Patsy's Light Bread

As part of my preparations for being safer at home right now, I made certain I had yeast. I normally buy mine in a large package and knew that I had some in the fridge but I was definitely not going to walk by it in Costco and not throw a bag in my cart at a time when I might be able to spend baking at home. I am glad I did because like all of you right now, I need comfort more than anything and my grandmother's light bread recipe is one of the most comforting foods I make. The bread takes some time so make sure you read the recipe from beginning to end before starting; you will need to allow the starter to sit overnight.

I remember loving nothing more than walking in my mama's kitchen and seeing her loaves of bread cooling on the counter. Even when the arthritis in her hands was at its worst, she still managed to knead the bread and lift it out of the oven. Summertime was always the best season to have it because there were tomatoes from her garden to top the buttered bread with. A little salt and a little better on top was all it needed. Every time I make it, I close my eyes on my first bite and imagine sitting beside her at that kitchen table; each loaf feels sacred and as close to Communion at home as I have ever known.

Bread baker is a part of my identity that I claim and own. I am proud of my skills and always feel the deepest sense of accomplishment when I see the fruits of my labor; I hope my grandmother felt that way, too. For her, I am certain it was a necessity but I like to think she sometimes would stop and admire her work. The funny thing is, she didn't trust me at first with her bread recipes. She told me once that it was too hard and I would kill the yeast if I wasn't careful. Once I had proved myself in my own kitchen, she turned over her angel biscuit recipe to me and I knew I was in her club.

Over the past few weeks, I have found joy in seeing my friends' post their pictures of their own bread baking and even more in sharing yeast and recipes. In fact, I have a younger friend that I teach with who, like everything she does, has approached bread baking with full enthusiasm and is willing to take risks; I love it!

I have also loved receiving emails from my cousin Mary Alice who is the keeper of family stories and recipes. Mary Alice lives across the country from me but we are so connected when we are in our respective kitchens. Her own daughter Megan lives near her and they share many recipes. Seeing the pictures of Mary Alice cooking with her granddaughters (right now via Zoom!) also brings me joy. Mary Alice and I have gone back and forth several times via email about this particular recipe and every exchange feels sacred. These ties that bind are strong.

This recipe is not for the light-hearted (no pun intended!) as it takes patience and time but if ever there was a time to try it and you are fortunate enough to have yeast and flour, I hope that you might be able to look past the fear and anxiety that are the zeitgiest right now and find some comfort in watching this bread come to life in your own kitchen.

Patsy's Light Bread (click for printable recipe)

Potato Starter

 3 potatoes (about 3/4 lb)
4 Tablespoons sugar
About 1/2 cup cold water
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1 pkg (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast (sometimes called "instant" but NOT rapid rise) dissolved in 1 cup water

"Pare good sound potatoes" (directly from Mama's recipe! Just peel them). Cut into small dice and cook until very tender in boiling water. Mash potatoes in the water they were cooked in. Add sugar, salt, and enough cold water to make 3 1/4 cups of liquid. Add the yeast that has been dissolved in one cup of warm water to potato mixture. Allow to sit on counter overnight. (NOTE: I use my immersion blender to get it good and mixed up)

In the morning, the mixture should be light and frothy with bubbly action. If that is the case, it's ready to use. Stir it well.

Bread Recipe
(enough for one loaf.  I always double it and make 2 loaves since the starter is already made)

1 cup starter from night before
2 Tablespoons shortening (Crisco)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
3-4 cups flour, sifted

Put the starter in the a large mixing bowl. Scald milk and add the sugar, shortening, and salt to milk. When cool, add to starter. Stir in flour. turn dough onto lightly floured board. Knead for a few minutes, but not too much. Place dough in a greased bowl. Brush top with oil or melted shortening. 

Cover with cloth and let it sit where it is warm (my trick is in my laundry room while I do loads of laundry in hot water and run the dryer!) until it has doubled. This should take about 90 minutes or so.

