Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

Homemade chicken soup

2012-03-06T11:38:00.002-08:00

chicken soup

This recipe makes good use of a kitchen must have, the crock pot. Using a few great short cuts you can have delicious homemade soup in no time and it is a great way to feed a large family, or to bring to a social gathering. Make up a large batch of this, freeze it, or take it to a friend that is under the weather. Nothing says " I love you" like homemade chicken soup.

Ingredients:

5 lbs of chicken thighs

1 box of chicken stock

1 large onion

2 leeks

1 large red bell pepper

1 large green bell pepper

2 cups of diced Portobello mushrooms

4 stalks of celery chopped

1 tsp. Rosemary

1 tsp. Sage

2 tbsp. Parsley

tsp. Garlic powder or chopped fresh

4 tablespoons of salt

1 box of linguine noodles

Step one:

chicken broth

Remove skin on all chicken thighs place in crock pot

Step two:

added vegetables

Prepare all vegetables and add to chicken in crock pot.

Step three:

Add in one box of chicken stock and all seasonings

Step four:

Cover crock pot and cook for about 2 hours on high

Step five:

Take linguine noodles and break them by hand into 2 inch pieces and add to crock pot and continue cooking for 2 hours.

Step six:

chicken soup finished

Soup is ready when chicken is starting to fall off the bone, at this time you can remove chicken pieces and take the bone off yourself. It is important to leave the bone in during the cooking process because the bones are the primary flavor component for your chicken soup stock.

Southern style dirty rice

2012-03-01T13:11:00.006-08:00

This side dish is popular in the south and with good reason, it tastes delicious, goes a long way and is great with almost any type of meat. It's called dirty rice due to the appearance it has with white rice mixed with browned beef and pork . You can add various ingredients to it to match with what ever main dish you are serving. It's great served with browned polka kielbasa and tomatoes, cube steak, boiled shrimp etc. If you'd like to buy some southern grown South Carolina long grained rice, check out the *link at the bottom of this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. Chicken livers
1 lb. ground beef
1 large bell pepper
1 medium onion
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. Seasoned salt
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2- tablespoons soy sauce
2-tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3-4 cups cooked rice

Step one:
In a separate sauce pan, brown chicken livers in olive oil and a few pats of margarine. Once livers are browned at 1 cup of chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes. With a potato masher or fork, mash livers so that they become small and crumbly. Set aside.

Step two:
In a large fry pan brown pork and ground beef, add in finely chopped peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms.

Step three:
Strain off excess grease and season with red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt. Add in soy and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.

Step four:
Add in 3-4 cups of cook rice. For instructions on how to make perfect rice, see: How to make that perfect pot of rice.
Health tip: This recipe is just as good when you cook with brown rice, for instructions on how to prepare brown rice see: How to cook brown rice.
*Carolina rice

Squash Casserole

2012-03-01T10:32:00.006-08:00

Recently my family got together to have a meal at a local restaurant. Typically speaking I am always disappointed with most restaurant meals so this particular family style restaurant was no exception. When you cook all the time like I do, you become a tough customer in a restaurant. However, they did have thing on the menu that I did enjoy, albeit a tiny portion, Yellow Squash Casserole. I knew I had to try to recreate this tasty side dish and I think I even might have made it better.

Ingredients:
3-4 good sized yellow straight neck squash sliced
1 bag of Pepperidge Farms Stuffing (14 oz.)
1 box of Chicken broth
1 medium sized onion
1 1/2 cups sliced baby Portobello mushrooms
1 diced/cubed bell pepper
1 stick of margarine
1 cup shredded cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
your choice of seasonings

Step one:

Once you have washed,sliced and diced your squash, bell peppers,onions and mushrooms you're going to cook them in 1/2 stick of margarine on medium heat until they start to soften and get a little color.

Step two:

Add one half of your box of chicken stock to your squash, put on medium low and simmer until your squash cooks down a good bit. You're going to want to simmer about 10 to 12 minutes covered. Squash should be mushy and soft.

Step three:

Add remaining 1/2 stick of margarine, shredded cheese,remaining half a box of chicken broth and the bag of stuffing. Stir all together until the stuffing is well moistened and incorporated into the squash. Turn heat off, and pour mixture into one greased 9 X 13 inch baking dish and heat in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and add a few additional pats of margarine if you like.
You're done!

