From Gullah Geechee Home Cooking, Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island, Emily Meggett, says: Creamed Chicken is one of the meals from my day that you don’t see a lot anymore, but you SHOULD. In those days we needed meals that could sustain us. We all did laborious work, and these fast-food dinners they’ve got out here now just wouldn’t cut it. This dish here has substance. The mushroom and herb sauce turn this simple cooked chicken breast into a hearty, flavorful dish. Serving it over grits, toast, or rice will have you full for the evening. If you’d like to prepare this dish as a casserole, see my tip below.
Kathryne Taylor’s online column, Cookie and Kate’s, comes the following recipe for asparagus. She says, “Learn how to make perfectly roasted asparagus here! This roasted asparagus recipe is a fantastic springtime side dish that everyone will love. You can season it however you’d like. You’ll find my seasoning suggestions below. Recipe yields two large or four modest side servings.”
Linda Laurendeau’s Potatoes or Vegetable Medley looks wonderful. We found her recipe in Apopka Historical Society’s Preserving the Big Potato.
Also from Kathryne Taylor’s column, Cookie and Kate’s, here is the most amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe! She says, “They are easy to make (no mixer required) with basic, wholesome ingredients. They’re miraculously vegan, too!” Recipe yields 13 large cookies.
EMILY MEGGETT’S
CREAMED CHICKEN
Recipe from Gullah Geechee
Home Cooking by Emily Meggett
For the Creamed Chicken:
6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 ribs celery, roughly chopped
2 scallions
Seasoning salt to taste
1) Prepare the chicken: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the chicken breasts, celery, scallions, and seasoning salt. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. To see if the chicken is done, insert a knife in the thickest part of one breast. If it’s still pink, continue to cook until you can see the cooked color of the meat all the way through the chicken. 2) Once the chicken is cooked, drain, reserving 1 cup of the broth with some celery and onion to use later for the sauce. Set the chicken aside, and allow the chicken to cool for 20 to 25 minutes. 3) Once the chicken has cooled, cut the chicken into small pieces. Set aside.
For the Cream Sauce:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk, whole or 2 percent, or chicken broth from cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups white mushrooms, plus more if desired, cleaned and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1) Prepare the cream sauce: In a 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir to combine. Stirring the mixture constantly, add the milk or the reserved chicken broth. After thoroughly mixing, bring this mixture to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Carefully add the cooked chicken without breaking up the pieces. Add the desired amount of chopped mushrooms, stir gently, and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the parsley and chives.
TIP: This may also be served as a casserole. If preparing this as a casserole, pour the chicken and cream mixture into a greased 9- x 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the top with parsley and breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling.
BASIC ROASTED ASPARAGUS
Kathryne Taylor’s online column,
Cookie and Kate’s
1 large bunch (about 1 pound) fresh asparagus
1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Seasonings (use one or all, like I did):
Zest and juice of one-half of medium lemon, preferably organic
Lemon wedges, from the remaining 1/2 lemon
Sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan cheese
Small handful of fresh mint or parsley, finely chopped
Light sprinkle of red pepper flakes
Other options:
Pat or two of butter
Light drizzle of balsamic reduction or thick balsamic vinegar
Toasted sliced almonds
1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus (if you sharply bend the asparagus near the base, it will snap in the right place). Discard the ends. 2) Place the asparagus on the sheet and drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the asparagus. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the asparagus; toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the spears in a single layer on the pan. 3) Bake just until the base of the asparagus is easily pierced through by a fork. Very thin asparagus will take as little as 9 to 12 minutes, whereas thicker asparagus will need 15 to 20 minutes. 4) Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and season however you’d like. You could keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of Parmesan, or add a pat of butter or drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 5) Roasted asparagus is best served when it’s fresh out of the oven, but it will keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour or up to 4 days in the refrigerator (gently reheat before serving).
LINDA LAURENDEAU’S POTATOES OR VEGETABLE MEDLEY
Recipe from
Apopka Historical Society’s
Preserving the Big Potato – A
Collection of Potato Recipes
5 to 6 medium potatoes, skins on, washed and pierced for microwave
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoning (Everglades is my favorite, but there are many wonderful blends – experiment!)
Microwave the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes. You want them not quite fork tender. Put olive oil and seasoning into a 1-gallon sealable storage bag and mix. Cut potatoes in chunks and add to the bag. Seal and toss to coat the potatoes. Fry in hot pan or on a griddle, tossing from time to time, until golden and edges are crispy.
VARIATION: When potatoes have crisp edges, add raw, sliced: green peppers, onions, yellow squash, and zucchini coated in a bag with same amount of oil and seasoning. Cook together for a few minutes and serve hot as a vegetable medley.
AMAZING CHOCOLATE
CHIP COOKIES
Kathryne Taylor’s online column,
Cookie and Kate’s
2 cups white whole wheat flour
or… regular whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3-3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1-1/4 cups chocolate chips*
2/3 cup lightly packed coconut sugar…
or… 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil**
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
Maldon flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
1) In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine, then add the chocolate chips and toss to coat. 2) In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar, regular sugar, oil and water. Whisk until the sugar has incorporated into the oil and the mixture is smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. 3) Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, then stir just until combined and no more flour is visible (don’t overdo it). 4) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Fill an ice cream scoop two-thirds with dough (or spoon the mixture into even 2-inch mounds), and place the dough onto one of the prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving several inches of space around each cookie. 5) Freeze the cookies on their pans for 30 minutes, or chill them for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. 6) When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until the edges are just starting to turn golden, about 14 to 17 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and sprinkle the cookies with flaky salt, if using. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Notes: Recipe adapted from Ovenly’s Secretly Vegan Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies. *Kathryne Taylor likes Ghiradelli’s bittersweet 60-percent cacao chocolate chips. Use vegan/dairy free chocolate chips if necessary. **You can taste the coconut or olive oil flavor lightly in these cookies. Use whichever one you prefer. For completely neutral-flavored cookies, use a neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil or safflower oil.
