature. 

Then you are ready to eat them -- I like mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream personally. This recipe makes about 16 - 20 fried apple pies. 

I hope y'all enjoy them too. If y'all make them and try them out for yourselves, be sure to leave me a comment below and tell me what y'all think. As always have a wonderful Dixie day and y'all come back now, ya hear!

Grandma Carolyn's Classic Yellow Squash Casserole

Happy Thanksgiving Day Y'all!

Most folks think that Southerners like their vegetables smothered in butter and cheese -- which we do. This holds especially true for yellow squash. 

Perhaps more than any other side-dish on Thanksgiving Day supper -- or Christmas and Easter for that matter --  the one I looked forward to the most on the table was my grandmother's classic yellow squash casserole. 

Now like just about every other proud Southern grannies my grandmother Carolyn didn't specifically follow recipes most of the time. Oh sure she knew what to use and how to make it, but her cooking instructions when I helped her prepare big meals sounded something like this: use a pinch of salt here, a dash of pepper there, a "thingie" of something, then use that "doohickey" to smooth it out. Also if you had no clue what the "doohickey" was, she would fuss at you for not being a mind-reader. Yep, that was my grandmother, God bless her soul!

Having watched and helped my grandmother prepare this wonderful side dish with her for years, I am going to provide y'all with the recipe -- uh, with specific measurements for the ingredients, of course.

Ingredients

1/2 lb sliced yellow squash -- cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 large carrot -- grated

1 onion -- chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 ounces sour cream

1 1/2 cup grated cheese

1 small box cheddar cheese crackers 

1/2 stick margarine -- melted 

salt & pepper

 Preparation and Cooking Directions

Boil squash, carrots and onion in a pot of water for about 7 to 10 minutes  until tender, then drain really well. Combine soup, sour cream, and cheese with the vegetables. Add salt and pepper as desired and carefully fold the combination to avoid crushing the vegetables. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish, smoothing it out. Crush cheese crackers and stir into the melted margarine, then sprinkle over top of the casserole to form a light crust. Preheat oven then bake your casserole at 350 F for 20 minutes, then cool and serve. 

This recipe serves up to 8 people for one supper.  

*On a personal note, you can also modify this recipe to make a really awesome Yellow & Zucchini Squash Casserole by simply using 1/4 sliced yellow squash and 1/4 sliced zucchini squash.

There you have it folks, my Grandma Carolyn's Classic Yellow Squash Casserole. It goes good with just about every big supper. I know it is popular with my immediate family and friends. I hope y'all with try it out and enjoy it for yourselves. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day today, and a wonderful Dixie day, y'all!

Carl's Lemonade Stand Pie Recipe

This one is probably my favorite pie to have during the summer months down here in Dixie. Its the refreshing taste of a tall, cool glass of lemonade in a very delicious pie. A wonderful dessert for those hot summertime evening suppers.

Here's how y'all make it:

Ingredients

1/3 cup Country Time Lemonade Flavor Drink Mix

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed 

1 (6 oz.) Graham Pie Crust

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Place drink mix in large bowl. Add water; stir until mix is dissolved. Add ice cream. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Freeze, if necessary, until mixture is thick enough to mound. 

Spoon into crust.

Freeze at least 4 hours, or overnight until firm. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Let stand at room temperature until pie can easily be cut. Store leftover pie until freezer. Makes 8 servings. 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total: 4 hours 15 minutes (including freezing)

Black Eyed Peas - A New Year's Tradition In Dixie

There is a largely Southern tradition that the first food to be eaten on New Year's Day should be a big plate of black-eyed peas, turnip or collard greens, pork, and cornbread.

Black-eyed peas are perhaps the most well-known New Year’s Day dish in the South, with a long and very interesting story, one that ties in beautifully with how all our shared traditions tie into our living Southern heritage.