Punch dough down and shape into round ball. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Shape dough into loaf and put in a greased loaf pan. Let rise until doubled and over the top of the pan. Bake in a hot oven, 400 degrees, for 30-35 minutes until it is browned on top. Brush melted butter on top. Remove from pan and let sit until cooled.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

It seems like every summer there is one "signature" dish that I make over and over again. This year I happened upon it at my local Publix supermarket with my friend Sundi. I have followed their Apron meals for years and love that the new stores have an entire fancy area dedicated to the featured specials and all the ingredients right there. When Sundi and I sampled the dish at Publix, we grabbed all the ingredients and made it as soon as we got home!

For years and years I have avoided any random corn dish but somewhere along the way decided to abandon that disdain and now I have found several corn salads and side dishes that I really love. This Mexican Street Corn Salad is definitely one of them! There is something so fresh and summery about it.  You can find the recipe on the Publix website. I am lucky enough to have great farmer's markets with Peaches and Cream corn to use in it but you can use any fresh corn that you have available.

I have enjoyed sharing the salad with friends and family and this evening was happy to take it to our church potluck where I shared the recipe with a friend. Pat is an all around amazing human being who makes the world brighter in so very many ways. Her home and her heart are both so warm and you leave being with her feeling a little lighter and definitely more loved. Through the years we have shared laughter, tears, prayers, stories, and of course, recipes! Pat is a vegetarian so I am always happy when I have a dish to share with her that she can eat. I promised her that I would share this recipe with her and decided that I had given it out so many times that it needed to go on my blog! It's just easier that way.

The key flavor in this dish is a McCormick spice mix called Grill Mates Chipotle and Garlic Seasoning. I found it at Publix on the spice aisle with all the other grilling seasonings. You might want to grab 2 bottles because it goes fast if you make the salad often. I also imagine it would be great on fajitas or any kind of Tex-Mex fare. For this recipe you will spray your shucked and silked corn with non-cooking spray (the Crisco kind is my favorite) and then liberally sprinkle the seasoning on it before roasting it in the oven. You also use the seasoning in the dressing mix.

The original recipe calls for using feta in the salad but that seemed odd to me given that the dish is Mexican so I replace the feta with cotija, a Mexican crumbling cheese that is readily found in the dairy aisle.

For your next potluck or even just for a family dinner, this recipe will definitely be a crowd pleaser!

Mexican Street Corn Salad (click for printable recipe)

4 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
non-stick spray (I like Crisco)
McCormick Grill Mates Chipotle and Garlic Seasoning
3 T. chopped cilantro (I used dried Penzy's cilantro leaf)
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
3 green onions, thinly sliced
juice of 3 limes
1 additional teaspoon McCormick Grill Mates Chipotle and Garlic Seasoning
3 T. mayonnaise (I always use Duke's. You could also use crema)
1 C. crumbled cotija cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray corn with nonstick spray, place in a glass baking dish and sprinkle seasoning on liberally. Roast corn for 15 minutes and allow to cool. Cut kernels from corn and scrape dull side of knife along the cobs for some of the juice.

Combine cilantro, mayonnaise, 1 t. seasoning, and lime juice in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add onions, corn, and cheese. Toss together. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Matchstick Fried Okra

The end of July means that summer is drawing to a close for our family. I start back at school on Monday and my girls will join me the following week. I find myself frantically trying to take care of all the chores I just knew I would tackle in the first few days of break but never did and also trying to hold on to all of my favorite parts of the season.

One of those favorites is going to a local farmer's market on Saturdays. After we moved here 13 years ago, I immediately fell in love with the Maryville market. My husband teaches at Maryville College and several of his colleagues told us how fabulous it was. It is a bit of a drive from our house on a weekend morning and getting there when it opens is imperative if you want the best goods so it's worth it to wake up early.

This morning was extra joyful because my mom joined me for the trip. I loved sharing the experience with her and introducing her to some of my favorite vendors! We both came home with a bounty of fresh produce, pimento and baguettes from Blackberry Farms, and a beautiful bouquet of zinnias. Among our treasures were boxes of okra that had some burgundy ones mixed in.

