Pure Country Cooking: The Best of Man, That Stuff is Good!
()
About this ebook
What is Pure Country Cooking? It's the dishes Momma or Granny prepared for the family at every Sunday dinner after church...fried chicken, green beans, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs and a cold pitcher of sweet tea. Picture, if you will, the recipes handed down for generations and taught to young ladies who would learn and pass on this sacred skill to their children. There's Sister using great-Granny's chipped cup to measure flour for a cobbler or Aunt Dot's can she cut biscuits with for decades. Well, I'm not describing my family but I have lived the dream. I was born in Connecticut, moved to Tennessee in 1975 and my Momma hasn't cooked in years. Fortunately, I was blessed with good friends with wonderful Southern Mommas, Nannies and Grannies (and a few Paw Paws) who took me under their wing and taught me how to prepare the foods that are synonymous with the South. The ones your family will push away from the table with a smile on their face and say, "Man, That Stuff is Good!"
Denise Grisham
Denise Grisham is a food blogging, picture-taking, book reading, outdoor loving, southern-raised lady who makes her home in Southern Middle Tennessee during the work week and the Elk River in North Alabama on the weekends with husband, Andy. When she is not researching or creating new recipes, photographing new dishes and blogging on “Man, That Stuff is Good!” you’ll find her reading, capturing photos of wildlife, working on the cabin and wishing she was visiting her sister in Alaska.
Related to Pure Country Cooking
Related ebooks
Pillsbury Fast Slow Cooker Cookbook Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTaste of Home Bakeshop Classics: 247 Vintage Delights, Coffeehouse Bites & After-Dinner Highlights Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSaintly Feasts: Food for Saints and Scholars Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ultimate Baking Cookbook for Young Chefs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTaste of Home Fall Baking: 275+ Breads, Pies, Cookies and More! Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Pillsbury Easy As Pie: 140 Simple Recipes + 1 Readymade Pie Crust = Sweet Success Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen Cookbook: Essential Recipes for Every Home Cook Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBetty Crocker Fix-With-A-Mix Desserts: 100 Sensational Sweets Made Easy with a Mix Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWicked Good Barbecue: Fearless Recipes from Two Damn Yankees Who Won the Biggest, Baddest BBQ Competition in the World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFresh Fruit Quick Breads: In the Pantry Quick Breads, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFiesta!: Southwest Entertaining with Jane Butel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsArtisan Home Baking: Wholesome and delicious recipes for cakes and other bakes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPillsbury Best Of The Bake-Off Casseroles Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTaste of Home Ultimate Baking Cookbook: 575+ Recipes, Tips, Secrets and Hints for Baking Success Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGood Housekeeping Great Recipes: Grilling: Mouthwatering Recipes for Unbeatable Barbecue Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrunch: Heartmade Collection, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSandwich Surprises: The Perfect Culinary Treat! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSouthern Living Best Fall Baking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFred Thompson’s Southern Sides: 250 Dishes That Really Make the Plate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Betty Crocker Simply Delicious Diabetes Cookbook: 160+ Nutritious Recipes for Foods You Love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCooking for Friends Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Manly Cookbook: Bacon: The Manly Cookbook Series, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSoups, Stews, and Chowders: Robin Takes 5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFlan Cookbook: A Collection of Authentic Mexican Flan Recipes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTreasures of the Great Depression Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGood Fare: A Book of Wartime Recipes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates To Serve With Wines You Love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLet's Eat Meat Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWicked Good Burgers: Fearless Recipes and Uncompromising Techniques for the Ultimate Patty Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Regional & Ethnic Food For You
One Bowl Meals Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cook Anime: Eat Like Your Favorite Character—From Bento to Yakisoba: A Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5North: How to Live Scandinavian Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Korean Home Cooking: Classic and Modern Recipes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Prairie Homestead Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Heritage Cooking in Any Kitchen Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook: Easy And Healthy Recipes You Can Meal Prep For The Week Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/530 Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan: Ultimate Weight Loss Plan With 100 Heart Healthy Recipes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained in More Than 100 Essential Recipes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mediterranean Diet: A Complete Guide: 50 Quick and Easy Low Calorie High Protein Mediterranean Diet Recipes for Weight Loss Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRustic Mexican: Authentic Flavors for Everyday Cooking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Official Downton Abbey Afternoon Tea Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Tucci Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Best of Southern Living Cookbook: Over 500 Of Our All-time Favorite Recipes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5French Comfort Food Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Taste of Home 201 Recipes You'll Make Forever: Classic Recipes for Today's Home Cooks Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Fully Revised and Updated Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A-Z Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mediterranean Diet Cookbook Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Modern Mediterranean: Easy, Flavorful Home Cooking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Everything Mediterranean Diet Book: All you need to lose weight and stay healthy! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Real Southern Cook: In Her Savannah Kitchen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Let's Cook Japanese Food!: Everyday Recipes for Authentic Dishes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Edna Lewis: At the Table with an American Original Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ready or Not!: 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipes by Nom Nom Paleo Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Southern Slow Cooker Bible: 365 Easy and Delicious Down-Home Recipes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Pure Country Cooking
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Pure Country Cooking - Denise Grisham
"Pure Country Cooking:
The Best of
Man, That Stuff is Good!"
