Nanny's Best

When I was 15 years old, my Nanny passed away to cancer. She was THE cook of the family. Her culinary library seemed endless, and everything she cooked tasted amazing.

I just so happen to have possession of her old, metal recipe box, filled almost to bursting with both handwritten and typed recipes. Some are her own, some are clipped from magazines and newspapers, and some were given to her by friends and relatives. I've begun the daunting task of sorting, deciphering, and typing up these recipes. It's looking to be a more difficult undertaking than I expected, since so many of the recipes aren't actually recipes, but just ingredient lists. So I'm having to use my own knowledge and experience to figure out what the direction lists should be for certain recipes. And I admit, I'm having trouble with several of them, since a lot of these recipes are old Southern "throw together whatever you have in the kitchen and stick it in the oven" recipes. I have the sinking feeling that many of her recipes will never be completely figured out. The good news is, many of our family's favorite recipes are in the bunch, recipes that we all thought had never been written down.

So let's get back to the point of all this... Since I have family scattered in different parts of the country, it will make it so much easier for everyone to access the recipes by me posting them here. I, quite honestly, haven't tried any of these yet, so I can't do much more than post them as they are on the cards. When I get around to making them myself, though, I'll just have to take photos and post them here, along with any tips!

Potato Zucchini Pancakes

OK, so, Father's Day has come and gone. My honey LOVES potatoes, and asked for steak, potatoes and asparagus for his Father's Day dinner (or, rather, Day After Father's Day dinner). I wanted something a little different than the standard baked potato, so I went searching for potato recipes. I found this recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, and it appealed to me immediately. However, I wasn't thrilled with the whole "make one big pancake, fry it on one side, then stick it in the oven" thing; it has too much of a casserole feel to me. So I changed up the cooking method a bit, and changed the ingredients just a smidge. And here's what I came up with...

Ingredients:
3 good-sized russet potatoes, grated (peeled or unpeeled - your preference)
2 medium or 3 small zucchini, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
fresh or dried rosemary, to taste (if you don't like rosemary, substitute with dill)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 tablespoons flour (give or take, depending on texture)
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
white pepper, to taste
dash of ground cayenne pepper
oil for frying
sour cream, for garnish
green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish
fresh dill or rosemary, for garnish

Directions:
Grate the potatoes and zucchini, then wring out in a large towel or cloth to remove excess moisture. Place in a large bowl, along with the rest of the ingredients, minus the oil and sour cream, of course. Add the flour a little at a time until the potatoes are a little moist, but stick together a little. Stir to combine using your hands - there really is no other way to get everything mixed. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the skillet. Using a large spoon, drop about 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture into the skillet, spreading gently to flatten.

Cook until the bottom becomes crispy and the pancake looks as though it will not fall apart, then flip, cooking until golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel.

Once the entire mixture has been used, if the inside of the pancakes still feels a little mushy, place them into a 350 degree oven to finish cooking through. Let cool. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and thinly sliced green onion for garnish, and rosemary or dill.

These pancakes pair amazingly with a nice medium rare steak and oven roasted asparagus. I'm quite happy I chose this to be my last carb-heavy dish before starting on a low-carb diet tomorrow.

Edit: Several of my friends have commented that they hate zucchini. Being someone who will eat almost anything, I was surprised that so many people could hate a vegetable as delicious as zucchini. So, anyway, for those of you who do not like zucchini, I give you other options: just plain potato, sweet potato, carrot, yellow squash, maybe even grated broccoli stalks! Don't ever think you have to follow any recipe verbatim! Cooking is all about expressing yourself. Use which ingredients you like. If you don't like something that's listed on a recipe, change it! What is written here is definitely not law.

Pina Colada Cake

This recipe was inspired by the Bacardi Select rum cake recipe, and the fact that I had several flavored rums in my kitchen, but no dark rums. Unfortunately, I was running on very little sleep and a very busy two weeks when I made the cake, and it completely slipped my mind to take pictures while cooking. Oh well. I'll just have to make it again sometime so that I can add pictures!

It did turn out pretty tasty. My very large family, the members of which usually are pretty picky and don't like trying anything new, all seemed to enjoy it, and my grandmother even said that it was even better than the standard rum cake I usually make (which she always LOVED).

I'll admit, the pineapple flavor is a lot stronger than the coconut flavor, so if you don't like coconut, it would still be worth a try. I'm thinking, the next time I make this cake, instead of using milk in the batter, I should substitute it with coconut milk. And, silly me, I have a can of coconut milk sitting in my pantry right this moment... So, anyway... On to the cake!