I was so excited to come home and make a new recipe for okra that my mom made recently. Mom and Dad moved to Knoxville in May and our family has so loved being able to share meals together more often. We linger over dinner and then move our conversation to their peaceful back porch to watch the birds in the woods behind their house and then the sunset. These evenings are sacred and I am so grateful for every meal we have shared together.

I am also grateful that my mom taught me how to make her matchstick fried okra! She tried some at an Indian restaurant and then luckily figured out how to duplicate it. I have never been a huge fan of okra but these little strings were so delicious and I couldn't stop eating them.

The trick to the recipe is to make sure that you cut the okra in thin little strips which requires a very sharp knife. Be sure to dry the okra very well after rinsing it off. You will want to cut the okra in half lengthwise and then lay the seed side of each half down on the cutting board. Then just slice very thin, long strips of the okra. You really want little shoestrings when you are done. Be sure your oil is very hot and that you have a plate close by for draining them. A little salt is all you need for seasoning them.

As you are soaking up the last of summer, be sure to put these okra on your list to try!

Matchstick Fried Okra (click here for printable recipe)
fresh okra, rinsed and dried
olive oil
flour
salt

Slice okra in half lengthwise. Turn each half seed side down on the cutting board and then slice very thin.

Sprinkle a very small amount of flour (less than a teaspoon) over the okra strings and toss to combine.

Heat around 1 1/2 - 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat to about 350 degrees (I stick the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil and when it has little bubbles all around it, I know it's ready).

Fry okra in batches for about 6-8 minutes or until brown and crispy. Remove to paper towel lined plate and blot. Salt lightly.

Goblin Cheeseball

I love Halloween for so, so many reasons and not the least of which is that it means it's time for my friend Landon's famous goblin cheeseball! This year I finally managed to snap a picture of him before he lost an eye or an ear.

Every year I host a Spooky Treat Day in the back of our school library on Halloween. It's such a great way for our staff to share fun recipes or treats that they discover with one another. I look forward to this day so much just because we all get to be a little silly.

For several years now, Landon has contributed his clever little goblin guys and I have to say, they are always the highlight of the spread for me. Not only is it so fun to see him appear on his special little plate but it's also hearing how many people come by and rave about him that makes him such a treat. Not to mention, he's always really tasty even if it takes awhile for someone brave to finally cut off part of his face!

It's so very fitting that something that brings so much joy to so many people was created by Landon. Landon is simply one of those people that makes any room feel instantly better when he walks in. His smile is infectious and he manages to make everyone feel special. I see this gift not only in his interactions with me and my friends, but perhaps most importantly, with his students. It is obvious from day one of class that he is in their corner and that his relationships with them matter more than anything else to him. I am always so honored when he asks me to teach lessons with him and I treasure the moments I have spent with him and his students through the years. Every time we teach together, I come away having learned so much about how to love and affirm teenagers who often just don't get enough of that.

I am grateful that Landon shares his goblin with us every Halloween but even more so that he shares his big, loving heart with all of us every single day!

Goblin Cheeseball (click here for printable recipe)

2 8-ounce cartons of cream cheese ( Use Neufchatel if you'd like to reduce the fat content.)

1 carton of whipped cream cheese

1 8-ounce bag of shredded sharp cheddar (sometimes I use half Monterrey jack)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2-3 dashes of whatever good hot sauce you have on hand

1 cup of walnut chunks

about 5 drops of green food coloring (or whatever color suits your mood)

2 whole olives

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 carrot tip for the nose

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, pepper, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer.  On your serving plate, fashion into a skull-shaped ball.  Mix whipped cream cheese and food coloring with a fork and coat the goblin's head with the colored mixture.  Slice off the side of a green bell pepper and cut in half for ears, and stick them into the side of the head.  Put olives in for eyes and a carrot tip for the nose. For the mouth, slice off 1" strips of the red bell pepper and use kitchen scissors to cut out lips and then place them over the goblin's mouth. When all the parts are in, sprinkle and press the walnut chunks to give him hair.  

