Chicken and Dumplings - Instant Pot (or Not)

Chicken and Dumplings is a real comfort food classic! And if you’d like to make it on the stovetop rather than in the Instant Pot, go to my original Chicken and Dumplings post. 

Also, go to that post if you’d like to read about the great dumpling controversy—you know, fluffy versus flat, dropped versus rolled. As you can see, I make fluffy dumplings. 

And fluffy they are. Never stodgy (unpleasantly solid and heavy). Sometimes I use a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the milk, and sometimes not. Either way, they come out light, fluffy and delicious. 

Thing is, the Instant Pot is narrower in diameter than my Dutch oven, so there’s really only room for half the dumplings. If you’re serving it all at once (dinner for at least 6), you could transfer the finished stew to a wider pan that will hold all the dumplings. 

I’ve often used bone-in chicken breasts and thighs rather than cutting up a whole chicken, but for this Instant Pot version I went with a whole chicken and did not cut it up. 

You see, I’m still on my Streamlined Cooking kick and not cutting up the chicken and not browning the pieces was a huge timesaver. The chicken comes out fall-apart tender and easy to remove from the bones. 

I was prepared to have to remove a lot of fat from the broth, but there didn’t seem to be a lot of fat, so I just went with it. That was another timesaver.

I hope you’ll try it soon and let me know how you like it. And, tell me, which dumpling team are you on, fluffy or flat?

Chicken and Dumplings - Instant Pot

(Serves 6 to 8)

The Chicken Stew

1 whole organic free-range chicken (3.5 to 5 pounds/1.6 to 2.25 kg), giblets removed

1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 medium (about 12 ounces/340 grams) yellow onion, quartered and sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups thinly diagonally sliced carrots (about 12 ounces/340 grams)
3 stalks (about 4 ounces/113 grams) celery, thinly diagonally sliced (1/2 cup)

2 cups (16 fluid ounces/473 ml) water

1/4 cup flour shaken with 1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

The Dumplings

(Makes 18)

2 dip-and-sweep cups (10 ounces/283 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon non-GMO baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) milk (1 tablespoon of which can be apple cider vinegar)

1 In 6-quart Instant Pot inner cooking pot, place the chicken (mine was an even 4 pounds); sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, marjoram and poultry seasoning. Top with onions, carrots and celery; pour in the water.

2 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 25 minutes.

Note: It took about 25 minutes to come up to pressure and begin the cooking time.

3 When the "It's done" beep sounds and the indicator says "Off," set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting. 

4 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. Transfer the chicken to a large plate or bowl and let cool for about 20 minutes. When it's cool enough to handle, use 2 forks to remove the skin and take the meat off the bones. Cut it into bite-size (about 1-inch) pieces.

5 Shake together flour and water until mixture is as smooth as possible; then pour it through a strainer into the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding the additional 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, if needed; press Saute and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to thicken. Stir in the chicken.

Note: You can stop right here if you want to and finish the dish tomorrow or the next day. See the Note at the end before proceeding.

6 While stew returns to a simmer, make dumplings. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Drizzle melted butter over flour mixture, stirring with large fork. Stir in milk. Let stand for 5 minutes before scooping onto stew.

7 Stir in the parsley (and a cup of frozen peas, if you like). Spray a #40 scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) or round measuring tablespoon with cooking spray. Drop level scoops or rounded tablespoons of dough onto simmering stew. Cover and simmer dumplings for 20 minutes, then test one to see if toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If not, cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Note:  Only half the dumplings will fit in the Instant Pot. If you want to cook all the dumplings, you will need to transfer the stew to a wider pot, such as a 5.5-quart Dutch oven. And, if you are not an experienced dumpling maker, you will likely find it easier to do that anyway because cooking the dumplings is a bit tricky in the Instant Pot. You have to go back and forth between Saute and Slow Cook to keep the stew at a simmer. I did it one time, just to see if and how it could be done, and it worked. But I'll do the dumplings on the stovetop next time.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Chunky Southern Sweet Potato Casserole

I know people go mad for the Southern Sweet Potato Casserole, but oh my goodness! Even when people say, "I've cut way back on the sugar," it has way more sugar than I ever put in desserts. "Bless their hearts!" 

Sometimes I make my Maple-Pecan Sweet Potato Puree, but when I'm in the mood for more texture, I make this, which I've decided to call Chunky Southern Sweet Potato Casserole. Either one is more "side dishy" than most out there and allows you to enjoy your dessert more fully.