Cake Ingredients:
    * 1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix
    * 1 1-3/4 ounce (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix (If you can find coconut flavored pudding mix, BY ALL MEANS, use it. Unfortunately, I checked 4 stores and still couldn't find it.)
    * 4 eggs
    * 1/2 cup cold milk (Or coconut milk, for a more noticeable coconut flavor.)
    * 1/2 cup oil
    * 1/2 cup of your favorite coconut rum
    * 1 tbs coconut extract
Glaze Ingredients:
    * 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
    * 1/4 cup pineapple juice
    * 1 cup brown sugar
    * 1/2 cup of your favorite pineapple rum
Optional Garnish:
    * Shredded coconut

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan.

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in pineapple juice and brown sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If you prefer a thicker glaze (I do!), cook longer, until glaze reaches desired consistency. Remove from heat and stir in rum. (This is where I usually add in my extra cooking time for the glaze, since the rum tends to thin out the mixture too much.) Allow the glaze to cool for 20 minutes or so, until it thickens a bit, making it more likely to cling to and soak into the cake.

Invert cake on a serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake. While glaze is still wet, sprinkle the cake with the shredded coconut, if desired.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

There are few Southerners who have not tasted the wonders of that which is gumbo, which comes in both Cajun and Creole varieties. The Creole version is usually made with shellfish: most commonly, shrimp, crab, and crawfish, but sometimes also including mussels or oysters. The Cajun varieties vary, usually using either shellfish or "meat", but rarely ever both. That's what you'll find in Louisiana, of course. Being a Mississippi girl, we don't adhere as closely to the "rules" of gumbo as the NOLA natives, and one will often find gumbo with a combination of both land and water proteins simmering in their pot.

Now, most often, I make just a simple chicken and sausage gumbo; it's easy to find every ingredient needed at the most deficient of grocery stores. Occasionally, though, I may throw in some fresh Gulf shrimp or crab claws. I know, most Cajuns would lynch me for the blasphemy, but, well, we "Stump Jumpers" don't care much for Cajun culinary law.

So...! Gumbo!


INGREDIENTS (This is based off my most recent gumbo venture. No two batches of gumbo ever turn out the same. Honestly, I measure nothing, and this is the first time I wrote anything down.)
1 medium bell pepper
2 stalks celery
1 large yellow onion
7 green onions
7 cloves garlic
1 large jalapeno
10 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
1 32-oz package of Cajun sausage (I always use Conecuh)
4tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup flour, give or take a little
Enough water to cover chicken and veggies
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
White pepper, to taste
Ground red pepper, to taste
Cajun seasoning, to taste (Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's, and Slap Ya Mama are the most advised brands)

(Making the chicken stock! Next to the roux, the most important part of gumbo.)

STOCK:
In a large stock pot, place chicken thighs and veggies, along with about 1tsp each of the seasonings (you can add more later). Add enough water to just cover the chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium for about 15 minutes, then to low/medium-low for about another 15. Turn off stove, remove chicken thighs from pot and allow to cool. DO NOT POUR OUT THE STOCK!

(Starting to look like something worth eating, huh?)

Once the thighs have cooled, remove the skin and meat; discard the meat and bones, and tear or cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return meat to the pot (this should not be over a heated stove eye right now), and also add the sausage.

ROUX:

(Early roux stage)

In a heavy skillet (cast iron is best), add your olive oil and heat to medium high. Using a whisk, slowly add and combine the flour to the oil. Add enough flour to soak up the oil, but not so much that the flour sticks to itself in a ball. If you add too much flour, don't be afraid to add more oil to thin it out. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low (temperature will depend on your stove). Stir continuously, allowing flour to darken gradually and not burn. For a true gumbo roux, you want a "brick" color, a deep brown-red. Depending on your stove and your skillet, this may take 30-40 minutes. It doesn't take long to go from the perfect roux to the burnt roux. If you DO overcook your roux, don't fret! Just empty your skillet, give it a good scrub, and then start over. The roux really makes the gumbo, so you DON'T want to mess this up!

(PERFECT gumbo roux!)

Once your roux reaches the deep, rich brick color, remove from heat. Return the stock pot to the stove at medium heat. Once it has come to temperature, add the roux and mix thoroughly. Give the gumbo a taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for... A while. I didn't really keep track of time, and it really depends on your stove and what type of sausage you use. You want to make sure that you don't cook your gumbo so long that the sausage turns to mush. Serve over steamed rice, or just a little scoop on top.

Maple Bacon Flavors

I really don't get the craze. Now, I love bacon just as much as the next fat girl. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of maple bacon, but I won't turn it down if that's what I'm being offered. But why are people adding bacon to everything? Chocolate-covered bacon? It just sounds repulsive to me. Bacon candy? Gross. VOODOO DONUT BACON MAPLE ALE!? You must have lost your damn mind. It just sounds like a waste to me: a waste of perfectly good bacon, and a waste of perfectly good beer. If anyone gets why this is so popular these days, please inform me.