Refrigerate until time to gobble the goblin and serve with your favorite crackers! Enjoy!

Deep South Shrimp Boil

What happens when you take two sisters from Panama City, Florida, one husband from Louisiana, one husband from Alabama and put them all together? In the case of our dear friends the Landrys and the Byrds, you end up with a family whose hospitality and joie de vivre are endless! You also end up with plenty of varying opinions on how to cook their native cuisine, especially when it comes to seafood. Luckily, though, few things about their shrimp boil recipe are up for debate!

I first met my friend Geri when our youngest girls were in kindergarten. By this point in my life I was feeling like I didn't have enough time to invest deeply in the friendships I already had and just didn't need new ones that would come along with my littlest's elementary career. Luckily for me, though, I was really, really wrong, and along came Geri. As her sister Gina tells the story, they decided to show me just how wrong I was! Fast forward a year and a half and I cannot imagine life without either of those sisters and their families. These are lifelong friends and I could not be more grateful for the bonds and memories we now share.

Anyone who knows the Landrys and the Byrds will tell you right off the bat how warm and friendly they all are and they will also tell you that these are people who like to have fun! We have enjoyed so many different kinds of gatherings at the Landry Farm and the Byrd Boat over the past couple of years and not once have we lacked for great food. I have gained so many great cooking tips and recipes that I was inspired to revisit my blog just so that I could share these with my readers. They all love to cook and have let me play in the kitchen alongside them.

Russell recently hosted his sisters and his niece for several days and invited us out to their boat to swim and to have a shrimp boil. Now, I need to confess that I generally steer clear of seafood but the Landry-Byrds have taught me to really enjoy shrimp. Even though I rarely order any food from the ocean, I love, love, love the culture related to all of it and enjoy learning all about tools and methods for procuring and eating seafood. Watching Russell prepare everything and helping him with some of it was so much fun and the end result was one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten (luckily for me, I didn't have to watch the shrimp heads come off, though!) so I decided that's what I needed to share here.

I love the picture above that was taken by Russell's daughter Sarah because it showcases the little Cajun pirogue that Russell serves his shrimp boil in. I learned that this fiberglass facsimile is based on wooden boats used to haul in nets of shrimp or crawdads. I also love that you can see Gina's hands are in the pirogue sorting out the various parts of the finished boil; I learned that this is an important part of doing a shrimp boil correctly!

Russell's method came from another Cajun transplant to Knoxville who is a good friend of both the Byrds and the Landrys, Kevin LeBlanc. Kevin is another incredible cook and I love both watching him prepare food and listening to his accent!  

As Russell and Chris, Geri's husband, talked me through the recipe, several things jumped out at me that make it work so well. First of all, they use the littlest potatoes they can find so that you don't have to cut them. I have always just quartered larger red potatoes and have always been disappointed in the results. I will definitely use little ones from now on! They also use a big basket in the pot for lifting everything out as opposed to pouring it all out in a colander which is what I have always done. They also use mushrooms, brussel sprouts, onions, and garlic. Now, there are tricks to the onion and garlic. The tops of the garlic bulbs are cut off and then wrapped in foil which is then poked with holes with a fork as are the whole onions (separately, though) before they go in the pot. The type of sausage can vary depending on your taste so Andouille works great or you can even use Kielbasa. The Landrys love Connecuh brand sausage which I can find at Ingles locally. As for the shrimp, their trick for serving it is spot on! Once all the other items in the boil come out, the shrimp go in separately and have their own section in the pirogue (just use whatever serving platter you have) and are iced down to keep them from continuing to cook. The result is perfectly cooked shrimp! 

My two favorite pieces of advice from Russell are to first judge the amount of spices you use in the boil by sticking your head over the pot to see if you can still breathe. He says that if it takes your breath away but you can keep your head over it, you are good to go! He also advised me to always serve it with the remoulade that Gina or Geri whip up (mix mayo, sweet pickle relish, catsup, and hot sauce to taste) to dip your shrimp in.

