What’s not to love about elbow pasta swimming in a bowl of warm, creamy cheese? My childhood memories of macaroni and cheese are my mother’s ingenious version of mac and cheese. Since we always had some spaghetti noodles in the refrigerator, she recognized that she could simply pull out some already cooked noodles and cover them with a slice of American cheese. Microwave for a minute or two and mix the noodles with the melted cheese. Voila. Homemade Eris-style mac and cheese. She predated Amy’s frozen-section single serving mac and cheese by at least ten years.
Posts tagged southern
Carrot Cake
Lots of people in the South serve carrot cake on Easter. I guess since carrots are associated with bunnies, that sort of makes sense.
Meyer Lemon Pound Cake
Meyer Lemons are special. They are a hybrid of a common lemon and mandarin orange. They become ripe around December in the South and can be difficult to find in grocery stores because their delicate skin bruised easily during shipping. But, boy are they delicious! They have a more complex floral flavor which is sweeter and less acidic than the common lemon. I think this classic pound cake showcases the sophisticated flavor.
Pimiento Cheese
My grandmother ALWAYS had pimiento cheese in her refrigerator. It was one of the treats that I sought out within 15 minutes of arriving at her house. It was savory, a little spicy, and oh so special! We ate it on crackers for a snack, on celery sticks as a side dish to fancy meals or melted on rye bread as cheese toast for breakfast or lunch. It’s just one of those things that tastes like home.
Cornbread Dressing
In our family, dressing may be the real star of the holiday meal show. I like it fragrant with herbs.
Cornbread
Cornbread is a staple in the south. Everyone has their own version. Even in my family, everyone makes a slightly different corn pone. My paternal grandfather used to say that when he found out that my grandmother could not make biscuits, he thought it was going to be a deal breaker. However, he decided that her cornbread was so good, he wouldn’t miss the biscuits. They were married for 70 years and in love the entire time. They had a beautiful life partnership.
Collard Greens
Greens are the one thing that I could eat every day and not get tired of them. Collards, turnips, mustard, kale, cabbage, etc. I love them all! Sometimes, I mix turnip greens, roots, and mustard to add bite. You may be wondering where is the water? But…I don’t boil them. Most greens have enough water in the leaves to cook without adding much water, if any. You keep more flavor and nutrients this way. Some people call this method “frying” the greens, but it’s more like a stir fry. I also like to stop the cooking while they are just tender, but still bright green.