America is a melting pot that was formed by the hard-working people who migrated here from lands as far east as China and Japan and as far north as Russia and Europe. They utilized American supplies and prepared them in ways that they had prepared them in their homeland.
True American food is a collection of these culinary traditions passed down from generation to generation”.Each culture brought their cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America.
Black-Eyed Peas
Cultivated since prehistoric times in China and India, black-eyed peas are related to the mung bean. The ancient Greeks and Romans preferred them to chickpeas. Black-eyed peas are believed to have been first domesticated near Africa’s Lake Chad in what is now northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon. They were brought to the West Indies by enslaved West Africans, as early as 1674.
Most black-eyed pea cultivation occurred in the Southern United States. The crop would eventually prove popular in Texas. Throughout the South, the black-eyed pea is still a widely used ingredient in soul food and southern cuisine. The planting of black-eyed peas was promoted by George Washington Carver because it provided exceptional nutrition. As a legume, it adds nitrogen to the soil and contains calcium (41 mg), folate (356 μg), protein (13.22 g), fiber (11.1 g) and vitamin A (26 IU), along with other nutrients per serving.
Black-eyed peas are in season in the South during July and August but they are popular dried for use in Hopping John, a New Year’s dish believed to bring luck for the year to come. Though black-eyed peas (also known as cowpeas) have no folkloric connection in West Africa to money (some people believe the peas symbolize coins), they have long been associated with good luck for several reasons. One belief was that the “black eyes” of the pea would protect one from the dreaded “evil eye”—a negative spell cast by one’s enemies. Others ate black-eyed peas on auspicious occasions. For example, on Good Friday, a cowpea-and-coconut-custard combination called frejon is a traditional meal in parts of West Africa. Additionally, a dish called ewa-Ibeji (which translates as “Beans for Twins”) was originally cooked with oil and only for ailing twin children, but now it is ceremonially prepared for healthy twins. In some traditional West African religions, black-eyed peas were prepared to worship a deity — if it was believed to be their favorite food — on ceremonial days.
My CSA share of black-eyed peas was generous this year and I decided to cook them in an untraditional way. They did make for delicious BBQ beans. Here is my recipe.
BBQ Black-Eyed Peas
Ingredients
2 slices bacon, diced
1 large sweet onion diced
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 ½ cups ketchup
1 cup of water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry yellow mustard powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups fresh black-eyed peas, washed
Directions
Place the peas in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 60-90 minutes. Drain the peas in a colander.
In the same pot, brown the bacon, onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Add all the remaining ingredients except the black-eyed peas and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the peas. Partially cover the pan and cook until the peas are very soft and the liquid thickens about 2-3 hours.
Pork Fried Rice
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 cups diced raw or cooked vegetables (see suggestions, below)
2 cups diced cooked pork (I used leftover spare ribs)
3 cups cold leftover cooked rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 green onions, sliced
Fried rice veggie ideas: celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, peas, snow peas, cabbage.
Directions
In a wok or a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add egg and cook, stirring, until the egg is scrambled. Remove the scrambled egg to a plate.
Pour the remaining oil into the wok. When it is very hot, add chopped onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes or just until onion is softened. Add raw vegetables first, followed by any cooked vegetables (the first ones into the pan should be the veggies that take the longest to cook, like raw carrots). Already-cooked veggies should be added last. Now add cooked meat, stirring to mix well and heat through.
Add rice, stirring constantly to break up the lumps of rice, mix it with the other ingredients and heat thoroughly. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil and cook, stirring and tossing, for 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the scrambled egg and green onions and stir-fry for one more minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Fish Baked In Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cod fillets, each 6 ounces
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce and garlic.
Lightly spray a small baking pan with cooking spray. Place the fillets in the pan. Pour the teriyaki marinade over both sides of the fillets. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to marinate the fish.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.. Sprinkle the fish with the sesame seeds.
Bake until the fish is opaque throughout when tested with a tip of a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with the fried rice.
Asparagus in Ginger Garlic Sauce
Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Stirfry
1 bunch medium-size asparagus spears, trimmed
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Directions
Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
Cut the asparagus into two-inch pieces, on the diagonal.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot, 3–5 minutes, and add oil and asparagus; season lightly with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally until asparagus is just beginning to brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add sauce and cook, tossing constantly, until asparagus is still crispy yet cooked through and coated in the sauce, about 30 seconds longer.
