Travels in the South

This weeks Travels in the South is brought to you by the mommy – snorts.  Her and daddy went out over the weekend and she found a really awesome salad that was right up her alley.  You see it in the picture?  This was called the cornbread fried chicken salad.  Can you say yum?  Do you see those giant croutons surrounding the sides of the salad?  That is cornbread cut into croutons.  Now mom didn’t eat them *in* her salad.  She ate them on the side.  They were delicious.  Dad didn’t care for them that much and mom was fine with that.  She said it was more for her.  Why were they so good?  They had corn and jalapenos in them.  Mom said they also had a tad of sugar that she could taste which cut down the heat of the jalapenos.  And of course with mom’s love of fried chicken, having some chicken in her salad was absolutely heaven.

Was it all par for eating healthy?  Probably not.  But this date, it touched a special place in mom’s heart… and tummy.

 

Travels in the South

Hello sweet friends to the first Travels in the South for 2017!  Today I want to show you something that comes from the kitchen of the Hotel Thompson.  You are going to love this!

When my pet rock was visiting Miss Harper Lee and Tallulah Bee in New Orleans, Louisiana, Bashful got hooked on a specialty there named Red Beans and Rice.  If you look here, you will find the recipe and pictures from that trip.

Well when Bashful came home, there were some of those amazing Camellia beans in his package.  So you know mom had to try them.  So this past Monday, mom put on a huge pot just like Miss Harper Lee’s mom does on Mondays.

When it was ready to serve, mom whipped up some rice and of course her homemade cornbread to go with dinner.  And let me tell you, it is an awesome recipe.  Dad had two bowls!  Does that tell you anything?

So friends – there you go.  A dish from mom’s kitchen!  Thanks Miss Harper for the recipe and wonderful beans.  This just might be our weekly dinner on Monday’s now.  ❤

 

Dad is in BIG Trouble

There we were last night getting ready for dinner.  Mom said all she needed to now was to make the cornbread.  That’s when daddy said, “Oh honey, you’ve been busy all day.  I’ll make it.”  Mom should have known right there and then that this was not going to end well.  But mom had a positive attitude and said thank you…. that is until she saw dad’s ‘cornbread’.  Tell me that my daddy is not the only one that does this weird stuff.. right?

 

Shopping Around the World

 This month we are highlighting items that you are known for.   This is easy.  Mom is *known* for her cornbread.  Here in the south, cornbread is an important side to any meal.  And some of you friends have asked how mom does her cornbread.  So without further ado, here it goes 🙂 – take it away mom!

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The ingredients to my cornbread are very simple.  In the south, you will find several different versions of cornbread – some with sugar, some with corn, some with jalapenos – the list goes on.  You can make it anything you want in a cornbread.  We often serve cornbread with chili, soups or good old Sunday dinner.  This is a recipe that I tweaked from my family that is so simple.  Here is what you will need:

Two large eggs ($0.26); three strips of bacon ($1.00); a cup of milk ($0.40); a cup of cornmeal ($0.40); and melted butter ($0.20) = total $2.26

AND if you have one (being in the south we have several in different sizes), you need a small iron skillet.

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Turn on your over to 350 degrees to preheat.  Take the 3 strips of bacon and cut them in small pieces (sometimes we use more – depends on who you are making it for).  Put your iron skillet on the stove on medium and fry the bacon.  Once the bacon is done, remove the bacon to the side and put in your butter.  Let all of this melt together – the butter and the bacon grease.  Trust me, you will love the taste of this when the cornbread is finished.

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Now, take your milk and eggs and mix them together.  Slowly merge together the flour with salt/pepper and add the cooked crumbled up bacon.  The batter is going to be in a thick consistency – that is what you are looking for.  Now, take your batter and pour it into your HOT skillet.  You should hear a sizzle.  That is the sound you want to hear.  Once the batter is in your HOT skillet, place your skillet in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.

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At 30 minutes, take your skillet out and your cornbread should pop right out of your skillet into a plate.  Serve slathered in butter or crumble up in your soups/chili.  The inside will be moist and hot.  And while you are eating, you will enjoy the buttery bacon taste.  Please try one and let me know what you think.

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Here in the south, we even take a cold glass of buttermilk and crumble our cornbread in it for a meal.