Don't give in to the temptation to add more cinnamon. It isn't meant to be noticed. The 1/4 teaspoon is just enough to add to the illusion of sweetness. You know, in case any of your guests are used to a high-sugar sweet potato casserole.

Chunky Southern Sweet Potato Casserole

(Makes 12 servings)

The Sweet Potatoes 

3 pounds (48 ounces/1.36 kg) red-skinned orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, sliced 1/3-inch thick

5 tablespoons (2.5 ounces/71 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) real maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

The Topping 

1/4 packed cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar

1/3 dip-and-sweep cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons (2.5 ounces/71 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) chopped pecans

1/2 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) rolled oats OR dried Biscuit crumbs

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Lightly butter or spray with cooking spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Put the sliced raw sweet potatoes in it.

2 In 1-quart saucepan or in 1- or 2-cup glass measure, melt butter and whisk in maple syrup, salt and cinnamon. Pour over sweet potatoes and toss until they are well coated. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

3 In small mixing bowl, mix topping ingredients with a fork until it's clumping together into large crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered right away for about 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate until 45 minutes or so before serving time. 

4 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until heated through. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Chicken Fried Steak - Southern Comfort Food Classic

Chicken Fried Steak is a Southern comfort food classic, so you’d expect a glossy Southern magazine would give you the best recipe for it, right? Well, I was cleaning out old emails this morning and came across one I’d sent to myself a year ago that said:

“This recipe is so stupid it makes me mad!” And there was a link to said recipe in that glossy magazine that should know better, so I checked it out again; I was right to send myself that email! That’s why I’m reposting my Chicken Fried Steak recipe from 2012.

Though I don't subscribe to the old Southern saying, "If it ain't fried, it ain't food," I do occasionally indulge. But only if it's worth it. And a properly made chicken fried steak is definitely worth it. Also known simply as CFS among those who really love it, it's the ultimate comfort food in certain parts of the country.

I don't think it deserves its reputation as a greasy, high-fat food. At least not the way I make it. I use organic grass-fed beef, all organic ingredients, and shallow-fry it. 

The oil needs to be good and hot (or you will end up with greasy steaks!), but you can't really get a temperature reading on such a shallow depth of oil; just aim for something less than smoking hot. I add back just 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings for 2 cups of gravy. Sounds pretty healthy to me!

Of course, my Southern grandmother used Crisco, bacon grease or lard for all her frying. I do not use Crisco, but I have no objections to organic lard or bacon grease. Though I’m not altogether happy about even organic canola oil, I sometimes use it for frying. I even use extra virgin olive oil for some frying.

Are you a chicken fried steak and cream gravy fan?

Chicken Fried Steak

(Makes 4 servings)

The Steak

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) top round steak
1 1/4 cups (6.25 ounces/177 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt plus more
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus more
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 large egg
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) organic canola oil

The Gravy

3 tablespoons pan drippings

3 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (16 fluid ounces/473 ml) milk (or replace 2/3 cup with beef broth)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Cut the round steak into 4 pieces. With the textured side of a meat tenderizer (OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer), pound each piece (on a meat-only dishwasher-safe cutting board) until almost double in size and about 1/4 inch thick. 

2 In shallow dish combine the flour with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, coarsely ground black pepper and cayenne. In another shallow dish beat together the egg and milk.

3 Working with one piece at a time, season both sides with salt and pepper, dip into the egg mixture, dip into the flour mixture, dip into the egg mixture again, dip into the flour mixture again. Really press the flour in. This really goops up the hands, so just use one hand and keep one hand clean; you'll need it.

4 When all meat is coated, heat oil to a depth of not more than 1/16 to 1/8 inch. You just need enough oil to cover the pan generously. In my All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan, that's 1/2 cup. When the oil is hot, put in two pieces at a time; don't crowd the pan. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until well browned and crunchy. With tongs, turn steaks and cook second side for about 3 or 4 minutes. Turn carefully so as not to lose the crust; chicken fried steak is all about the crust.

5 Drain on a paper towel-lined plate (wad up the paper towels; don't just lay them flat on the plate). Repeat. Then proceed to the most important part of chicken fried steak--the cream gravy! Pour off the fat in the skillet, then measure back into the skillet 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings. Use the ingredient list above, but go to my Cream Gravy post for the directions (and a little story about a real pioneer woman, my great grandmother).