Copyright 2019 Denise Grisham
Published by Denise Grisham at Smashwords
Front Cover Photo Credits:
Denise Grisham: The Mini Maverick, Dana Troglen
Lemons: Tasha King, Pixabay.com
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Appetizers:
Cocktail Wienies
Cream Cheese, Jelly and Bacon Spread
Deviled Eggs
Pickled Eggs
Pimiento Cheese
Sausage Balls
Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos
Spinach Cheese Dip
Tennessee Caviar
Troy’s Salsa
Zesty Crackers
Beverages:
Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary II
Golden Glow Punch
Orange Sherbet Mimosas
Perfect Punch
Southern Sweet Tea
Sun-Drop® Punch
Breads:
Cornbread
Cornbread Dressing
Cornbread and Rolls, Leftover
Easy Biscuits
Hoe Cakes
Hush Puppies
Quick Rolls
Sausage and Cheddar Biscuits
Unbelievably Good Cornbread
Yeast Rolls
Pasta/Rice:
Dirty Rice
Easy Pasta Salad
Muffuletta Pasta Salad
Oven Roasted Veggie Angel Hair Pasta
Salads:
Cole Slaw
Hot Slaw
Mandarin Almond Salad
Wilted Lettuce Salad
Sides:
Andy’s Taters and Onions
Black Eyed Peas
Black Skillet Sweet Potatoes
Bread and Butter Pickles
Collard Greens
Cornbread Dressing
Cowboy Beans
Death Corn Five
Fried Apples
Fried Cabbage
Fried Corn
Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Okra
Fried Potatoes
Fried Potato Cakes
Fried Squash
Grandma’s Super Easy Pickles
Granny Grisham’s Corn Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Grilled Cabbage
Grilled Corn
Hash Brown Casserole
Momma’s Top-Secret Potato Salad
New Potatoes and Green Beans
Oven Baked Fries
Pickled Beets
Pinto Beans
Purple Hull Peas
Seasoned Canned Green Beans
Scalloped Potatoes
Southern Style Green Beans
Squash Dressing
Squash Fritters
Stewed Potatoes
Tomato Cheese Grits Casserole
Tomatoes and Okra
Tomato Pie
Turnip Greens
Twice Baked Potatoes
Vidalia Onion Casserole
Zucchini Squash and Tomatoes
Main Course Beef:
Andy’s Easy Red Chili
Andy’s Goulash
Andy’s Special Recipe Meatloaf
Andy’s Three Meat Chili
Beef Stew
Denise’s Goulash
Mississippi Roast
Salisbury Steak
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Main Course Chicken:
Chicken and Dressing
Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Andy’s Chicken Smoked on the Bubba Keg®
Andy’s Chicken BBQ’d on the Bubba Keg®
Chicken, Oven Fried, Cornflake Crust
Chicken Pot Pie
Copy Cat Chick-fil-A® Strips
Drunk Chicken
Fried Chicken Strips
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Roasted Chicken
Southern Fried Chicken
Main Course Pork:
Baked Boston Butt
Baked Ham
Boston Butt Smoked on Backyard Pit
Boston Butt Smoked on Bubba Keg
Beer Brats
Hog Jowl
Pinto Bean Casserole
Pork Dumplings
Grilled or Smoked Ribs
Grilled
Smoker or Pit
Smoked Country Style Pork Ribs
Shank Portion Ham Smoked on the Bubba Keg
Smoked Ham on the Oklahoma Joe
Sausage Casserole
Main Course Other:
Crawfish and Shrimp Denise
Fried Catfish
Kraut and Wieners
Soup:
Beef Macaroni Soup
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Cabbage, Carrots, Potatoes and Smoked Sausage
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Stew
Crock Pot Black-Eyed Peas
Gazpacho
Goat Stew
Hamburger Soup
Potato Soup with Ham
Taco Soup
Tomatoes and Okra with Shrimp
Turnip Green Soup
Vegetable Beef Soup
White Chili
Redneck Extras
Bacon Grease, why you should keep it
BBQ Bologna
Chittlins
Deer Summer Sausage
Fried Bologna and Whomp Biscuits
Fried Hot Dogs
Fried Spam
Frog Legs
How to Cook Goat
Salmon Patties
Ramblings
Rambling Through New Orleans
Ending My Summer Vacation in Alaska
About Denise Grisham
Other books by Denise Grisham
Connect with Denise Grisham
Acknowledgements
I dedicate Pure Country Cooking: The Best of Man, That Stuff is Good!