 

Travels in the South

Hello sweet friends and welcome to another great edition of Travels in the South.  This past weekend, my mom/dad had to go to Alabama for a quick trip.  While they were gone, they stopped at a restaurant called Top O’ The River in Gadsden, Alabama.  Now this restaurant has special meaning to mom/dad.  You see it was over 20 years ago that dad and his family ate here.  They then told mom about it and mom and  her family ate here.  But mom/dad together have never been here.  So going to this restaurant was kind of like a coming home if you will.

When mom/dad arrived at the restaurant, there was not a single available parking space in the entire lot.  It was barely 5:00pm and there were 100’s of cars.  Mom says this is a sure sign of good food to come.  Finally mom spotted a parking space, they parked and entered the restaurant.  That’s when they saw lots of people waiting in line.  Mom/dad knew they were going to be in for a long wait so they put their name in and started looking at the menu.  You can see the menu here.  Amazingly, mom/dad might have waited less than 15 minutes and their number was called.  Mom/dad were ecstatic to say the least.  There were lots of big parties here that night so thank goodness it was just mom/dad.

Mom/dad got a fantastic seat at a booth next to the windows which was what – overlooking the top o’ the river.  Cute huh?  And what a view they had that you can see from this picture.  Beautiful and serene, lots of green trees and there were some ducks swimming around in the water.  Can you imagine what these trees are going to look like when Fall finally decides to get here?

The sweet little waitress came to the table and mom asked her what was good to get.  She said that there platters were awesome and way more food than one can eat… although the platters say for one.  So mom/dad said why not and went with the platter to share.  Boy, were they surprised when the waitress came back with some starters in the form of cole slaw and cornbread.

If you have never had southern cornbread, you are in for a treat.  Cornbread is one of mom’s specialties and dad says she makes the best. In fact here in the south, a good cornbread  will get you a good man… so says mom/dad – snorts.  But mom said this cornbread was fantastic!  Cornbread is made with cornmeal, milk, eggs, some people add a little sugar although mom doesn’t, and this cornbread had corn and jalapeno peppers.  This cornbread was served with a delicious creamy cole slaw and sliced onions on the side.  Mom/dad said they could just eat these starters and be just fine.  That’s country folks my friends – simple food for a fantastic experience.

But mom/dad ate all they could and before they knew it, it was time for the main course.  Remember the platter was suppose to be for ONE person? Well here is that platter in it’s glory.  There is boneless catfish fillets, popcorn shrimp, fried shrimp, chicken fingers, hush puppies and french fries.  Doesn’t that platter look simply amazing!  And the size of it compared to dad’s hand.  Remember, the platter was for one person.  There is no way!  Mom/dad were so glad they decided to share the meal.

They ate to their hearts desire both of them afterwards being so full and happy.  That’s what this experience was all about.  Enjoying each other, sharing a wonderful experience and just enjoying the time and scenery.  For a while, time stopped and mom/dad sat for a while and just relaxed for a bit away from everything.  And of course, you all know my daddy.  He’s never met anyone that he can’t talk to.  Today was no exception.

On the way out of the restaurant, he met the restaurant mascot, Mr. Catfish at the exit door.  They had a moment to discuss politics, the secret recipe for those wonderful catfish fillets and dad got directions home… that is after they visited the back deck of the restaurant for one last final view.

And that final view is what I leave you with today my friends.  A reflection of a great meal with some wonderful memories made.  And I have to ask you.  When was the last time that you had a dinner with family that you just sat in comfort with each other, laughed and just let everything stop for a moment.  Enjoy my friends.

 

Blogger Action Day – Year of the Bean

Today my friends at WhattheDucks is celebrating Blogger Action Day in Celebration of Year of the Bean!  This is what their blog said on 1/27/2016:

“To join in, all you have to do is post something about beans, legumes or pulses on your own blog that day .  Share a recipe, upload a photo, write an ode to a chickpea!  Beans are good & blogging is good fun.  Hope to hear from as many bloggers as possible.  Even if some folks don’t know beans about beans, maybe you do!  Happy Year of the Bean, peeps!”

With that being said and being from the South – you just know that my mom is going to celebrate The Black-Eyed Pea.  Black-eyed peas are a staple here in the south.  On the first day of the new year, you have to serve them and collard greens for dinner.  It’s a tradition.  It’s thought by doing so, it brings prosperity to the new year.  And between you and me, mom makes sure they are on the table… you know just in case.