6 Plate up the steaks with a generous serving of Mashed Potatoes on the side. Pour the gravy over both. Biscuits and a bowl of collard greens on the side round out this classic Southern meal. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Banana Cream Pie - The Best Crust Ever for Cream Pies

Banana cream pie is one of my lifelong favorites, enjoyed often at my Southern grandmother’s house. She made it with a regular flaky pie crust, but lately I’ve taken to making it with a slightly sweet, vanilla scented shortcrust pastry I came up with to hint at the vanilla wafers in a traditional Banana Pudding.

This pastry is going to be my go-to crust for any cream pie from now on, including Coconut Cream Pie and Chocolate Cream Pie. It rolls out beautifully and has a wonderful flavor and texture. The custard is thick and lovely, quite a nice color, no need for the yellow food coloring some people add.

This Banana Cream Pie is what the word luscious was invented for!

If I were topping the pie with meringue, I would make the custard with egg yolks and use the whites for the meringue. But since I prefer whipped cream, I make the custard with whole eggs so the whites don’t go to waste. (I really hate food waste! And I’m getting better, but not perfect, at avoiding it.)

What is your favorite pie? I’m really more of a fruit pie fan, though I’ve been on a custard pie kick lately. But I promise, I'll post something besides pie next week! 

Banana Cream Pie 

(Makes one 9-inch/23cm pie, 8 servings) 

The Pastry - Pâte Sucrée (a sweet shortcrust pastry) 

1 1/4 dip-and-sweep cups (6.25 ounces/177 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 packed cup (1 ounce/28 grams) unsifted powdered sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
8 tablespoons (4 ounces/113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

The Custard

2 1/2 cups (20 fluid ounces/591 ml) milk
2/3 cup (4.67 ounces/132 grams) sugar 
1/3 dip-and-sweep cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter, cold

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon brandy or rum, optional

3 medium (about 1.5 pounds/680 grams) firm ripe bananas

The Whipped Cream

1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Garnish

Fresh banana slices, banana chips or toasted sliced almonds

1 Add flour, powdered sugar and salt to work bowl of food processor; turn on for about 3 or 4 seconds to combine. Add chunks of butter; pulse to a crumb texture, leaving some visible chunks of butter. Add egg and vanilla extract; pulse until the dough starts clumping together. This is to be a crisp, more cookie-like crust, rather than a flaky pastry; so there's not quite the concern about over-processing. Flatten slightly into a 4- to 6-inch round disc, wrap in square of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Save the piece of plastic, you'll be using it again.

2 Very lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie plate; I usually just run the butter wrapper over it. On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out disk to a 13-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place pastry in pie plate, being careful to not stretch the dough. Leave a 1-inch overhang of dough*. Crimp and flute the edge. (Sometimes you need to chill the pastry a bit before crimping.) Cover loosely with the reserved piece of plastic wrap and place in freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425F/220C/Gas7.

* Don't throw away the scraps; they make wonderful cookies (I made 6 little 2-inch wafers, using ever scrap). Just press them out and throw them on the baking sheet next to the pie plate for the final 10 minutes of baking.

3 Fit a square of aluminum foil in the shell and fill with ceramic pie weights (baking beans). Set on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch butter drips). Bake the thoroughly chilled crust for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and pie weights, pop on the pie crust shield and bake for another 10 minutes.

Note: I use two boxes of the ceramic pie weights, and they just fit nicely into a 200-gram tea tin. If you're not a loose leaf tea drinker, though, a quart canning jar works.

4 Remove fully pre-baked pie shell from the oven; let cool completely before filling, at least 30 minutes or hours ahead, whatever suits your schedule.

5 Make filling while pie shell is cooling. In heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucier or 2- to 3-quart saucepan, heat milk just to a simmer. 

6 In 2-quart glass measure or bowl, whisk together sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in eggs until thoroughly combined. Gradually add hot milk, whisking constantly.

7 Pour mixture back into saucier and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until thickened—just takes a couple minutes (well, several, but not as many as when starting with unheated milk), so don't get distracted—you don’t want scrambled eggs. (Food safety note: Any mixture with eggs should be cooked until it registers 160F/72C on instant-read thermometer.) Custard should be very thick, with the whisk leaving trails. 

8 Remove from heat. Whisk in cold butter and vanilla extract (and brandy or rum, if using) until butter is completely melted. Let cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally, before pouring into pie shell. Spread 1 cup of custard across bottom of pie shell. Cut bananas into slices about 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick. Arrange the banana slices. Pour on and smooth out the remaining filling, pressing down to make sure all the spaces are filled. 