Tip: You can use day old baked cornbread instead of the dried stuffing, it tastes even better!

Kitchen tip: Improving the appearance of etched glassware

2012-02-28T10:15:00.003-08:00

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If you have ever purchased vintage glassware, you may have run across some that had a fuzzy, scratchy appearance to them. This is caused from a number of things. Etching on older glass occurs because in the earlier days when dishwashers first hit the scene, many of the detergents were harsh on glass and over time etching occurs.

Now there are a lot of products and suggestions out on the market today that can be used, but for mild etching, or just to greatly improve etching damage, here's a tip. Simple take your glassware that is damaged and put a thin coat of vegetable oil on the areas where the etching is. This may mean covering the entire piece so that there is a film of the vegetable oil.

Let the piece sit for a while and wash with a mild dish detergent. It should look much better, and have some of the clarity restored. Now this won't repair scratches, but it will improve the appearance of the glass!

Carne Picada with brown and wild rice

2012-02-26T05:43:00.005-08:00

Carne Picada with sauteed vegetables and brown rice

What is Carne Picada? Well simply put it is shredded beef. What makes it easy to cook with is it is relatively low in fat, thinly sliced and can be used in a wide variety of different recipes. You will see Carne Picada in sandwiches, tacos, burritos, soups, and in this case, stir fry.

Onions,Bell peppers, Mushrooms

Step One
To begin this simple recipe, I always chop up my onions,mushrooms and bell pepper. This is 1 bell pepper, 1 onion, and about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of mushrooms. Keep the sizes even so they cook at the same rate.


Sauteed in Olive oil

Step Two:
Note: Select a large fry pan. The pan used in this recipe was 12 inches.
Saute the vegetables seperately from the shredded beef. When sauteeing them together, the meat doesn't seem to get any of that carmelization that you are looking for, and the liquids from the veggies seem to "boil" or "steam" the meat. Once these are softened and there is a little color to the onions, remove from pan. No seasonings were added as salt tends to make the veggies produce liquid that the mushrooms absorb. Seasoning will take place in when the meat gets browned.

Step Three:
Simmering in this pan is equal parts of wild rice and brown rice. Because wild rice is costly, mixing it in with brown rice in equal parts is a great way to make it go further especially when feeding a family. This is a much healthier alternative than using white par boiled rice and even though it takes a little longer, the health benefits are worth it. Simply get out a large pan and heat up a few tablespoons of Olive oil. Add in your wild/brown rice and toast a few minutes. Add in water, remember one cup of rice to 2 1/2 cups of water. Because brown rice takes a little longer, add in about 1/4 more water than what is traditionally used with white rice. Bring to a boil. turn to low, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. Check on it at 30 minutes and give it a taste. Brown rice will have more texture than white rice so it will be a little firmer. Once rice is cooked take off the heat and add a few tablespoons of butter, stir and cover. Add any desired seasonings at this time like soy sauce, pepper etc.

Step Four:
Once the Carne Picada has browned, we add back into the pan the sauteed vegetables. Now we heat through and add our seasonings. Depending on what flavor you are after, seasonings like Soy Sauce, hot sauce, Worchestshire sauce, pepper, red chili flakes, Paprika, can all be incorporated into the dish at this time.

Carne Picada with wild brown rice and sauteed vegetables.

Step Five:
Once the rice, meat and veggies are all prepared simply add them together and serve. Yummy!

Creamed chicken with biscuits

2012-02-06T12:04:00.003-08:00

Coming up with dishes that are tasty, economical and easy is a challenge for a family. This recipe is a great dish not only to serve to your family but also to take to potluck dinners etc. This is a complete meal once done so you only use two pans in the completion of this dish. If you love chicken recipes you'll find in South Carolina, see the links at the bottom of this article.

