I have been reading a “new” book (from AbeBooks, of course, my “go-to” place for any book I want other than digital)… The Southern Slow Cooker by Kendra Bailey Morris, Copyright 2013.
The author says, regarding meat, “Turn it to Low, and cook it Slow! I can think of no better function for the slow cooker than for cooking beef, pork, or chicken. Steady, low and slow heat over many hours does wonders for tough cuts of beef or pork, and it can tenderize a whole chicken until it is falling off the bone. Slow cooking breaks down the tough collagen while still preserving the moisture in the meat.
“Preparing meals in the slow cooker allows the home cook to easily create dishes using various cuts of beef, pork, or chicken that cost significantly less per pound than their quick-grilling counterparts. Most likely, there will be plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. Slow cooking tough cuts of meat takes time, often lots of it, so many of the recipes are ideal for overnight cooking or while you’re at work.”
My first recipe from this book is Frito Pie with Chili con Carne. Kendra says, “It’s hard to go wrong when you combine homemade chili, onions, and cheddar cheese with addictively crunchy Fritos corn chips.” She goes on to say, “One theory argues that the first Frito pie was created by Frito-Lay founder Elmer Doolin’s mother in Texas, but New Mexico also stakes claim to the first Frito and bean combo as originating from a lunch counter in Santa Fe.”
The next recipe from The Southern Slow Cooker is Shrimp Creole. Kendra Bailey Morris says, “Louisiana Creole cooking has a diverse array of influences, which includes the influence of European settlers who came to New Orleans, specifically those from Spain, France, and Germany. Today, Creole cooking is an amalgamation of various cultures and culinary styles.”
This particular slow-cooker version of Shrimp Creole involves simmering the sauce for up to 8 hours and adding the shrimp at the very end so they don’t overcook. Serve this spicy Creole dish over steamed rice garnished with green onions.
Emily Meggett in Gullah Geeche Home Cooking says you can usually find good broccoli year-round. Her Broccoli with Cheese Sauce looks wonderful.
Molasses Popcorn Balls from The Original Country Cookbook should be a lot of fun for both kids and grown folks.
FRITO PIE WITH CHILI CON CARNE
Recipe from
The Southern Slow Cooker by
Kendra Bailey Morris
1 teaspoon bacon grease or
vegetable oil
2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano,
preferably Mexican
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
(optional)
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Rotel brand) with its juice
2 (14-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
For serving:
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
Sliced pickled jalapenos
Sour cream
Large (14-ounce) bag Fritos brand corn chips, or 8 (1- or 2-ounce)
individual serving-size bags
1) Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray. 2) Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and add the bacon grease. Crumble in the ground beef and cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. 3) Pour the beef mixture into the slow cooker and add the tomato sauce, tomatoes and chiles, and kidney beans. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours and up to 9 hours. 4) To serve, spread the chips in a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish or divide among eight smaller bowls. Pour in the chili, then top with the cheddar cheese, sweet onion, jalapenos, and sour cream and serve. Alternatively, cut open eight individual serving size bags of chips, divide the chili and toppings evenly among the bags, and eat straight from the bags with a fork.
SHRIMP CREOLE
Recipe from
The Southern Slow Cooker by
Kendra Bailey Morris
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 small cloves garlic, minced
1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes with its juice
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and black pepper
Steamed long-grain rice, for serving
Minced chives or green onions, for garnish
Hot sauce, for serving
1) Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray. 2) Heat the butter and olive oil in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Transfer the onion, celery, and garlic to the slow cooker and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. 3) One hour before serving, add the bell pepper and continue to cook on low. Finally, during the last 10 minutes, add the shrimp and cook until they are pink and slightly curled (be careful not to overcook). Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and spoon over rice. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh chives. Serve with hot sauce on the side.
EMILY MEGGETT’S BROCCOLI WITH CHEESE SAUCE
Recipe from
Gullah Geechee Home Cooking by Emily Meggett
3 stalks broccoli, or 1 pound frozen broccoli
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk, whole or 2-percent
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, mild, medium or sharp
Pinch of salt
Paprika
Wash the broccoli and cut into florets. In an 8-quart pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the broccoli, and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and set the broccoli aside. Make the cheese sauce in a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Be very careful not to burn the butter. Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour, then slowly pour in the milk. Stir the mixture constantly until it’s smooth and thickened. Add the cheese and salt and stir until melted and smooth. Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli and garnish with paprika. Serve immediately.
MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS
Recipe from
Paragon Products, Inc.,
The Original Country Cookbook
3 quarts popped corn
(3/4 cup unpopped)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pop the corn, and set aside. Place all of the ingredients, except vanilla, in a saucepan and cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring until syrup forms a brittle ball in cold water (270 degrees). Add vanilla and stir only enough to mix in through hot syrup. Put popped corn in a large bowl. Pour cooked syrup slowly over popped corn and mix well. Wet hands slightly and shape corn into balls.