to my husband Andy. I want to acknowledge the significant role you’ve played in the lessons learned and my enjoyment of the real deal country cooking. Granted, it’s not always been the healthiest of choices, but the results have always tasted exceptionally good! Here’s to many more years of loving and living a happy life!
Prologue
Do you have a bucket list? I do, sort of. It’s not written down officially, but I know what I want to do and some how it always works out for me. No matter what it is, I have already visualized it and put a mental plan together to achieve it. Does it always work out like I have planned? Why, goodness no! Sometimes my plan A-B looks more like A-Z.
Before I ever started writing the Man, That Stuff is Good! blog, I knew all those recipes I typed up years ago were going to end up somewhere. I just kept adding to the folder on my computer knowing one day I would put them to good use. Granted, part of it was because I was getting tired of retyping up emails to send to friends who asked me for the same recipes over and over. Copy-Paste-Send!!
Because I have spent most of my career in printing and graphic design, I really thought a printed cookbook was the goal I was working towards. As an avid reader and recognizing the change in how people get their information over the years, in 2012 I opted to test the waters with a blog. This would allow my family access to my recipes regardless of where they are, and it would always have the most current updates.
When are you going to sell a cookbook?
Since I’m not sitting on a stack of cash to invest in self-publishing a printed cookbook, I began looking at options. I had purchased books online from Smashwords by a local author, John White. John was gracious enough to share some insight into self-publishing and encouraged me to go that route. About a year and a half later, Country Classics and Redneck Roots: The Best of Man, That Stuff is Good! was born and another item on the bucket list was crossed off.
Here we are again. A second volume is in your (electronic device’s) hands. The first volume featured the top 100 recipes people clicked on or shared to social media. Pure Country Cooking: The Best of Man, That Stuff is Good! represents all the dishes I associate with true down-home country cooking. You know, the kind your best friend’s Momma or Granny (not mine, I was reared in Connecticut, remember) laid out for Sunday dinner.
Thank you for purchasing this book. The original posts can be found on the blog, complete with step-by-step pictures if you need additional guidance. I hope these recipes bring as much joy to your family sitting around your table as they have ours.
Sincerely,
Denise
APPETIZERS
COCKTAIL WIENIES
Super Bowl Sunday kicking into high gear shortly signals the end of football season for another 5-1/2 months. Come mid-August SEC football and pre-season games will be back in full swing and we're hoping this year will be a little brighter for Tennessee fans. A tailgating menu isn’t complete without cocktail wienies! There are numerous variations, but here’s how I fix mine:
INGREDIENTS:
1 bottle of Kraft® Mesquite Smoke BBQ Sauce
1 small jar of grape jelly
1/4 cup of mustard
1 large package Bryan® Cocktail Smokies
DIRECTIONS:
In a crock pot or saucepan, mix all ingredients until blended well.
Bring to a boil, stir well and let simmer on low.
Keep warm.
CREAM CHEESE, JELLY AND BACON SPREAD
We recently had an author’s event at the library. One of the trustees prepared the most delicious (and extremely easy) dishes for the guests to enjoy. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I knew my bunch would love it. The original dish called for pineapple preserves. I substituted with the homemade reduced sugar peach jam I made this past summer to make this just a tiny bit healthier. In my opinion, the pineapple was much better, but we are still being mindful of our sugar intake, so there you go.
INGREDIENTS:
1 block cream cheese softened
Pineapple preserves (or flavor of your choice)
4-6 slices of firmly cooked bacon crumbled/chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Using plastic wrap, smoosh the cream cheese to spread out in the serving dish.
Top cream cheese with jelly.
Top jelly with bacon crumbles. Serve with crackers.