Ingredients:

1 package of chicken thighs
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 bag of frozen mixed veggies
1 can of Pillsbury grands biscuits
1 cup of diced mushrooms
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
seasoning

Preheat oven according to instructions on biscuits

In a large frying pan, brown chicken thighs on both sides. Add about two cups of water and simmer until chicken thighs are fully cooked.
Add in cream of chicken soup, diced mushrooms, soy sauce and heat through. Once heated through and bubbly.
Add in mixed frozen veggies. Take off heat. Set aside
In 9X 13 pan pour in carefully chicken with veggies.
Open biscuit can and split each individual biscuit in two. Place evenly on top of chicken mixture. Spray biscuit tops with butter flavoring and bake until biscuits are golden.

This recipe is very versatile and can be made a variety of ways, try Cream of mushroom soup, and shredded cheese for another tasty way to serve this dish.

Ham bone soup

2012-01-17T11:01:00.001-08:00

If you've ever had a left over portion of baked ham with the bone, then you'll know there is a good deal of meat that is usually left on the bone especially with shank end ham which is tricky to carve. Don't throw this part away it is perfect for ham bone soup. Ham bone soup is essentially taking the leftover portion of a baked ham with the bone and cooking for a long period of time to boil the meat off of the bone. In this process you extract all remaining flavor from the bone and any remaining meat. One great way of doing this is with a 7 quart crock pot.

Step One:
Place your ham bone with any additional meat left on it into a crock pot with about 4-6 cups of water. Season with a little salt and pepper. Set on high. The more meat on the bone, the more water you will need to cook it off. The end result is a rich ham stock that can be used that day. Tip: For a healthier version, cool stock and place in the refrigerator overnight. The fat will be easy to remove once it has hardened on top of the stock and you'll be ready to cook this delicious soup.

Step Two:
Once all the meat has cooked off the bone, remove all of the bone and make sure no smaller pieces remain.

Step Three:
Add in vegetables. Suggested add in ingredients:
1 bag frozen vegetables
2 cups of chopped kale
1 cup of cabbage
1 small diced onion
2 tablespoons Italian herbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons of soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

Step Four:
Cook for an additional hour or two until kale and cabbage are fully cooked. Tastes great served with cornbread. You can use almost any types of vegetables you like in this soup so whatever you have on hand will work.

For other great Southern recipes, see: Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

*Carolina Pride Meals and Tips

Cooking Tip: Aluminum foil

2011-12-29T11:30:00.003-08:00

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And you thought this was all Aluminum foil was good for

Hey bakers, don't sweat it if you have no cooling racks for baked cookies, simply use tin foil to cool your cookies on, and if you're smart get the foil that has the non stick surface and you'll have the fastest non stick way to cook all of your cookies. This tip comes in handy when you're baking big batches!

Peach ham glaze

2011-12-23T07:28:00.001-08:00

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During the holidays there are a lot of glaze recipes out there, this has a little "southern" flare to it as it uses peaches as the base for the glaze. Ham tastes delicious when paired with peaches and this glaze will be the unexpected treat you may be looking for to surprise your guests.

Ingredients:

1 cup of peach preserves
1/4 cup of butter or margarine
1/4 cup of orange juice
3 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar
2/3 cups of finely chopped dried cranberries
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

Instructions:

In a medium sauce pan melt butter on low to medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, orange juice and 1 cup of peach preserves. Stir until mixture is well blended. Add chopped cranberries and spices. Baste ham 15 - 20 minutes prior to removing from oven to serve. Reserve half if you like to add to the ham after it is done baking to serve on the plate.

Maple and Brown Sugar ham glaze

2011-12-22T11:26:00.001-08:00

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If you love a delicious glazed ham for the holidays, and you want to try your hand at it, this recipe is a great launching off point for you. The combination of sugars, maple syrup and ground cloves give your ham a sweet flavor, and a sweet crust. Put this on just 20 minutes before your ham is ready to be removed from the oven. If you live in South Carolina, you can purchase a honey baked ham online and pick it up in one of the many locations throughout South Carolina by visiting the *link at the bottom of this article.

Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup of dark brown sugar
½ stick of margarine (melted)
1 cup of Maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions:

This glaze should be put on 20 minutes before ham is completely done.
In a sauce pan, gently melt a ½ stick of margarine. Add in cloves, syrup and stir. Set aside until mixture is lukewarm. Add in the sugars and stir. This should make a buttery paste that can now be poured onto your ham. Once you have it on your ham and well distributed return to oven and continue cooking for twenty minutes.