Now dad is not a huge fan of the black-eyed pea.  Therefore mom has to ‘doctor’ them up and give them such a flavor that dad eats an entire dish and then says that was wonderful without knowing what he ate… snorts – sounds like my mom huh?  Well, I’m going to head out because mom says that I don’t need to know how these are cooked.  She has a glint in her eye and I’m thinking it involves pig.  So here you go my friends – mom’s recipe.

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Now, I wasn’t able to make these before today – I know – I know.  There’s been so much going on here at the Hotel Thompson that it’s been unreal.  But I wanted to share with you my recipe for these wonderful understated beans.  Now this picture to the right is off of the internet under a google search of images.  Doesn’t it look amazing?!   They really are – if you’ve never tried them, you *must* at least once.  Now, I’ve asked Bacon to leave the blog because it does involve P.O.R.K. products which we don’t use here unless Bacon is out for the day.  Here’s the recipe to my Spicy Black-Eyed Peas:

UPDATE:  Lori brought it to my attention a very important step that my fast fingers left out – LOL.  The day before you make this recipe, you want to soak your package of black-eyed peas.  Shaking my head – how could I leave this step out?  What I do is the night before, before I go to bed I take a pot and fill it with water and add some salt.  I pour the package of black-eyed beans in the water – enough to cover – and then put the lid on the pan.  I leave this pan on the counter over night while we sleep.  The next day, I will drain them dry for cooking them at brunch/lunch.  The beans absorb the water softening them for cooking this recipe.t

Take 4 slices of any type of bacon that you like.  We prefer the thick cut or pancetta – which ever you have on hand.  I find it easier to go ahead and cut the bacon into small pieces and fry up in your iron skillet – we all have one here in the south 🙂  Once the bacon is done, scoop it out of your skillet and put on a napkin to drain the excess fat.  Put this aside for later.

Take one 16 ounce package of dried black-eyed peas that you have washed and add them to iron skillet that still has your bacon drippings.  Add fresh or a 12 ounce can of diced chilies and stir the two together. Add fresh or a 12 ounce can of diced tomatoes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add 3 cups of water and combine everything together.  Cover the skillet and cook for approximately 1 hour.   Now some people also add a diced onion to the party – we don’t here because Jim doesn’t care for them.  It’s a personal preference what you put in your beans.  While they are cooking, I will usually make some cracklin’ cornbread.

When the beans are done, scoop them out into a bowl and top them with some of your crumbled bacon.  Enjoy.

 

Shopping Around the World

My friend Fozzie and I have scheduled a group posting today of Shopping Around the World.   We thought it would be interesting to see the differences between different countries all over.Here are our prices for the following from our area – Georgia USA.

 Items to price this month:

• Milk.  Mom usually buys 1/2 gallon store brand which lately has been on sale for $1.00
• Tomatoes.  Mom loves Roma tomatoes.  They are small but meaty.  She bought some for the dinner at $1.29 a pound – that was about 4 tomatoes.
• Canned Product.  Black beans.  How could you possibly go wrong with black beans – especially when you can buy store brand for a $1.00 a can.  Mom bought two cans for the meal.
• Homemade Dish.  Jalapeno Cornbread with Black Beans 🙂 yum – see below
• Random Item of your choice.  Jalapeno.  Mom bought one very large one and it only cost $0.69 the day she was at the market.

 Okay my friends.  Mommy went easy – really easy on this month’s Shopping Around the World – go mom!  She was able to combine all of her prices and items into the Homemade Dish – which is one of our favorites here at the Hotel Thompson.

Jalapeno Cornbread made with with a diced up Jalapeno (according to taste how much you throw in), cup of milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 cup of cornmeal and shredded cheddar cheese.  We have a small iron skillet that will serve four slices of cornbread.  Mix ingredients, except for shredded cheddar cheese, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  When done turn over skillet onto a plate and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Black Beans with tomatoes, diced Jalapeno’s and diced red onions. So easy here – snorts.  Open store bought black beans and heat over the stove on medium heat.  Add a little chicken broth (or whatever broth you have on hand), diced Jalapenos (to taste for heat) and diced tomatoes.  When bubbles, turn down to low and stir.

When bread is ready, spoon black beans into bowl and top with more diced tomatoes.  Mom even added some cilantro into the mix this date.  A meal made for a king and queen.  Filling and hot for a cold rainy night that we seem to be having a LOT of lately.  Happy eats my friends.

Oh… and this entire meal when you break it down ends up to be around less than $6.00 for two people.

I hope you had fun my friends with this month’s edition of Shopping Around the World.  Hope to see you shopping soon!