This recipe was inspired by a recipe posted on Lana Russo’s site, Friends Who Like Once Upon A Spice. The recipe is from the magazine: LA CUCINA ITALIANA
I adapted the recipe to my taste by broiling the eggplant shell instead of frying it and making the dish hearty enough to serve as an entree with the addition of some Italian sausage in the stuffing. This dish was delicious.
2 servings
Ingredients
3 plum tomatoes total about 6 oz, diced
¼ cup plain panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon capers
1 medium eggplant about 14-15 oz
½ cup (about 6 oz) diced sweet cherry peppers
1 garlic clove, grated
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ teaspoon salt
6 oz cooked Italian sausage, diced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Basil leaves for garnish
Directions
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp using a grapefruit teaspoon leaving a ¼ inch shell. Set the pulp aside.
Spray the eggplant shells with olive oil and place on a foiled lined pan. Broil the shells under high heat for 5-8 minutes until brown.
Chop the eggplant pulp and brown in a saucepan with 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the cherry peppers, garlic, capers, oregano, diced tomatoes, salt, and tomato paste. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sausage and heat until warm.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese.
Divide the mixture between the two eggplant shells. Transfer the stuffed eggplants to a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake the stuffed eggplant at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until hot. Remove to serving plates and garnish with basil leaves.
All varieties of peppers are in season right now in my area and they are abundant. They must like the weather. Here is a good recipe that uses peppers. I served the dish with Jasmine rice.
This is an easy Asian dish to prepare. Once you assemble and prep the ingredients in advance, dinner comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
1 pound flank steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, or beef tenderloin, cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
1/4 cup soy sauce (divided)
5 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (divided)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken or beef broth
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups green bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch squares
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch squares
2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
4 tablespoons vegetable, peanut, or canola oil
Kosher salt to taste
Garnish with chopped scallions if desired
Jasmine rice
Directions
Combine beef, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine in a bowl and toss to coat. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature and up to 3 hours in the refrigerator.
Combine remaining soy sauce with cornstarch and stir with a fork to form a slurry. Add remaining Shaoxing wine, broth, sesame oil, sugar, and pepper. Set aside.
Combine peppers and onions in a bowl and set aside.
Combine garlic and ginger in a small bowl and set aside.
When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large deep skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the beef and cook until well seared but still pink in spots, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add 2 more tablespoons oil to the skillet, heat and add the peppers and onions. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir into the peppers and onions. Return the beef to the skillet and pour the prepared sauce over the mixture. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is glossy and thickened about 2-3 minutes more. Garnish with scallions if desired. Serve with rice.
Freezing Corn
Whole Cobs.
Blanching is not necessary to successfully freeze corn.
This is the easiest and quickest method if you have room in your freezer.
Shuck the corn and place the cobs in large freezer bags and freeze
The best way to cook frozen whole cobs:
Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Drop frozen ears of corn into boiling water.
Cook for 5 minutes or until done to your liking.
Corn Kernels
Shuck the corn and cut the kernels off the cob into a large bowl.
Spoon kernels into freezer bags or containers, remove as much air as possible, seal and freeze.
The best way to cook frozen corn kernels:
Sauté in butter with the additions of chopped onions or peppers.
Add to soups and stews.
Freezing Cooked Corn
Creamed Corn
Place the creamed corn from this recipe in a freezer container and save for a side dish at your Thanksgiving Day dinner. This recipe is also good for stuffing vegetables, such as tomatoes or bell peppers.
Ingredients
4 ears corn, husked
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or Wondra flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup of corn broth
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Cut the kernels from the cobs with a small paring knife. Using the back of the blade, scrape against the cob to press out the milky liquid.
Place the corn husks in a large pan and cover with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half about 45 minutes. Discard the cobs and save the broth.
Whisk together honey, flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the corn kernels. Add the heavy cream and water. Mix.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the corn mixture and turn the heat down to medium-low, stirring until it becomes creamy about 15-20 minutes.
I served this entree with Charleston Gold Rice and Sliced Tomatoes.
Sole Fillets
Ingredients
1 lb sole fillets, divided in half
2 tablespoons butter, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Crab Filling
8 oz crabmeat
1⁄4 cup onion chopped
1/4 cup celery chopped
¼ cup mild green pepper chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (Old Bay)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup plain panko crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Cheese Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt
Directions
Butter a one-quart baking dish. Place half of the sole fillets in the bottom of the baking dish.