Christmas snow ball cookies

2011-12-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

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This are delicious cookies that should be on every holiday table or at every Christmas party.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening solid

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 cup shredded coconut

Powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Over a medium sized bowl, sift together your dry ingredients. ( flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt) and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream together on medium speed with a hand held mixer sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla and coconut extracts until light and fluffy. At low speed, gradually beat in sifted flour mixture, and then add in shredded coconut until blended. Shape into 1 inch balls. A good way to know you are using the right amount per ball is to scoop out with a teaspoon a mounded amount of the dough and work with that each time. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for around 12 minutes, (some ovens cook little faster so start checking at 10 minutes) until golden. Cool cookies on non stick aluminum foil (or wire wracks if you have them) for 5 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Cool completely.

Cookies can be refrigerated until served for up to two weeks in a plastic container that is lined with parchment or wax paper, but do not freeze.

Popular Baking Terms

2011-12-16T05:13:00.001-08:00

Gluten – A protein naturally found in goods processed from wheat, barley, or rye sources. When mixed within baked goods, gluten gives the recipe a chewy texture and is commonly used as an additive to foods that do not contain protein.

Meringue – A dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar, mixed in with fruit to give it an added sweet flavor.

Pirog – A type of Ukranian pie that features a puff-type pastry filled with meat and vegetables (savory) or fruit (sweet), usually served with a side of broth.

Pastry – A type of baked good derived from a doughy mixture it resembles before baking. Pastries are flaky due to their higher fat content, and popular recipes include cakes, tarts, and biscuits.

Cake shop – A type of bakery whose menu specializes in cakes and cupcakes. These shops usually cater to special occasions like birthdays and weddings.

Coffeehouse – A small restaurant that sells coffee and tea on its menu as well as small baked goods like cookies and biscuits.

Fondant – Cake-making material that is derived from sugar and water that has been cooked to a soft stage where it is malleable enough to mold into any shape. Fondant is used to make elaborate cake designs of practically anything for special occasions

Custard – A dessert made from mixed yolk with either milk or cream. It varies in thickness, and can be served as a filling or by itself mixed with flavors such as vanilla and chocolate.

Pastry bag – A cone-shaped bag with a nozzle at the bottom corner that is used for birthday cake decoration, filling donuts with jelly, and add shaped icing to dishes.

Empanada – A small doughy pastry originating from Europe and Latin America. It is usually filled with meats or cheeses, but can also contain vegetables and fruit.

Coconut Pumpkin bread

2011-12-16T05:12:00.000-08:00

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If you are looking for a better alternative to the Fruit cake as a possible baked good item to bring to a party or to give away as a thoughtful gift, give this recipe a try. It has all the flavors of the holidays and is so easy to make. A few simple steps and the oven does the rest. It tastes wonderful warm with cinnamon butter or even one of your favorite glazes. You can dress it up or keep it simple. If you live in South Carolina and don't have time to make this recipe, then check the South Carolina baked goods directory at the bottom of this article.

Makes 2 loaves

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon ground

1 teaspoon nutmeg ground

2/3 cup coconut flaked

2 3 1/2-ounce packages coconut pie filling (regular)

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups cooked sweet potatoes or yams (about 1 pound)

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In another bowl, mix together eggs, vegetable oil and cooked pumpkin, until well blended. Add egg/pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients; mix well.

Grease (2 ) 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 -inch loaf pans and cover bottoms with greased wax paper. Divide batter evenly between pans and place both on the middle rack of the oven.

Bake for around 1 hour. Test doneness at around 50 minutes with a butter knife inserted in the middle, when it comes out clean it is done.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Once you are able to handle the pan, let bread cool on a piece of non stick aluminum foil the rest of the way.

For more recipes, see: Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

South Carolina Bakery and Baked Goods Directory

Peanut Butter cookies

2011-12-14T05:49:00.001-08:00

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One cookie that stands out from many is the ever delicious peanut butter cookie. Simple to make and no real special ingredients are required, yet so versatile. To make this recipe have holiday appeal, add a cup of red and green holiday M&M's to garnish and/or to the batch itself. Peanut butter and chocolate go well together, as we all know. Do you or some you know love peanuts off all kinds? South Carolina is well known for their peanuts as well. If you'd like to learn how to make boiled peanuts like we do in the south, be sure to see the *Official South Carolina Dining link at the bottom of this recipe for recipes using peanuts.