I hope that you will find a time in the remaining days of summer to gather your friends and family together to try this shrimp boil! In the spirit of the Byrds and the Landrys, keep it fun and casual, work side by side to prepare it, and more than anything, just enjoy being with one another as you feast!

Deep South Shrimp Boil (click for printable recipe)

(Amounts of ingredients other than for the boiling water will vary depending on how large of a crowd you are serving so I am not going to include them)

3 lemons, halved
8 oz Zatarain's liquid crab boil or 3 bags of Zatarain's packets (leave spices in packets)
1/4 cup salt
1 bottle of beer (your choice of brand)
small potatoes (red or white), washed (if they have been in the fridge they will need extra time to boil) and left whole
mushrooms, washed and left whole
garlic bulbs, tops cut off, wrapped tightly in foil with holes poked in foil
onions peeled, wrapped tightly in foil with holes poked in foil
brussel sprouts, washed and left whole
celery, washed and cut in big pieces
Andouille or other sausage of your choice, cut in large pieces
fresh corn, shucked, silked, and broken in half
shrimp
remoulade recipe of your choice

Begin with 15 gallons of water in a large pot with a basket insert. Squeeze lemons and drop in pot. Add liquid crab boil or packets, salt, and beer. Bring to a rolling boil.

Add potatoes in whole. Bring back to a full boil.

Add mushrooms, garlic, onions, brussel sprouts, celery, and sausage. Bring back to a full boil.

Add corn. Bring back to a boil and only allow to boil for 1-3 minutes.

Lift basket and add all ingredients to serving dish. Leave an empty space for the shrimp.

Bring water back to a full boil with nothing in the pot. Add shrimp and cook for no longer than 3 minutes.

Lift basket out of water and add shrimp to the serving dish. Immediately pour ice over the shrimp to stop them from cooking.

Black Raspberry Mini Pies

Berries are on the list of foods that no matter how much you try to convince me of it, I will never believe that they have real nutritional value because they just taste too good to! I love berries of every kind and I get so excited when they start appearing at my local farmer's markets. I also love picking my own berries and am trying my hand at growing a few this summer.

Yesterday on a trip to visit my parents in Virginia, my mom and I found ourselves with a little time on our hands and since neither of us sit at home readily, we set off on a drive in the country with my littlest daughter. There was a beautiful road I remembered driving on many, many years ago and I still treasure the memory of that autumn day so we headed there again. I am so glad we did because we found ourselves at a farm where we thought we could pick blueberries. It turns out the blueberries weren't ready yet but the black raspberries were! Black raspberries! We felt like we had stumbled on a magnificent treasure. The woman who runs the farm said we made it at the perfect time because apparently the harvest is quite short for the berries and only lasts about 15 days. We arrived on day 6 which is peak picking time.

 The berries were not my only treasure, though. The time I spent with Mom and Emory was so special and Mom and I talked about how much we both adore little adventures. We are both always eager to head out on paths we have never been on which is likely due to my dad's military career; it made us wanderlust!

The briars and slightly steep hills did not deter us and we picked until we both had about a pound and a half. Our fingers were stained a gorgeous shade of purple by the time we left which didn't bother either of us a bit. As we pulled off the farm, we were both trying to figure out exactly what we wanted to do with our beautiful berries and agreed that whatever it was, it needed to be special. No quick cobblers for these babies!

On our drive home to Tennessee today, Mom texted me the recipe she had decided on: black raspberry ice cream. I think I knew all along that mine were destined for pies.

I recently bought a pack of mini pie tins from Amazon and have loved using them this summer for my tomato pies. Here is a link to the tins. They come in a pack of 50 disposable tins and are a great value for around $10. The main thing I love about them is that the pies cook so much faster, not to mention they are super adorable. I knew that my raspberry pies would be perfect in these.