Combine the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl and then spread the crabmeat mixture over the fillets.
Cover the crabmeat with the remaining sole fillets. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish. Place the butter slices over the top of the fish.
Bake uncovered 30 minutes at 400ºF.
While the fish is baking, melt the butter for the cheese sauce in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer until bubbly and smooth.
Add the milk, stirring until the sauce thickens. Do not boil. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Remove from direct heat and keep warm.
When the fish is cooked, pour the cheese sauce into a serving bowl and serve the cheese sauce on the side or spoon over the fish as it is served.
This is a great time of year to make this sauce since all the vegetables included in the recipe are in season.
Ingredients
Eggplant
1 ½-2 lbs small eggplant
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Peppers and Onions
1 ½ lbs Italian frying peppers
1 large sweet onion
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomatoes
2 ½ lbs large vine ripe tomatoes
1 ½ lbs ripe cherry tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
For the roasted eggplant
Peel the eggplant and then into ½-inch cubes. Pour the olive oil into a 13×9-inch baking pan. Smash the garlic cloves and place them in the pan. Add the eggplant and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir the ingredients until the eggplant is coated in oil. Bake 30 minutes stirring the eggplant several through the roasting time to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Scrape the eggplant into a Dutch Oven with a spatula and set the pot aside, Do not clean out the baking dish.
For the peppers and onions
Remove the seeds from the cut peppers and cut them into ½-inch dice. Peel the onion and cut into ½-inch dice.
In the same baking dish used for the eggplant, pour in the oil, add the smashed garlic, peppers, and onions. Add salt and pepper and stir the ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes stirring the ingredients several through the roasting time. Pour the peppers and onions into the Dutch Oven with the eggplant and reserve the baking dish.
For the tomatoes
Cut the large tomatoes in half. Pour the olive oil into the baking dish. Add the smashed garlic, large tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. Generously salt and pepper the tomatoes. Bake for 30 minutes stirring the ingredients several through the roasting time.
Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and add the ingredients to the Dutch Oven.
To make the sauce
Add 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning and a sprig of fresh basil to the pot. Bring the sauce to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot and cook until the sauce is reduced by half.
To use the sauce with pasta
Add 12 ounces of short pasta, such as Casarecce, Campanelle or Farfalle cooked al dente and 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan with the sauce and bring to a simmer, tossing until the butter melts and the pasta finishes cooking about 1 minute. Serve pasta with Parmesan cheese and hot pepper flakes
You can also serve the sauce over cooked spaghetti or as a sauce for lasagna.
To use the sauce for pizza
Cover the dough with sliced Fontina cheese and add about 2 cups of the Roasted Garden Vegetable sauce. Bake in a 450-degree F oven for 20 minutes.
Chicken Tenders
4 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the grill pan
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound chicken tenders, about 8
2 Pita bread, halved and warmed
Directions
Mix the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, oregano, coriander, paprika, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until fully blended. Add the chicken and mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Preheat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush oil over the pan. Place the tenders on the pan.
Grill the chicken until it is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 165 degrees F), about 4 minutes per side. Serve in pita bread halves with the cucumber sauce.
Cucumber Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 peeled and seeded cucumber, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
1 clove garlic, grated
¼ cup feta cheese
Kosher salt
Directions
Combine the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill, garlic, feta cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Chill, covered, for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.
Spoon into a pita half and add 2 grilled chicken tenders.
This easy to make dessert is great to have available for when you are looking for a sweet treat. They keep for a long time in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
Makes 12-16 bars
Crust
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving enough for a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
Make the crust by creaming together the butter and sugar until fluffy in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly.
Press the crust into the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown around the edges.
Prepare the filling by combining the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream in a large glass measuring cup and microwaving on high for 1 minute. Stir in pecans.
Or place the ingredients in a saucepan, stir over medium heat for 1 minute, and then add in the chopped pecans.
Remove the crust from the oven and immediately pour the pecan filling over the hot crust spreading it to cover the entire surface.
Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 30 minutes. Remove the pan and allow the bars to fully cool in the pan.
Use the foil overhang to lift out the bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Peel off the foil, slice into bars for serve. I store the bars in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator because I live in a hot climate.