9 Cover and refrigerate pie for at least 5 hours or up to 24 hours before piping on whipped cream. Garnish with fresh banana slices, banana chips or toasted sliced almonds. I used 2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce/14 grams) sliced almonds, toasted in small dry skillet.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Coconut Cream Pie - Buttermilk Crust

Coconut cream pie was my father’s favorite pie, though he called it coconut custard pie. I was missing him a lot the other day so decided to make the pie in his honor. Not sure this pie is strictly a regional thing, but I think of it as Southern because my Southern paternal grandmother made it often and she wasn’t one to ever stray too far from that genre.

It’s not something I order in a restaurant because, too often, it is cloyingly sweet. I use all organic ingredients, including organic unsweetened finely shredded coconut. If you happen to make this with sweetened coconut, be sure to cut back on the sugar. Made exactly according to my recipe, it comes out at 5 teaspoons of sugar per serving, so under my sugar limit.

You know my freezer is my best friend and I like to have a stock of meals and desserts in there for busy days. I wasn't too sure how well this kind of pie would freeze, but I cut two slices and put them in one of my favorite glass storage dishes and popped them in the freezer for a few days. Thawed at room temperature for a few hours, they were as good as new! 

I know there are all sorts of double- and triple-coconut pie recipes out there, made with coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut extract, coconut in the crust, heaps of coconut in the filling and on top. But I call that overkill. What’s more, they are not the coconut custard pie that my grandmother made and my father loved. Can you tell I love family food traditions!

Most of my best childhood memories are food-related. If you don’t have family food traditions, start your own. Your children will thank you someday! 

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Coconut Cream Pie

(Makes one 9-inch/23 cm pie, 8 servings)

The “Buttermilk” Pastry

1/3 cup (2.67 fluid ounces/) milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 1/3 dip-and-sweep cups (15 ounces/425 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon no-GMO baking powder

1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, cold

The Coconut Custard

3 cups (24 fluid ounces/710 ml) milk
2/3 cup (4.67 ounces/132 grams) sugar
1/3 dip-and-sweep cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs 
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter, cold
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1/8 teaspoon almond extract 
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

The Whipped Cream

1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Garnish

2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

1 In 1-cup glass measure, stir together milk and vinegar; let stand to thicken a bit while proceeding with the pastry. In large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. With coarse grater, grate about half of the stick of butter into flour bowl. Cut the remaining butter into 1/2-inch cubes. With fingers, quickly work the grated butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add the cubed butter and work it into the crumbs by flattening the floury cubes between thumb and forefinger. 

2 With a dinner fork, stir in the soured milk a little at a time, using only as much as necessary to form a shaggy dough. If you need additional liquid, just add cold water a teaspoon at a time. Turn dough out onto a square of plastic wrap and flatten slightly into a 5-inch round disk with smooth edges. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Save the piece of plastic, you'll be using it again.

3 Very lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie plate; I usually just run the butter wrapper over it. On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out disk to a 13-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place pastry in pie plate, being careful to not stretch the dough. Leave a 1-inch overhang of dough. Crimp and flute the edge. (Sometimes you need to chill the pastry a bit before crimping.) Cover loosely with the reserved piece of plastic wrap and place in freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425F/220C/Gas7.

4 Fit a square of aluminum foil in the shell and fill with ceramic pie weights (baking beans). Set on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch butter drips). Bake the thoroughly chilled crust for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and pie weights, pop on the pie crust shield and bake for another 10 minutes.

Note: I use two boxes of the ceramic pie weights, and they just fit nicely into a 200-gram tea tin!

5 Remove fully pre-baked pie shell from the oven; let cool completely before filling, at least 30 minutes or hours ahead, whatever suits your schedule.

6 Make filling while pie shell is cooling. In heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucier or saucepan, heat milk just to a simmer. 

7 In 2-quart glass measure or bowl, whisk together sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in eggs until thoroughly combined. Gradually add hot milk, whisking constantly.

8 Pour mixture back into saucier and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened -- just takes a couple minutes, so don't get distracted -- and another minute. (Food safety note: Any mixture with eggs should be cooked until it registers 160F/72C on instant-read thermometer.)

9 Remove from heat. Whisk in cold butter and vanilla and almond extracts until butter is completely melted. Stir in coconut. Let cool at room temperature for 20 minutes before pouring into cooled pie shell. Cover and refrigerate pie for at least 5 hours before piping on whipped cream. Toast the coconut in a small dry skillet, stirring frequently, until just the shade of golden you like; cool completely. Sprinkle over whipped cream.