The origins of the the black-eyed pea itself dates back to prehistoric times. Black-eyed peas are technically beans rather than actual peas, and are believed to have been domesticated in Africa about 2,000 BC in ancient Egypt. During the time of the Pharaohs, it was believed that eating a meager food like black-eyed peas showed humility before the gods, and you would be blessed. The beans have also been recorded to have been cultivated in China and India since pre-historic times and were eaten by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The beans reached the Americas via the International Slave Trade aboard slave ships where the beans were utilized as food for the enslaved passengers. Early records from around 1674 indicate that black-eyed peas were transported from Western Africa to the West Indies by slaves. The earliest records of black-eyed peas being planted in American colonial times dates back to the early 1700s in the Lowcountry coastal regions of the Carolinas and Georgia. 

Black-eyed pea plants were often planted along the border of fields to enrich the soil with nitrogen. Cattle could also graze on the plant stem and vine, leading to the alternative names of field peas and cow peas for the plant.

Since the American Southland has generally always been the place for farming, black-eyed peas are a good thing to celebrate with in the winter. Not many crops grow this time of the year, but black-eyed peas hold up well, were cheap and just make sense.

Black-eyed peas were also given to African slaves as food, as were most other traditional New Year's foods: hog jowls, turnip greens and cornbread. Another addition to the story says that black-eyed peas were all the Southern slaves had to celebrate with on the first day of January, 1863 when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. This is said to be the reason that black-eyed peas were always eaten on the first day of January.

The tradition of consuming black-eyed peas in honor of the New Year may also be tied to Jewish culture. The Talmud lists the small white bean as a food to be eaten during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, for good fortune. Like the ancient Egyptians, their traditional belief was similar: those who ate black-eyes showed their humility and saved themselves from the wrath of God. When Jewish people arrived in the American South in the early 18th century, their culture and traditions likely mingled with those of African slaves and other colonial residents to spread the practice of eating black-eyed peas in celebration of the New Year.

The most modern story of the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas as the first meal on New Year's Day is generally believed to date back the winter of 1864 - 1865 during the later part of the War Between The States (American Civil War). 

When Union General William T. Sherman led his invading troops on their destructive march through Georgia, the fields of black-eyed peas were largely left untouched because they were deemed fit only for animals. The Union foragers took everything but the peas and the salted pork. Black-eyed peas were first planted as food for livestock, and a common staple for black slaves - black-eyed peas origins can in fact be traced back to the African continent. As a result, the humble yet nourishing black-eyed pea saved surviving Southerners -- mainly women, children and the disabled veterans of the Confederate army -- from mass starvation and were thereafter regarded as a symbol of good luck. 

The peas are said to represent good fortune. Certainly the starving Southern families and soldier were fortunate to have those meager supplies. 

According to the tradition and folklore, the peas are served with several other dishes that symbolically represent good fortune, wealth and prosperity in the coming year. Some folks -- like my grandpa Billy -- still traditionally cook the black-eyed peas with a silver dime in the pot as a symbol of good fortune.  

Greens represent wealth and paper money, as they're flag and green like US currency. Any greens will do, but in the South the most popular are collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, and boiled cabbage. 

Cornbread, a regular staple mean among Southerners in absence of wheat, symbolizes gold and is very good for soaking up the juice from the greens on the plate.

Pork symbolizes bountiful prosperity and the progressing into the year ahead since pigs move forward using their snout to root for food. Ham and hog jowls are typical with the New Year meal, though sometimes bacon will work too. 

Stewed tomatoes are often eaten with this meal as well. They represent health and wealth. 

Some folks also believe that according to the tradition you must eat approximately 365 black-eyed peas to assure good fortune throughout the year (I suppose an extra for leap years like 2016). If you eat less you will only be lucky so many days. But if you eat more than 365 peas the days those extra beans symbolize will turn to bad luck. Some say you should leave one pea on your plate, to share your luck with someone else (more of the humbleness that peas seems to represent). Some say if you don't eat every pea on your plate, your luck will be bad; or that if you eat only the black-eyed peas and skip the pork, collard greens, and the accompaniments, then the luck won't stick. They all work together or not at all.

So reflect on those stories when you sit down at your family table and enjoy this humble uniquely Southern meal every New Years Day. 

"Mmmmm....now that's some good eatin right there!"

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article50282930.html#storylink=cpy