America is a melting pot that was formed by the hard-working people who migrated here from lands as far east as China and Japan and as far north as Russia and Europe. They utilized American supplies and prepared them in ways that they had prepared them in their homeland.
True American food is a collection of these culinary traditions passed down from generation to generation”.Each culture brought their cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America.
Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. So who came up with the idea to combine macaroni with creamy cheese to create a simple casserole?
Pasta and cheese casseroles have been recorded as early as the 14th century in the Italian cookbook, Liber de Coquina, one of the oldest medieval cookbooks, which featured a dish of parmesan and pasta. A cheese and pasta casserole recorded in the medieval English cookbook, The Forme of Cury, was also written in the 14th century. It was made with fresh, hand-cut pasta which was sandwiched between a mixture of melted butter and cheese.
The first modern recipe for macaroni and cheese was included in Elizabeth Raffald’s 1770 book, The Experienced English Housekeeper. Raffald’s recipe is a Béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked until bubbly and golden.
The US President Thomas Jefferson encountered macaroni in Paris and brought the recipe back to Monticello. Jefferson drew a sketch of the pasta and wrote detailed notes on how to make it. In 1793, he commissioned the US ambassador to France, William Short, to purchase a machine for making it. Evidently, the machine was not suitable, as Jefferson later imported both macaroni and Parmesan cheese for his use at Monticello. In 1802, Jefferson served “a pie called macaroni” at a state dinner.
A recipe called “macaroni and cheese” appeared in the 1824 cookbook, The Virginia Housewife, written by Mary Randolph. Randolph’s recipe had three ingredients: macaroni, cheese, and butter, layered together and baked in a hot oven. The cookbook was the most influential cookbook of the 19th century, according to culinary historian Karen Hess. Similar recipes for macaroni and cheese occur in the 1852 Hand-book of Useful Arts, and the 1861 Godey’s Lady’s Book. By the mid-1880s, cookbooks as far west as Kansas and Missouri, included recipes for macaroni and cheese casseroles.
Kraft Foods introduced the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner in 1937, at the end of the Great Depression. Called it “the housewife’s best friend, a nourishing one-pot meal,” and that it was a fast, filling, and inexpensive way to feed a family. In that year alone, 8 million boxes were sold.
Cheesemaking, which began 10,000 years ago, was originally about survival for a farm family or community by taking a very perishable protein (milk) and transforming it into something less perishable (cheese) so that there would be something to eat at a later date. The first cheese factory in the U.S. was built in 1851, making cheddar one of the first foods affected by the Industrial Revolution. Before that, all cheese made in the United States was made on a farm, usually by the farm wife or a cheese maid. As foods industrialize, they often go from being made by women to being made by men, and so it was with cheese: Women were mostly absent from the cheese factories, and didn’t return to cheesemaking until the artisanal cheese revolution of the past few decades. Processed cheese, which was invented 107 years ago, is basically cheese that is emulsified and cooked, rendering it much less perishable (but also no longer a “living food” because, unlike natural cheese, processed cheese’s flavor will no longer alter with age).
Original homemade recipes included pasta, butter or cream, and Parmesan cheese, American cooks often improvised, using cheddar, Colby or the more affordable processed cheese, and spices like nutmeg and mustard. While Cheddar cheese is most commonly used for macaroni and cheese, other cheeses may also be used — usually sharp in flavor — and two or more cheeses can be combined. Popular recipes include using Gruyere, Gouda, Havarti, and Parmesan cheese.
So, while no single cook can lay claim to the classic macaroni and cheese recipe, everyone has a favorite version of the dish.
Here is my version. I like to use a combination of cheeses because it makes for a tasty dish.
Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Ingredients
1 lb dried short pasta (penne, elbow, fusilli)
4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup instant flour (Wondra) or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 oz Velveeta processed cheese, cut into cubes
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. (I prefer to bake this dish at a lower temperature so that the casserole stays creamy.)
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot mix the cold milk with the instant flour; add the butter and place the pan on medium heat.
Stirring often, bring the sauce to boiling, reduce the heat and cook until thickened, whisking often. Add the salt, mustard, and cayenne. Add the Velveeta and heat until melted. Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Pour into a buttered 9×13 inch baking dish.
Mix the breadcrumbs and shredded cheddar together and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
(The casserole can be made ahead to this stage and refrigerated until baking time. Add 15 minutes to the baking time if the casserole is refrigerated.)
Bake for 45 minutes until heated through and the topping turns golden.