...That's all.

The Hungry Owl

Oh, Hungry Owl... How I love thee! They offer tasty vittles, from seafood and fish to burgers and sandwiches. If you watch Man vs Food, or its new incarnation - Man vs Food Nation - you might have seen the segment on The Hungry Owl. My honey had the pleasure of trying out their offerings before the show aired, so after hearing his reports, and then seeing all the succulent dishes on my TV screen, I simply HAD to give the restaurant a try!

Pictured above is the cheesy crawfish & potato bake. I know, it looks like a big pile of everything. The picture I took really doesn't do it justice. It starts out with some Cajun boiled potatoes (much like one would find at a Cajun shrimp or crawfish boil). They then melt a couple of types of cheese over the top (I forget which varieties - cheddar and monterey jack, I believe?). Next comes a crawfish cream sauce: from what I can gather, it contains green bell pepper, celery, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and butter. I'm sure I've missed a few ingredients, but you can imagine what it tastes like, no? Pure. Heaven. Oh, and I can't forget the crumbled Conecuh bacon they put on it! Conecuh bacon, made by the Conecuh Sausage Company in Conecuh County, Alabama. Phenomenal smoked meats, I must say: bacon, and various types of Cajun sausage. Yum.

This here is what they call the Ultimate Stuffed Tony Burger. The hamburger patty is mixed with Conecuh sausage; sauteed bell pepper, onion and celery; three cheeses (they won't say which three!), and jalapenos. Typical burger veggies adorn this beauty, along with a spicy Creole BBQ sauce, candied jalapenos, Conecuh bacon, sharp cheddar and smoked gouda cheeses, and an egg fried to your specifications. Best. Burger. Ever. I've played around with it and tried making my own version at home, but I don't think I'll ever get to to come out just like the Owl's version, but it's a fair imitation when you don't want to dine out (or when you have a small child, like we now do). This day, I requested a side of their baked macaroni. Not quite as good as the gooey treat I make at home, but still pretty darn tasty, and, hey, we really don't go there for the sides.

This isn't currently listed on their online menu, and it's been quite a while since we've visited the Owl, so I don't know if they've taken it off their menu or that the online menu isn't the full version. I suspect the latter is the case, since they also don't list their sides (which, don't get me wrong, ARE good). So anyway, this is their seafood platter. Grilled head-on shrimp and crab claws, boiled corn and red potatoes, grilled Conecuh sausage (sensing a theme here?), grilled cornbread (that was a new one to me), and melted butter for dipping. A fairly simple meal, but very tasty. Yum, yum.

If you're ever in the Mobile area, you really should try out The Hungry Owl. There's usually a line out the door most nights, but it's WELL worth the wait.

Boiled Peanuts

Simple. Heavenly. I simply LOVE boiled peanuts. I'm not a big fan of roasted. But, mmmm, boiled... Salted, Cajun, whatever. LOVE.

So, how do you make them? Well, first, you need to get some raw "green" peanuts. You want to make sure that they aren't too large. If they're so large that you can hear the peanuts rolling around inside the shell, then you probably want to pass. I've noticed that, once the peanuts get to a certain age, the shell gets too thick for flavor to penetrate. Then you end up with overcooked peanuts that really have no flavor. No good, right?

Once you've selected your peanuts, just drop them in a crock pot. You shouldn't fill the crock more than 2/3 the way full, but lower than that might be safer. You then want to pour water over the peanuts, making sure that you reach roughly the same level of the crock as you did with the peanuts (the peanuts will float, so it will be hard to tell - it doesn't have to be perfect). For basic, salted peanuts, of course, all you'll want for seasoning is salt. The amount will vary depending on your tastes. 1/2 cup seems to be the "average" amount: it gives plenty of flavor without being overwhelmingly salty.

Turn the crock pot on low. Best to do this in the morning. Let it cook for about 3 hours, then start checking about every hour, until peanuts achieve desired doneness. The amount of time will depend on your preferences, the amounts you've put into the crock, and your particular crock pot.

Meat

That's right: MEAT. It seems most people I know try to get by with buying bargain cuts and quality of meat for their cooking; especially steaks, which usually sell at premium rates even for lower quality slabs. I know, I know. The economy is in the crapper. People want to skimp on quality and price where they can. And I'm not saying you should always buy top-dollar proteins for all your meals. But, dammit, when you treat yourself to a steak, it should actually be a treat. If you have to marinate it in order to be able to eat it, then it isn't worth spending your money on.