Makes 1 to almost 2 dozen depending on how big you make each cookie.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup Butter flavored Crisco shortening

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (chunky works too)

1 egg large

2 tablespoons condensed milk, whole milk or half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 + cup of red and green M&M candies

Instructions:

In a large bowl, mix all of your dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a second bowl cream together sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and peanut butter with an electric mixer until blended, you can do this by hand but be ready for a workout. Add in egg, milk, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Gradually add in dry ingredients, stir in with a spoon at first and then use mixer. Chill for a few hours. Once cookie dough is chilled preheat your oven to 350 degrees and begin to roll cookie dough into small balls with your hands and place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press cookie dough balls with fork to flatten and again to make the traditional cross pattern, or add M&M candy to the tops of the cookies for a holiday look.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes until light brown and cookies no longer have a puffy look to them.

Tip: Cool cookies on non stick tin foil, they'll cool off quickly and release from the tin with ease.

*Official South Carolina Dining (boiled peanuts)

Cranberry Pudding

2011-12-13T05:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever tried Cranberry pudding? Well now you can, this is a super easy recipe and a nice surprise at any holiday gathering. Play around with this recipe and find other ways to make it fun to eat.

If you live in South Carolina, and love using only the best ingredients and fresh local produce, be sure to check out the **link at the bottom of this page for where you can buy.

Serves 6 or 8 if using a round dish to bake in.

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup sugar

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons margarine, melted

2 cups whole raw cranberries (washed)

Sauce:

½ cup of confectioners sugar

½ cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup heavy cream *see note for other options

Cranberry pudding recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Mix together flour, baking powder and sugar; add milk, melted butter and cranberries. Pour into greased 8-inch round or square baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Sauce:

Mix in a bowl the following ingredients:

Add sugar,cinnamon and nutmeg to 1 cup of heavy cream *(you can use half and half or condensed milk if you like as well) Serve over pudding.

For recipes be sure to check out : Recipes From a Southern Kitchen

**Farm Fresh Markets of South Carolina

Chocolate Eggnog pie

2011-12-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

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If you are like many, you may find yourself with left over eggnog and would love a way to use it in a new recipe. Perhaps you're just looking for a recipe that calls for eggnog? Either way this yummy treat is a great surprise dessert for your Christmas dinner, Christmas eve party or any holiday. One benefit of this recipe is it calls for a ready made pie crust. If you are interested in purchasing pastry supplies and other baking needs to make this and many more recipes, see the *link at the bottom of this article for a list of South Carolina Pastry Companies.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 envelopes unflavored jello

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg ground

2 1/2 cups eggnog store bought or already prepared

1 cup whipped cream

1 pie shell baked and cooled completely

Redi whip (garnish)

cocoa powder for garnish

Tip: You will need two large mixing bowls, one that nests into another is ideal for this recipe. Make sure you read through this recipe before you begin so you will know what all you need in it's preparation.

In a medium saucepan on low heat, mix sugar, cocoa powder, jello, and nutmeg. Stir in 1 cup of eggnog; let stand 1 minute. Stir until jello dissolves completely.

Add in the rest of the eggnog. Pour into a bowl large enough to accommodate mixture. Place this bowl into a larger bowl that has ice cold water and/or water with crushed ice. Stir until mixture is pudding like consistency on the spoon and forms a mound. Remove bowl from ice water.

Fold in whipped cream. Gently scoop into pastry shell. Chill until firm.

Garnish with cocoa powder, and Redi whip if you like.

If you would like to see more recipes, check out: Recipes from a Southern Kitchen.

*South Carolina Pastry Companies

Holiday Gingerbread Cookies

2011-12-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

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Tip: Read through this recipe prior to starting it. This way you will know what you need ahead of time and a few time saving steps can be found as well.