DELICIOUS DEVILED EGGS
One of my favorite sides is deviled eggs. The sad thing is I normally only fix them at holidays. For the life of me, I can't figure out why. They’re so easy to make. And goodness knows, I own enough egg plates to carry several dozen anywhere I choose...cut glass, vintage, Easter-themed and even a double decker Tupperware-style number that’s perfect for outdoor occasions.
Blair's future babies are the deviled egg eatingest
kids. They both inhaled at least five a piece at Thanksgiving. We decided on a Mexican-themed Christmas dinner, so I left the eggs off the menu. They let me know if I had fixed them, they would have eaten them with Mexican food.
If I am lucky enough to live to be 100, there is a deviled egg story I will never forget. Sharon, a friend of mine, told me about the first time she ever fixed deviled eggs that makes me practically cry (from laughing so hard) every time I fix them. She said she went to a holiday dinner with a plate of deviled eggs. Well, when everyone bit into them, they got the surprise of their lives! Sharon didn’t realize people sprinkled paprika on their eggs...she thought it was cayenne pepper! Woo hoo! She set some tongues on fire! Love it!
This recipe is one of those that my Mother, who hates to share recipes, finally gave up. She used to make a variation with chopped celery instead of pickle relish that I loved. However, my bunch isn’t crazy about celery, so this is our official recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
9 large eggs
Hellman's® mayonnaise (enough to moisten egg mixture)
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1/4 cup pickle relish* (Wickles® pickle relish is a great choice!)
Dash of salt and pepper
Paprika
*If pickle relish is very runny, be sure to drain off some of the excess juice!
DIRECTIONS:
Hard boil eggs (cook covered in boiling water for 15 minutes) and peel.
When cooled, slice in half and drop the yolks into a small bowl.
Mash with a fork until the yolks become crumbled.
Add salt and pepper, pickle relish and mustard. Mix well.
Add mayo by the tablespoon full until the consistency is moistened and creamy.
Using a kitchen teaspoon, fill each egg half with yolk mixture.
Sprinkle paprika on top.
Cover with plastic and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
PICKLED EGGS
Ok. Now I’m showing my redneck side. For decades, every country store I’d walk into would have, I swear, a 5-gallon jar of pickled eggs on the counter where you check out. The sight of them would make me snarl my nose and just about gag.
Several times, this good-ol’-boy I work with, Rickey, brought a jar of rooster eggs
he’d make to share in the break room. Countless times I’d walk by and be like, No Thank You!
On one occasion, I saw my boss, whom I consider to be fairly picky when it comes to strange and different foods, eating those eggs like they were potato chips! Seriously? If he’s eating them, then I’ve got to try one. Well, I must admit, I’ve been hooked since.
Rickey shared his recipe with me and Andy and I have been making pickled eggs to nibble on at the river for years. We like to cut them in half, sprinkle a little black pepper on them and eat ‘em up with crackers.
Word to the wise: Don’t fix more than you'll eat in a several month period. They’re easy to make and they taste better if you eat them quickly.
INGREDIENTS:
3 dozen large eggs
Crushed red pepper flakes
White vinegar
1/2 medium onion
Quart canning jars or other glass containers
(I used a 1/2 gallon and a 1-quart jar)
DIRECTIONS:
Carefully place half of the eggs in a large pot and cover with an additional inch of water. Hard boil these on high for 15 minutes. Pour into sink and cover with cold water while you hard boil the other eggs.
Peel shells and rinse. Poke a hole with a toothpick by inserting about 1/4" in each end of the egg. Drop them into a glass jar. Put a few slices of the onion into the jar along with 1 tbsp. of crushed red pepper flakes. Cover eggs with vinegar, seal and turn a few times to spread pepper flakes throughout. Let them set for a week before you eat.
Have I mentioned I have several packs of red-hot wienies sitting on the counter ready to be pickled?
PIMIENTO CHEESE
Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner. That means no more football until SEC games get fired up in the fall. :-( The weather this weekend is supposed to be pretty funky, but we’ll be indoors, so we really don’t care what’s going on outside. Andy is making a huge pot of chili and I’m fixing a batch of pimiento cheese to go along with it.
What? You’ve never eaten pimiento cheese with chili? Shut the front door! It’s great in sandwich form, but this is what we do. Take a Scoop
Tostito® chip and add a spoonful of pimiento cheese, a spoonful of chili and top it with a jalapeno pepper slice. Trust me, you are so going to love this! The melding of the coolness of the cheese, the hotness of the chili and the heat from the jalapeno is unbelievable. I must give full credit for this tasty combination to Andy. He introduced this to both me and the boys and we’re hooked!
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 big