I started with my basic pie crust recipe for two pies and used one to cut the crusts out in round pieces to fit in the bottom. You could also roll them out individually but I feel like that might take a little longer. You could also use roll out store bought crusts, of course, but for something as special as black raspberries, I just couldn't do it. With the second half of my double crust recipe I just cut out the tops and then crimped them before cutting slits in the top. You could easily make one big pie with this recipe but would need to double the berry filling and definitely increase the baking time.

If you find yourself lucky enough to have stumbled upon a black raspberry patch, I really think this is the best use of your berries!

Black Raspberry Mini Pies (click for printable recipe)

1 double pie crust recipe (here is my favorite)
4 cups of berries, rinsed, drained, and dried on towels
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/8 cup flour
a pinch of salt
a pinch of cinnamon
1 egg white
1 tablespoon of water
sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a heavy baking sheet with foil (I use Reynolds release foil)

Mix together sugars, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add berries and stir very, very gently so as to not squish the berries. Set aside.

Cut half of a chilled pie crust recipe into four circles slightly larger than than the pie tins. Press into pie tins. Place in freezer. Cut other half of pie crust recipe into circles.

Divide filling between the four pie crusts. Cover with second set of crusts and crimp the edges of the pies. Cut four small slits in the tops of each pie. Sparkling sugar or sugar in the raw works best for sprinkling on the top of the pies but regular white sugar can be used. Sprinkle before baking.

Whisk egg white with water and brush on tops of pies. Sprinkle with sugar. Sparkling sugar or sugar in the raw works best for sprinkling on the top of the pies but regular white sugar can be used.

Place pies on prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until the pies are brown and bubbling.

Steak Veggies

Is there a more perfect night to grill than the longest day of year? I am always hard pressed to nail down my very favorite season (although deep down I think it really is fall) but I never find it a challenge to list hundreds of things I love about each season. Grilling out and eating on the deck are high on my count of what I adore about summer!

Our girls have been gone for close to two weeks as they have each spent time with their two sets of grandparents. My husband and I have missed them deeply but also know that we need to take full advantage of the opportunity for extended date nights and to relish cooking whatever we want to.

Tonight was our last date night and the summer solstice night so we opted for grilling steaks and opening a bottle of red wine we have been saving for a while. It was most definitely the right choice!

I knew I wanted grilled veggies with our steaks and kabobs came to mind right away while I was shopping this morning. I have to admit, though, that while I love the idea of kabobs, they just never really turn out right for us. Somehow the vegetables never end up being done at the same time and I am always left disappointed. Add to that the fact that they are a little more troublesome and I was going for easy breezy tonight. So I went back to the drawing board.

The other night I made Italian sausage sandwiches with peppers and onions from a recipe I just saw in Cook's Country. The sandwiches were delicious and the method for cooking the onions and peppers was perfect so I used this as the inspiration for our veggies tonight. Starting the peppers, onions, and mushrooms in the microwave cuts down on the cooking time outside and it also helps to ensure that they are cooked evenly. It was definitely the right choice and both my husband and I agreed that we would return to this plan next time we grill steaks. These veggies would also be great with chicken. We had a few left so I stuck them in the fridge with the plan to add them to a pasta dish. I also am going to try adding some fresh chopped rosemary to the recipe next time.

These veggies take very little prep time and for the most part the grilling is hands off with no worries of overcooking them. Be sure to purchase a disposable foil pan ahead of time if you decide to try these although I didn't dispose of mine at all. I just washed it and will use it again really soon for this recipe!

Steak Veggies (click for printable recipe)

2 onions (I prefer sweet ones like Vidalias), cut in half and then sliced in slices about 1/4" thick
1 red bell pepper, cut in half, seeds removed and then sliced about 1/4" thick
1 8 oz. package button mushrooms, wiped clean with a wet paper towel (I like the teeniest, tiniest ones I can find)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9X13 disposable aluminum pan

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Transfer to a glass dish and cover. Microwave for six minutes. Transfer mixture to disposable aluminum pan.

Preheat grill on medium high. Place pan on top of the hottest part of the grill.

Cook for 25 -30 minutes stirring a few times. Remove from grill and serve with steak.