Ingredients:

Vegetable shortening

4 ½ cups flour

1 tablespoon ginger ground

2 teaspoons cinnamon ground

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon allspice ground

½ teaspoon salt

2 sticks of butter/margarine

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup light molasses

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Additional all-purpose flour

dried cranberries, currents or raisins

Red hot candies

You'll Need:

Greased or parchment paper lined Baking sheets

Paper towel

Electric mixer with large and small bowls

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Metal spatula

Step by step instructions:

Lightly grease baking sheets with a paper towel dipped in shortening.
Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice and salt in a small mixer bowl. Stir with a spoon and set aside.
Combine butter or margarine and sugar in the large mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until well mixed, stopping the mixer and scraping the bowl several times. Add eggs, molasses and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, scraping the bowl several times.
Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until well mixed, scraping the bowl several times.
Cover the bowl of dough with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours (or place in the freezer for 1 hour-remember to set a timer).
When the dough has been chilled, turn on the oven to 350°.
Divide the dough into four parts (keep each part in the refrigerator until ready to roll it out). Place one part of the dough on a lightly-floured surface. Rub flour on the rolling pin and roll the dough to about 1/4 -inch thickness. Dip cutters in flour and cut cookies. Lift cookies with a pancake turner to baking sheets, placing cookies 1 inch apart
Press currants or raisins into gingerbread men for eyes, nose and mouth. Use red hot candies for buttons.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies feel slightly firm to the touch. Lift with a pancake turner to a wire rack to cool.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Holiday Fruit Bars

2011-12-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

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One of the great things about this recipe is how easy and adaptable it is. Whether you are making this for the holidays, other any other event, there's lots of wiggle worm to add your own special touches to make it truly unique. This particular recipe looks perfect for Christmas and will make everyone happy!

If you like to have a pantry filled with dried goods like the ones used in this recipe, Charleston South Carolina's own Abby's Best has a full line of dried goods for you to check out, so be sure to check *link below.

Makes 6 servings

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 egg large

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

Heat oven to 375°

Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients. (flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; set aside).

In a large bowl, mix all wet ingredients, (oil, brown sugar, sugar, honey, egg, and vanilla) until well incorporated. Slowly mix in flour mixture until moistened. Stir in dried cranberries, raisins and nuts until well mixed. With lightly floured fingers, pat dough evenly in prepared pan.

Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Top bars with a mixture of shredded coconut, nuts and dried cranberries and raisins. Cut into bars while still somewhat warm with along knife.

For more great recipes, see: Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

*Abbys Best

Spaghetti Squash with cheese

2011-12-08T11:04:00.000-08:00

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Are you looking for a side dish that is tasty, cool and unexpected? Why not grab two Spaghetti squash from the produce section of your local grocery store and serve it? It's easy and if you are planning on using your oven, try it baked in the oven. Getting fresh produce in South Carolina is a great way to support local farmers and know you are getting quality. See the *link at the bottom of this article for a local produce grower near you, so you can buy Spaghetti squash when it is in season.

Ingredients:

2 Spaghetti squash

1 ½ cups of chicken stock

¼ cup of Parmesan cheese grated

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

With a good knife, take Spaghetti squash and cut off stems of both squashes. Cut squash in half crosswise-( I like cutting crosswise so that each member up to (4) can have their own individual serving if they choose , right out of the squashes shell). Take a large spoon and scrape out seeds, you can save and dry these and either plant them or roast them in the oven with salt -so tasty.

Place squash halves, cut-side down, in a large shallow microwavable dish. If you can fit them try to get them to go into a glass 9 X 13 dish. Add stock. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, turning one edge back to let a little steam escape. Microwave at 100% power (700 watts) for around 30 minutes or more until tender and you can pierce the center with a fork easily.

You can also bake these squash the same way except cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Squash is done when you can take a fork and start pulling the strands from the inside to form the “spaghetti.”

Place squash halves, cut-side up, on a large platter. With a fork, twist loose the strands of squash. Now there are several things to do with your squash at this point, while still hot add herbed butter, Parmesan and some parsley, salt and garlic pepper. You can also take all the strands out, put into a saute pan and add butter, herbs, stock, mushrooms, cheeses, whatever you like and make a meal of it by itself. The flavor is very mild and it works well with so many combinations. You can't go wrong and two squashes go a long way, there's far more on the inside that you may realize once you start pulling at the long fibers inside. Yum!