Note: If you whip the cream right up to the point just before you've gone too far--you really have to slow down the mixer and pay attention--it pipes beautifully and will hold up for days. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. 

Jean

Pimento Cheese - Pimiento Cheese - A Southern Classic

Pimento Cheese (pimento is pronounced puh-MIN-uh, by the way wink wink) is an iconic Southern food that's been around for over a hundred years, but my Southern grandmother never mentioned it; I had to learn it on my own! There are many variations, but it's basically shredded sharp or medium Cheddar, mayonnaise and pimientos. 

Delicious on a hamburger, hot dog or bacon sandwich, it's more often just slapped on some soft white bread for a quick sandwich, cold or toasted. Apparently, you can also stuff celery with it, spread it on crackers or dip tortilla chips in it. But I only ever seem to serve it with crudités or in tea sandwiches.

It "must" be made with real mayonnaise. Many Southern cooks swear by Duke’s mayonnaise, but I have to make do with Hellmann’s/ Best Foods or my Homemade Mayonnaise. Duke's is still made in Greenville, South Carolina, and sold throughout the South. Sticklers for authenticity can always do mail order!

Purists may not add anything to the basic ingredients, but I can't resist a little dill pickle and dill pickle juice along with black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. You can add a few chopped green olives, red wine vinegar, Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce, so I might have to give that a try in the next batch. 

Some like it blended smooth, but I'm among those who prefer it a little chunky. Does your family have a pimento cheese tradition? Would you like to start one? I’d love to hear your thoughts on pimento cheese.

Pimento Cheese (Pimiento Cheese) 

(Makes 3 cups)

1 pound medium or sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 4-ounce jar pimientos, drained and diced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 In a 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients until well blended. Leave it a little chunky, as I do, or use an immersion blender to make it as smooth as you like. Transfer to serving bowl and cover. Chill for a few hours or up to one week.

2 Serve with a crudités platter, crackers, tortillas chips or bread. Spread on hamburgers, hot dogs or bacon sandwiches. Use it to make a cold or toasted cheese sandwich or, as I have here, tea sandwiches.

Jean

Lima Beans with Ham and Collard Greens - Butter Beans with Ham and Greens

Lima Beans with Ham and Collard Greens. Butter Beans with Ham and Greens. Maybe just Beans and Greens? It's a Southern thing, and my Southern half tends to come out in my cooking whenever I think of my paternal grandmother.

When I say lima beans, or butter beans, I always mean dried baby lima beans. I like them so much better than the big lima beans or the ones that are fresh or frozen rather than dried. My Southern grandmother always cooked dried beans. She would have thought canned or frozen beans a frivolous waste of money.

I had never cooked lima beans in the slow cooker, so this was a first. When I cook Pinto Beans in the slow cooker I never presoak, but for some reason decided to do the quick presoak on the lima beans, so that’s what you’ll see in the directions.

Ham is a classic addition to lima beans; and collard greens and Cornbread are the classic accompaniments. I decided to try cooking the collard greens right in with the beans instead of as a separate side dish because it would be so much easier and faster and wouldn’t dirty another pan!

I know Mr Delightful thinks I try to use every pan, dish and utensil in the house every time I cook; but I really do try to keep it down!

If you’re new to collard greens, this is how I like to cut them: Wash them, cut out the stems, stack the leaf halves, roll them up lengthwise like a big cigar and slice the roll into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons.

What kind of soup warms you up when Soup Weather rolls in?

Lima Beans with Ham and Collard Greens

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) dried baby lima beans

1/2 pound (8 ounces/227 grams) ham, diced

3 carrots (about 7 ounces/198 grams), chopped

3 stalks celery (about 7 ounces/198 grams), chopped

1 small onion (about 4 ounces/113 grams), chopped

1 teaspoon ground dried chiles

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 quarts (about 1.5 liters) water

1 bunch (about 7 ounces/198 grams) collard greens, destemmed, rolled and sliced 1/4-inch wide strips

1 Put beans in 3-quart saucepan with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, cover and let stand for 1 hour. This is the quick soak method to replace the 12-hour “overnight” soak.

2 Drain the beans and put them in the slow cooker along ham, onion, celery, carrot, seasonings and water. Give it a stir. Make a top layer of sliced collard greens that will not be stirred in until later.