Regardless of which cut you prefer (ribeye is my favorite), the meat should be tender and flavorful without having to soak your steak before it hits the grill. Just a bit of salt and pepper, and maybe even some olive oil, should be plenty to bring out the wonderful flavor of the meat. AND NO STEAK SAUCE!!!! Steak sauce is a mask for bad flavor and tough, gristly shoe leather. Don't use it on a good steak! Oh, and don't overcook your bovine beauty. If you're going to cook it beyond medium, then don't bother with a good, expensive quality or cut: it will end up just as rubbery and tasteless as a McDonald's "hamburger" patty.

Bacardi Rum Cake

I was given this recipe for rum cake by my old college roommate, which he had gotten off a bottle of Bacardi. We had decided on a pirate-themed party for my 21st birthday, complete with rum cake, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom Pirates of the Caribbean standups, and drunken Karaoke Revolution. I fell in-love with the cake while I was still aware of my taste buds, and simply HAD to get the recipe. I've made this cake many times, and it has always been a crowd pleaser. The recipe works best when you use a darker rum, but you really can use any type. Next week, I plan on making a pina colada rum cake, using pineapple rum (and pineapple flavored pudding mix, if I can find it) in the cake, and coconut rum in the glaze. I'll definitely be posting pictures and a review after it's been tested.


Ingredients:

    * ---Cake---
    * 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
    * 1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix
    * 1 1-3/4 ounce (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix
    * 4 eggs
    * 1/2 cup cold milk*
    * 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    * 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum
    * ---Glaze---
    * 1/2 cup butter
    * 1/4 cup water
    * 1 cup sugar
    * 1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Preparation:
Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Invert on serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake.

Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Note: The rum will cause steam. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Orange Chicken Stir Fry

Yes, I admit. My presentation leaves much to be desired. I've never been one for making my food look "pretty". I don't care about looking at it: just eating it. Hah.

I got my idea for this from AllRecipes.com. I'd used this recipe for orange chicken before (the fried kind - but I tweaked the sauce recipe some by using more of the main flavor ingredients because I like a more concentrated flavor). The sauce was pretty tasty and I had a lot left over, which I froze. I decided to thaw it and use it as a stir fry sauce, because I really can't stand to eat just meat with no veggies.


Orange Sauce:

1 1/2 cups water
4 tbs orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup rice vinegar
5 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs orange zest
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
4 tbs chopped green onion
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbs corn starch
2 tbs water

Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into

a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar,

ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Mix 2 tbs of

water and cornstarch. Mix into sauce and return to boil. Simmer until sauce

thickens.

Stir Fry Ingredients:

8-12 oz chicken
2/3 stalk of celery, sliced thinly on the bias
2 carrots, sliced thinly on the bias
1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup sugar snap peas
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
3 green onions, sliced on the bias
Oil for cooking (peanut or olive are best)

Heat skillet on medium high with 2 tbs oil. Toss in bell pepper, celery and

carrots. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add chicken, garlic and ginger, then stir

for another 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, stir for 2 minutes. Toss in onion and sugar

snap peas, stir until chicken is cooked. Add green onion, toss. Pour orange sauce

over stir fry mixture. Serve over steamed rice.

Asian Chicken Soup

So, I don't usually like broth-y soups. I LOVE creamy soups, but the only broth-based soups I've ever really been a fan of are gumbo and wonton. However, we're dieting around my house, and I had some boxed chicken broth in the fridge, along with loads of veggies that needed cooking, and then a lone chicken breast in the freezer. This is what I ended up with!


***Amounts will depend on your particular taste and the size of the batch you want to make

Chicken broth (low sodium! - homemade will always taste best, but work with what you have)
Water
Green bell pepper
Celery
Carrot
Onion
Green onion
Mushroom
Garlic
Boneless, skinless chicken
Whole wheat egg noodles
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Black pepper
White pepper
Cayenne pepper

*For quicker cooking, chop everything fairly small.
*You could use basically any veggie you want: great additions would be sweet peas, broccoli, snow peas, sugar snap beans, etc...
*For a stronger "Asian" flavor, ginger would be a great addition, if you have any. I have some in my kitchen, but completely forgot till I'd almost demolished my bowl.
*If you don't want (or have on hand) egg noodles, there are other good "Asian" noodles to use: rice vermicelli (that really thin, white-colored noodle), soba, or udon (not a fan, personally).


Chop the green bell pepper, celery, carrot, onion, and garlic into small pieces. Place in pot with low sodium chicken broth, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, and peppers. Bring to a boil. Add egg noodles; stir, and bring back to boil. Reduce heat to medium. When noodles are almost cooked, add in thinly sliced chicken, thinly sliced mushrooms, and thinly sliced green onion. Bring to boil. Serve. Garnish with fried garlic, green onion, parsley, etc.: whatever strikes your fancy.