For more recipes, see: Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

*Farm Fresh Market of South Carolina

Herb Butter

2011-12-08T08:09:00.001-08:00

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Butter infused with a variety of herbs and spices is a great item to have on hand during holiday cooking because it can be used in so many dishes to enhance their flavor. Currently South Carolina has one known spice supplier in the state. See the information at the bottom of this article for more.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons chives chopped

2 teaspoons thyme chopped fresh or tarragon leaves

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Instructions:

In a 1-cup microwavable measuring cup, place butter, lemon juice, chives, thyme, and garlic salt. Microwave, uncovered, at 100% power 1 minute or until butter melts and is bubbly. Stir to blend. Let stand 3 minutes to improve flavor. Herb butter is great for basting a turkey. If you'd like to baste your chicken or turkey with this, add in a ½ teaspoon of sage and a ½ teaspoon of rosemary as both work so well with poultry.

Mcclancy Seasoning

1 Spice Rd,

Fort Mill, SC 29707

803-548-2366

Christmas dinner menu

2011-12-07T04:59:00.000-08:00

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If you are a serious cook then you know planning that menu ahead of time saves you a lot of frustration later on. The Christmas dinner is soon on its way and having your menu planned out makes the holidays more pleasurable for you and your guests. Here's a list of possible suggestions for your Christmas dinner. If you'd love to buy some South Carolina fresh produce for your Christmas dinner, see the *link at the bottom of this article for more information.

The main course

Baked Christmas ham

Cranberry Glaze

Nothing says “Christmas” like cranberry sauce with its bright red, tart flavor. Did you know it just so happens to make the best Christmas ham glaze too? This recipe is simple, tasty and just perfect for that special Christmas dinner. Here's the recipe: Cranberry glaze for Christmas Ham

The side dishes

Veggie Casserole

This side is easy, and inexpensive. If you are planning on feeding a group of people this casserole will help without busting your budget. Here's the recipe: Veggie Casserole

Green beans with ham hocks

Its hard to imagine having any other side dish with your Christmas ham than this easy to make and good smelling side dish. Green beans with ham hocks is also a great way to use that leftover ham and ham bone after the holidays too. Try it a long with some Hoppin' John for New Years day!

Here's the recipe: Green beans with ham hocks

The dessert

Sweet potato dessert cake

It is no secret here in South Carolina we love our decadent desserts, especially when using our own home grown staples. This recipe calls for sweet potatoes, whether freshly mashed, or canned, it will rock your world, southern style! This dessert is absolutely delicious, great to serve for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is not for the faint of heart and is not low carb or low calorie, or low anything. That being said, it is one of the most scrumptious desserts you will ever taste!

Here's the recipe: Sweet Potato Dessert Cake

Suggested Beverages

Holiday Cranberry Punch

Hot mulled wine for the holidays

Christmas Coffee

Old fashioned Green beans with ham hocks

2011-12-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Ingredients:

4-6 cups of fresh green beans

3 ½ cups water

1 pound ham hocks

1/2 cup onions chopped

4 new red potatoes quartered

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Rinse and snap off ends of green beans and break each bean into bite-size pieces, about 2 inches long. In a medium saucepan over high heat, place beans,water, ham hock and onion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until ham begins to get tender.

Add potatoes to saucepan and continue to cook for around 1 hour or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove ham hock and dice meat. Return meat to the bean mixture. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper if needed.

For more Southern style recipes be sure to check out: Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

*Farm Fresh Market of South Carolina

Top 5 Christmas Party recipes

2011-12-07T03:30:00.000-08:00

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These Christmas party favorites have been the most sought after and requested since the month of December has begun. If you are planning an office party, a gathering at home and the theme is definitely the holidays, all or anyone of these recipes will be easy to do and a hit with everyone. If you live in South Carolina and want to make your own party favors, see the bottom of this link for South Carolina Craft Suppliers in your area.

Old fashioned Eggnog

There are many different recipes for eggnog including one that originated in South Carolina, see : South Carolina Eggnog for the recipe at the end of this article. For a unique treat for Christmas, why not try your hand at your own homemade version? This particular recipe calls for cooking this custard beverage prior to serving. This makes it a safe beverage for all to consume and tastes far better than the eggnog you see in the grocery store. If you love eggnog, this recipe will allow you to make it anytime of year, instead of waiting once a year to buy it.