3 Cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning.

My New Improved Spoon Rolls - The Easiest Yeast Rolls Ever

Spoon rolls are the easiest yeast rolls ever. When I'm feeling my Southern roots from my paternal grandmother, I like to make her delectable fried chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and cream gravy, green beans, biscuits, peach pie and iced tea. Now there's a Delightful Repast! Spoon rolls are a Southern thing, too, but I just have to have biscuits with my fried chicken. Other dinners, give me a yeast roll.

Traditional spoon rolls are the quickest and easiest yeast bread going. The problem I always had with them was that, though tasty, they were more like a muffin in texture. So several years ago I started experimenting and came up with a much more flavorful version that has the proper yeast dough texture. Still just as quick and easy, but since they have to hang out in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, you have to plan ahead.

So next time you want dinner rolls but don't have the time or inclination to make Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, try my 24-Hour Spoon Rolls, so called because the no-knead dough needs at least 24 hours in the refrigerator. You can even leave it in the refrigerator for several days, so this is a wonderful make-ahead thing for busy cooks.

You can have freshly baked dinner rolls every day! You don't have to bake 18 rolls if you don't need that many. Bake 9 one day and 9 another day, or 12 today and 6 the day after tomorrow, whatever you need!

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24-Hour Spoon Rolls

(Makes 18 rolls)

3 3/4 packed cups (18.75 ounces/532 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package/0.25 ounce/7 grams) instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons (0.25 ounce/7 grams) salt
1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter
2 cups (16 fluid ounces/472 grams) water
1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In small saucepan, melt butter; stir in water. With dough whisk or large wooden spoon, stir water, melted butter and beaten egg into flour mixture until blended. The dough will be very sticky. Cover with lid or plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours or up to several days.

2 An hour to an hour and half before serving time (the longer time if your kitchen is cold), remove from refrigerator and stir down the dough (just a few strokes). With a 1/4-cup measure, scoop dough into well-greased or cooking-sprayed muffin tins, filling two-thirds full (scant 1/4 cup). Let rise, uncovered, about 30 minutes (60 minutes if kitchen is cold) or until they’ve risen to the top of the cups. During last 15 minutes, preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6.

Note: I have a couple of very old 6-cup standard muffin tins as well as a 12-cup muffin tin that comes with a lid.

3 Bake for 20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before removing from tins. Makes 18.

Hummingbird Cake - Banana-Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hummingbird Cake is a real blast-from-the-past cake. Popular in the South in the 1970s, it came to national attention years later when Oprah Winfrey's personal chef brought it to her television audience. Like Carrot Cake, also popular in the 1970s, Hummingbird Cake has cream cheese frosting.

Most Hummingbird Cakes are far too sweet for my taste and have waaaaay too much frosting. I've cut back on both, so one slice (1/16th of the cake) is well within my daily sugar allowance. (See Sugar - Toxin or Treat? for more about that.)

I was too lazy to get out my piping bag and tips, so this cake is just stone plain. But that just goes along with the whole simplifying-my-life thing that I'm enjoying so much. And taking that even further, I froze half the cake, 2 slices in each of 4 glass freezer containers, for future treats. 

Tell me, do you like to freeze cake and other desserts instead of having great quantities of the stuff sitting around screaming "Eat Me" every time you walk by?!

Update 05/10/18: For a less sugar and less work hummingbird treat, try my Hummingbird Muffins!

Hummingbird Cake

(Makes one 8-inch 2-layer cake, 16 servings)

The Cake

2 dip-and-sweep cups (10 ounces/283 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups (9.33 ounces/265 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces/177 ml) organic canola oil
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 8-ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple, not drained
1 cup finely chopped ripe bananas (2 6.5-ounce bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

The Frosting

6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 2 tablespoons milk

1 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Grease well and lightly flour two 8-inch/20 cm layer pans. 

2 In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, soda, cinnamon and salt. Add oil, milk and eggs, stirring with a spoon just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in pineapple (including juice), bananas, vanilla extract and pecans.

3 Pour into prepared pans. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4 Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks until completely cool, another 1 1/2 hours.

5 Make Cream Cheese Frosting. In bowl of stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and milk; beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You will likely have to add the liquid ingredients before adding all the powdered sugar.

6 Freeze however many slices you don't need right away. Each of these Pyrex Simply Store 3 Cup Rectangle glass dishes with lids holds 2 slices of cake.

Disclosure: Some posts contain links to my affiliate account at Amazon. If you purchase something from Amazon through one of my links, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use toward the expenses of running this blog. Thanks for supporting Delightful Repast when you shop at Amazon!

Jean