Get the simple recipe and instruction video here: How to make old fashioned Eggnog

Chocolate chip pecan cookies

They say the south is full of nuts and to some extent that may be true, one nut in particular we are partial to in South Carolina is pecans! This recipe is great during the holidays, especially if you are having any Christmas eve parties, or holiday gatherings. The easy instructions here: Chocolate chip pecan cookies

Santa's Magic Party mix

If you are planning on having a friends and family party for the holidays, you've got to serve up a nice big bowl of this yummy munch. It has all the yummy flavors of Christmas, and the recipe is oh so easy. Children can help make this and they'll love munching on it on Christmas eve with a nice cup of cocoa/

Try this easy to prepare party mix for your Christmas and holidays: Santa's Magic Party mix

Homemade Pecan Praline

This pecan brittle is a great treat to serve guests if you are planning a Christmas office party, Christmas eve gathering or any holiday occasion. Tasty and simple it's sure to be a hit. It also makes for a wonderful gift for that hard-to-shop-for fellow in your life. Here's the recipe and instruction video: Homemade Pecan Praline

Holiday Cranberry Punch

Whether it is for Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, this hot punch will be perfect for a family gathering. Served hot and full of good cheer, there is no way that the family won't enjoy a steaming cup of this punch. It can be served cold if you prefer, just let it cool sufficiently. It is non alcoholic and kid friendly, but if you like to make an adult version simply add some rum to taste. Get the instructions here: Holiday Cranberry Punch

Homemade Pecan Praline Brittle

2011-12-06T05:54:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

This pecan brittle is a great treat to serve guests if you are planning a Christmas office party, Christmas eve gathering or any holiday occasion. Tasty and simple it's sure to be a hit. It also makes for a wonderful gift for that hard-to-shop-for fellow in your life. If you can't find any pecans readily available where you live, South Carolina's own Golden Kernel Pecan Company can ship them to you, see *link at the bottom of this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

2 cups pecans pieces (you can substitute walnuts if you don't have pecans)

1 teaspoon baking soda

Extra items needed:

Wax paper

candy thermometer

Place wax paper on a large baking sheet and set aside. Keep a bowl of ice cold water nearby to test brittle. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and water. Continue stirring and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. You can now stop stirring and allow mixture to continue heating until temperature on a candy thermometer reaches right around 280° or until a small amount of mixture separates into strands/threads which are hard/firm but not brittle when dropped into cold cold water.

Add in pecans and stir and allow mixture to continue to boil. Stirring frequently, cook until temperature reaches right at 300° or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into threads/strands which are hard and brittle. Mixture should be golden brown. Remove from heat.

Stir in baking soda. Spread onto wax paper on baking sheet. Cool. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

**Note: If you live at higher altitudes, you will have to adjust the temperatures accordingly.

For more recipes, be sure to check out: Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

Golden Kernel Pecan Company

Baked Christmas ham

2011-12-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas dinner is one the best parts of the holiday season. Having that beautiful glazed Christmas ham as a centerpiece on the dining room table, with all the wonderful trimmings is a warm memory and tradition to uphold. This recipe includes a great cranberry glaze using lovely red whole cranberry sauce as a chief ingredient. If you live in South Carolina, you can purchase a honey baked ham online and pick it up in one of the many locations throughout South Carolina by visiting the *link at the bottom of this recipe.

Preheat your oven to 325° F
.
If your ham is not pre-cooked you will need to cook your ham about 30 minutes for every pound.
Place your ham in a roasting pan fat side up. Peel/cut off the brown skin that is lining the top of your ham and place inside the roasting pan. You can discard this if you like. Once the white layer of fat is exposed, score it and if you like this is the time to insert your cloves placing them in an even pattern over the top of your ham.
Place ham in your oven, and bake. Check periodically, and if you see the top getting too dark, you can place a quick release tin foil over the top. Bake for the amount of time suggested on the hams label. 30 minutes or so prior to the ham coming out of the oven, apply Peach glaze. You can cover with tin and continue cooking until ham is ready to come out of the oven.

Cranberry Glaze for Christmas Ham

*Honey Baked Online

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